Pretty (and) Committed

[simon at simon-cozens.org]

Pretty (and) Committed

Officially official

   In the Japanese church, couples who will get married often hold an
   official engagement ceremony - usually just a few minutes after an
   ordinary Sunday service, partly to declare their intentions
   publically. Ours was held on the 15th of this month, and was on a
   little bit of a grander scale! Henrietta looked stunning in a dress
   converted from a traditional kimono; I wore a men's kimono. We had
   around a hundred guests, more than half of whom were not Christians
   and most of whom were in a church for the first time in their lives.
   They heard pastor Takahashi explain how God creates relationships, and
   also heard our testimony of how He put us together.

   Our field leader is now looking for other missionaries to marry off to
   replicate this new method of evangelism.

Maibara

   The Culture Festival at Maibara community center was a big success for
   us both in terms of deepening our relationships with the center staff
   and also raising our profile in Maibara. When you're putting on a big
   exhibition and display, there's nothing you're more thankful for than
   someone bringing a team of young, strong willing volunteers to help
   carry furniture around for you, and so we are very much in the good
   books of the staff and the other exhibitors. We also got a chance to
   speak to lots of people about what we're doing in Maibara, and are now
   set up to do some Christmas events in the center as well.

   The English club is going well; although we only have two regular
   members, they are talking very openly about some big issues - last
   time we look at the issue of bullying in schools. Our plan is that by
   sharing ourselves and our weaknesses in testimony, the students will
   open up to us about their lives - and it seems to be working!

   Unfortunately Elina may not be able to continue running the club - and
   the introduction to Christianity course that follows it - after I
   leave as she is going back to high school herself! We are looking for
   guidance about what to do next.

Coming up

   This weekend a few of us from the Nagahama English Service will be
   going down to the Kamagasaki area of Osaka where there are many
   homeless day labourers, to join a feeding project organised by local
   churches there.

   After that, we begin our Christmas programme, which will see a cookery
   class and concert in Maibara, carolling around Nagahama, a candle
   service and a dinner for the church youth group.

   Wedding preparations are ongoing, and we're now starting to think
   about packing and moving back to the UK. We need more firm guidance
   about how we will spend our time there, but we have some ideas. More
   next time!

Who?

   I am a full-time mission worker with [11]WEC International in Japan.

   I believe that all Japanese people should be given the opportunity to
   hear and respond to the good news about Jesus Christ, and I hope to
   concentrate on working with the Japanese church to reach businessmen.

Contact


    Tonomachi 3-28 Nagahama-shi Shiga 526-0064 Japan

Prayer points

     * Please continue to pray for my housemate Peter, that we can get
       along well and he has a good and challenging programme here in
       Japan.
     * Pray for how to continue the evangelistic side of the Maibara
       outreach after I leave for the UK.
     * Please pray for Henrietta and I, giving thanks to God for our
       engagement service and those who came, as we plan for our wedding
       and ministry in the UK.
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