[nlcf] – a church community for Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, and Christiansburg

An NLCF missionary in France

Hope you enjoy this video from Dominic Rivera, an nlcf graduate who lives as a missionary in France with his wife Hillary. As a student, he was instrumental (no pun intended) in our worship teams and has organized this annual event attended by many non-Christians. He writes:

How could I forget the annual Christmas Carol Concert?! Over 1,000 people from the city join in celebrating Christmas in the big cathedral. It’s always wonderful to see people from our different connections points. Six people from my French class (including my French teacher) came. That was fun! I led the usher team, and Hilary did a great job leading the gospel, carol, and children’s choirs. Hilary’s mother and aunt were in town for the event, along with a surprise visit from her dad. We had a great week!

Joyeux Noël! Bonnes Fêtes! This year marks the first Christmas that Hilary and I celebrate together as a married couple. We are having fun thinking through what traditions we want to start that we will carry forward each year. If you have any tradition ideas that you’ve enjoyed, let us know!

A quick recap of the past month:

• I had a great trip to Montpellier in anticipation of our City Research Trip in March (that will include some of you.) It’s a young, progressive, culturally vibrant city. I believe that we’re going to have a great time in our research as we seek what God may be calling us to do.
• I was a part of two Thanksgiving meals at the end of Thanksgiving. For the first meal – [iccp] held a Thanksgiving meal for 250 people! It was a bit overwhelming (for me, at least) but a great experience. The French and international communities are absolutely fascinated by the concept of a Thanksgiving meal. For the second meal – Kerri (with whom I work in leading the university ministry) and I cooked Thanksgiving for 80 French university students! The Catholic University group asked us to prepare a Thanksgiving meal. We had fun making meal since neither of us had ever cooked a Thanksgiving meal before – let alone for 80 people! But it turned out great.
• I have officially finished my first semester of seminary! It’s wonderful to look back on the hard work and discipline (and long nights!), realizing what God has enabled me to accomplish. I very much look forward to the beginning of the next semester, starting in just a few weeks.

Hilary and I will be in France for the holidays, enjoying time with friends coming from the states for about a week and a half. I hope that you have a joyful celebration of Christmas wherever you will spend the holidays! I pray that you would be awakened in a fresh and new way to the story of salvation and redemption in Jesus.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Dominic