Sunday, July 26, 2009

Our Missions Team to Kagoshima, Japan has been gone for a week. We have had a few updates on their ministry and how they are doing via a Facebook page set up by Dennis. Some of you have had difficulty accessing this page, so I have copied for you (below) the most recent note about them. It is a few days old due the fact that they have been ministering at a camp and have not had internet access. I believe at this writing today (Friday) the camp is over and they are resting and sightseeing a bit. Please continue to pray for their health, safety, and that their ministry will end strong. They arrive home this Wednesday afternoon in Cleveland. Here is the note:

Another full day. We started the morning off helping adults practice their English in an class taught at city hall. Bill uses this as an opportunity to have connections with those outside of the faith. Bill and Becky have been twice as busy as we are so keep them in your prayers. We had an awesome lunch at Nebashema. You cook the meat yourself over a small grill in the middle of the table. Everyone loved the food and had a great time. We then went to an overlook of the entire city of Kagoshima. It's been very overcast the last two days and have not been able to see the top of the volcano. We're hoping for the kids sake that it clears up and we get to see an eruption. We than had a few hours to do some shopping.After supper at the church we spent the rest of the evening in meeting planning and packing for camp. We will leave early Wednesday morning and be there for three days. There are 40 kids registered- a full camp- praise the Lord! Please be in prayer, the next three days are really intense ministry but as we reminded the kids tonight this is what they've trained for the last six months and now it's "go time". We will not have internet access for the next three so we will post agin after camp. There is also a solar eclipse here tomorrow- hoping the clouds part so we can see this rare sight. Prayer request: 40 kids coming to camp! Many opportunities to show Christ love12 team members - health and strength (some are tired, some still sunburned but nothing major) Safety as we do a lot of activites at camp. National pastors. Bill, Becky and Natalie.

It sounds like prayers are being answered and things are going well. Pray that they continue this way.

As for us here at home, we will continue this Sunday with our regular services in the morning and our two Small Groups in the evening. At 9:30 AM all our Sunday school classes and Adult Bible Fellowships will meet - be sure to attend one, these are great learning and fellowship opportunities. At 10:45 AM we will sing, pray, give, and hear from God's Word in the small book of Jude as we consider, "Church Creeps - How To Spot Them." Even though Jude warns the early church (and us today) that "certain persons have CREPT in unnoticed" that doesn't mean we can't spot them. He gives us some characteristics of these creeps, and as we know these we will be better prepared to spot them. Read it over and make your list, then come and see how yours compares to mine.

At 5:00 PM two of our Small Groups will meet as they have been for the summer. The Mace's group will meet at the Jordan's home (about a mile and a half from the church) and the Sterner's group will meet at the church. These groups involve food, prayer, and fellowship along with a study and discussion from God's Word. Give it a try if you haven't attended yet.

The Workman's group which meets on Tuesday at 7:00 PM will NOT meet this week, but will resume on August 4. That is because we will be on vacation (at home) this week seeing a lot of attractions in our area. Our whole family will be together which is always very special but stretches our house and makes me wonder how we ever did it when all six of us were home at once with one and a half baths. Now we have added three spouses and two little grandboys (with all their "stuff") so it is an exciting time. But it will be all too brief. When I look around and see the house in more disaray than usual, I don't become despondent but am reminded of Proverbs 14:4 that says, "Where no oxen are, the manger is clean..." This has nothing to do about any derogatory comment about my sons, but the application to me is that when no kids or grandkids are home, the house is pretty much the way you left it in the morning when you went to work. But if the kids (and especially grandkids) are home, then there is evidence of their presence which is usually suitcases and toys everywhere, and a lot of noise and activity. And as you know, I would rather have it that way - at least for awhile!!

Uh oh - I hear them coming home again from a little shopping excursion! I got as much work done as I could while everyone was gone, now time for a little break with Nicholas to one of his favorite places: Dunkin Donuts!

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Pray and Prepare our hearts for God's message and work in our lives.

Pastor Don Workman

http://www.faithbaptiststreetsboro.org/

NEWS FLASH!! JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER UPDATE FROM DENNIS:

Japan update 07/24/09
It's Friday night as I write. The past 3 days have been incredible (with no internet access). We are to the point of absolute exhaustion. Not only us, but also the Petite's and Natalie. I don't quite know where to start.

Wednesday we went to camp. We cleaned the two story building and weeded the yard and mowed it. It wasn't too bad. It was a full day with many tasks to complete. After hearing the camp schedule at camp orientation I started to understand what was before us. Bill Petite stated we would be tired at the end. I didn't see how that could happen, but I trusted in his advice.

The next morning we finished our "to do" list only 30 minutes before the children arrived, including planning our games locations and logistics, plus skits and cooking, etc. The 1st-6th graders were full of energy.

Wednesday and invitation was given with many children making decisions for Christ. Quite sad, Bill stated that when the children were encouraged to attend church the children said "what's church". Most of the children never heard the name of Christ. Only about a handful of children are Christians.

We are now home exhausted and ready to sleep. I can't possibly put everything into words or writing. You'll have to come to the August 2nd church service to hear it all first hand! That's Sunday August 2nd at 10:45am.

Parents, we are fairly certain your child won't have time to call home tomorrow. If you don't hear from them in about 12 hours then we'll see at the airport. This is not our original plan, but we are being flexible with our schedule. Please work with us : - )

To all, we will try to post pictures tomorrow in about 12 hours. Good night. We need rest.

PS All the team is on home stays (sleeping in Japanese homes) tomorrow night (Saturday). That should be a treat never to forget!