Indian Reformed Fellowship - Australia
NEWS AND PRAYER NOTES
September - November 2015
Open Air PreachingWith CRA in Ramachandrapuram
Pastor Moses preaching from the Gospel of Luke each evening of the days of Lent in Ramachandrapuram

IRFA News and Prayer Notes
September- November 2015
Richard & Ann


Ann and I would like to thank all those who received us and cared for us during the months of June, July and August whilst we were visiting our supporting churches in Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and now Queensland.  It seems that I was away from home forever.  Our home church at St John's Presbyterian Church, Annerley gave us a lovely welcome home.  When we were in Tasmania the common consensus was that I had been on the road for too long and I was getting tired.  Next year we will be making these trips so that I am only away from home for no more than four weeks at a time.

It has been a great privilege to be able to meet so many of our supporting families and churches.  Being able to bring God's Word to many of our supporting churches was probably the highlight of our visitation.  Our Triune God is doing His work amongst us and there are a host of stars that are holding forth the testimony of the Gospel across our Australian Church Body.  When we attend a single church, we could easily become discouraged by the smallness of our testimony; but if you had the privilege of visiting the wider testimony within the churches of God, as I have in these past months, you would be encouraged and would acknowledge that the Lord is very much on His throne doing His work.

Yours in His all sufficient grace

Richard and Ann Wilson 
Playfoot Family
Playfoot Family
Introduction

Our plans for the 2015 Second Season of Ministry in India are now well advanced.  There is a two-pronged approach that we are taking this time around.  I will be leaving for India on 22nd September where I will begin my six weeks of ministry making my usual Circuit of Ministry which will conclude on 2nd November.  However, Rev. James and Mrs Katy Playfoot from the Broadford Presbyterian Church in Victoria will be travelling with their family of seven on 22nd December when I will meet them at the Delhi airport.  They will commence their three-month season of ministry commencing in Delhi for a week of orientation and family holiday activities before they travel from Delhi on to the Darjeeling Hills District at Mirik.  The Playfoot's are renting a house in Mirik that is close to the Darjeeling Hills Bible School where they will be ministering for the months of October, November and December using their long service leave for cross-cultural ministry.  We are very grateful to the Lord's provision that, although I personally am confining my visits to India for a month at a time, the Lord has brought the Playfoot's to minister in my place for the extended period of time.

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PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILLING:
  1. '...meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ...' (Colossians 4:3)
  2. Pray for safety particularly for the Playfoot family as they will be particularly conspicuous. As they travel to India and also in the first week when they are travelling extensively to take in the sights of 'Incredible India'
  3. Pray for the the Playfoof family as they settle into their new home for the next 2 1/2 months in a rented house on the boundary of the Darjeeling Hills Bible School, Mirik. 
  4. Pray for Katie and the children as they participate in the life of the students at the Bible school and the little they school called Mount Zion School. They will be also involved in the food relief ministry of compassion that is a feeding centre for young children.
  5. Pray for James as he will be teaching regularly each day at the Bible school on the subject of 'Christ and the Prophets'.He will also take pastoral theology classes as well.
  6. As the Playfoot Family settle down And the wider ministry from outside the Bible school is opened to them they will need guidance and wisdom as they visit churches and other points of ministry.
  7. Pray that they all enjoy good health and that they will be able to say as the apostle Paul said to the Romans as he prays for his part in their ministry, 'that I am a impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established - that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me' (Romans 1:11- 12).



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2015 Second Season of Ministry in India
Youth Rally RPC I - Delhi
Combined Youth Rally of the 11 church planting congregations of RPCI In Delhi.

Reformed and Presbyterian Church of India - Delhi: 22-30 September 2015

The Playfoot family will be taking a family holiday and visiting various sites around Delhi including the Golden Temple, Delhi Fort and the Taj Mahal.  We will be all orientating ourselves for the coming ministry.  As usual, I will be boarding with Rev. Hiralal and Luxmi Solanki at Hari Nagar, New Delhi.  The Playfoot's will be staying in a local hotel.

I will be picking up where I left off in my last visit working with the pastors of the RPCI, but particularly with the 11 church-planting congregations throughout the vast suburban regions of Delhi.  There will be three visits to Delhi during this Season of Ministry.

In the first visit to Delhi, I will be working with Hiralal Solanki and making sure that everything planned for the Playfoot family is done.

There will be a second opportunity for ministry after returning from the Darjeeling Hills District and Sikkim when I will be in Delhi from 10th to 13th October.  My focus will be on the pastors and elders of RPCI in teaching ministry and pastorally visiting these congregations.

Ann will be joining me, along with Rev. Rod Scott from Melbourne, in Kathmandu, Nepal on the 17th October and travelling with me to Ramachandrapuram then back to Delhi and onwards to home.  There will be further opportunity for ministry in our last leg of our journey where the final pieces of our ministry in Delhi can be made.  Hiralal Solanki reports as follows:

Warm Christian greetings to you

It has been a time that I wrote to you.  I trust God is keeping you in good health and making you a blessing to many.  How are your grandchildren doing?  Are they keeping you busy? 

Hearing about Nepal (earthquake) was a great shock and I trust our brother Uma is fine.  I do not have his email.  Others i.e Mahendra , Arbin and the group are fine.
 
In last three months March-April-May the Lord has been great and using me in His kingdom for his glory in various ways.
I feel privileged to be in His hands. 
  1.  Mahrauli - PBPC - leader - Sanjay Yadav - I continue to minister every first Sunday there celebrating Lord's Table and ministering the Word.   I also take time to encourage and fellowship with Sanjay Yadav. 
  2. Kalyanpuri - Leader - Dhiren Jena - MBPC - I continue to minister every Second Sunday there celebrating Lord's Table and ministering the Word.  I also take time to encourage and fellowship with Dhiren Jena.  He has few month old baby boy in family.  There are two ladies ready for baptism there. 
  3. Pune - Leader Ajay Lal- I have made two visits, one in March and one in April, there is a fellowship of believers led by our brother Ajay Lal, I am regularly encouraging them with ministry of Word and visits.  We are also looking for more church planters to minster in that area, leading to a new presbytery being formed.  We need to train more candidates for the missions there.
  4. I am encouraged and blessed to be involved in "God's Word Works" project.  This is to develop a commentary in Hindi language, for grassroots workers in North India. 
  5. I need your prayers for my studies.  I am looking at a PhD soon to commence. 
Also prayer for my daughter, who appeared for Year 12 exams and her results which are expected in June.  She wants to study either English or Psychology. 

Thanks for love and support

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Prayer points: 
  1. 'For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you' (Romans 1:9-10)
  2. Pray particularly for Rev Hiralal Solanki and the host of stars that labour side-by-side in the fellowship of the Gospel. Pray for Rev Anjan Jena who is doing his masters degree at PTS Dehra Dun. Pray for his congregation in Delhi that continues to grow in his absence.
  3. Pray for the political situation in India and that the Ministry of the Gospel will extend despite potential persecution from militant Hindu and Muslim political groups.
  4. Continue to pray for the Solanki's stipendary support that is being raised through the Fellowship of churches here in Australia. We are deeply grateful for these funds that have been dedicated to Hiralal's support. 
  5. Pray for the wider work that Hiralal Solanki can now be committed to because he is being supported for this work.Take time to read his report and pray specifically for these many points of ministry.
  6. Pray for the safe arrival of my wife Ann and Rod Scott from Melbourne as they will be joining me in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The changing face of rural Nepal since the earthquake
Nepal Campus Church (NCC), Kathmandu and Bethesda International Language and Leadership Development Centre (BLLDC), Pokhara, Napal: 14-22 October 2015.

After setbacks in Nepal in regard to developing the LEM Phonics programme we have agreed to meet with a Christian missionary organisation known as 'Bethesda LLDC' in Pokhara, Nepal that would like to talk through the feasibility of becoming an LEM Phonics Centre.  We believe that Bethesda has got the maturity and Christian focus that could develop LEM Phonics across its international language and leadership development ministry in Nepal.  I have agreed to spend a couple of days in Pokhara with Bethesda LLDC with the view of developing a strategy for this to happen.  If this could work out we believe everything that we have sought to do in Nepal in relationship to our educational consultancy work could flourish once again.

My trip from Delhi to Kathmandu and then by bus to Kathmandu will give me good first-hand insights on how the country is recovering from the major earthquakes last April.  Pastor Uma Sharma from the Nepal Campus Church has formed a dedicated team so that he has been travelling regularly to many remote areas in Nepal delivering aid to needy people, particularly those that may be neglected because they are regarded as Christians.  In this way Uma can focus on areas where he has ministered the Gospel previously before the earthquake.  This has given greater access and ongoing ministry to these communities.  For those that have given so generously to this particular work of Pastor Uma Sharma and his team of elders and deacons we wish to express our deepest gratitude to you.  Uma reports as follows:

J
ust supervision of aid relief
I do appreciate for your continue prayer for us.

Two months before, in earthquakes, our church member "Ghyan Ramtel" lost his house.  It was completely damaged.  This house was in little high place (this is hilly district and Ramechhap District also mostly affect district) of Ramechhap district.  When his house was damaged, he moved from high place to down place.  Moved place was near the river side and it was little bit plain.  We helped him small amount of money and some relief supplies in first week of May.

The rainy season has started in Nepal.  There was a six hour huge downpour of flooding rain last week in Ramechhap district.  Through that rain flooded the river and all the water came in his house so he ran away from that place with his family.  He called us on 29th June afternoon.  Immediately we went Ramechhap district to help him.  It takes four hours to get his place by motor bike.  We were three brothers from our church.  We rescued all family members and cattle and we also kept safe all cloths.  It is all wet food stuffs.  We continue helped four days (30th June to 3rd July) to our member Ghyan Ramtel and some neighbours to make small cottage to keep safe his family and cattle.  We came in Kathmandu on 4th July morning to do worship service in our church.  After worship service we collected some money and relief supplies and went again in Ramechhap district.  Whole day on Sunday we distribute small package of food supplies and came back to Kathmandu on midnight of Sunday (yesterday night).

You know our rented church building is cracked so that we are moving in new place on 18th July.  It was hard to find the building for church in this situation in Kathmandu but God's grace we found.  I have to manage so many things (curtains, carpet) in moving process.  Please pray for this moving process.

Please pray for:
  1. Moving process of Campus Church (18th July) and its sustainability.
  2. A van for Day Care Centre to pick up and drop for needy children.  When we move in new place, it would be hard to our DCC children to come in our church (new place) so that parents are requesting us to provide transportation facility.
  3. Ghayn Ramtel and other our church members who lost houses and possessions in earthquakes, flood and landslide.
  4. Work of relief.
Please convey my greetings to your family.

Since the earthquakes, Nepal has been in turmoil, but Christians in Nepal are even more fearful of political developments that are designed to curb the obvious numbers that are being converted to the Lord Jesus Christ from Hinduism.  With the 10-year civil war behind them and the massacre of the Royal family from within which led to the abdication of the King of Nepal there has been an eight-year period of political 'argy-bargy' without any settlement on the future Constitution of Nepal.  The Maoists have been concerned that any future Constitution should be secular which would ensure freedom of religion.  Other political groups have been divided; but the Hinduvada influences from India are meddling and exploiting the situation.  Uma reports as follows:

Growing numbers at worship with the Nepal Campus Church - Fourth Anniversary Service
Dear Rev. Richard
Jaymasiah (Blessing in Jesus)

Many thanks for your continue prayer for us.  I do appreciate your prayer for Nepal Campus Church and Shineland pre-school.

There was a great revolution in 2006 in Nepal and announced a republican and a secular country.  Past these eight years God blessed this country and many people came in Christ.  This is sad news that past these eight years political parties became weak to make a republican and secular constitution for this nation.  When many people came in Christ and established many churches, now these days many political parties started to speak against God's work.

Political parties are planning to bring a constitution within one month but it is sad news that they are turning back from their past decision and trying to write a Hindu country in constitution.  We believe that no one can stop God's work but these people are trying to make difficult to work in God's kingdom.  Much appreciated your prayers for this nation and work in God's kingdom.

Whatever situations come, we will serve our mighty Lord in this country and share the gospel to our people.  Last week on Saturday we were 72 people in worship service.  Worship hall was full.  Thank you very much for your encouragement, prayer and generous help.

In Christ,
Uma.

We are looking forward to administering with Pastor Uma Sharma as we preach and teach in the Gospel of John to relatively new converts from the university ministry in Kathmandu.  There is now a sizable group that are beginning to look to Christ not only for their salvation but also for their usefulness in the Kingdom of God.  Defining and honing the Gospel story and Gospel doctrine is a great need amongst these new disciples of Christ.  Uma will be translating as we develop these studies.  There will be ample opportunity for Gospel discussion.

We will be staying with Uma, his wife Santosh and family along with Uma's mother who is still unconverted but discussing the Gospel freely.  Their house still remains undamaged from the earthquakes but the house which is being rented for the ministry of the Nepal Campus Church has been declared unsafe.  However, there is great rejoicing because the congregation has now found a new facility in which to conduct their ministry.  This new house is actually owned by a Christian man who is living in London.

We will have an opportunity to visit areas that have been devastated by the earthquakes of last May.  There is great rejoicing in the money that has been received through the Nepal Earthquake Appeal so that relief work can be done through Uma and his team of Elders and Deacons even to the remote areas of Nepal.  The reprint of Christianity Explored, which was translated by Uma, needs to be reprinted and we are looking to the Lord for this project also.
 
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Prayer points:
  1. Pray for a breakthrough with the IRFA educational Consultancy ministry as we work together with Bethesda LLDC In Pokhara.
  2. Give thanks to God that the congregation of Nepal Campus Church is safe after the earthquake.
  3. Give thanks to God also for the permanent place of residence that remained untouched by the earthquake in which Uma and Santosh Sharma are now living with Uma's mother
  4. Please pray for the various IRFA Projects that are now needing funds:
  • The republication of 'Christianity Explored' material that was translated and published first two years ago and is now needing republication. 
  • Pray for funds to come in so that Pastor Uma Sharma can continue his missionary visitation work into the remote parts of Nepal. 
  • Pray for continuing finances Through the Dutch brethren that are paying for the rent for the buildings used for ministry.
  • Ghayn Ramtel and other our church members who lost houses and possessions in earthquakes, flood and landslide. Work of relief.

Elizabeth Kendal
Elizabeth Kendal
NEPAL'S CONSTITUTION: RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AT RISK 
By Elizabeth Kendal 

BACKGROUND: Until quite recently Nepal was the world's only Hindu kingdom.  Things changed in February 2005 when King Gyanendra seized absolute power in a bloodless coup, sending anti-monarchy sentiment soaring.  By November 2005 Nepal's previously disparate opposition parties had united in a 'Seven Party Alliance' (SPA) to oppose totalitarian royal rule.  By April 2006 Kathmandu was paralysed, crippled by mass demonstrations.  King Gyanendra was forced to step down.  The Maoists then declared a ceasefire and on 18 May 2006 Nepal's new SPA Parliament publicly declared that Nepal would no longer be a Hindu kingdom but a secular democratic republic.  In historic polls on 10 April 2008 Nepalis elected a Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting the new secular constitution - something Hindu nationalists vehemently opposed.  In May 2012 the Assembly dissolved after failing to meet its fourth and final deadline for a new constitution.  What followed was years of procrastination and Hindu nationalist agitation.  Propelled into action by the devastating April 2015 earthquake, Nepal's Parliament agreed on 8 June to move forward on the constitution.  [For background see 'Religious Liberty Monitoring, label: Nepal'] 

CONSTITUTION 2015: Nepalese h opes that a new Cconstitution will be finalised by mid-August 2015 are under a cloud as protesters continue to express their displeasure over the draft.  The main concern for Christians is the loss of religious liberty.  Though Article 31 enshrines the right to profess and practise one's own religion, it also enshrines anti-conversion legislation.  Clause 3 of Article 31 reads: 'In exercising the right entrusted by this article, any act which may be contrary to public health, public decency or morality or incitement to breach public peace or act to convert another person from one religion to another or any act or behaviour to undermine or jeopardise the religion of each other is not allowed and such act shall be punishable by law.'  Nepal advocacy officer for Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Martin Dore, rightly observes, 'That would make it "illegal" to change religion, evangelise, or even explain one's religion.'  Lokmani Dhakal, one of the four Christians in Nepal's 601-member Constituent Assembly, is left asking, 'Without freedom to speak about one's faith, what is the meaning of religious freedom?'

Christians are also concerned that, after public consultations, the term 'secular' has been dropped.   As  C.B. Gahatraj, General Secretary of the National Federation of Christians, explains, Nepalese Christians want to see secularism institutionalised in the Constitution, with Christianity recognised to protect Nepali Christians from discrimination and persecution.  However, it now seems likely that Nepal will be declared a Hindu state with 'religious freedom', but not the 'religious freedom' described in Article 18 of the 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights'.  Not only is conversion being portrayed as an abuse or 'misuse' of religious freedom, it seems that Hindu nationalists have convinced Nepalis that secularism would result in mass conversions, to the detriment of Nepali culture.  As the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev. Dr Angus Morrison, observes, 'The growing threat to religious freedom around the world is, I believe, one of the most pressing issues of our time.'  His appeal 'on behalf of our partners and friends in Nepal' is that this matter be raised with the government of Nepal, to 'help ensure that, in its proper sense, freedom of religion for all people in Nepal is enshrined in the country's new constitution'. 

In an excellent opinion piece entitled 'Religious Tolerance' (Kathmandu Post, 29 July 2015), Nepalese Christian David Kainee goes right to the heart of the matter:

"The current debate over secularism is taking place partly due to the resurgence of some political leaders who are exploiting the religious sentiments of the people to purge their tainted images in a bid to bounce back into politics.  These leaders are inciting hatred against religious minorities which is polluting the environment of religious tolerance for which Nepal is known all over the world.  The concept of secularism holds that the government or other entities should exist separately from religion and religious beliefs.  But it is sad to say that secularism has been wrongly interpreted in Nepal.  If the constitution of Nepal enshrines secularism, it does not mean that every Hindu will be converted into Christians or Muslims - it is only a movement towards the separation of religion and government.  Secularism will not weaken nationalism.  For peace and prosperity, we need to defeat the forces of religious extremism in the country, otherwise Nepal is sure to take the path of communal politics like in the Gulf and Middle Eastern countries where hundreds of people are being killed in religious violence every day.  Let's close the chapter of giving a political colour to religion which is polarising Nepali society - instead, plant the seed of tolerance and unity which is my fervent prayer for our country Nepal."' 

Let us join our Nepali brothers and sisters in fervent prayer for their country.

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PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL
  • intervene in Nepal, to preserve religious liberty.  May our great redeeming God redeem this divisive debate on secularism and religious freedom and use it to open eyes, hearts and minds to the dangers posed by communalism, the risks inherent in rolling back liberty and the blessings to be gained from freedom. 
  • grant influential Nepalese Christians divine wisdom and authority as they seek to influence the debate, advocate for religious freedom and counter Hindu nationalist propaganda.
  • grant Nepalese Christians, evangelists, church workers and church leaders divine wisdom as they navigate the path ahead; may God continue to build his Church in Nepal.
'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it will be opened to you.' (Matthew 7:7 ESV)

 
Open Air PreachingWith CRA in Ramachandrapuram
Open Air Preaching with CRA in Ramachandrapuram
Covenant Reformed Assemblies, Ramachandrapuram, 
Andhra Pradesh:  
22nd-27th October 2015

We will travel together from Kathmandu to Delhi and then on to Hyderabad and Rajamundry in Andhra Pradesh.  We are booked to take flights that will take only one day although, from experience these flights can be changed too easily.  If all goes well we will be met by Pastor Moses and Hepsiba at the Rajamundry airport at 5:40 PM.  The car trip to Ramachandrapuram is around an hour - which means that we are looking forward to a good meal at Pastor Moses's house.  The three of us - Ann, Rod, Scott, and myself - will actually be staying in a local hotel because Pastor Moses's house is very small and situated beside a rice paddy that is often visited by snakes.  Moses is a renowned snake- killer but, I still am rather hesitant in staying there.

Our ministry will be taken up with teaching seminars for the pastors and elders of the various congregations of CRA.  I will be speaking on 'The Principles of Biblical Worship'; but we are still undecided about what Rod Scott will be speaking on.  We will have an opportunity to visit friends who are in the Ramachandrapuram area.   Pastor Moses wrote an email some six weeks ago describing a tragic situation caused by Hindu superstition as follows:

"The blood of Jesus, His son purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.
 
Dear Sir,

Today morning very tragedy happened in Rajahmundry.  As I wrote to you already right now in our area very great Hindu festival is going on.  It is called "Maha Pushkarams".  People from many districts come and take holy dips in the river called Godavari.  The Hindu people(pagan worshipers) believe that their sins are forgiven by these ceremonials.  This festival is scheduled from 14 July through 25 July.  Since it is first day thousands of people were waiting to take their holy dip soon after our Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's family.  And after his departure thousands of people rushed to the Pushkara Ghat ( the place of dip/bathing).  While they were getting in to the river 27 people were trampled by the great crowd and died on the spot while 70 people nearly were still under suffocation in the hospital.  Since it is only 40 kms away from my home town I visited this afternoon along with my friend.  After seeing the spot we had to grieve a lot on the incident.  Please pray for our people who are superstitious and under the bondage of the Satan. Thanking you....

Your brother in Christ,

Pastor G. Moses,
CCRA-India.

CRA Rural Church Building Project
 
The new temporary building for worship, which has been placed on the vacant land belonging to the Poelmans, is a great addition for the work at Ramachandrapuram.  Pastor Moses and his family have been living there for many years on a rent-free basis; and the building is now comfortably full when worship services are held each Lord's Day.
 
We must regard the building of the Christ CRA buildings as a major priority in the coming years.  At the moment, my organisation, 'IRFA', in Australia has raised only AU$10,000 but we are looking for other ways of raising money for this project.  My strategy is that we should buy, through CR Society, held in trust for CCRA Congregation, a rice-paddy that can pay back any monies expended on this project.  If this could become a project for Cornerstone URC, I think we would be in a 'bull's roar' of getting this project underway.  I believe the time is right in terms of CRA's development and the particular needs of CCRA.

 
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Prayer points:
  1. Give thanks to God for the foundation support from PresAid PCA (Australia) for the 'Rural Church Building Fund' for Covenant Reformed Assemblies in Andhra Pradesh.  Pray that further funds will be given to this foundation support so that building can commence with supporting paddy fields' production, and therefore these funds can be repaid progressively for others to use in the future.
  2. Continue to pray for our safety and good health. Pray for our ministry amongst the pastors, elders and deacons along with their families. We pray that the teaching subject on Bibical Worship and other material shall be of God's appointment.
  3. Pray for all the students for the ministry that are studying at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Dehra Dun. There are three students currently preparing for the ministry of Word and Sacrament.

In servicing the teachers at Faith Academy March 2015
Faith Academy, Delhi: 28 October 2015

Peter Frogley, Director of LEM Phonics is visiting Rajamundry at the same time that we will be in Ramachandrapuram.  We will be meeting to travel together from Rajamundry back to Delhi on 27th October.  A special visitation is arranged for Peter Frogley and ourselves to visit Faith Academy in Delhi so that Peter may observe the LEM Phonics programme that has been adopted at Faith Academy.  As a result of running seminars the entire primary staff of Faith Academy is now using LEM Phonics, and Faith Academy has become a model school for the Delhi area.

On Friday, 30th October all of us will be treated with attending a Christian wedding in Delhi where the son of the Vice-Principal, Elizabeth Robert of Faith Academy, will be getting married.

After the Lord's Day, which is Reformation Day, we will be returning to Brisbane via Singapore.  Our returning date is 5th November.


VBS Covenant Reformed Assemblies style
Reformation Day Appeal

The IRFA Council, after consulting with various stakeholders including PresAid, has said that we wish to make an appeal to the churches and to Christian individuals to consider a special Reformation Day Collection for a particular project in India.  

This year we wish to promote the need of the particularly poor churches of Covenant Reformed Assemblies in and around Ramachandrapuram, Andhra Pradesh.  We want to set up the 'CRA Rural Church Building Trust'.  We have already raised AU$10,000 towards this Trust which was graciously raised through PresAid Easter Appeal.  However, for this money to become useful we need a target of a further AU$30,000.  

Could we ask you to consider the occasion of Reformation Day that is officially 31st October to make an appeal for a special offering to assist toward the 'CRA Rural Church Building Trust'?  The details of this appeal may be published separately in preparation for such an appeal, and is as follows:

IRFA Reformation Day Appeal - October 2015
'CRA Rural Church Building Trust'
 
At the moment the central work in the town of Ramachandrapuram is growing rapidly, but it is dependent upon rented facilities for Pastor Moses and his family and for a place of worship and ministry.

Now that Covenant Reformed Assemblies are founded on biblically sound structures and governments that are operating smoothly, it is proposed to now set up a 'CRA Church Building Trust Account' that will support the building of capital works such as pastors' residences and worship centres.  The monies from 'CRA Church Building Trust Account' will be given on an interest-free loan basis so that monies will be retrieved for new capital works within the CRA denomination only.

From the money raised for this project from the Reformation Day Appeal in 2015 we will establish a launch fund within the 'CRA Church Building Trust Account'.

It will initially be deployed in purchasing land at Ramachandrapuram and building a Pastor's Residence along with a Worship Centre for the growing CRA congregation.  Once the building is built it is possible to commence a small Christian Day School, which will also contribute toward repayments.

A block of land is available for around A$12,000.  To build a pastor's residence and Worship Centre on that block would be around another A$12-A$13,000.

'CRA Church Building Trust Account' will be founded and operated by the denomination's 'Covenant Reformed Church Society' (CRS) for the benefit of all CRA congregations.

As capital monies are raised and as the money is paid back by the congregation, out of its own resources over a number of years, then that money can be redeployed into other projects.

This will also mean that each congregation, according to the CRA Constitution, will be the legal 
Pastor Moses and Hepsiba with their three daughters - Prasanthi, Sarala Christy and Ruth Shiny
owners of such properties and the title deeds held for safekeeping in CRS.  The pastor or other individu als should not own church property, as it is sadly often the case in India.

It would be wise for the pastors to develop their own resources for their personal housing in retirement which would leave behind them an inheritance for their children.  But they will not be able to use the 'CRA Capital Building Trust Fund' for personal use.

Sponsored by:  
                   
Indian Reformed Fellowship - Australia
PO Box 6125, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102
Contact: Rev Richard Wilson - Pastoral Coordinator
Phone: +617 3271 4119  |  Mobile: 0411 090 398
richard@logosec.com.au  |  www.irfa.org.au

Contributions maybe made to:

Endorsed Cheque / Money Order - payable to 
Indian Reformed Fellowship-Australia
Bank Transfer Deposit: 
Commonwealth Bank
Project Account   
BSB 064-173 
Account Number 1047 4942 
(Please Tag 'CRA Rural Trust')

 
Contact Information

Richard Wilson
 
INDIAN REFORMED FELLOWSHIP - AUSTRALIA
Enchiridion Education Services Pvt Ltd
Darjeeling Hills Bible School, Deosey Dara, Mirik (India)
PO: DS, Mirik, Darjeeling, West Bengal  16 Cassatt Place, Forest Lake Qld 4078, Australia
Phone:       +61 7 3271 4119 H/W     
Mobile:      0411 090 398 (Australia) 
                  +91 97 4921 4046 (West Bengal & North-east India)
                  +91 99 7184 8624 (Delhi & North-west India)
Skype:        richard.wilson76
E-mail:         rwdwilson@logosec.com.au   
alt:                rwilson794@gmail.com