Pastors Pascal and Bernard
Jean-Raymond Stauuffacher
Attendees of the recent Pastorale Nationale retreat
This is why we do what we do…
For 3 days in November, 40 pastors, missionaries and deacons of the Protestant Reformed Evangelical Union of Churches gathered for times of worship, teaching and fellowship. Pastor Jean-Raymond Stauffacher, President of the Union, writes:
“After two long years of interruption because of the Covid situation, the pastors, missionaries and deacons of our Union were able to meet again for their annual retreat in the region of origin of the Huguenots: the Cévennes mountains.
Two professors of the Faculté Jean Calvin seminary, Jean-Philippe Bru and Dean Yannick Imbert, brought pastoral and stimulating contributions on the topic of emotional and cultural intelligence.
As our churches are experiencing what Edouard Glissant describes as « creolization » (the process by which elements of different cultures are blended together to create a new culture), the subject allowed us to address a number of the questions we have today about local congregation intercultural dynamics. It also allowed us to reflect on new paths for contextualizing our common Calvinist heritage in a world that is fast in becoming a global village.”
Three-quarters of the pastors of this denomination are graduates of Faculté Jean Calvin. May the Lord encourage these servants and cause their ministry of shepherding churches across France to bear much fruit for His glory and for the advancement of His Kingdom. May the Lord raise up as well a new generation of servants among the youth in French churches, that they be inspired by these pastors to enter the pastoral ministry.
This is why we do what we do at the Huguenot Fellowship in supporting the work of Faculté Jean Calvin.