News > North America

Erie UBF, US
March 6, 2014



SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

I. 2013 Annual Review

I chose Mt 7:7-8 as a key verse for 2013: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” By God’s grace, in 2012, our family applied for a Green Card. However, while waiting for approval, our company revenue went down and I was worried about my job security. At the beginning of March 2013, our company laid off many office workers including two engineers. Thankfully, God protected me from being laid off; however, I became possessed by my fears after that unexpected event. I and my family prayed earnestly everyday for approval of our Green Card applications. By God’s grace, finally, all our family’s Green Card petitions were approved by the end of March, 2013. It was the one of the unforgettable moments since our family had been struggling over the Green Card issue for the last seven years.

Our family attended Easter Worship service at Buffalo UBF on March 31. I was encouraged and we had a graceful fellowship with our coworkers at Buffalo UBF. Our family has been living in a small, crowded apartment for the last three years, making everyone very uncomfortable. However, an unexpected thing happened, our landlord was not able to pay mortgage, so the entire apartment went into foreclosure, possessed by the lending bank. Suddenly, we got a notice to evacuate our apartment and we had to find a new place. I prayed about what I should do at that moment. Through prayers our family found a nice house. God gave us not only Green Cards but also a new home in 2013. On April 27, I attended the Great Lakes Region Leader’s meeting in Cleveland. The Cleveland coworkers wholeheartedly served the Great Lakes Regional meeting.

In the summer, my first daughter Maria Kim was accepted into a very special science program at Carnegie-Mellon University, a part of the prestigious Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences (PGSS). She was chosen among 56 winners out of over 500 applicants. As she participated in this program, our family visited her and served her with God’s words on special family weekends. From August 1 thru 4, I attended the International Summer Bible Conference at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I had the privilege to serve as a registration servant for the Great Lakes Region. I was glad to see so many of God’s servants throughout the world by attending the conference. Through the conference, I learned God’s love for not only North America but also for all the people throughout the world. Our 2nd Gens, Maria, John and Christine attended the conference and received God’s words. I had been busy in working and serving house church ministry. M. Grace and I visited Gannon University every weekend which is close to our house and we prayed together for the college students. Our 2nd gens are growing. Our first daughter Maria is a senior in high school and is now applying for colleges; my son John is moving up to high school this fall. He was accepted at The Northwest Collegiate Academy of PA high school as an early acceptance. Also, my youngest daughter, Christine, is growing as well. I felt a sense of responsibility to pray for our 2nd gens. I and Grace Kim have been praying for our ministry especially for 2nd gens every day.

On Oct 26, I attended the Great Lakes Region meeting at Akron UBF. Through the group Bible study, I could renew my heart and I felt the welcoming love of Akron UBF coworkers. Being a house church member is not easy; I should fight against loneliness and many inward and outward problems. Sometimes, I felt as if I am living in the wilderness. When I pray about our growing 2nd gens, sometimes I felt a fear how to raise our children as wonderful men and women of God. We mainly studied Genesis in this year. Each week, we had GBS and the following week, I delivered message based on what we studied. God’s word led our family step by step. Our children began to raise many questions during Bible studies. I thank God for our 2nd Gens who are sincerely attending Sunday worship services. In this year God blessed our family very much and answered our practical prayer topics. Through this our family could experience God’s faithfulness and power. For Thanksgiving Day and Christmas worship, our family joined with Buffalo UBF. Dr. David Lee served and welcomed our family with a graceful message. We had good fellowship and I was encouraged much through this fellowship.

Last year, God blessed our Sunday Bible study in Genesis and the Christmas passages. Our children actively participated in Group Bible study. In the beginning of 2013, Dr. Paul Hong initiated Bible study through the internet. Thankfully, I had an opportunity to be involved in the first and second Timothy studies with other chapter leaders. It has been a great blessing to me since I have been serving a small house church ministry alone for a long time. I had no chance to participate in Group Bible study regularly for quite a long time. Through weekly on-line Group Bible study, I could share my prayer topics with others and pray for them as well. This Group Bible study and testimony sharing meeting encouraged me very much.

Even though I could not serve college students, God worked in my children through Group Bible studies and Sunday worship service. Gradually, my children began to enjoy participating in the group Bible study on Sunday and faithfully attended Sunday Worship service and listened to God’s words.

The following are my thanksgiving topics:

1. Thank God for helping our family to keep the faith and serve pioneering ministry.
2. Thank God for prayer support from God’s servants in the Great Lakes Region.
3. Thank God for prayer support from Dr. Paul Hong, Dr. Henry Park and Dr. David Lee.
4. Thank God for M. Isaac and Rebekah Kim’s love and support for our family.
5. Thank God for helping all of us to receive Green Cards.
6. Thank God for M. Grace Kim’s sincere prayers and our growing 2nd gens Maria, John and Christine.

II. 2014 Vision and Strategy
I chose Mt 6:33-34 as key verses for 2014: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
When I look back on last year, I realized that I was habitually worried about many things. These worries hindered my spiritual growth and prevented me from serving God’s work actively. Thankfully last year, God granted our family Green Cards and helped us to lay a foundation to pioneer Erie College campuses. In this year, I pray that I may preach the gospel more actively. I pray that I may seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness and devote myself to pioneering the ministry for Erie college students.
I pray that I may apply for club registration for three main universities in Erie, Gannon University, Mercy Hurst University, and Penn State Erie. In order to do that, I need a plan to visit campus and to find out the requirements for club registration.

D. Prayer topics
1. To have sincere early morning prayers and daily bread devotionals.
2. To serve Sunday Worship message and group Bible studies.
3. To serve one American student with one to one Bible study.
4. To have Judges Bible studies continually.
5. To apply for club registration for UBF in Erie campuses.
6. God may help Maria to choose the best college for her and do a good job in her college studies.

Abraham Kim