New Life and Great Joy

Yesterday was another special day for Izumi Church.  When we chose the name Izumi (meaning 'spring') for the church, we hoped this would express our desire that many who are thirsting would find their way to Jesus to drink living water.  Although our numbers are by no means large, it was a real joy to add another believer to our church as he was baptised during the service.  When we first talked about baptism after he believed in Jesus, there was some talk of the sea or a river but sub-zero temperatures in Sapporo at this time of year led us to the somewhat more comfortable alternative of warm water in a bath which we borrowed for the occasion from another church and set up in our dining area.  Quite a number of buckets of water later and it was ready for baptism.  Before that though we had the privilege of listening to Wataru share his life story - of the hard times, the struggles, the issues he had to face.  But so too we heard a story of someone brought through to faith in Jesus, even when it looked like this would not happen.  He shared about several turning points in his life which led him to the point of commitment.  After his baptism, we all shared together in a very simple communion.  What a joy in one service to see the grace of the Lord in action as we witnessed a baptism, to know the grace of the Lord as we listened to his Word, and to taste the grace of the Lord as we partook of bread and wine to remember all that had been accomplished for Wataru and for all of us on the cross.  Later on in the day we had a really happy time of fellowship together.  One of the joys of Izumi Church being small and still meeting in a home is to have that kind of intimacy.  Wataru now faces many challenges.  He is just about to start a job.  That will place demands on him as it does on so many here.  He has many issues to face as a new believer in Jesus.  By we believe that as we walk together with him on the path of following Jesus, we will be able to help each other but we also know that, as he shared in his testimony yesterday, he is not alone and will not be abandoned by the God he now serves.  A good day - may there be many more like it to follow in the months and years to come in the life of Izumi Church.  

A Happy Day

Hiroko is a member of a Gospel Choir in Sapporo which has been going for a number of years now. Some members are Christians; many are not. Yet they love to sing gospel songs (often in English) and one such is the well-known 'Oh Happy Day'. Last Sunday was certainly a happy day for Hiroko and for Hiragishi Izumi Church. It was the day of Hiroko's baptism. She believed in Jesus earlier in the year and since then has been preparing for and looking forward to her baptism. It was a joy to hear her testimony and be there with her as she confessed her faith in Jesus and was baptised. We had rented once again the building we use occasionally which really is a perfect venue for such occasions. We had to borrow a portable bath from another church and fill it up before the service (the water stayed pleasantly warm). It was not such a big bath so presented a little bit of a challenge at the baptism - but we managed just! Hiroko had hoped her father would come but didn't know if he would. Her mother had said she had no interest. Well, her father did come and he seemed really moved. Her parents live not too far away from us. Around ten of the choir members came too and sang a couple of songs at the fellowship time after the service. It was all in all a wonderful day as we had our second baptism in the life of Izumi Church. We trust that the Lord will use Hiroko as a blessing to others and we look forward to seeing her grow as a one of God's precious children.

Celebration

Yesterday was a day to be remembered. As a baby church we celebrated our first Chirstmas and also had the joy of our first baptism. It was wonderful to have 32 people there. There was a real sense of the Lord's presence with us as we sang Christmas hymns and pondered on the message of the Saviour coming to the world. Sambi gave her testimony complete with hand-drawn pictures to help her tell her faith story. We had borrowed a portable baptismal 'bath' from another church which was set up in our dining area. As it was the first time for a baptism in our house we had to work out how much to fill the bath and what temperature of water to use (allowing for it to cool down a little) but thankfully got both just right! It was a special privilege to be able to baptise our first believer in Izumi Church. Afterwards everyone shared a little about their connection to Sambi and each one spoke so affectionately of her. And then everyone lingered on as we ate, chatted and laughed together. Many young people were there yesterday. Who knows what seeds have been sown? It certainly was a blessed and encouraging day.

As for me and my house...

Yesterday was a special day in Otaru Church. Lorna was able to be there to join in the occasion. Two years ago Mrs Kudo, a young mother of four children, believed in Jesus and was baptised. Ever since we go to know Mrs Kudo, we looked to God to draw the whole family to Jesus. Her oldest child is Rikiya (14) and he was a classmate of Daniel in primary school. He first came to the church in Otaru when Daniel invited him to our annual Sun Kids Festival when he was 10. After his mother was baptised, Rikiya himself came to believe in Jesus and was baptised yesterday at Otaru Church. His testimony was very moving. These are always special times in the life of a church too as members recall the time of their own baptism. Being a Christian teenager is not easy anywhere, but all the more so in a land where so few are Christians and the pressures of school life are great. May Rikiya be given the strength to stand up for his faith where everything around says that 'the nail that sticks up should be hammered down'.