February - March 2023
TOKYO MULTICULTURAL CHURCH
Our first of our three stints in Japan during 2023 was Feb 21 - Mar 10. We were scheduled to be there from Feb 14 but we both came down with covid about 10 days earlier so had to delay. We are grateful that with quick medical attention, quarantine, rest, and each having had 5 jabs we seemed to be mostly recovered in a few weeks.
We GIVE THANKS that...
Dale read a paper on church planting theology during a Mar 20-22 conference on church planting in England at Cranmer Hall of Durham University. PRAY that this might become part of a future publication of help to pioneer church planters and students of church planting.
Our first of our three stints in Japan during 2023 was Feb 21 - Mar 10. We were scheduled to be there from Feb 14 but we both came down with covid about 10 days earlier so had to delay. We are grateful that with quick medical attention, quarantine, rest, and each having had 5 jabs we seemed to be mostly recovered in a few weeks.
We GIVE THANKS that...
- One young lady from South Africa was baptized by Dale at TMC's mother church in Tokyo on Feb 26. During 2022 Ann & Dale had met with her by zoom 4-5 times for baptismal preparation. Her testimony of God’s faithfulness was not only encouraging to the approximately 15 people from TMC who were able to attend the Sunday afternoon celebration. It was also a wonderful opportunity to finally reconnect after covid restrictions with the 15-20 people from our mother church who were at the baptism. We are hopeful our two churches can join together once again starting this fall for events like annual retreats.
- TMC members were able to make a difficult but important decision about reducing the budget until the church achieves more financial stability. Tokyo’s covid restrictions over the past few years have made it difficult for TMC to meet its budget. Dale led the Members’ Meeting on Mar 5 that came to this decision. It was also decided to combine our separate English and Japanese worship services into one joint service and to start using a new decision making structure.
- Bob & Keiko are considering becoming TMC’s part-time, bi-vocational English ministries pastoral couple. We met with them again in Mar.
- Ann was able to pass on several of her responsibilities to some of the young TMC women (children’s ministry, facility cleaning and decorating, weekly worship services line up).
- TMC attenders will continue to grow in their faith as has the young lady who was baptized in Feb.
- TMC members will joyfully and faithfully give of their finances to meet the church budget.
- That the Lord will guide TMC on Apr 23 as members vote about Bob & Keiko.
- That the Lord will raise up more TMC people to carry on the weekly TMC responsibilities.
Dale read a paper on church planting theology during a Mar 20-22 conference on church planting in England at Cranmer Hall of Durham University. PRAY that this might become part of a future publication of help to pioneer church planters and students of church planting.
Thank you for Praying for The Littles! – PTL #177