Crazy Disciple

Projection on Buildings

Art just keeps getting cooler and cooler.   I saw some stuff like this in Paris, but not quite this ornate and exciting.  Check out the video, it will blow your mind.

Projection on buildings - Live performance from NuFormer Digital Media on Vimeo.

The final stretch

My Dad has always told me that you can never go back, back to the way things were, back to a different time.   He’s really right, and while we can all think about possible exceptions to this rule, it’s generally a good thing to remember while moving forward through life.   I am however, taking part in one of those rare exceptions to this rule at this very moment.  It’s pretty cool to say that I have moved back in to Mark’s flat, the flat I spent my first seven months in Paris sharing with the McCord family, the flat that still feels a bit like home and a bit like Paris to me.   I am only here for a few more hours, less than a complete day before I board the shuttle to Charles de Gaulle, and then on to the plane and finally back home to Tulsa.  

The smell of my favorite Turkish-sandwich shop (downstairs) permeates this flat as I sit here with the windows open; hearing the cars, sirens, and motorcycles fly by on Boulevard Saint Martin.  It all feels so familiar, so much like my home away from home…  it’s nice to be back.  Even as I walked down the street, the people here recognize me and even seem excited to see an old friend.  It’s amazing how much things have changed; nearly a year ago I was just a nameless face with no way to communicate in this completely foreign land.  Now today, I am fighting to get in all the meals, dinners and appointments with friends before I jump on that plane for one last time.  

Yesterday morning I walked into the boulangerie (bakery) to have some breakfast and a young American guy was in line in front of me.   The nice woman behind the counter said, “Bonjour” to which he stammered back with, “Yeah, could I get one of those Eeeee-clairs?”  It was comical to see her face, and I thought about rescuing the poor guy, but instead watched the scenario play out.  The kind woman did her best to communicate with this poor guy, and they were doing fine, but the older lady behind the counter was talking about the scenario, (in French) and i couldn’t help but smile and think that this person might have been me just one year ago.  Now it seems that the lady behind the counter sees me more as a local, and perhaps didn’t even notice my funny accent (yeah right.)   Oh how times have changed.

So tonight, I have one last meal with Francois and Geraldine here in the Republique.  We’ll say our goodbyes and then somehow I must find a way to sleep.   Tomorrow, bright and early, two more friends are coming to meet me for petite dejeuner (breakfast) and then they will see me off, into the airport shuttle for what will be my last goodbye in Paris.  It’s amazing to think that this journey is coming to a close, and wow it has been an incredible one.   But the time for a new season is here, and while I am sad to say goodbye to my friends and to this lovely city, I am deeply excited about where we all are going NEXT…   God’s good like that.

A Goodbye Letter to C3Paris

This is a copy of the letter written to C3Paris this week, and it went out to everyone on the church’s mailing list…   it was a real joy to share the last year with these amazing people, and to see what God is doing here in Paris.  Tomorrow I will take the stage for a final time, and sing worship in French with my dear friends before a final goodbye to an amazing year.   Here’s the letter, I think it came out pretty nicely…   Enjoy :-)

Hello C3Paris!

Pastor Mark invited me to write this week's letter to you during my last week in Paris, and I must admit I am deeply honored.   It is hard to believe, but the time has come for me to return to the United States and tell the world about what God is doing in France and through each of you, and through this amazing church.

As I prepare to fly home to the U.S., I am blessed with the opportunities to look back over the last year and see so much of what God has been doing here.  It is almost funny how difficult that can be when we are right in the middle of the blessings and work of God, but when we step back, and look at a stretch of time, his fingerprints and influence could never be more obvious.   

I am sure that we all mark that time in our own unique ways, and perhaps it is most clear in the miracles, the songs, the messages, or the people.  I would argue that it is ALL of these things that show us the fingerprint of God, but for our own personal perspectives, it can be so many other things as well.  I would like to invite you to reflect with me over the last year, and revisit our happiest and most impactful times with the church.   Share with someone the memory of those times, share it at church, outside of church, with your family, with your friends, or even with someone you don't know.   The way to keep those memories alive and real is to share them, and share them whenever we can.
  
This is the way of tradition, and the ways of the old church.   Even the gospels were once only memories that spanned over a short amount of time.   But through sharing those memories, those realities, and those stories of how God touched the lives of so many people, the world was forever changed.   Let's be a part of doing that AGAIN!

And lastly, thank you all for accepting me and opening your families, lives and hearts to this crazy disciple of Jesus over this last year.  I came to France to be a part of changing the world through the love of Christ, and I have seen and touched that reality through each of you.   I could not have survived this long in Paris had it not been for your kindness, love and generosity; you are ALL deeply amazing people.   Thankfully friendships last forever, and undoubtedly I will be seeing you again soon.  Until then, I bid you peace and pray that the Grace of God remains the wind in your sails and that his Favor surrounds you like a shield. 
 
For the Kingdom,

Scott Mocha

C3Paris nouvelle theatre, le Grande Theatre Gymnase!

Ok, so when I came to C3Paris nearly one year ago we were meeting in a very small room with an occupancy rating of like 40 people…   we were busting at the seams.  A few doors opened up, and the opportunity came for us to move to the Petite Gymnase, which is a 150 seat theater that barely holds 70 people comfortably.   We weren’t exactly bursting at the seams, but we were facing some difficult issues of being in this theater, and those issues were starting to impact the spirit and excitement in the church.  Suddenly, without warning, God moved AGAIN and basically pushed us into the largest theater in our building, the Grande Gymnase.  

The Grande Gymnase is a 700 seat theater, and it is BEAUTIFUL.  At the time, I wasn’t so sure that God knew what he was doing, as it looked like moving to this theater was going to bring about a whole new world of problems, and BOY WAS I WRONG.   Things have gotten so smooth, and SO FUN in this new theater, and the path ahead for C3Paris is looking awesome.   We have a lot of room for growth, and it hopefully wont take long to fill this place up, maybe we can all stand together in prayer for this very thing.   I am sure God has great things in store for this church, and He is equipping us to get to the next step, and BEYOND!!!!

So, without further ado…   here are some pictures of the new theater from today.   It was an AWESOME day, and wow, what an awesome theater!  All Praise and thanks go to God.

 

C3Paris promo video

Here’s the latest C3Paris promo video as put together by Francois!   Man, this guy has some great video talent, and he also has a deep heart of worship.  There are some glimpses into the new theater here, and also some views of this huge crowd we had last weekend.   So cool, so fun, so GOD.  

Here it is…  C3Paris, July 2009 Promo: