Photo of the Week — Kakegawa Castle in Black and White
Photo of the Week — Signs of Spring in Japan
It’s a little early yet, but it is starting to get warmer and I’m hearing more birds. So in anticipation of spring 2017, here’s a photo from April 2016, taken at nearby Nakamura Park, featuring cherry blossoms and a crane. Not only signs of spring but very Japanese images too.
Hello From Nagoya — March Prayer Letter
Hi everyone,
In February we completed our second year with our current kids English class. As you can see from the above photo, they’re an energetic bunch, and it’s a lot of work keeping up with them; but we have a lot of fun together.
As I’ve mentioned before, most of my students in all 4 of my English classes (3 for adults, 1 for kids) are from non-Christian backgrounds. I’m thankful for the relationships being developed between our church and community through our English ministry here, and that little by little we’re getting to sow Kingdom seeds in their lives. During this month’s English Bible study, we had some really good conversation about Jesus, heaven and the Gospel, and I think I was able to help the two non-Christians present see some major differences between Christianity and other religions.
Please keep praying for the students, families and friends we’re connecting with through our English ministry at Immanuel Nagoya Church. Also, here are some upcoming dates to keep in prayer about:
3/3 — English Cafe
3/4 — Mountain climbing with friends that I’m starting a new climbing ministry with. This is kind of a “test run” for this ministry which we’ll be doing once a month starting this month. Meanwhile, a couple of American missionary friends will be covering my English class that day.
3/15-16 — The Immanuel Church Annual Conference in Tokyo. Pray for productive meetings, vision and direction for our partner denomination in Japan; and for the churches and pastors going through transitions this year.
3/22 — Leading worship at my church’s prayer meeting.
If you’re up for a little more reading, here’s a link to an infographic about the State of Missions in Japan to fuel your prayers some more: https://omf.org/blog/2017/01/17/japan-mission-church-infographic-team/
As always, thank you for your partnership!
– Robin
Photo of the Week: Gamagori Gateway
Since my photo blog is ridiculously out-of-date and I have a HUGE backlog of photos to share, I thought I’d ease my way back into photo blogging again by sharing some photos here on my missions site. This will hopefully have the added values of keeping my supporters interested and engaged through this site. So without further ado, here’s my first Photo of the Week of 2017:
The bridge from lovely Takeshima Island back to Gamagori City, where I visited with friends back in April 2015.
Winter Wanderings — February Prayer Letter
Hi everyone,
Earlier this month, we got our annual allotment of snow. Since we get so little snow in this part of Japan, when we do get some, it always warms my Canadian heart. As you can see from the above photo, some of the locals enjoy it too. These are some of the young people from my church and the snow Snoopy they built together. Not bad, eh?
Two Sundays ago I visited Kyoto to do an English Bible study at Immanuel Kyoto Nishi Church. I was filling in for fellow GP missionary Andrea Swarthout, who had to be away that week. I really enjoyed connecting with the church and seeing so many non-Christians taking part in the Bible study.
The first part of the year is relatively quiet for me in terms of my work schedule. But looking ahead to spring, it seems like it’s going to be a busy year, with an increase in travel and preaching. It’s not too much, but it does mean I have to stay on top of things. Please pray that I can plan and prep well in advance, before another busy season arrives.
In addition, here are some specifics to pray for:
2/2 — English Cafe
2/8 — Worship Leading at Prayer Meeting
2/19 — English Bible Study
As always, your prayers and support are much appreciated! Thank you for your partnership in advancing the Kingdom and Church in Japan!
– Robin
PS — If you haven’t already, please check out my New Year’s newsletter HERE: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_HFtReSrjVRUE5xVFR1czdsR0U
New Year’s Newsletter (January 2017)
Hi everyone,
Sorry my update is a little late this month. I took some time off around New Year’s and am just catching up now. This month’s update is a full newsletter, so please follow the link below to view, download or print:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_HFtReSrjVRUE5xVFR1czdsR0U
Thank you for your prayers and support!
– Robin
Advent Adventures (December 2016 Prayer Letter)
Hi everyone,
I hope you’re feeling fine and festive as we enter the Christmas season this year. This past Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, I was in Yamaguchi (3 hours southwest by bullet train) for a day of ministry at the Immanuel church there (whose new building you can see in the photo above). As a bonus, it was a great time of re-connecting with one of my oldest friends/colleagues in Japan, Pastor Hirase, who used to worked at my church in Nagoya.
Before my trip, I hadn’t been feeling very well. But God gave me the strength (and voice) I needed to preach in the morning and do a mini-concert in the afternoon. I had a good time encouraging the church and helping them reach out. Interestingly, the passage I spoke on in the afternoon was the same one they’d put on their poster promoting the event (“God is Love”), though we hadn’t planned it that way. Please pray that God will continue the work He was doing through this event in the lives of the guests who came.
As Advent continues, so do my adventures. Please pray with me for the following over the next few weeks:
- 12/2 – English Cafe
- 12/4 – Preaching at Nagoya Church
- 12/11 – English Bible study
- 12/14 – Leading worship at prayer meeting
- 12/18 – Preaching & music ministry at Gifu Church
- 12/22 – Kids English class Christmas party
- 12/25 – My church’s Christmas events
Thank you so much for your prayers and support this year. And in case you don’t hear from me before then, have a merry Christmas and happy New Year!
– Robin
Prayer Letter — November 2016
Hi everyone,
It’s been an encouraging month with lots of connecting and re-connecting. Some highlights can be seen in the above photos. Randy & Linda Freeman, GP missionary wellness coaches, visited this past week. And earlier in the month, former Wesleyan general superintendent Joanne Lyon was in Japan for the Japan Holiness Association’s annual events. Japan is so far from home and the rest of the Wesleyan world. It’s always fun and encouraging to re-connect with the Tribe.
Another highlight of the past month was taking part in an art festival event (with the theme of “Connections”) at a church in Nisshin, just east of Nagoya. I got a lot of good feedback on my work and its message, which was really encouraging.
Ministry-wise, October was relatively quiet for me. I had my regular classes and ministries, of course, but not a lot of extras. Now that November is here, I’m entering a really busy season of ministry leading up to Christmas. I’d appreciate your prayers as I try to keep ahead and minister effectively. Following are some specific events and dates:
11/04 – English Cafe
11/09 – Leading worship at prayer meeting
11/12 – Leading worship at Inspa (returnees ministry)
11/20 – English Bible study
11/24 – Substitute teaching another English Bible study
11/27 – Preaching & music ministry at IGM Yamaguchi Church
I’ll also be preaching twice in December, so I’d appreciate your prayers as I begin prepping for those as well.
Thank you for your ongoing prayers and support for our work here in Japan! I hope you have a great November!
– Robin
October Prayer Letter
Hi everyone,
Thank you for your prayers over the past month. Here are are couple of highlights:
This week I spent four days in Kobe at the 6th Japan Congress on Evangelism — a huge gathering of around 2000 pastors, missionaries and church leaders from various denominations and organizations gathered for learning, networking and encouragement. It was definitely a challenging and encouraging time for me, and it was great to see the unity represented there. So much potential!
Earlier in the month, at our English Cafe event, our conversation took a deeper turn than usual. Usually this event isn’t overtly spiritual, but more of a way to build relationships with students and give them a chance to practice their English. But the discussion questions I’d prepared this time naturally led in a spiritual direction, and and I even got to share the Gospel with the group.
Looking ahead, here are some things to pray with me about in the coming weeks:
- The Church in Japan – for unity & cooperation
- My English students (mostly non-Christians)
- English Cafe – 10/7
- Leading worship at prayer meeting – 10/12
- English Bible study – 10/16
- Another art exhibit I’m taking part in during the last 2 weeks of October.
- Wisdom & direction as I look to start some new ministries in the near future — news soon, I hope!
Again, thank you for your continuing prayers and support for the mission, the Church and Japan! Have a great October!
– Robin
September Prayer Letter
Hi everyone,
September is here! I hope you’ve had a good summer. Mine was super busy but lots of fun. As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, August’s big events were an artist exhibit and a trip to Hokkaido for some youth work. Both went really well. Thank you for praying! The photo above is from when some church friends came to the art show.
As my English classes are back on schedule now, I’d appreciate your continued prayer for my English ministry in particular, that relationships would grow deeper and hearts would become more open to the Gospel.
Here are some specific events and things you can be praying for as well:
- 9/2 — English Cafe
- 9/10 — Leading worship at Inspire Union (returnees ministry)
- 9/14 — Leading worship at prayer meeting
- 9/18-19 — Chukyo area holiness retreat
- 9/27-30 — Japan Conference on Evangelism (an interdenominational gathering of pastors, missionaries and leaders in Kobe)
Thank you for being on my team!
– Robin