7:30 pm – Youth Fellowship. About eighteen young people of high school and college age meet together to sing praises to the Lord, to share testimonies of the Lord’s goodness and mercies, to have Bible discussions on the subject of “Integrity,” and to listen to messages appropriate for their age level. We praise the Lord that this year two new foreign students have joined us. One of the students who was with us last year has moved to Sydney to study there. We wish him well.

7:45 pm – Junior Fellowship. About sixteen children aged from 5 to 12 years old meet together every Friday evening. The children lead the singing accompanied at the piano by one of the parents; other children lead in prayer, take up the offering, ask for the Lord’s blessings upon the offering, and lead in closing prayer. The children have been studying the life of Christ so far this year, led by speakers consisting of Pastor Ed, Mrs. Lehia Paauwe, and several of the young adults. After the Bible lesson, one of the parents guides the children in an activity such as a crossword puzzle or word search related to the Bible lesson, or leads a handcraft.

 8:00 pm – While the Junior Fellowship is going on, the parents of the children and a few other interested persons watch a video entitled Shepherding a Child’s Heart. This is based on Tedd Tripp’s book entitled Shepherding a Child’s Heart, in which he gives guidelines on how to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He also prepared a series of fifteen video messages of 30 minutes each, covering the material of the book as well as some extra materials. The feedback has been very positive, and the parents have indicated that they are learning a lot about how to bring up their children God’s way. Praise the Lord!  — Rev. Ed Paauwe

 March, 2012

Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised” (Psalm 113:1-3). Here are some of the highlights of the past several months, for which we praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord for His blessings over the Christmas season. A group of young people from Covenant B-P Church, supported by Deacon Raymond Woo, his wife Peggy, and Peggy’s mother, Irene Lee, sang Christmas carols in four homes of members of Covenant B-P Church and Attadale Baptist Church, with neighbors and friends also invited. Deacon Raymond Woo also read Scripture, brought a short message and prayed in three of these homes, while Rev. Ed Paauwe brought a message and prayed in the fourth home.

Irene Lee, Deacon Raymond Woo’s mother-in-law, is in her 70’s. For several years we had been praying for her salvation. Praise the Lord that during 2011 she confessed her sins to the Lord and trusted Christ as Saviour and Lord of her life. She was baptized at Covenant B-P Church on Christmas Day.

Dn. Raymond and Mrs. Peggy Woo’s daughter, Dorcas, and her husband, Deacon David Pang, have a baby son named Moses, who was born on October 29, 2011. On Christmas Day Moses was baptized at Covenant B-P Church. That means that baby Moses Pang and his great-grandmother, Irene Lee, were baptized on the same day! Praise the Lord for His marvelous working in hearts and lives.

Praise and thank the Lord for a blessed missions trip to Myanmar, December 30, 2011 – January 6, 2012. We are grateful to God for safety in travel for the six members of the missions team: Deacon Yen Fye Yap, Jacob Woo, Merilyn Orchard, Mr. Mark Chen, Rev. Ed Paauwe and Mrs. Lehia Paauwe. We thank the Lord for His guidance and encouragement when we went to Myanmar to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Shortly after we arrived in Yangon, we attended the New Year’s Eve service at Bible Presbyterian Church of Myanmar. Mr. Chen preached God’s Word that evening. On New Year’s Day, which was the Lord’s Day, Rev. Paauwe preached God’s Word. After the worship service, we had warm fellowship with the people in the church.

From Monday to Friday was the Leadership Training for the adults of BPC, Myanmar, 9 am – 3 pm, with lunch provided by the church. Mr. Chen taught the Five Points of Calvinism, Deacon Yen Fye Yap taught English, and Rev. Paauwe taught The Ten Commandments. Pastor Kima and his wife, Mawite, interpreted for the teachers into their Burmese language. Daily attendance was 35 – 40. There were good question and answer sessions reflecting the students’ interest in God’s Word. We were blessed to have Rev. and Mrs. Andrew Kam of Yangon Bible-Presbyterian Church attend these classes as well.

From Monday to Wednesday were the Children’s Meetings, 10 am – 3 pm, with lunch provided by the church. Jacob Woo, Merilyn Orchard, and Mrs. Lehia Paauwe were privileged to teach the Bible lessons, the memory verses, new songs, and arts and crafts to the children, aged 4 to 12. The Bible lessons were on “Walking With Jesus,” (Salvation and Christian growth), and “God’s Word is My Delight, Wisdom and Hope.” Mawite and Mabiaki, a kindergarten teacher, interpreted for us. The children listened attentively and responded eagerly in their singing, recitation of the Bible verses, and participation in the arts and crafts. We thank God for the 32 children; 15 of them were the orphans and the rest of them were from the kindergarten and Sunday School.

The children were very appreciative and joyful to receive all the gifts that were given to them, particularly the care packets from the children and youth of Covenant B-P Church. We were blessed to serve in the children’s ministry and fellowship with the teachers of the orphanage and kindergarten. We also had warm fellowship with Pastor Kima’s sister, Thangtei, whose husband passed away last year from stomach cancer. She continues to serve the Lord with her baby daughter, Phoebe.

We give thanks to God for His wonderful care throughout the missions trip. We are thankful to Pastor Kima and BPC of Myanmar for their hospitality. We thank each one who prayed for us and for their support of God’s work in Myanmar. “To God be the glory, great things He has done.”

Covenant Bible Institute, which started classes in January 2011, is progressing well. Rev. Ed Paauwe is teaching one night a week on Bible doctrines. He is almost finished teaching “Doctrine of Christ,” after which he will teach “Doctrine of Salvation.”

We thank you for your prayers and faithful support, which have made our ministry in Perth possible. We look forward to the following ministries in the near future.

On April 6, we’ll have a Good Friday service, combining the congregations of Covenant B-P Church and Attadale Baptist Church. Rev. Paauwe will be preaching God’s Word on that occasion. Then we’ll have our Easter service on April 8, praising the Lord that Christ is risen indeed. April 9-12, is the Annual Family Bible Conference of Covenant B-P Church. The theme of the Bible Conference is “Be Fruitful in Every Good work.” Mr. Mark Chen will bring the theme messages; Rev. Ed Paauwe will bring daily devotional messages on “A Closer Walk with God,” and Mrs Lehia Paauwe will minister to the children. On April 29, Covenant B-P Church will celebrate her second anniversary with a Thanksgiving Service and a Thanksgiving Dinner. Please pray that the Lord will bless these coming events for His glory.

We pray that the Lord will continue to bless and keep you. May you have a wonderful Easter in 2012. May our risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be your strength always.

With Christian love and prayers,

Edward and Lehia Paauwe

The Children of Covenant Bible-Presbyterian Church in Perth, Western Australia, prepared 21 care packets for the orphans supported by the Bible Presbyterian Church in Yangon, Myanmar. These care packets, containing notebooks, pencils, pens, color pencils, bookmarks, stickers, socks, toothbrushes, toothpastes, soaps, etc., were carried by the mission team members from Covenant B-P Church when they traveled to Myanmar for ministry, Dec. 30, 2011 – Jan 6, 2012. May the Lord bless each one of these children for their love and care for the orphans. — The Paauwes

This year 2011 has been a very blessed year on the mission field of Australia. The Lord has blessed Covenant Bible-Presbyterian Church with much spiritual and numerical growth. God’s Word, based on the theme for this year, “Growing in Christ-likeness,” has been faithfully preached and taught each Lord’s Day. We thank Him also for the faithful students who have been studying Bible Doctrines every Wednesday evening at Covenant Bible Institute.

We thank each one for your faithful prayers and support for God’s work in Perth. When we count our many blessings, we remember you and your part in the work of the Lord. May God’s richest blessings be upon you always.

— Rev. Ed and Lehia Paauwe, PMU Missionaries to Australia

Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,

Good morning! We are glad to write and tell you about God’s blessings and guidance in the work in Perth. “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (Psalm 126:3). Here are some of the highlights of the past several months.

The month of May began with Covenant Bible-Presbyterian Church celebrating her First Anniversary with a Thanksgiving Service. The speaker, Rev. Dr. Jack Sin, also spoke at the church’s Family Bible Conference, May 2 – 5. The theme for the conference was ”Walk Worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10). Ed led in the morning devotions, and L
ehia taught the children on “Walking with Jesus.”

In July we went to Melbourne to speak at the Bible Camp of Ebenezer B-P Church, July 1-4. Ed spoke to the youth and adults and Lehia to the children on the camp theme, “The Word and the World.” Ed also preached at Ebenezer B-P Church, and Lehia conducted Sunday School Teacher Training.

July 13-16, the Youth Bible Conference of Covenant B-P Church was held. Rev Chee Lai Ho taught the youth of Covenant B-P Church four chapters of the Westminster Confession of Faith, and Ed brought four devotional messages from Psalm 119.

The Annual Congregational Meeting of Covenant B-P Church was held during the month of September. Two deacons were re-elected for a three-year term of service for the Lord, and two deacons were newly elected. We thank God that Covenant B-P Church now has six deacons.

October 5-7, we conducted our annual Holiday Bible Club (Vacation Bible School in the USA). A total of 54 children, ages 4 – 11, were taught God’s Word by Uncle Hai Seng Lim. The Bible lessons, taken from the Book of Judges, were about God’s deliverance of the Israelites from their enemies by three judges, namely, Deborah, Gideon, and Samson. When God’s people prayed to Him for help in times of trouble, God answered and sent help to them. These exciting Bible stories came to life by the excellent drawings illustrated by Uncle Hai Seng. The children were attentive and enjoyed these lessons.

The main emphasis at Holiday Bible Club this year was on obedience to our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Samuel 12:24—“Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.”

The missionary lesson was on the life of the missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh of India. After Sundar Singh came to salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, he became a missionary to Tibet and preached the gospel of Christ to the people there. Sadhu Sundar Singh was called “The Apostle of the Bleeding Feet” as he walked across the icy mountains from India into Tibet. He is remembered for pointing people to the cross of Christ, who shed His precious blood for our sins.

We are truly grateful to God for the many helpers who came each day and served faithfully in many areas. The youth, mothers, and fathers who helped in Holiday Bible Club are deeply appreciated for their labors of love for the Lord and for the children. May God bless them richly and use them mightily for His glory.

Covenant Bible Institute, which started classes in January, is progressing well. Ed is teaching one night a week on Bible doctrines. The first course he taught was “Introduction to Bible Doctrines.” When this finished in May he taught “Doctrine of God.” That course finished in September, and we are presently on “Doctrine of Man.” The next unit will be “Doctrine of Christ,” which will begin next year.

We thank you for your prayers and faithful support, which have made our ministry in Perth possible. We look forward to the following activities in the near future.

During December the young people of the church, supported by some of the adults, will be going caroling. We look forward to the worship service on December 25th. Lord willing, we’ll baptize one baby boy and his great-grandmother! We hope to share more about this unique event in the future.

On December 29th we’ll leave Perth to go to Myanmar to help Pastor Khawl Ro Kima with his ministry for one week, December 31 – January 6. The team will consist of six persons—the two of us, Deacon Yen Fye Yap, Jacob Woo, Merilyn Orchard, and Mark Chen (the latter from Life B-P Church, Singapore). We would appreciate your prayers for safety in traveling and for the Lord’s blessings upon the ministry of His Word. May God be glorified.

We pray the Lord will continue to bless and keep you. We wish you a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year in 2012.

With Christian love and prayers,

Edward and Lehia Paauwe

Praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for a very blessed Holiday Bible Club, October 5-7, 2011. A total of 54 children, ages 4 – 11, were taught God’s Word by Uncle Hai Seng Lim. The Bible lessons taken from the book of Judges were about God’s deliverance of the Israelites from their enemies by three judges, namely, Deborah, Gideon, and Samson. When God’s people prayed to Him for help in times of trouble, God answered and sent help to them. These exciting Bible stories came to life by the excellent drawings illustrated by Uncle Hai Seng. The children were attentive and enjoyed these lessons. During the arts and crafts session, they were given an opportunity to write a short summary of the Bible story they had learned, together with the drawings provided. It was a joy to see the good response of the children.

The main emphasis at Holiday Bible Club this year was on obedience to our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Samuel 12:24—“Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.”

The missionary lesson was on the life of the missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh of India. When Sundar Singh was fourteen years old, his mother passed away, and he became deeply troubled and sorrowful. He came to the verge of committing suicide, but God miraculously saved him. He received the Lord Jesus Christ as his own personal Saviour, and his life was transformed. He found peace, and through obedience to Christ, he experienced a walk of discipleship with Him. Sadhu Sundar Singh became a missionary to Tibet and preached the gospel of Christ to the people there. He faced much opposition and dangers. When evil men threw him into the well, the “Pit of Death,” he escaped miraculously by God’s help. He walked with God, and God took him home to be with Him. Sadhu Sundar Singh was called “The Apostle of the Bleeding Feet” as he walked across the icy mountains from India into Tibet. He is remembered for pointing people to the cross of Christ who shed His precious blood for our sins.

We are truly grateful to God for the many helpers who came each day and served faithfully in these areas: inviting children and providing transport, taking attendance, leading in singing, teaching the memory verse, preparing and serving the refreshments, leading in the games, helping with the handcrafts, and doing the cleaning up. The young people, mothers, and fathers who helped in Holiday Bible Club are deeply appreciated for their labors of love for the Lord and for the children. May God bless them richly and use them mightily for His glory.

We thank God for the privilege of introducing children to the Lord Jesus Christ. “A Christian should do all he/she can to bring lost souls to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.” May God save each of these precious souls.

We thank each one for your prayers, encouragement and support for the ministry of reaching children for Christ at Holiday Bible Club. To God be the glory, great things He hath done! — Mrs. Lehia Paauwe

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The Junior Fellowship of Covenant Bible-Presbyterian Church, Perth, Australia,  caters to the spiritual needs of children 5 – 12 years old. We thank God for 16 – 18 children who attend the weekly meetings. Under the guidance of the leaders, the children themselves play an important role in the running of the meetings as they pray, lead in singing, collect the offering, etc.

The Juniors have been studying and memorizing the Catechism for Young Children (Qs. & As. on Everlasting Life for Children). Other topics that the Juniors have enjoyed are missionary biographies, such as the lives of Jim Elliot and Charles Studd. We thank the Lord for the parents and the young adults who have helped in teaching the lessons, and have led in the activities consisting of crafts and games. A highlight for the Juniors is combined meetings with the Youth Fellowship a few times this year. In September, the Junior Fellowship will begin the study of the Life of Christ. May God continue to bless this ministry for His glory.  —  Mrs. Lehia Paauwe

We praise and thank the Lord for the warm fellowship with the believers and for their faithful service for Him. We have just received an email from one of the campers, Mrs Janet Jean, who writes, “Our grateful thanks to Rev. Ed Paauwe and his wife, Lehia, for giving us a mountain top experience listening to their teaching. I personally came away challenged to make changes in my life and spiritually uplifted.”  — Rev. Ed Paauwe

Covenant Bible-Presbyterian Church held her annual Family Bible Conference, May 2-5, 2011, at Bayview Geographe Resort in Busselton, Western Australia. It was a blessed time of learning from God’s Word and fellowshipping with those of like precious faith. Here are the testimonies of two of the conferees:

Testimony of Mrs. Elaine Chong: We thank God for His grace in our safety and fine weather at our Family Bible Conference in Busselton. We could not ask for a more idyllic setting to learn God’s word and to commune in His creation with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  We were indeed blessed to have faithful servants Rev. Dr. Jack Sin and his wife, Angelina, and our Pastor Ed and Mrs. Lehia Paauwe serving our Lord at this conference. Rev. Jack preached six messages over three days explaining how believers can walk worthy of the Lord, the benefits of doing so, and also the dangers of not walking worthy. I encourage all non-campers to download and listen to the messages that are available at our church website (www.covenantbpc.org.au).

As always, with each Bible conference that I have attended, I came away spiritually charged but also sober with lots of soul searching and thinking about my own personal relationship with the Lord and my walk with Him. I pray for God’s strength to keep my faith strong and to walk worthy of the vocation to which I am called. Amen.

Testimony of Miss Maureen Grady:   Thank you CBPC for another excellent Bible Conference. I appreciated both  speakers—Pastor Ed with his devotional messages and Rev. Dr. Jack Sin presenting the main messages.  Dr. Sin’s messages were very thought provoking on the subject, “To Walk Worthy of the Lord.” It is so important for Christians to be good examples, particularly to people who might not have any other contact with the church. Everything about this conference was great. The weather was perfect, and this allowed all of us to have lunch together and more opportunities to mix in a less formal way. The accommodation was very good as were the meals. Finally, there was much fun and fellowship in Villa 101. Thank you again.

All praise and thanks be to the Lord God Almighty for His many blessings and mercies during the Family Bible Conference of Covenant Bible-Presbyterian Church in Busselton, May 2-5. The conference theme was “Walk Worthy of the Lord.” Some sixty conferees, ten of them from Singapore, attended and were blessed, encouraged, and challenged through the preaching of God’s Holy Word by His servant, Rev. Dr. Jack Sin, and through the devotional messages by Rev. Edward Paauwe. Mrs. Lehia Paauwe conducted the children’s meetings, with eight children among those who attended the conference. The theme for the children’s messages was “Walking with Jesus,” covering salvation and Christian growth. Here are the testimonies of a few of the conferees.

Mr. and Mrs. Yen Fye Yap’s testimony: “The messages covered many aspects of our walk. They included how to walk the benefits, dangers and hindrances in walking with our Lord. The impact coupled with a challenge to us is enormous. To follow Christ is also to carry the cross as Jesus said in Matthew 10:38, ‘He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.’ Cost, pain, and sacrifice on our part is involved. But the greatest cost, pain and sacrifice had already been borne by Jesus on the cross when He said, ‘It is finished.’ (John 19:30) From and through the messages, God has indeed called upon us to examine ourselves — examining our faith, commitment and ability to walk the Walk with our Lord from now until eternity.”

Mrs. Elaine Chong writes, “As always, with each Bible conference that I have attended, I came away spiritually charged but also sober with lots of soul searching and thinking about my own personal relationship with the Lord and my walk with Him. I pray for God’s strength to keep my faith strong and to walk worthy of the vocation to which I am called. Amen.”

Mr. S. K. Loh observes, “It is not how heavy is the quantum of messages that were delivered; however, it is how much of the messages have been digested and absorbed into our hearts and minds that will bring forth fruits.”

To God be all praise and glory; great things He has done! — The Paauwes

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