Why Elan?

Being a missionary is a challenge, especially those first few years, when you’re trying to adapt to a new culture, learn a new language, build new friendships, and set a course for ministry.  Designed to complement your vision, Elan comes alongside new missionaries in France to offer structure and support during your transition to the field. Working in conjunction with your sending agency and French partners, we’ll equip you to build on your pre-field training and experiences to establish a solid foundation for an effective and sustainable ministry in France.

The Opportunity

Elan enables missionaries to thrive by creating intentional communities of learning and collaboration. While you are learning language and getting oriented to ministry opportunities, Elan will provide a place for you to process and evaluate your experience, network with missionaries and French partners, design a ministry plan of action, and benefit from the wisdom and insights of others. Through online interactions, face to face meetings, and annual retreats, Elan participants will be equipped to engage in fruitful  ministries in France.

Program overview

Encouragement

through monthly meetings with an Elan partner

Refreshment

at an annual 4-day retreat designed for missionaries in transition

Feedback

through regular debriefings with an Elan representative

Community

through weekly engagement in an on-line forum with other first-term missionaries

Collaboration

through the creation of a ministry plan of action that will receive input from and validation by both your sending agency and a French partner

1/year
 4-day retreat

1h/month
skype meeting with Elan partner

3hr/week
reading and online forum

Program Overview

Year 1

Theme: Spiritual formation aimed at helping missionaries abide in a transforming relationship with Christ and strengthen spiritual habits that are critical to missionary sustainability and effectiveness.

Guiding Verse: “Now Jesus went up the mountain and called for those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he named apostles), so that they would be with him and he could send them to preach…” Mark 3:13-14

Participant time commitment:

  • Four day retreat in February
  • Reading and Reflection – 2 hrs/wk
  • Spiritual Formation Group (online forum) – 1 hr/wk
  • Spiritual Accompaniment – 1 hr/month

Key collaborator : Anne Meynier-Schweitzer

Year 2

Theme: Cultural adaptation tailored to the ministry calling of each missionary. Working with a French mentor the missionary will develop a contextualized ministry action plan that reflects the vision and mission of their sending agency.

Participant time commitment:

  • Four day retreat in February
  • Reading/Reflection – 1 hr/week
  • Mentoring Group (online forum)- 1 hr/week
  • Meeting with Mentor – 1 hr/month

Key collaborator : Alain Stamp

Year 3

Theme: Ministry effectiveness. As the missionary begins to work through the ministry action plan they created in year two of the program, an Elan coach will provide support, accountability, and timely input.

Participant time commitment:

  • Four day retreat in February
  • Reading/Reflection- 1hr/wk
  • Coaching Group (online forum) -1hr/wk
  • Meeting with Coach – 1 hr/month
  • Quarterly Self-Assessments – 3 hr/quarter

Key collaborator : Matthieu Ducrozet

Elan Leadership Team

Jennifer WilliamsonFounder and President

Anne Meynier-Schweitzer Director of Spiritual Formation

Alain Stamp Director of Mentoring 

Matthieu Ducrozet Director of Coaching

Florence Praly Communications Director

Meet our team

Key Dates

Registration Deadline for the cycle beginning in January 2023: November 15, 2022.

YEAR 1, Spiritual retreat: from 15 to 18 February 2023

YEAR 2 & 3, Coaching or Mentoring retreats: to be confirmed

Cost

  • Year 1: 1200€
  • Year 2: 1200€
  • Year 3: 600€

Prices include the annual retreat and materials.

For registration before the 15th of September 2022, registration fees are offered, however after the 15th of September 2022 there are of 100€.

    Information request









    * Fields marked with * are required.