Greeting EM family,
May the grace and peace from our Lord Christ Jesus be with you!
So, how do we overcome contentment?
“Huh?” You might ask, isn’t contentment a good thing? Is it alright to feel discontent while by the side of our Lord?
PC: by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash.com
The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) causes a respiratory (lung) infection, and it changes how we live our daily routine.
With more and more cases being reported every day, schools, offices, churches, and many meeting places wonder and discuss how to respond to the increasing threat of an outbreak. Some decide to close and wait out the storm. Some choose to impose policies and restrictions. Some take precautionary measures and advise comers to self-quarantine. For CBCGL, Elder Raymond sent out a church-wide COVID-19 guidance announcement on Wednesday evening. It can also be found at the end of this newsletter.
These requests and changes are necessary to ensure the wellbeing of our church members.
PC: FDA.GOV
So, if we are happy, satisfied, content, worry-free, and fulfilled, why would we want to change anything, including our daily routine?
First of all, I need to clarify what I meant by “contentment” in the context. Here I meant, are you happy with how we believers of Christ witness for the Lord? Know that the moment we dwell in contentment and satisfaction, we stop to grow.
Because we are “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11, ESV) in the Christ-unfriendly environment, there is a natural difference between us and the world. The world’s reaction to the pandemic reminds every human being of our mortality. Our reaction, on the other hand, should reflect what it means to be the followers of Jesus Christ.
During the crisis of the coronavirus outbreak, we Christians have a perfect opportunity to show our faith and difference. I encourage each one of you that each deed we conduct, live out our identity as God’s people (1 Peter 2:10, ESV), and bear witness for the non-believer to see. May God grant us wisdom to glorify Him.
Announcement:
- If you or a family member have recently returned from international travel, please self-quarantine 14-days before attending any church function. If you or a family member have returned from a state or city that has declared an emergency over Coronavirus, please use your best judgment in attending services.
- Bible Study tonight, we will continue to study the book of Numbers.
- This Sunday, Elder Sam will be sharing God’s word with us:
- Title: My Prize (2)
- Text: Philippians 3:12-14
- Coworker reminder:
- EM Sunday School, this quarter is using the “alpha course.” Sunday School starts every Sunday in room A202 at 9:45 am.
https://run.alphausa.org/alphas/edit/27585/materials
- Lunch will be served in the coming Sunday (3/8).
- Youth short-term mission Ping-Pong tournament is still ON this coming Sunday. You may register through the following link:
- The church-wide retreat will be held during the Memorial Weekend (5/23 ~5/25). Here is the online registration link. http://bit.ly/cbcglretreat2020
- “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The local mission encourages brothers and sisters to support the Living Waters Center of Hope in prayer, donation, and serving on-site. It is a community center bringing help, hope and healing for those in need. We plan to serve the lunch in Living Waters on 3/21 (Sat) 11 am-1 pm. If you would like to participate in the service, please register online. The youth group will also send 20 students to help as part of the 30-hour famine program.
- Mark your calendar for April 5, 2020, EM townhall meeting 9:45 am ~ 11:15 am.
- All other announcement items can be found here.
Prayer Request:
- Please pray for the coronavirus situation and victims. May God protect His church from harm and grant peace and vigilance to His people.
- Pray for the EM pastor search. We are getting very close. May God’s guidance lead us to call His desired shepherd.
- Pray for our newcomers and newcomer-to-be! May God provide us enough wisdom to make them feel welcome and feel at home.
- Pray for brothers and sisters who are looking for work opportunities.
- Pray for CBCGL 2020 focuses: outreach, prayer, and discipleship groups.
Blessings,
Jeremy
The latest announcement for CBCGL on Coronavirus
Dear brothers and sisters,
Over the weekend, Washington and Florida, in addition to the City of San Francisco, declared states of emergency as fears of community-spread coronavirus increased. CDC Officials have said the spread of Coronavirus in US is inevitable.
God has been using difficult times to call people to turn away from their sins. He also called us to be part of His work and show the world we have peace and hope in our savior. Let’s pray for the sick, love each other, and care for our neighbors.
We also need to take practical steps to keep our church members safe. We have asked our church members and their family members who just came back from international travel to stay at home for 14 days upon arrival, before coming to church service.
Also, if you or your family members just came back from a state or city that has declared emergency over Coronavirus, please use your best judgement in attending services. You are encouraged to wear face masks or may choose to voluntarily self-quarantine if you see necessary. This is not to label or discriminate people, rather we should recognize their self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.
Let’s encourage each other with God’s word and respond with prayer and faith in our sovereign Lord.
May God’s comfort and protection be with you all,
Raymond Xie