Retreat Weekend

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Pray for the all HOC retreat this weekend. HOC6 and HOC4 are sharing the burden of organizing it this year. May it be a time of refreshing, learning, and refocusing lives on Christ. HOC6 will also be in charge of the children's program during the retreat. We have invited Child Evangelism teachers to lead our kids programs for three classes. CEF will be working together with the HOC helpers. Pray to the Lord that we will have a wonderful kids program.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Praise God that our Mexico & Taiwan Mission Team had an enriching time abroad. Please pray that God will continue to confirm the things they've learned. Please continue to pray for the prople and churches that we worked with in both Tijuana & Taiwan.

We have about 6 people who are preparing to get baptized. Please pray for them as they learn and prepare.

Our leadership is getting ready to plan for the next Ministry Year (follows the school year calendar). Please pray for humility before God and guidance by the Spirit.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

Mary Tong, who is helping us resolve a tax exemption issue on our new building has a prayer request. Her mother, C.Y. Lee, has a weak heart and they've discovered some water in her lungs. They don't know what this means yet, but please pray for healing and for a good recovery.

Prayer ministry: Give thanks to the Lord for the establishment of the HOC united Prayer and training center. The first united HOC prayer meeting is to be held on Sept 26th in prayer mountain of Scotts Valley, sponsored by HOC6. We had a great planning a preparation meeting on 06/27. We have sent out a flyer to each home to promote the event.

Praise the Lord. Our July 11 opera evangelistic meeting has brought in over 60 newcomers to our church. Two of them have been attending our Sunday service and fellowship meeting. May God touch the hearts of those non-believers who are brought to us by your mercy.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen

Prayers of the Spirit

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." - Romans 8:26-27

This is part of a wonderful paradox. God want's us to pray to Him, and commands us to pray both individually and as groups. Yet at the same time, our human wisdom is woefully limited nor do we see God's plan unfolding before us. How can we pray? At the same time, the Holy Spirit is praying for us too, but with the wisdom of God that is inexpressible in words. Our weaknesses are made up for by the power of the Spirit, but at the same time there is a vital role in our involvement in prayer. May we never tire of praying together, even when we feel our words are inadequate.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Please pray for Ruby & Owen and their newest baby, Joseph. Pray for good health and recovery.

Praise God, Denise Lee will be interning with us over the summer starting on July 6 - Sep. 11. Please pray that God will lead her as she serves the church and community, learns new things, and grows in her faith as a servant of God.

Our leadership is getting ready to plan for the next Ministry Year (follows the school year calendar). Please pray for humility before God and guidance by the Spirit.

Please pray for the Mexico mission team. They are leaving in 2 weeks. Pray that they will raise all their support and complete their last minute preparations.

Please pray for the Taiwan mission team. They are leaving in 3 weeks. Pray that they will commplete the planning for the english camps and be ready to share their testimonies and the Gospel.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

Praise the Lord. We have sold 150 tickets for the July 11 Cantonese Chinese Opera evangelistic event. We still need much help in preparing this event. May God continue to provide.

Pray for the united HOC retreat in August; pray that HOC6 and HOC4 will share the burden of organizing the retreat successfully.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OFF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen

End Of The School Year

"Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right." - Proverbs 20:11

It is now the end of the school year. With everything finishing up, change is everywhere as kids come and go either returning from school or heading off to a summer project. The ambition, hopes, and plans of both children and adults will be rearranged as this annual event comes upon us.

The above verse is a good reminder that how we behave will be noted and remembered. Let us all consider our actions, whether they are "pure and right", so that God may be glorified.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Pray for all who are just finishing a school year, or our finishing up with high school / college and moving on. May God grant us directions that are pleasing to Him as we seek out new career paths and explore the world around us.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Please pray for Rube & Owen and their newest baby, Joseph. Pray for good health and recovery.

Pray for the second planned training for our kids Sunday school teachers. Thanks to brother Sidney from HOC3, who has agreed to come to HOC6 to provide the second training for us in September.

Pray for the YUGO team heading off to Mexico. Pray for team unity, since this is a team from two churches and all youth. Please also pray as they have many things to prepare for the ministries they have in Mexico.

Please pray for the Taiwan mission team. Please pray for their preparation of the VBS curriculum, which is proving to be a daunting task. Please also pray for team unity since there are members from all three congregations plus members from HOC3.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

Pray for the preparation for the July 11th Cantonese Chinese Opera evangelistic meeting. Pray for the efforts from the brothers and sisters in San Leandro Bible Church for this event.

Pray for the HOC united retreat in August; pray that HOC6 and HOC4 will share the burden of organizing the retreat.

Prayer ministry: Give thanks to the Lord for the establishment of the HOC united Prayer and training center. The first united HOC prayer meeting is to be held on Sept 26th at Prayer Mountain in Scotts Valley, sponsored by HOC6.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen

A New Lecture Hall

"But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord." - Acts 19:9-10

These verses tell of how a new lecture hall came into use by the Christians at Ephesus, resulting in the gospel being widely spread throughout the province of Asia. The Lord has granted us a new building and we will have the dedication ceremony tomorrow. Yes, it is a joy to use it to worship the Lord, but can we also spread the gospel outwards?

Below is a picture of some ruins from Ephesus. The church was swept away over the centuries due to war and other factors. None of this was in vain, however, because the gospel also went our from Ephesus and other cities, so that our faith today is built on top of what happened there, and in turn, their faith is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Pray that our church will stay true to the gospel message, and that God will grant us the ability to proclaim the gospel so that we can impact our local area. May we make effective use of what God has given us. Our building Dedication Ceremony is on May 30th @2pm.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Please pray for those who've finished school or are finishing up school - either as students or teachers. Pray that they will finish well and have a fruitful summer.

We've just started training for both the mission trips to Taiwan and Mexico. Please pray as we learn to serve as a team, figure out curriculum, and get spiritually prepared for the mission.

Continue to pray that we will have enough teachers for the Sunday School program and that we will be effective in this critical ministry of teaching the gospel to our children.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

HOC6 will be organizing the children's program for the August HOC united retreat. Pray that God will provide the 6 to 10 helpers that are needed. Pray to the Lord that we will have a wonderful kids program.

Pray for the overall planning and organizing of the HOC united retreat that is being done by HOC4 and HOC6 jointly.

Pray for strength, unity and patience for the small group leaders & committee members in their planningg and administrative roles. Pray for the preparation for the July 11 Cantonese Chinese Opera evangelistic meeting.

The Mandarin group has a a number of newly baptized brother and sisters in their small groups, along with other truth seekers. May God's word be planted firmly in their lives and transform them, along with all the rest of us, into good examples of Christians.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen.

Windows or Mirrors

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." - Colossians 4:2-6

The upcoming church retreat will have the theme Windows or Mirrors, which presumably relates to whether we should be more externally or internally focused as a church. This is a conversation which we can never get enough of, because we need to be both building up others inside the church and looking externally to seek out those who God is choosing for His Kingdom.

Sometimes it feels like whether we are looking at a reflection of ourselves or looking outwards, things are a bit fuzzy as we don't see God's plan. The verses above from Colossians give us a command on how we should always behave towards others. May the Lord teach us what it means to have our conversations be full of grace and seasoned with salt, so that we can share His love with everyone and not miss any opportunities.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

This Sunday is the deadline for the summer retreat registration. Pray for those who are pondering to go or not and for all those who will be planning and helping to lead. May this truly be a time of spiritual growth for all who join in. HOC6 and HOC4 are sharing the organizing of this event.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Please pray for our adult and youth small groups. Pray that God will deepen the community, grow people in faith, and bring people to Christ.

Please pray that more volunteers will step up to serve in the Children's Ministry.

We've just started training for the Taiwan Mission Trip. Please pray as we learn to serve as a team, figure out curriculum, and get spiritually prepared for the mission. Praise God that more people from HOC3 have also joined the team.

Please pray for the YUGO mission to Mexico. May God accomplish great things through this effort among those we meet in Mexico and among our youth who join this event.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

There is a HOC6 retreat this weekend with the Mandarinn group: "Spiritual Liffe-Building up". Please pray for those who will be attending this event.

The Cantonese group is organizing an evangelistic outreach through opera for July 11th. Pray for the organizing and preparation, along with God's leading people to hear about our Savior.

The Cantonese group has asked for prayer for a number of brothers and sisters who are part of their congregation, but haven't fully committed to following Jesus.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION.

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen.

From Death To Life

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." - Colossians 3:2-4

The recent swine flu brings up memories of the panick involving SARS a few years ago. Fear has subsided for the moment, but there are warnings in the news of the next pandemic.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization reports that more than 1.5 million people will die of tuberculosis this year, and new drug resistant strains of TB are appearing. There is a lot of fear out there, but Jesus offers us a way to truly live. In fact it is a simple truth that as long as we live in fear of our inevitable physical death, it is impossible to live in a way that allows us to experience the joy of being part of God's eternal purpose.

This is one reason that the new testament tells us that we should consider ourselves to have died. The additional sense is that we have died to our sin nature, the indulgence of which also hinders us from the life that God has for us.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Pray that God will grant all of us both the discipline to accomplish our earthly responsibilities, but also the recognition that all of this will pass away. May we keep our focus on "things above", as the scripture mentions, and the job that Jesus has for us. Pray that God would also make our congregation as a place of rest and comfort to others who are fearful.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Our Children's ministry is growing! Please pray that our children will understand & experience God's love and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Please also pray for Ruby & Owen McGrath who are expecting their 4th child soon.

Please pray for our Taiwan and Mexico mission team applicants as they prepare. Douglas Stillman, Daniel Stillman and Edward Wang (Taiwan). Daniel Chen, Dorcas Chang, Michael Lu, Colette Young (Mexico).

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

There is a HOC6 retreat on May 22 to 23 with the theme of "Spiritual Life-Building up". Pray for those who will be attending this retreat, along with those who are planning and organizing. May it be a time of learning and growing.

Pray for sister Yung who will be on a short missions trip to China in May and June. Pray for her safety and good health. Pray that God will open doors for the gospel to be heard.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen.

Encouragement

"Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints." - Philemon 1:7

This bit of praise was from Paul to Philemon. It reflects the idea of a group of brothers and sisters joining together in Christ Jesus, and finding support and encouragement as they go through various struggles.

Philemon was one who had been known because he had "refreshed the hearts of the saints". Paul, however, needed to reconcile Philemon with his runaway slave, Onesimus, and bring them together again. This is the theme of the letter.

God's plan for us is to join together with other believers, for the purpose of mutual encouragement as clouds of uncertainty hang over us. May we be a place of community and refreshment to those who are hurting.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Pray that our Thursday and Friday efforts will be able to attract more to join together with us in supporting one another and proclaiming our Savior. Especially pray that God will encourage and strengthen the Friday night leaders and give them wisdom to lead. May God send others our way, or show us how to reach out, so that we may build up the Kingdom as we help each other.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Our Children's ministry is growing! Please pray that ourr children will understand & experience God's love and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Please also pray for Ruby & Owen McGrath who are expecting their 4th child soon.

Please pray for our Taiwan and Mexico mission team applicants as they prepare. Douglas Stillman, Daniel Stillman and Edward Wang (Taiwan). Daniel Chen, Dorcas Chang, Michael Lu, Colette Young (Mexico).

Please pray for all our members who've been laid off and who are facing difficult financial circumstances. Pray for faith and for provision.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

There is a HOC6 retreat on May 22 to 23 with the theme of "Spiritual Life-Building up". Pray for those who will be attending this retreat, along with those who are planning and organizing. May it be a time of learning and growing.

The Cantonese group is starting an adult Sunday School. Pray that there will be those who want to dig into the word, and also that God would grant His wisdom and insght to the leaders, Daniel, Steven, Beryl and Christina.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen.

All You Who are Thirsty ...

"On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.' By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive." - John 7:37-39

Hidden near the top of Mission Peak is the best water in Fremont. No matter how hot and dry the summer, a hiker could find relief and get refreshed with the cool waters. Sadly it was closed off about a year ago by park workers. There is another well on the other side of the ridge, but it has been tampered with by well meaning men and usually has a strong taste of chlorine. It is hard to accept the chemical treated water when the real thing that God gave us tastes so good.

For those who have tasted the joy of a right relation with Jesus, forgiveness of sins, and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, there is also no substitute. We have been praying for opportunities to reach out to others who don't know Jesus and to share with them about our Savior. May we continue in that prayer, and all the more as the economy gives people so much concern and fear. May the Spirit of Jesus be controlling us and strengthening us as a church. Oh, to be able to share such a wonderful gift!

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Thanks for praying for our outreach efforts. We're starting the "Mustard Seed Prayer Network", which is a weekly micro virtual prayer meeting on Skype. We will have a laser-sharp focus on praying for our non-Christian friends/family and on praying for our church's outreach. Please keep praying that our church will grow heart and action to reach non-Christians!

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Please pray for our Taiwan and Mexico mission team applicants as they prepare: Douglas Stillman, Daniel Stillman and Edward Wang (Taiwan) - Daniel Chen, Dorcas Chang, Michael Lu, Colette Young (Mexico).

Please pray for all our members who've been laid off and who are facing difficult financial circumstances. This is effecting all three congregations. There are a number of others who are in companies that are preparing for layoffs.

Pray for our joint children's Sunday School. Pray that our Lord will give them wisdom, energy and enthusiasm to teach the kids faithfully. Pray that God will raise up more Sunday School teachers.

Praise the Lord that God has allowed us to make use of the new facilities and given each congregation more time to worship.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

A small group training session will be held on Wednesday, April 29th. This will be for the district pastors and small group leaders. Pray that coworkers will have the time and heart for training.

The Cantonese congregation will begin adult Sunday School classes on May 3rd. Pray for Daniel, Steven, Beryl and Christina who will be teaching the 2 Sunday School classes. Also pray for those who have the heart to attend the classes.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen.

Homes of Christians

They came into the village with machetes, hacking and burning houses, schools, churches and businesses. When it was all done, a few dozen Christians were dead, and 10,000 left homeless. It all started when a respected Hindu teacher was murdered. The Maoists claimed responsibility, but someone blamed the Christians and there was a lot of anger against the much smaller Christian community, so the mob went crazy and their were too few police.

A BBC jounalist returned to Orissa, India recently to see how things were progressing since these events of last fall. The Christians - who are also distinguished by ethnicity and caste - live in refugee camps, prohibited from having jobs or sending their children to school. It is rumored that a local village will fine any Hindu caught talking to a Christian. A verse that comes to mind regarding this is:

"To the angel of the church in Smyna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty - yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." - Revelation 2:8-10

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

The BBC report has this quote: "Many Christians in Kandhamal say prayer is all they have left". Pray for the Christians in Orissa, that God will comfort them and provide for them, while holding them firmly in His hand. Also pray for their Hindu neighbors, that they would reconcile with the Christians and that God would open their hearts to His salvation which only comes through Jesus.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Thanks for praying for our outreach efforts. We're starting the "Mustard Seed Prayer Network", which is a weekly micro virtual prayer meeting on Skype. We will have a laser-sharp focus on praying for our non-Christian friends/family and on praying for our church's outreach. Please keep praying that our church will grow heart and action to reach non-Christians!

Praise God we have at least one-third of our congregation "Practicing Resurrection" for 40 days. This is some sort of habit that brings New Creation-style life, love, joy, freedom into our own lives or someone else's. Please pray that this will continue be a spiritually meaningful practice to helps us enter into the resurrection life.

Praise God for those who've been applying for our Taiwan and Mexico summer mission teams. Please pray that God will lead us in interviewing and preparing them. And pray that God will be preparing them as well.

Please pray for all our members (English, Cantonese and Mandarin congregations) who've been laid off and who are facing difficult financial circumstances. Pray for faith and for provision.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

We will have the first service in the new building this Sunday. Pray that God will help those who are working to finish up everything. Give thanks to Him for our blessings.

357 Training: The intermediate class will finish in July. Pray that God will prepare new students for the new class, and the God's wisdom and guidance will be with the training.

The Cantonese congregation is planning an evangelistic meeting / Cantonese opera for July 11th. Pray for the preparations for this meeting. The San Leandro church opera team will be conducting this, while two from the Mandarin service will help. May the Lord also prepare hearts for this.

Pray for the Taiwan and Mexico summer mission trips. The preparation will move to interviewing and preparing those who will attend soon, so pray for God's help in this.

We will begin having some joint childrens Sunday school classes this Sunday. Pray that this will go smoothly as the coworkers from the different congregations begin working together and that they would have wisdom in teaching the children.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen.

A Very Good Good Friday

"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." - John 19:25-27

With the world full of anxiety, it is especially good to celebrate the crucifixion of our savior for the salvation of mankind. This week we will join together with a few other congregations in South Fremont for the Good Friday celebration. The crucifixion shows the degree to which our heavenly father cares for us. The above verse is a reminder that although Jesus came to provide us a heavenly home and eternal life, even in the middle of his excruciating pain he did not forget the human needs of the ones he loved. May God grant us faith in Him and a generous heart as we join together and commemorate what Christ did for us. Please come and join us.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Praise God that He has connected us with a few other congregations for a multi-cultural Good Friday celebration. Please pray that the planning and execution will go through smoothly and that it will be a meaningful time of reflection and celebration.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGRATION

We're encouraging our congregation to take "Practice Resurrection" for 40 days. This is a habit that brings New Creation style life, love, joy, freedom into our own lives or someone else's. Please pray that there will be participation and that this will be a spiritually meaningful practice.

Please pray for those among us who are being negatively affected by the economic downturn. Pray that they will have faith in God and that God would provide for them. This prayer is for all three congregations - English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

Please pray that we will reach out and bring to Christ both non-Christians and new believers this year.

Thanks for the prayers of everyone regarding the progress of the remodeling of the new facility. We should be able to resolve everything without any extra cost. There are a few minor fixups needed, so pray that this will be a speedy process. May God grant us the use of the new facility soon.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

May we rejoice with the angels that three sisters accepted Jesus at the 3/28 drama performance for the Mandarin congregation. There will be a small group taining on 4/29 for district pastors and small group leaders. Pray that this will be a productive training time and that God will grant the small groups growth in maturity, unity and additional members.

The Cantonese congregation is anxious to glorify God through their voices. Pray that God will bless their choir rehearsals and grant wisdom and energy to Sisters Christine and Yum as they lead this effort.

Pray for our summer missions efforts. Pray that God will lead some youth to join in for the Yugo trip to Mexico - and perhaps some adults to help drive a van. Also pray that God will provide a team and leaders along with clear details as we plan what to do with two Taiwan churches we are working with.

Starting in April, the English and Mandarin groups will combine their children's Sunday School. May God grant smooth coordination and communication among the teachers, along with energy and enthusiasm for this very important task.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen.

Holy Ground

"'Do not come any closer,' God said. 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground'" - Exodus 3:5

There is plenty to ponder in this verse, such as how a patch of dirt becomes holy. Certainly the dirt didn't choose to become holy. Instead, it is God who has miraculously changed the dirt through His holy power and presence. Lest we think we are more special than a bucket of mud, there are a number of verses like Job 10:9 - "Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again?"

Our Thursday small group is starting a series on holiness. The Bible presents holiness as both a command and a promise: "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" - 1 Peter 1:15-16. Hopefully we won't view this as something unpleasant, but a source of joy that we have a God who will bring us to holiness. Pray for this. Work for this. Rejoice in it.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

We're encouraging our congregation to take "Practice Resurrection" for 40 days. This is some sort of habit that brings New Creation-style life, love, joy freedom into our own lives or someone else's. Please pray that there will be participation and that this will be a spiritually meaningful practice.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Praise God that he's connected us with a few other congregations for a multi-cultural Good Friday celebration. Please pray that the planning and execution will go through smoothly and that it will be a meaningful time of reflection and celebration.

Please pray that we will reach out and bring to Christ both non-Christians and new believers this year.

Please pray for those among us (English, Mandarin and Cantonese congregations) who are being negatively affected by the economic downturn. Pray that they will have faith in God and the God would provide for them.

Pray that God will motivate some of our youth to join in with the YUGO mission trip to Mexico together with HOC3.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

On March 28th, there will be a drama performance / evangelism program lead by HOC1. Pray that we will be able to reach truth-seekers and they will have a chance to know about God.

Pray that God will help us to plan a new worship, adult and children's Sunday school schedule for the three congregations when the new building is available.

Pray that we will get clear details from the two Taiwan churches we are working with this year.

The Cantonese group will have a choir practice, bible study and small group leader meeting this Saturday. Pray for those willing to devote a full day to serve.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UNCHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen

Practice Ressurection

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" - 1 Corinthians 5:17

It is truly a joy to experience the new life that God has for us, as well as to see it thriving in those around us. To make this happen, we need to nurture the new life within by things such as constant prayer, reading or meditating on the scriptures, or joining together with Christian brothers and sisters in constructive fellowship. The other side is putting away things that hinder our relationship with God, of which there are many.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

We're encouraging the English congregation to "Practice Resurrection" for 40 days. This is a habit that brings New Creation-style life, joy, freedom into our own lives or someone else's. Please pray that there will be participation and that this will be a spiritually meaningful practice.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Praise God that he's connected us with a few other congrgations for a multi-cultural Good Friday celebration. Please pray that the planning and execution will go through smoothly and that it will be a meaningful time of reflection and celebration.

Please pray that we will reach out and bring to Christ both non-Christians and new believers this year.

Please pray for those among us (English, Mandarin and Cantonese congregations) who are being negatively affected by the economic downturn. Pray that they will have faith in God and that God would provide for them.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

A few weeks from now - March 29th - the Mandarin congregation is scheduled to move into the new facility. Pray that our remodeling will complete on schedule.

This Saturday, all three congregations will join together at Prayer Mountain in Scotts Valley. Pray that our brothers and sisters will have the heart to attend.

On April 29th, there will be a small group training meeting for the district pastors and small group leaders. Pray that this would be a productive time of learning and preparing, and that God would grant us healthy small groups.

Pray that we will be able to come up with an effective plan for our adult and children's Sunday school schedule as we plan for the new building.

Pray for clear details regarding the two Taiwan churches that we are working with this year for the mission trip.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UNCHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen

In The Wilderness

"The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God." - Isaiah 35:1-2

Usually the Sierras or the desert come to mind as we think of the word, wilderness. Meanwhile, there are plenty of people around us who can be living in a spiritual wilderness even when they are in a busy and prosperous city. The verse above is a promise of hope which refers to the end times, but can we give hope to people now?

Our Thursday small group has been following the theme, "In The Wilderness". This is a theme throughout the Bible as we look at the various things that weigh on the human soul making us despair, including the sin that weighs us down. Jesus gives us a promise - "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" - Matthew 5:4. And so it is with us, but we hope to be a congregation that will offer hope to those around us.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Pray that God would give us ideas into how we can reach out to the community around us. May we be able to connect with others and proclaim the gospel clearly and effectively.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

Praise God for a very meaningful retreat. We not only learned about the Psalms, but we also shared poems that we wrote over the weekend. The honesty and vulnerability was immense, but it opened us up to God and each other in a very new way. Please pray that, as a result we will be able to converse and pray with each other about the things that are truly in our hearts and minds; that we will move beyond mere nice-ness and engage in deep friendships with each other.

Praise God that he's connected us with a few other congregations for a multi-cultural Good Friday celebration. Please pray that the planning and execution will go through smoothly and that it will be a meaningful time of reflection and celebration.

Please pray that we will reach out and bring to Christ both non-Christians and new believers this year.

Please pray for those among us who are being negatively affected by the economic downturn. Pray that they will have faith in God and that God would provide for them. This pray is for all three congregations.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

A few weeks from now - March 29th - the Mandarin congregation is scheduled to move into the new facility. Pray that our remodeling will complete on schedule.

On March 14th, we will have a meeting at the prayer mountain in Scotts Valley. Pray that our brothers and sisters will have the heart and time to attend.

Pray that God will continue to raise up leaders for the Cantonese congregation's small groups.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UNCHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen

Two Are Better Than One

"If one falls down,

his friend can help him up.

But pity the man who falls

and has no one to help him up!" - Ecclesiastes 4:10

This Old Testament poem is quite familiar, but took on a new meaning with our retreat if we consider that much of the wordly imagery of the Old Testament is understood in the New Testament in spiritual terms. It is so easy to fall in our spirit, but so often even the church is not a place where we can find a friend to give us a helping hand when we are hurting inside. Can we change this?

Brian Morgan gave us a lesson in expressing ourselves via poetry last weekend. In spite of the shock, there is an important lesson in it: Frequently we don't even know that our friend has fallen, so how can we help him up? May God grant us wisdom in supporting each other and may we use the things we learn about others only to build others up, recognizing our position and shortcomings before the Lord.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Praise God for a very meaningful retreat. We not only learned about the Psalms, but we also shared poems that we wrote over the weekend. The honesty and vulnerability was immense, but it opened us up to God and each other in a very new way. Please pray that, as a result, we will be able to converse and pray with each other about the things that are truly in our hearts and minds; that we will move beyond mere nice-ness and engage in deep friendships with each other.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

We still have a few initiatives that are in the brainstorming stage, but we need God's guidance to see if they need to be brought into fruition: a monthly couples group, a prayer network/interface specifically for our non-Christian friends/family, an initiative to grow our relationship with the Compassion Network for the benefit fo the poor, among others.

Please pray that we will reach out and bring to Christ both non-Christians and new believers this year.

Please pray for those among us who are being negatively affected by the economic downturn. Pray that they will have faith in God and that God would provide for them.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

Pray that the Lord will grant us wisdom as we try to reconfigure schedules for our three congregations and Sunday School programs for when the new building is available.

The Mandarin group is seeking more people who are gifted towards serving in the worship team. May the Lord provide them faithful and enthusiastic brothers and sisters in this ministry who are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Cantonese group is having a small group leader meeting this weekend. Pray that God will grant them willing leaders who are gifted as needed and that these groups will grow in unity and in their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

The remodeling work is happening! We anticipate completion by Easter Sunday. Many details are popping up and demanding swift attention. Please pay that we will have good and clear communication between everyone.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UNCHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen

Pray for Our Retreat

"When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying." - Acts 12:12

This is the story of Peter's miraculous escape from prison when Herod was plotting to kill him. The believers gathered together for prayer, but apparently expected little. As the story continues, the servant Rhoda exclaims, "Peter is at the door!". The response is in Acts 12:15 -

"You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."

Whether you will join us for the retreat or not, please pray for our church as we try to grow closer with one another while we seek the Lord. We really want our church to grow as a body that is spiritually healthy and pleasing to the Lord. May we also be encouraging of one another and building each other up.

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Winter Retreat is this weekend! Praise God that 23 people have signed up. Please pray we will learn to be vulnerable before God and one another. And through the process our relationships with him and each other will be transformed.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

We have a few initiatives that are in the brainstorming stage, but we need God's guidance to see if they need to be brought into fruition: a monthly couples group, a prayer network/interface specifically for our non-Christian friends/family, an initiative to grow our relationship with the Compassion Network for the benefit of the poor, among others.

Please pray that we will reach out and bring to Christ both non-Christians and new believers this year.

Please pray for those among us who are being negatively affected by the economic downturn. Pray that they will have faith in God and that God would provide for them.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

The Mandarin group is seeking more people who are gifted towards serving in the worship team. May the Lord provide them faithful and enthusiastic brothers and sisters in this ministry who are empower by the Holy Spirit.

Praise God for the last week's fellowship meeting that featured witnessing, music by our Cantonese choir and evangelistic preaching by Pastor Lai. 35 people attended including several new comers. Pray for the non-believers who were in the meeting.

The remodeling work is happening! Many details are popping up and demanding our swift attention. One is the sanctuary flooring. Another is the A/V system. Please pray that we will have good and clear communication between everyone.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OF YOUR UNCHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Amen

To The Ends Of The Cyber Universe

"I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes." - Matthew 10:23

And so it is after 2,000 years: We preach the gospel in one city after another, but keep coming back because the job is unfinished. Matthew 10 gives a lot of instruction on what to expect as we proclaim salvation through Jesus, but it certainly didn't give us any warning about the changes to technology that would effect cities as time moved on.

The apostles would go into a town, preach in the synagogues, win converts, and possibly get stoned (with rocks). In the modern era, reaching out is much different. How do we develop relationships when everyone is at home updating Facebook or watching videos on Youtube?

In spite of the change, the Bible's commands are still clearly before us: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." - Acts 1:28

HIGHLIGHTED PRAYER

Pray that the Holy Spirit would both open doors and show us those open doors so that we can proclaim the gospel to others around us. Yes, technology has changed the world, but our God is a God who created the universe and He has power over technology also. May we all join together in prayer as we seek ways to continue the Great Commission around us. Again, we want power from the Holy Spirit to do his will, so pray that God will grant us power to do His will and proclaim Jesus.

PRAY FOR OUR CONGREGATION

We have a few initiatives thtat are in the brainstorming stage, but we need God's guidance to see if they need to be brought into fruition: a monthly couples group, a prayer network/interface specifically for our non-Christian firends/family, an initiative to grow our relationship with the Compassion Network for the benefit of the poor, among others.

Pleasee pray that we will reach out and bring to Christ both non-Christians and new believers this year.

Our Winter Retreat is coming up less tha 3 weeks. Praise God many people have signed up; please keep praing for more to sign up! And pray that it'll be a catalyst for spiritual and community growth.

Please pray for those among us who are being negatively affected by the economic downturn. Pray that they will have faith in God and that God would provide for them.

PRAY FOR THE REST OF OUR CHURCH

The Mandarin group has many plans for their small groups and many tasks have been assigned. Pray that the Lord's hand will be with them as the work towards their goals.

The Cantonese congreagation is planning a neighborhood outreach/evangelism for February 7th. Pray that the Lord's hand will be with them.

The remodeling work is happening! Many details are popping up and demanding our swift attention. One is the sanctuary flooring. Another is the A/V system. Please pray that we will have good and clear communication between everyone.

PRAY ABOUT HOW GOD IS LEADING YOU ON HIS MISSION

PRAY FOR THREE(3) OFYOUR UN-CHURCHED FRIENDS/FAMILY

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Amen

Reflection from Contentment

Dear Ladies,

When we were in Santa Fe downtown during the Christmas break, Doug introduced Mexican Sopaipilla to the children. Sopaipilla is a deep fried bread that puffs up like a sweater pocket blown hard by the wind. Taking a bite from the corner, gradually filling in with honey. Mmm, just a bite, you feel you grab the taste of happiness. The treat easily conquers our children's hearts and all agreed that this was the highlight of the trip.

Next day, we went to Taos Pueblo which boasts of over 1000 years of culture. Since American Indian Fry Bread was strongly recommended by the ranger, I bought one piece and shared by six of us. The Indian lady took the Fry Bread from the indoor Adobe oven and insisted the bread was a much better diet than any other like kind. The piece we got was somewhat dry and plain. As I was about to put the little piece into my month, the dog near me just patiently stared at me. Well, I decided to share half of it. Unlike the complaining kids, the dog happily got up, and honored us to tour the entire village.

The past couple months, the church sent a strong message regarding Advent Conspiracy: worship more, spend less, give more, love more. Lately, with so many depressing news flooding in, what is our level of contentment? Like eating Sopaipilla or Fry Bread?

As we contemplating the issue, let's share the church prayer request.

Happy New Year!

Best wishes,

Angie

Thank you, Angie, I enjoyed that--reminded me of my trip to Taos many many years ago during grad school. You are a writer too! To me, that means someone who thinks deeply about life, squeezing more appreciation and learning out of experiences than the average person, and shares those thoughts with others.

Margaret

Thank you for the meaningful and encouraging words, Angie. Contentment is the key to true joy. I am certainly grateful that I have Jesus. Without Him, nothing can satisfy! Let's continue to trun our eyes upon our Lord Jesus Christ, and run the race with endurance and faithfulness. Mary