Last week 3 churches from Lamastre joined together to run a book stall - a Christian book stall !!! This is a noteworthy event in secular France.
We set up in a vacant shop (Catholic owners)and visitors could see an oecumenical display of books about Christmas, the environment and ecology from a Christian point of view, calendars and cards, Bibles, Children's books ...
Well, that was the week that snowed, so we didn't get crowds in but parishioners from the 3 churches took turns to man the stalls and each evening at 5 pm after the children get out of school, there was story telling based on the Bible (by a Reformed church minister - a dynamic lady who could imitate a wonderful Cameroon accent!)
When I returned the unsold books to the depot in Montélimar (I had to go there for a Femmes 2000 meeting), Heidi was impressed that we sold €1000 worth of goods!
So thank God that people still read, that our churches appreciate working together, that Christian literature is developping here in France, although still quite expensive to buy given the much smaller market. And pray that all that was bought will stimulate people's faith in the living God. May this Christmas be the one where people finally understand that Jesus is Lord and Saviour. And pray that all the churches will be faithful to the Gospel message.
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