Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This week, I’d like to draw your attention to upcoming events within CPC and CBCGL.
Tonight – April 7 – CrossPoint Community Good Friday Service
The CrossPoint Community Good Friday Service will be held in the Cantonese Sanctuary. For the past 5 years, CrossPoint has been in a different space for this service. This year, we will be in the newly renovated 1F (Cantonese) Sanctuary. Our service starts at 7:30 pm. We will not be live-streaming the service. We hope you can join us in person.
Also, beginning today, Sight and Sound Theatres (A Christian Theatrical Company) is streaming their musical “Jesus” for free – for three days only (April 7-9). If you have a couple of hours, I highly recommend sitting down with your family and watching it. My family saw this production live two years ago. It was fantastic. You can find more information here: https://www.sight-sound.tv/jesus-streaming-free-easter-weekend-2023/videos/you-re-invited-jesus-free-at-easter
Easter Sunday – April 9, 2023 – Combined Sunday Worship
CrossPoint Community will join our brothers and sisters in the Mandarin and Cantonese Congregations, along with the Youth and Children’s ministries to have a bi-annual Combined Worship Service. The Service begins at 9:30 am. At 11:25 am, we will have a baptism and child dedication service.
After this, lunch will be served. You may sign-up to pre-order it here. https://forms.office.com/r/nCwQnMruKv Please allow families with children to eat in the main cafeteria. If you don’t have kids, please join us in Room A-216 or A-202 (where there will also be soup and milk tea)
From 2 to 4 pm, CBCGL is hosting Easter Family Festivities. Check out the following page to find links to register: cbcgl.org/neighbors
Other Notable Events:
Keeping it Vertical – Women’s Bible Study on select Tuesday afternoons restarts April 18 at 1 pm. Join if you can!
In May, we have two events you may be able to join. On May 6, from 1 to 5 pm in the Main Sanctuary, 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. For more information, please contact Paul Fleming.
On May 13th, from 9:15 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 (if you send an e-mail in advance). This should be a great time of reconnecting with your spouse and learning how to be a better husband/wife. If you need scholarships for the event ($50) or for paying for childcare for the day, please let Pastor Nathan or Deacon Tony know. Register before April 30, via the registration link. We hope you can join us!
[If you have read all of the above information, please let me know. I’ll give you a dollar!]
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 (April 7 - April 13, 2023):
1. Tonight, April 7, 2023, CrossPoint Community will have a Good Friday Worship Service at 7:30 pm in the 1F (Cantonese) Sanctuary in Building A. We hope to see you for this special night of worship in person, as we will not be live-streaming this service.
2. The Living Stones Sunday School and Grace Ambassadors Sunday School classes are taking this week off. On April 9, we will not have Sunday School as our Combined Easter Service begins at 9:45 in the Main Sanctuary.
3. This Sunday, April 9, 2023, at 11:25 am, Pastor Sean Lee will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL!
a. Text: Ephesians 2:1-10
b. Title: Raised up with Christ
c. Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/
4. Each Wednesday, such as this week (April 12) 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 April, we will have some brief prayer lessons, followed by times to pray together. 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 Chris and Emily who are serving in Japan. They have a number of things for which to praise God, even as they seek where they might serve long-term within Japan. Please check the missions tab in our bulletin to read through their report and learn how you can support our missionaries.
2. 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.
3. Save the Dates:
April 9 – Combined Easter Service, Baptism and Child Dedication Service, Easter Family Festivities (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 on your own afterwards) – (@BCEC Chinatown). See above for more info.
4. 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.
5. 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. Please note, wearing a face mask to church is now optional.
6. 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