Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Praise the Lord that most STM members have already returned to China and the US safely. Our hearts are filled with thanksgiving and are still overwhelmed by the magic work that God has done during the past ten days in the two COCM year-end camps: over 35 people have accepted Jesus as their personal savior and many young believers have been lifted by the Holy Spirit! God is with us every day. People came to the Lord to confess their sins and receive Jesus Christ; Broken hearts got healed and lost souls were found. Like spring rain, the Holy Spirit is pouring down upon us; what a blessing to experience the love of our Heavenly Father!

Thank you for your continuous prayers. Without your support, we could not fight this good battle. As Pastor Henry Lu, the General Director of COCM, pointed, “During the battle, COCM co-workers are ground troops while the STM members are airborne forces. We join hands to fight together with prayer support from our home churches.” We won the battle and defeated Satan. Our Commander-in-Chief is Jesus Christ who has conquered death and has been guiding us in Heaven.

Beautifully, 42 brothers and sisters from 12 US and China churches/institute worked harmoniously with COCM co-workers and other young Christians throughout the UK. We may not have known each other before attending the camps, but we worked smoothly as one body as if we were from one church. Indeed, we are all children of our Heavenly Father! What an honor to call Him “Abba, Father!”

Amherst Chinese Christian Church (MA)

Bay Area Chinese Bible Church (CA)

Birmingham Chinese Christian Church (AL)

Chinese Bible Church of Greater Boston (MA)

Chinese Bible Church of Greater Lowell (MA)

Chinese Gospel Church in Southborough (MA)

LOGOS Evangelical Seminary (CA)

Princeton Christian Church (NJ)

Rockland Chinese Alliance Church (NY)

West Houston Chinese Church (TX)

Worcester Chinese Gospel Church (MA)

A sister from a family church in China

 

We are thankful to the Lord that He planted COCM in the UK exactly 60 years ago in 1950. In the past 60 years, COCM has been a lighthouse to shine among many lost souls in Europe - once a rich land but now a spiritual desert. Praise the Lord, through His guidance and COCM co-workers’ dedication, many churches have been planted and many souls have been saved. With about 90,000 Chinese students in the UK now (similar to the Chinese student population in the US) and many Mandarin speaking Chinese in Europe, COCM is facing new challenges and needs your continuous prayer support:

·        Please pray that God will provide more workers to join COCM for the growing student and Mandarin population in the UK as “There is much grain but not enough men to get it in (Matt 9:37).” Strategically, it is very important to spread the gospel to Chinese students in UK and Europe as most of them will return to China and bring the gospel back to China.

·        Please pray that God will provide wisdom and strength to Pastor Henry Lu and his COCM co-workers so they can continue to fight for the Lord and defeat the evil spirit. “For I give them witness, that as they were able, and even more than they were able, they gave from the impulse of their hearts, Seriously requesting us that they might have a part in this grace of being servants to the needs of the saints (2 Cor 8:3-4).”

·        Pray that the Lord will keep providing the young believers in the UK and that they will grow strong and serve the Lord with even more passion. “Let no one make little of you because you are young, but be an example to the church in word, in behavior, in love, in faith, in holy living (1 Tim 4:12).”

·        Pray that the Lord will inspire more people from the US and other parts of the world where resources are richer to support the mission in the UK and Europe as “But so that things may be equal; that from those things of which you have more than enough at the present time their need may be helped, and that if you are in any need they may be a help to you in the same way, making things equal (2 Cor 8:14).”

May our Lord’s name be glorified! May His Kingdom come!

Serving together in Christ,

 

The 2009 STM members for the COCM year-end Mandarin camps

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Pictures:

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http://intra.som.umass.edu/liang/family_camp.jpg

http://intra.som.umass.edu/liang/STM.jpg

http://intra.som.umass.edu/liang/Sing.jpg

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

Thank you for your continuous prayers.

 

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, the Holy Spirit has been with us.  Up to the last day of the camp, there are about 27 seekers have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior.

 

In the last day of the camp, people’s hearts are touched by the messages given by Pastors Lu Yan and Zhiqiu Xu, Sister Cen Zhang, Brother Ling Chu, and Brother Lian Duan.  Joseph’s story (Gen 42 – 45, 50:15-21) was continued with the skits performed by the groups of Self-control, Gentleness, Hope, and Truth

 

All the campers celebrated the New Year’s Eve till three o’clock in the morning of the next day, many with joyful tears. About a dozen young believers shared their testimonies which moved everyone.

 

Please continue to remember the following in your prayers:

 

• Pray for that the Lord will bless His workers in COCM and in the bible study fellowship groups throughout UK. Pray for that the Holy Spirit will be with them to continue opening the seekers’ hearts.
• Tomorrow, all the campers and STM members will leave for home.  Pray for that they will have safe trips back home.
• Pray for that the Lord will provide those new believers with the bread of life and guide their future life.

Happy New Year!

Serving together in Christ,

The 2009 STM members for the COCM year-end Mandarin camps

 

 

 

STM report on COCM year-end student camp: Day One (12/28/2009 Monday)‏

 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Thank you for your faithful prayers. Today is the first day of the student camp. We started the day with a morning worship and prayer session to prepare our hearts.  There are about 120 students attending this 3-day and 4-night camp, including about 35 seekers. We have formed 12 groups, LOVE, JOY, WISDOM, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, GENTLENESS, FAITHFULNESS, SELF-CONTROL, HOPE, and TRUTH.

 

Praise the Lord that all students have arrived at COCM safely and registered today. In the evening, there was a lively ice-breaking session for each group to introduce the group members with a short skit. The young campers all showed their talents.

 

Please continue to remember the following in your prayers:

 

• Pray for the group leaders to have love, wisdom, and the sensitivity to feel the needs of the group members and care them as if we were a family.

 

• Pray that all the STM members, COCM co-workers, and brothers and sisters from the UK churches can work together as one body to fight the spiritual battle. 

 

• Pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen the faith of young believers so their faith will grow in truth.  

 

• Pray for that the seekers will open their hearts to be ready to accept Jesus as their personal savior.  Pray that all the co-workers will have effective one-on-one sharing so the Lord’s love will touch the seekers’ hearts.

 

• Pray for the speakers, Pastors Henry Lu and Lu Yan, sisters Yongyi Hou and Dong Zhang, Elder Bob Lee, and brother Weihua Zhang for tomorrow’s messages and testimonies.

 

Serving together in Christ,

 

 

The 2009 STM members for the COCM year-end Mandarin camps

STM report on COCM year-end camp 12/27 Sunday‏

 

God has answered all our prayers, all four sessions from yesterday to this morning went extremely well as the Holy Spirit has guided us and His words were fully preached.  Long hours of sharing, testimonies and conversation were seen everywhere in the building after our sessions and many new seekers repented and turned to Christ.  Broken families were united, marriages were repaired, and Satan’s work was defeated as our Lord’s grace and mercy showered upon us.  During the final testimony session, brothers and sisters shared actively and freely their life-changing experience during the camp and clearly anything is possible in His hands. 

 

The children program that involved 46 kids went extremely well.  Minister Bowman and Angie led the final children’s performance this morning.  Again thanks for your prayers, children learned the ten lessons of Jonah, had great fun and there was no accident during the program.

 

Thanks for your prayers the short-term mission team worked as one body during the camp.  Whether serving meals, setting up tables, cleaning up, washing dishes and cups, or giving messaging, conducting workshops, counseling families, or leading prayers of salvation, we were guided by the same Holy Spirit and our tasks were equally rewarding and pleasing to God.  By His grace, there was no doubt that the team fought a successful spiritual battle for our King. 

 

Praise the Lord that all our second STM members have arrived at COCM safely and the two teams were united.  Thanks for your faithful prayers.  The second team will be helping on the student camp that will start tomorrow.  

 

Please continue to remember the following in your prayers:

 

Pray for the faith of new believers who will continue to grow in truth.  Pray they will continue to learn, love and follow Christ for the rest of their lives.

 

Pray for seekers who opened their hearts but were not ready to accept Jesus yet.  Pray for God to continue to work in each individual’s heart to experience the grace and mercy of God and to turn to the Lord at the right time God set for them.

 

Pray for those who will relocate in England or go back to China.  May God guide them to find a new spiritual home so that they may be part of an active body of Christ.

 

Pray for brothers and sisters, group leaders to develop a deeper relationship with God every day; continue to love, follow and serve the Lord in the next year.

 

Pray for the second STM members to recover from jet lag, have a good night sleep and be fully prepared for the student camp that will start tomorrow. 

 

Pray for the registration and the first night of the student camp to go well and all campers have their heart prepared to listen to God’s words.  Pray for God to continue to bless us abundantly in the student camp, open eyes for new faith seekers, touch their hearts and lead all people come to Him.  

 

Serving together in Christ,

 

The 2009 STM members for the COCM year-end Mandarin camps

STM report on COCM year-end camps 12/25/2009‏

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Praise our Lord, the COCM family camp continue the second day’s program. Thank you for the prayers, all programs went through smoothly in God’s hands. The messages, workshops and drama touched campers’ hearts. We had good sharing and de-brief with all STM members and group leaders. Your support will be very important for us, we seek your continuous prayers. Please remember the following in your prayers:

 

• Please pray for the last two days of COCM family camp, pray that the Holy Spirit will continuously work in each individual’s heart to experience the grace and mercy of God; especially for those who have not known God. In this camp, we have about 25 non-believers, and many new believers. Pray that God will use the different messages and workshops to sow the seeds and let them take root in their hearts.
• Please pray for the special needs of those individuals who experienced difficulties in their health, marriages and personal relationship with God.

 

• Please pray for those who will be relocated in England and go back to China. May God guide them to seek for a new spiritual home.

 

• Please pray for Minister Steven Bowman who will lead Children’s program, and for children will have great fun, good health and safe camp life, and pray that the children will learn God’s word, and may it be with them for their whole life.  

 

• Please pray that God will open the seekers’ hearts and ready to accept Jesus. Also, pray that the believers will strengthen their faith.

 

• Pray that all the co-workers and STM members will be humbled and serve the Lord together with a unified body.

 

• Pray that we will serve the campers with our loving hearts and will do our best as a host to their needs. Our being is more important than our doing.
• Please pray for Lydia and Joy who will lead the worship, will have good team work with the musicians, helping all to worship God through the hymns in Holy Spirit.

 

• For tomorrow’s program, please pray for Baoshan Xing and Kaichiang Chang who will be speaking, pray for Andrew Zhao and Wenchuan Chin who will share their testimony; pray for Yongyi Hou and Chin Shiau who will hold workshops.
• 16 brothers and sisters will depart to London for the second camp from Shanghai, New York, Houston, and Boston on 24th, 25th, and 26th, respectively. Please pray for their safe travel and joining forces with the STM members for the first camp and COCM co-workers.

 

May our Lord’s name be glorified!

 

Serving together in Christ,

 

Merry Christmas!

 

The 2009 STM members for the COCM year-end Mandarin camps

STM report on COCM year-end camp 12/24/2009 1st Day on Christmas Eve‏

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Praise our Lord, the COCM family camp began today. We started with our prayer meeting led by Pastor Lu. All co-workers were teamed up and served the Lord together with a joyful heart. Thank you for the prayers, each program went through smoothly in God’s hands in the first day. All campers have arrived safely.

Your support will be very important for us, we seek your continuous prayers. Please remember the following in your prayers:

• Please pray for all those who are coming for COCM family camp, pray that the Holy Spirit will work in each individual’s heart to experience the grace of God; especially for those who have not known God. In this camp, we have about 25 non-believers, and many new believers. Pray that God will use the different messages and workshops to sow the seeds and let them take root in their hearts.
• Please pray for Minister Steven Bowman who will lead Children’s program, and for children will have great fun, good health and safe camp life, and pray that the children will learn God’s word, and may it be with them for their whole life.

 

• Please pray for ten group leaders that they will lead the discussion for each group, and pray for them to have good communication in their group.

 

• Please pray that God will open the seekers’ hearts and ready to accept Jesus. Also, pray that the believers will strengthen their faith.

 

• Pray that all the co-workers and STM members will be humbled and serve the Lord together with a unified body.

 

• Pray that we will serve the campers with our loving hearts and will do our best as a host to their needs. Our being is more important than our doing.
• Please pray for Lydia who will lead the worship, will have good team work with the musicians, helping all to worship God through the hymns in Holy Spirit.

 

• Please pray for Raymond Xie and Shu-Tsui Tu who will be speaking tomorrow, pray for Shirley Wong and Gail Xiang who will share their testimony tomorrow; pray for Weihua Zhang and Kaichiang Chang who will hold workshops tomorrow.
• 16 brothers and sisters will depart to London for the second camp from Shanghai, New York, Houston, and Boston on 24th, 25th, and 26th, respectively. Please pray for their safe travel and joining forces with the STM members for the first camp and COCM co-workers.

 

May our Lord’s name be glorified!

 

 

The 2009 STM members for the COCM year-end Mandarin camps