Dear Friends at 5C:
Sunday before Easter is called the Palm Sunday, which marks Jesus’ triumphant entry of Jerusalem days before his crucifixion. As we enter this holy week, it is good for us to set aside time each day and reflect on God’s love and grace through his son’s atonement for our sins. Many people celebrate Christmas around the world, but the most important Christian holiday is in this week, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ have always been the center of Christian faith. Praise the Lord that our church leaders increasingly put more emphasis on our celebration in this holy weekend. Please come and join us for Good Friday Service on 4/2 and Easter Service on Sunday 4/4. You are welcome to invite family and friends as well. In addition, please remember Chris Choi, Bianca Lin, Melissa Chen and others in your prayer as they prepare church programs for this weekend.
Last Sunday we continued our sermon series on the Book of Galatians. During the last two messages, we focus on breaking free from the performance trap. I have to give credits of many insights that I have learned from Dallas Willard, a Christian leader of the spiritual formation movement in recent decades. Some key ideas from these messages come from his idioms, such as “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.”, “Not trying but training”, “We do not try to do the Law, but we become the kind of person who does these things naturally.” Unfortunately Dallas passed away in 2013 before I had a chance to meet him in person. Therefore I learn all those things through his books and lectures as well as others who have followed him closely in those years, especially his wife Jane who has become my spiritual director since 2015. No doubt, my spiritual life has been transformed through these learning of spiritual formation. It is my prayer that this sermon series may transform our lives together as we journey through Paul’s exposition on the doctrine of Justification by Faith.
Praise the Lord for Raymond Wu’s successful surgery on Mar 23. Please continue to pray for his recovery in the days ahead. In addition, thank you for your prayer for Ed Sherman’s son Lane. He has finished his treatment of brain tumor and is doing very well.
Ministry Update:
- Anderson Lin will lead church prayer meeting (in Chinese) at 7:30pm this Thursday 4/1
- Anno Ho will lead English prayer meeting at 7:30pm this Thursday 4/1
- Due to Good Friday Service, Pastor Chen’s office hours is cancelled this Friday 4/2
- Our church will hold the Good Friday service at 7:30pm on Friday, 4/2
- We will have holy communion during Good Friday Service on 4/2. Please prepare your elements for participation
- Small group “Love” will meet at 7:30pm Sunday 4/4 through Zoom
- Chinese Sunday school (Tim Wang) and English Sunday school (Stephen Casey)
- Our church will hold the Easter service at 11:00am on Sunday, 4/4
Prayer Requests:
- Pray for Good Friday Service ad Easter Service this weekend
- Pray for the Coronavirus outbreak in the US and around the world
- Pray for physical and spiritual well-being of our church members
- Pray for small groups formed recently in our church
- Pray for Lydia Anderson’s resurgent brain tumor
- Pray for Annie’s sister and Anderson’s brother for Parkinson’s disease
Look forward to seeing you virtually on Sunday.
Blessings!
Jinchang
親愛的中岸教會朋友們:
復活節前一個星期日稱為“棕櫚主日”,它記念耶穌在被釘十字架之前光榮進入耶路撒冷的事件。當我們進入聖周時,每天留出時間反思神差遣祂儿子为我们赎罪的愛與恩典。世界各地許多人都慶祝聖誕節,但是最重要的基督教節日則是這一周,耶穌基督的受死與復活應當是基督教信仰的核心。感謝主,教會領袖對聖周的慶祝越來越重視。我們誠邀您參加教會 4 月 2 日的耶穌受難日崇拜和 4 月 4 日的復活節崇拜。也歡迎邀請您的家人和朋友參加。蔡達文弟兄,張西齡姐妹,陳慧珍姐妹和其他人都在不遺餘力地為這週教會的活動做準備,請為他們禱告。
上主日,我們繼續加拉太書的講道系列。在最近的兩篇信息中,我們著重於如何免受自我表現的束縛。這要歸功於我從魏樂德那裡學到的見解,魏樂德是近幾十年來靈命塑造運動的領袖。這些信息中的一些關鍵思想援引於他的話,例如“恩典不是與努力對立,乃是與賺取對立的。”,“不是嘗試而是訓練”,“不是憑著自己的力量行善,乃是成為那種自然而然地做這些事情的人。”不幸的是,魏樂德於 2013 年去世,而我也無緣親自見到他。因此,通過他的著作和講座以及當年與他密切接觸的人,
尤其是他的妻子簡,我學習了這些操練。自 2015 年以來,簡一直成為我的屬靈指導。毋庸置疑,通過這些學習,我的屬靈生命發生了轉變。真心期望,當我們研讀保羅對因信稱義的辯護時,這個證道系列會共同改變我們的生命。
感謝主,3 月 23 日胡其健弟兄的手術很成功。請繼續為他接下来的康復祈禱。另外,也感謝大家為 Ed Sherman 的兒子 Lane 祈禱,他已經順利完成腦瘤的治療,情況良好。
事工更新:
1. 林恩深弟兄將帶領本週四晚間 7 點半的中文禱告會
2. 周敏儀姐妹將帶領本週四晚間 7 點半的英文禱告會
3. 陳牧師本週辦公時間由於耶穌受難日聚會暫停一次
4. 教會將於 4 月 2 日週五晚間 7 點半舉行耶穌受難日聚會
5. 週五的耶穌受難日聚會將守聖餐,請準備好參加
6. 『仁愛』小組 4 月 4 日週日晚間 7 點半線上聚會
7. 本週中文主日學將由汪天來弟兄帶領,英文主日學由 Stephen Casey弟兄帶領
8. 復活節崇拜於 4 月 4 日上午 11 點舉行
禱告事項
1. 為本聖周的耶穌受難日聚會及復活節崇拜
2. 為美國及世界各地的新冠肺炎的爆發
3. 為我們教會所有成員的身體及屬靈健康
4. 為教會新組建的各個小組
5. 為馮慶芳姐妹復發性腦瘤及後續的治療祈禱
6. 為裴師母的姐姐和林恩深弟兄的哥哥祈禱,他們正在遭受帕金森的困擾
期待週五和週日線上見
主僕 陳金昌