Our last report ended with the “work in progress” of house moving, website designing and book editor. We have moved into a 3 room Ang Mo Kio HDB apartment a month ago, taking our time to savor what the Lord has gift-wrapped to us in this beautiful nest. The website design has met with some hiccups but God has graciously provided another website designer. If all goes well, we hope to launch it early 2010. The search for a book editor continues.
Aug – August started with a mini retreat with a group of 6 bankers as a follow up from a lunch time fellowship meeting. It was also in this month that we did our first “reel” retreat using movies as retreat materials for personal reflection. Six participants and two movies – “The Kite Runner” and “Ratatouille” from 7-11 Aug all took place at the Nest. This was also with days of silence and accompaniment.
Sep – This month saw us going to KL, 18-22 Sep, to be with Spring Rain Revival Church on the invitation of Ps Nellie Chan. SRRC is a Chinese church that’s been moved into a transitional situation due to change of Senior Pastor of the original church. The group that stood with Ps Nellie is made up of lay people, keen but weak in the Word and knowledge of God. We took the Saturday night service followed by a 2-day retreat. We came home feeling the need for some kind of follow-up work, God willing, in the coming season.
Sep ended with the 2nd Beginners’ (28-30 Sep) retreat with SJSM at Montfort Centre. A total of 17 retreatants were at this retreat and as a spin off from this group, we have been invited to give retreat to Victory International Church and a SJSM cell group early 2010. The dates for another two such retreats with SJSM have been confirmed for 2010.
Oct - Oct was a time for us to “put our own house in order” and the only meeting we took was to preach at City Gate Church, 11 Oct on “Truth Telling”.
Appreciate your ongoing prayers for us and the retreatants throughout this time. This year we are seeing 5 missionaries and 2 pastors at these retreats besides returnees and a handful of newbies. For all these we are grateful to God from whom all blessings flow.
Pipeline – To plan for 2010-2011 calendar and theme. We are hoping to factor in a sabbatical training at St Buenos, God willing, in 2011/12. This 3-month sabbatical training comprises a 30-day retreat component followed by equipping training for the retreat work. Covet your prayers.
Simon & Rinda
10 Nov 2009