Our family has been back in Japan for three months and are settling into our new apartment and schedule. Thank you so much for your prayers for us.  Currently our team leader, Craig Coulbourne, and his family are on home ministry assignment in Baltimore, Maryland.  Everyone at Shin-Urayasu Grace Church is very busy without them and we are really looking forward to their return in October.  

Starting a church with a team of missionaries has a few unique challenges.  One of these challenges is the fact that the missionaries have to return to their home countries to raise additional financial support.  Our family returned to the United States last year and in September the final member of our team, Karen Darda, will be returning to Australia for seven months.  For several years, things at the church will always be changing.

With Craig in the United States for six months, we have had a different pastor give the sermon each week during worship.  Over the weeks I have come to appreciate what these pastors bring to our church.  Most of the pastors are from the area and it has been wonderful to hear updates on the other churches in the Presbytery.  On weeks that we have lunch together, it has been good to hear the stories of God’s faithfulness and to hear about new ideas for reaching out to our community.  Most of us are busy with ministry at our own church and do not get to visit other churches that often.  During this time, the other churches have been coming to us and it has been a blessing.

A further blessing has been the opportunity to pray for each other.  When the missionaries return to their home countries, the churches that we visit begin to pray more effectively for our church in Shin-Urayasu.  It is encouraging to know that people around the world are praying for our church and asking God for many people in our town to believe in Jesus.  The same is true as we pray for each other.  The visiting pastors bring prayer requests from their churches and we have the opportunity to pray for their needs. It is a privilege to come before our Heavenly Father and pray for the churches in Japan.