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Rejoice with us!
- We experienced God working powerfully when we taught 500 faculty, staff, and students on labyrinth prayer at the Myanmar Institute of Theology (MIT) in Yangon. Afterward, 17 groups of 15-35 individuals participated in prayer walks. Many participants reported meaningful experiences with God while praying.
- The dedication service of the new administrative building and Faith, Hope, and Love Chapel at MIT was an inspiring time of praise and affirmation of faith.
- As a result of the training in early June, students are now regularly using the chapel and labyrinth for personal and small group prayer at MIT.
- We witnessed many profound experiences of spiritual transformation, inner healing, and revitalization for the participants in the spiritual retreat we co-led with the Chemin Neuf Community in Chartres, France.
- When the interpreter was not able to participate as planned, Tim was forced to teach in French for nearly the entire Chemin Neuf retreat with (surprisingly) good results! One participant raised her hand at the end and declared the feat a "miracle"!
- We are relieved and very grateful for good health and stamina for Jill while we were traveling and ministering in four different countries on three continents in May and June. She appears to be 85-90% recovered from her pulmonary embolism. Thank you for your ongoing concern and prayers.
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Pray With Us
- Good things are happening in Myanmar. Pray for continued opening for reform and development.
- Cambodian leaders are now translating The Spirit-Led Leader into the Khmer language as a resource for Christian leaders and for FHLGM's future ministry there.
- We are now searching for a new administrative assistant to start in August or September.
- After an overwhelming positive experience for Congolese women leaders in Goma, they are now preparing a proposal on how they would like FHLGM to follow up on this year's Spirit-Led Leader training.
- Multiple requests for pastor training have emerged in Eastern Congo. Pray for wisdom to know which group(s) of pastors should be trained next.
- Tim will be in Minneapolis for July and August to prepare for fall courses, to write, and to raise funds for the ministry. Pray for wisdom, guidance, inspiration, and open doors.
- Jill has a once in lifetime opportunity to participate in a 30 day Ignatian, silent retreat, July 11-August 12. Pray that she will experience God's presence in life-changing ways and will receive the guidance she is seeking.
- Tim will be teaching TreeHouse staff and summer interns in July on Spirit-led leadership.
- We are still praying for complete healing for Jill and relief from constant pain emanating from bulging discs impinging on nerves in her neck.
 Young man praying at cross
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Essays from Tim's Spring Series:
"Benefiting from Buddhism"
(Published: Feb. 15, 2012)
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Explore the Spirit-led
Leader Book!
Read the first couple of chapters online at spiritledleader.wordpress.com
Options for purchasing The Spirit-Led Leader
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Meet with Tim
Tim is in the the Twin Cities for the summer. He is eager to meet with you if you are interested in becoming more involved with Faith, Hope, and Love Global Ministries, or simply if you are interested in hearing more! Send him an email to set up a time to meet.
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Jill teaching on labyrinth prayer
in Myanmar
Faith, Hope, and Love Global Ministries
Board of Directors
Rev. Dr. Cheryl F. Dudley
Mr. Thomas Erickson
Rev. Jill K.H. Geoffrion, Ph.D.
Rev. Timothy C. Geoffrion, Ph.D.
Board of Advisors
Mr. Jim Deanovic
Mr. Ron Hoffman
Mr. John March
Mr. Mark Thompson
Staff
Timothy C. Geoffrion
President and Teaching Minister
Jill K.H. Geoffrion
Artist and Minister of Hospitality
Andrew J. Lonsbury
Assistant to the President
We deeply appreciate your prayers and financial support. We need your ongoing participation to both sustain and expand this important leadership
development work.
Thank you!
 
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Greetings!
On June 1,500 people filled the new Faith, Hope, and Love Chapel at Myanmar Institute of Theology (MIT). Jill and I were invited to speak on the history, the theological foundation, and Christian uses of the labyrinth for prayer to the entire campus.  | | Jill teaching on labyrinth prayer in Myanmar |
Over the course of the following three days, approximately 400 faculty members, staff, and students, in 17 small groups, prayed together while walking the labyrinth. Once again, as was true the month before in Rwanda and Congo, we saw the Holy Spirit work through the prayer walks in very meaningful ways. For example, a young man, with tears flowing down his face, told the group how the Holy Spirit had convinced him that he had to stop sinning. When I suggested that the Spirit also wants him to know that God forgives him, a smile beamed from his face. "I know," he explained, "He already told me."  | The first permanent, indoor labyrinth in Myanmar
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From Myanmar, we went directly to Chartres, France. There, we we led a spiritual retreat for Catholics and Protestants in collaboration with the Chemin Neuf Community. For four days, 16 of us gathered to practice the Ignatian spiritual exercises and to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit through Scripture, teaching, and times of meditation and prayer.  | Retreatants heading to the Cathedral
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As part of the retreat experience, Jill introduced the magnificent 13th century Chartres Cathedral in ways that helped us to appreciate its beauty and understand the messages of its architecture and windows. During the reconciliation service we walked the historic, 11-circuit labyrinth on the floor of the nave. We then gave the participants various opportunities to think and pray about how they could seek healing in their relationships with God and others.  | | Walking the Chartres Cathedral labyrinth in prayer |
I taught on the love of God and crossing bridges in our life. Using spiritual life coaching methods that I have been developing over the past six years, the participants created a vision for their relationship with God, and we talked about how they might handle some of the many challenges they're facing in their spiritual life.  | | Teaching on the love of God |
At the end of the retreat, nearly everyone expressed their joy over what God had done in their life through the teaching and their times of prayer in the Cathedral and on their own. One octogenarian, who felt stymied in her spiritual life in spite of being a Christian for many decades, exclaimed, "Now I [finally] know how to go forward with my relationship with God!" We're back home in Minneapolis now-at least for a few weeks. We are rejoicing over all we have seen God do over the past six months around the world, and eager to share our stories with you. Thank you for your ongoing concern and support. Please pray for us as we step back to catch our breath and begin preparing for the fall season just around the corner. Serving Christ with you, Tim President and Teaching Minister
"What you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well." -2 Timothy 2:2, NRSV |
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The Critical Role of Spiritual Tools
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Burmese students praying on the labyrinth
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In nearly every workshop or course we offer, spiritual practices have become a very effective complement to our teaching ministries. We invite the participants to seek God and to listen to the Holy Spirit. To do so, we take time to be silent, to contemplate, to study the Bible, to walk the labyrinth, to journal, or simply to "practice the presence of God". On the evaluations, the result is always the same. Each one is deeply grateful for the spiritual tools that are used in the courses, no doubt because God keeps meeting the participants in so many different life-changing ways through them.
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"Playing Big"
Andrew Lonsbury - Assistant to the President
I was small in stature growing up. The challenge came from basketball being my favorite sport. As a high school freshman my coach always yelled from the sideline, "Play big! Andrew, play big!" It worked, and that year I led the team in rebounds.
Though still a small ministry, Faith, Hope, and Love has also heard the call to "play big". With just three staff members and a host of partners and volunteers, we are nonetheless seeking to teach, inspire, and encourage leaders around the world.
We don't for a minute think that we can do this work on our own. We need and want you on the team!
Will you 'play big' with us, and become more involved with Faith, Hope, and Love Global Ministries? Here are three ways you can help:
(1) Pray for our ministry regularly. ("Like" us on Facebook to stay in the know.)
(2) to three other individuals in your network.
(3) Set up a monthly or one-time contribution to our ministry . Visit our website for giving instructions.
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For Your Reflection
The resurrected Jesus showing his pierced hands, surrounded by the apostles (Chartres Cathedral)
Take a moment to contemplate this photo.
What comes to your mind?
What speaks to your heart?
What prayer comes to your lips?
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The new labyrinth has already become a meaningful place for many Burmese to pray and seek renewal.