Bourgneuf is a small village of around 700 people. It is half way between Chambéry and Albertvillle and at the door of the Maurienne Valley, in the heart of the Alps. It is quite rural, and most people commute to Chambéry, Albertville, or even Grenoble for work.
The small evangelical church in Bourgneuf serves a wide area. It is the only one between Chambéry and Albertville. It meets in a small Temple, well located on the road side. But it is struggling. Rural communities in France are very hard to reach. One of the challenges is that although people live there, they work away all day and don’t spend that much time around. Christians also gather from a wide area. They often work late and it is difficult to find time outside Sunday meetings. Our friends and colleagues Richard and Terece help there alongside the pastor and his wife.
I first preached there in December. I was invited again last Sunday. It was good to be there, meet new folks and catch up with the people. After the service, the church had invited the neighbours for an ‘apéritif’. Five came along and chatted happily with the members. After this, we stayed for a fellowship lunch with the church members before heading home later in the afternoon.
Remember Bourgneuf in your prayers. They face a challenging situation. The feel discouraged also. They’ve worked hard at evangelizing, but seem to have had little impact.