It was the first time City Harvest’s Indonesian praise and worship band 3PM ministered to churches in America, but the distance they traveled was worth it.
PHOTO COURTESY OF 3 P.M.
Distance was not a barrier for the 3PM praise and worship band from City Harvest Church’s Indonesian Service, who traveled for their first mission trip to USA in February. Over two weekends from Feb. 13 to 27, the band ministered to three churches located in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Pinole, all under the umbrella of International Full Gospel Fellowship.
A total of six band members were involved in the trip—Raymond Sigarlaki, JJ Simkoputera, Charles Halim, Caroline Tjen, Jennifer Tham and Tulus Tobing. Together, they conducted a total of six services and held one gospel concert at IFGF San Francisco on Feb. 23.
The IFGF group is not unfamiliar to the band members; originally known as Indonesian Full Gospel Fellowship, it was renamed International Full Gospel Fellowship to reflect the leadership’s mission of global evangelism. It was during a meeting in Seattle that the band’s project manager JJ Simkoputera got acquainted with the event organizer, who subsequently connected him and the band to the IFGF churches in America.
Band keyboardist Tobing shared his life testimony with the church during the services, which proved to be a great source of encouragement to the congregation. Tobing had come from an underprivileged family marked by poverty, but his life today is a vastly different story. God has blessed him with a happy marriage and a baby, as well as an IT career in New Zealand.
Sigarlaki recalls how an Indonesian working as a helper in America came up to the band members with tears in her eyes after one service and shared how Tobing’s testimony opened her eyes to the hope for deliverance from her impoverished situation as well, as she kept believing in God.
Besides the services and concerts, the band went the extra mile to sow into the churches with their time and talent, organizing workshops on topics such as music directing, songwriting and band management. New material was created after the band members discussed with the church leadership concerning areas that needed strengthening.
“Growing up in CHC, 3PM members have learned a lot about missions,” explains Sigarlaki. “We carry the same anointing from CHC to the places we minister in, and we can really feel God’s presence during our praise and worship. It is an honor to serve, and it is really by the grace of God that we are able to fulfill His purposes for us. We are humbled that God has chosen us to be a blessing to these churches.”
Plans for mission trips later in the year to Indonesia, Japan and the US are already in the works. For fans awaiting 3PM’s new album, Sigarlaki revealed that the band might issue a single this year.
