Update from the Netherlands

Hi family and friends! Just a quick update and a few prayer points we are trusting God for here in the Netherlands 🇳🇱

Our families are doing well, everyone is healthy, and we are very thankful that schools have opened again after months of being closed due to social distancing regulations. We are also finally allowed to start gathering again in small groups of up to 30 people, while still maintaining a 1,5m distance between attendees during these meetings. We are working on practical solutions to make this happen, in order for us to have our first Sunday gathering this coming weekend.

At this stage our group is still relatively small, and we focus a lot on core values, foundations and fellowship when we gather online. We are so thankful for the people who have already been added to our family, and we can’t wait to see them face to face. How amazing that churches can do so much online during this lockdown situation, but still - there really is no substitute for physically gathering at place every week.

We currently have a few Connect Groups still going strong via video calling, and we are so excited about this process of laying foundations together. There is such power in the simplicity of the One2One booklet, regardless of how many times you have gone through it. We have great evangelism opportunities at the Utrechtse Rugby Club at the moment, and now that schools are open again, we are hoping to meet and befriend many of the parents. We are so thankful for good relationships and building relationships with our neighbours as well, and trusting that God would use us powerfully in all of these relationships.

Please pray with us 🙏🏼:

That unbelievers in the Netherlands will become discontent with a life without God.

Pray for us as we reach out to unbelievers at the Utrechtse Rugby Club where we have "open doors" to engage with players and staff.

That our current Every Nation Utrecht core group will hear and apply God’s Word as the Holy Spirit leads and empowers them.

The Pretorius family has to move to a new home at the end of August. Pray that they will find a home that is big enough for small church gatherings, and easily accessible via public transportation.

Pray as we are currently navigating through the tricky process of church registration.

Pray that we will continue to grow in our grasp of the Dutch language. Our Dutch classes have been on hold during the Covid pandemic, and we are very aware of the importance of our skills to keep improving.

Thanks again for all your support and prayer. We can really see God’s hand of protection over our families, our core group and this church plant as a whole. If you would like to keep an eye on what we are doing, please feel free to follow @enutrecht on Instagram, and @EveryNationUtrecht on facebook.

Blessings,

Philip, Maryke, Jacques and Kobie