My dear friends and family,

This will be a short letter, as I strained a muscle in my arm while skiing for the first time on Saturday.  If I use my arm too much, I start to have pain, so I need to rest as much as possible!  Aside from the injury, I had a great time skiing, and I hope to go again and not fall so many times next time! 

 Things have continually been busy since I’ve last written.  In addition to ENDLESS days of snow, two weeks ago, I was invited to go to Athens, Greece along with John Henry, Lisbeth, Adam, and Sarah for the annual Foursquare Europe conference.  It was an incredible time of renewing acquaintances made at last year’s conference and teaching with Pastor Jack Hayford.  The conference’s theme was based on multiplying healthy churches and discipling the people within those churches.  Our region of Europe was responsible for the ushering and sanctuary clean-up during and after each of the meetings.  I was placed in charge of obtaining volunteers and organizing them for our task, and it seemed to go very well.  Not only was I able to be more acquainted with those in our region, but we were able to bless the Greek church in Athens (where we held the conference).  The Greek church had given as many volunteers as they could for making food, meeting people at the airport, the worship team, etc. so they were relieved to have our help.  I received many good compliments as well.  It was a great experience to administrate something like that, as I never have before. 

Greece was absolutely amazing – seeing the sites and ruins of the old city.  Visiting Mars Hill (or Areopagus) where the Apostle Paul made his speech to the Greek people thousands of years ago on the monument they had built “To the unknown god.”  From Mars Hill, you see the Acropolis ruins which has the remainder of the Parthenon and Temple of Diana.  It is quite a majestic site, towering over the entire city.  No wonder the people of old thought they could access the gods there.  The food was spectacular and full of flavor and wonderful colors.  The people were extremely kind and generous (aside from the taxi drivers who tried to get more money from me than they should have!)  I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Though we had only one day of sunshine, it was still a lovely time.

 A surprising bit of news occurred from Athens -- John Henry was elected as leader for all of Foursquare Europe!  He, at first, did not want to take the position and take on more than he already has.  But the Lord really spoke to him about taking this position and being a servant to Europe.  So, for the next two years, he will serve as leader and develop a process of selection for the forthcoming candidates.  I still will serve as his secretary, and it is likely that I will become secretary for Foursquare Europe.  I am not quite sure how things will be different in the next few weeks or months, but I have peace that whatever happens in my position will be what God has for me!  I will still faithfully live in Kristiansand and serve with the church with the youth group and with the worship team.  Some of my responsibilities in the office will change, but it will all fit into what I am already doing, I am sure of that!

The youth group is doing well – we are training the kids to take on more leadership, and they are responding well.  They are excited to do so as well!  It will be exciting to see what will happen in the coming months with the youth group.  The worship team at the church is growing by leaps and bounds – and in fact, one girl that I trained up in singing the alto parts, sang for the first time this last Sunday, and did an incredible job.  I was so proud of her!

 Well, this letter is much longer than I anticipated, and my arm is twinging a bit, so I best end this letter.

Be blessed, and I will be in touch!

Gretchen

Prayers:

1)       Pray for my arm to be healed quickly!

2)       Pray for spiritual and numerical growth with the youth group, and that they would respond well to us as leaders and to the leadership that we give them

3)       Pray for continued guidance with the office changes as John Henry’s new position takes shape.