A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (8/29/2013)

Praise the Lord!
　Thank you all for your consistent and loving prayers and support for the relief work of theHigashiMatsushimaAmazingGraceSupportCenter.

 

　Here at the support center, on Sunday the 25th we held Sunday worship and Sunday school.

　This was the first Sunday worship and Sunday school since we concluded our one week summer break. The weather had made it over the hottest point of the summer and so for that day we were blessed with beautiful forecast which helped to draw out lots of young children to our meeting.
Helping to minister were the center staff members, Izumi church members, as well as the youth pastor, Takashi Suyama, from Calvary Chapel in America who arrived on Friday the 23rd. He was accompanied by his wife Janet and two youth group members Brett Burns (17) and Bishop Burns (13).

　During the worship time we had a testimony from a member of the Izumi church which was followed by a message from the Word by pastor Suyama and then for the offertory pastor Suyama and his wife sang a worship song.

　In the children's Sunday school class Brett and Bishop helped out and after the lesson time they all went and played games at a nearby park.

　After the offering pastor Ito blessed the people, praying for their healing and for their protection. After that we all enjoyed refreshments which were a blessed time of prayer and fellowship.
I ask in closing that you would please continue to pray all the more for the salvation of souls in this disaster area.

　This week on Tuesday the 27th we will hold an “American Festival” and then on Thursday the 29th we will hold the “Beginners Bible Study and Tea Party”. Please keep these upcoming events in your prayers.

　　　All the glory belongs to the Lord.

Thank you all for your prayers.

To view more pictures of this event, click this link and scroll to the bottom of the blog entry.

A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (8/24/2013)

Praise the Lord!
　Thank you all for your consistent and loving prayers and support for the relief work of theHigashiMatsushimaAmazingGraceSupportCenter.

　Here at the support center, on Sunday the 25th we held Sunday worship and Sunday school.

　This was the first Sunday worship and Sunday school since we concluded our one week summer break. The weather had made it over the hottest point of the summer and so for that day we were blessed with beautiful forecast which helped to draw out lots of young children to our meeting.
Helping to minister were the center staff members, Izumi church members, as well as the youth pastor, Takashi Suyama, from Calvary Chapel in America who arrived on Friday the 23rd. He was accompanied by his wife Janet and two youth group members Brett Burns (17) and Bishop Burns (13).

　During the worship time we had a testimony from a member of the Izumi church which was followed by a message from the Word by pastor Suyama and then for the offertory pastor Suyama and his wife sang a worship song.

　In the children's Sunday school class Brett and Bishop helped out and after the lesson time they all went and played games at a nearby park.

　After the offering pastor Ito blessed the people, praying for their healing and for their protection. After that we all enjoyed refreshments which were a blessed time of prayer and fellowship.
I ask in closing that you would please continue to pray all the more for the salvation of souls in this disaster area.

　This week on Tuesday the 27th we will hold an “American Festival” and then on Thursday the 29th we will hold the “Beginners Bible Study and Tea Party”. Please keep these upcoming events in your prayers.

　　　All the glory belongs to the Lord.

Thank you all for your prayers.

To view more pictures of this event, click this link and scroll to the bottom of the blog entry.

A Report from Pastor Okubo of Yonezawa Christ Church (8/25/2013 Part 2)

Toyomi Sanga GCS representative...doing street evangelism with her megaphone and cartoon character balloons!!

　On Saturday the 24th of August at the Gangoya emergency housing site's mini festival (Town ofShinchiin Soma county) I was able to take part in a rare opportunity of fellowship. We were all working together on preparations, games, sing-alongs and I mainly handled the care of the elderly attendees.

　One person shared with me that because of the Tepco radiation disaster they lost their house and land and that just recently it was decided that they would be building a new house in this area of Shinchi. They said, "I really don't know what the next few years have in store, but..."

　Most of the schools here inFukushimawill be starting up again on Monday or Tuesday. The temporary housing sights will go from being noisy and lively to quiet once again, making many of the adults feel rather lonely to be sure. It was decided the September's events will be cancelled and things will start up again in October. Pastor and Mrs. Sanga, the representatives of Grace Community Service, led the troops right on the front lines to plan this mini festival, making it the last big event of the summer here at the Gangoya temporary housing site. (Well, there is also a showing of the movie “My Neighbor Totoro” by the local Episcopal church but...)

Pastor and Mrs. Sanga, you guys really did a great job! Shalom.

A Report from Pastor Okubo of Yonezawa Christ Church (8/25/2013)

Hallelujah! Thank you all for your prayers.

 

Today, Saturday the 24th of August, we held the “Live Kids Mini Festival” at the Gangoya emergency housing site (Town ofShinchiin Soma county). Since today is the last Saturday of summer vacation there were events one after the other planned, some which were not originally scheduled making for a one hour late start. Even still, many people turned out in attendance and had a great time. It was also a great relief to meet many young mothers and fathers at the event. Thank you so much to Reiko Uehara, Yumiko Beck, pastor and Mrs. Sanga from Grace Community Service and the others fromKoriyama, as well as the team fromSingapore. You all did a great job! Please continue to prayer for further developments and progress to be made.

To view more pictures of this event, click this link and scroll to the bottom of the blog entry.

A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (8/24/2013)

Praise the Lord!
　Thank you all for your consistent and loving prayers and support for the relief work of the Higashi Matsushima Amazing Grace Support Center.

 

Here at the SupportCenterwe took a one week summer break from Monday the 12th to Monday the 19th and then from Tuesday the 20th we started the work up again. On the 20th we also had Bible college student, Mr. Fukumori, who is studying at CentralBibleCollegeof the Assemblies of God in Springfield, Missouri, join in the ministry. On Thursday the 22nd we performed our monthly outreach trip to the city of Rikuzentakada. There were four people ministering composed of two ladies from the center's staff, Mr. Fukumori, and  Mr. Yagisawa who came from Soka to Sendai to do relief work and has been attending the Izumi church ever since.

The way that we minister in Rikuzentakada is different than that of Higashi Matsushima because we go out and visit one house at a time. We usually visit six families and bring them relief items, witnessing and praying as we chat with them. Of the families that we visit, two of them are allowing us the chance hold a mini worship service in their home, complete with praise, prayer and a message. The blessing and grace of the gospel is resting upon these families.

　I would really appreciate if you would pray for a blessing over our outreach in Rikuzentakada and for the work of evangelism to continue. Currently Mr. Fukumori has been a great witness here at the support center and on Saturday the 24th he will go from Sendai back to Narita airport and then on the 25th will fly back to the United States to return to Bible College.
　Almost like working tag team, just as Mr. Fukumori is heading back to theUnited States, on the 23rd we have another term of four people coming toSendai fromAmerica to join us in the relief work.

　　　All the glory belongs to the Lord.

Thank you all for your prayers.

      

A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (8/10/2013)

Praise the Lord!
　Thank you all for your consistent and loving prayers and support for the relief work of the Higashi Matsushima Amazing Grace Support Center. 

　Here at the center, on Thursday the eighth, we held the “17th Tea Party” event. The extra long rainy season ended here in Tohoku and went straight into unbearably hot weather. Even among the extreme heat, many people turned out for the event, thirsting for the grace of God. Since it is currently summer break there were also a lot of children in attendance.

　We played a fun new game based on Japanese firework festivals and which also incorporated pictures of fireworks being displayed on the main projector screen. That was followed by a joint rendition of the beautiful old Japanese song “Summer Memories”. Since this event was held in the extreme summer heat the snack that we provided was all you-could-eat shaved ice (green tea-red bean cream flavor, strawberry cream flavor, etc.). We then heard a wonderful testimony of healing and salvation from Mr. Kenji Sugimori. He is the administrator at the Mikage Shin-ai Christ Christ church and has come here to volunteer starting on the sixth. That was followed by some praise, then a testimony message from the Life Line DVD, then finally a closing prayer from pastor Ito.

　Since the local children are on summer break, they not only attend the recent tea party event but they are also often coming with their young mothers who are requesting children's summer clothing. Currently at the center we are in need of more children's summer clothing. Please do whatever you can to help is.

　For more information please contact staff member Nozomi Odajima at 080-2815-3507 or Akari Yokoyama at 080-2815-4418.

All the glory belongs to the Lord.

   Thank you all for your prayers.

To view more pictures of this event, click this link and scroll to the bottom of the blog entry.

A Report from Pastor Ito of Izumi Fukuin Chapel (8/5/2013)

Praise the Lord!
　Thank you all for your consistent and loving prayers and support for the relief work of theHigashiMatsushimaAmazingGraceSupportCenter.

　Here at the center we held worship on Sunday the 4th. Usually at the center we hold worship on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. But since we were blessed to have recently had a "Malaysian Festival" event with special guests Roy and his wife Masako, lead pastors of Kanazawa's international church, we chose to have a special worship service with them as speakers.

　Praise God that many of our regular attendees came as well as some people who had attended the previous day's "Malaysia Festival". We were also blessed to have some first time attendees.
　We had praise and worship, a prayer and a testimony from one of the Izumi church members which was followed by a message preached by pastor Masako entitled “The Joy of the Lord”. She kept everyone on the edge of their seats as she used some visual aides to preach about Zacchias. She ended by praying that each person present would have the joy that can only be found in Jesus. The worship service was closed with an offering and a prayer from pastor Ito asking for healing and protection over everyone.
　After worship, we all fellowshipped over a cup of tea and the staff and church members spent a blessed time praying together. The joy of the Lord and the presence of Christ were abundantly felt in that place.

　Please continue to pray for the salvation of many of the lost and hurting disaster victims.
　Currently we are planning on holding the "17th Tea Party" on Thursday the eighth. Please keep us in your prayers.

   All the glory belongs to the Lord.
    Thank you all for your prayers.

To view more pictures of this event, click this link and scroll to the bottom of the blog entry.