Dear Friends,
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Mt. 6:19-21)
As Woody has been preaching through Matthew, he came to this passage Sunday. In the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku disaster, many of the people of Yamamoto have learned the truth that the treasures of this earth pass away, but they have yet to understand and know the true God who alone must be our treasure. In God’s providence, Seth Felker, our summer intern, also spoke to the women on the same passage this past Thursday at a cooking class. It was very easy for them to understand that material things can never satisfy our longings, but he challenged them to come to know and believe in the one true treasure, Christ Jesus.
Please give thanks with us:
- For each member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church summer volunteer mission team (S.T.M.T.) that just completed three weeks of service to Christ and his church, approximately half-time at Nozomi relief center and church and half at Sendai Megumi Church: Rebekah Willson, Melannie Fields, Laura Trokhymenko, and Ben Goerner. At Nozomi they followed the works of many past such teams in the tsunami-ravaged area around the center and church building, mainly doing yard work for elderly tsunami survivors, putting on an English café and a Ukrainian cooking class. The café included slides of England, sharing their faith, and live opera singing. At both Nozomi and Megumi, the team helped by passing out over 1000 leaflets inviting people in both communities to activities, most of which include gospel messages. The team also helped the Niimuras who are completing the rebuilding of their home (lost in 2011), and handed out tracts and sang Psalm 23 at Sendai train station. We thank God for several new people who attended activities as a result of their work.
- For Seth Felker, the mission’s summer intern from Moody Bible Institute and Gospel Life Presbyterian Church (Chicago), who also helped the team. Though Seth’s assignment from Moody is primarily to ‘shadow missionaries Lauer and Uomoto’ for six weeks, he has also taught prayer meetings at Megumi (Murray interpreting) and delivered an evangelistic message for a Ukrainian cooking class which saw several brand new faces at Nozomi (Woody interpreting). He is also scheduled to lead devotions at the next meeting of the OPC Japan Mission.
- For the cheerful service of Missionary Associate, Laura Baugh, who has completed two of three months of service helping variously at Nozomi Center and Church, as well as teaching at churches in Sendai.
- For the interest several of these six talented college age young people have in returning to Japan mission work after completing their educations.
- For the students at Woody’s seminary classes at Kobe Theological Hall, where Woody teaches both NT Introduction and OT Survey. Last month he completed teaching on the Pentateuch; this month he returns to KTH to complete NTI curriculum and to do several hours presenting his work on the WCF and ‘willful desertion’, work done as a part of a study committee of the Presbytery of Ohio.
Please pray with us:
- For a dear friend here who said the other day, “In the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami (having lost everything), I have come to believe I do not need much. Things are not important.” Yet, her heart is in turmoil. She finds comfort in attending worship and Nozomi Center activities, but her family opposes her coming. Pray that the Lord will grant her courage in Christ.
- For inquirers, Mrs. U. and Mrs. I – that they would trust in the living and true God, his Word, and salvation through Christ Jesus. Both not only attend worship, but have been studying through Genesis with Woody since spring.
- For Mrs. A, who along with her sister has been faithful in attendance since we began morning worship services last fall, but has not returned yet following a lengthy hospitalization for a lung problem. May the Lord grant her healing and renewed strength.
- For the N. family. This young family responded to our broadened flyer distribution by attending worship once and has participated in several other activities since then.
- That the Lord would pour out his Spirit on this community to believe the gospel and become disciples of Christ.
- For preparations for our fall furlough from late August until November 21.
- For the fund raising work of the Committee for the Support of the OPC Japan Mission.
Thankful that the Lord Jesus himself is raising up His people in Japan and around the world, Woody and Laurie Lauer
RP Team English Café: Ben Goerner sharing his faith
RP Team after cutting a field: Laura T, Ben, Melannie, neighbor, Rebekah, Seth
OT Survey at Kobe Theological Hall (June, 2017)