Julia in Japan - Serving with Mustard Seed Network

19/03/2024

Hey friends and family! Ben and I send email updates every month now, so I probably won't post often on this page anymore. Please subscribe to our email list if you want to stay informed: https://mailchi.mp/mustardseed/juliaandben

Also, if you missed January and February's emails, you can check them out here: https://juliainjapan.home.blog/newsletters/

This week I'm prepping for Easter's Kids Class parties.
Here's a pic of the craft the elementary kids will do (and our sort of dystopian view from the church building haha).
:-) Have a great rest of your week!

05/01/2024

Here is our end of the year update for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. We also celebrated a baptism on Sunday (12/31)! Praising and thanking God for the people he brought into His family in 2023. ^_^

29/11/2023

After 5 weeks, 3 states, 7 churches, and many memorable meet-ups with family and friends, Ben and I arrived safely in Japan last night. Our month in the States went as smoothly as we could have hoped. While in New Jersey, it was a joy to meet so many of the people that love and support Ben (and now us ^_^). And although our time in California was shorter than I would’ve liked, it was very sweet and encouraging and good for our souls. Super grateful to the churches that hosted us and gave us space to share. And thank you to all of you who prayed for us throughout our time in the U.S., whether in person or not. Saying goodbye this time around was extra bittersweet for me because I’ve realized more and more over this last year+ that I really miss my family/community in SoCal; it’s moments like these when I need to pause and remember why I’m in Japan at all. God loves the people here and we want them to know that. :-) Currently in the process of writing a longer update—please subscribe if you haven’t yet!! https://mailchi.mp/mustardseed/juliaandben

18/10/2023

Hello friends!! Sorry for the long break. We sent out our update yesterday. (Link to that email below.) The big news is that next Wednesday we're flying to the States! We'll be in New Jersey (Ben's hometown) for a few weeks and Brea from Nov 15-27. GSC and Hillside friends: I'll be there on Nov 19. Southlands friends: I'll be sharing briefly at both services at Southlands on Nov 26 and will also be having a lunch in the chapel after the 10:30 service. Looking forward to seeing lots of you soon!! :-)

26/08/2023

08/08/2023

This will be my final post about Hiroshima, but I’m so excited to share that 100% of the funds needed for Hiroshima’s building campaign have been raised! I’ve been amazed by how quickly God provided for the church through churches and generous individuals. Although I will no longer be posting updates about MSCC Hiroshima, please continue to pray with me for the team, the congregation, and the people in Hiroshima who still need to hear the gospel.

07/08/2023

It’s been a crazy several months but Ben and I are married! 💍✨ Getting back to OC in the middle of a big move was a challenge, but it was amazing to get to see family and friends, as well as some loved ones from across the country and around the world who made the trek to get to our wedding. Super grateful for everyone who came and that it all went so smoothly. Ben and I arrived safely back in Japan on Friday and are now in the process of transitioning to our life together here. Tomorrow I’ll go into the office and begin full time work as staff at MSCC Kyoto. I have a few weeks to adjust and get situated before officially taking on the position as director of children’s and family ministry. I do feel a little nervous and intimidated because there is so much to learn and the team dynamic will be very different compared to Hiroshima’s, but knowing I’ll have a lot of support from the staff here and from congregation helps put me at ease. I would love your prayers that I’d continue to diligently seek God in the midst of the business, and that God would give me guidance as I work to identify how to grow the church’s family ministries for His glory.

Enjoy a couple film photos that my friend Claudine took!

10/07/2023

75% raised! Also, we got the key to the building today, so we'll be able to start renovations very soon. 🙂

03/07/2023

Over 25% has been raised to fund and furnish the new building!! Please keep praying with us. 😊

22/06/2023

God has provided a building for us to gather each week! We're super excited to have a space that will help us share the gospel with more people in Hiroshima. We'll receive the keys on July 10th and hope to begin remodeling immediately after. To cover the upfront costs of this project (which include deposits, realtor and remodeling fees, and furnishings), we're launching a building campaign. Please pray with us for the necessary funds to be fully met and consider letting others know so we can spread the word. I'll keep you all updated about the total amount remaining as the campaign progresses. :-)

23/05/2023

After the worship service on Sunday, we had a barbecue at the river, and it was very well-attended! Everyone who went to the church gathering (including a visiting team of 14 Americans from a supporting church) attended the BBQ; we were excited to see lots of our new friends from Hiroshima English Connect events there as well. We stayed until the sun began to set, around 7pm (nearly 6 hours total!!), and the majority of people stayed the entire time. Many meaningful conversations were had and relationships were deepened. As Creed said today during staff meeting, the purpose of these outreach events is not that everything goes smoothly and everyone has fun (though that is strongly preferable of course 😉), but that the connections made will lead to further opportunities for people to know Christ and grow in Christ. Everyone on our team will be reaching out to those who came on Sunday, so please be praying for the salvation of our new friends.