PARIS, FRANCE 2028 TRIP INFORMATION

Lord willing, I am planning a trip for all those in our ministry who would like to participate, to serve one and possibly two of our church planting efforts in France, 2028. This is something I did before coming to Briarwood and I believe the time is right for such a ministry venture. At this time I am doing nothing but getting word out about this potential and asking you to pray and think about it. This would be a ministry trip under the auspices of our Worship Department.

Here are some preliminary Q & A facts.

Q: Who would we be serving?

A: Our church plant in Paris under Pastor Sammy Foucachan - just down the street from Notre Dame. He has access to a wonderful concert venue in a 17th century building. I conducted a Christmas Concert prior to moving here with my singers and orchestral members from Paris. In our case, we would be ministering predominantly with our own singers and instrumentalists. I am also reaching out to our church plant in Lyon, France to see if the logistics would allow for a second venue.

Q: When would we be ministering; for how long; and in what capacity?

A: First and foremost this will be a Music Evangelism/Worship support trip. It is what I committed myself to for all music trips/concerts when I began ministry. I've never done "concert/sight-seeing" trips. I'm not against them. I'm just not interested. There are very few opportunities for choral/orchestral musicians to minister through their gifts directly into evangelism and church planting support efforts.

But because of the music/worship vision of our Paris church plant, this opportunity is there and I've personally witnessed the incredible evangelism outreach. The last time I was there, the concert venue was packed full on three stories w/ around 200 people. For Paris, that's like a Crusade attendance. There were folks from embassies; universities; professionals; etc....all needing to hear the Gospel and they did! That is the backbone of this vision. After the concert, I had to fly home but my people stayed and led worship at the church vocally and instrumentally.

We have all potential dates on the table right now but we are leaning toward late Spring early Summer of 2028. We would be gone for approximately a bit over a week or week and a half. We would lead in their worship; present an evangelism concert in their concert venue with the Preaching of the Gospel centerstage; and we are hoping to present a small concert at Notre Dame Cathedral as I've done before.

Q: What would the cost be?

A: For such trips I've hired a tour management company that specializes in professional and university choral/orchestral custom tours. I've procured that company. A general estimate from them for an all inclusive cost (thus all travel; lodging; meals) is approximately $5000.00. We would take a tour bus from Birmingham to the ATL airport then fly directly to Paris. Should we minister in Lyon, we would be bussed there and fly back to ATL from Paris. More details will follow this Fall.

It is important to note that this trip is a ministry trip of the Worship Department, not Global Missions. Church Missions Ministries are not set up to steward large over-seas music Evangelism efforts of this sort. Complicating matters even more are the IRS restrictions which have greatly increased over the last number of years.

Q. What will our repertoire be?

A: The foundation of our repertoire will be what the Chamber Ensemble and Instrumentalists are just now beginning to work on: three Psalm cantatas of J.S Bach beginning with "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" Cantata #80. But we will augment those cantatas with other hymns and anthems.

It is important to remember that neither the trip nor the music are exclusive to members of the Chamber Ensemble. And members of the Chamber Ensemble will not have any obligation to go. Rather, I will program the music over the next two years so that for all members of the ministry, our focus will be the Lord's Day as always. But for those who want to go on the trip, they will need to learn the Chamber music very well on their own and commit to the trip rehearsals beginning in late 2027.

As importantly, we are a Worship and Music family. Everyone will experience at least solid portions of some of this music in the context of our own worship. You will see a bit of this on Reformation Sunday.

Q. How will we learn our music?

A: All music will be posted on the Chamber Ensemble page of www.briarwoodhomerehearsal.com.

Q: How will the musicians who are not going, be covered in their absence?

A: As I see who is wanting to go and who cannot, I will arrange accordingly next year. I've chosen music that is very flexible for re-arrangement and which can be presented with various sized forces. I've travelled to throughout Europe; Eastern Europe; and Central Asia with as many as fifty and as few as two. My folks were on national TV; in the newspapers; as well as anonymous - our goal is Evangelism and Worship and I don't care what the make-up is of our ensembles. The Holy Spirit will show us exactly what He wants and who He wants going. It's as simple as that. And if He pulls the plug on this venture, I don't care about that either. I truly don't. This is His Church and we are going to find out together what He wants.

Q. Who may come on this trip?

A: Any member of our worship and music ministry who is a member in good standing of Briarwood Presbyterian Church. Spouses are certainly welcome however I will ask that they participate by assisting in logistics or other helpful ways. Guest musicians, who are members in good standing at a Sister PCA church or an approved Evangelical church and who may not have such an opportunity in their church, will be welcomed on a case-by-case basis and interview with me. Their Christian testimony and a commitment to holiness will be paramount.

Q. What's next?

This is it. Here you have it thus far. There's nothing to do and no more information except to pray and think and see if this is something you may be interested in.

Blessings on you! John