Weekly Update

Hello Friends and Family,
Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving! We celebrated with the other Americans who work with us. It was a nice day of fun and relaxing. I must admit, it felt a little funny celebrating a holiday that nobody around you was celebrating. We enjoyed a turkey dinner with all the works. Anna made some pumpkin and apple pies, ummm…..delicious! After stuffing ourselves, we all went outside and worked off our food by playing both American and European football. We were sore for the next couple days…a great reminder of all the fun!

Blackheath “Switch-On” Christmas Lights
Friday night was absolutely amazing. Beeches Road was invited to go to the town center of Blackheath and sing carols and give a brief devotional. It was great to pass out literature and invite many people to our special Christmas Carol service on December 13. It was a wonderful opportunity to reach our community!

Sunday Services
Anna has been visiting a lady named, Charlene, for the past couple weeks. On Sunday, Charlene and her son came to church. Please pray the Lord will continue to do a work in her heart. She is searching for the truth. Please pray Charlene will come back to church next Sunday. We also had four other first time visitors attend on Sunday. God is blessing! We had quite the exciting Sunday School with 44 children attending! What a privilege it is to serve the Lord.

State School Opportunities
Anna is enjoying every opportunity the Lord gives her to enter the schools and teach. Nearly every week we meet a new contact within the school district who seems interested. Anna will be teaching a year 6 and 7 class next week. Please pray she will have wisdom as she prepares to teach the true meaning of Christmas.

Visitation
Kevin is busily preparing the Christmas literature for this month. Lord willing, we will be passing out hundreds of invitations for our Carol Service. In the next couple weeks we will be spending many hours visiting and dropping leaflets through doors. Please pray we will have a good response. Traditionally, the Christmas Carol Service is the highest attended service of the year and attracts the most visitors.

Thank you so much for your prayers! May God bless you this week...

Christmas Caroling

Wow.....it worked! I was trying something new. I will write all about this and MORE on Wednesday. Have a great day. :) Enjoy the little slideshow...

Weekly Update

Thank you for your many prayers and support. We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend. As we reflect on God’s goodness today, we have much to be thankful.
Yesterday Anna was able to go into a local high school and teach in a Religious Education class. It was a class of about twenty- eight year 7 students. She was able to teach them about God and creation. Two of the students already knew Anna because their siblings attend the chapel. They have invited us back to teach in other classes and also some assemblies. It is great to see how God has opened a door for us to teach the Bible in a state school. Here are a few thoughts from Anna…

“Have you ever done something half-hearted? Knowing God could open this door, but not having faith? Sadly, that is how I walked into the local high school a couple weeks ago. Why was I so shocked when God opened a door for us to minister to this needy school? We serve a powerful God! As I sheepishly walked around the school searching for the people I needed to contact, I felt out of place. “Lord, please help me” I muttered. This seems to be my frequent prayer, since I often feel inadequate. After speaking to the head of the Religious Education department, she asked if I could start teaching in the school. Since God had given me an opportunity to teach before, and I had the necessary essentials to teach in a state school, they warmly welcomed me. Their religious education program is broken into the five main religions of the world; I am able to freely speak about Christianity. I went on Tuesday to observe, I sat on my seat completely stunned! The teacher was speaking about the Islamic prayers. My heart was touched as I walked away with an enormous burden to pray for our young people. WE MUST PRAY SATAN DOES NOT CONFUSE THEM. They are searching for the truth. Thanks so much for your prayers. Please continue to pray the Lord will enable me and give me wisdom. The school offered to gather over 200 children for me to hold an assembly. What a privilege!”

God has also given us a great opportunity to reach the community this Friday, November 27th. The city council has asked us if our church could lead the Christmas carols at the Christmas Light Switch On and also give a ten minute message about the true meaning of Christmas. We will also be passing out many gospel tracts and invitations to our Christmas Carol Service on December 13th. This was a real answer to prayer for them to contact us. Please pray that God will work in people’s hearts and they would be receptive to the gospel and join us at church.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

(sorry no pictures this week!)

World Mission Conference

Thrillling. Encouraging. Challenging. Those are a few words to describe our first ever Mission Conference at Beeches Road. The week started with building a Mongolian Ger and French Café in the Sunday School room. The youth rally girls made flags from around the world, and the children decorated a banner. The room was transformed into an international display. We even made passports for each of the children! Every night the children could enjoy visiting the ger and café, getting their passport stamped, write to a missionary, receive a toy, taste international food, play games, and meet the missionaries! We also were able to hear a different Sunday School class sing and quote scripture every service! What a blessing. There is so many exciting things ahead in the near future. This conference was used to prepare many people for the future work God has for us. We hope and pray God used this conference to show believers their need to surrender their life to the Lord. The gospel was clearly presented each evening, pray for those who have not yet accepted God’s gift of salvation.

The French Cafe

The Mongolian Ger

What a blessing it was to hear over 40 children sing "Be a Missionary!"

Each evening a different Sunday School class sang....

Meeting the Missionaries

The children really enjoyed having a passport! :)

We had their picture taken in a "photo booth" and every evening they received a stamp!

Writing to the missionaries...

Playing "Pin the Tale on the Reindeer" (Mongolia)

Fishing on the coast of France

Tasting French Crepes

International Banquet - We had around 70 people attend!

We had over 50 different children during the conference and 60-70 people attend each of the services!

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the unttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8

We now have a church website if you would like to visit, http://www.beechesroadbaptistchapel.com/

It's slightly under construction, but is nearly finished. We have already seen people visit our church through the website. Enjoy!

Thanks for your love and support! God is our strength and help.

GOD IS SO GOOD!

Weekly Update

TREASURE CLUB

During Treasure Club we memorize the greatest treasure, the Bible! Last week we had a special Awards Ceremony rewarding those who have worked hard memorizing!

AFTERCHURCH

On Sunday, we had all the long people over in our home for an afterchurch. It was an exciting time of singing, testimonies, Bible quizzing, and snacks!

DINNER CLUB

Dear Friends and Family,
We are eager to share our good news with you! God has blessed abundantly above what we could ask or think.

On Thursday we were able to visit eleven schools and give them information concerning our Bible Clubs. During the holiday season schools are looking for assembly speakers to share how Christians celebrate Christ’s birth. This is a great opportunity for us to enter schools and share God’s message of love. Please pray many schools will be interested.

Throughout the week we have several Bible studies with many individuals who have not yet made a profession of faith. This week during a Bible study with a young girl, she asked if we would pray for her salvation and the salvation of four other individuals. She looked up with a sorrowful face and said, “And that’s not all, so many people in Blackheath and around the world need to be forgiven of their sins!” What a statement for an unsaved, searching girl to make! She closed by saying, “Miss, if I become a Christian, could I do what you do and tell others about Jesus?” My heart was overwhelmed by her questions. Please pray the Lord would continue to do a work in her life.

We had ten teenagers come to the Heathfield dinner club today. Seven of them were unsaved, and four of those it was their first time coming to the club. During the Heathfield dinner club we enjoy a home cooked lunch and then close with a Bible study. We were able to clearly share the gospel today with many who have never heard. We asked, “What is sin?” The girls who had never come before couldn’t answer that question. The Lord has given us this time to reach those who have never heard. What a privilege!

This week we are gearing up for our first Mission Conference at Beeches Road. We are looking forward to starting on Saturday night with an International Banquet. Please pray the Lord will use this conference to speak to the hearts of people about sharing the gospel and being a bold witness.

Thank you for your prayers. None of this would be possible without your love and support. May God richly bless you!

In Christ,

Kevin and Anna Ruwersma

Update

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

We have much to share with you this week. God’s goodness has been evident these past several days. He has showered us with many blessings…

Angler's Dinner

Last Friday we held an Angler’s Dinner at the church. This was to reach men from our community. We had fish and chips, fishy stories, a great devotional, and prizes! It was great to have eighteen men come and hear the gospel message. Several of them do not attend any church. God used this dinner to reacquaint one of our members with the man who invited him to church fifty years ago. They had lost contact for thirty years and now the gentleman is away from the Lord. Please pray God would work in his heart and he would start attending church once again.

Visitation

We had our record breaking attendance at visitation last Saturday – there were seventeen people present! We were able to knock on many doors and visit with several people who need the Lord.

Autumn Party

Saturday, October 31, we had an Autumn Party at Marsh Farm. We played fun autumn games, ate delicious food (including pumpkin pie – a novelty for the British), and had a bonfire. During the bonfire we sang songs and listened to a powerful devotional about making wise decisions. Following the lesson, three teenagers raised their hands and mentioned their need for accepting Christ as their Saviour. Please pray God would continue to do a work in the hearts of these young people.

Cathy Henschen

Cathy, a young lady who will be assisting with the chapel in Oxford, arrived safely in Birmingham on Wednesday. Cathy plans on assisting at Beeches Road temporarily to train for her upcoming work. Please pray for Cathy as she works and prepares for this exciting extension work of Beeches Road.

Thank you for your faithfulness to pray for us. We are happy to be serving the Lord!

Little Update & Prayer Letter

I am now half way to fifty! I had a great birthday on Sunday. :) I celebrated my birthday by attending the first morning service and Harvest service at Beeches Road. God really blessed! It was so exciting to see so many people come to praise God! After church, we hosted a special dinner in the Sunday School room. Here are a few photos...and yes, Kevin spoiled me and made me breakfast in bed!

The Children Singing
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We had seven teenagers attend the Heathfield Dinner yesterday. Every week it seems to be growing. Several of those who attend do not go to church anywhere. This has been a great way to share the gospel and invite teenagers church.

--- We are always busy with children who stop by and visit us in the afternoons. One day we made homemade hot chocolate. This was a new experience for them - they loved it, of course! :)

I can feel my heart love these children more and more with each passing day. I think of them while they are in school, pray they will make wise decisions, and encourage them to never be ashamed of Christ. I hope and pray they will always be faithful to Christ.

Dear Pastor and Friends,

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 118:1) This has been our theme during the months of September and October as we have rejoiced in the goodness of our great Saviour! So much has happened since our last letter! We hope you will be encouraged as you read the many blessings God has given us during these past few months.

On Saturday, September 12, we hosted our Thanksgiving Service at Beeches Road. This service was intended to dedicate our new extension on the chapel. It was amazing to see people come from far and near to take part in praising God for providing for our needs. This extension will enable us to expand our ministries and provide services we haven’t done in the past.

The afternoon of Saturday, October 3, was truly special as we witnessed the baptism of Simon Jakeman. It was on a cold, February evening that Simon trusted Christ as his Saviour. Many fellow Christians have faithfully prayed for Simon to follow the Lord. The Jakeman family was overjoyed to see their son make a public decision to follow Christ.

The morning of Sunday, October 18, was a beautiful sunny day! During our first morning service it was just as bright and cheerful inside the chapel as it was outside. Everyone was so encouraged and positive to have another opportunity to worship our great God! We had forty people attend the first morning service. Lord willing, the Gospel service and evangelistic Sunday School will still continue in the afternoon. We are eager to see the spiritual growth of believers who attend this new service.

The Lord gave us the incredible opportunity to go to a state (public) school and freely share the gospel with over 170 children. My heart broke as the children sat on the hard, gymnasium floor intently listening to every word as if they had never heard the good news of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. This is a generation who has never heard God’s wonderful way of salvation. Please continue to pray as we endeavor to reach the next generation with the gospel of Christ.

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve other churches in the local area. This month Kevin has been able to preach at several churches that are without a pastor. During our time together it has been good to encourage fellow believers to keep following Christ and fishing for men!

If you would like to receive our weekly email updates, please email us at “theruwersmafamily@yahoo.com”. We do our best to send either a weekly or bi-weekly update. We hope you will join our prayer team of believers who have committed to pray for our work in Birmingham, England.

Thank you for your prayers and support. We are happy to be serving the Lord in England. God is so good!

Weekly Update

Dear Friends and Family,

How great is our God! We serve the Almighty God of the universe. The God who made the mountains, made the blind to see, and best of all – a God who has made a way for us to be forgiven of our sins. This is our hearts cry…that all the earth may know God’s wonderful plan of salvation. God has changed our lives by His saving power, He has given us a desire to share His love to all those who have never heard. Thank you for taking the time to read about our endeavors to serve Him this week.

The Lord has continually blessed the church and we were able to see Simon Jakeman baptized this past Saturday. We had a special service Saturday afternoon where the gospel was clearly presented. Several people came from across the country to see the baptism. There were nearly one hundred and forty people in attendance, many of them were unbelievers.

We thank the Lord we have been given another opportunity to hold a religious assembly in a primary (elementary) school tomorrow. During the assembly we are able to teach Bible songs, memory verses, and have a short Bible lesson. Please pray that the children will listen and understand their need to know Him as their Saviour.

In the past week we have had a few visitors stay with us for a several days. One was from London and the other from Tennessee. It was great for them to see the day to day ministry and to see the faithful children who come week after week! We have several exciting days coming in the near future. On October 18th we will be celebrating our Chapel’s Anniversary, this will also be the start of our morning services. We will still have our Gospel Service at 3:00 every Sunday, but will also have a morning service at 11:00. We thank the Lord for another year God has allowed the chapel to keep the doors open and look forward to the many wonderful works He will do in the coming years.

Lord willing, we will have a website for Beeches Road Baptist Chapel up and running soon. We hope this will be a help to those praying for the chapel and also be a tool to spread the word about Jesus Christ and the work in England.

Treasure Club

My dear friend and sweet helper, Sue Jakeman. Sue helps during our Friday Treasure Club. When children come to Sunday School they are rewarded by being able to attend the Treasure Club on Friday. During the club we play games and spend individual time with each child quoting scripture.

Discipleship and Bible Studies

Kevin and I have many Bible Studies throughout the week with families and individuals. We are discipling several of the young people as well. I would ask that you specifically pray for a young lady named Sandy this week. Sandy has made a profession of faith, she needs victory over many habits. Please pray God will continue to work in her life and give her the strength she needs.

Castle Bromwich Hall

Please keep the Castle Bromwich Hall in your prayers this week. Pray that God would provide and give us wisdom for the many upcoming decisions.

State School Bible Clubs

This morning we were able to share the gospel with an entire primary school! The Lord blessed and the administration asked if they could call and schedule another assembly. Praise the Lord!

Visitation

Every Saturday morning we go on visitation. We go door to door, visit prospects, and visit to those who haven't come to church for awhile. The faithful children enjoy coming with us. What an encouragement it is to see young people want to please their Saviour and share the gospel with others.

Simon's Baptism

On Saturday we were blessed to see Simon follow the Lord in believer's baptism. What a blessing! It is exciting to see his life change and see his desire to obey the Lord. It was a very encouraging service. Praise God for His goodness. I will do my best to post more information later. Sorry so short - life is a little busy at the moment. God bless you! Please continue to pray for Beeches Road...

Weekly Update

Dear Friends and Family,

We trust the Lord has given you a good week filled with many blessings. This week has been amazing! We are sad to see it end. Anna’s parents came for a short visit this week. They spoiled and pampered us all week long. It was lovely to see them again and share our burden for England with them. They were able to visit our church and meet several of the people we write about every week. The children at Beeches Road were thrilled to meet them! This morning, as I drove them to the airport – the magnitude of what we are doing hit me once again. Yes, it is worth leaving our homeland and families to reach a people in need of the gospel. Yes, we are happy and enjoying our work, but it is SO difficult to say goodbye! My heart ached all the way home as I drove in the silent car. God never gives you a trial that He does not give you the strength and grace to persevere. I would love to say to all the families reading this, love your families. Love them intensely. Time is so short, and family means so much! While you have your family together don’t waste a day, make each day special.

The work at Beeches Road is doing very well. We are busy preparing for our Baptismal Service on October 3rd. Lord willing we will be baptizing three people. It is exciting to see how the Lord has worked in their hearts and shown them their need to follow the Lord in believer’s baptism! Please pray we will see several visitors attend this special service. Also, pray the Lord will continue to work in the lives of those being baptized Mic, Simon, and Lizzy.

This week was our first week hosting a lunch and Bible study in our home for the children who go to the high school down the road from our house. We had five young people attend. It was great to have Paige, a girl who hasn’t been to church in a couple weeks, come and hear the truths from God’s Word. This unique opportunity has been a great way to reach children who are on the fringe. They are more likely to come to a lunch then a church service. Please continue to pray the faithful children would invite their friends and hear the gospel.

Thanks for your prayers. We love you all very much! God bless!

Painting with Mr. Ruwersma

Simon and Ryan came over and helped Kevin paint our fence. Thanks guys for your hard work! It looks great!!

Public School Lunch and Bible Study

We love these children! It's amazing how God can give you a love so strong for souls that need Him. We enjoy every opportunity we get to spend time with them!

Visit with Anna's Parents

Our visit to Cadbury World - delicious!


Our hike in the Clint Hills Thank you mom and dad for your love and encouragement! You are the best parents in the whole world. Thanks for loving me dispite all my flaws and short comings. Thank you for always putting God first in our family. Thank you for all our wise words and counsel. I love and miss you so much!