June 2013 Newsletter
Mission Summit
What is a Mission Summit?
After 40 years of American Baptist conventions where mission organizations gave reports and highlighted speakers inspired conventioneers of what God is doing through American Baptists, this year’s biennial meeting is called the Mission Summit. While there’ll still be stories of life-changing ministries happening across the country and around the world, an unique feature of this year’s meeting at Overland Park, Kansas on June 21-23 is the Mission Summit Conversations.
Local church delegates and visitors will engage in table conversations in three large rooms with the general topics of Leadership, Witness, and the Future. At the tables, there would be more specific topics that have been drawn from the denominational initiative Transformed by the Spirit on adaptive change, seminaries, Baptist organizations and youth leaders. Participants would discuss pertinent issues facing the church today led by a facilitator at 3 sessions. Ideas and suggestions would be reported out at a plenary and received by the Mission Table comprised of ABC staff leaders this November to possibly set new priorities and directions. You can see that this is a highly interactive and dynamic process to hear from delegates and churches from the various parts of the United States and Puerto Rico. In the end, the hope and prayer is that God will continue to bless and empower American Baptists to be a faithful witness and a mission-driven people in the world today.
The significance of this first Mission Summit has led our church to send the following delegates to participate in this new venture: Sheryl Chan, Wes Chan, Becky Lessler, Joy Shih Ng, Wendy Quan, Lea Wong, and Nelson Wong. Rev. Lauren Ng will attend as a board member of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies and I will attend as ABCUSA Vice-President. And as the nominee for ABCUSA President, God willing, I will be elected as President for 2014-2015.
Our church was founded in 1880, over 133 years ago by American Baptist missionaries who shared the love of God and the saving grace of Jesus Christ with the Chinese in San Francisco. God continues to bless our church and it’s life-giving ministries as we have grown in many ways. I pray that through my continuing service as an ABC officer that you would also sense your part in leading our larger American Baptist family to remain committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for our FCBC delegation to the Mission Summit and for my service and we look forward to sharing our involvement and experiences with you when we return.
2013 also marks the 200th Anniversary of Adoniram and Ann Hasseltine Judson arriving in Burma as our first foreign missionaries. As the result of civil unrest in Burma today, tens of thousands of Burmese refugees have now arrived in the U.S. and sought the fellowship of ABC churches. We are expecting as many as a thousand Burmese Ka-Chin, Chin, and Karen people attending the Mission Summit this June. As American Baptists in San Francisco, we’ll join many other American Baptists in Kansas to be the “hands and feet of Christ” in the world.
Pastor Don
Thailand Mission
(Visal)
On Sunday, June 9 at all three worship services, we’ll be commissioning our team to do mission in Thailand. Following the services, the Lanna Coffee Project Team will be making ice coffee for you to enjoy as well as selling both one-pound bags of espresso and French roast coffee (whole beans and ground). All sales and donations on this day will go to support the Thailand Mission Team.
Teachers Appreciation
Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders and pastors study and help make the Bible come alive for our students. It is only after many years perhaps a lifetime of going to classes that students would have an understanding of the meaning of the Christian story. To recognize and appreciate our teachers and leaders, there’ll be a luncheon sponsored by the Board of Christian Education on Sunday, June 9, 12:30. Take a moment to thank you teacher for enabling you to grow in faith.
Golf Tournament
The annual FCBC Golf Tournament is on Friday, June 14 at the Metropolitan Golf Course in Oakland. Proceeds and donations provide scholarships for the church’s Day Camp, Youth Camp, and sports ministries. Gather a group of friends to play and spend a fun time playing a round of golf, take home a door prize, and feast at a Chinese buffet! It’s all fun and a worthy cause for supporting our church’s summer ministries. Sign up by contacting Byron Chan or Joel Jang.
Family News
Welcome to the world—Joshua Peter Ng, born to Jon and Joyce Wong Ng on May 10th. May God bless this child as well as all children to grow up to know Jesus as Lord!
On May 18th, Pastor Don Ng received an honorary Doctor of Divinity at the American Baptist Seminary of the West’s commencement. He also delivered the commencement address to the graduates.
June
5/31-2 Sojourners Retreat
1 CCU Sports Kick-Off
OYYAs
2 10—V
10—P
11—James Chuck
CE, 1:30
8 EFG
9 10—V
10—P
11—D
Teachers Appreciation Luncheon, 12:30
12 Staff Meeting, 10:00
14 FCBC Golf Tournament
15 Thailand Mission until 6/30
Xplorers
16 10
10—P
11—D
17 Day Camp begins until 7/19
21-23 ABC Mission Summit
22 Sojourners
23 10—
10—P
11—James Chuck
30 10—
10—P
11—D
Deacons, 1:30