A Mission Day in Chinatown
“Where is mission?” we may ask. Many people continue to see mission mainly in some faraway places and to people who may be largely in developing countries. Before Chinatown became one of the most popular tourist destinations in San Francisco, some churches outside of the Bay Area saw Chinatown as their local mission field. And as we know, the American Baptist Home Mission Society in the years before 1880 under the urging of missionary Dr. Jesse Hartwell viewed the Chinese laborers as people worthy of the Gospel to establish the Chinese Baptist Mission in 1880 in which today we know as the First Chinese Baptist Church.
Today, we have mission endeavors both nearby and in faraway places. We support the nearby Seafarers Ministry of the Golden Gate as the chaplain ministers to the seafarers who have accompanied the cargo ships across the ocean to be unloaded in the Port of Oakland. The Adult Fellowship continues to put together toiletry bags for the seafarers during Christmas. And a faraway mission is our support of missionaries Ivy and Emerson Wu in Macau who are reaching out particularly to youth and young adults with the message that the gambling business is not the only job choices in the world.
Our church continues its local mission through ministries such as 6 weeks of Day Camp, Reception Ministry on the first Sunday afternoon of each month to meet our neighbors and Friday Night School when our church members teach basic English and citizenship classes. And we have other faraway mission involvements like the Lanna Coffee Project and the annual Thailand Mission Work Trip in the summer. While all of these excellent ministries are going on, we still ask the question, “Where is mission?”
In Ephesians 2:17-18, we read, “So he (Jesus) came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.” In 2015, we decided to focus on “Mission in Chinatown” in order to “proclaim peace to those who are nearby.” We want to become better neighbors with those who live, work, go to school, and shop in Chinatown. By becoming more familiar with the issues and concerns facing people living in Chinatown, we pray that we would become more faithful in proclaiming the gospel with the people whom God loves making them “no longer strangers and aliens, but…citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19).
To dedicate ourselves to God’s work in our community, we invite you to “A Mission Day in Chinatown” on Saturday, April 11th, 9:00-3:15. Rev. Norman Fong, Executive Director of the Chinatown Community Development Center will share what are pressing developments facing our community today. Two-rounds of learning centers led by community resource persons will teach us by sharing their insights, resources and offering discussion to help convey a full understanding of what we need to know. We will have worship times, lunch and beverage breaks to fill out our day together. “A Mission Day in Chinatown” is THE all-church gathering in 2015 and we invite all persons, all fellowship groups, all church boards and committees to come equipping ourselves for the mission of the church in Chinatown!
We ask, “Where is mission?” Mission in Chinatown!
Pastor Don
A Mission in Chinatown” Registration
To help us prepare for your participation, please register by completing the form indicating your name for name badges and your plans to have lunch.
Name (s)__________________________________________________________________________
Number of Persons for Lunch___________________________________________________
Please give to Church Administrator Wendi Lin in the Church Office by April 5th. Thank you.
135th Church Anniversary
On Oct. 24-25, FCBC will celebrate its 135th Anniversary! Plans underway include a luncheon on Saturday and All-Church Worship on Sunday that will also be the church’s Pledge Sunday. The anniversary theme is: “Helping Hands Near and Far.” The planning committee is comprised of Anita Yong and Sheryl Chan, co-chairs and members, Tiffany Lessler and Jackie Ma. More information and invitations are forthcoming but mark these dates in your calendar today! Come to see old friends as well as make new ones!
Senior Center Is for You
To stay healthy and strong, we need to be fit in our entire body including our brains. The March Senior Center on Wednesday, March 11, 12:00 will feature a Kaiser led session on “Brain Fitness.” If doing sudokus keeps your brain fit, how about reading the Bible! Join your friends for another informative session featuring a healthy lunch, hot tea, and birthday cake for all. Contact Anna Quan Wong, Dick Wong, Jimmy Yee, or Alan Fong to register.
America for Christ Offering
This year’s theme is “Discipleship: A Journey of Grace.” Based on Titus 2:11-13, it serves to remind us of our American Baptist mission and ministry are deeply rooted in service that manifests and extends the grace of God. We know that we can’t save ourselves from the wrongdoings that we know so well. But it is God’s grace in God’s redemptive story that invites us to support the life-changing ministries of home missions in the United States nationally and regionally. Our 2015 annual goal is $4100. We invite you to help us achieve our goal by giving on Sundays in March at worship or send in your donation and mark your check for “AFC Offering.” Thank you for your generous gift!
Church Membership Meeting
On Sunday, March 22, 1:00, the Membership Meeting will feature the testimonies of candidates for Baptism and church membership and the consideration of changing our ABC regional affiliation. Since the ABC bylaws permit this action, over 40 churches from California have changed their affiliation to the American Baptist Churches of the Central Pacific Coast (ABC-CPC) with offices in Portland, Oregon. The Deacons are discussing this matter and will invite you to engage in Q&A forums to address any of your questions. For this Membership Meeting, we have invited Rev. Steve Bils, Executive Minister of ABC-CPC to preach and bring greetings at our morning worship services and then attend our meeting to hear any of your concerns as well as to respond to any questions that you may have. The main objective is to serve Christ with other Baptist churches that have similar passions for ministry and mission that are related with American Baptist Churches, USA. We encourage you to attend this important meeting to enable FCBC to partner with other ABC churches to proclaim Good News in Jesus Christ!
Spring Church Clean-Up Day
Every house needs scrubbing after heavy use. Every house needs things to be put back in their proper places. Every house needs all the family members who have enjoyed living in that house to roll up their sleeves and start cleaning. The House of God needs such tender, loving care too! On Saturday, March 28 beginning at 8:30 with coffee and bows, we invite you to come to God’s house known as FCBC to prepare our church home for Passion Week and Easter. There is always more work to do than the hands that are available. The Trustees would like to see at least 2 representatives from each of our 20 fellowship group to participate. And of course, you can send many more! Please let Lea Wong know that you will be helping so that we would have a free lunch for you!
Passion Week & Easter
Join us to experience God’s love for us during Passion Week and the resurrection of the Lord on Easter!
+Sunday, March 29—Palm Sunday & Believers Baptism
10:00 Cantonese Worship
11:20 Joint English Worship
+Thursday, April 2—Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Service
7:30—In the Fellowship Hall arranged like the Upper Room with tables in the shape of the cross, we read about the passion of Christ and extinguish candles after each reading until the room is completely dark. But a Christ Candle was always lit is brought out to symbolize the resurrection is coming.
+Friday, April 3—CCU Bilingual Good Friday Service
7:30—In our church sanctuary, sisters and brothers from other Chinese Christian Union churches will join us to remember the suffering Servant who is our Lord and Savior.
+Sunday, April 5—Easter Sunday
7:00—CCU Sunrise Service at the Chinese Congregational Church
10:00—Cantonese Worship
11:20—Joint English Worship
On Easter Sunday, the Chinatown YMCA will again serve their Annual Pancake & Eggs Breakfast to the whole community. Come to support our neighborhood partner by coming for breakfast! Tickets are available at the door.
2015 Biennial Mission Summit
The American Baptist Churches will once again meet on June 26-28 at the Overland Park Convention Center near Kansas City in Kansas. On the theme, “Share in the Journey,” it will be a time of inspiring worship, speakers, practical seminars, two sessions of Table Conversations to share best practices, a redesigned exhibit hall called the “Hall of Ministries,” and special meal events. On Thursday, June 25 at the Theologians Conference, Rev. Lauren Ng will be presenting a paper and on Friday, June 26, the Alliance of Asian American Baptists (formerly the Asian Caucus) will gather for their annual convocation. This year’s summit will celebrate the 14 years of faithful service of Dr. Roy Medley, General Secretary who will be retiring at the end of the year. At the Sunday night plenary, Pastor Don will be the preacher to close out the weekend gathering. We are identifying a group from our church to attend and if your may be interested in attending, please see Pastor Don. You can also go on the ABC-USA website and click on to “Biennial Mission Summit” for more information.
ABC President Update
In my role as ABC president, I’ll literally be going “south of the border!” On March 11th as a part of the Spring meeting of the Board of General Ministries Executive Committee, we will be crossing over to Tijuana, Mexico to meet with ABC missionaries Ray and Adalia Schellinger. Ray and Adalia will introduce us to Deborah’s House, a ministry to victims of domestic violence. We’ll discuss current issues on immigration laws and the economic realities that have created these historic movements of people from Mexico to the United States.
To recognize the first Puerto Rican nominee to serve as the next Vice President of the denomination, I will be attending the Puerto Rico ABC Convention in San Juan when they will celebrate the nomination of Mr. Josue Gomez who will be elected this June at the Biennial Mission Summit. Mr. Gomez is an attorney and is currently the president of the Puerto Rico regional organization.
When I am “south of the border” and practicing my poor Spanish, I thank you, the FCBC congregation for praying for my service to the denomination as its president. It is because of your abilities in ministries and encouragement in me that I am able to perform my responsibilities as both your pastor as well as an ABC officer. Thank you and thanks be to God!
Family News
Congratulations to Howard Lee who was installed on Jan. 24 as the new President of the Wa Sung Community Social Club in Alameda!
May God continue to bless Matteo Lew Moggia, son of Karina Wong and Roby Moggia who brought their son to be dedicated on Jan. 25th.
Pastor Don Ng expresses his deepest gratitude for the reception on Jan. 18th to recognize his ordination on Jan. 19, 1975, 40 years in the ministry. Thanks be to God!
March
- YMCA Annual Run
Finance, 8:30
135th Anniversary, 9:00
10—V
10—P
11—D
Trustees, 12:30
4 Church Staff, 10:00
6-7 BASS Conventio
7 OYYA
7 Daylight Saving Time
8 Music, 8:00
10—V
10—P
11—D
Deacons, 1:00
11 Senior Center
13-15 Women’s Retreat, San Damiano
13 Senior Fellowship
14 Men’s Fellowship
15 10—V
10—P
11—D
CE, 1:30
18 Church Staff, 10:00
21 Staff Transitional Sub-Committee
Sojourners
EFG
22 10—V
10—Rev. Steve Bils
11—Rev Steve Bils
Church Membership Meeting, 1:00
27 Lanna Coffee
28 Spring Church Clean-Up Day, 8:30
29 Palm Sunday & Believers baptism
10—P
11—D