God at Work in the Lives of His Children

Missionaries John and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

November 8, 2020

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Two days after I wrote the last newsletter our lives met a steep curve in the road. The day before Judy and I planned on going to Florida to care for Dad while my brother Paul had surgery we received news that Dad had been taken by ambulance to the hospital. Within a couple of hours we were on the road south. Several other pieces of bad news pierced the next few days. But, God is in control.

Many of you are also faced with difficulties, often unexpected. But, as the eighth chapter of Romans assures us we will be delivered and in that hope we continue the race set before us. Dad is now in a Rehab facility. Paul, who is recovering well from surgery, is hoping Dad can return to his and Wanda’s home in a couple of weeks. Judy and I returned early to Evansville to care for Peggy. We are so grateful for the care given by Marilyn, Janet and Lisa during the days we were gone. The sisters in the Lord manifest God’s grace abundantly.

Meanwhile, France is back under heavy restrictions and our church can no longer have in person meetings. This morning our members met electronically from 9 different locations. Our text this morning was Romans 8:18-27. You might find encouragement in this passage! We are very encouraged by the fellowship with our French brothers and sisters and the work of God in their lives.

Four years ago, Jan, a lady with whom Peggy was having weekly Bible studies trusted Christ. We, along with Peggy, continue to meet for Bible studies with Jan and her husband. We are now doing this via Zoom. Two days ago, Tony professed faith in Christ and is to be baptized this coming Sunday.

Douceline, in whose home in Mazere we held Bible studies for many years, has Bible studies regular with a lady whose husband has vocally professed his atheism for years. This past week she very encouraged because she was able to witness to him and he was receptive. She also had some great opportunities to communicate the gospel at work.

Nathalie, our second granddaughter and member of the Tournefeuille Church, had extended her time of ministry in Austria. The mission project to refugees with which she has been serving has asked her to stay on until just a few days before Christmas. She is planning on doing so. She may also return to work there in the Spring.

So, along with the unwanted surprises we have many wonderful surprises. We are able to give thanks in all circumstances. Where sin abounds, God’s grace over-abounds.

Gratefully God’s children with you,
John and Judy

Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.


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Touched Through the Least of These

Missionaries John and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

August 14, 2020

Dear Friend,

This is a second letter in just a few days. My cup is overflowing…like a geyser!

Today was a bit unusual. Judy and I went trekking much later than usual. Due to the heat we have been getting out earlier. Just a few minutes into our walk God touched us by “one of the least” of His. We had just done a loop through the shady end of a school parking lot we cross nearly every time we trek. I heard a loud voice at a distance and assumed that it was a student somewhere in the vicinity.

Then Judy twisted around trying to determine the source of the voice. Just as we got back on pace a loud voice called our names. We turned around and saw Susie. We walked back to her and noticed on approaching her that she was nearly breathless and quite excited. This special lady about our age says, “You have to come back this way. There is something you got to see.” I don’t know what Judy was thinking, but I was trying to figure out what kind of disaster needed our attention. As we approached the rear of the yard where she lives with family, Susie apologized for not knowing our last name. Now I was totally confused!

“Where have you been?” Susie asked. We explained that we had been getting out earlier. Just then we arrived at what she wanted us to see. Here, you can see it for yourself:

She said, “I made the first-time sign weeks ago and then I didn’t see you anymore. I took it in when it rained and at night so it wouldn’t get wet. It got to looking bad so I made another one.”

I had been talking to God this morning, but I declare, my Heavenly Father was now talking to me through the “least” of His. Judy and I were in a glorious daze. You know the passage, “If you do it to the least of these … you do it to me.” But, Eternal God, Almighty, my Heavenly Father was speaking to me through “the least of these”.

I first met Susie nearly three and a half years ago when here caring for Judy (remember…broken kneecap) and her sister, Peggy. Sometimes this unknown lady would be mowing the large yard behind the home where she lives when I was out trekking. The first time we spoke she was confused about what was happening behind her house. I explained to her about the church and school parking lot being expanded and assured her all was well.

A few months ago, she came running out as Judy and I trekked under the trees behind the backyard she often mowed. She pointed out that she always loved seeing us and therefore had trimmed (extensively) the tree branches that would be in our way. We were touched and thanked her. When we passed and she was out Susie always greeted us exuberantly. And, this morning God spoke through this little one. I will remember His voice eternally!

So, maybe you are upset. Maybe, you are in a quandary about the future or the value of your life or actions. “I don’t know about the future, but I know Who holds the future…” and He often speaks through the little ones on our pathway!

Hearing the Father’s Love through the little ones,
John and Judy Hatcher

CONTACT INFO

John & Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone: 1-812-416-1033


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Wherever We are is No Surprise to God

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

July 9, 2019

Dear Brother and Sisters,

It is a joy to know that our Saviour will never leave us nor forsake. His presence has been evident to us this month and I hope the same is true in your life. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us and Judy’s sister, Peggy. Some of the difficult symptoms she had when we arrived have improved. There have been a battery of doctor appointments and we have been glad to be here to get her to these. We are now awaiting answers on options for treatments in University Medical Research Centers.

I had the privilege of being with Paul and Wanda and our father, John A. Hatcher, last week in Florida. They are all moving back to Manaus, Brazil, today. Your prayers for them as they seek to minister would be greatly appreciated. During my time with them in Central Florida we had great fellowship.

The Lord has opened up doors to visit and speak in supporting churches and I am enjoying these opportunities and times of fellowship. If you are interested in us coming to share what God is doing in France or to minister to your church in any way, it would be delighted. Contact us through the email listed above.

Peggy has a couple of Bible studies that meet in her home and we have enjoyed participating in these. News from France is good and the brothers and sisters in Christ show great concern for Judy’s sister. With long distance communication today, it is possible for us to continue part of our ministry.

But, wherever we are is no surprise to God and He brings across our paths those who need to know Christ or believers who need to be encouraged and are and encouragement to us. Judy and I like to do Nordic Trekking for exercise. Since we do this on neighborhood streets and in public parks it, opens up many doors of contact. It is a bit unusual to see trekkers around this part of the country so people stop and ask us about it and one thing leads to another and Jesus shows up on the scene!

May God bless you and use you as His light where you live!

Thankfully yours,
John and Judy Hatcher

John Mark & Judy Hatcher
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online


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There are Always Ups and Downs

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

June 11, 2019

Dear Brother and Sisters,

Last month I wrote, “There are always ups and downs. Sometimes what seems to be a down becomes an up.” At the time I certainly did not think that I would be writing the present letter from Evansville, IN. Many of you know Judy’s only sister and that she has been dealing with cancer the last few years. At the end of May, Judy and I decided that the Lord wanted us to come to Evansville to help Peggy because of the illness related circumstances that she was facing. The encouragement of the believers in our congregation in Tournefeuille helped us much in the decision process. They have really stepped up to the plate. We have now been here for two weeks and thank God for the opportunity that we have had to be of assistance to Peggy.

A blessing that came along with our trip to the US was getting to see my sister and dear brother-in-law, Kathy and Odali Barros. Though I had seen Kathy not long ago, it had been nearly 10 years since I had seen Odali. They are in the US for a short time and will be returning to Amazonas next week. What a blessing to spend a couple of days with these members of our family this week.

We are not sure exactly what the next few weeks hold for us. I would be glad to set a tentative date to come to your church to tell what God is doing in France and minister to the folks in your congregation. You can communicate with us using the email address above. If you include your phone number I can call you to finalize plans.

Thanks for your prayers and continual support.

Yours in Christ,
John and Judy Hatcher

John Mark & Judy Hatcher
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online


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Our Savior Incarnate, Touching Lives for His Glory

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

January 6, 2018

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

May God bless each of you this year. The weather where most of you live and where we are temporarily reminds us that God is in control of the elements. Our physical world displays the power and love of our dear Heavenly Father. But, His love is most displayed in the incarnation of Jesus, God the Son, to identify with us as the Son of Man and bring us back to Himself. Nothing speaks clearer than the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. And what a privilege we have to be bearers of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Just after writing my December letter I was able to go to Florida to celebrate Mom and Dad’s 70 years of marriage. It was a rare and wonderful opportunity to be with all of my living siblings and mom and dad for a few days. At the end of this time we were able to all spend time with Bob and Charlene Wacaser who return to serve in Brazil this coming Monday, January 8.

Just a couple days after I returned to Evansville Philip and his family arrived from France. It had been 15 years since Philip and Amanda had been in the United States at Christmas time. Their co-laboring with us has multiplied the effectiveness of the ministry in southern France. Judy and I are grateful beyond words for the privilege of teaming up with them and their children, Abigail, Nathalie, Camille and Emily.

Our children who live in Chicago, their families and Laura, our oldest daughter, who lives near Cincinnati, all came to Evansville for Christmas. This is the first time that we have ever been with all of our children and grandchildren for Christmas. We thoroughly enjoyed the days that our heavenly Father gave us together.

This morning, while Judy and I were walking for exercise in the Mall, we encountered one of the men who was saved while I was pastor here and rejoiced together in the Lord. Shortly thereafter, we crossed a lady whom we have met in the neighborhood and spent some time listening to her story and telling about what God has done in our lives. This is our calling, our wonderful Savior, incarnate in us touches the lives of others for His Glory.

And, tomorrow is my birthday. While we celebrate here with Philip and his family and Peggy, Judy’s sister, it is good to know that the body of believers in Tournefeuille, France will have already met together to worship the Lord and encourage one another. Jean-Luc will be leading the services at our primary location in France (7 hours ahead of us here). Jean-Luc is a faithful developing leader in the assembly there and others will be teaching children and serving in various ways. We anticipate being back with them soon.

Thank you for your prayers for all the ongoing activities in France and for us and Judy’s sister Peggy.

Rejoicing in Christ,
John and Judy

 

Temporary Address
John and Judy Hatcher
1901 Shepherd Dr.
Evansville, IN 47715

Field Address
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online


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Sharing How God is Working with Churches in Michigan, Ohio, & North Carolina

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

December 11, 2017

Judy and I hope that all of you enjoyed a great Thanksgiving Day. It was a joy to celebrate in Peggy’s home with all of our family except for Philip, Amanda and their daughters. This is a rarity for us. I think that it has happened twice in the last 18 years. We have so much for which to be thankful.

The week previous to Thanksgiving we were blessed by the Thanksgiving Conference at New Hope Baptist Church, Dearborn Heights, MI, co-sponsored with Grace Baptist Church of Wyandotte, MI. It was great to be able to fellowship with many friends of decades. What a delightful surprise upon arriving to be greeted by a longtime friend and supporter, Tammy Gerig, her two younger sons and father-in-law. My brother, Paul, took a plane to Evansville so that we could travel together by car from here to Michigan and back. We had a great visit and enjoyed the precious time with each other.

It is always enjoyable to be with churches which we have not previously visited. That was the case the first Sunday of December when we were guests of the Berea Baptist Church of Hiddenite, North Carolina. We were well received and happy to present our work to the folks there who support us. Adding to the blessing of our time there was spending time with Sheridan and Anita Stanton, both longtime friends of ours. We knew each other before any of us were married which was a while back though it seems like yesterday.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of being with the Grace Baptist Church in Fairborn, Ohio. This was not our first time here, but we did meet some new folks as well as enjoying fellowship with old acquaintances. Grace has supported and prayed for us for many years. There is a special fondness in my heart for this church as it was at a youth conference there in 1970 that God changed my direction from a career in Medicine to being a pastor and missionary. Though I had been with Grace many times I hardly knew Mark Pyles who has now been pastor of Grace for six years. The opportunity to become acquainted and discuss our ministries was priceless. It was also great to chat with the younger folks.

Our purpose in visiting churches is to encourage them in the work of the Lord and share with them how God is working in our corner of France. Thanks to all of you who are praying for Peggy, Judy’s sister. The recent scans and MRI have shown that the present treat is effective.

May the Lord richly bless you and give you great joy as you visit with your family and friends during this Holiday Season. Let us not miss opportunities to share the Love of Christ as we worship Him for His incarnation and redemptive sacrifice to bring us back to the Father.

Joyfully your fellow laborers,
John and Judy

Temporary Address
John and Judy Hatcher
1901 Shepherd Dr.
Evansville, IN 47715

Field Address
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online


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20+ Young People at First Youth Meeting of the School Year in France

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

September 28, 2017

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Thank you for your continuous prayers and support. We thank God for each of you. At the beginning of this month we were able to spend a few minutes in a video conference with more than 20 young people who were meeting in France for the first Youth Meeting of this school year. This is something that the young people wanted to do. How encouraging it is to see their interest in spiritual things.

Reports from the church in Tournefeuille are good. We miss the fellowship of our church and congregations there as well as the daily front line opportunities that we have in France to connect with French people who need eternal life. However, we are very thankful for the leaders and participants who are faithfully serving Christ there and reaching others around them.

John, Judy, & Peggy

Judy has now been cleared by her doctor for full activity following her knee surgery and has graduated from physical therapy. She continues to work hard at getting full strength and usage back. She also participates with Peggy in an outreach to ladies who are in the United States from other cultures. We both enjoy participating in a weekly Bible study that meets here in Peggy’s home. It is always exciting to see young believers growing in the knowledge and application of God’s Word in their daily lives.

Peggy is doing better and we are encouraged by her progress.

During the first two weeks of the month I was able to be in Florida to celebrate with the family my mother’s 92nd birthday. What a blessing it is to have parents who love the Lord and encourage us and the whole extended family to serve the Lord. The days there turned out to be more exciting than we had planned. Hurricane Irma came directly over Paul and Wanda’s home where Dad, Mom and Wanda’s mother live. Despite a few exciting hours the Lord protected us all and I was glad to be there to help. Thanks to all who were praying for us and others during the storm. Our hearts go out to those poor folks in the islands who suffered so much.

This is a reminder to us that we live in a world that “groans in travail waiting to be delivered”. We look forward to new heavens and a new earth where we will be forever with the Lord. May God help us to display the love of Christ in our lives and communicate the Good News of Jesus to all around us who so desperately need it.

We are looking forward to seeing some of you during the Thanksgiving Conference hosted by New Hope Baptist Church in November. Look for the information on the Baptist Faith Missions site and join us if you are able.

In Christ,
John and Judy

John, Judy, Peggy, & Sarah

10/18/2017 – PS: I did not realize that this letter never made it out of my box. The news during the last couple of weeks from the field is good. We also had an enjoyable visit with Sarah Wainright this past Sunday. Besides being a friend and sister in Christ she works diligently to publish and post our news. We thank God for her faithful service.

 

Temporary Address
John and Judy Hatcher
1901 Shepherd Dr.
Evansville, IN 47715
jmhatcher[at]aol.com

Field Address
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

Click here to donate to BFM.


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Following Jesus: Dynamic, Not Static

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”

June 5, 2017

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

News from France continues to be encouraging. We just spoke to Philip and his family who gave good reports of this weekend: full house Sunday; 17 teens at the Saturday night meeting; and 5 girls at the college students Bible Study. There are a number of other favorable developments as well.

Though most of us like being in our groove, following Jesus is dynamic not static. I thank God for the present circumstances because it has had a beneficial effect on my personal relationship with Him, has encouraged others to step up to the plate as the Lord works through them and opened doors of opportunity to display Jesus Christ.

Thanks to each of you who have prayed for Peggy, Judy and me as I try to be helpful. Judy’s doctor declared the kneecap completely healed and she no longer is restrained by the leg immobilizer. She continues to have therapy to regain good use of her leg after two months of restraint.

I am planning to visit churches as soon as is possible. If you would like to have us speak at your church please contact me at the email below. I will make note and contact you to confirm a date.

Thanks again for your prayers and faithful support not only in the present but for the many years that you have done so.

Joyfully in Christ,
John and Judy

Stateside Address
John and Judy Hatcher
1901 Shepherd Dr.
Evansville, IN 47715
jmhatcher@aol.com

Field Address
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com

Click here to donate to BFM.


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