January/February 2012 Newsletter
Harvest Time in the New Year
Happy 2012, the New Year in the Lord! If the past year happened to be quickly forgotten, we anxiously welcome the New Year with hope and anticipation of a better year. With just a turn of the calendar, we feel that we have been granted another opportunity to start anew with no old baggage behind us. We make resolutions and share them with others to hold us accountable that we are turning over an old leaf! It’s like raking and gathering up all the old leaves that have fallen from the trees so that new growth would have a chance to come up in the Spring.
On December 11th, our church adopted the 2012 Budget with the faith that God is continuing to be among us making his will on earth through our faithful and humble ministries. We can never be certain what will happen in 2012 but we have faithfully pledged our resources to sustain and ramp up the ministries of our church. We believe that God is leading us in 2012 as he has led us in the past 132 years. We have the faith that when we look ahead to this brand new year, we’ll see new growth that we haven’t seen before.
Building on our canvass theme, “Harvest Time!”, we see that the “harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way” (Luke 10:2-3a). Situated in the heart of Chinatown, our church is at the crossroad of humanity. The sidewalks around our church are brimming with people—new immigrants, children, youth and seniors, visitors to our fair city, workers, merchants, shoppers, and laborers. Many of these people may be ready to hear the Good News in Jesus Christ. The harvest is plentiful!
Focusing on missions both at home and overseas, there are many opportunities in 2012 for you to go out and work in God’s field to participate in the harvest. You can teach English or US citizenship class to newcomers. You can prepare a meal for our Friday Night School students as a sign of God’s hospitality. You can serve at Day Camp to reach out to community children. You can sign up to go on a mission trip to Mexicali, Mexico or plan to travel to Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2013. We can contribute generously to the America for Christ, One Great Hour of Sharing, and World Mission Offerings. We can all invite our friends, coworkers, and family to come to church where they can hear about the love of God in Christ Jesus.
When Jesus sent his seventy disciples in pairs to every town to bring God’s peace to them and to proclaim that the kingdom of God is coming, he warned them that they would be like lambs in the midst of wolves. Serving as laborers for the harvest isn’t going to be easy but potentially dangerous and challenging. Are you ready to be one of the laborers because the harvest is indeed plentiful in 2012?
In the beginning of this brand new year, we are hopeful and eager to get started, be involved, and ready to be one of Jesus’ laborers because the harvest is plentiful. We pray that this new opportunity of a new year will lead us to see what Jesus told his disciples would happen—say “Peace to this house!”, cure the sick, proclaim the Kingdom of God has come near. Join me along with your FCBC community of disciples to be laborers of the Lord because the harvest is indeed plentiful in 2012!
Pastor Don
All-Church Leaders Launch
All church officers, Deacons, Christian Education Board, Trustees, and other church committees will meet on Saturday, January 7, 8:30-12:00 to launch the 2012 New Year. After coffee/tea, we’ll engage in a Bible study of the annual theme, “Harvest Time!” (Luke 10:2-3a), review the 2012 church calendar, and meet for the first time in the church boards to select chairpersons, set meeting dates and organize your work. Plan to attend this important meeting if you are an elected church leader!
Church Annual Meeting
On Sunday, February 5, 1:30, come to the Church Annual Meeting to celebrate the faithful ministries in 2011 by reviewing the annual reports, close out our 2011 financial records, hear the State of the Church report from the Senior Pastor, dedicate the newly elected church officers, board and committee members, and remember loved ones who returned to the Lord. The 2011 Annual Reports and the new 2012 Church Directory will be ready for distribution on Feb. 5th.
Vice-President of ABC, USA
Elected by the delegates at the San Juan, Puerto Rico American Baptist Biennial Meetings in June 2011, our Senior Pastor Don Ng will begin his two-year term as Vice-President of the ABC, USA beginning on January 1, 2012. Along with the President of ABC, USA, Ruth Clark from Kansas City, KS, they will represent American Baptists at religious meetings and events and preside over the Board of General Ministries of the ABC, USA. To recognize Pastor Don’s service as the vice-president of the denomination and to share appreciation to FCBC for his volunteered time, Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley, the General Secretary of the ABC, USA will visiting and preaching at our church on Sunday, Feb. 5th. Plan to come and welcome Dr. Medley to our church!
Winter Overview Course for Church Leaders
Dr. James Chuck will offer another three-session course for church leaders at the Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland. The dates and topics are: Saturday, January 28–Overview of Church History; Saturday, February 11–Overview of World Religions, and Saturday, February 25–Overview of the Life and Mission of the Local Congregation. The sessions are 9:00-12:00 noon. For more information and registration, contact: Dr. Chuck.
Family News
Our deepest sympathy to Humphrey Chan whose father, Yee Chik Chan returned to the Lord on Nov. 17th and to Victor Lee and Vera Lee Hamano whose mother, Mae Lee returned to the Lord on Nov. 28th. May God our Creator bless us with comfort and encouragement.
Welcome to the loving families of Kim and Nick Chan, daughter Rachel Elizabeth Chan born on Nov. 16th and to Stacey and Chris Chan, daughter Averie Lexi Young Chan born on Nov. 28th. May these children grow up to know the Lord!
January
1 9:30—David Lee
11—Dr. James Chuck
7 All-Church Leaders Launch, 8:30
OYYAs
8 9—D
10—D
11—P
11 Senior Center
14 Sojourners
15 9—D
10—D
11—P
CCU Dinner
16 MLK, Jr. Holiday
22 9—Dr. James Churck
10—Dr. James Chuck
11—P
23 Chinese New Year (H)
29 9—D
10—D
11—P
February
5 9—Dr. Roy Medley
10—Dr. Roy Medley
11—Dr. Roy Medley
Annual Meeting, 1:30
8 Senior Center
10 Lanna Coffee
12 9—D
10—D
11—P
19 YMCA Annual Run (No church activities)
First Sunday in Lent
9—D
10—D
11—P
20 Presidents Day (H)
25 Sojourners
26 9—D
10—D
11—P