This year, I will travel overseas on 3 speaking engagements. I'd like to ask for your prayers concerning these:

Sydney, Australia: May 20-31st. I've been invited to speak at St. Paul's, Castle Hill South Sydney Outreach. Please pray about this outreach because Australia is a really hard place to reach people. It is reputedly the 2nd most secular nation (after France), once Christian but now lost. People seem to be very cynical about the Gospel and religion in general. There is also much liberalism in the church. The (Anglican) diocese of Sydney is said to be the only evangelical one. The Arch-bishop of this diocese had set a target of 10% growth in 10 years, but there has been little response in the church. St. Paul's Church is the largest congregation in the diocese.

St Paul's church has extended the invitation to any Chapelite who would like to participate alongside me. If you can pay your way there and back, and would like to accompany me, please let me know as it would be lovely to have a small group of us travel together on this mission.

The Senior Pastor of Grace Community Church (USA) , Dave Rodriguez, will also be with us so we can draw aside after the mission and hold further discussions on  our partnership.

Wiedenest, Germany: June 15  July 1st . I've been invited to speak on “The Practice of Cross Cultural Evangelism” at the “International Brethren Conference on Mission” that takes place every four years. This mission gathers together the “Brethren denomination” church leaders from around the world.  Nairobi Chapel was considered to be brethren in its early history. I was at Weidenest 2 years ago, addressing some 300 brethren church leaders on similar matters and my invitation to the International Conference came out of that.

Pray for connection as everything I say will have to be translated into various languages, and so much is lost in translation. Pray too for openness of heart among the attendees. Many brethren churches around the world are small (average 30-100 people), are very, very traditional in their mind set, and do not welcome change. Pray that God would put a burning desire to see change and real growth in these leaders hearts.

Massachusetts, USA: Nov 1-30th:  I've been invited to speak at the First Presbyterian Church, North Shore; Gordon College, and Gordon-Cornwell College in Massachusetts, USA. Grace Community Church has also invited Pastor Muriithi, and the Mavuno Worship Team, to accompany me so we can minister to together.

Pst. Oscar Muriu

Urbana message: Copies of Pastor Oscar's Urbana message are available for purchase at the Information desk for 100/=. You can also purchase the DVD for 300/=. Each comes with a second Urbana message by Brenda Salter Mcneil.

Marriage retreat: Our annual marriage enrichment retreat will take place this April.
Venue: Turtle Bay Beach Club
Dates: Sat 28th - Mon 30th Apr (we travel down Fri 27th April evening and are back Tue 1st May morning)
Costs: 25,000/- per couple
Facilitators: Pastor Muriithi & Carol Wanjau (Mavuno) ,and  Pastor Richard Munala (USA).

Communion: We will be serving communion next Sunday.  Please join us for this very special sacrament service.

ROPES 2007: Is your child turning 13 this year or will he/she be completing primary school? The Crossroads class and Ropes program which prepares preteens for transition into young adulthood begins on the 11th of February 2007. If you wish your child to participate in this transitional program please sign them up and pay registration fee at the info desk and also pick up the parents letter.

Scholarship fund: We have started  a scholarship fund to help orphans and vulnerable children get a formal education. We encourage you to contribute towards this fund, whose details are as follows:
Account Name: Nairobi Chapel Jubilee Scholarship fund
Account Number: SA2-2280--000240
Bank: NIC Bank, city center Branch
You can also write a cheque and designate at the back “scholarships”

Prayer meeting: Our prayer meeting takes place here at the tent every Sunday at 9:45 - 10:15 am. Please come and join us for Pre-service prayer.  Our focus is to pray for the service, the nation, personal needs, to anoint those in need of healing, etc. This is also a good time to come and be prayed for by the pastors.

New believer's class: have you recently committed your life to Christ? On Sunday 4th of February, 8-10 am we will begin a new believers class here at the tent. Please sign in at the information desk.

Parking: Thank you all for the patience shown in our present parking arrangement. We wish it could be different, but we've explored every alternative avenue possible. You might want to consider parking by 10:15 am so you can have enough time to get to the tent by 10:30 am, in time for the beginning of the service.

Benevolence: We have a number of people who attend our services so they can solicit for funds from our members at the end of the service. Each week they target a different person, especially the foreigners among us. Please do not give them money as they are not genuine. We know them and they are only coming back because they hit some sort of success. Kindly send them to see the pastors on duty at the Benevolence desk (inside the tent on your right), where we take down their names, assign a social worker to follow-up their need, and assist them if we determine it is genuine. We try very hard to determine which appeal is genuine and to help.  If someone asks you for help but are not willing to come up to the benevolence desk, that's an indication that their need might not be genuine.

Crèche: The Crèche at the back of the tent is full. We have therefore set up a second space at the front of the tent for parents with infants who are not yet crawling (the back space works best for toddlers as it is sealed).

Wedding Bann: Brenda Mtawe Owuor and Kevin Ochieng Ouma on 14th February, 2007 at Nairobi Chapel Ngong Road. If you have any legal reason why this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, kindly contact us.

Sunday school: Use your gift to serve children through helping in a class, shepherding, teaching different age groups. You will be trained and provided with materials for your class. Please sign up at the info desk.  Teacher orientation happens on Sundays, beginning  28th 9-10 am.

Sermon Series:

SEASON ONE : REAL ISSUES, REAL HONEST

Series Title : “Living In Your Sweet Spot.”

Jan 14              Live  Above The Lies.
Jan 21              Break Free From The Past.
Jan 28              Get Out Of The Rat Race.
Feb 4               No More Excuses.
Feb 11             Find Your Groove.    
Feb 18             Walk In The Power Of Your Bloodline.
Feb 25             Live The Focused Life.

Do you know of a member who has been bereaved recently, is in hospital, or has gone through trauma? Please, please call our office on 6752346/ 0725650737 or call Rose Muiu on 0722317961 to let us know. We want to care for our members well, but have no other way of knowing unless someone informs us. Once we know we do a great job at responding and being at their side . . . but only if someone let's us know first. So  if you have the news, take it upon yourself to alert us immediately.

Bereaved: Pray with Jacob Peterson and Janice both of whom lost their mothers a week ago

Unwell: Wacuka Ngure's father has been admitted at the Nairobi Hospital for quite sometime now, undergoing treatment for cancer. He is currently in HDU. Pray that his body would respond to treatment and that the family would be at peace during this difficult time.

Sunday school: The number of children in Sunday school continues to grow. Ask the Lord to establish these children in his ways. Pray that they will be rooted in the word of God, that what they are taught would form their hearts and minds in Christ likeness, and they would become responsible teens and adults. May all those children that step through our doors become outstanding leaders in their generation. Pray that God would raise more teachers who are committed to the transformation of their personal lives, who love children and who will be creative and resourceful in interacting with the children.

Youth: Youth growing up Nairobi these days have many challenges. They are under immense pressure to conform to the pop culture through mass media, internet and school. Pray that our youth, instead of giving in to the pressure they would stand out as young people that know their God and are committed to living differently. Claim the promises that in the name of Jesus, our youth will live right, they will not give in to peer-pressure, they will work hard in their schools, they will become the leaders and examples of their institutions, they will shine in whatever they do and by that be the salt and the light in their schools, in their estates, and wherever they go. May they be given boldness to be different.

Adult congregation: We have many new people that have joined us over the last several months. Pray that those who have never met the Lord would be touched and would surrender their lives to Christ. Pray for the spiritual maturity of those that are young in their relationship with Christ, and that even those who are long time believers will keep growing. Pray that all may find a niche of involvement in the ministries of the church.