Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
You may have noticed that I didn’t preach last Sunday and I won’t be preaching this Sunday. In fact, I won’t be preaching the following Sunday either. But that doesn’t mean that I’m not working! These past couple of weeks have been an opportunity for me to do some more long-term planning and preparation.
As I was working on Tuesday with the CPC update for the congregational meeting on October 27th, I found myself being discouraged. The discouragement came from taking a look at the circumstances facing CPC. For example, we have a declining membership. We’ve had more members leave in the past 4 years than we have had members who have joined us. Or we have a number of positions open for CPC members, but we haven’t had people step into those roles – like CrossPoint Community Deacon, CPC Missions Representative, CPC Education DRI, Worship Team leaders – at least not yet. Or we have had a lot of visitors in the past few months, but so far, it doesn’t seem that any have settled down with CPC as their church family.
Looking at our circumstances, I became discouraged, even thinking that I haven’t served you well as a pastor.
But the Lord is gracious and merciful! On Wednesday morning, the Lord brought the Scripture to mind: “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Hope in God; I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” (Ps. 42:5, 11; 43:5). The Lord is helping to bring me to a place where He rids me of self-reliance and self-focus. After all, our God is the God who can do more than all we ask or imagine.
Since that moment on Wednesday, I have been hopeful. We remain a Bible-based congregation who is seeking to be a blessing. And we have a membership class starting during the Sunday School hour. (If you are interested in attending, let me know!) Moreover, we have well over half of our members serving on committees, or helping run the service, or helping lead Bible Studies/Fellowships, and almost every other member who is willing to help out as needed.
Another hope I have is that I will be able to connect with each of you, our members, in the coming months. I am once again aiming to set up meetings with you to see how you are doing, to see what you’re involved in, and how I can be praying for you specifically. So if you get an e-mail or text or message from me, you’re not in trouble. I am just working at getting to know and support you, the beloved members of CrossPoint Community.
Please continue to pray for the nations of Israel and Ukraine and South Sudan. Pray that the wars would end. 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. And https://worldrelief.org/blog-prayer-for-israel-and-gaza/ Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza and Lebanon, Sudan and South Sudan, and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.
This Week (Oct. 18-24, 2024):
1. Tonight, Oct. 18, 2024, the Living Stones Friday Night Bible Study is meeting from 7:30-9:30 to study the topic of “Purpose Exemplified”. You can read Philippians 1 to prepare in advance. Join in person in Room A-218 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)
Also, the Bible Study group John is leading will be meeting this week (Oct. 18)
2. CrossPoint Community Sunday School meets this Sunday – October 20 in the Koinonia Room (A-216). We are continuing our study of Church History, looking at the time beyond the dark ages. We will use the following link for those who wish to join online this Sunday:
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, Oct. 20, 2024, at 11:25 am, our CrossPoint Community Worship Service will start and Pastor Raymond Lee will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL!
Text: 1 Corinthians 16:14
Title: Do Everything in Love
Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/
4. Each Wednesday, such as this coming week (October 23) 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 October, we will be praying with a focus on caring for others. The link is found below in the section on prayer.
Administration / Events
1. We have a missions update (so check out the missions tab in the bulletin)! You can provide support for James Liang (at UConn), and pray for the Havlicek family serving the people of the Mixe language group in Oaxaca, Mexico. This summer, they had the opportunity to return to the States for a brief (6 week) visit and are excited to be back in Oaxaca.
2. CPCM has reserved the Multi-Purpose Room on Saturday’s from 1:30 to 4PM for sports. We can play any game: Ping-pong, badminton, pickleball, volleyball, basketball; we can do it all. The room is reserved only for CPCM members, so it is highly likely you will have lots of space and time to play whatever you want. The goal is to build deeper bonds through shared interest and activity. The contact person is Joshua Zhang.
3. Sunday Lunch Service is available at CBCGL with $5 lunches that are first-come, first-served. Pizza is $2 per slice and Ramen is available (priced variously according to size).
4. Women’s Bible Study – “KEEPING IT VERTICAL” meets the first and third Tuesday of each month to learn, share and grow in the Lord. We are studying the Fruit of the Spirit. Come join us and meet new friends and bring more friends along! Contact jeannemic50 (at) icloud.com
5. Save the Date: October 27, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, CBCGL will hold its 35 Annual Congregational Meeting. As a member, your attendance and participation are expected and encouraged. We look forward to seeing you there, as we vote for Elder and Deacon Candidates, welcome new members, and hear reports from different ministries in our church. And, in case you’re wondering, we are also taking our annual church photo together!
6. Save the Dates: November 9 and 10 will be a time for CBCGL to hold a Mission Conference, themed “Be a Shining Lamp”, with speaker Dr. Jamie Taylor (Great, great grandson of Hudson Taylor) and President of China Evangelical Seminary (in Taiwan). CPC will also have a guest preacher on Nov. 10 – Dr. Paul Biswas.
7. Also, the once-every-three years Chinese Missions Convention is being held again in Baltimore, MD, December 26-29, 2024. Here is a link with more information about the English track: https://www.thecmc.org/
8. All other announcements can be found here (in our CrossPoint Community bulletin).
For Prayer:
1. From Bishop J.C. Ryle – “To be prayerless is to be Christless, Godless, and in the high road to destruction…It will always be found that when prayers are few, grace, strength, peace, and hope are small.” 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