2012 State of the Church
February 5, 2012
Harvest Is Indeed Plentiful
Seeing the world from God’s standpoint, it is good and full of abundance. Everywhere we look, we see that God has touched and they are blessings for us to appreciate and enjoy. Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful. From God’s perspective, the world is not half empty but rather it is always half full. As we take a look at our church at this moment, we are truly blessed.
The state of the church today is strong and full because the harvest is plentiful. For the first time in many years, we received over 90% of pledges toward our 2012 goal by the middle of December. We received as many as 19 new pledges over the record of the last two years. In light of today’s economic conditions, this is unheard of. There are more people who believe in the ministry that we do.
We just saw a few minutes ago that since we were unable to bring on a new pastor last year, we concluded the year with a sizable surplus that would allow us to not use any cash reserves for 2012 and provide a good cushion for unexpected expenses. While this came from an unrealized goal, it is nonetheless, a blessing of abundance.
For the first time in many years, we have filled every single position on all the boards, committees, and officers of our church when you voted in these last 4 persons. When our daily lives and broad responsibilities at managing our households and work exhaust us by the end of each day, you believe in this church and it’s mission in Christ that you want to be a part of it. When we have so many dedicated and faithful servants sharing their gifts and talents, we are truly the Body of Christ. The harvest is plentiful!
After numerous years of thinking that we are not capable of participating in significant mission endeavors at home and overseas, our church has finally arrived at the realization and confidence to begin partnering with missionaries to do mission in places like Thailand. We are no longer a small church in Chinatown but rather a faithful and leading church in setting an example of our discipleship in Christ for the world. We are no longer the Chinese Baptist Mission, but the First Chinese Baptist Church ready to do mission around the world. We are asked to lead as well as to walk humbly with the Lord. In all the world, places like Thailand, Mexico, and China, the harvest is plentiful.
When you voted in faith that there is a future for our church in the next 30 years, you parted with the funds we had and partnered with the YMCA to have use of their gym. When we relocated the 9:10 English Worship to the Y on Nov. 6th to become the 9:00 Worship, you demonstrated that you believe in inspiring worship to God in word and songs.
Even the simple maintenance of keeping our church home in top shape by replacing the church staircase with new treads and the hallways with new tiles reveal that you believe that God’s house deserves the best and you want all who visit us to know that truth. I can’t wait to have the City College students, the Friday Night School students, the Day Camp kids, and all of you walking up these stairs and fellowshipping on the landings and hallways and know that this is God’s house. It’s true that the way we maintain God’s house to be the light on a lamp stand for all to see, we show forth our faith in God.
Our church fellowship groups continue to provide ways for our church members to grow in the faith through meetings, retreats, mission projects and fellowship. One of our older groups, the OYYAs celebrated 50 years of being together last year and marked the milestone by raising additional significant funds for missions. This year the Emmanuel Family Group will celebrate their 50th and we look forward to their recommitment to the mission of this church in the world. The harvest is plentiful indeed!
Challenges Ahead
While we can all affirm the different ways that God’s harvest is truly abundant and full at FCBC, there are also some areas that are fallowing and will require some of our attention and caring in order for us to see continuing growth.
We have not had a full-time pastor for the 9:00 Worship congregation for 2 years and we pray that there is someone in God’s plan that God is preparing to come to our church to serve with us. Clearly, the harvest is plentiful but we are still waiting for that one pastor to come. We pray for patience and trust in God’s time. We pray for steadfast commitment knowing the God’s steadfast love is with us. And when that day arrives, there will be much joy and jubilation!
After having a pastor assigned full time for Christian education for nearly 65 years, the members of the Christian Education Board are working to become reoriented to their roles as board directors and working with all church pastors in CE ministries that are related to their areas of ministries. This process of reorientation and distribution of assignments will take some time to come fully in place. We call this adaptive change striving to be relevant to emerging priorities. Sometimes just doing the same thing year after year may not be where God could be leading us. We pray that we would continue to place our resources where they will reach out to more people for Christ. In the end, we believe this redistribution of responsibilities will strengthen our remarkable and effective program.
While our church membership is stable and growing, we will need to become more intentional and willing to invite and welcome more people to come to our church to know about God’s love and saving grace in Christ. We must not be satisfied with what we have now but always sharing the good news with our family, friends, coworkers and neighbors to come to worship. Jesus Christ commissions us to do this and as his disciples we want to obey his commandment. For the 10:20 congregation, we are planning our first hospitality luncheon named, “Discover FCBC” on Sunday, Feb. 26th for regular attendees to meet the pastor and deacons. Our plans are to offer this every quarter. We’ll be exploring other ways for all the worshiping congregations to become more deliberate in our invitation and welcome.
Our current church website has effectively become our public face to seekers and visitors for the past 13 years. It’s time to update and make our church website more attractive and friendlier to use. A new design has been created and the coding will soon begin. We hope that this will be launched this year reaching increasingly more people to come to our church for worship, study, and fellowship.
New Harvest Fields
Finally, my service as vice president for our ABC denomination is the culmination of a lifetime of being a person who grew up as American Baptist, worked in Valley Forge as an American Baptist national staff person and serving as an American Baptist pastor with you today. In fact, I believe that if it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t be vice president today. When I just graduated from seminary in Boston, you gave me my first call to full-time ministry in 1975. Because of your amazing and life-changing Christian education ministries, Educational Ministries in Valley Forge noticed me and called me to join the national youth ministry department. Then after 20 years when I regularly reflected on how FCBC did Christian education, you called me to become your senior pastor. And then my life changed some more.
This church, all of you are highly regarded and appreciated in the ABC. You are seen as a leading church in many ways—mission giving, Christian education, youth ministry, Lanna Coffee, Pastor Emeritus James Chuck is like a saint. Formerly, this church was the Chinese Baptist Mission, the home missions to Chinese in America, but now you are a living example of service and mission around the world.
If I were not pastor of this church, I probably would not have been recognized as a candidate for election to be ABC Vice President. I am not blaming you for my lot in life but rather I thank you for giving me the credentials, qualifications, the experience, reputation, and faithfulness to be vice president. Wherever I will travel for the denomination, know that I will be talking about you and this historic and thriving church. I know that you’ll be praying for me and my service in Christ. And please know that I will be praying for you wherever I might be. I hope that what will be in store for us in the next few years will be beneficial to the denomination, to you the church, and to me as one humble servant. God’s harvest is so plentiful that it’s overflowing everywhere!
Appreciations
Before I conclude, let me share a word of thanksgiving and deep gratitude. For over 10 years, Pastor Chris Otani provided faithful leadership for us in the area of Christian education. She had particular strengths in youth ministry and Bible study that we benefited and continue to value today. And I gained significantly in my ministry with Chris as a faithful colleague. We pray that God will continue to watch over her and lead her to new opportunities for ministry.
I thank God for the gifts and dedication of Pastor Peter Lee as he continues to shepherd our 11:30 congregation and is a brother in Christ for me. I thank God for Pastor Jane Lam and Fengyi Wu‘s commitments to reach out to the newcomers who find the love of Christ at Friday Night School and at Joshua Fellowship. I thank Wendi Lin for her diligence and caring for the daily operations of the church especially when I am away. Having Marian Hom as our bookkeeper, I am thankful for how our finances are managed on a day-to-day basis at the highest standard in fiduciary responsibilities. And finally not every pastor has a Pastor Emeritus as talented and humble as James Chuck and I am grateful to have him continue serving at this church as long as he is able—God willing.
And for you, the church, I praise God for your ongoing discipleship and witness as Christ’s disciples in the world. You are a wonderful beloved community that I am very grateful to know. I am most thankful to be counted as one among you.