In Him, We Put Our Trust
Jan 2017 Prayer Letter
Dear brothers and sisters:
Peace be with you all.
We wish you a merry Christmas and may your cup overflows with His grace in the new year.
Thank you for the support and prayers from the brothers and sisters. We give thanks to God that, we have around 45 people who constantly participated in the Sunday worship of NEWC since October. We also give thanks that, we still have more than 30 people in our Sunday services during Christmas vacation period while most of the students had returned to Hong Kong. All the brothers and sisters have mostly adapted to the new environment after few months time, and that we all have involved into different kinds of serving in both church and fellowships. We also began to hold different activities for the congregation to participate after Sunday services: Once a month, we gather together to pray for the needs of the world, the church, and the brothers & sisters in the prayer meeting. Prayer meetings can bring everyone in the church, including the local Chinese, the working young adults, and the students together as a group, to experience the wonders of praying. It also brings us closer to each other. In addition, we also have hymn practicing, gathering dinner, etc. to help the congregation to get to know more about each other through different activities. In the coming new year, we also planned to hold different bible study training programme classes, so that brothers and sisters can have more chances to learn more about the bible and our faith.
External Connection
On 27th November, we held our first joint lunch with the brothers & sisters from All Saints Church (the church who rent us their venue), and this gave us a chance to know each other more, and they were very pleased with the cooking of our brothers & sisters. In their service in the morning of the very same day, they invited Rev. Nim Kam To to assist the Holy Communion and our leaders to serve in their communion service. This kind act has shown their respect and affirmation to us. Moreover, All Saint's Church invited our brothers & sisters to sing a Christmas carol in their carol service on 18th December, to commemorate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ during Advent. We praise the Lord that their Reverend said: " We are deeply moved by your beautiful song."
Fellowship
The working adult fellowship and the Overseas Chinese Bible Study Group, also have regular home gatherings to learn about the life of Christ through Bible studies. The working adult fellowship is currently studying the Acts. We learn the way to serve and to establish the church, through the scripture that describes the Christian lives and teachings of the early church. Just as our morale: to follow Christ as the basis of faith, to learn the Bible as the guideline for living, and to have fellowship in love and true heart.
Working Adult Fellowship singing Christmas carol.
The welcoming week of student fellowship has ended smoothly in early October, a lot of new comers have joined in our fellowship. Since the location of All Saint's Church is quite far away from the University of Nottingham, we thought that might lower the students' desire of coming and that the number of participants might be affected. However, thanks to the Lord that we now have about 40 people who come to our student fellowship constantly every week which is out of our expectation.
Also, the brothers and sisters who have participated in the preparation work of student fellowship, could all felt that those were all God's work, and there was nothing that we could have boast ourselves of but our Lord. Just as it is said in the book of Zechariah, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." We have different themes of gatherings every week in our student fellowship. The brothers and sisters could therefore learn biblical teachings and to have fellowship one with another in different ways.
The theme of the year 2017: "Christ as the head, Rooted and built up"
We learnt about "Receive the great sign in heaven, God's people being built up" from Zechariah chapter 1 - 6 in last year's theme. And Mark chapter 3 - 6 about "Follow His steps, To be His disciple". The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, He is the head, and we are members of His body. We must remember that, only in Him we can be rooted and be built up, and lift up and support each other; especially when we are a newly established church. This was how we set the theme for the year 2017. We shall continue to look for the coming of the day of God through the message in Zechariah chapter 9 - 14. To experience the trials, renewal and restoration from God.
Intercession
"Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf."
2 Corinthians 1:11 (King James version)
Congregation
Please pray for the spirituality and church life of the brothers and sisters. Pray that everyone be subject to the power of the Lord: To have Christ as the head so that lives can be built up, and that our church can lay down the foundation, take root, and witness the name of the Lord in the city of Nottingham.
Fellowship
Please pray for the student's academic work and exams in late January. The student fellowship retreat is going to be held in late January as well. Please pray for the preparation work of the retreat, and also for those who are participating. We pray that the working young adults are able to do well in this new year, and please also pray for those who are currently finding a job. There are several sisters in the Overseas Chinese fellowship who are physically ill, may the Lord heal them. We pray that our brothers and sisters will continue to grow in different fellowships, and that they are able to spread the gospel into different Chinese social groups.
Baptism
We are going to hold the first baptism service in April 2017. We thank God that there were already several brothers and sisters who applied for it, and also some are still in consideration. We are still looking for an appropriate venue for the baptism service. May God guide the preparation work of the baptism service. Please also pray for our first baptism class students who are starting their classes in late January. May God strengthen their faith and prepare them to witness the name of the Lord in front of everyone.
Financial
Although improved, we had some deficit for the last two months. Please continue to pray for it and provide support if you can.
We recently made a short film that describe our church life vividly. Everyone is welcome to watch it on the below link or on our facebook page:
Our church will need some funds to maintain day-to-day operations in our first year, which mainly includes the rent of the venue, living support of our pastor, and other miscellaneous expenses. If you wish to make a donation to support our church. You can transfer it to our church bank account:
Account name: Nottingham Enlightening Word Congregation
Account no. : 30311383
Sort code: 20-63-28
If you do not know how to use the bank transfer, or if you are currently at overseas
and wish to make a donation through any other ways, please contact us so that we can make arrangements.
If you have any inquiries, please contact our Rev. Herman Nim Kam To.
Email: tonimkam@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: 07894881714