2010 week 11

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. John 2:19-21 (NIV).

1. We are in the season leading up to Good Friday and Easter. Take some time to read the Passion narratives in the gospels, to remember what our Saviour Jesus Christ did for us. Spend time in prayer: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication. Prepare to worship with the community of people who forgiven in Christ, and live new life in the power of the resurrection.

2. A number of our brothers and sisters have close family members who are seriously ill. Please lift each sufferer and their families up to God in prayer. Ask the Lord to help them deal with the illness and experience the love of Christ in their midst:
- Pray for CS's father, who is suffering from lung cancer. He has been responding well to chemotherapy. Ask for the treatment to bring physical healing. Pray also for his heart to be opened to the good news of Jesus Christ. Ask God to bless CS's family with his salvation.
- Pray for Trang's father, Chinh Nguyen, who is suffering end-stage lung cancer which has spread through his body. Ask God to fulfill Trang's prayer for her parents to turn to Jesus, and to know the love and grace of God. Pray for Mr. Nguyen's physical and mental health as he goes through chemotherapy.
- Pray for Maria's dad, Jose DeSousa, who is of advanced age, and who is adjusting to new medication for a heart valve that does not work properly. Please pray for adequate care, and the need for a care-giver who can speak Portuguese.

3. Please pray for the ESC Adult Sunday School class in March. The subject is "Masculinity - Femininity: Identity at a Cross Road." Pray for the preparation of VL, the teacher, and for students to learn and apply the truths taught.

4. Please continue to pray for our missionaries:
- Please pray for CY who has now been busy in South Asia with literacy workshops and language learning. Pray for her health, especially to get over a cough. Give thanks that she is currently staying with a loving and helpful host family. Pray for God's provision for suitable accommodations with a room-mate next month - CY's preference is for company, while her room-mate prefers quiet. Pray also for safety getting to and from classes, and also for upcoming out of country travel.
- E&B who continue with work in South Asia, and will soon be moving house again.
- R&E on home assignment from East Asia will need to visit many supporting churches in the USA before returning to the field in late summer.
- Others in East Asia: E, R&M, C.
- Pray for the Wall's in France.- Remember the Ng's and the Chim's doing short-term work in Panama.
- JM in Mexico needs a visa which is being held up due to the wait for paperwork needed to make the application.
- J&A in West Africa who will be back for home assignment beginning June.

5. Please pray for Josh Lau, who is on a missions trip to Dakar, Senegal on the western coast of Africa from February 26 to March 13 with teachers and students of Peoples Christian Academy. Their outreach efforts to students there will include leading a VBS type program, chapel presentations and serving local street kids through organized activities and sports events. Pray that the work of the Holy Spirit will be clearly felt among the people there and among the members of their team. Pray for spiritual growth, good health and safety.

6. There are brothers and sisters among us who are looking for work and/or are otherwise dealing with the challenges of today's economic situation. Pray for endurance and hopefulness for those who are dealing with change, and looking for new work. Ask for God to provide suitable work. May the Spirit help them to make decisions concerning their jobs, and perhaps their careers. Ask the Lord to grant guidance and peace as they depend on him.

7. Please continue to pray for the church building project:
- Praise the Lord! The bank loan has been approved! This is a major milestone which shows that God is at work among us. Glory be to his name!
- This means that the Building Committee will now turn their attention to getting the building permit, confirming the contractor, working with the MiniSkool on the timeline to vacate, working on getting ready to build, etc. Please pray for the next steps in the building project.
- Please pray positive and effective member participation for the ongoing "Piggy Bank" coin-saving project which will be run through the year, and for other fund-raising efforts.

8. Please pray for our church's 40th anniversary celebrations coming the 1st and 2nd weekends in June. Pray especially for the revival meetings in all congregations on the evenings of June 4 & 5. Ask the Lord to raise up a team from the ESC to plan and lead the ESC revival meetings, and for blessing on our speaker, Mr. Shu-Ling Lee (intern worship pastor at RHCCC), to speak to our community as the Spirit leads.

9. Please pray for the upcoming ESC Retreat on May 14 to 16 at Blue Mountain, Ontario, with speaker, Angel Silva, pastor of Missio Dei Church, Portland, Maine. Ask the Lord to allow us a good turn-out and a smooth registration process. Ask the Lord to let this get-away be a significant spiritual growth event for the ESC.

10. Please pray for the preparation of summer outreach ministries already underway:
- VBS (Children's Ministry) registration of participants and recruitment of counsellors.
- Superstar Soccer Camp (Youth Ministry) registration of participants and recruitment of assistants.