Kadena Chapel hosts local pastors

 

 

 

 

This past Tuesday, the Kadena Air Base Chaplains hosted a fellowship lunch with tour of the F-15’s.  A group of local pastors were blessed to attend.  We got to sit in the cockpit of the F-15!  too fun.  It was a good time to see the other brothers that are ministering for the Lord on Okinawa.

Harvest Carnival 2009

Please pray for our Harvest Carnival.

We want to be a bright light for Jesus in outreaching to our Okinawan neighbors and family.

We also want to provide a Christ-centered alternative to Halloween for our own kids.

Please come by and join in the fun!

Special visitors

During the summers off from college, Jessica comes home and has blessed us over the years by leading in worship for us on Sunday mornings. God has given her a beautiful gift and we are so grateful she has been willing to serve everytime and bless us all.

Jessica's sister, Jennifer and her son, JJ came back home too for a visit. JJ and Ben-Ben would make a great tag-team WWE team some day in the near future (maybe next year?). It's always great to see the girls with mom, Makiko-san.

We were also super blessed by a visit from the Schultz'. Rob and Becky are retired from the Navy now and are serving on the mission field. They came one Sunday and shared the neat things that God is doing in and through them. They have become very dear friends of ours and we are excited for them in this new venture of faith. ( I guess Jessica was thirsty)

Yahoo... look who's back! Yasutomo, Juan, Stomer, Yasuromo, Miyagi-san... whatever you want to call him... add driving school boy to your list. Stomer's back for a bit from college in Tokyo and is taking classes for his driver's license. I wonder what name he will use for his license and if he will break Japanese culture and smile big for the photo like he is here with Roy. It's great to have our brother back.

PCS season stinks

Every summer, we experience something the military calls "PCS season". PCS stands for Permanent Change of Station (at least I think so) and every year, there are a good handful of families that come and there are good handful of families that leave us- that's the stinky part. If we had our way, we'd keep everyone with us. Over the years, we have been so blessed with some incredible folks that love the Lord and have served Him here with us and this year was no exception.
We said "see you later" to the Wayman's and to the Coates' on this day.

We got to dedicate baby Noah this Sunday. God blessed Andre and Regina with a baby while they were here - and they thought they were done! Ha! Lisa Freeman's smiling the most right now. :)

We're going to miss the Coates. Ryan, Brandess and Caleb - we love you guys and will be praying for the newest member of the Coates family. Thank you for everything and always letting us use your house! Send some pics when baby arrives!

Everyone loves the Newlons

Here's Yumi with Ken & Cheryl at recent farewell dinner we hosted for our departing families.

To say that the Newlon's will be missed is the understatement of the year. They were friends with everybody! We miss them dearly in so many ways they have impacted so many here on Okinawa and our lives in wonderful ways. We are grateful to the Lord for them.

Yoko's crew and Newlon's

We miss you Jennie!

The Phipps' crew and Newlons (look at all those great smiles! I love this picture)

Asiah mini concert

We were so blessed a few Wednesdays back when Asiah came and did a mini-concert for us here at Calvary Okinawa.
She was on island for a series of concerts and outreaches but was gracious enough to stop by and bless us.
Enri translated for her into English even though Asiah is bilingual. Enri and her have been friends from gradeschool.
Enri was our connect to having Asiah come :)

Look it's our very good friend and bro in Christ, Pastor Vee from Daichi Baptist Church. It's always a joy to see our brother and to hear of the great things God is doing in and through his ministry on Okinawa.

Josh was invited to play for a special song and did a great job. We had a great night where God was glorified through all that was sung and shared. Thank you Asiah for blessing us!

Special Mini Concert This Wed. 08/19 Asiah

Hey everyone, we're having a special mini-concert on Wednesday Night, August 19th @ 7pm

If you can join us, it will be awesome. Bring a friend. Asiah is a professional Japanese Christian musician and will performing songs from her newest album, Pure. She will sharing her testimony in Japanese with English side-by-side translation, so bring your Japanese speaking friends! See you at 7pm!

Youth Bowling!!! It was super fun and the food wasn't too shabby either!

Youth Servant Sunday

Youth Servant Sunday

Youth Servant Sunday

Some gentle reminders about upcoming events!

Baptisim Pictures

The individual baptism pictures will be posted tomorrow!!!

Pastor Rick shares some words about Baptism and we have a moment of prayer

Baptisim Pictures

Fred led us in worship

We eventually had to move to the trees for some shade

Hanging out before the baptisms' begin... Amy was super smart bringing that umbrella!

Beach Baptism pictures

We were blessed Sunday to take part in several beach baptisms'. It was really HOT but so rewarding to see how God works in others lives. Pictures will be posted soon!!!

Youth Bake Sale

The youth bake sale went VERY well. We were very blessed by the members of our church. Thank you to all! Ya'll have such giving hearts, we truly appreciate it! AND thanks to all the youth ( and parents) who provided for the bake sale!

Sunday: After service - lunch together

there was so much work to do but God provided for it all - volunteers and food to feed them!

Sunday's finishing touches

we finished up decorating on Sunday after service

this is room for the toddlers! how fun is this!?

look at the lobby! they made a waterfall and a pond with REAL FISH! (thank you Jen Rathmell!)

Allison Forbes with us in shirt

Even though Allison (CCM/CCO family) & Derek are serving the Lord in India, she was still able to bless us in so many ways.
One way is she designed (again) this year's t-shirt! It came out awesome! Thank you Allison so much!
We miss you and Derek mucho and hope to see you soon.

Here's Chandler showing us the sweet designs.

Below is Okinawan favorite, Roy Higashi and new comer Mark.

The team is all sporting the sweet shirts and getting ready for the morning check-in!

VBS Prep began

God blessed us with a good, dedicated group of folks that came out to help transform the church into SonRock Kids Camp!
It is awesome to see when the body of Christ gets together to use their gifts and talents and work together to build His kingdom.
Please pray for us, we are hoping not only to love on and minister to our own church kids but their friends and our neighborhood and community too!

First stop: Family Mart

I think it was Jon Horne that said, "When you're in a Family Mart, your close to home." or something cheesy like that.
As has become our tradition with CCM, we stopped at Family Mart after the airport pick up.
Some of the returnees knew exactly what to get.

I am pretty sure we gave the workers that night a big surprise when 22 people all of a sudden invaded their quiet store.

Becca (blue dress) is a 3 time Okinawa/ Japan returnee! Her dad is a great guy and two years ago, they came together to serve. Shout and love to Noe!

Calvary Chapel Montebello team

For the past few years, we have been blessed by Calvary Chapel Montebello.
They send out a team that comes to help us with VBS and various outreaches.
This year's team was a group of graduated seniors that forewent their normal senior trip, so that they could come on a missions' trip to Okinawa and bless our kids and help in our outreach.
This is a great group and we are looking forward to all that God has in store with them, through them and in them!
Thank you Pastor Pancho for loving on us all these years!
On the Rock!

Friday Nights Girls' Study

Before we left to pick up the Calvary Chapel Montebello team, I was able to sneak two pix of the Girl's bible study.
That night, Jaci was sharing with the girls her testimony.
It has been a blessing to see and hear all that God has done and is doing in her life.
The girls were encouraged in the Lord and to keep close to Jesus.

Surprise Guest!

Guess who is back on Okinawa? Our dear brother in Christ, Keith Duggan aka "Doogie".
We were so blessed to see him again. Doogie is visiting for about a week.
He is attending Moody Bible College full time and came out to visit and just like the Doogie we all know, jumped right in to serving!
It's been like old times having him back - except we're missing his girls!