In 2013, a French couple (Olivier & Elodie Sarkis) moved to Bedford to learn from church life in England, take part in FP training as well as be a part of Training for Supernatural Ministry school. After a year, their friends (Matt & Maëllou Trefcon) moved to Bedford for a year to come and do something similar. In 2015, after much planning and consideration, they all moved back to France to plant a church in a town called Montélimar. At the start of 2016 they launched their church plant, and we recently caught up with Matt to find out how things are going across the water.
They started by meeting as the 4 of them and their young children in Matt & Maëllou’s living room, praying about the church plant and the people that would join them. After a few months, they were a group of 45-50 people gathering in a humble home, with kids work running in various rooms in the house. Not only are they growing in numbers, but they are growing spiritually together and developing new leaders amongst their community.
“On Sunday mornings, we would eat and drink together before we would sing and praise God. Then we’d hear a short preach from one of our team and spend much time doing ministry together afterwards. We focus a lot on building family, both our natural families and spiritual church family, as well as strengthening connections and friendships we have here.”
In June 2016, they also saw a woman come to faith through one of their Impacting Parents groups, which was a first for the church, and of course greatly celebrated!
They have now grown enough that they have managed to secure their very first rented building which will become their new place of meeting as of September 18th 2016, and we are so excited for them! They are full of faith, vision and excitement for what God is doing there which is fantastic to hear.
We are wishing them the best of luck in this transition, and standing with them as they help extend God’s Kingdom in France.