Chris & Leanne January 2023 Prayer Requests

We are blessed to be entering a new year of ministry here in Japan. Please be in prayer for an English conversation group we started call English Table. It is a gathering for people to come as they are. There is no curriculum or homework. It is purely a time for us to get into relationships in our community. We have been so blessed to be able to grow deeper with friends who come. Pray the Lord will continue to naturally bring our faith into conversations. May the Lord give us more and more opportunities to share who we are in Christ.

Also, please pray for Chris as he is preparing to preach on 1/29 in Japanese. May the Lord speak through him for God's glory and the churches edification.

Chris & Leanne December 2022 Prayer Requests

Please be in prayer for us as we enter into the Christmas holiday season. So many opportunities to share who we are in Christ. From simple sharing of different Christmas decorations symbolism, to sharing the Christmas story. The Lord has given us opportunities in the past to share about his sacrificial gift of leaving heaven to come to earth. And do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Please pray for the different gatherings, both friend-to-friend and larger gatherings, spread out throughout December.

We also have recently started a community English conversation group. We already have 5 people who have decided to join us. Through this group we pray we will grow deeper in relationship and have gospel focused conversations. It is a wonderful way to meet new people in our community. And as the Lord leads, share who we are in Christ through conversations.

Chris

Chris & Leanne November 2022 Prayer Requests

Please pray for the beginning of a new English conversation group. It is our hope to use casual conversation to build bridges of relationship with the people in our area. In the hopes that we will have gospel opportunities with them over the coming months and years. This group isn’t religious in nature. It is purely a way to get into the lives of the people in our area. But through becoming friends the Lord will open moments for us to share who we are in Christ and to be able to speak truth into the lives of those God brings to the group. So please pray the Lord will bring whom he desires. And that their hearts will be open to the love of Christ.

Also, be in pray for the many chances we will have to share about American Thanksgiving. Through these times together we are able to encourage people to think about the blessings they have in life. And how those blessings come from our Father in Heaven. We as Christians have so much to be thankful for. May the Lord use the celebrations of this time of year for his glory. May those who come to our Thanksgiving gatherings see more fully how the Lord has blessed them. And how there is a free blessing through Christ which they may accept.

Thank you,

Chris & Leanne Harrington

Chris & Leanne October 2022 Prayer Requests

As the leaves begin to change we continue to pray the Lord will change the hearts of the Japanese people. We have a praise we would like you to share in.

God brought about an opportunity with one of the English conversation group participants. She hadn’t been coming to the group in a while. But out of the blue, she asked if we would be willing to tell her about Christianity. She was needing to do a presentation in her high school class about a different religion. God put it on her heart to ask us about Christianity. Before we had a chance to meet we invited her to come to our church plants worship service. She was willing to come. It was her first time experiencing the worship of God. And one of our missionary teammates was to share her testimony that day. So the gospel was clearly shared. Afterwards we met and were able to answer her questions. We thank and praise God for this opportunity. Many seeds were planted in her life, but also spread over her classmates and teacher as well. PRAISE GOD!

May the Lord use this sharing of Christ’s love on the cross in the lives of her and her class for God’s glory.

Chris & Leanne

Chris & Leanne August 2022 Prayer Requests

*Please be in prayer for the summer camps our church is a part of this year. Our three oldest kids will be attending with some of their non-Christian friends. Please pray for these camps, because it allows time for deepening of relationships and a chance to hear the gospel clearly preached. Being able to step away from normal everyday life, allows for many barriers to be removed to hear and dwell on God’s Word.

*The Lord has been working on the hearts of some of our close friends. May the Lord continue to open their hearts to the gospel.

*Two ladies have begun a Bible study with our church planting pastor. Some of you may remember them, since they came to Cleveland to stay with us for a week during our time in America. A couple of Parkside families poured love into them while they were in Cleveland. And now they are seeking the Lord in a Bible study. They are not yet believing in the promise, but we seek the Lord for his moving in their lives.

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Chris & Leanne July 2022 Prayer Requests

* Now that summer has arrived, we have more opportunities to gather. Either at the park & BBQs with friends. Or in larger outdoor events or summer camps. God, please open our eyes to the divine appointments you have given us. 

* During summer camp we will have around 15 kids coming who are not Christians. These chances to step away from regular life to be able to hear and dwell on the gospel are so crucial in their journey. May the Lord bless these times. Giving the children hearts and ears to hear. And a willingness to openly discuss their thoughts with the different camp leaders.

* May camp not be the only chance we have this summer to share Christ’s love with the people of our community. May the Holy Spirit give us and our church family the words to say when the moment comes.

Chris & Leanne June 2022 Prayer Requests

* In the past, we have asked for prayer for a mother and her son. The son has a genetic disorder which needed a blood transplant and treatment. We thank the Lord that his blood count has recently come back at only 10% bad blood. He needs to make it to 0% bad blood before he can go back to school. Please pray the Lord will bring about the last little bit of healing. His mother also completed her chemotherapy and is doing better.

They have really been through the ringer with the different health issues. We praise the Lord that they have decided to come to church the last couple weeks. May the Holy Spirit lead in conversations to be able to more fully share the fullness of God’s love with them.

* Also, be in prayer for Chris as he begins to work at networking different churches and missions in the Tohoku area. One of the things which will help the church in Japan moving forward is the unity of the church. Coming around the pastors for mutual support and for cooperation.

Chris & Leanne May 2022 Prayer Requests

Spring is in full swing. This time of year is full of new beginnings and this year is no exception. Since the pandemic began, the borders of Japan have been closed to new residents-which means we have had new missionaries waiting to come and join the work in the field.

Recently, Japan has reopened their borders and now we have 9 new missionaries arriving. It has been hectic, but we are so blessed by the Lord to have these brothers and sisters here now. Some of whom have been waiting for over a year with 100% of their support raised. Please pray the Lord will help us to find the neighborhoods and communities he desires our new coworkers to live and minister. Pray for the new ministry partnerships to be blessed. And for language to come easily to them as they begin learning Japanese.

We thank and praise the Lord for sending more harvesters into the fields. May he send more still.

Chris & Leanne April 2022 Prayer Requests

* During the month of March in Japan, people are preparing for upcoming changes in their lives. April is a time when many people change jobs and start the new school year. With this comes some goodbyes and preparations for new beginnings. Please pray the Lord will give wisdom and opportunities for Chris and Leanne to share Christ’s love and good news with their neighbors and friends during this time.

* Pray also for wisdom for the church leadership as they plan a new year of ministry in Shiogama and Shichigahama.

Chris & Leanne March 2022 Prayer Requests

* Praise God that Chris was able to preach for the first time (in Japanese) at our “mother” church. It was a blessing to be able to share God’s word with the congregation in that way. Please pray the Lord continues to grow Chris’ language ability. We thank the Lord for how he has helped us in language learning to this point.

* During March, a lot of people are preparing for upcoming changes in their lives. April is a time when people changes jobs and start new school years. With this comes some goodbyes and preparations for new beginnings. Please pray the Lord will give wisdom and opportunities to share Christ’s love and good news with our neighbors and friends during this time.

* Pray also for wisdom for the church leadership as we plan a new year of ministry in Shiogama and Shichigahama.