October Prayer
Greetings from Singapore!
October 2004 News from the Creasmans
Contents of this email:
1. A packed couple of months
2. Highlights for October – Day of Prayer: October 7
3. Details for prayer in October
Jim
Kimberly
Home & School front: the boys
4. Contact information
5. Contribution information
6. Recent Photos
1. August & September on this side of the world…
Since the last time we wrote in July, we’ve been granted Permanent Resident status in Singapore. This is truly a gift from God since it was the first time we applied and we didn’t really expect it. Among other positive ramifications, it means a lot to our local friends as it indicates our commitment to the country.
The first week of September, Kimberly spent a week at Wesley Institute in Sydney (a Christian college for Arts and Theology). She has dear family there, Dr. David and Marianna Johnston. They lead this college which they started 22 years ago. It was a great treat for them to be together for a week (www.wesleyinstitute.edu.au/). Jim and the boys joined Kimberly for a mid-term vacation (cashing in on frequent flyer miles). Chasing kangaroos, going on a ferry ride, eating camel and emu in a tower restaurant, feeding wild parrots, driving in the mountains and seeing a rugby match were all great adventures for little boys.
The week back from Australia, Jim was off to China planning the SW Peoples Networking Conference which will be in November again this year (He leads this conference which helps ministries in China collaborate for greater effectiveness). Kimberly went to China the 20-25 of September to direct the taping of some ministry training radio dramas she’s been writing. (see http://charminfullbloom.blogspot.com for more news on that).
2. Highlight for October: CRM Day of Prayer October 7th
Please reply to this email with how we can pray for you. We’ve set aside time during the day to pray for those who support our work here. It is always such a joy to have this extended time praying for you each year. Thanks to those who’ve already replied through the CRM office.
3. Details for prayer in October
Jim: CRM Singapore, China Ministries, Mentoring & Recruiting -
6th – Jim returns from the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation (in Bangkok). Anyone who’s worked with Jim knows he’s got a great mind for brainstorming and talking through strategies and planning for the future. He takes great joy in getting the right people connected with each other. Pray that these God-given abilities will be a tremendous benefit to CRM and to other Christian Ministry Organizations.
Oct 11-2 November – Mike and Katie Crow, our Asia leaders for CRM will be in Singapore. We’re excited to share extended time with them here as they get a good look at what is happening here with CRM in Singapore, and the China Initiatives Jim is giving leadership to. Jim also continues to mentor groups of pastors here as well as bring networks of people together who are focused on ministry to the unreached of China. Here are some of the dates:
14th – China Peoples Network – connecting churches with ministry opportunities in China
15th – Focused Leaders Network with Singapore Pastors (all day)
18th – CRMS Executive Committee meets – pray for the building up of those who lead this new organization.
25-27 – Pastor’s Retreat for Focusing Leaders Network participants
31 October – 6 November – Jim flies to Atlanta for a conference called “China Challenge.” Giving greater exposure to CRM to the Overseas Chinese Ministries. We pray that God will raise up older staff who’ve successfully mentored pastors in USA to join us in equipping Chinese leaders, even if it is a 2-3 year term as CRM Singapore grows indigenously. The need here is more than Jim can tackle alone.
Kimberly: Drama Training & Writing
I’ve created a site on the internet to encourage other Christian dramatists. It’s mostly articles about drama as ministry: http://spicetolife.blogspot.com. I’ve now added lesson plans/outlines at a 2nd one: http://spicetolife2.blogspot.com.
The “5 stars” continue to meet weekly. One of the gals and her boyfriend have asked me to meet with them for pre-engagement counselling. We started this week. We’ve begun THE JOURNEY OF DESIRE by John Eldredge this week. I need so much wisdom & discernment as I lead this group of off-beat artists.
In September, I started volunteering drama teacher once a week at the International Community School (the private Christian School here). Being on campus once a week is a great way for me to better get to know one of the options for Tyler and Cameron when they switch to an American School system (probably mid-2005).
11th – Getting back to the research on the play about the Singaporean missionary Anna Tan with an interview with one of her good friends who lives in Singapore. I’m compiling the research on another blog: http://rememberinganna.blogspot.com. The 21st is the 4th anniversary of her death, so I’m taking an overnight retreat at the Salvation Army to pray over and work on the project. Pray with me for vision and inspiration on how this story can be used for His glory.
18th – Continue teaching acting with the Tapestry Playback Theatre group. They’ll have a little Showcase of their scenes on the 25th. Two of the members who are Christians took my workshop at Trinity Christian Centre last month and were excited about learning new ways to integrate drama and their faith.
Home & School front
Occasionally friends in USA will ask me to write more stories about life in Singapore. Well, here you go: http://charminfullbloom.blogspot.com. With pictures too! I was pretty surprised in August when many wrote back and told me you’ve actually looked at this…and enjoyed reading it! I’m trying to get more sophisticated with technology this year…and this has been a fun new forray into web-based communication.
Thank you to those who’ve been praying for our boys. They continue to enjoy school, their friends in the neighborhood, growing in and sharing their faith, and being our kids. With them 11 and 7 years old, they are at such a great age of discoveries and adventures. Tyler & Jim continue to take guitar together, and Cameron will start back up with keyboard lessons again this month.
October 1 is Children’s Day in Singapore and the boys have a day off of school. We’ve been in our current apartment 2 years today. It is a cozy comfortable home that is often filled with little boys after school. We’ll have to move to a new place sometime next year, but we’re enjoying feeling settled for now.
With our love from Singapore,
Jim and Kimberly, Tyler and Cameron
“But you . . . belong to God; so … follow what is right and good. Pursue a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.”
1 Timothy 6:11
