Time of Refreshing & Gutenstein Summit Meeting

C3 Geneva / Geneva, Switzerland
This month has been incredibly busy starting off with a short visit with my friends Narii and Nicole Dauphin and their children. They pastor a C3 Church in Geneva, Switzerland. It has been three years since I have been there. Their church is growing at a steady rate and having an impact on Geneva. God's got great things planned for them.

Time of Refreshing (TOR) / Leysin, Switzerland
TOR is a three day meeting of mostly American missionaries in the Swiss village of Leysin. Held the first week in September, it is located right in the middle of the French speaking part of Swiss Alps. The surrounding mountains are beautiful. It reflects all of God's creative ability.

This invitation only meeting has been a blessing to American missionaries for over twenty years. Bill and Imogene Kaiser have led these meetings the entire time. The Kaiser's raise money in America to make this conference totally free for the attendees. All the missionaries have to do is show up. It is blessing to renew old friendships and make new friends every year.

Fellowship of European International Churches / Gutenstein, Austria
With one week in between the Switzerland trip and I was off to the FEIC Pastor's Summit meeting in mountains of Gutenstein, Austria. These meetings bring together Assembly of God pastors that have International churches located throughout Europe. International churches cater to multi-cultural ethic groups utilizing the same facility but in their own language and service.

Pastors from different parts of the U.S. came to share on organization, strategy in reaching the lost, the next generation and praise and worship. Since the group was small, about sixty total, it gave us all a chance to interact and connect with everyone.  

The beauty of nature surroundings both the TOR and FEIC Summit meeting are always incredible. The Fall colors were in full force especially at Gutenstein. Someday I'm going to have enough time to just shoot pics of the entire area to share with you. In the mean time, you get the idea here with the ones I've posted.

You may remember last year we got hit with an early snow storm. It dropped about eight inches over two days. There was a real concern for being able to get off the mountain top. When I woke up Thursday morning, guess what? Yes, it was snowing wet, gloppy snow flakes. It motivated me to pack the car fast, grab some tea and get off the mountain especially since I didn't have snow tires on my car.

As it turned out, the snow storm was centered on the very top of the mountain. Thirty minutes drive later I was out of the snow and in a bright shinning sun reflecting the incredible Fall colors. Oh well, better safe than sorry especially up on those mountainside roads.

Europe Advance / Church Planters Roundtable
Thursday, I'm driving to Braunschweig, Germany, near the north central part of Germany for another Church Planters Roundtable. This is the fourth roundtable we've held this year. It looks like a smaller group will be attending but it's not about the numbers is it. It's about planting seed.

First Europe Advance Church Plant
Last Sunday, we celebrated our first Europe Advance church plant in Frieburg, Germany. It looks like it was very successful for the area. They had over one hundred people attend the first service. We're believing that this is the first of many to come throughout Europe.

Blessings,

Rev. Lawrence Blakeslee
Missionary to Europe and Asia

More Info
C3 Geneva Church
Fellowship of European International Churches 
Watermark Church Freiburg