A year of challenges and blessings

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We’ve finally moved into our new premise!… Thank you for your prayers and support which has allowed this to happen. We are very thankful to God for the availability of space which has enabled more people to join us, accommodation for our CERC apprentices and avenues for more ministry to be run on a weekly basis (including the regular Growth Group meetings). On the right is a picture of what it looks like on Sundays.

2011 has been a year of challenges and blessings. We praise God that more people have committed to being members at CERC, for the 9 people who got baptised, and for the growth in maturity across the Growth Groups (bible study groups) at church. We’ve also been particularly encouraged to see the gospel being lived out in many lives as they’ve come to understand the gospel and the implications of Christ’s lordship over their lives, especially through persecution and in making important decisions concerning the future.

Last month, we ran our quarterly children’s evangelistic outreach, “Little People”. It was encouraging to see almost half of the 40+ children who came, respond to want to follow Christ. Do pray that many of these children will come to join us at Sunday School, and that their families will also come to know Christ.

In November, we also held our WEW (Women encouraging women) where we looked at the topic of “contentment”, and were reminded that our true contentment is found in knowing Christ, being like Him and doing His will. We hope to run a few more such events in 2012.

For the past 5 months, we’ve been studying the Heidelberg Cathechism, which is a series of Questions and Answers that teaches the Reformed Christian doctrine. Many have been grounded in the faith in Christ, in God’s Word, in God’s providence, and assured that their only comfort in life and death is found in Christ. Praise God! Keep praying that the faithful ministry of God’s Word will continue and bear good fruit in the lives of people at CERC.

On a personal note, I’ve been finding balancing part time work, managing the household and helping out at church tough. I’m glad that being back in the work force has opened up opportunities for evangelism, and enabled me to help out the family a little bit financially, but it’s been tiring to balance it all. I’m very thankful to my parents who’ve been a great support to our family during this time, and also some of our church members who’ve helped out in the various ministry areas I’m serving in. I would really appreciate prayer for continued strength and wisdom as I keep serving the Lord in this way.

Next year, the children are moving into another year of school. Both Ally and Laty will still be at kindergarten, while Ilona will be in Primary 3. We thank God that they have made more friends at school, which has also provided opportunities for evangelism.

Besides his weekly preaching and training at CERC, Robin’s busy preparing talks for a number of Gospel Growth Fellowship conferences that he’ll be speaking at next year. Please pray for strength and perseverance for him, and that God will continue to raise up more pastors to lead God’s people at CERC in the coming years. We’re thankful for the 2 ministry apprentices who’ve joined us and for a few more considering full time ministry in the future.

Thank you once again for your prayers and support. Please pray that God will continue to provide for us financially as our ministry needs have grown, and now that we’ve moved to a new location this incurs more costs. If you’d like to know our financial status, you can find it on our support us website. Also, here’s our treasurer’s email (sharonloh@cerc.com.my) should you want to find out how you can help us. We would greatly appreciate a Christmas gift should you be able to 🙂

Please come and visit our church if you’ve ever in Malaysia, so that you may be encouraged by what God is doing here. Also, if you go to our Facebook page, please LIKE us 🙂 And if being a ministry partner with us is something you’d like to do, please write to us.

Have a blessed Christmas and a Christ-centred year in 2012!

Soli Deo Gloria!

In Christ,
Joy