Fall 2024

CHURCH

In August, a missions team of 12 brothers and sisters from Redeemer Bible Church in Indiana were here with us in Germany. We are always so encouraged by these friends and how this partnering church lives out God’s Great Commission. As we have done the past two years with the missions team, our church hosted a small church evening with our American friends sharing through translation. It was filled with good input about what faithful membership looks like at Redeemer, delicious food and time to get to know each other. The team was able to worship with our church on Sunday morning and enjoy a parking lot pitch in after the service.

From there, part of the missions team went to serve in the “Life Camp”. Life Camp is a Christian summer camp run by church in Warendorf with whom we are closely connected. This year the Americans stayed in tents with the teenagers and were able to share the gospel and their lives with them. The other part of the group joined our friends, the Grüning Family, in Syke. They are renovating a beautiful property which will be used as a counseling and retreat center. If you want to find out more about their ministry, check out their website: https://www.goingwiththegruenings.com/de and https://www.twelvestoneseurope.com/

Again this year, our good friend Phillip led a Life Camp reunion with the teenage boys from our church. It was a weekend filled with good conversations, devotionals from the book of James and lots of phone-less fun. I (Jonas) was able to spend a whole day with the group and was encouraged to see how interested our teenagers are to learn more about the Bible and how it relates to their lives. All four books that I brought as recommendations are now in the hands of teenagers :) That Saturday we joined other men from the church and grilled together at the park. It’s important, and always positive to see young and old brothers spending time together.

How can we influence and encourage young believers? We think that one-on-one discipleship and working alongside each other in the church is a very fruitful way to do that. I (Jonas) started meeting with a young adult, who we baptized in June. We meet once a week, discussing the past Sunday service, reading through books (currently we are reading David Helm´s Expositional Preaching and One-to-One Bible Reading) and talking and praying about our lives. Please pray that our church would be marked by these kinds of relationships.

Paige started an Instagram account with a young adult, who was baptized last year. You can check it out here: https://www.instagram.com/freikirche_am_bohlweg/. We pray this simple tool will be another way for people of Münster to find our church and come and hear the gospel.

Family

After a long 40 weeks, tomorrow is our baby boy’s due date. Please praise God with us for sustaining his little life. Please pray God’s blessing and care over Paige and baby during the labor and delivery, which will be happening any day now. These months have been filled with many doctor appointments for Paige. Walking through this pregnancy after we lost our baby in 2022, Paige has had the opportunity to share the gospel many times at these appointments and the hope she has in Jesus. She’s been able to gift good books to her doctors. Please pray they will read them have eyes to see Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.

We are so thankful Paige’s mom can be here with us before and after the birth. She arrived two weeks ago with a suitcase of Hobby Lobby crafts, which have occupied the girls for hours a day.

We mentioned in an update awhile back about a family from Redeemer praying and preparing to join us here in Germany. Incredibly and by God’s grace and provision, two weeks ago the Stumpp family flew with one-way plane tickets and arrived here in Münster. We are encouraged by their faith and excitement. We look forward to friendship and life together with them.

Thank you for your continued prayers, support, snail mails and check-ins. We couldn’t do what we are without you.

Much love,

Jonas, Paige, Nora and Fenley

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