Newsletter 2017/4/2

Lord’s Day Message: Eph.4:1-16

¹  I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³  eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

⁴  There is one body and one Spirit–just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call– ⁵  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷  But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸  Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” ⁹  (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? ¹⁰  He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹  And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹²  to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³  until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴  so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶  from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Message Outline: The walk of Christians

To walk in a manner worthy of the calling

1. With all humility and gentleness
2. With patience, bearing with one another in love
3. To maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

To maintain the unity of the Spirit

1. The foundation of the oneness

• One body, one Spirit, one hope that belongs to your call
• One Lord, one faith, one baptism
• One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all

2. Through the equipping of the gifted persons

a.  These gifted persons are the captives of Christ

b.  The goal of equipping: attaining to

• The unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God
• Mature manhood
• The measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ

c.  The way of equipping

• Speaking the truth in love
• Helping others to grow up into the head, Christ

d.  The result of equipping

• Not to be carried by every wind of doctrine
• Making the body grow so that it builds itself up in love

Application and Discussion

1. What is the calling of Christians from God? How can this calling affect our living?
2. The oneness of the body of Christ is not a slogan and it should become practical in our church life. So from the picture of Paul which portrays how the gifted persons equip others, what can you give or serve so that our church can express such oneness?

Message Next Week: Eph.4:17-32

Church Meetings/Time/Place

Home Meeting/Chinese Speaking Young People:

2/4 Sun. 7:30pm, Patrick & Lily’s

3/4 Mon., 7:30pm,  Richard & Flora’s, (Dinner @ 7pm)

Pursuing of Uni Students: 4/4 Tue. 7:30pm, Yulin’s

Sisters Meeting: 5/4 Wed. 10:00am, Anne’s

Prayer Meeting: 5/4 Wed. 8:00pm, Olsen & Likun’s (Combined)

Pursuing of Words: 7/4  Fri. 8pm, David’s

Young People Meeting/Home meeting for Adults：

8/4 Sat. 7:30pm, Olsen & Likun’s (Gospel group)

Bill & Christine’s (YP & other adults)

Announcements:

1. We welcome all the new ones who are joining us today. May God bless you and lead you into this family of God.
2. The outing to The Entrance for the senior group will be delayed until May. Please contact Brother Benchu Guo for details.
3. This year the Collaroy conference will be held on April 14-17. Brothers Michael Samulak and Benjamin Sheu will be the speakers and they will cover the book of Jonah. This year all the brothers and sisters, young people and adults, can all join together.

The cost of the conference is $350 for adults and $300 for children (the real cost is $415.80/adult, $331.80/child for hotel room; and $327.60/adult, $315.00/child for cabin). The difference may be made up by offering. However, if anyone has financial difficulty, please fellowship with Brother Richard Chen or Yulin Wang that the cost can be waived in portion or in full amount. Please do not lose the chance to have Lord’s blessing just because of the financial need. (The minimum number for the camp is about 85.)

You can register online in the church web site (some young people can help in lunch time) or register with Sister Hannah Cui. The registration is due today.

There will be no Lord’s Day meeting at the hall on April 16. The brothers and sisters and gospel friends need to come to Collaroy centre. Because of the rule in the camp, whoever can come please register as the day trip.

For all details of the camp please contact Sister Hannah Cui or Brother Yulin Wang.

4. On April 23 there will be an English speaking gospel meeting. We welcome the brothers and sisters to invite friends to join.
5. On July 9-15 the church plans to join the Chinese speaking conference in Cleveland, USA. If any brothers and sisters are interested, please register with Brother Yulin Wang.

<Reminder>

1. For brothers and sisters please bring your own Bible and hymn book for the Lord’s Day meeting.
2. During the meeting, please turn off your mobile phone or put the volume on silence and not to walk around or to wonder/talk too loud in the kitchen.
3. When you prepare the love feast for Lord’s Day lunch, please do not prepare any food containing nuts as someone may have food allergy.

Please refrain from bringing uncooked food for the love feast so we may lighten the work for the serving ones in the kitchen.

Intercession:

1. May the Lord bless the gospel friends among us that they can know how precious the Lord is and are willing to believe in Him.
2. Pray for the new believers (Brother Frank Wang, Sisters XiaChun Li & YuRong Liu, and the 15 brothers and sisters in 2016). May the Lord establish them in the church life and bless their growth in life.
3. May the Lord bless the camp of the senior group as well as the Collaroy conference so that the brothers and sisters can desire to participate and joyfully receive the supply of God’s word and love of brothers and sisters.
4. Pray for the brothers and sisters or their relatives who are weak in body or spirit. May the Lord care for them and give them sufficient grace.
5. The father of sister Susan has passed away, please pray that God can comfort and support our sister and her family.

Serving This Week: (Apr. 2)

1. Message: Yulin Wang & David Tan
2. Serving before Meeting: Everyone
3. Breaking the Bread: Raymond Yang & Thomas Wu
4. Serving Bread and Cup: Richard Cui, Sean Dong, Patrick Li & Chuan Ma
5. Cleaning: Raymond & Lucy Family, Thomas & Lena, Joyce & Chris, Joe & Lili Family, Michael & Mandy Family, Margaret Yang
6. Kitchen: Hannah & WeiQiong
7. Children: Supervisor –John & Joe

Singing – David & Chris

Teachers – Elsa, Holly & Mandy

 

Serving Next Week: (Apr. 9)

1. Message: Yulin Wang & Richard Chen
2. Serving before Meeting: Jane & Didy
3. Breaking the Bread: Richard Chen & Chuan Ma
4. Serving Bread and Cup: Sam Li, Sean Dong, Patrick Li & Richard Cui
5. Cleaning: TBA
6. Kitchen: Susan & WeiQiong
7. Children: Supervisor –Christine & Jessie

Singing – Sarah & Vasya

Teachers – Angela, Tina & Leonie

 

2017 Church Activities

1. Collaroy Conf. (Apr.14-17)
2. Mother’s Day / Special lunch (May 14)
3. US Visit and training (July 9-15)
4. English speaking Gospel Meeting (Aug.)
5. Church conference (Sep.30-Oct.2)
6. Gospel Meeting with Hymns (Dec. 3)
7. US church conference (YP) (Dec.)