Greetings EM family,
I pray that you are safe and sound physically and spiritually in the high peak of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
So which life stage are you?
P.C.: https://www.flickr.com/photos/49030844@N05/37364886971/in/dateposted-public/
This picture says a lot about our lives. It is like a one-directional path, and no U-turn allowed. In this world, “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” (Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, 1789). The tax date has just passed, but an extension is in place thanks to COVID-19. Recently there are few passed away in our elderly morning light fellowship. The news reminds me of Psalm 90:10, one of my favorite verses:
The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.
(Psalm 90:10, ESV)
This psalm was written by Moses. I wonder what was going through his mind that day when he wrote down this rather depressing statement. It surely had to be before he reached eighty, maybe even before he was seventy. Sitting by some rock and wells in the wilderness tending flocks of his father-in-law, day by day, Moses probably thought this might be it for his life. However, I am sure there were two things still in his mind: His God and His Hope. One verse later, Moses asked God to help him number his remaining days, so he knew how to make the most of them:
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
(Psalm 90:12, ESV)
In his religious creed<www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/pa-heritage/religion-early-politics-benjamin-franklin.html>, written six weeks before his death to the President of Yale University Ezra Stiles, Benjamin Franklin stated, “… As for Jesus of Nazareth …I have…. some doubts to his Divinity….”
Benjamin Franklin, oil on Canvas by Joseph Duplessis in 1778 Paris
May we all learn to make the most of our days!
P.S.: A letter from our beloved William and Irene is attached at the end of this news.
Announcement:
1. Friday Night Bible Study starts at 7:45 pm. We will continue to study the Book of Romans. All are welcome!
You may dial in or login via your phone or personal computer:
Join Zoom Meeting
zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Password: 840840
Dial-in from your phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
1. If you have not heard, Brother Hal Chou, sister LiChuan Lin’s husband, passed away last weekend. Brother Hal’s memorial service will be held online via Zoom:
Join Zoom Meeting
Time: 04/18/2020 10:00 am EST
uml.zoom.us/j/93941185015?pwd=VVZHRVM4a1piMmVlbHdzdUdUendDdz09
Meeting ID: 939 4118 5015
Password: 333
Dial-in from your phone: +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 939 4118 5015
1. Sunday School Link: 9:45 am ~ 11:15 am
Adult Alpha:
Use your phone or computer to click on the following Zoom Meeting link: zoom.us/j/491248585 Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Meeting Password: 403767
Dial-in from your phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Y.A./Empower Sunday School:
zoom.us/j/711311276?pwd=TVJydXhBQ0VaVkc1WWZIYmYyeThKQT09<l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fzoom.us%2Fj%2F711311276%3Fpwd%3DTVJydXhBQ0VaVkc1WWZIYmYyeThKQT09%26fbclid%3DIwAR3bWFyuXh2wUVdYIR2i8qbgzBGIUxY1KjCIRJ_BC53aT42V0hHOsJBb2Pw&h=AT1HxP7DrncBX3IgqXxy…>
1. This coming Sunday, Pastor Rockey Chan will be sharing God’s word with us: * Live stream: www.cbcgl.org/resources/live-stream/ * Title: Hope: Justified in Christ * Text: Romans 5:1-11 * Sunday bulletin: www.cbcgl.org/ministries/english-ministry/em-weekly-bulletin/
1. All other announcement items can be found here<docs.google.com/document/d/1WRNzuLiu19tmthKzpOGE3ZOvHAqnQRsqyTKY4ut3Tks/edit?ts=5e377841>.
Prayer Request:
1. We have composed a prayer list<docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U64MLIp-EpQ8YKfIpHzBNR_3tceMaOxrchnfbqlkcpU/edit?ts=5e851f21#gid=0>. You may enter yours here:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U64MLIp-EpQ8YKfIpHzBNR_3tceMaOxrchnfbqlkcpU/edit?ts=5e851f21#gid=0
Blessings,
Jeremy
****************************
Greetings from Toronto!
The world has changed a lot since we departed from the CBCGL EM family and moved to Toronto. Ironically, other than our faith, we are connected by one novel health threat, COVID 19. We are enduring the same situation – in quarantine or self-isolation – even though we are thousand miles apart. Our common and pressing topic nowadays is the importance of social distancing. To practice it, people are avoiding each other when walking in the street or stores. Neighbors are avoiding talking to each other. We were born after the world wars and could not imagine how people lived through the tough time. The past week, it gave us a small taste of it. There was a sense of uncertainty, a sense of food or supply shortage, even a sense of social phobia.
While these sentiments often direct us to be more and more self-focus, Our Lord says, this is the time tobring the Lord’s love into our community. This is a powerful act to defeat the horror that the virus created. It may not always be easy, but as a person of faith, God calls upon us to serve others and bring His light to people. It doesn’t matter if we have a lot to give or a little, it’s the heart that matters! We never know how a small act of kindness can draw someone closer to God.
We attempted to engage people in need within our community, like Muslim or less fortunate migrants in Toronto, individuals in mandatory self – isolation after returning from oversea, etc. William has signed up different media or organization to assist people in buying groceries and medications.
We just finished shopping for 5 families and delivered food at their door. The sad thing was we could not talk to them. Attached is the photo showing the amount of grocery in our car for 5 families.
10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
(Hebrews 6:10)
Prayer items-
Matthew 24 English Standard Version (ESV)
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
* Pray that we can endure this difficult time and that our hearts will not grow cold. * Pray that we remain faithful in Him with our heart, mind, and soul though we may not know what God is doing right now.
To close and let’s have a good laugh. There is one good thing for sure out of this pandemic situation, the pickpocketers are running out of opportunities. That’s a great thing, isn’t it?
William and Irene Fung