A GOOD INVESTMENT

Two thots cross my mind as I write the bulletin this week. This week my wife and I had the first ever joy of giving a whole car away free! Several months ago we decided to purchase a car (a Starlet) to ease our family transport. We were about halfway done with the loan, and really enjoying the car when someone gave a car to the church and specifically asked that it be assigned to my wife in the children's ministry. Wonderful, we no longer needed our little car.

As we began making plans to sell it and invest the funds, we sensed the Lord telling us to pay off the loan and give the car away to a missionary family in need. Hmmm, I thought, with the Eveready IPO on sale, I began trying to get clever. I had enough reserves to retire the loan, but wondered if I should first use the money to invest in shares, make an easy profit, and then pay off the loan as I walk to the bank laughing! On the other hand I could pay off the car, and have no money to invest.

In it all I felt the Lord wanted us to pay the car loan, and give it away without trying to make a profit from the IPO. So I went ahead and used our reserves to pay for the car, all the while thinking “Lord, I could have made an easy profit with that money.”

But even as I thought this, I sensed the Lord saying “Oscar, you want to invest the money in Eveready Shares so you can make an easy 200% return, but by giving that car away, you have made an investment in Heaven that will give you 1,000% return! You have not lost your money, you have invested in a better way”. That settled it for me! It felt wonderful giving away a whole, new car (though the unregenerate “Old Man” is still murmuring 'But you could have had twice as much if you'd first invested' Ashindwe!)

So how are you doing in your own Heaven Investments? When was the last time you made a significant deposit into that account? Remember what Jesus said in Mt 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

2nd thot : Safaricom just released news they will offer an IPO sale next year! Great opportunity! With all that we learned in the “Money Matters” series, set yourself a high savings goal and start working hard to get ready for that share offer now! Stretch yourself! Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Did you know that the Kenyan Stock Exchange is one of the leading stock markets in terms of profitability worldwide! And Safaricom shares will be a sure winner make sure you don't get left behind! Don't be the “miro” who said “Haaiiya! Did you see what those shares did?” And don't rob God trying to get rich!

OK thot number 3 : If you're taking your investment “Hot-Tips” from a pastor you know you're in trouble! What would a pastor really know about the stock market? Watch out! Rule no 1 about stock investments is “Don't follow hot-tips! Do careful market research instead”. If the shares go South, don't say I didn't warn you . . . just remember to weep with me.

Educate your Pastor: Recently an Economist, and member of our congregation, passed on a book (“The Fortune At the Bottom Of the Pyramid” by C. K. Prahalad) to me and recommended I read it. I'm always looking for seminal, informative books that I should read on issues I must remain informed in. So the gift got me thinking do you have a book that you think your pastor(s) should read? Something relevant to the task of ministry. Would you like to recommend it? Better still could you gift a copy, and let me bring together a small process group to discuss the ideas of the book and their relevance to the church, chapel and ministry in present day Kenya? Choose wisely please.

Job Opportunities: New list available at the Information table. Check it out.

Audited Accounts 2004/05: Our accounts for 2004/05 are ready and posted on our website. Please visit and examine them. To see the specific details you will need to key in a password (ncaccounts). Our 2005 July Dec books are being audited right now and should be ready for posting in January. This six month audit is because we have moved to a calendar year financial year, so our next audit (2006) will be conducted in February and posted thereafter. Sorry that the present ones are so late. The work of church planting and settling down (with a skeleton staff) overwhelmed us. They have been ready for almost 4 months now.

Logos Christian Primary School is moving to new premises! From January 2007, the primary section will be housed at a new site on Kolobot Drive (off Arboretum Drive). The kindergarten will remain at Chaka Road. There are spaces available in the Pre Unit (5-6 years), Standard One, Two and Three classes. You may make an application at the school office on Chaka Road, Kilimani, or e-mail your request to logos@wananchi.com You are welcome to visit us at the kindergarten and hear more about our primary school. Karibuni! Tel. 2723428; 0724 266713

Have you just finished high school? Then we have the most excellent plot for you! ROPES Royal is a program by Tanari Trust (www.tanari.org) that will take you on an expedition, then community service, and you will get work-placement in a company! This will take part in Dec, and work placement in jan. For more details, please pick a brochure at the info-desk after the service, or call Sammy Mwaniki on 0722-740508.

Tree of Joy: As the Christmas season draws nigh, we wish to bless our children in Cheryl’s and those in Children’s Garden home by making their Christmas special. We kindly request you to pick a name of a child and a gift to buy them at the info desk on19th, 26th Nov and 3rd Dec. You can also bring dry food stuff, good cloths your children have outgrown, shoes, beddings, mosquito nets, toys and any other gift you wish to give. God bless you as you put a smile on these kids’ faces.

The crayon art & music fest : will be on the 2nd dec at Nairobi Chapel. We will in attendance have guys from the Godown. Perfoming will be Kanji, Chizi, Eric Wanaina & also live bands. The emcees will be Pst. Gowi & Big Ted. Charges at the gate is Kshs 250.

Thank God for the Upper Hill Ekklesia group that has volunteered to give leadership to the “Tree of Joy” Christmas project this year. This project will be an opportunity for the church members to buy gifts for children in one or two selected orphanages during the Christmas season. Pray for Ekklesia members as they consider two orphanages that they will lead the church to get involved in, that the Lord will show them where there is need and how to respond. Pray also for an enthusiastic and joyful response in our congregation, that many of us will buy gifts to bless those children who would otherwise not have a chance to enjoy Christmas.

Pray for the youth ministry, the “Tanari Trust” and parents of 12-13 year olds as they together finalize the plans for the “Rights of Passage” (Ropes) camp this year. The camp will help the 12-13 year olds in our church and other churches that partner in the Tanari Trust to transition from childhood to teenage. Over the last one year the children have been going through classes to prepare them for this transition. The Ropes Camp, held separately for boys and girls, will be the crowning event of the year and a milestone in their lives as they transition in a culturally and spiritually appropriate way. Pray that this will be successful.

As part of his commitment to train young people in leadership, Pastor Oscar asked for and was given five fully sponsored seats at the Urbana 06 conference for a team that would travel with him from Kenya. A week ago, this team went to the US embassy for a Visa interview. Four of them Mercy Wairegi, Mercy Ngure, Bridget Gakii (BG) and Mark Mumo, were denied visas on the grounds that they do not have strong economic and social ties that would make them come back to Kenya after the conference. Pray for the team as they come to terms with the fact that they will not be able to go for Urbana.

Pray for our staff members. Several of them are studying while at the same time working. Pray for Pst Vincent who is a student at NEGST and still running our Ekklesia ministry. Pray for our receptionist, Brenda. She will be taking exams in December and is also making plans to get married early next year. Pray for Peter, our accountant, who is doing his accounting exams in December. Pst. Chogo, our youth pastor is also taking studies. Pray that these dedicated staff members will juggle and balance their studies and family responsibilities and still excel in their various ministries. May the Lord continually refresh them.