September 2014

Stephen and Dawn Orange
Ave Josse Smets, 39
Brussels
Belgium
[email protected]
September 2014
Dear Friends,
We have just begun year number eight of service at EPE de Bruxelles-Woluwe, and it remains a privilege
to know there are good number of folk with a vision for praying for the work here. Year eight has seen a
number of changes for us – small but potentially significant. We’re refreshed after a Suffolk/Swiss break
post camp, and Jemima (about to turn 12) has just started at a large local secondary school (a big one,
College Saint Michel). We’re praying that she’ll find her feet and will grow not only academically, but
also as a Christian. One of her good friends from school came with her to a French speaking Christian
camp, Camp Beho – praise God for that!
At church this year we have the privilege of having two other workers
with us, in Johnny Pilgrem and Robbie Bellis. Robbie (also a Crosslinks
Mission Partner) is with us for an 18 month ministry “stage”, and has a
particular heart to reach and disciple students for Christ. Johnny is
planning a Brussels based church plant – and this year, whilst working
with us, will seek to develop the strategy for the plant. It will represent
a significant change for the church to have two further workers
amongst us in a more concentrated capacity (both of these men
have been with us already at church – Johnny throughout his Bible
Institute training, Robbie for one year). Pray that as a team we’d work
together well for the glory of God in the Woluwe area – pray for the
impact of their ministry both formally (preaching,teaching, bible
studies) and informally (one-to-one meetings, hospitality). Pray too for
some new evangelistic initiatives, particularly amongst students.
The Bellis' at Interaction
Belgium: an incredible
family!
The church is keen to support Johnny and Naomi Pilgrem in their church planting initiative, to see a core
of believers equipped and sent to another area of Brussels. Do pray for wisdom for them and us this year
– Woluwe’s building is often pretty full (110 adults, 40 children), but our core of mature, available, servant
hearted disciples (particularly native French speaking ones) remains very small. Do pray therefore for
more progress in discipleship this year amongst our core – for our Thursday evening centrally-run small
group programme (with bible studies in Ephesians, and with the introduction this year of some small
teaching slots to enable folk to grapple with some key areas of Christian doctrine). Pray for Arsène,
Pascal and Philippe, who will be helping us run the different groups.
Woluwe church has some good links with the GBU, les Groupes Bibliques Universitaires. Steve is on the
small council of the movement – and this year we are seeking to recruit a new GBU General Secretary.
Do please pray with us for this important appointment – as we remain persuaded that a strong
evangelical student work, reaching and training men and women in the gospel of Christ, is key to the
long-term greater health of the French speaking Belgian church. We estimate that there are something
like 90,000 students in francophone Belgium – and as the GBU kicks off this year, there are less than a
single handful of students who are currently connected to the movement in any meaningful sense. There
are other movements, but none that have a clear evangelical commitment to equipping students to
reach students, where they are. Please pray therefore for a pioneering Gen Sec to be appointed, and
for the interim team in place this year.
Interaction Belgique’s core team is also changing this year as we see a number of folk either no longer
based in Belgique, or no longer able to commit to camp (for good reasons). We had a terrific summer
this year (no storm!) – with encouraging testimony from several campers of how the Lord used the camp
to bring some to faith / to recommit to living for Christ. We were especially grateful to God for a mature
team of leaders, and a magnificently restored site. The idea is to grow this year by a further 15 campers,
and then, God willing, to split the camp in two. But key to that is our core team, so please pray for some
other leaders to be able to step up into taking greater responsibility.
Thank you for prayers for the trip to the Congo at the end of May. It was a wonderful experience – both
humbling (seeing a great number of believers serving faithfully in
conditions that are both challenging and demanding),
depressing (witnessing the lack of basic resources, widespread
local corruption) and encouraging (meeting some local leaders
with clear biblical convictions who have established locally-run
initiatives – not least ISTM, the work currently directly supported by
Woluwe church). It was a great privilege to preach and teach in
many different contexts – and to see first-hand the fruit of the
hard work of Paulin and Irène (see last prayer letter).
A few more areas where we’d be delighted to know you’ve been praying...

the Sunday ministry in the word of God – from now to Christmas we will be tracing the movement
through chapters 8 to 13 in the book of Acts as God prepares the church to go out from
Jerusalem with the gospel.

the new look make up of some of our Sunday School classes (with a good number of first time
leaders in them, and some new material being trialed). Lizzie Bellis and Naomi Pilgrem head up
the older group (9-12) , Myriam Hely Hutchinson (6-8), and Dawn (4-6). “EDD” (you can work it
out!) is a good training ground for teaching the word – pray for that this year!

Petit Lapins, the Mum’s and Tots group. There is a good group of Mums coming to this (currently
10) – pray for opportunities with those who don’t know Christ.

our “Soirées Interaction” are relaunching on 26 September and will now run once a fortnight for
both Woluwe youth and some wider “Interaction” youth. Pray for a good number!

the weekend of 5/6th October is the Fancy Fair of the primary school, during which we run a
stand – pray that the effort involved pays off in terms of deepening relationships.

for a men’s day on 18th October – Stephen Trump and Philippe Hubinon will be speaking.

for marriage prep with a young couple from church, and support for other couples now
expecting babies.

that we’d find a new English-speaking speech therapist for Zebedee’s ongoing progress (his last
one has left Brussels quite suddenly for a job back in the UK).
To God be the glory!
With warmest greetings,
Stephen, Dawn et toute la famille... Jemima, Max, Zebedee and Nelly.
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