bits & pieces| kapsule

Hallelu Anyhow

Last week, we re-started our Sunday afternoon Gospel music workshops. Our daughter, Eryn, who was listening to me prepare with a CD, suddenly looked puzzled and asked, “why do they whip their horse and say Hallelujah?”

What?! Where on earth do kids come up with these questions? I had no idea what she was talking about. There is no whipping of horses in our song! Then she sang the line for me. “No matter what comes my way, I’ll whip my horse and say, Hallelu…anyhow.”  

I got it! We’re singing a Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir song called “Hallelujah Anyhow.” The words go: “no matter what comes my way, I’ll lift my voice and say, `Hallelujah anyhow!” J 

Back to the Gospel music workshops… This time we have lengthened the workshops to allow more time for teaching the meaning of the songs. We want to make the content of the Gospel good and clear to the people in the choir. No whipping of horses in this Gospel! We have also added a Bible study on the 4^th Sunday of the month. We’re praying many come to this.

A month has passed since we’ve written. Here are a few more bits and pieces from our lives:

Enoku

The young boy we shared about last month prayed with his father a few weeks later, asking Jesus into his heart. Please pray Enoku will continue to grow and follow Christ during the crucial junior high years. He doesn’t know a single other Christian his age who can be his friend and stand with him.

Gospel Music

We started up the Gospel Music workshops again last week, with one new member.

Kids

Evangeline is busy this fall with many opportunities to share Christ with children. She’s volunteered at the elementary school as a story-teller, she’s starting a playgroup for toddlers and their moms at Sengendai church, and she plans to begin a group for kindergarten kids, as well. Each gathering provides an opportunity to share the story of Jesus boldly with many moms and kids who have probably not heard before.

 Church camp

Sengendai church will have a one-night camp on October 7-8. The president of the national church will be the guest speaker and will try to answer questions and move us one step closer to joining the Japan Alliance Church and receiving a pastor! As with any transition, there is some apprehension on the part of the church members. Please pray that the discussion at the camp will encourage the believers and help us in this next step of church development.