Ahhh…Christmas in Montreal, when the cold sweeps in, snow blankets the ground, and a big, warm bowl of poutine sounds amazing at any time of the day. We are excited to welcome in the Christmas season this year and although we wish we could be spending it close to family and friends we are eager to create some new memories here in Montreal as we anticipate the arrival of Lottie Grace on January 12th. (We will not be traveling to Missouri for the holiday because of the pregnancy.)

Our family is taking time this Christmas season to pause each day and reflect on the coming of our Messiah, Jesus, Immanuel who came on a search and rescue mission “to seek and save the lost” (John 19:10) . We hope and pray that you, too, will take time to remember the significance of Jesus’ birth, what it means for our lives in the present and in the future. Our kids are memorizing Christmas carols, working on Christmas crafts, and remembering the story of Jesus’ birth with wonder and amazement. What an incredible opportunity, as parents, to teach them this true story of the Great Rescuer who came to earth!

We are also taking time to praise God for the many partners who are a part of the work that God is doing in this city. We are humbled by the generosity, the many prayers, and the encouragement that we have received in recent weeks as we walked through a time of discouragement; yet in the midst of it, we were able to see God remind us time and again of His faithfulness and His power at work in the lives of those around us.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making it possible for our family to not just live, but thrive in Montreal. Although it has it’s challenges, we could not be anywhere else doing anything else, THIS is what we were made for. Our prayer for your is that you are encouraged, knowing that you are an important part in bringing the Gospel to the city of Montreal, the most unreached city in North America.

From the Copeland family to our amazing partners….MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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How can you pray for us this month? 

• Pray for Renaissance.  We are seeing the Lord work in the hearts of many and continue to pray for salvations!
• Pray for our Core Team as we are learning the the 3-Circles Evangelism tool. Pray that this will encourage them to begin Gospel conversations and have confidence to share their faith. Don’t know what 3-Circles is? Check it out here: 3-Circles Video
• Pray for our upcoming Christmas Eve service in Little Burgundy. Pray that those in the community will join us for an evening of Christmas music, food, and fellowship.
• Pray for Abi (and the girls) as she hosts a Christmas Tea for the Renaissance women. Pray that it is a time for friendships to deepen and for encouragement!
• Pray for the many opportunities we will have in December to attend community and school events. Pray that we can find ways to create Gospel conversations at each event as we interact with people in Little Burgundy and around Montreal.
• Pray for our family as we will be away from our own family for Christmas. Pray that our hearts will be encouraged and that we will use the time to invest in others around us who are also away from family.