| July 2003
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Thank you for your recent prayers. Until a couple weeks ago,
we had been experiencing difficulty with our crowded schedules,
workload, and the resulting interpersonal stress. Then my father
mentioned that he had uplifted us with special prayer because
our names had appeared in the 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer
& Study. That was when I realized why many difficult
clouds had lifted just at that time. Prayer works—and we
particularly enjoy the knowledge that many were praying for us!
Thank you so much.
In the year since moving to Nagoya, we have become deeply involved
in the Central Presbytery of the Reformed Church of Japan. Since
you probably already know about our visiting each of the 26 churches
in the Central Presbytery between last July and February, I’ll
focus on developments since March.
Preaching
While I’ve focused on one sermon every two months for Yagoto,
Hamamatsu, and Kuwana churches (and others by special invitation),
I have given the opening message for a youth camp in February,
and a message to the Kinjo Gakuin Girls High School chapel (right
around the corner from where we live) a couple weeks ago. Kinjo
Gakuin was started by Presbyterian missionaries many years ago.
Teaching “Bible”
Thinking one prep would do for Bible studies in several churches,
I agreed to teach once a month at six different churches. I quickly
found, however, that the needs of the various churches are radically
different.
Two churches and I decided that since I am traveling so far to
get there, it makes sense to have me teach three classes in a
row—one to elementary kids (we sing simple English songs
like “Jesus Loves Me” and “The B-I-B-L-E”
and “This Is the Day that the Lord Has Made”), one
to high schoolers (focusing only on English conversation), followed
by one for adults (focusing on the Bible).
Of the adult Bible studies in the six churches, one church wants
it in Japanese only, while another wants it in English only. Yet
another would prefer English, but the attendees understand that
for the sake of a non-English-speaking non-Christian seeker, I
teach that one in mostly Japanese. Another church wants an English
lesson only. Yet another church does not want the historical and
cultural background part of the Bible study, preferring only the
spiritual sense.
All of this made me realize that one prep will not do for all.
Thus, I spend the entire day before each lesson preparing all
over again for that evening’s special needs.
I have tried to limit these Bible studies to Mondays, Tuesdays,
or Wednesdays, but one pastor wanted me to attend a Bible study
he leads one Friday morning each month (making it a seventh location).
One woman at that Bible study then asked me to teach at her friend’s
home (an eighth location). I agreed, showed up, and began teaching
the Bible. When I began to wonder why nobody had Bibles or any
interest in the Bible, I asked, “Why are you here?”
They said, “Well, we thought you would be teaching us an
hour-and-a-half English conversation lesson with ten minutes of
Bible at the end to make it free.” I responded, “When
I taught English at Kwansei Gakuin High School, I made three times
the salary I make now. I left that because I wanted to focus on
the Bible. I’m really sorry, but I’ll have to pass
on this.” It was tough to say “no” to them,
but my evenings away from my family had simply become too much.
Being normally an early riser (4:00 or 5:00 a.m.), I enjoy the
feeling of accomplishing several hours work in the quiet time
before my family gets up. But getting home between 10:00 and 12:00
at night, I found myself having to take a couple hours to unwind
before I could sleep. At first, I continued to get up early, but
I did not have the concentration I was used to. When my body finally
cried “Uncle!” I began sleeping later into the mornings.
Now that July has hit, I have realized a deep need to get back
to the sharpness I used to feel when I was able to get up early
every morning. So I am seeking a creative alternative, though
it may take a year to get it (see our plans for next term below).
Home school
While I had agreed to help Judy home-school the children, I said
early on that I’d have to limit my participation to American
History, and even with that limitation I have to bail out occasionally.
She’s a trooper. She is masterminding the curriculum and
doing all the teaching of Nathanael (12), Joseph (9), and Sarah
(7), every day, all day.
Not to mention all the housework—or the yardwork, with
which she has been fighting a losing battle. Joseph decided he
wanted to grow vegetables, so he cleared a section and planted
cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and green peppers. I put in a blackberry
bush to sweeten the pot.
Other involvements
Four months or so ago, I promised Insik Kim (area coordinator
for East Asia and the Pacific) a short history of Japan for the
PC(USA) Web site, but after getting it two-thirds done, I found
myself swamped with all the Bible study and sermon preps. I kept
putting it off till “tomorrow”, and now “tomorrow”
has lengthened into July! I really appreciate his patience with
me.
I have also not been communicating with our supporting churches,
for which I deeply apologize. July has almost no sermons because
the seminarians preach in the pastorless pulpits in July and August,
giving me a breather there.
This summer
I will be giving the opening message for the junior high and
senior high camp, which will meet the last three days of July.
I will also be attending the college-and-above youth camp in the
middle of August. This year, instead of taking the month of August
for our vacation, we will be starting from the last week of July.
Since I’ll be preaching the second-to-last Sunday in the
Nagano church and returning to Nagoya the beginning of that week,
we’ll probably be netting a little over three of our four
weeks vacation this summer.
This fall
I’m trying (with little success) to use July to begin preparing
for special messages this fall. I have two radio talks, two evangelistic
sermons, and a regular sermon to make and translate, as well as
a special address to a few hundred pastors/elders/deacons/families
at a big gathering in the middle of September. Please pray that
I’ll get these preps done by the end of July, or at least
well on their way. Thanks!
The women of Nagoya Church (where we worship about twice a month,
in between the preaching I do elsewhere) have asked Judy to go
with them on their trip this fall (September 25 to October 2)
to Toronto for lectures by Christian author Susan Hunt and for
a short tour of Niagara. This is a great opportunity for Judy
to get to know many ladies of our presbytery here.
Furlough
Furlough has been pegged for February 1 through August 31 of
2004. We need to begin contacting churches to make schedules for
our speaking. More on that later.
While on furlough, we will attend our daughter Naomi’s
graduation from Berea College. Some of you have expressed interest
in her, which warms our hearts. Thank you so much. She will graduate
with a major in music (and good grades, to boot!). She is with
us this summer, working in the office at Nojiri (the place we
go to for summer vacation).
Next term (from September of 2004)
We plan to make a major change in what we are doing here in Nagoya.
Since my call is to focus on youth, I’m planning to begin
talks now with presbytery officials. That way nobody is surprised
when we get back.
One idea I have is to drop all the Bible studies (paltry few
youth come, anyway) and focus on getting onto college campuses
(several here in Nagoya) and on starting a Saturday evening or
Sunday evening get-together with youth in various areas.
At the last presbytery meeting (a few days ago) I passed out
a survey asking pastors how many junior high, senior high, and
college-age youth they had (among other questions). I have identified
several churches that I believe I should focus on as centers for
these monthly get-togethers. One of the four rotating get-togethers
each month would be at our home.
Another thing I want to get involved with is the youth bands
(guitar) at Ena and Yokkaichi Churches.
With furlough coming up so soon, we can hardly wait to see you.
For many, it will be our first time. God bless you, and thanks
so much for your prayers.
That the Peace of Christ which Passes Understanding will Continue
to Change this World of Ours,
Andy & Judy Carrick
Evangelistic PC(USA) missionaries
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
179
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