Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today is St. Patrick’s Day. It’s not just a day to see the river in Chicago dyed green or for watching March Madness games. It’s a day to remember a man who exemplified a Christlike lifestyle and who practiced radical forgiveness.
Patrick of Ireland was not originally from Ireland. He was born Maewyn Succat, the son of Calpornius, a deacon of the church, in the Roman Britannia in the year 385 AD. But his connection to Ireland didn’t come until he was a teenager. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped by Irish barbarian pirates. It was while he was a farm working slave that he learned the language and understood more about the Irish. His faith had been nominal before his capture, but became necessary while in slavery. He converted to Christianity while in captivity. His faith in God carried him through those dark and formative days. At the age of 22, after seeing a vision, he escaped, travelled the 200 miles to the coast, and got on board a ship headed back home.
He trained to be a priest and became concerned for the pagan Irish, his captors. So he returned to Ireland with the goal of seeing the whole island converted to Christianity. (Do you have even a hint of that passion for evangelism for the community around you?) He faced opposition and resistance, and even took to carrying around a dagger for protection. But God blessed the labors of this man, who baptized the king of the Irish, and also became the island’s first bishop. He spent over 30 years serving and pointing people to Jesus, which transformed the society and helped to change the marauding ways of the people.
There is no evidence, though there is a lot of lore, that Patrick used a shamrock to explain the Trinity (though any analogy of the Trinity is fraught with difficulty as Conall and Donall prove in this Lutheran Satire Video). Patrick of Ireland was a Christian committed to serving the people who had enslaved him, of sharing the gospel with those who didn’t know Christ, of forgiving and seeing God do great things. May we also be committed to sharing the gospel and forgiving and joining God in doing great things.
For more information on St. Patrick: check out this article from Ligonier; and this article from the gospelcoalition.
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 17-March 23, 2023):
1. Tonight, March 17, 2023, the Living Stones Friday Night Bible Study is meeting from 8:30-9:30 to continue our study about How to Discern the Voice of God. You can read John 17:1-19 in preparation for this time of fellowship and studying “Does it honor God?”. From 7:30 to 8:30 we will join a missionary sharing via zoom. Either way, join in person in Room A-216 or online via the following link at 7:30 pm:
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 19.
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 19, 2023, at 11:25 am, Elder Jeremy Wu will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL!
a. Text: Deut. 6:4-5
b. Title: Shema!
c. Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/
4. Each Wednesday, such as this week (March 22) 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 Gordon and Maggie who are serving in France. They praise God for opportunities to share with seekers. But they also ask for prayer for discipleship groups and health. Please check the missions tab in our bulletin to read through this report and learn how you can support our missionaries.
2. Sign-ups are almost full. But 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 from 2 to 4 pm. 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 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