Pressing On & Planning Ahead

In the past couple of days I had sleepless nights. Just as Sunday night could be taxing after the exertions of the weekend and it was hard to relax and let the mind wind down. On Tuesday night, we had our church council meeting and again I was asked to chair the meeting which I duly obliged. As it was our first business since the election of office bearers last month, the meeting went for just over three hours and we ended at 11pm sharp. In fact, I had to apologise to the council members for the lateness when we were still on AOB at 10.30pm. But we managed to get many things done, not least the activities and programme for the next few months including our Leaders' Retreat scheduled at for the first week of December.

But it is hard to plan too far ahead as some of the senior leaders are not used to think any thing further than 2 or 3 months. I basically had the whole year programme laid out in fact including the first quarter of 2026. Leaders must think, pray and plan ahead, perhaps at least one year in advance and continue to pray for the Lord's guidance as things move along. The immediate event is our Harvest Festival service slotted on 25th May as some of the leaders want to return to their villages on the Harvest Festival proper on 30-31st May 2025. 

After that Pentecost Sunday on 8th June and Family Service (Fathers' Day) on 15th June. And also a noon baptismal service after Pentecost Sunday service at a nearby river. We expect three members to be baptised. For July we have a planned visitation to a church in a nearby District and we hope to get their reply next month in June. During the visit I plan to a give lecture on a biblical book and then let the youths lead a worship service in the afternoon after lunch and we expect to finish by 3.30pm to give us plenty of time to return to KK for our Saturday worship rehearsal at 7.30pm. 

I have already attended two home groups and there could be more to come. I have been preaching non-stop as even my break from preaching is cancelled as the elder slotted to preach asked me to preach instead. At least it is once a week. Ten years ago, we had double Sunday services and I preached on average three times a week and we had a mid-week Wednesday service at church as well. But I was only 50 years old then, and a decade had passed by in the twinkling of the eye. This morning I read almost a chapter from 2 Chronicles that really blessed my spirit and lifted me out of lethargy and doubt. "For a long time Israel is without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without the law....your work will be rewarded." Indeed, every where I see God is absent elsewhere but where I serve, God is present. More and more people are ministered to. For the first time for a long weekend (last Monday was Wesak Day), there were more than 100 adults in church and we give glory to God for that as there is now a teaching priest and pastor and the Word of God is honoured.