Hello friends!
Very excited that our international fellowship in Setagaya now has been given access to a new camera and now we are able to record video for the Sunday message! Praise God!
Here is the video from last Sunday’s message.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gYmDjGiVlQA
The Many Graces of God
Dear friends,
With all that is going on around us, I am in prayer daily that as Ephesians 6 says, as shoes for our feet, we would put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. That God would use us at all times and in various ways to speak the true peace found in Jesus Christ to a world that has none right now and to one another that we would not let each other forget all that we have been given in Him. That which can never be taken away from us.
In Japan, as everywhere else, these last months have been very different and have brought us different struggles than we have ever faced before. However, though many programs had to be suspended for a time, by the grace of God, during all that went on, the church in Japan was allowed to continue meeting for worship (with great care and sanitation). This included the Setagaya International Fellowship which I am pastoring and the Machida International Service where I am associate Pastor. And in all the times we met, the Lord has had his hand of protection over us, in that no one in the church got sick in either the Machida or Setagaya campuses.
In addition, in the midst of all this, the graces of God have been evident.
Because of the virus, the English school attendance decreased dramatically and the kids club had to be canceled. However with the time that was afforded me by this, I was able to make a website for Machida and Setagaya International Fellowship which we have not had for years. Please give it a look when you have the time. It is kept up to date with all messages preached and bible study notes. Lord willing, we will start posting devotional videos as well soon.
Here is the link:
Here is the link:
Also, with the English programs closed down, we wanted to keep contact with the students. So my kids and I made a little video English lesson for them. The students have been asking for more of them, so this will probably be the first of more to come.
Here is the link:
Here is the link:
Due to restrictions placed on people working on the U.S. military base, we had to stop meeting for our international Wednesday night bible study. So we switched over to Webex meetings. Now before, due to strenuous work conditions in Japan and how late people come home, it was usually only two or three people that had been able to attend the Bible study. However, moving the Bible study later in the evening and doing it online, we now have 10-14 people attending the Bible study every Wednesday. And we have had people attending the meeting from both Setagaya and Machida now which has never happened before. Also, because people leading the Bible study have to prepare a presentation for the web meeting, we have been able to post all the presentations on the church website as well.
When it came to Funky Friday Night, our college group, at first we didn’t know what to do. Though technically people could meet at the church, colleges required their students to stay home. So we started a weekly broadcast for them. Though it was one way video, they could text in messages to us while we gave a message, took prayer requests, gave praise reports, and even played games together. It was a lot of fun. At the same time, while I was leading Funky, I had really been feeling the leading of the Spirit to focus my efforts on pastoring the international fellowship. So, though I loved the time I spent leading the Funky Friday Night group, I believed a new season was starting for both the group and I. So, I had been praying for someone who could take over leadership there. And though this is a crazy season, God is faithful. And in His own way, He has provided a Japanese National who He had been preparing for this time. And so, by the Grace of God, he will be taking leadership of Funky starting from next month. We have also agreed to continue joint efforts between the Internationals and Funky that have opened up during my time of leadership, which is huge benefit within a Japanese Church.
And as if this were not enough, God decided to give us an even bigger blessing and grace. And I am proud to announce that Tomoko is pregnant!. In September, our good Lord will be adding one more to our family. A baby girl!
We thank you for your prayer and support. We love you and will continue to keep you in prayer.
Alex, Tomoko, Daisy, Caleb, Hazel, and Baby Robinson.
P.S. The kids are doing great. We had been preparing to switch over to homeschooling right before everything started and we were able to go right into it. We are still trying to find the balance in homeschooling, so please pray for us and them.
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