December 2013 Newsletter
Christmas Pageant Supporting Actor
Growing up in my home church in Boston, we often had a Christmas pageant with all of the roles filled by the Sunday school students. The older kids had most of the speaking parts and when there were more kids than there were parts, we all became more sheep! We put on musty-smelling costumes that came out of the church basement. I remember being a sheep and when I got older I was a shepherd. I never made a starring role like the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary or one of the Magi wearing a Burger King crown. It really didn’t matter what role we had, I was glad to be a part of the Christmas story.
One of the characters that were more in the shadows than upfront was Joseph. It was not his role to participate in the central part of the story. In many paintings, he is in the shadows while Mary and the child are bathed in light. In fact, if it weren’t for the dream he had (Mt. 1:18-25), he may have not been there when Baby Jesus was born!
Joseph obediently followed God’s instructions to not expose Mary to public disgrace because he was a righteous man. He cared for Mary on their long journey back to Bethlehem to be registered only to discover that there were no more rooms in the inns. And he confidently made the best of a difficult situation to set up a comfortable place in a manger where the miracle of Jesus’ birth happened. When Herod felt threatened after hearing from the Magi that a new King was born, Joseph took Mary and the child and escaped to the safety of Egypt until the coast was clear (Mt. 2:19-23). Theologically speaking, one can say that God used Joseph to see Mary to safety through her pregnancy and then to preserve the life of the mother and the child.
At Christmas, we celebrate the truth and wonder of God dwelling among us. God was with Mary in the birth of our Savior Jesus and God was also with Joseph whom God used to lead his family to safety. Just as God is with us in Jesus Christ, consider what your role might be in your family at Christmas time. Would you come out of the shadows and into the Light of Christ sharing with your loved ones that no darkness in your life will ever overcome Christ? If you are in a supporting role but you believe that God is calling you to have a more daring role to bring faith, peace, love, and joy into your family, are you ready to play that starring role now?
For the first time than anyone can really remember, we’ll have a Christmas Pageant on Christmas Sunday, December 22 at 11:00 AM in the YMCA gym when the entire church will gather. Come and join us to hear the story of Christmas with all of the characters. There will be angels, a donkey, the Magi, shepherds, Mary, Joseph, and sheep! I hope that you might identify with Joseph who was trusting of God’s plan and daring to do what is right so that you may equally be trusting and daring as God requires of you in the daily drama of our lives.
Merry Christmas to you!”
Pastor Don
FCBC Christmas
Join your FCBC Family at Christmas by attending the following events.
Dec. 1—First Sunday of Advent
Christmas Workshops, 12:30, Fellowship Hall
Bring your family to make ornaments and holiday crafts, bake sugar cookies, purchase ½ lb. Lanna Coffee in red-gift bags to give as presents, and fellowship with your friends. Lanna Coffee is fair-trade and benefits ABC missions in Northern Thailand.
Dec. 8—Second Sunday of Advent
Dec. 15—Third Sunday of Advent
Dec. 22—Fourth Sunday of Advent
10:00 Cantonese Worship in Sanctuary
10:00 Joint English Worship at YMCA
11:00 “We Love to Tell the Story” Christmas Pageant, YMCA
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Worship, 7:30PM
For more information, call the church office: 415-362-4139.
Believers Baptism Sunday
On Sunday, Dec. 15th, we’ll celebrate Believers Baptism at both 10:00 Cantonese Worship and at the 11:20 Joint English Worship in the church sanctuary (There won’t be 10:00 English Worship at the Y.). Between the two services, there will be a Sidewalk Reception from 11:10-11:20 to welcome our new members. Come and witness how God is working in these friends’ lives!
Walk in the Light 2014 Canvass
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). If you have not yet submitted your church pledge to support the life and ministry of FCBC in 2014, we invite you to do this before the end of the year. The pledge goal of $588,296 is for the total church budget of $646,229. If you are able to increase your current pledge by 4.33%, we would reach our goal! You can call the church office for a pledge card or go to the church website to make your pledge online. Thank you for joining FCBC to “walk in the light” of Christ!
Church Membership Meeting
The last Membership Meeting in 2013 will be on Sunday, Dec. 8th, 1:00 in the sanctuary. The major items of business include: Testimonies by Candidates for Baptism/Church Membership, Election of 2014 Officers, Board and Committee Members, and the Adoption of the 2014 Church Budget. Make it a point to participate in the Baptist life at FCBC by attending this Membership Meeting!
Senior Center Christmas
Join your friends singing carols, eating a warm healthy lunch and who knows who might come down the chimney! The December Senior Center is a Christmas gathering on Wednesday, Dec. 11th beginning at 12:00 noon. Register with Jimmy Yee, center coordinator so that we would be prepared for your attendance!
Lanna Coffee Holiday Dinners
–an evening with the Lanna Coffee Project Team
Since 2007, selling Lanna Coffee from northern Thailand has been the passion of a dedicated group who saw for themselves that a village growing coffee as a cash crop rather than opium would economically strengthen the village economy to the point that families wouldn’t have to send their young girls to work as domestics in places like Bangkok and running the risk of being human trafficked. They believe that “Every Sip Saves Lives!” After 7 years of working on this project, they have sent over $30,000 to support the work of the House of Love and the New Life Center in Chiang Mai! This life-changing ministry and their eye-opening revelations of how God is working through them is worth hearing!
Would you like to learn more about the Lanna Coffee Project? For a $50.00 per person donation, you would have dinner with the project team at a Thai restaurant! You would have the opportunity to hear their stories and to hopefully become just as excited that they are in making a difference in the world.
After making your donation, a convenient date for you would be arranged to have dinner in small groups. The Lanna Coffee Holiday Dinners are limited to 20 persons. If you are interested in learning more about this ministry and to register for one of the dinners, please contact: Shirlene Leong Nakano, Project Chair.
Lanna Coffee Ministry is a mission project of the First Chinese Baptist Church.
Highlights of Italy
There is no better way to learn and grow in the faith then to come and see. Pastor Don Ng will lead a tour on the Highlights of Italy from March 24-April 4, 2014. The focus is to deepen our Christian faith by studying Renaissance art and in the process of doing that to also visit many of the highlights in Italy. The tour will visit Milan, Venice, Florence, Sorrento Coast, and Rome. The cost of $3759 includes airfare from San Francisco, 10 nights and most meals. If interested, contact Pastor Don ASAP.
ABCUSA President Update
As President-Elect to begin my 2-year term in January 2014, I’ll write a monthly update about my service to the denomination to keep you informed and to invite your prayers for the ABC family and for me. I am grateful for your support of me to serve our ABC family and I hope that you would share with me in celebrating how God is working out his will through the American Baptists!
The day after Thanksgiving, Joy and I will travel to join a large delegation of American Baptists in Yangon, Burma (Myanmar) to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Adoniram Judson and Ann Hasseltine Judson mission work overseas. This historic event marks the beginning of foreign missions for the ABC. Judson was a gifted and blessed servant of the Lord. He translated the Bible to Burmese and created a dictionary. History shows that when he was speaking, thousands came to hear him. Today, there are many Burmese Baptists because of Judson’s seminal work. As the result of civil unrest in Burma today, thousands of refugees come to the Burmese/Thai border that eventually led them to immigrate to the US. One of the remarkable developments is the dramatic renewal of older ABC churches around the country by the coming of Burmese Baptists to the US. We say that the “children of Judson” have come home! There are now 11 Burmese Baptist churches in the Bay Area alone.
When we are in Burma, we’ll first attend the Karen Baptist Convention followed by the Kachin Baptist Convention. Over the Dec. 5-8 weekend, the expected attendance at the Burmese Baptist Convention is 20,000 people! It will be amazing to see that many Baptists in one place! After all of the meetings, Joy and I will spend a few days sightseeing in Bangkok before returning home.
I pray that my presence at these Baptist conventions will convey to our many Burmese Baptist friends in Burma as well as those who have come to the US as their new home that American Baptists 200 years ago by the faithful service of the Judsons as well as ABC leaders today that we are all committed to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ is Lord!
Evacuation Drill
When disaster or an emergency happens, we need to be prepared and ready to act responsibly. On Sunday, Dec. 8th at 11:10-11:20 AM, the CE and Deacons boards will sponsor an evacuation drill. After a loud siren, the children in their Sunday school classes will exit orderly down the main staircase. The 10:00 Cantonese Worship congregation will exit out of the main front door as well as from 1 Waverly Place door. The 11:20 English Worship congregation will remain outside of the building. Once the leaders check to make sure no one is in the building, then the drill is over and everyone will be able to reenter the church building as well as to go to their respective Sunday school classes. Thank you for your cooperation and participation to ensure that we are all safe.
Family News
The CBC Choir has new robes and hoods that were dedicated on Nov. 24th. Thank you for singing praises to the Lord!
December
1 10—V
10—P
11—V
Christmas Workshops, 12:30
CE, 1:30
4 Church Staff, 10:00
8 Finance, 8:30
10—V
10—P
11—V
Evacuation Drill, 11:10-11:20
Membership Meeting, 1:00
11 Senior Center
13 Adult Fellowship
Night School Evangelism
14 EFG
Xplorers
Sojourners
15 Believers Baptism
10—P
11:20 Joint English—V
Deacons, 1:30
Semanons, 3:00
16 LRPC, 6:30
18 Church Staff, 10:00
22 10—P
10:00 Joint English—D
11:00 Christmas Pageant
24 Christmas Eve Service, 7:30
25 Christmas Day (H)