Scroll down for previous newsletters...
Winter 2008
Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! Psalm 27:14 NKJV
As always we thank you for your loyal support. You have been the backbone of ministry for us. We appreciate you more than words can express.
Yes, we have returned to San Antonio, Texas! You may wonder what is happening with us since returning to America. We haven’t made many personal contacts as we have been trying to settle in as fast as possible. There have also been several immediate family needs. Jerry’s mother passed away in December. Our oldest son, Quinn, has moved back to San Antonio. And our youngest daughter, Rachel, is planning a mid-February move here. Soon all our family will be living closer to us in Texas! For the first time in all these years we have been able to be of direct assistance to our children.
One of the things we learned in the 16 years in Japan was how to trust the Lord with our children and leave them in His hands. It was hard when crises hit to be far away and not be able to give hands-on help. But the distance became more powerful as God could work in their lives unhindered by our well-meaning interference. Now we are able to give hands-on help. But our trust continues to be in the Lord to lead them. We know we aren’t their “Holy Spirit,” just the hands of the Lord extended in love. Our hearts are thrilled to be able to love on them and do things that show that love. Yet we have learned to rest in the Lord to do what He needs to do in their lives.
A blessing of this time was that our family was able to all (except Rachel who couldn’t come from Kentucky) gather at Nana and Gichan’s (Grandma & Grandpa’s) house for the first time ever for Christmas! What a joy to share that time and the Christmas meal with 17 people who were all family or connected to family. The last time our family was altogether at our home for Christmas was before we moved to Japan and before any of our children were married, and… before grandchildren!
Now we find ourselves in a season of waiting. Psalm 27 talks about delighting in the Lord, seeking Him and His ways and then encourages us to wait with courage. The Japanese Bible reads “wait with hope.” Both of these translations are encouraging as we wait to find out what the Lord’s purposes are for us at this time. We are living as much by faith here as we were in Japan!
The challenge is to remember that it isn’t about what we do but who we are in our relationship with the Lord. He will lead in His time, one step at a time. Waiting is challenging because we all get in a hurry to see God’s hand moving in action outside of the norm instead of discovering what His heart is working into us.
Son-Risen Ministries is still active. We believe that the Lord still has something for us in reaching out to others. We don’t know the specifics, just the sense of pending opportunities.
Son-Risen Ministries was begun in 1991 as our ministry covering and to help provide an opportunity for others to fulfill God’s calling on their lives to reach out beyond their zone of comfort and familiarity. We have been blessed to receive donations to facilitate that ministry and we trust that those who have sacrificially donated to the ministry have been blessed as well.
Living on faith in God is much more than trusting Him to provide the financial resources necessary to move to another country and set up house and home in unfamiliar circumstances. Living on faith in God requires us to trust Him for His heart to minister through us and the opportunity to minister. We are always encouraged by sharing Jesus Christ with others. Seeing people turn their lives over to the Lord is such a tremendous reward. Knowing how and having the tools to share the life-changing Good News of Jesus makes that reward so much more tangible.
Challenges come and situations have to be dealt with that often overwhelm, sometimes confound, or at least confuse, most of us. We envision our future to include sharing our experiences, challenges, victories, and lessons learned to make it more likely that missionaries will be able to look back of their months or years of service and recognize the Hand of God in their lives.
As we have made our way back to the States, people have been asking about the status and future of Son-Risen Ministries. Though our time of living in Japan has come to an end, Son-Risen Ministries will continue to facilitate future ministry wherever and in whatever form it takes. Our goal is to help other missionaries and be available to churches to encourage, train, and support others in their desire and efforts to minister as missionaries.
Your prayers and financial support are as important now as they have been during the time we were in Japan.
We are essentially settled and will continue venturing out into learning more about how to be involved and live in America. It has been an interesting transition…and will probably continue to be challenging.
Please continue to pray for us to hear the voice of the Lord telling us “this is the way, walk in it.” We want to be receptive to how and where He is leading us. We know that He is charge and that we are in His hands!
May the Lord bless you and keep you!
Jerry & Robin Schroeder
Please continue to pray for Nara International Christian Center as they continue to adjust to new leadership. Pray for Pastor Ken Chan and Yuko as they lead the church into new dimensions and opportunities.
Winter, 2007
Dear Friends and Family,
What an eventful year 2006 was. We had the biggest Vacation Bible School ever (60 children). What a blessing it was to see all those kids singing and enjoying all the activities. Many for the first time heard the story of Jesus.
Our next big outreach was the Christmas program on December 24th, when we presented our “Gifts to Jesus.” From ballet (to Amazing Grace) to the Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star violin duet by 7 and 9 year old brother and sister, the people in the church presented various talents to the Lord as their gift. One of the missionaries in our congregation who has lost her sight memorized and quoted Wadsworth’s Daffodils. Four of the upper elementary and junior high girls recited an original presentation of the lives in the women in Jesus’ lineage (that Robin wrote). All did an amazing job! Jerry’s message was brief but powerful and touched many people. All 104 who came thoroughly enjoyed this Christmas celebration.
2007 presents some unique challenges for us. As we have prayed and sought God, He has reminded us of some important concepts.
1 Corinthians 3:6-9 tells us “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.” NIV
These verses help us realize that what we do and where we do it isn’t all about us, but about what God wants to do and who all He chooses to use. With that reminder, we came to a difficult decision as we prayed and sought the Lord to confirm what we felt in our hearts.
We believe that God has told us it is time to move on to His next calling. We have submitted our resignation as pastors of Nara International Christian Center. We have done what God called us here for. And He will bring others to continue the work in this area of Japan and to lead Nara International Christian Center on to the next step.
When we came to Japan, it was to be until God said differently. God now has shown us that He has other plans for us and for the church He birthed.
It goes without saying that this is a huge step of faith for us. Although we don’t know exactly where we are going or what we will be doing we just know that God said it’s time to move on.
Since He is our leader, we need to follow Him in faith, believing that He will show us the next steps. We love the people and ministry of Nara International Christian Center but we have full confidence that God will care for them and continue the ministry in His wisdom.
Although there is much uncertainty about what is next, we do know that we will be returning to America. It may seem to some that we are returning home, but since Robin has lived over one third of her life outside of the US and we have spent one third of our married life here in Japan, we’re in the process of figuring out where home actually is. We’ve discovered that we know how to live in Japan; living in America presents whole new challenges.
Our desire has been to be near enough to God to hear and respond to what He is saying. Sometimes what God says is challenging. We need your prayers as we prepare the church and ourselves for the transition.
Though the Advisory Counsel has had a few months to process the changes facing them, from January 21st the congregation and friends will start making their adjustments. We have sought the Lord and His wisdom. The godly men that we have sought counsel with have been supportive and understanding.
We were just discussing how Esther had a year of preparation before she was called into the king’s chambers. Similarly our process has taken a similar time. The preparation time has been very valuable.
Though our resignation has been submitted, we will remain in Japan up to October, 2007, giving the church time and help to find a pastor.
Please pray for us in this transition time and for the calling and selection of the next pastor. Our church family is very important to our hearts but they are even more valuable to the Lord. We want the very best for them!
We sincerely thank you for the years of support you have given us. We still need you as much now, if not more than ever, as we enter into this new faith adventure with the Lord. Please pray that we will stay in close communion with Him to hear clearly where the Lord is leading and that we will be following the “cloud by day.”
We love each and every one of you!
Spring, 2006
Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
We think of you and pray for you often. We are so grateful for your support especially when times are tough. We know that y’all are behind us praying and caring for us.
Often, when we come to times requiring perseverance, it feels lonely. But we know that there are people praying and Jesus is interceding for us. Perseverance is a time of character building as well as faith building. The seasons of perseverance remind us that we do in deed “walk by faith not by sight” (...or emotions...or in our comfort zone!)
One scripture that has been a real encouragement to us is, “Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. You will prolong the king’s life his years as many generations. He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him! So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows. (Psalm 61:1-8)
Our God willingly gives wisdom and perspective. It is all about seeking Him first and learning to delight in Him and not worrying about our problems. The hard part of head knowledge is making it a reality in your emotions. Any time God has us out on a limb and encouraging us to take a leap of faith it is always outside our comfort zone.
We are facing the immediate need of finding property and/or buildings for our church and another place to live. We have been told to move because the house we are living in is slated for demolition. We need wisdom and perspective as we face these changes. Although we have longed for and prayed for a more permanent home for Nara International Christian Center, it is now seemingly a necessity and is a bit scary! It isn’t a matter of whether or not to trust God. We want to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6)
Please pray that we will hear from the Lord each step of the way!
In March we made a trip to the US. It was a time totally committed to our children, attending church with them, meeting their friends and playing with the grandkids. We did not make the usual rounds of calling and spending time with others. Rather we committed this time to our children and their families. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with them, laugh and share, meet their friends and share in their lives. It was a much needed “family fix” for all of us.
Our son Darrin and his wife Cari gave us a wonderful Christmas gift, a telephone modem that connects to the computer (VOIP) and enables us to have a US phone number that rings in Japan. Calls to North America are at no cost to us. And you can call us for just the cost of a call to San Antonio. This has been an amazing gift! We really have appreciated it, enjoyed it and have had the opportunity to really visit with people on the phone. Please remembering the time zone difference. (Please note that we are 15 hours ahead of Central Standard Time.) Feel free to call us. Our number is 210-587-7396. (Evening is best because that is our morning!)
We are preparing for Vacation Bible School. It will be at the end of August because of the Japanese school schedules. Preparation and lots of prayer are so important since many un-churched children and their families participate. We want the Lord to be glorified in all that we do and say!
A special note to all you who have partnered with us financially …
We especially appreciate your faithfulness in giving so that we can minister unencumbered with worries or concerns about money.
Each time another person turns over their life to Jesus Christ, we thank Him for you who have made it possible for us to reach yet another person for Him. As always, know that we appreciate you!
God bless you all!
Jerry & Robin Schroeder