With the new year, Paul started at his new position as pastor at the church in central Paris on rue de Sevres. The long name is "Eglise Evangelique Baptiste de Paris Centre" or the Evangelical Baptist Church of Central Paris, but they just call it "rue de Sevres" after the street it's on.
This is the church Paul grew up in and attended up through seminary until he did a year of interning and started at the church in Bry. So his great grandfather (french grandma's father) started the church a long time ago, and his extended family still attends.
The head pastor there retired at the end of 2017 after 30+ years at this church. The other head pastor is one of Paul's best friends whom he attended seminary with here in France. So they know each other very well and have worked together before. There is also another part time pastor (also named Paul). So our Paul only preaches about one Sunday a month, but may also "lead" the services as well as being in charge of other activities and bible studies during the week.
It's much larger than our previous church with over 100 members, and there are two services: one in the morning at 10:15am and another in the evening at 6:30pm with about 300 attending over the 2 services. Paul goes to both services, but the kids and I attend in the morning when they have kids activities like Sunday school.
We've attended services every once in a while over the past few years when Paul has been invited to preach or there was a baptism or dedication of someone we knew. We also had our French wedding reception here back in 2012, so we already know a lot of the families. I've mostly met families with young kids so far as we spend the service in the kids area for now.
We're mostly excited to see our friends and cousins more often now and for me there is a slightly bigger english speaking contingent here (even outside of Paul's family). It will take some getting used to our new routine since we can't walk to and from church anymore!
It's much larger than our previous church with over 100 members, and there are two services: one in the morning at 10:15am and another in the evening at 6:30pm with about 300 attending over the 2 services. Paul goes to both services, but the kids and I attend in the morning when they have kids activities like Sunday school.
We've attended services every once in a while over the past few years when Paul has been invited to preach or there was a baptism or dedication of someone we knew. We also had our French wedding reception here back in 2012, so we already know a lot of the families. I've mostly met families with young kids so far as we spend the service in the kids area for now.
We're mostly excited to see our friends and cousins more often now and for me there is a slightly bigger english speaking contingent here (even outside of Paul's family). It will take some getting used to our new routine since we can't walk to and from church anymore!
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| Julia coloring with her friend Livia, daughter of the other pastor, also 4 years old. |
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| James on the slide in the kids' room. |
I haven't actually attended a service there, but have spent time on the lower level for a meal, and time in the nursery! Now I see where James left his other shoe on the slide.
ReplyDeleteI've only attended a whole service a few times before kids, now I'm down in the nursery. I try to get out for some of the service though.
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