March 26, 2007
Dear Friends,
Andy Carrick baptized the son of his friend Masaki Sugiyama
on December 17, 2006.
One thing I miss most from my time as a pastor is the chance
to do pastoral things. So when the chance to officiate at a Baptism
at Mizunami Church in December and I was asked to serve Communion
at Kuwana Church in January, I was on top of the world.
Masaki Sugiyama and I became friends a few years ago when he
was in seminary. We met at a youth camp and hit it off. Later,
he married and accepted the call to the Mizunami Church. I go
up to the church every month on the third Sunday to worship with
them and teach an English Bible class in the afternoon.
Andy and the newly baptized babe.
It’s common for young pastors to get a lot of criticism,
and Masaki is no different. However, I noticed how he begins the
worship service with a time for kids in which he helps them understand
the Bible, and he does this in an especially personable way. I
also noticed that when he preaches, his message is well-constructed
and personable and speaks directly to the heart. When I was going
through a time of unforgiveness (that’s another story for
another time), he happened to be speaking on the subject of “blessed
are the merciful,” and it affected me deeply. I also noticed
that he tends to carry the weight of the congregation on his shoulders.
So I told him that I thought he was doing a good job, giving
those examples (among others) to him as positive feedback. The
next time I went to worship, I noticed a new confidence in him.
It’s been half a year now since I began letting him know
I think he’s doing things right, and he continues to exude
confidence.
Last December, Rev. Sugiyama asked me to baptize his son Yoichi.
I cannot tell you how much this has meant to me. I felt like a
pastor again!
Andy and Judy Carrick
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 249
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