Zavelstein, Germany
June 8, 2014Dear Praying Friends,
We arrived safely in Switzerland on May 29 and spent our first night in Leissigen at a beautiful, quaint chalet on Lake Thun. The long trip went smoothly. We arrived with all our luggage, picked up four new Renault vans, and set out for Germany.
Our first stop was Spaichingen, where we were hosted by a large national church. This group always fills their house to overflowing, and unbelievers are always there along with church members. Everyone appreciated the music and interacted enthusiastically with team members after the concert.
On the following day, Saturday, May 31, the team had the unusual opportunity of presenting a full concert in the baroque chapel on the island of Mainau on Lake Constance. Five hundred people were tightly packed in this beautifully ornate chapel built in 1732 by Teutonic Knights. Not surprisingly, the acoustics were splendid. Audience members were spell-bound by the program and roundly demanded encores. Afterwards team members conversed with them. Better yet, the island officials allowed us to give tracts to anyone whom we met inside the chapel.
Sunday brought another well-received concert at the church. Afterwards everyone was invited to a big lunch provided by the church. That, of course, gave team members another opportunity to visit with those who came to the concert. I'm afraid that we American believers rarely offer hospitality as an handmaiden of personal evangelism. In this case it was the youth group of the church who prepared the meals, served, and cleaned up. What a wonderful service they provided.
On Monday and Tuesday, June 2 and 3, we served with the church in Tübingen, a work planted by Jürgen Matthia over 50 years ago in a picturesque medieval university town. There we sang and distributed invitations to our June 3 concert. We also did a nursing home program, our first of the summer. These church people are very active in
personal evangelism. They carefully plan their outreach activities to spread the Gospel in a city noted for a brand of "higher thinking" that produces many atheists and religious skeptics. This church was built by its ministry to such students who found Christ. It is an honor to play a small role in these evangelistic efforts.
On June 4 through 6 we ministered at the Metzingen church. This is a congregation largely made up of faithful Romanian believers who immigrated to Germany some 20 years ago following the fall of communism. These people are examples to us of fortitude, faithfulness, and kindness. Members of the large youth group, unlike their parents, have grown up in the West and face many temptations that come with affluence. They served as wonderful hosts to our group. We believe that team members became well acquainted with many of these young people. We also had a good concert in the church on June 4. On Saturday, June 7, we began our ministry at Haus Felsengrund, a retreat and Bible conference center in the Black Forest. We gave a concert at the new meeting hall here last night. I can't remember when we've had such a friendly crowd of people who conversed at such length with team members after the sermon. Today the choir will minister in music in all three of the conference sessions. There's a great appreciation here for our music. In addition, our team preacher, Phil Harrell, is preaching at two of the sessions.
You may remember that one of our long-standing prayer requests this past year has been that the Lord would give us a good preacher for this team. He has graciously sent Phil our way. Phil's sermons are always
warm in tone and substantial in content. He has to adjust to the time allotted for and the nature of each service, and he has done so at every stop. Please thank the Lord for bringing Phil to the team and pray that he will be strengthened as we move from day to day and place to place.
Finally, Bill and I are very grateful to have the opportunity to lead this team. They work well together in their assigned team jobs and pitch in with creativity to solve problems. We also believe that they've had a good testimony in the churches and homes we've visited. Please pray that team members will continue on this high plain.
Thank you for your prayers.
Sincerely in Christ,
Janie McCauley
