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The View

The View, Holyrood Abbey Church's Quarterly Magazine

Five Months On...

David Ferguson

At our Re-commissioning Service in Holyrood, we shared an 'impossible' prayer request – a house to move into within two weeks of our arrival!  Phil assured us during his message that God has provided for us.  But a house within that timescale seemed to stretch the bounds of faith.  Well, as many of you know the house was provided, even before we left the country!  It's spacious, is opposite a large graveyard (so we won't disturb the neighbours!) and is just perfect for a church start.

However, things did not work just as we had hoped they would with our team.  Pastor Yahiro has commitments in another church so will not be able to be on board until mid-2011, if indeed at all.  Our hopes for another family to work with us were not realised.  And the Chuas are only able to give limited (although very valuable) time to the church start due to extensive involvement in other ministries.  But, as we were assured when we had a short service of dedication in our home in May, the Lord is with us and has gone before.

What's happened so far?  On the face of it, not a lot!  But so much in these early days is hidden.  We are out and about getting to know people; we are building relationships; earning trust; being visible; waiting on the Lord; praying as we walk around; looking for these divine encounters.  We have spent time working on the church vision.  And we hope to distribute leaflets widely in the area with a view to simple services starting in mid-September; the beginning of Hiragishi Izumi Church. Izumi means 'spring', the word Jesus uses when speaking about living water to the woman at the well.

As Phil shared on our last Sunday, the Lord says to us 'I have many people in this city'.  In Hiragishi alone there are over 50,000.  Certainly very few are Christians.  The need is great, the task is great, but a God who can provide a house just within two weeks will surely draw many of these people to himself.

Get the latest updates from the Fergusons by visiting their blog: http://churchplantersdiary.blogspot.com