August is a very, very laidback time in Europe- if you’re not working in hospitality or tourism that is.
I actually read an article last week that said global tourism percentage is, for the first time since COVID, expected to rise above 2019.
And having been in a few tourist hotspots myself these last few weeks, I believe it.
It’ll be nice for that to die down a bit in the coming weeks- I was never one for crowds anyway.
Still, I had the great pleasure of being around some wonderful people this summer and I’d like to share more about that with you today!
Historic Normandy
The first week of July saw me and a group of friends travel to Normandy. We did not go, however, for the 80th anniversary of D-Day (as wonderful as that would’ve been) but for the wedding of our friends Linda and Simon.
This wedding was a first for me, the first time I ever officiated. I was very honored by it, especially given the friendship I’ve come to have with both bride and groom.
It was certainly an ICF wedding in how intercultural it was. Simon is a Normandy native but Linda is Dutch with parents who immigrated to the Netherlands from Vietnam. It’s always a blessing to see God use love to bring together so many different people from so many different cultures.
Our team from ICF had lots of fun celebrating Linda and Simon and then joining them and some other friends on a memorable hike to historic Mont-Saint-Michel a few days later.
All in all, it was a great trip with a balance of experiences old and new.
Gone Fishing
Last week I came off a pretty chill vacation.
The first half was spent with my community on the southeast coast of England. It was a lovely time of visiting old friends and worshipping at VitaChurch, the church I attended while living in the area.
During that time I had the opportunity to give a message at a gathering put on by the Brighton and Hove homeless outreach Antifreeze. I was received warmly and greatly enjoyed being able to see the bright faces in that community. I hope to connect with them again in the future!
Then I returned to Rotterdam and hosted my good friend Matt for a week. During that time we got around to visiting the Hague, Antwerp, and even got off the beaten path by exploring Holland’s “groene heart” (thanks again for that, Anton!).
The week ended by grabbing some kibbeling and sitting down at Scheveningen beach watching the sun disappear in the company of some good friends.
Fall on the Horizon
The summer weather is already peeling away, reminding us that autumn will make a quick re-entry. With that change in the temperature also comes our re-entry into the typical rhythm and tempo of life and work in the city.
One project that has already picked back up is the leadership planning group I mentioned in my previous update.
In October our group will be sending a few people to ICP’s (our church planting network) leadership team training. The training comes at a good time as our church continues to grow and new demands are put on the leadership as a result.
In addition, ICF continues to have more on the horizon with our next language cafe, more baptisms at Bron van Leven, and the recent implementation of a safeguarding policy to help keep our church the safe and welcoming environment it has been.
Steady work and I am honored to do it with the people God has put around me.
Prayer Points
As we step into the next season a few prayer points would be much appreciated:
A Safe Church Advisor for ICF
The upcoming ICP leadership training weekend October 10-12
The upcoming baptisms at Bron van Leven
Restored energy coming off the summer
And, on a personal note, my sister Jessica just got engaged so prayers for her and her fiance are much appreciated!
I’d like to conclude this update by promoting an album a friend of mine recently released.
I met Linda of The Linda Brady Revival as the parent of two students I knew during my time in youth ministry. In the years since Linda and the rest of the family have grown to become dear friends to me.
Over those years, I was delighted to hear that Linda is a musician and was even more delighted when she told me she intended to release her second album this year.
Well, now the album is out, and believe me when I say it doesn’t disappoint! Deep Brain Stimulator is an energetic collection of highly original rock songs born from a passionate place. The band shows their strengths as musicians and, in addition to that, Linda puts her highly creative and competent skills as a songwriter on full display.
In my opinion, that’s best seen on the track “The Barkers” which hits upon some very relevant themes for our current moment (many of which I also hope to highlight in a soon-to-be-released project I’ve had in the works for a while…).
There aren’t many other ways to say it- Deep Brain Stimulator is worth your time and support so please go give it a listen wherever music is streamed! And if you’d like to explore different ways to support Linda and her music then please check out her website here.
Well, that’s all from me for now. The next update will be out in about two months. In the meantime, you can expect another teaching and maybe a few other fun things.
Much love!
Jon
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