Greetings, EM family,
I pray that this email finds you well physically and spiritually.
I received a Facebook message this week from an old colleague in Taiwan. We worked closely during my stay in Taiwan while taking care of my mom.
He had encountered some technical issues and wondered if I was still in a similar industry and could give him a hand.
After about an hour of discussion, he thanked me for the assistance. He apologized for troubling me even though we were no longer colleagues.
“But we are still friends,” I replied. He laughed and agreed.
What’s your definition of a “friend?” Who do you consider as “friends?” According to Merriam-Webster, a friend is “1. a person attached to another by affection or esteem. 2. A person who is not hostile.”
Jesus is our friend. In John 15 he said to his disciples,
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
(John 15:12-15, ESV)
Our mutual affection with Jesus is the Heavenly Father, so whatever Jesus had heard from the Father, he would make them known to us. A friend is someone you can depend on to walk together through daily tribulations and difficulties. Better yet, If Jesus considers you as a friend, you will have peace (John 16:33). From the passage, Jesus asked his disciples to “love one another” as he has loved us.
Is Jesus, your friend?
Announcement:
- Friday Night’s Bible Study will start a new book from Lifeway. You may dial in or login via your phone or personal computer:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Dial-in from your phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
- Min. Tao Zhang has joined our pastoral team as of July 27, 2020. We will have a chance to introduce Minister Zhang this Sunday. Here is a picture of Min. Zhang’s family (along with his wife Yingyun and three beautiful daughters: Priscilla, Zoe, and Hannah).
- This Sunday, Pastor Nathan Willems will be sharing God’s word with us:
- Live stream Youtube: http://cbcgl.org/resources/live-stream/
- Title: Consuming Desire
- Text: Proverbs 23:17-25, 29-35 (ESV).
- Coworker reminder:
- Sunday bulletin: http://cbcgl.org/ministries/english-ministry/em-weekly-bulletin/
- EM Sunday School
Topic: CBCGL EM Sunday Class “52 Major Stories of the Bible” (9:45 am – 11:00 am):
Join Zoom Meeting (Note the different link)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Dial-in from your phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
YAs Sunday School (via Microsoft Teams)
YAs Sunday School signup sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1H0oSS1kpU8JUZAv0JcmivEIzR-tvDtihkrEtBLE8tJo/edit?usp=sharing
- English Ministry will host Alpha Online starting on September 8 (Tuesday) from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Please invite your friends and family to join the Alpha Online course.
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https://patch.com/massachusetts/chelmsford/signup-free-cbcgl-alpha-online-nodx
Also, sister Marina Lam and few other families have teamed up to host Youth Alpha in August. I have attached her testimony at the end of this newsletter. If you are interested to know more or join, please contact Marina. |
Signup for CBCGL Alpha Youth Summer!
Alpha Small Group Training Video
* What is Alpha?
* How to host small group discussion?
* AlphaSmallGroup Training Video:
https://player.vimeo.com/video/260774508
Contact: Marina Lam
Email: marina.lam@lowell.church
Google voice phone: (201) 824-2922
- New health waiver form has been posted online at http://bit.ly/cbcgl-covid19-waiver
You are required to fill out the latest form if you plan to participate in any activities at church.
- Deacon nomination is ongoing. Please go online to fill out any recommendation:
http://bit.ly/cbcgl-deacon-nomi
- All other announcement items can be found here.
Prayer Request:
- Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 pm – 9:15 pm)
Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
Young Adults:
Wednesday night EM prayer meeting @ 7:45 – 9:30 pm – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85357847170?pwd=OC9EbmY2OXltalNuRVRZUDF6RjkwQT09
Meeting ID: 853 5784 7170
Password: 197791
- Here is our list of prayer and service requests. The service request tab is for brothers and sisters to ask for assistance, or announce any give-away items. It is a new attempt from EM to reach out and take care of those in need among us. You may also enter yours:
Blessings,
Jeremy
Marina’s sharing to church sisters who will help host Youth Alpha in August:
Dear Church Sisters:
Thank you for your reply. I understand it is difficult for hosting CBCGL Youth Alpha course in one weeks notice. Please pray for the CBCGL Youth Alpha Team to be able to host the Youth Alpha course in August.
Thank you God that we have enough sisters and brother to host two discussion group for serving 20 youths for 2 days planning. This is a learning process for all of us.
At first, I would like to host the Youth Alpha course with Sister Shu Lam to her 2 sons, nieces and nephews only, similar to Alpha Movie night party at our home. Then, there is no need for me to send so much emails back and forth for approval.
Frankly, I can host “Grace Empower Youth Alpha course” by my company or “Alpha Movie night at my home”. I have hosted Cantonese Alpha night at my home on last Tuesday night and 18 Cantonese Brothers and Sisters attending my zoom party. We have the Zoom party from 7:30pm to 10:30pm. Everyone has a good time. From that party, God has generated the following:
– Cantonese Ministry will host Lady’s Zoom fellowship leading by Ms. Priscilla Lee and Sister Shu Lam.
– Cantonese Ministry will host Men’s Zoom fellowship leading by Pastor Raymond Lee and 3 brothers.
– CBCGL Youth Alpha course leading by Marina Lam and Sister Shu Lam.
When there is a good idea, I do not like to keep it myself. I understand how difficult to persuade pastoral staffs and deacon boards. I worked as Local Missions Deaconess for 3 years to coordinate the several outreach events in church yearly. The elder board, pastoral staffs and church council just left me alone with my crazy idea and implementation. I only request them to announce the event only because they have a heavy workload themselves.
I have decided to do the hard way for hosting CBCGL Youth Alpha course for serving my beloved CBCGL, instead of Grace Empowerment Youth Alpha course. May God open the hearts of our EM, MM and CM congregations together and let them think out of box for creating their own outreach events. There is no need to brothers and sisters to get approval for hosting lady’s fellowship, men’s fellowship, Alpha movie night through Zoom. Now, we are able to break out of 4 walls of church to outreach to our friends and neighbors. Every congregation members and youths can host his/her Alpha movie night for spreading the gospels to their friends and neighbors. The most important part is that they can have fun time together.
Also, I always want to walk extra steps for pushing our CBCGL name to local communities through Local Missions outreach events. This is the reason why I try to gain approval from church so that we can get the CBCGL name out there and let our local communities to know that we are hosting CBCGL Youth Alpha outreach events with a few people and low budget.
Standing from the church point of view, this is also a good training for our church elders, pastoral staffs and church council members to see how to host an outreach event in short period of time through Zoom meeting. If I can coordinate a CBCGL Youth Alpha team and recruit 7 volunteers in 2 days for serving 20 youths, our church congregations can do it. It does not cost a dime in church budget. I pay my own Zoom account fee and volunteer time. Per the pastoral teaching, every Elders, Pastor and Minister, Deacon, Deaconess and Sunday school teachers encourage our congregation members to host outreach events by themselves. I am demonstrating how to host the low-budget CBCGL Youth Alpha and Adult Alpha outreach events through Zoom by myself for spreading the CBCGL name in Greater Chelmsford area. This allows our church be light and salt in Greater Chelmsford area.
Therefore, please see my email “Host Alpha Movie Night!” email to train your daughters to host their Alpha Movie night parties for outreaching to their friends and have a fun Summer time together.
May God bless our local missions hearts for Him. Amen.
See you soon.
Marina