PrayerConnect (September to December 2019)

PRAYERconnect September 2019 to December 2019

A prayer letter of the Methodist Missions Society ď Ž Not for circulation ď Ž For Mission Partners and Volunteers only

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

Matthew 18:19 (ESV)

Would you pause for a moment to reflect on the sentiments of John Wesley when he declared, “I want the whole Christ for my Saviour, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field.”?

2. Pray for wisdom for the MISSIONARIES AND LOCAL STAFF as they encounter situations in the ground. Pray for outreach opportunities and fruitfulness in advancing the gospel.

You would have realised that he had embraced a deep commitment towards the mission of God based on his conviction of a Christo-centric and Word based ecclesiological framework.

One of the resultant effects of that conviction was his vision: “I looked upon the world as my parish”!

3. Pray that God will send MORE WORKERS to Cambodia. The harvest is indeed plentiful but the workers are few.

Indeed, that vision inspired him and his band of preachers towards a global movement of sharing the gospel across the plains, countryside, cities, as well as the Atlantic Ocean to Georgia, USA. And these and other acts of devotion could not be possible without prayer. Wesley said, “God’s command to ‘pray without ceasing’ is founded on the necessity we have of His grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air.”

I deeply value and appreciate your PARTNERSHIP IN PRAYER for the mission of God. I pray that more, especially the people called Methodists, to be part of MMS PrayerConnect.

Rev Derrick Lau Executive Director Methodist Missions Society Cover photo showing a group of young people fervently praying at Sundermeier Home in Timor-Leste.

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

ONDAY

1. Pray for all the CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE that we are reaching. Pray that they will experience the love of God, and come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

4. Pray for the leadership of the METHODIST SCHOOL OF CAMBODIA (MSC). Pray for wisdom to know how to steer the school, and be mindful of its original intention to be a platform for evangelism and discipleship. Thank God for the high passing rate of the Grade 9 students in the recent year-end examinations. Pray that the students will continue to live out the Christian values that they have learnt in MSC. 5. Pray for the METHODIST CHURCH of CAMBODIA as they prepare for the Annual Conference session on 4 and 5 September 2019. May God bless all the pastors and church leaders, and their respective churches and families.

CAMBODIA

dear prayer partners

BE CONNECTED

BY PRAYER

3. Pray for the increase and strengthening of their PRAYER life. Pray that they will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and will encounter His wonderful works of miracle and healing.

4. Pray for PERSEVERANCE in carrying out their ministries. May they increase in hope, and joyfully be the light and salt. Pray for strength and empowerment as they reach out to many needy people in their communities. Pray that many will find God’s love through their care and love.

2. Pray that the Lord will continue to grant SMS FAVOUR with officials from the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports, our landlord, and the corporate bodies we are collaborating with.

3. Thank God for the Singapore Embassy in Laos and a team from Wesley Methodist Church who supported the SINGAPORE FAIR held at SMS. The fair was organised to raise awareness and funds for SMS. 4. Pray for God to raise MISSIONARIES to respond to the urgent need to support the education and church ministries in Laos.

5. Pray for the VARSITY MINISTRY OUTREACH in Laos.

Many are spiritually hungry and searching for answers.

A great harvest awaits and labourer are needed to help disciple and equip new believers.

LAOS

1. Pray for encouraging ENROLMENT of new students to the Singapore Mission School (SMS) for the upcoming school term in September.

EDNESDAY

2. Pray that they will learn, teach, and live the WORD OF GOD, and be anchored in the Truth. Pray for discernment in identifying false teachings and wisdom in protecting themselves from them. Pray for godly teachers to be raised among them and they will effectively teach the Word.

UESDAY

EAST ASIA

1. Pray that their discipleship will be strengthened, and that they will be united and be committed to Christ. Pray for their MINISTRY GROWTH as they love and support one another.

6. Pray for God’s hand of mercy to protect believers from threats. May God preserve their faith and fellowship so that they will continue to GROW IN MATURITY despite challenging situations.

3. Pray for our PARTNER CHURCHES as they continue to provide financial support, prayers, and training to our national Pastoral and Laity teams.

my gift for his great commission through mms

2. Pray for the MEDICAL TEAMS going to Nepal in the coming months to provide medical and dental services to the poor and needy. Pray for all the members in the teams as they prepare themselves and the works.

Pray for God’s blessings and covering over all the team members. Pray for their smooth and safe travel in, out of, and within Nepal. Pray for the people that the teams will be ministering to; may their hearts be ready.

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HURSDAY

NEPAL

1. Pray for the 11th ANNUAL MEETING of the Methodist Church in Nepal (MCN) in September 2019. Pray for the participants as they travel to and from Kathmandu. Pray for the delegates as they present their plans and reports.

Pray for Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung and the MMS Team. Pray for God’s anointing upon our MOT candidate who will be ordained as a deacon at the Annual Meeting.

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: [ ] WHERE IT IS NEEDED MOST [ ] CHURCH PLANTING

[ ] COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

[ ] Rev Dr Clarence Lim Missionary Development Fund [ ] Country __________________________________________ [Cambodia, Creative Access Nation, 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$ ________________.

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Postal Code: ________________________ Church: ______________________________ Tel: ___________________ [h] ____________________ [o] _____________________ [h/p] Email: ___________________________________________________________________ I am making my gift through [tick one]: [ ] Payment by Credit Card [ ] VISA [ ] MasterCard Name on Card: ________________________________________________ Card No: _____________________________________________________ Signature: _______________________ Expiry Date: _________________ [ ] Payment by Cheque Bank & Cheque No: ____________________________________________

[ ] I wish to receive

Harvest Force and PrayerConnect regularly.

[ ] I wish to receive

Pray for MMS in 60 seconds prayer email regularly.

[ ] My comments, feedback and suggestions:

Date: ________________ If you need more details, please call 6478 4818. For more information on Student Sponsorship Schemes, logon to http://www.mms.org.sg/sss.html

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Please cross your cheque and make it payable to “The Methodist Church in Singapore [MMS]” and mail it together with this form to MMS Executive Director, Methodist Missions Society, 70 Barker Road #06-01, The Methodist Centre, Singapore 309936.

Source Code: PRT_PRAYER_C

2. Pray for the DISCIPLE-MAKING movement to be established among the churches. Pray that at least 25% of all our members will be committed to make disciples who can make disciples.

3. Pray that God will strengthen the Church in terms of FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE AND SELF-RELIANT. Starting August 2019, all our churches across Thailand are expected to exercise self-funding for 20% of the annual budget. May God’s wisdom and understanding be upon our Pastors and church members in executing and managing financial discipline and self-reliant.

4. Pray for young and spirit-filled pastoral ministers to step up to serve as new CHURCH LEADERS and move their church members.

5. Pray for the formation of LOCAL CHURCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (LCEC) in all our churches by 2020.

6. Pray for God’s wisdom, guidance, and provision as we target to open a new Secondary School at VINEYARD METHODIST SCHOOL (VMS) by 2021. Thank God for the good grading by the external provincial and national assessment for the school.

7. Pray for a smooth transition and handover of the LITTLE CANDLES SCHOOL to the Muangthai Mettakij Foundation (MMF). We target for it to be done by December 2019.

RIDAY

Address: ________________________________________________________________

1. Pray for the CHURCH MEMBERSHIP growth. May each church member be empowered to bring people to Christ and win souls.

THAILAND

Rev/Dr/Mr/Mrs/Ms: ______________________________________________________

my gift for his great commission through mms

STEP 3 Fill in your payment instructions:

8. Pray for God’s favour for a smooth and expeditious registration process with the local authority for KHON KAEN CHILD CARE MINISTRY. Thank God that the new child care was opened with three children.

9. Pray for the STAFF RETREAT in October 2019 in Chiang Mai for the staff members of the Mettakij Church Association (MCA).

Pray for unity among the pastors and staff; may they be bonded in love and be of service to God and the communities.

10. Pray that the local authority will expedite the approval for the NEW BOARD MEMBERS of MMF. Once approved, MMF can help with the process of getting visa for our missionaries.

3. Pray for the batch of hostelites who will be graduating from SUNDERMEIER HOME (SH) in December. May they get subsequent job placement or further education. Pray that the students from SPMS and SH will do well in their year-end assessments and promote to the next academic levels.

4. Thank God for the six MITE (Missions Internship Training & Exposure) participants assisting in teaching, administration, and pastoral care at SPMS and SH from August to October 2019. Pray for a fruitful time of exploration and ministry. Pray for God’s guidance and revelation as they consider full-time ministry thereafter.

5. Thank God for the opportunity to meet the Minister of Justice (Timor-Leste) in August to discuss the issuance of the LAND TITLE for the intended site to build SPMS. May we secure the land title soon to build the school.

2. Pray for a smooth application and approval of both the PREACHER’S PERMIT as well as the ANNUAL VISA. Pray that God will grant us a good timely approval of the visa.

Pray that the move to a new place will be smooth and without any problem.

3. Pray that we will be sensitive to God’s guidance to develop and equip FAITHFUL DISCIPLES to do the work God has assigned us to do.

4. Thank God for all the faithful INTERCESSORS who have been keeping us and our ministry in prayers. May the gospel of Jesus Christ be advanced in this nation.

UNDAY

2. Thank God for the two new teachers in ST PAUL METHODIST SCHOOL (SPMS). Pray for team unity and quick assimilation into the school’s culture and ethos. Pray for all the teachers as there are two new grades (4 & 11), that they will be prepared for the additional expectations and demands.

1. Thank God that Rev Leslie is looking to another term to serve in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) as the VIETNAM COUNTRY DIRECTOR and Pastor of INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP (ICF-HCMC).

VIETNAM

ATURDAY

TIMOR-LESTE

1. Pray for the well-being of our MISSIONARIES: David and Jessie, Joseph and Grace, Rency, Rasanya, and Rudy. Pray for wisdom, grace, favour with the local people, and open doors for their work. Pray for RUDY who is getting married to Cheryl in October 2019, followed by a six-month sabbatical. Pray for their marriage preparation, home setup, and ministry plans. Pray for JOSEPH AND GRACE MANNAR who had completed their home assignment and returned to the field on 4 June. Thank God for protecting them in a car accident with only minor injuries.

Testimony

My God is mighty to save ~ by Joseph Mannar, a missionary serving in Timor-Leste.

On 4 June 2019, Grace and I took a very early morning flight from Singapore to Timor-Leste. We were in Changi Airport at 2.30am, took off at 5am, and transited at Bali for a connecting flight at 10.45am. By the time we arrived in Timor-Leste and cleared the immigration, it was about 2.30pm. A friend brought my car to the airport in Timor-Leste so that I could drive back to the village on my own. It would take just over an hour to reach home. The very windy mountainous road actually kept me awake. But when it came to a 1km long straight road, I nodded off and knocked head on with an oncoming car!

Our airbags were activated and Grace was bleeding profusely from her nose. I panicked as there was no assistance but only onlookers. I tried to stop the blood with tissue papers soaked in ice water. As I was cleaning the blood, I was crying out in prayer and did not know what to do. I was totally shaken up. Just then, a good Samaritan came along and helped to drive her to the village hospital. Subsequently, the police came. About an hour later, an ambulance drove pass us. I realised that it was taking Grace to the General Hospital in the city for further check-up since the village hospital had limited services.

Thank God that nothing serious happened to the passengers in the other car. We were all escorted to go the police station to make a report. At the police station, both parties agreed that I would service their car at all cost, and we left the station at about 10pm. It was later when I reached home that I realised that I had bruises on both shins. Later, I was informed that Grace was safe in the hospital and a friend was staying in the hospital with her for the night.

Although it was a panicky moment, God was with me. God’s word is always very encouraging.

I was reminded of Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord your God is in your midst, A MIGHTY ONE WHO WILL SAVE; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

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