Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This week, I’d like to draw your attention to different things happening within CPC and CBCGL.
LYF
The Youth group (LYF @ CBCGL) will be having a dinner tonight for youth and their siblings. It starts at 7 pm in the main cafeteria.
They are also looking for drivers for the Youth Game Night at the Chinese Gospel Church of Massachusetts on March 24. If you’re able and willing to drive that evening, talk with Elder Charles Wang or Deaconness Yajwu Wu.
Children’s Ministry
Will be starting VBS sign-ups in March. VBS is happening August 7-11. Registration begins this month. Invite your friend’s kids and your neighborhood kids. More information about registration to come!
There will be a Kid’s Ministry Co-workers Appreciation Luncheon on March 25th from 11 am to 2 pm. If you have helped with Children’s Ministry, please RSVP to the Evite. Others, bring a lunch, and show your appreciation for the work done by the 2022-2023 Kid’s Ministry Co-workers!
CrossPoint Community Ministry
Keeping it Vertical – Women’s Bible Study on select Tuesday afternoons restarts March 21 at 1 pm. Join if you can!
CPC will be having our bi-annual town hall meeting on April 2nd. If you have things you want to bring up or ask, if you ask in advance, we can work to address it during the meeting. Please join us to learn about what we are aiming at doing in CrossPoint Community in the coming months. Hope you can join us!
In May, we have two events you may be able to join. On May 6, from 1 to 5 pm, we have a Worship Leader training, led by LYF Alumni Joshua Lin. The training will be for anyone interested in helping out with worship leading – whether youth or adults or people from other congregations.
On May 13th, from 9:30 am to 5 pm (with dinner out afterwards), you who are married are encouraged to save the date for a marriage conference at Boston Chinese Evangelical Church (in Chinatown). Couples should plan to have lunch and dinner together, and arrange child care, as needed. Parking is free, and it should be a great time of reconnecting with your spouse and learning how to be a better husband/wife. We hope you can join us!
Also, please continue to pray for the nation of Ukraine. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.
This Week (March 10-March 16, 2023):
1. Tonight, March 10, 2022, the Living Stones Friday Night Bible Study is meeting from 7:30-9:30 to begin our study about How to Discern the Voice of God. You can read Exodus 34:1-27 in preparation for this time of fellowship and studying “Does it align with God’s character?”. Join in person in Room A-216 or online via the following link:
https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Password: 840840
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. The Living Stones Sunday School and Grace Ambassadors Sunday School classes are meeting on March 12.
a. The Grace Ambassadors (Young Adults) will be meeting at 9:45 am (in-person in Room A-202)! We will be taking time to discuss Tim Keller’s book on Prayer. More info is found on the YAs Messenger Chat. For further info, contact Jillian Yuan.
b. “Understanding the Old Testament” Sunday School is this Sunday at 9:45 in-person (Room A-216) and online via the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Password: 403767
Join by phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
3. This Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 11:25 am, Pastor Nathan Willems will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL!
a. Text: Matthew 18:18-20
b. Title: Agreement in Prayer
c. Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/
4. Each Wednesday, such as this week (March 15th) at 7:45 pm, you are invited, encouraged, and requested to join our weekly prayer meeting. We will not grow in Christ without growing in our dependence on God through prayer. In March, we are spending time praying for CrossPoint Community and CBCGL needs. The link is found below in the section on prayer.
Administration / Events
1. We have a missions update (so check out the missions tab from the bulletin)! This week, we have an update from J and J who are serving in southeast Asia. They ask for prayer for discipleship groups in multiple different countries and the health and safety to travel to follow-up in person with the breakthroughs they have seen. Please check the missions tab in our bulletin to read through this report and learn how you can support our missionaries.
2. Please sign-up to help out with Easter Outreach activities from 2 to 4 pm on April 9th (Easter Sunday). We will have a training on March 25th for co-workers. There are lots of ways to serve. This is an opportunity to welcome guests and neighbors so they can understand what Easter is all about. Friendly and helpful people (that’s you!) are encouraged to sign-up as volunteers. The link can be found here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d45aaa828abfdc16-cbcgl2#/
3. We will have our next baptism service on Easter (April 9). To be baptized, you must attend baptism class. If you are interested in being baptized, please contact Pastor Nathan Willems. Come to baptism class to learn why we baptize people, what is necessary for baptism, and what rights and responsibilities you have as someone who is baptized.
We also will have child dedication on Easter Sunday. If you’re interested in dedicating your child(ren), talk with Pastor Nathan!
4. If you’re interested in joining CBCGL as a member, please contact Pastor Nathan Willems for more information on how to become a member and to schedule a membership class.
5. Save the Dates:
April 2 – CrossPoint Community TownHall Meeting, 9:45 am to 11 am – Room A202
April 9 – Combined Easter Service, Baptism and Child Dedication Service, Easter Outreach (2 to 4 pm)
May 6th – Worship Leader Training, 1 to 5 pm (@ CBCGL)
May 13th – Marriage Conference, 9:30 am to 5 pm (with dinner afterwards) – (@BCEC Chinatown).
6. Sunday Lunch Service began again at CBCGL on Jan. 8th with $5 lunchboxes! To place an order, please use the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/nCwQnMruKv Orders need to be placed by Friday at 11 pm so that the kitchen can prepare the correct amount of food. Note: The selection which states “Number of Meals” refers to the cooked food/lunch box/Chinese food option.
7. CBCGL’s COVID-19 guidance has been updated. We still are following CDC guidance for travel and participation in activities following travel or exposure to a positive case. We are also tracking community spread. If we are in a high risk of community spread, we recommend mask wearing to church activities.
a. Please note, you are recommended, but not required to wear facemasks to church.
8. All other announcements can be found here (in our CrossPoint Community bulletin).
For Prayer:
1. The one who lives without prayer lives as if there is no God. Truly, our time in prayer shows what we think about God! Do you see your need of Him? Or are you trying to live this life without / apart from Him? Please join our Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 – 9:15 pm) even if you can’t participate the whole time.
https://zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. We’d be glad to pray for you. If you need prayer, you can submit your prayer request via the following link: https://www.cbcgl.org/pray/
In Christ, your servant, SDG,
Rev. Dr. Nathan Willems
Associate Pastor of CrossPoint Community – A Ministry of CBCGL