This is journal of someone who is committed to the work of proclaiming the Gospel to His church and to the outer reaches of the world.

Monday, July 31, 2006

Stop Dreaming

"Innumerable times a whole Christian community has broken down because it had sprung from a wish dream....But God's grace speedily shatters such dreams. Just as surely as God desires to lead us to a knowledge of genuine Christian fellowship, so surely must we be overwhelmed by a great disillusionment with others, with Christians in general, and if we are fortunate, with ourselves....Only that fellowship which faces such disillusionment, with all its unhappy and ugly aspects, begins to be what it should be in God's sight begins to grasp in faith the promise that is given to it....He who loves his dream of a community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter." Dietrich Bonhoeffer

God the Creator arranged things so that we need each other" Basil of Caesarea

I am happy to be back on this blistering hot Monday afternoon to invite you to another edition of my web prayer update. Community arrives and I am seeking to find that elusive community that I am seeking in the midst of this pilgrimage. There has been its good and the bad and even the bad has moved me to a deeper sense of moving beyond the surface of community...it begins with the simple exchange and similar passion for God and people. In this season of life, I realize more that the grace of community comes in our sharing and in unity.
"one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all."
Acts 4:32-33.

I think I have experienced some good and bad here in Syracuse. The good are the encounters with people who love God in their broken ways...often imperfect...a bit messy but nevertheless with great hope for the continuing work that God is doing...at the worst, I have seen isolation where people are hurting and are seen through the lens of their shortcomings rather than the hope in Christ.

I am learning more that the key cornerstone of the gospel is the way we live out the gospel to each other first and to the outside world. We often don't live up the promise of grace...or even worse the judgement or condemnation from the community of Christ...this hurts our witness and most of all it hurts our vision of what Christ wants to do in our midst. To be healers and pointers to God and also a defiant and prophetic voice to the culture that we are radically different in our measure of mercy and justice. But our appetites are petty...we want our churches to flourish, not the kingdom...and our love is limited, if you are a saint, you belong...our love is quite anemic, to be honest, I found more hope in community people who are secular than those who are faithful... That is why, people don't flock to churches...because it is a place of judgement and it builds up another layer of the career game...climb the ladder and if you do well, you will be allowed in the club...That is why we have so many people who serve in church because they want another credential to be honored in...Yet, Bonhoeffer's words remind me that it is not the ideal we seek but rather the pursuit of Christ through our family...We establish each other as an ambassador...each latent with a purpose...and even and boldy acknowledge our weakness to the weakest, then maybe, perhaps we can truly experience the wonder of the gospel. ..the the first missionary of the gospel in the New Testament was a woman who was married to five men...go figure...I wonder if she would have survived church in the year 2006.

Sabbath!

This past weekend was our first full weekend in Syracuse in over a month and it was nice to slow down and spend some time together. Jamie and I were able to attend Jazz in the Square to see Chuck Mangione with our friends Ming, Amy, Jeff and Pam. It was a beautiful evening as we sat on top of a pillar in the middle of Clinton Square.
































It was a nice time of fellowship and music as we shared about our lives and as newly married people, our hopes for the future. Jamie and I spent Saturday at this wonderful bookstore called Books and Memories that had such gems as floors of old board games, magazines dating back to the 30's, and a great basement of LP's (vinyl records for all you "old folk") and a scary section of sheet music. We spent a few hours there and as the thunder hit across the region we browsed. Jamie and I had a chance to visit Eastern Hills Bible Church on Sunday to hear a staff worker from Campus Crusades for Christ share a message on the truth of the gospel. We capped it off with a visit to Syracuse Alliance Church for a barbecue where I helped grill some meat (including my arm) and then some basketball with some young guys that almost broke my ankle (literally). Overall, it was a nice break from a hectic summer and it was nice not to have to drive 4+ hours again...

In the Presence of Courage
In the midst of looking for part-time work in Syracuse, I have been volunteering at the Center for New Americans in Syracuse. I am assisting with the vocational placement program that helps new refugees find work in the Syracuse area. I had the chance to meet with a Liberian woman who is recovering from her bout with cancer and looking for work. As she recalled her story she revealed her years of fleeing from the civil war in Liberia. I met two young Sudanese men (one of which is named Peter) who are now rebuilding their lives here. As I sat across the table from them I looked at their smiles as they shared their stories. It brought me back...

I remember when I attended Urbana 2003 and how I made a commitment there to be part of what God is doing in Sudan...and in the midst of being here, I took a pause in the midst of my anxiousness of finding a job, I realize the severity of their struggles in this new place. They each have a story of their escape from conflict, behind each of these lives tell a story of their encounters with some of the worst horros imaginable...and yet, I sat a few feet away from them...and that although they come here for assistance, I am in the presence of heroes. Pray for these neighbors who have arrived to this country. Pray for a unveiling of their story of coming to America as a story of salvation and deliverance into the hands of a merciful God.
Asian American Emergent Skypecast
I participated in the Asian American Emergent Skypecast with David Park (Atlanta), Ben Pun (Houston), DJ Chuang (DC) and myself (Syracuse) chatted for an hour. It was a great time discussin intergenerational immigrant Asian church’s perspective on authenticity, engagement and culture. We will have another one on August 27th, we hope that next time we will talk more about the emergent church and how it impact the issues of the Asian American Church.
OneHouse
The OneHouse event is postponed at the writing of this entry. This was due to the venue space. The organizers are meeting to see if we should postpone till October or push it to 2007. I am open to be the speaker but I want to honor their process and perhaps things will change in a few weeks. Pray for wisdom and seeking after God's heart and will in this important movement towards unity and justice.
Asian American Laity Project
I am in the midst of preparing the calendar for the upcoming Fall 2006 for our meetings with leaders from the New York Asian American church. It will primarily focus on strategy and vision casting. I am sending a preliminary proposal for the pastors to look over and also to organize a special meeting with some national leaders of this development of Asian American ministry.

I am doing some research on denominational approaches to ethnic specific ministries and to see what is out there that deals with Asian Americans. As I am speaking with people more and more, I am realizing the need for this ministry in the East Coast. I am hoping to find some time to speak with the national leaders on this topic.

Pray for wisdom and also diligence in getting some of this groundwork done. I am in the process of learning and also being challenged to gain more knowledge in this arena.

The website is up and in one week, it has received almost 1000 hits already! It was featured in Technorati's top movers on its launch date! Thank you for visiting it and also spread the word around about this site. Thanks for your support.
Things that dropped and now added...
Due to circumstances, I will not be able to assist with New York Chinese Baptist Church's Mentorship program or OCM's Zion's college ministries. These were quite a disappointment with me since I was planning and looking forward to serving with them. I am in the midst of discussion of serving at Intervarsity at Cornell. I am suppose to have a meeting with the area Coordinator and the president of the fellowship sometime in August. I have two requests to speak at a church regularly. I am not sure what is the best way of addressing this since I am in the midst of a financial crunch and balancing fundraising, looking for a part-time job and planning for the ministry. Pray for definitive opportunities for me to best serve.

In the same vein, Jamie and I praying for a new church community to best serve together and also pursue our future in ministry. We are exploring a few options and we are excited for this new season of our lives. Pray for a smooth transition for us and for our friendships that God started continue to build. I am committed to servung the youth ministry leaders at Syracuse Alliance Church and hoping help in supporting a vision and direction of God is doing at the church.

Misc Prayers
Please pray for Jamie and I as we approach our first year anniversary of our marriage (how time flies!!!) We are going to celebrate it by attending a wedding in Boston. But we are hoping to spend some time there visiting Gordon Conwell Seminary where our beloved Kenny and Cindy Chau are there. Jamie and I spent some time this weekend reflecting and praying for our shared future together.

Thank you again for reading an praying for us. We love and miss you much!

To Financially Support the ministry please send checks (make payable to PaLM) to:
PaLM
48-19 196th Street
Fresh Meadows, New York
11365-1316
please mark memo: Asian American Laity Ministries or Peter Ong
All donations are tax-deductible

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Arrival through Departure

""Man may have forgotten how to listen." From the film Lady in the Water

Dear friends and family,

Thank you for visiting and reading this week's edition of my prayer update. As I write this I just enjoyed the merging of community as friends from New York City and Syracuse. As they arrived at Lake Placid, each of their faces stirred in me the joy of community as we hiked in the rain for 6.5 hours. As we concluded the day and sat around a dinner table, I saw their stories and how much they have enriched my life...Pam & Jeff (their similar journey towards with Jamie and I as we shared our first year of marriage together...They also share similar love for nature and ministry-they are former Campus Crusades for Christ staff), Joanna (who is discovering her entrance into community again), Linda (who reminds me of my days of leading a community growth group that centered on discovering Christ through scripture), Harvey (who has been one of the most important brothers through one of the most difficult seasons of my life), Amy (this sister is one of the greatest blessings of my life as I see her grow in her faith and how God is working in her) and of course my beautiful wife who continues to support a simple man who stumbles and have little to offer her except my devotion to her and to this unfolding fulfillment of this ministry. I love that God has given us this and how much He provides through community. I feel so free through this expression of community and friendship and I hope that we will have more moments of gathering together, breaking bread and giving thanks.

We had the chance to see Bev as she participated in the IronMan Triathlon and it was such an amazing time especially at midnight when the finishers gathered for the final runners...and they cheered and gave honor to them. These were the "last" runners and it gave me a picture of how it will be when Christ returns...yet, we strive to be the first and look down on those who are weaker or slower. Yet, I am reminded of Paul's words in Romans 14; in Romans 14 the apostle Paul challenges us to not deny the fact of relationships between the strong and the weak. He accepts Christians where they are in their pilgrimage of faith and challenges us to do the same.

Ray Stedman has been quoted that the favorite indoor sport of Christians is trying to change each other. In Romans 14 Paul says we should not endeavor to change one another to suit our preferences, but instead we should change our conduct so as not to offend the weaker brother. Somewhere I pray that we heed this...to recognize the work in the lives of our family of God.

ONEHOUSE 2006

This Year, Unity Finds its Purpose
I have the privilege of being the speaker for the OneHouse unity worship service in the Fall. As I am preparing for this talk, God is deepening my understanding of how scripture points to the depth of God's mercy in the midst of oppression, and yet as a Christian family we have "forgotten how to listn." The planning team are in the midst of raising support for this event. Here is an excerpt from an email that I sent to the team:

"People are desperate for a faith that reaches beyond orthodoxy but to somehow bring into the world a faith that can move mountains. As I prepare for the talk, I am consumed with such a mixed sense of responsibility and hope with it some sense of ambivalence...or cynicism because this is not "clean" stuff...it requires people to take certain stands on their faith and approaching the gospel in a way that will demand a response. A just response. A reponse of justice. I think that for many of us...it will require a shedding of what Dallas Willard calls "Vampire Christianity" where believers are swarming around only concerned about Christ's blood for survival but for anything more...I am asking that we become different kind of Christianity where we yearn and seek out to address the blood on the streets that cry out for justice."

Pray for my preparation, pray for the planning team to give them wisdom in their service, pray for those who are coming to this event to be moved beyond doing just "church."

Fund Development
My Ministry Blog is up! I am hoping to use it as a resource for Asian American ministry and for dessiminating information about the ministries I am involved in.

As I write this, I received an card from a girl who I used to serve in a teen ministry. As I opened it, I wasn't sure what the occasion was (an early birthday card?) and inside the card was a love offering that was substantial...I know this girl, she is a college student, she is comes from a working family and she works part-time throughout the year to support herself...I was so moved and reminded of God's provision. She offered me this verse as source of encouragement.

I am sending a support letter to Church pastors next week and setting up meetings in New York City in August. Jamie and I are working together for a fundraising/birthday party in August.

Pray for provision and for my continued job search in Syracuse. I am volunteering at the Center for New Americans and there maybe an opportunity for me there. But for the meantime, I am looking at some local administrative positions, I might even look at getting a retail job so I can make ends meet. Pray for my job search and for a sense of peace.

Ministry
As mentioned earlier, I am using the ministry blog as a resource for Asian American ministry and exploring the possibility of having podcasts on the site and also if funding comes through, I would like to have monthly interviews with prominent leaders in Asian American ministry.

I am trying to connect with Asian Young Life to explore a partnership with them for the Laity Project and to also learn more about the work they are doing with Asian American youth. I am planning a meeting August to see how I can possibly help with Grace Christian Fellowship, Cornell's Intervarsity Asian American Christian Fellowship in the Fall.

I am assisting in organizing an Asian American pastor lunch with Paul Tokunaga, the author of Invitation to Lead and InterVarsity's National Asian American Ministry Coordinator and Associate Dean for Leadership Development. We are hoping to have some insight and discussion on some of the issues facing the Asian American church.

I am looking forward to the Asian American Leadership Roundtable during the Eastern Chinese Bible Conference and I am going to videotape and record this as a resource.

I had a prayer walk with the prayer team from the youth group at Syracuse Alliance Church this past Wednesday and it was a blessing to continue this ministry from my old New York days. I am wrapping up my involvement with the youth group as we are preparing for the Field of Miracles a regional transformation youth event in Rhode Island.

I am drafting several topics for the launch of the Laity Project in the Fall and outlining the speakers for the monthly meetings. I am excited to see what God will do in the midst of this and hopefully will bring some momentum as I faithfully move forward in this new ministry.

I will be participating in the Asian American Emergent Skypcast on August 30th. It is coordinated by Bruce Reyes-Chow. This will be a quarterly (every 5th Sunday) discussion on Asian American Christians and the Emergent Church Movement. I look forward to exchanging ideas and thoughts on ministry.

MISC.
Thank you for all your prayers for Jamie and I, we are moving towards an intentional approach towards our prayer and devotion time. We have enjoyed a renewed but tentative steps towards developing a discipline towards our time together.

Jamie and I are planning her academic year and looking at how God wants to plan for our next stage of our lives together. We are exploring several options for the next few months. Please pray for a heart of surrender to how God leads us.

Thank you again for being part of this journey with us. We love you and so appreciative of your friendship and partnership.

To Financially Support the ministry please send checks (make payable to PaLM) to:
PaLM
48-19 196th Street
Fresh Meadows, New York
11365-1316
please mark memo: Asian American Laity Ministries or Peter Ong
All donations are tax-deductible

Monday, July 17, 2006

Finding a Chapel

"Our Lord was pleased to assume the likeness of every poor man and compared Himself to every poor man in order that no man who believes in him should exalt himself over his brother...For 'I was hungry,' and 'I was thirsty' was said not just of one occassion, not of one day, but of the whole of life. In the same way 'you gave me food,' 'you gave me drink,' 'you clothed me' and so on on does not indicate one incident, but a constant attitude to everyone." ---Simeon The New Theologian (949-1022)

Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings to all of you! I hope that you are well and re-entering this new week filled with hope. I pray that you are prepared for another week of opportunities to express your journey of communion with God and with the people of God. I hope that this weeks Prayer update is a blessing to you.

Funding
I am planning a special fundraising event in New York City in late August for some of the last stretch of funding. I am hopeful and will continue with the planning until the funding comes through. I am going to continue with my networking meetings and with the ministry despite the funding. I just need 40 people who are willing to offer $25 a month for the ministry for me to raise the funds needed to move ahead with the ministry...Pray for distinct provision and for me to ask with diligence and faith.

Sonia's wedding (community, omelettes and chapels)
Jamie and I just returned from a trip to Philadelphia for a dear couple, Sonia and Christopher. It was amazing to see how God has formed their relationship and bringing them to an adoring ceremony. I spent the weekend with my good friend Wendy and had the chance to hang out with Eric and Ray. We spent the days in community and as we broke bread we had omellettes and engaged in conversation about youth, Christ, and church. I realized how much I love and miss them. A lot of it was an opportunity to share openly in an inclusive community where there was no pretenses but a profound identification in our love for God and for each other. I find their longing for God to be so sincere expressed in their embrace of people.

As Jamie and I drove to the wedding, we had difficulty in finding the chapel despite the signs...we drove...we backtracked...we made U-turns....and in the episode, I found that there were an allegory for me at this time in Syracuse....During my time in Syracuse, I find that I have become what Goetz defines as the ethos of suburbia is catering to "the overindulged self" in an "environment of security, efficiency, and opportunities," all of which create a faux spirituality. I have found that my faith and my journey here has been a point of complex wrestling...and I found that there is a yearning for more and settled provisionally what I feel amounts a little more than busy avoidance of a hurting community, this is what Goetz points to a "bloated, tiny soul."

I had a meeting with the pastor and he firmly affirmed my new direction and assessed that I am in an unhealthy season of my pilgrimage and that I need a distinct community and nurturing that is not explicitly available at the church...I felt my position always bound by a deep sense of being an outsider...I expressed to him that this was a very carefully thought out decision. I apologized if I was a distraction from the ministry and he gave me such acceptance and love...I am fulfilling my duties at the church for the summer and we are looking towards a new season in Syracuse. I am so relieved...and in the words of the pastor..."you no longer have to put your hand in the fire anymore unless this your calling." I will fulfill all my responsibilities for the summer for the youth ministry and also continue in my friendship with the youth workers. I have expressed my new direction and thankful for their understanding and support. I offer them my committed friendship and service to them.

Pray for a parting that is appropriate and with understanding and for our new home church to be opportunities of distinct community and particpatory ministry opportunities for Jamie and I to serve and grow.

Failure Moves me To Jesus
So as you know, I was laid off from my part-time work in Syracuse and I did some research and wanted to volunteer my time until I find another part-time job...Thanks to my Syracuse Friend Kati, she recommended that I contact the Interreligious Council's Center for New Americans.

As some of you know, I had a desire to go to Sudan for short-term missions work in 2004 but due to circumstances at my former ministry, I had to stay behind before preparing for my trip there. It has haunted me for sometime and it was not clear how this would intersect at my life again...So I had a meeting with the Executive Director and we found mutual convictions and passions for the oppressed.

This Wednesday Jamie and I may have the opportunity to welcome a Sudanese family to the United States. I may volunteer with their Employment Specialist to develop a vocational program for these communities of refugees (in particular, there was a group of teens that they would like for me to work with). I can't begin to say how much this has brought me to a place of intimacy towards God and reminds me that there is a place for me here...where this an embrace of a common passion. They expressed that there may be some paid positions available to me...Pray for this opportunity as a time for nurturing, learning and preparation...

ONEHOUSE
I am preparing for my talk on Social Justice and Mercy for the unity worship night in the Fall called ONEHOUSE. I am excited to have the privilege of serving this ministry as it moves towards beyond the sake of unity towards a focus on addressing suffering on a global scale. We are partnering with World Vision to use the evening as a launchpad for the body of Christ to engage and lay a claim on our call to address the poor and the hungry.

asian emergent skypecast
I will be participating in the Asian American Emergent Skypcast tomorrow. It is coordinated by Bruce Reyes-Chow. This will be a quarterly (every 5th Sunday) discussion on Asian American Christians and the Emergent Church Movement. I look forward to exchanging ideas and thoughts on ministry.

Speaking at Herald Gospel Camp
I was asked to be the speaker at the Herald Gospel Camp at Camp Herald for their second session at camp. I am praying to see if I could be part of the ministry that was the beginning of my calling in full-time ministry.

Marriage and Moments of Love
Pray for our marriage as we are approaching our first year of marriage, it has been a joyous time but also a time of great adjustment. There is something very beautiful in this journey with one another and when our times of such fraility we find the arms of such acceptance of our wounded self...someone who sees you with a naked trust.

Please join me in praise for my beloved friend Amy who was baptized this past Sunday. She has come home after years of pursuing and I am so moved by her friendship...her authenticity and for allowing me to be part of her story...as she shared her doubts and her wonder of God's grace.

Please pray for my friend Wendy and her new apartment which is a ministry for community and for mutual encouragement in the body of Christ. I am so amazed by her commitment to move into the community she wants to minister to...

Pray for my friend Kim who lost her dad this past week and as she is undergoing thoughts of loss that she may come to a place of peace and healing.

To Financially Support the ministry please send checks (make payable to PaLM) to:
PaLM
48-19 196th Street
Fresh Meadows, New York
11365-1316
please mark memo: Asian American Laity Ministries or Peter Ong
All donations are tax-deductible

Monday, July 10, 2006

Definitions of moments

"Nothing shall be lost that is done for God or in obedience to Him." -- John Owen


Dear Friends and family,

I am still alive!!! Despite some recent sebacks (I got laid off from my Syracuse part-time position and some recent adjustments in my life in Syracuse) I am pressing forth and enjoying this time as a season of reflection and challenge to trust in His provision. To do things unto the Lord...out of reverence and devotion.

I am back and somewhat recovered from an intense week speaking at the New York Summer Conference at Hofstra. This annual Conference attracts about 1,400 participants each year as people from the east coast gather from different Chinese churches. I had the privilege this year to be the main speaker for the youth track. The theme verse was "Perserving Faith" based on Hebrews 11:39-12:1.

I want to thank you for all your prayers and your heart that reminds me of the "cloud of witnesses" that continue to encourage me. I am so blessed by the community of friends who continue to encourage and challenge with truth and love.

It was my third year attending this conference and in the past I felt a bit ambivalent about the conference because it was mostly for "churched" youth and I felt many of them were apathetic to their faith or to be too "familiar" with the whole conference "thing." But as I prayed and prepared for the talks, I became more and more passionate about giving these youth a challenge to engage with the gospel and to also be authentic with God, with each other and with themselves. As I opened up my talk on Friday night...I felt a stirring and despite all my cynicism, I wanted to be faithful to the preaching on the gospel...as the days went and I spoke, I spoke at the morning and evening sessions (the nights were shorter), I saw the youth being engaged with me...I really felt the presence of the Holy Spirit...and their eyes seem to respond with attentiveness and nodding (some nodding off too...).

Then on Sunday night, there was suppose to be an altar call for the youth...I told the leaders that I am not a big fan of altar calls and in my years at CCHC I didn't do altar calls but rather have the youth respond individually with God...it is confusing and emotional and sometimes the kids respond to the altar calls for different reasons (peer pressure, it is the thing to do...and just the pure emotions of it)...Also, I feel that it gives a false sense of the "defining moment" whereas our journey towards discipleship is a gradual and progressive one...that requires a series of defining moments instead of just one...I wanted the kids to respond to the gospel in their seats and in their own time...and not the altar...so, I expressed to the leadership that I wasn't going to do one...they supported me and we didn't plan on one...and I spoke to the worship team and they agreed with me....as I prepped for the evening talk about the journey of the "prodigal son" and Jesus's own journey toward calvary...and there was this heaviness in my heart...I felt in my heart that God was speaking;

"Peter, these are my followers, don't deny them the opportunity to walk from their seats toward the front...let them walk with me...towards calvary..."

and in that moment I looked up from the pulpit I saw the youth weeping...then I invited the youth to come up and commit their lives to Christ and to symbolically walk with Christ toward the altar. A dozen kids came forward and then another dozen...soon there was about 200 hundred youth who stood before me and some in their seats just weeping. As tears were coming from my eyes, I expressed to the youth that this is a moment of brilliant surrender...and that this is not the "defining moment" and to pursue God with diligence and to "come home."

As the conference closed, I saw these young church kids connect with the gospel and to renew their faith. We laughed we cried and the leadership and I were amazed the way God moved in these few days...and the "witnessing" night was filled with such authenticity as youth shared about issues dealing with drugs, addictions, brokenness, authenticity, and their return home this weekend...

Overall, it was one of those moments that God has given me as a way of reminding me of this simple truth, that He uses even me...to speak...to engage...to offer a simple message that reminds me that we are beautiful and God is beauty...

You can read about their experiences from the New York Summer Conference blogring or you can read comments from my xanga...

Fund Development
I am still in crunch time and the reality is setting in that I might not be able to start the ministry in the Fall but continuing and trusting. There has been some highlights as friends are supporting me and also so moments of faith that is so exciting to see what God will do in this next season of ministry. Pray for clarity as I share my heart for this new ministry that I am finding more and more is needed in the Asian American church.

Tiempo
Jamie and I had some time with friends and family. It was nice to spend time with her family and learning more about the stories that make up her life..I am so thankful for these friends! You guys remind me of the beauty of an Acts 2 church.

Speaking Engagements
I am getting ready for speaking in New York in September for the One House event which will have a focus on unity for the church and also a pursuit for Social Justice. I am also filling out the schedules for speaking at several conferences. I will be speaking at a joint service for OCM High School and College Fellowships.

I am planning out my summer to assist with church ministries in the Fall. OCM will not be needing my assistance with Zion, their college ministry and I am still working with New York Chinese Baptist Church to discuss my involvement with their start of their mentorship program.

Syracuse Alliance Church Youth Ministry
I organized a prayer walk in the community with several of the Youth Leadership Team members and we prayed along the outlining communities and also for an area where a lot of our youth come to our Wednesday night "Breakthrough" fellowship. Many of these kids are urban kids who are unchurched and God has done an amazing job of bringing them. After the prayer walk we had a productive meeting where we were able to strategize over some of the upcoming months and re-focusing our ministries. I am very thankful for a great team of people who are so committed and determined to serve these youth. I am still trying hard to be sensitive to them and not "step on their toes" and allow them to follow what God is directing the youth ministry to be.

Prayer Items
Funding Funding Funding...pray that according to His time, that the funding would come in so I can launch the Asian American Laity project with PaLM.

Jamie and I are in the midst of some transitions in Syracuse and discovering new possibilities for us to serve together. We are both anxious and excited as we want to make sure our direction is filled with Holy Spirit insight and that we make sure we continue to develop the relationships we have already and continue to seek a deeper fellowship with folks here.

Pray for friends who are getting married and our own prayer life to be filled with a sense of yearning and groaning for the glory of God.

Our friend Amy is getting baptized this weekend...we are so excited for her and praying that this public expression will be filled with such a recognition of bringing her home and into a deeper discipleship with Him.