Latest News from Normandy Vision: February 2006

Houlgate It is now 3 months since we arrived here in the flat at the church in Houlgate. We are getting used to its quirks now, and have managed to fill it with various degrees of our own chaos. We are still searching, so far unsuccessfully, for somewhere more permanent to rent in the area.

Church We have been made very welcome by the church here, and in particular by the pastor and his wife, Thomas and Mary Fohner. We have been able to get involved with various activities: for example, Philip has been helping out with the music on occasion, and has sometimes preached at the morning service too - but through an interpreter so far!

Craft Club Simone has started up a monthly Saturday afternoon Craft Club for ladies in the church with the aim in due course of introducing a devotional time in addition to opportunities for fellowship and witness.

Computer Club There may be the possibility of starting a computer club, to help non-technical or older people learn how to use the internet and email. This would be a good way of reaching out into the community. However, before we can do this we will need to find several computers.

Language Lessons We have been searching for suitable language lessons since we arrived in November. We may at last have found lessons at Caen which is about 20 miles away. Other possibilities would mean travelling to Rouen, but that is 70 miles away.

Association / Charity We have spent a lot of time researching how to set up a French Association - approximately equivalent to a UK Charity. The task of understanding the complexities of French administrative procedures phrased in unfamiliar language has been quite a challenge. There is still more work to be done before we can get the association set up, for example drawing up the rules that govern the existence, aims and operation of the association, that is, the statuts.

Support We are very grateful for the support, commitment and practical involvement of Tom and Mary Fohner here in Houlgate. In addition to that, there are many who have expressed their desire to become involved with the project to establish a Christian Centre in Normandy. We would like to see French Christians ready to become involved with the project at this stage, and to give their public support now.

Arranging Events We are at the initial stages of arranging for conferences, seminars etc. to be held here in Houlgate - once the weather warms up! For example, David Brown, who is a France Mission pastor at a church near Paris, and General Secretary of the GBU (French Students Christian Union) has agreed to come and speak.