PrayerConnect (May to August 2022)

PRAYERconnect May 2022 to August 2022

A prayer letter of the Methodist Missions Society

If my own people will humbly pray...

2 Chronicles 7:14, CEV

dear prayer partners

Gathered in Repentance & Hope While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly. Ezra 10:1 Ezra was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles. The people had broken faith with God and married foreign wives (v2). He made a proclamation that the people should return to and assemble at Jerusalem within three days.

Essentially, he summoned the people to return to the heart of God in thorough repentance and assured them that there was hope.

Whenever we are faced with a challenge, we ought to pause, reflect, and examine our hearts and spirits to see whether they are in alignment with God’s holy purposes. This spiritual discipline requires prayerful action, both on the part of an individual and together as a Body of Christ. 2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us, “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

I am thankful to our intercessors who continue to labour faithfully and diligently and oftentimes stand in the gap as they support the mission of MMS through the years. Together, we pray, and we believe that God will intervene and make all things good in His good time!

As I was reflecting on the passage from Ezra, I noticed a stark reality expressed in v15, “Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.” In other words, not all will pray and support the mission. In fact, some will oppose it for reasons beyond our comprehension. However, we praise God that many will pray and support the mission.

Let’s nonetheless persevere in prayer and seek the mind of Christ, God’s favour, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirt in serving the Missio Dei, that the nations might come to know and accept Christ as Lord! To God be the glory!

Rev Derrick Lau Cover photo: Praying at St Paul Methodist School, Timor-Leste.

All Scripture quoted is based on the English Executive Director Standard Version (ESV), unless otherwise stated.

Methodist Missions Society

2. Praise God that enrolment at the MEthoDISt SChooL oF CAMBoDIA has grown especially in our Kindergarten under the leadership of our first local Principal Ros Samneang. Pray for the transition of Principal of the main school (primary to high school levels) from Low Wee Teck to Timothy Tan in mid-May. Seek God’s empowerment for parents to be able to pay school fees on time so that the school can remain financially sustainable. Pray for the teachers to further inspire and empower their students to help them realise their maximum potential.

3. Praise God that the recent COVID-19 infection of 55 residents at CoSI & CoSY has brought the community closer to one another and to Jesus! Pray that the children and youth will be healthy as they visit their villages during the holidays, be industrious in their studies, seek passionately after God, and grow holistically under the loving guidance of their house parents, managers, and missionaries.

4. Pray for God’s wisdom and strength for the managers and leadership teams at MEthoDISt & JoY hoStELS to give care and direction for their charges, some of whom are PCOSIIP students. Pray for all hostelites to be able to balance between their studies, work, and spiritual growth. Praise God that some came to know Jesus as Master and Friend after recovering from COVID-19.

5. Praise God that a new small group is meeting weekly in a nearby village to thE thIRD PLACE. Pray for its integration into the church community and discipleship with the congregation. Pray for more to participate in the various outreach programmes.

6. Pray for the creativity and faithfulness of hoPE hoUSE staff as they minister through enrichment programmes, Sunday School, daily meals provision for 50 slum children, and outreach to the children’s families. May God open hearts for more to serve as volunteers and staff.

7. Pray for creativity, joy, faith, perseverance, and wisdom for the MEthoDISt ChURChES In CAMBoDIA pastors to nurture disciple-makers. May the churches be more self-sustainable through livelihood measures, be empowered through training, and be resilient to meet ministry challenges.

CAMBODIA

1. Praise God for the smooth transition of Country Director from Benjamin Lee to Tan Li Diang in April. Pray for God’s strength, health, wisdom, creativity, and grace for our MISSIonARIES as they lead their ministries and those under their care, and seek innovative ways to reach out.

NEPAL

1. Thank God for the improving COVID-19 situation in Nepal. Most of the measures and restrictions have been removed and our churches are now able to worship onsite. Pray that God will continue to grant wisdom to our Pastors and Evangelists as they adapt to the new norm of a COVID-19 endemic situation. Pray for protection for all our believers and for them to return to their churches to attend the onsite worship services as a corporate body.

2. Pray for our CHILDREN AND YOUTH, especially our girls from Sophia’s Home, as they are preparing for their final examinations. Pray that as they enter their new academic years, they will be able to adapt and adjust to their new classes. Pray for their protection as they attend school onsite.

3. Pray for our MINISTRY in the West region. This area is very hard ground; the Pastor and members of Abhishek Methodist Church face many challenges, especially spiritual warfare. Pray for God’s covering and sovereignty as they share the gospel with the unreached people groups in that region.

my gift for his great commission through mms 

my gift for his great commission through mms STEP 1 Either select a Specific Area and a Country, or allow us to direct your gift where it is needed most: [ ] GENERAL FUND

[ ] WHERE IT IS NEEDED MOST

[ ] CHURCH PLANTING

[ ] COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

[ ] Rev Dr Clarence Lim Missionary Development Fund [ ] Country __________________________________________ [Cambodia, East Asia, Laos, Nepal, Thailand, Timor-Leste, or Vietnam]

STEP 2 Decide how much you would like to give either on a monthly basis or as a one-time gift: [ ] Pledge a monthly gift of S$ ________________ commencing ___________________________ [date] until further notice. [ ] Make a one-time gift of S$ ________________.

NOTE: If you need more details, please call 6478 4818. For more information on Student Sponsorship Schemes, please visit https://www.mms.org.sg/sss PDPA: MMS is committed to ensuring the security of all personal data she collects. MMS shall use and disclose such data only for her necessary purposes and if so, shall adhere to the guidelines of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). All personal data shall be kept strictly confidential at all times. If ever MMS has to disclose any personal data to any third party, she shall do so only with the prior consent of the owner of the personal data.

[ ] I would like to make my gift through:

For more information and details, please email mms@methodist.org.sg or call us at 64784818.

[ ] I would like to regularly receive: [ ] PrayerConnect [ ] Harvest Force [ ] Pray for MMS in 60 seconds prayer email. [ ] I would like to be an MMS Intercessor.



Rev/Dr/Mr/Mrs/Ms: _____________________________________ Date: ___________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ Postal Code: _________________ Church: ___________________________________ Phone: _______________________ Email: _____________________________________

my gift for his great commission through mms

STEP 3 Fill in your payment instructions:

2. Thank God for the faithful service of Tuk Sungwan-Yeo, who served as the Principal at VInEYARD MEthoDISt SChooL since its founding in 2004. She has contributed much to the development of the school and an Appreciation Service was held 16 March 2022. She retired on 1 April 2022.

3. Thank God for the fruitful tRAInInG SESSIonS for the pastors and laity. There have been a number of sessions conducted either online or onsite and these have been very well received by all. Thank God for the trainers, some of whom volunteered their time to train our pastors.

4. Pray for Nantika Makmai, the new Principal at VInEYARD MEthoDISt SChooL. Pray that, together with the School Board and Staff, she will continue the good work of the school in its mission and vision.

5. Pray for the two nEW PREAChInG PoIntS at Mueang Suea and Nuong San, pioneered by Payakkaphumphisai MC and Nong Bua Lamphu MC respectively. Pray for our pastors and members who are serving in these two cities. Pray for the outreach efforts and the growth of the preaching points.

6. Pray for the protection of our pastors and members, as the CoVID-19 pandemic is still active in Thailand. Many members and ministers were affected in the recent wave but thank God that all have recovered.

7. Pray that our church members will return to attend onsite WoRShIP SERVICES as many are still attending online services. Pray for the children as many of them are still unable to attend ChILDREn’S MInIStRIES both onsite and online.

THAILAND

1. Praise God for a successful meeting of the 1st Session of the MISSION CONFERENCE for Mettakij Church Association (MCA) held on 15 March 2022. During the Ordination Service, Bishop Dr Gordon Wong ordained: 2022: 2 new Deacons and 6 new Elders.

2021: 1 Deacon elected and 3 Elders elected.

2020: 7 Deacons elected and 5 Elders elected.

TIMOR-LESTE

1. Pray for a smooth transition of power as the nation elects a nEW PRESIDEnt who will lead well and use his governmental and parliamentary powers wisely. Pray for the government to be righteous and to prioritise the needs of their people.

2. Pray for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit as our MISSIonARIES lead the people in their various ministries and minister to the communities.

3. Pray for the DUnAMIS hoUSE hostelites to grow in spiritual maturity and walk in God’s presence. Pray that the hostelites will persevere to be faithful in living out every area of their lives: family relationships, studies, tuition ministry, and church involvement. Pray for the house parents, Ps Swee Fang and Jin Hoe, to be strengthened in body, mind, and spirit. Pray for mentors to develop sustainable business models for and investors to support the “Transforming Villages, Empowering Lives” community development programme.

4. Pray for the SUnDERMEIER hoME hostelites to seek God’s heart and grow in the knowledge of God and their salvations as they study the book of John. Pray for the house parents, Joseph and Grace, to be shepherds after God’s heart. May God send volunteers to stand in for two months while Joseph and Grace take a break in Singapore to seek God for ministry direction.

5. Pray for the smooth operations of St PAUL MEthoDISt SChooL (SPMS) and its management of 500 students across 20 classes and 3 locations. Pray for safety as seven school buses transport the students daily. Pray that the students to be motivated to learn, and grow in discipleship through the daily devotions and Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade. Pray for the teachers to be steadfast in their call to educate the next generation, and to be passionate educators filled with godly wisdom and strength. Pray for David, Jessie, their children, and Rasanya to have strength and wisdom to teach and manage the school and staff.

6. Pray for wisdom upon the consultant team to evaluate the construction tender for the SPMS DEVELoPMEnt PRoJECt. Pray for God’s favour and wisdom to award the contract. Pray for funds to cover the higher-than-anticipated budget. Pray that there will not be any delay in the building process. Pray that the school will be built soon to accommodate the urgent needs of the rapidly growing school.

Testimony

He Works In Ways We Cannot See ~ by Carol Loh, MMS Missionary in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

In Cambodia, the National Examinations for Grade 12 students always happen in December. However, in order to be eligible to sit for these National Examinations, Grade 12 students have to pass their school’s final semester examinations in October.

In October 2021, our Grade 12 hostelites from COS-Youth Hostel had to go back to school to prepare for the school’s final semester examinations from 11 to 15 October. Meanwhile, the Grade 10 and 11 hostelites continued to stay on at the hostel as classes were conducted online.

On 8 October, however, two of our Grade 11 girls tested positive for COVID-19. The health authority came to the hostel to cordon off the premises, and sent the two girls for treatment at a nearby centre.

As everyone in COS-Youth Hostel had been in close contact with the two girls, we had to quarantine ourselves and nobody was able to go out. And this included the Grade 12 hostelites who had to sit for their school’s examinations in a few days’ time!

We appealed to the school’s principal for our hostelites to do their school’s examinations online. He requested some documents to certify the quarantine, which we submitted to him. Even though these documents were given to him, he commented that he could not promise that they could take their school’s examinations online. He even said that it might be better for them to repeat Grade 12!

We prayed hard for God to open a way for the hostelites to sit for their school’s examinations.

Out of the blue, we heard news that the school had to be closed temporarily because two teachers had tested positive for COVID-19. Hence, the school’s examinations would be held online!

God answered our prayers in such an immediate and unexpected way. Though we greatly rejoiced at the news, we also prayed for the recovery of the two teachers.

Note: This testimony was first featured in ‘Project Metamorphosis’. Check it out:

www.mms.org.sg/projectmetamorphosis

METHODIST MISSIONS SOCIETY 70 Barker Road #06-01 The Methodist Centre Singapore 309936 mms@methodist.org.sg www.mms.org.sg 6478 4818 mms.org.sg mms.org.sg mmsorgsg