ChezSlaughterBlog

Our New Ministry Direction: Church-Planting in Paris

After nine years in Brussels serving as worship pastor of Christian Center, running the Brussels-European Worship Institute, touring with EXO, and working with Creative Arts Europe, God is leading us to help lead a church planting team in Paris.  The church, to launch in April, 2010, will be called 'The Bridge' and will be an inter-denominational international church plant reaching out to the more than 500,000 English-speakers who have relocated to Paris from all over the world.

Our Role as 'Bridge Builders'
As Worship & Arts Pastor of The Bridge, Jeff will develop worship leaders, instrumental and vocal teams, a worship choir, and musical outreach programs. As a member of the lead pastoral team, he will be a part of strategy meetings and decisions affecting the direction of the church. We will live in the suburbs of western Paris. We are excited, expectant and believing God for great things at The Bridge.

Would You Pray For Us?
However, three things need to happen in order for us to make this move.
As trusted friends, would you join us in praying for the following?
❖  Pray that we find a school for Nick.
❖  Pray that we'll secure missionary visas to France.
❖  Pray as we increase our support by $2000 per month and raise a $15,000 cash budget to help with relocation expenses and establish a ministry fund.

Would You Help Us Build The Bridge?
In order to move to Paris and join the Bridge Project, we need to raise additional financial support. Would you consider helping us?

❖  If you aren't currently a monthly supporter or regular contributor, would you prayerfully consider joining financially in this new missions project?

❖ If you are a member of our support team, would you consider making a special contribution to help us reach these financial goals?

❖ Will you help connect us to missions-minded individuals, churches and Sunday school classes?

❖ Will you or your church consider hosting a fundraising event such as a pancake breakfast, barbeque, or a café to help us raise our cash budget?

If you feel led to join us in this exciting ministry project, would you let us know by e-mailing us at: JeffKathyS@hotmail.com? It would be a great source of encouragement to us.  We'll keep you posted on how things progress and share more news about 'The Bridge' very soon.

Thank you for supporting God’s work in Europe.
Jeff and Kathy

Visit 'The Bridge' website at: www.thebridgeparis.com

'A Reason To Sing' Outreach Concert Held May 17

We presented our annual spring outreach concert Sunday, May 17 to a full sanctuary of more than 500.
The concert featured the Christian Center children, violinist Tijmen Weilberg, Salt & Light Dance, Diamond Dance and Christian drum arts group, 'GodDrum'.

For those who would like a song-by-song description of the concert, see below...

We were amazed with our children's involvement this year. Their movements, choreographed by youth leader Bethany Turley, were fantastic, bringing great energy to the first three songs by Michael W. Smith: "Prepare Ye The Way", "A New Hallelujah" and "When I Think Of You."

Youth worship leader James Christensen belted out Chris Tomlin's "Sing, Sing, Sing", backed by our choir and background vocalists. And our 'choir guys' stepped up to the mike on "Come Now Is The Time To Worship", using the Phillips, Craig & Dean gospel-infused arrangement. At the key change, our ladies morphed into a gospel choir and sounded GREAT!

Our incredible guitarist, Matteo Piano (his real name!) shared an original guitar composition, followed by Diamond Dance's premier of Selah's "I Will Sing Of My Redeemer." Beautiful.

Bringing technology into the concert, we then showed a You Tube Kari Jobe video called "I'm Singing."
The video features testimonies from people who have suffered loss or who are just celebrating life, and 'still singing.'

Violinist Tijmen Weilberg then ministered with an original composition, inspired by the scripture passage about David's harp music chasing away evil spirits from Saul. I hope to put a video up soon of this incredible performance. We went from pop to rock to gospel to classical throughout the concert!

Closers included Hillsong's "Desert Song" (which contains the inspired concert them 'All of my life, in every season, You are still God, I have a reason to sing, I have a reason to worship.' This was followed by Michael Neale's "On Mountains High (I'll praise Your Name); Don Moen's "I Will Sing"; and the BIG finale with Tommy Walker's new song "Hallelujah! We Will Sing" which brought everyone back to the platform - children, Tijmen and GodDrum.

Simply amazing.

We were honored to have with us diplomats and ambassadors from Kenya, Tanzania and Swaziland, but most of all, the KING who we celebrated and who has given all of us a reason to sing.

Ugandan Children's Choir Returns To Brussels May 6

Watoto, a children's choir comprised of    Ugandan orphans is returning to Brussels May 6.

We discovered the choir at the Hillsong London conference in 2007 and were thrilled to learn that the choir makes a European tour each spring. We are fortunate to have them this year again as they travel through Brussels on their way to Switzerland.

We are working on booking them in a local international school on the morning of May 6 and then filling up Christian Center with the precious sound of African praise that evening.

If last year's concert was any indication of Watoto's popularity, we're sure the church will be full of believers and non-believers anxious to hear the stories of these children who spread their message of faith, hope and love in a God who has a special place in His heart for orphans.

We recorded the video below at the Hillsong conference in 2007 and posted it on You Tube. To date, we have received more than 1,000 views. Take a look...