Although our newsletters have not been very frequent, we appreciate your ongoing interest, encouragement, financial support and prayers. If you have an e-mail address, we will be glad to send you more timely updates! God has given us many opportunities since April.

THE NEXT GENERATION

These past few months we have had a steady stream of calls from parents who have just discovered the homosexuality of their college age son or daughter. For years we have prayed about possibilities for more preventive ministry regarding homosexuality. They have arrived!

This upcoming generation is much more open about talking about their feelings and need for relationships, but is also very susceptible to the increasingly pro-gay media influences. It is harder for them to see why homosexuality is wrong when they see so many nice gay people. As they are very computer literate, I often send things by e-mail, and give them our web site and www.freeotbeme.com. Please continue to pray for meeting the challenges of ministering in this area.

MINISTRY NETWORKING

Recently I have been able to attend Doug Stringer’s Turning Point Ministry’s SOMEBODY CARES monthly pastoral meetings. When CCR first began, our offices were next door to Doug, and I have appreciated how mightily God has used Doug in Houston and throughout the world. The SOMEBODY CARES meetings bring us together to work as a united group for our city. I also try to meet regularly with Mark LeCrone, with Montrose Community Church, as we often have mutual referrals. I am also looking forward to getting to know Joe Williams of CHRIST FOR MONTROSE better.

As participant at RENOVARE, I was able to meet many people from many different churches. In much case I was able to give pastors information about CCR and our resources for them.

ARTREACH HOUSTON 99 had about four hundred participants from 14 nations! I gave a workshop on "Homosexuality and the Artistic Community" which was well attended in both sessions. It also gave me great opportunities for individual ministry to those with friends.

LIVING WATERS

We completed our intensive Living Waters discipleship course in June. The men and women shared some powerful testimonies of what God had done in our 25 weeks together. Some really wonderful ministry flowed in the sessions where we were able to bless and affirm the sexuality of group members of the opposite sex. This was a real breakthrough for many with very real hurts from their past. We really appreciated Russ Kennedy, (LIVING WATERS 98) for a wonderful job as music leader and small group leader intern. He will continue with us next year, and one of this year’s male graduates has committed to intern for small group next year. We are also planning to have Adrienne Godre go for Living Waters training next year!

EQUIPPING SEMINARS

At the FREEDOM FROM HOMOSEXUALITY seminar on 5/15/99, we had large number of family members, so we were able to encourage them, as well as direct them to our UPLIFT group. The couple from Beaumont who attended the 2/20/99 seminar continues to minister through a group based in their home church. I am still in dialogue with a woman from the DFW area interested in starting a ministry. The next FREEDOM FROM HOMOSEXUALITY seminar is 8/14/99.

EXODUS EUROOPE ADVENTURE

On May 22-29 I attended the Exodus International-Europe conference in at the Eurovillage center in Sevrier, France. Sevrier is also located on Lac Annecy, and each morning I awoke to see the beautiful Alps foothills from my window. I was excited to meet up again with European friends from Norway, England, Germany, France, and Northern Ireland. Many of the principal speakers were American ministry colleagues: Frank and Anita Worthen (New Hope, San Rafael, CA), Mary Heathman (Where Grace Abounds, Denver, CO), Joe Dallas (Genesis Counseling, Orange, CA), and Jonathan Hunter (Embracing Life, Anaheim, CA)

The conference theme was ALIVE IN CHRIST from Ephesians 2:5. It was a very lively group of about 150 participants from 21 different nations. The worship and talks were in English and French, which approaches heavenly choir status in my book!

Grahame Hazell with MINISTERING LIFE did an awesome job of coordinating our full schedule with many workshops punctuated by great French meals God gave me many informal opportunities for ministry, especially since I speak French. I often found myself informally translating. I attended a daily intercessory prayer group, was available to be prayer support for Jonathan’s workshops, as well as some ministry opportunities with French speaking brothers.

After the conference I stayed with French friends in Chambery for the weekend. In Geneva I had a great fish dinner at a lovely restaurant with a new acquaintance from the conference. The next day I took the 45-minute train trip to Lausanne, which has a wonderful setting on various hills.

When I arrived in Paris, I that the subways were on strike that very day! Pastor Steve Thrall who I had met at the conference graciously offered to put me up for a few days. It was a good opportunity to get to know them, American ex-patriot missionaries at home! I enjoyed time with new French friends, attended a French wedding, saw some French films (ASTERIX with Gerard Depardieu) and bought some contemporary French music and a few books!

My departure on Tuesday (6/8) came too soon. This trip deepened my love for France and French speaking world. In September I will return to Paris to help with a LIVING WATERS discipleship training for more French leaders.

PARENTS: THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU!

For those of you who are affected by the homosexual struggles of a loved one! Uplift meets the first Monday of each month for testimony, fellowship, and prayer. You can reach Georgie Stone, our coordinator at 713-464-8089 after 5 PM.

CHECK OUT THE WEB

Many more people are finding us at http://over.to/ccr. It also gives information about how to contribute to CCR through Lifeline, Randall’s, or Gerland’s.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

10/16/99
TEXDOUS regional conference
"Champions by Grace
at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Austin

11/20/99
FREEDOM FROM HOMOSEXUALITY 
seminar at Encourager Church