April First Twenty-ten

I am trying hard to avoid mentioning the name this day is more popularly called lest this message be misconstrued as prank. NO, it's real and here are some facts to know why I'm serious:

It's a bit of concern because we have special events going on over the weekend. We are having a picnic or cherry blossom viewing (Jp, hanami) on Saturday (April 3rd). The following day is, of course, Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Yet, it has been forecasted that it would be rainy today and in the coming days. The weather is really acting strange lately. Have you seen snow in spring? Yes, it happened here on Monday night!?

It is good to remember though that God controls nature. We recently launched our new ministry, the Lighthouse English Cafe (LEC). This coffee ministry serves tea and of course, brewed coffee to a growing group of customers who also want to hone their English-speaking ability by chatting with foreign hosts (volunteers from our church). We also offer free program in the course of the afternoon every fourth Saturday of the month plus a surprise slice of cake or quiche prepared by our hospitable ladies. With the consecutive LEC events we held on February 27 and on March 27, the days surrounding them were really gloomy and wet. But God, in answer to the prayers of many, made the skies lit up on the day of our LEC ministry. Praise the LORD!

Did you know that we now have a FILIPINO ministry? This on and off ministry has finally taken off the ground with a monthly worship service conducted in the Filipino language (Tagalog) to cater to the growing Filipino community in Kyoto City. Currently held once a month (every 3rd Sunday) from 13:00-14:30 P.M., we meet in the main sanctuary with less than twenty people. The first meeting was last February 21st and the next one will be on April 18th. Please spread the word. A new link on our website leads to it, but it is still being developed.

By the way, I already finished preaching on the series covering the names of God. After this Holy Week, we will again consider a new series of messages. Please pray for my preparation and watch out for it!

In March, we said our sayonara (farewell) to Miki Liu, an exchange student from University of Queensland at Kyoto's University of Foreign Studies, who has since returned to Australia to graduate. We also miss Phil Jimmieson, Miki's friend who came to visit. Likewise, Mami Morioka has gone back to Australia to pursue her PhD.

There's a rhyme I've seen on my wife's pillow case some years ago when she was still my girlfriend. Somehow it stuck with me:

March winds and April showers

Bring forth May flowers.

Spring is here! God bless everyone. Happy Easter!!!

Welcome 2010!

Time Flies Fast

How could I have missed it? I noticed that it’s already February and I haven’t written anything in January. It’s 2010 by the way!

Here’s a litany of things that took place early this year until now:

1. New Year’s countdown at Miyamoto-san’s place.

2. New Year’s Day worship service with free osechi ryori (Japanese traditional New Year’s dish).

3. IBC, a new Christian organization at Doshisha University, was accredited.

4. Hosted a South Korean Youth With A Mission (YWAM) team.

5. Church prayer gathering.

6. Hosting the Calunge family in their mission exposure trip.

7. Developing new leaders to do ministry.

8. Forming some ministry committees.

9. Ushering ministry seminar.

10. AKC annual membership meeting.

11. February 14^th church fellowship.

12. Launching the “Love Haiti” campaign to gather donations for the said country.

Here are some things to look forward to this month:

1. IBC hosts a camp at church from February 21-24.

2. Our first attempt to form a Filipino service on February 21^st.

3. Launching of Lighthouse English Café on February 27^th.

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5, NKJV

“I (we) can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (us).” Philippians 4:13

Christmas

DECEMBER 2009

I love December for several reasons. One, this is the month we celebrate CHRISTmas and my wife’s birthday too. Two, there’s something special in the air. I don’t know if it’s the cold spell of winter or the prospect of “crossing over” to the New Year. There is something mysterious about it that reminds me of times past. Three, I definitely love the Christmas carols and music that I hear around this time of year.

Speaking of Christmas carols/music, I have several CDs at home that I play alternately. I listen to jazz renditions to the classical and even Filipino Christmas medleys.

Before I go further, let me say a MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and a BLESSED NEW YEAR TOO! We don’t know what the next year awaits us. I am just privileged to have these few words directly expressed to you. Just bear up with me. It’s from my heart.

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The past weeks were busy more than the usual. We had been to special Christmas-related gatherings and meetings. For the first-time also since we ministered to the Assembly Kyoto Church, we (my wife) initiated a Nativity play with her English students as the main characters. We praise the Lord for the beautiful outcome and the good turn out especially of the children’s parents. We are also grateful to the many hands from AKC that extended help to make the said event a success.

One other big event coming up is the Christmas Eve Candle-light Service that we hold each year. We have a slightly different program planned for this year and also, we have the Gospel Choir singing for us. The service begins at 19:00 (or 7:00 PM).

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I will be sharing a message on Isaiah 9:6 for our Christmas Eve Service. It says, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. 
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

For Sunday, December 27^th, we will reflect on the account surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ and about the lesser-known characters of the same event.

May you have a truly meaningful celebration of Christmas!!!

Sincerely,

Pastor Joseph

Time Flies So Fast

Recap

After our Missions Month in October, we have a series of big events this month namely, our host Japanese church's 62nd anniversary and the African Night. The former event featured Pastor Hisoka Murakami as the main presenter of the church's vision for next year and beyond. His associate pastor, Satoshi Nagasawa challenged the congregation to support the church's outreach ministries especially in Kyoto City's university campuses. Likewise, my beloved wife, Jo Ann also painted in words the things God is doing in and through our English ministries particularly the international service, the English language classes and the Bible classes at church. The event was prolonged, but the sushi afterwards was worth the wait.

The African Night was a huge success, if numbers were the gauge. The turn out was really good last November 15th. Our brothers and sisters from Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe led the worship service. Their songs (some were in English, Zulu and Swahili) were definitely fantastic. The food they served were savory, delicious and truly African! I wish they do it again:) Bravo zulu to Patroba, Kepha and his wife Sarah, Vimbai, Naomi, Leena and Keith.

There were many others who worked behind the scene. Thanks Masako-san, her daughter and Ena Garcia for the decorations; Fukui-sensei and Halka-san for the translation; Cerrone for the technical assistance; Numata-sensei for the reception; and, a number of significant others who worked in the kitchen, fellowship room and in the lobby. Glory to God!!!

What's next?

Actually on Sunday, November 22nd we are holding our own version of THANKSGIVING. Yes! We are preparing a special program on that day not only for the worship service, but also for the fellowship afterwards. It's suppose to be a secret, but it may be difficult to hide a roasted turkey on the menu. I don't need to say more except that we want you to be there and be prepared to share the things you are thankful for. This may come quite belatedly, but the cost of the food is 500 yen per person;)

God bless!

An African Night

How much do you know about Africa?

What images of Africa do you have?

Do you fancy yourself going to Africa?

 

The Assembly Kyoto Church

presents

 

African Night

You are invited

to join us in celebrating the

people, culture and continent of Africa

        When: 15 November 2009, 5:00p.m.

Where: Asssembly Kyoto Church, Kyoto-shi, Shimogyo-ku, Nishishichijo, Nishiishigatsubo-cho 38 Tel.No.: 075-311-5193 Food cost: 200yen(Please pay as you enter)

Meet new African friends, enjoy their music and taste authentic African dishes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look! It's Harvest Time

MISSIONS MONTH HIGHLIGHTS

October is harvest time in Japan. It’s amazing that God uses many people to bless us with farm produce even though we live in the city and don’t own any land. We’ve received rice, sweet potatoes, apples, and chili peppers to name a few.
This month is also a good reminder of the harvest we are suppose to be doing – the harvest of souls in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Thus, we have introduced our annual Missions emphasis month at the Assembly Kyoto Church since 2007.

This year, our messages are not only centered on this ministry. We are doing some practical applications too. First, we identified several missionaries now serving overseas. We communicated with them and asked for information on how they are doing personally, in their ministries and as a family. We made it a point to introduce them to the church during the services and to also pray for them. The congregation also prepared letters/cards of encouragement for them.

We also encourage everyone to increase their giving. As an international congregation, we prepare “sacrificial meals” after every worship meeting. Those who join are then giving donations that they have decided in their hearts.

In the last few weeks, the Philippines experienced extraordinary battering of typhoons that killed, displaced and traumatized many people. The church has decided to support ministries that help those most affected. From October 18-25, we are collecting and packing relief goods to be sent to various places in the Philippines. We are looking at ten big boxes of supplies filled with clothing, food items and other basic necessities.

The month is not yet over and we will keep on talking about prayer, missions, giving and personal evangelism. We are exhorting our flock to make missions a part of their daily life. We are also featuring a missionary couple attending our service to give a testimony about the challenges and joys of doing missions.

Click here for the link on the music video of the song, “You Said” on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnai5kc36bs&feature=related

“He (Jesus) told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” – Luke 10:2, NIV

Latest Updates

GRACE FOR TODAY

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:25-34, NIV).

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FRUITFUL VISIT

Pastor Gani Sison (Chair, IT Leadership Team/CEO, ITP) together with his wife, Edith (IT-East Asia Leader) concluded their trip to Japan on a high note. After spending several days in Nagoya Prefecture, they arrived in Kyoto City on the 21st of September and wasted no time in meeting with International Teams field missionaries and their host churches represented by the churches’ pastors and their wives.

The guests saw first-hand the ministries that the missionaries are engaged in and the potential for growth even as the local pastors pledged to accept more missionaries into their fold. IT-Philippines has sent a couple in Nagoya Prefecture, a family in Kyoto City and two other families in Hyogo Prefecture.

Pastor Gani also preached in the evening service before the AKC International Congregation on September 27 encouraging the believers to look into the future with hope by citing the passage in Jeremiah 29:11 and telling stories of God’ miracles.

The Sisons flew back to Manila on September 29.

CONGRATULATIONS

On September 24th, our dear sister in the Lord, Ampaitepin Singhabhandhu (Thailand) graduated from Kyoto University garnering her PhD. Patroba Odera, Muhannad Fakhoury and I were there to witness the solemn occasion.

SAYONARA

Our short-term missionary, Ken Poon left for the U.S. on October 3 after staying in Japan for six months. He served in various capacities including but not limited to leading English Bible Studies, video production, doing a skit for children and establishing rapport with new contacts. Please pray for Ken as he considers and prepares himself for a career in Missions.

Likewise, Ampaitepin went back to Thailand on September 30 to chart her future. Please pray for wisdom and a powerful witness among her relatives and friends.