July 2010

Dear friends and partners in the Gospel,

Thank you so much for your ongoing generosity, prayers and support toward the saints at CERC (Christ Evangelical Reformed Church). So much has happened in the past 6 months but we’d like to share with you a few highlights to encourage you.

1. We are thankful to God for the growth we’re seeing in people’s lives as His Word is being preached each week. Many are taking their lives in Christ seriously as they seek to evangelise their friends and family, attend Growth Groups more regularly, and for some, choose jobs that will enable them to serve in church rather than being consumed by work. We know it is only by God’s grace & mercy that we are seeing the gospel being lived out. Our membership and soon to be members are almost 30, and each week we have new people coming. On an average Sunday, we’ll have between 40-55 people coming. We have also grown to 5 Growth Groups which are situated around the Klang Valley. Our Sunday School has also grown to about 8-10 children each week, many of whom are from non-Christian homes. Pray that more will hear the gospel as we, by God’s grace, preach and teach it faithfully each week.
2. We have a new apprentice who’ll be training under Robin for the next 2 years. His name is Jerome Leng. He’s a medical student who’s decided to give up medicine to train and work out if he’s suitable for financial dependent ministry. He’s passionate about the gospel and has brought many of his University friends to CERC. Next year, we’ll be having Kenneth and Vivian Lo join us in the ministry team, which we’re very excited about.
3. CERC was very involved in the recent GGF (Gospel Growth Fellowship) event called CTC (Creation to Consummation), which helps people understand biblical theology and how to read and teach the bible faithfully. David Peterson spoke on “God pleasing worship”, Robin was the main producer and Joy helped organise the music team. It was encouraging to see the commitment of the CERC people in their efforts to serve the 60+ churches who came, many of whom was their first GGF event.

On the family front

We recently suffered a miscarriage, which we were very sad about. However, we are thankful for the way God sustained and strengthened us through His people and by His Word. The whole church prayed for us on the day it happened which was 2 Sundays ago, and many have shown their care and support through their prayers, food and love.

Ally, our 2nd girl is showing how she loves to pray for others and to God, which has been really encouraging. Ilona, our eldest was baptised in march this year, and we are thankful that God is continuing to work in her heart. Laty, our youngest enjoys listening to the bible being read each day, and we pray that he’ll one day trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour and be a preacher like his daddy.

Our recent lost has made us more thankful for the children God has given us, and we pray we will be faithful in bringing them up in God’s ways as well as modelling Christ to them.

Please keep praying that the work in CERC will continue in the years to come. We have really appreciated doing the work of the Lord here and are seeing the fruit of the gospel in people’s lives. We ‘ve been surviving on our savings (which is running very low), and each week, we’re still unable to fully sustain the ministry (including the needs of the Gan family). Next year, we’ll be having another pastoral family join us (which is great!), but it means more strains on our finances. If you’re able to help partner us financially, please let us know. Otherwise, your prayers are also very much appreciated.

Let us know if you’re in Malaysia, and we’d love to meet up.

Your fellow workers in the gospel,
Joy and Robin