Please pray for Pastor John's January 2010 South America Trip

Thanks for stopping  by.  In case you missed it, please enjoy my Christmas holiday greeting by clicking HERE.

South America Prayer Updates for January 2010

Rev Rick Chuman and I will be traveling on behalf of JEMS to meet leaders in Brazil and Paraguay. Please pray for our safe travel and overall health during the very warm and humid summer season.

Click directly on the fuzzy calendar to enlarge (and sharpen) the image.
Calendar in Portuguese:  Click

I will make attempts to update this blog during our trip as time and internet access permit.  Please pray especially for our most intense travel dates on January 4-5, January 8-9, 11 and 14.  Thank you.

January 5-8 - Attending Brazil Pastors' Conference in western São Paulo state.



January 9-11 - In Asuncion Paraguay visiting the Nikkei Free Methodist Church and Nikkei community.


January 11-14 - In the city of São Paulo for meetings with various denominational leaders, pastoral and lay groups.  Also planning for JEMS Summer 2010 mission ministries.

Photo of Liberdade, the Japanese Town section of the city of São Paulo

Please check back for further updates.

Merry Christmas 2009!

Wishing all my friends and supporters a joyous Christmas season and a New Year filled with abundance and blessing!

This past year was a delight as I was able to vacation with my children and their spouses in Hawaii back in July.

The year also had its challenges as I traveled to Brazil and Paraguay to share the good news of Jesus, to continue developing contacts with leaders and start setting up programs for summer 2010.

I also had the unique opportunity to meet my father's relatives in Asunción, Paraguay.

Closer to home, the ministry in Camarillo has continued to grow bit by bit. We hope to be meeting in a 140-seat sanctuary by the end of January 2010!

If you have the time, enjoy this video of the Celebration -  JACC summer worship and picnic:  Click.

In all, it's been a wonderful year to spend with my family, to find joy in my career, to experience God's grace and blessing. I hope it has been a good year for you as well!

Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year!

December 16, 2009 Construction Update

We are hoping to be in the new sanctuary by Christmas worship service.  The crews are working very hard to bring the project to completion.  It may be more realistic to project a mid-January dedication and transition to this new facility.

Outside today, they're digging a trench to connect the new fire suppression system to the street water main.  Insulation and dry wall are being installed in the sanctuary.  Forms are being laid out for exterior concrete stoops to be poured tomorrow.  

We are blessed to have as our contractor, the chairman of the board of Trustees of the host church.  He is volunteering all of his time and expertise to the project.  He has assembled various trades and invited them to donate all or part of their work to the project and has had good success - even in this economy!  

Come on in and have a look at the progress:


This is the new entrance to the Celebration sanctuary/multi-purpose room.  

Then as you step inside, you can see the front of  the room.  There will be seating for 140 people.


The interior, looking across from the entryway to the opposite entry.


Looking toward the back of the room.  Includes hope for our future as a infant room is constructed.

Infant area (cry room)


Newly remodeled, and ADA accessible bathroom.  No, it's not done yet! 






Pray with us that this facility will better enable us to welcome our community to experience God's presence and grace.