Chris & Leanne November 2023 Prayer Requests

* Recently, we hosted a farewell soccer party for the graduating 9th graders. A dad of Mark’s good friend sought out Chris to ask him questions about the Bible, Christianity, and God. Often, these gospel conversations don’t come up at church events, but around the dinner table, at a café, on a walk, or a soccer party. It reminded me of the importance living life IN and WITH our unbelieving community. Please pray for this dad and his family as they consider the truths they learned. And please pray for more of these gospel conversations!

* The holidays are always a beautiful excuse to practice hospitality and ministry. Please pray for us as we enter this season that we would follow God’s leading on who to invite to our home or church events. And please pray that the Holy Spirit would be drawing Japanese to Himself.

* On November 5th, we will have our annual “Children’s Blessing” Sunday. It is a type of substitute for a Japanese tradition to take 3, 5, and 7-year-old children to be blessed by a temple priest. Instead, we invite all ages of children to come and be prayed over by a pastor. Afterwards, a photographer from our church takes a family picture and presents it as a gift. The moms from Leanne’s Baby English class were invited and expressed excitement. Please pray that many would come, and it would be a step in their journey to believing.

* Also, Chris will be travelling to Thailand this month for a couple weeks to meet with SEND mission leaders from countries around the world. Please pray for the safety of all the leaders traveling and for their time together to be fruitful. (And please pray for Leanne and the kids as he’s away.)

Chris & Leanne October 2023 Prayer Requests

* The summer was unusually hot and lasted well into September. We praise God that we did not have any heat related illnesses in any of the ministries this summer season! In mid- September SBBC was able to install air conditioning units in the first-floor meeting room thanks to Parkside’s VBC gift! We are now able to hear the messages more clearly (without the noise of the fans), and when we’re using the room for the kids, everyone is notably livelier! Thank you!

* Recently we were reflecting on C-side Church (The church plant here in Shichigahama). Just six months ago we lost a faithful family due to some difficult circumstances in their family. Our church plant’s pastor began praying specifically for God’s direction for the future of this baby church. Almost immediately God brought two new families and a single. It is a privilege to get to worship God together in this town! Please pray that we will be faithful in living out the gospel and preaching the gospel in all our relationships within the church and in the community.

* Finally, please continue to pray for Chris in his leadership of SEND Japan. He and a team of Japanese pastors and missionaries are working through a big transition of a camp ministry outside of Tokyo. Please pray for unity and clear guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Chris & Leanne September 2023 Prayer Requests

* Praise God for all the camps and children’s outreaches in August. God sustained us and our partners in the gospel. God kept us and the kids healthy and there was a sweet unity amongst us workers that can only come from the Holy Spirit. The seed of God’s word was sown. Please pray with us for the kids who heard the gospel (and their families). We will follow up with these children and their families throughout the year.

* Last year, you prayed for Mrs. S and her two boys. Mrs. S and her second son were in the hospital for many months. She was surprised by how the Christian community came around her in prayer and support during that time. We thank God for their lives and their friendship. Please pray for them to open their hearts to Jesus. Specifically, please pray for more opportunities for clear, gospel conversations.

* Chris has now been in the role of Assistant Area Director of SEND Japan since the beginning of July. With the Area Director out of the country, it has been an especially challenging. He needs God’s daily guidance.

* Please also continue to pray for our Japanese partners in the gospel, Pastor Yukimasa Otomo and Pastor Satoshi Ueno. Please pray that God would give them endurance to preach the gospel and shepherd the Christian church here. Pray that they would be in sweet fellowship with their King. Please also pray for their families.

Chris & Leanne August 2023 Prayer Requests

* It was such a joy to connect our Japanese church family with our Parkside church family through VBC. Thank you for your prayers and offerings! We felt your love! We will do a one-day VBS on August 19th. Please pray for us as we prepare for and invite to this outreach. The facility that we will do the VBS does not have air conditioning, so please also pray for mild temperatures. We want God to be made known and worshipped in this town!

* Last month, we asked for prayer for our summer camps at the end of July and the beginning of August. As I type this we are heading into the beginning of those camps. Please pray for all of us leaders that we would reflect God’s light to the kids and their families. We pray that we would serve with unity, in God’s strength, and that His presence would be seen. Please also pray for safety for the kids and staff.

* Chris began his new role as assistant director of SEND Japan. Our current director is on home assignment in America, so Chris is acting as director until he returns in March. He needs God’s wisdom. Please pray for him.

* As you pray for us, please remember our Japanese pastors and their families in your prayers (Pastor Yuki Otomo and Pastor Satoshi Ueno).

Chris & Leanne July 2023 Prayer Requests

*We praise God for a good start to Leanne’s mom’s English circle in our town. Leanne has already been able to have spiritual conversations with one of the moms. Japanese believe there are many gods in everything, so they pray to and thank the rice, the trees, the cow, etc. She asked Leanne why a Christian kindergarten wouldn’t participate in a prayer festival to the star gods. “Is it because it would cause an argument between the g(G)ods?” It was a joy to talk about how we pray to and thank only one God who made everything.” Please continue to pray for this group moms.

*In May, Chris was elected by our mission to serve at the Assistant Area Director for Japan. He has already been serving our mission as the leader of Tohoko (The northern region of Japan). It’s been a blessing to meet with pastors throughout our region to encourage them and see how SEND Japan can help them. Please pray for Chris as he steps into this new leadership role.

*At the beginning of June, a team from Taiwan came to serve with our church planting team in Shichigahama. It was a wonderful time of outreach and connection! This team prepared their written testimonies in Japanese. At a special tea ceremony, our neighbors and friends received these written testimonies and Taiwanese gifts with excitement. Please pray that the seeds sown will continue to grow!

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Chris & Leanne June 2023 Prayer Requests

*Recently, we have begun to be released from COVID restrictions. Which has given us new opportunities to gather with people we know and new acquaintances. At a recent BBQ, I was asked what love is and how I teach my children about love. Thank you, Lord, for giving me this seemingly random moment to share about him. Please pray for more surprise opportunities to share the truths God has given us in his word.

*Please also pray for our church plant. May the Lord give our pastor Satoshi Ueno wisdom on impacting Shichigahama for Christ. And for us as a team to unify around the vision he gives us as a church plant.

*Please pray for Leanne as she pursues two opportunities the Lord has recently brought her way. The first is a gathering of moms with young kids. One of the ways our church connects with the families in our area is through teaching English. We are purposeful in using English to bring people into a community with Christians. Leanne will be leading a little kids' English group. Through these gatherings, our pastor's wife and a couple of other missionaries can interact and connect with the moms.

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Chris & Leanne May 2023 Prayer Requests

As Chris has taken on more leadership with SEND Japan, he has been a part of more vision and ministry planning for our mission in Japan. One of the focuses recently is helping our camp ministry, Okutama Bible Chalet, plan and reorganize. Hundreds of campers come through the camp ministry every year. The consensus is that we are entering a new era of camp ministry and need to update how the camp has been operating. Please pray the Lord will give Chris and others the wisdom to make the necessary changes to accomplish the goal of glorifying God through camp ministry.

-Chris

Chris & Leanne April 2023 Prayer Requests

We were so blessed and we praise God for all of the youth gatherings we were able to have during spring break this year. May those seeds grow into relationships which will allow for deeper sharing of faith.

The new school year has begun. Recently Covid restrictions have been removed. Which will allow us as a church family to begin having lunch together after service again. This is a part of the life of the church which has been missed for 3 years now. So we praise God that we can fellowship again together in this way. To be able to share what God has been teaching us, as we eat together. To be able to laugh and talk about life while our children play. Pray the Lord will use these gatherings to grow our faith and encourage each believer to share their faith with others.

Please also be in prayer for Lillia and Jude. They will be entering new schools this month. For Jude this is his first schooling experience. We thank you for your prayers for our children. We have seen the Lord hearing your prayers and protecting our children. God is good.

-Chris

Chris & Leanne April 2023 Update

Dear Parkside Church Family,

Thank for your continued partnership in the gospel. Your prayers and support are felt! The people of Japan have captured our hearts, but the work can be slow and discouraging.

The Tohoku region has been referred to as the “graveyard of missionaries and pastors.” When I first heard this, I thought, “How negative!” Now, I’m thankful for this title. Not only does it drive us to support our Japanese and mission partners with more resolve, but it also exponentially increases the joy we experience over each Japanese who becomes a Christian. Jesus said in Luke 15 “There is joy in heaven over ONE sinner who repents.” There’s nothing quite like that joy! We work closely with Yukimasa Otomo, senior pastor of Shiogama Bible Baptist Church (SBBC) and Satoshi Ueno, pastor of C-Side church (the church plant in Shichigahama).

Our ministry is to support them in reaching this area for Christ. We pray we can hold up their hands as Aaron and Hur did for Moses during the battle against Amalek. To do this, we wear many hats. We host youth nights at our home, teach English, plan events for families, meet with moms, lead Sunday schools, etc. The youth nights at our home have been an integral part of our ministry this term. It has been a blessing to see the impact they have had. These nights are purposeful and prayed over. The groups of kids who are invited are different each time. Sometimes the evenings are used to reconnect with kids who we haven’t seen in a while. Other times it is to introduce more of Jesus to the kids from our church's English classes. And other times, we use the time to equip and encourage Christian children in how to follow Jesus in their context.

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Chris & Leanne March 2023 Prayer Requests

This month is the change over to a new school year. Many jobs, activities and people in Japan find their new beginnings in April. Which means that March is a time of goodbyes and endings. So please be in prayer as we enter into goodbyes well.

Some relationships you pour into and hope for gospel fruit. May that fruit come in the future. May the Lord also give us gospel conversations in these final days. Ironically people tend to open up most right before moving on. So pray we can use this time for God’s glory. To love, listen and share Christ with our friends.

Personally, please pray for our kids as they come to the end of their school year. May God be preparing them now for their new school year. Claire and Graham will be changing classes. But Lillia will be changing schools as she moves into middle school. And Jude will be heading off to Kindergarten. So many changes come in March. May we have the space to share Christ’s love with the people God has put in our lives.

Chris