Aug 01-02, 2020
Rev. Simon Lee, Senior Pastor RCAC

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

Daily I sit in front of my computer and pray that God will show me afresh how to be a pastor during the current pandemic. I also shared with our team that I have run out of things to say for “From the Pastor’s Desk.” I am “Zoomed out” already in Zoom meetings too many that I can count, they include worship services, board meetings, staff meetings, committee meetings, Bible studies, lectures and talks… Yes, Lydia and I do what we can helping some people with counseling over the phone, grocery shopping or moving. But the nagging question on my mind is always “what else can I do?” All through my many years of ministries, I have never felt so handicapped and so helpless, not even during SARS when I was serving as a professor at Alliance Bible Seminary in Hong Kong. It has been a humbling experience but a valuable one where I am learning truly to serve God not by my knowledge or experience, but by His power and wisdom. As in the days of old, the words to me from the Lord Almighty are “’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit’. (Zech. 4:6)

Although I am not like Solomon who said …he was but “a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in,” (I Kg 3:7) I too feel like a child not knowing what to do, and therefore daily ask the Lord for wisdom. His prayer is therefore mine today: “And now, O Lord my God, … I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.  And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.  Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (I Kings 3:7-9). Indeed, at such times as these, we all need to have the true wisdom from God.

Pastors without borders

Recently I have been reminded of the good work of Doctors Without Borders, an international humanitarian group dedicated to providing medical care to people in distress, including victims of political violence and natural disasters. They do not work in the well-equipped hospitals and comfortable clinics in their own peaceful country, but rather go out to the war-torn frontiers of conflicts around the world. They improvised when they do not have their sophisticated equipments and facilities. They do what they can without complaining.

Shouldn’t pastors be like that, as we all remind ourselves constantly, going out to rescue those in need or are perishing, like the good shepherd who goes out for the one lost sheep while keeping the 99 other sheep in safety? We pastors are so used to serving big groups and congregations; but now we need to do the same thing, one person at a time. Indeed, in modern day concept, it is inefficient and very time-consuming, but Jesus would do no less.  We need to be “pastors without border”!

Church Without Walls

Many of our members are attending online classrooms (Schools) without walls, taking all sorts of courses and lectures. This is indeed a good sign, members eager to use the extra time they have in learning more about the Bible and theology. Indeed we are discovering or rediscovering that we can carry on all these learning without attending physically the schools and classes, especially during the shutdowns in the pandemic. Modern technology has made all these good information more readily accessible. I myself have participated in some of these ministries with thousands of people worldwide signing on. My only hope is that we will not be top-heavy, flooded only with head knowledge, and that we will put into practice all the things we have learned. We should take advantage of the classes without walls and schools without walls. Our Church should also move further in the direction of a Church without walls. Indeed much of our ministries have already moved online.

It is also heartening and exciting that our members who are away in the States, Hong Kong or Singapore… are joining in our prayer meetings, Praise Dance and fellowship meetings, by Zoom. I joke that our ministries have become international! But seriously, should we really think about how in the new normal, we should “do church” differently. Right now we are reaching more people online as seen in the increased number of people connecting with their devices.  We should not wait for people to come to us in the Church building, rather we should go to them online and by other means. Indeed, the church should be “the called out ones” (ekklesia) to be set apart from the world for God, as the holy ones (saints). But we are not called just for the purpose of physically attending services, meetings, and activities, rather to be equipped as “ambassadors for Christ.”  We are to go into the world again to be “disciples” and “witnesses” of Christ in the community and to the ends of the world (physically and virtually). We need to be “Church without walls!”

For this reason, as I had shared earlier, after much thought and prayers I believe we need some fundamental changes in three directions:

1. Transform and buildup the Church with more cell groups (「化整為零」：轉化教會建立小組)
2. Transform and equip members to be “ambassadors of Christ” (「基督使者」：轉化信徒人人皆兵)
3. Transform our Church community to a “Community Church” (「社區教會」：轉化群體深入社區)

In the coming weeks, we shall think through these three directions in the new normal. We will not be able to go back to our old normal, but moving onto a better normal. Starting August 1, RCAC will start the slow process or “reopening,” first to meet with all preventive measures in small groups while maintaining physical distancing. Please refer to RTC: Return to Church Guidebooks for the protocols and follow the detailed guidelines. We shall wait longer to begin larger group activities such as fellowships, and even wait longer for return to worships at the Church. Be kind, be calm, and be safe. Be patient. God’s timing is the best.

Your pastor in Christ,

Pastor Simon

Aug 01-02, 2020
李耀全牧師

親愛列宣家的弟兄姊妹，
每天我坐在電腦前，祈禱上帝啟示我在目前的大流行中如何擔當牧者的職份。我曾與我的團隊說，我在「教牧心聲」要分享的事與話都已說盡了。在過去這段日子，我參與在互聯網Zoom會議包括崇拜，長議會議，教牧同工會議，委員會會議，查聖班，授課和講座等…, 真是數之不盡的。 師母Lydia和我盡我們所能去關心牧養一些弟兄姊妹，透過電話關懷、幫忙購買蔬果雜貨或搬遷等。但是，在我腦袋裡總是困擾我的問題是「我還可以做什麼呢？」。在我多年的事奉歲月中，我從未感到如此被牽制著和無助，相比我在香港非典型肺炎其間在建道神學院任教時更甚。這是一個使我自愧的經歷，無地自容。但這也是一個寶貴的經歷，因為我進一步學習到服侍上帝不是靠自己的知識或經驗，而是靠祂的大能和智慧。就好像昔日神喻先知般，全能的神這樣對我說「不是倚靠權勢，不是倚靠能力，而是倚靠我的靈。」(亞4:6）。
我雖然不像所羅門能說：「 ……但我還年輕，不知道應當怎樣處事。」（王上3:7），我也感到自己像個小孩，不知道該怎麼做，因此向主求智慧。所羅門的禱告是我今天的祈禱：「耶和華我的神啊，… 我還年輕，不知道能夠怎樣處事。僕人住在你揀選的子民中；這些子民很多，多得不能數算。所以，求你賜給僕人一顆明辨的心，可以判斷你的子民，能辨別是非，因為誰能判斷你這眾多的子民呢？」（王上3:7-9）。確實，在這些時候，我們需要從上帝那裡尋求真智慧。
無國界(界限)牧者
最近，我又想起了無國界醫生組織（Doctors Without Borders）的出色工作，該國際人道組織致力於為因政治暴力和自然災害的受害者提供醫療服務。他們不在自己國家設備齊全的醫院或診所工作，而是跑到飽受戰亂災禍困擾的世界各地去工作，他們在沒有完善的設備和設施下盡力去拯救生命，沒有絲毫抱怨。
牧者不應該是這樣麼？我們同工各别都不斷提醒自己，走出去拯救面對困境或正在生死邊緣的人，就像好牧羊人去尋找一隻迷失的羊，同時又保障另外99隻羊的安全。我們慣常服侍一大個群體和一班會眾；現在我們同樣的服侍但每次只能單獨一個人。確實，在現代的觀念，這是低效率和費時，但耶穌會照樣做並且從不苟且。作教牧同工的，需作無界限牧者。
無圍牆教會
我們許多會眾都正在參加各種網上課程和講座。這確實是一個可喜的事，大家積極利用自己的額外時間來學習聖經和神學。實際上，我們發現或是重新發現，我們無需親自到學校上課也可以進行許多學習，特別是在大流行禁聚令期間。現代技術進步促使資訊更容易傳達，我本人也曾參與其中的一些事工，全球數以千計的人同時參與。我唯一的盼望是，我們應該好好利用沒有圍牆的課室和學校，把學到的知識付諸實踐，不會只是知識泛濫充斥在頭腦上。列宣家也應朝著沒有圍牆的教會的方向邁進，我們許多事工已經轉到網上進行。
同樣令人振奮和激勵的是，我們許多身處在美國，香港或新加坡外遊的會友參加用Zoom平台進行的禱告會，讚美操和團契聚會。我開玩笑說我們的事工已經國際化了！但認真的考慮說，我們應該思想在新常態下如何「當教會」；目前，透過不同的電子產品連接的人數不斷增加，我們可以在線上接觸到更多的人。我們不應該在教堂裡等待人們來找我們，而應該透過互關網和其他方式去接觸他們。教會是「被神呼召的群體」（ekklesia），願意為神與世界分隔開，分別為聖（聖徒）。但是，我們被呼召不僅僅是個人參加敬拜聚會，事工和活動，而是為了裝備成為「基督的使者」。我們要再次進入人群，在社區和世界全地（實質上和虛擬上）作基督的「門徒」和「見證人」。我們需要成為一間「無圍牆教會」！
因此，正如我之前所分享的，經過多翻思索和祈禱，我相信我們需要在三個方向進行一些根本性的改變：
1. 「化整為零」：轉化教會建立小組
2. 「基督使者」：轉化信徒人人皆兵
3. 「社區教會」：轉化人群深入社區
在未來的數週，我們將在新常態中仔細思想這三個方向。我們將無法返回從前的常態，而會轉向更好的常態。從8月1日開始，列宣已開始逐步「重新開放」，首先是小組聚會，當然一定要合乎所有防疫措施及保持社交距離。詳情及所有防疫措施，請參閱「返回教會指南」(RTC)。至於集體聚會例如團契週會或者是崇拜，我們還需要等待一段時間。大家「保持友善，保持冷靜和保持安全」。我們需要耐心等候，上帝的時間是最好的。
主僕
李耀全牧師

Jul 25-26, 2020
Rev. Simon Lee, Senior Pastor RCAC

Dear brothers and sisters in RCAC family,

Last Friday (July 17, 2020) I received news that Dr. J.I. Packer (巴刻博士) has gone to be the Lord at the good old age of 93. I am going to miss him as one who has been my theological mentor since my Regent days. He and others at Regent College (including Dr. Bruce Waltke) shaped my evangelical faith, and my love for the Word and my understanding of God. May his life inspires you and I to live for God.

Like many people, my first encounter with Dr. Packer was through his books which I read in my early university days in the 70’s, Fundamentalism and the Word of God (基要主義與神的道) and Knowing God (認識神). As a layman, he and his books made theology understandable and relevant. When I eventually started to study full-time (1978) at Regent, Packer also came to Regent (1979) and I was so happy to have him as my professor in theology. Some people may have regarded Packer’s lectures as dry and unappealing (by North American standard), but one has to discover his depth of knowledge and wisdom, his skilful and articulate use of language and his brand of British humour, to really appreciate him as a lecturer. Going to his theology classes was like taking a Bible class, always centered in the Bible and on Christ and always focuses on building Christ’s church. I attribute my interests in the Puritans, and my love for the Word of God in serving the church, to Packer, my theological mentor. Eventually, he and Dr. Klaus Bockmuehl became my supervisors in my Master of Theology thesis. Packer was one of the teachers who encouraged me to pursue further theological studies.  I always take pride in these two teachers, as I regard them both as two of the foremost evangelical voices in modern times.

Regent has always been known for the training of the laity. When China Graduate School of Theology started in Hong Kong in the 70’s and 80’s, Regent was a model to the School. Packer was invited to give lectures in CGST and CGST began the Diploma of Christian Studies (Dip.CS) patterned after Regent’s program. I was privilege to have witnessed the genesis of that program, helping to connect the two Schools. Since then, Regent has maintained a long-standing relationship with theological education in Hong Kong.

In January, 1998, J.I. Packer visited Hong Kong again to celebrate the establishment of the James I. Packer Chair of Theology at Regent. There were several events including a special seminar for pastors in Hong Kong called ‘the pursuit and practice of holiness: the work of the Holy Spirit and the pastoral role’ (聖潔生活的追求與實踐-聖靈工作與牧者的職分) and I was honoured to be a respondent from a pastoral perspective (I had become a professor at Alliance Bible Seminary in 1994). Coming right after the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, it was such a memorable and important event.  I was even presented as mementos an autographed copy of “Knowing God!”

I attended Lausanne II, the Second International Congress on World Evangelization, held in in Manila in the Philippines in July 1989 (right after the Tiananmen Incident in June) and served as an interpreter in the conference. There was a special presentation on the Holy Spirit with J.I. Packer and Jack Hayford  as speakers. Hayford spoke first on the Signs and Wonders of the Holy Spirit. I will never forget how Packer came after Hayford and spoke on being “In Step with the Spirit” and proclaimed that there is nothing more powerful than the work of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of sinners. That message echoes powerfully in my mind till now.

As a prolific author, Dr. Packer has inspired me very much in my own writing career. Most of his books were written with the lay people in mind. Books like “Hot Tub Religion” and “Finishing our course with Joy” are some examples among the score of books he has written over a long span of his career. Packer did not write his magnum opus in theology, but his many books speak volumes and are immensely helpful to all Christians in instructions for living a life of godliness and holiness. There lies his legacy. I salute my esteemed teacher, J.I. Packer.

Your Servant in Christ,

Simon Lee

Jul 25-26, 2020
李耀全牧師

上週五(2020年7月17日)，我收到消息知道巴刻博士(Dr. JI Packer)息勞歸主，享年93歲。我非常懷念我的老師，從我就讀維真神學院到今天，他和另外一位老師華爾基博士(Dr. Bruce Waltke)塑造了我的福音派信仰，並加深對神的話的熱愛和認識神祂自己。願他一生的榜樣成為您我為主而活的鼓勵！

與許多人一樣，我與巴刻博士的第一次接觸是在70年代上大學初期，拜讀他寫的兩本書，分別為：《基要主義與神的道》和《認識神》。作為一個平信徒大學生，閱讀他的書幫助我理解神學並發現神學的廣泛應用性。當我在1978年到了維真神學院(維真)作為一位全時間的學生，巴刻博士也在1979年來到了維真任教。我當時很高興他能夠成為我的神學教授。有些人可能認為巴刻博士的授課很枯燥且沒有吸引力(按照北美標準)，但要真正欣賞他作為一名講師，就必須要透過發現他的知識淵博與智慧深厚，對語言的熟練和表達技巧以及對英國式的幽默才能夠體會。參加他的神學課程就像參加聖經課程一樣，因為他的授課總是以聖經和基督為中心，並且始終專注於教授關於建立基督的教會。我對清教徒的興趣和對神的話語的熱愛歸功於我的神學導師巴刻博士。之後，他和另外一位神學教授Dr. Klaus Bockmuehl成為我的神學碩士論文的導師。巴刻博士總是鼓勵我繼續投入在神學的研究上。我一直以這兩位老師為榮，因為我認為他們是當代福音派的兩位重要代表。

維真一直是被譽為以訓練信徒為主的神學院。在70/80年代，當中國神學研究院開始在香港建立時，就是以維真為藍本。當時，巴刻博士應邀在中神演說，後來中神也開始了一個與維真近似的基督教研究的證書課程。我當時有幸能夠見證這個課程的成立，並幫助兩家神學院開始建立關係。至今，維真繼續在香港的神學教育上仍有所貢獻。

1998年1月，巴刻博士再次訪問香港，慶祝成立以巴刻博士為名的神學教席。 還記得當時有數項活動，包括在香港為牧師舉辦的特別研討會，題目為 “聖潔生活的追求與實踐-聖靈工作與牧者的職分”。 我很榮幸在那一場研討會上代表與會者，從牧者的角度，回應巴刻博士的演講。(我在1994年已成為建道神學院的教授)。 那一場研討會發生在1997年香港回歸後，更是有意義和令人難忘。 在那一次的演講中，我更收到了巴刻博士的“認識神”親筆簽名本，甚有紀念價值！

1989年7月(6月天安門事件之後)，我參加了在菲律賓馬尼拉舉行的洛桑2：第二屆世界福音國際大會第並在會議中擔任翻譯。當時巴刻博士和Dr. Jack Hayford分別以聖靈論作為演講主題。 Hayford首先談到了聖靈的神蹟和奇事。 我永遠不會忘記巴刻博士是跟隨Hayford之後發表演講的，題目為“與聖靈同行”，並宣稱罪人能悔改歸主，乃聖靈最偉大的工作。 到現在，該段的信息依然在我的腦海中迴盪，記憶猶新。

巴刻博士的著作非常多，他也啟發了我自己的寫作生涯。 他的大部分書籍著作都是為了平信徒所寫的。 就像是“Hot Tub Religion”和“Finishing our course with Joy”。巴刻博士並沒有什麼巨大神學著作，但是他的許多書歷經翻印多次，證明了他的寫作對所有基督徒在過敬虔和聖潔的生活中提供了極大的幫助。 這就是他留給後人的產業。 我要向我的老師巴刻博士致最崇高的敬意。與肢體共勉！

主僕
李耀全牧師

Jul 11-12, 2020
Rev. Simon Lee, Senior Pastor RCAC

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

It has been 4 months since the lockdown due to the pandemic. During this time, every week I sit down literally at the Pastor’s Desk, which now is my study desk at home, and wonder what I can say from my heart that would be of any encouragement to our brothers and sisters at RCAC.  Now four months after, to be honest, I am starting to feel dry at times and wonder whether there is anything more to say during this difficult time that has not already been said. This is in contrast to the beginning of this period when I return to more writing and felt I really had something to say and was able to reclaim writing (from my professorial days) as my form of ministry to you all. Those around me and I also notice that at times I may be repeating myself, which surely are signs that I am running out of things to say. I confess to my team regularly I am learning to be a pastor like a rooky all over again. Let me hasten to add this does not mean God has nothing more to say, and it is more an admission of how inadequate I feel right now, and that I and all our pastors need your prayer support too. Let’s support each other in prayer.

Almost every day we hear Dr. Bonnie Henry say, “Be kind, be calm and be safe” at the end of her updates on the pandemic, and it is indeed good and simple wisdom that we should heed. We have looked at what it means to “be kind” and “be calm” and they are attitudes we should have in facing the current pandemic. Having these attitudes enables us to take critical actions to “stay safe.”

• How to “stay safe”?

To “stay safe” means that we try our best to not get sick by staying away from the danger of coming into contact with, and being infected (and affected) by the coronavirus which is actively present everywhere.

By now we all now know that washing our hands frequently, not touching our face (eyes, nose and mouth), clean different surfaces regularly with disinfectant, wearing masks when in close contact with others, maintaining physical distancing (1-2 metres), avoid crowds and other similar preventive measures all help to lower the risk of infection. Also, keeping ourselves healthy with healthy diet and exercises (physically active) help us to be less vulnerable. Physical distancing and lowering the numbers of contacts with people (avoiding big gatherings) also help us and others from getting sick. If we have symptoms, we should stay home.

But to “stay safe” is more than being vigilant and alert on our own when we are facing a threat; it is to habitually live a life that is ready to face any attacks (e.g. COVID) as our preventive behaviour is already second nature to us. Dr. Bonnie Henry has written a book in 2009 and reissued in 2020 called, Soap and Water & Common Sense, where she documented her lifelong interest in public health and preventive medicine, and where she gives us a guide to staying healthy in a germ-filled world. Dr. Henry says, “I often call it ‘uncommon sense,’” believing that ‘common sense’ (conventional wisdom) like frequent handwashing often does work and we should practice it regularly. Prevention is better than cure. Maybe it is better to think of it as “staying safe” (habitually) rather than just “stay safe” in times of danger.

• To “stay safe” is to live a full, healthy and holistic life

I like to add also “to stay safe” is to recognize that each human being is a physical-psycho-socio-spiritual whole, and therefore our physical health is intimately tied to our psycho-socio-spiritual well-being. Our mental health, our healthy networks of support and our spiritual resources all contribute to maintaining physical health. Psychologically, we need cognitively and emotionally to come to terms with our current reality and stay healthy. If we are stable in our personal psychological well-being (be calm), then we will be able to relate lovingly with our neighbours (be kind), as everyone is suffering the effects of the pandemic.  When anxiety and pain becomes unbearable and there is no solution in sight, we need spiritual resources that lift us up and give us a transcendent perspective. All these things help to cut down the pressure we experience and lower our health risk so that we can feel and be more secure (stay safe).

During this pandemic, I have been struck by how the vast majority of people are gravely concerned about our physical health and not wanting to get sick. When we finally realized that we are in a deadly pandemic due to COVID-19, most people have taken it seriously, and some even have been taken over by panic and anxiety, especially when tens of thousands of people around the world are dying each day as a result of the Coronavirus. When western medicine has yet to come up with a cure and when the vaccine has yet to be developed, suddenly folk remedies and alternate medicine become rampant, all promising miraculous cure or prevention, and they do not lack people who believe in them. We all want to have a miracle drug to keep us healthy physically, the sooner the better.

However, somehow we all, to varying degrees, resist the public health and preventive measures that have been suggested as we do not put much weight to the psychological and social factors and dimensions of our health, not to mention the spiritual. As said, we are psycho-social beings living in a society together, and any outbreak can start with one person or a small pocket of people. So personal health must be maintained communally through public health. This is one other reason why the church our faith community is so important as we can practice “staying safe” together (“staying together by staying apart”) and be of mutual encouragement to each other, and learn to “be kind” and “be calm.”  The Church should be a place where our spirituality is awakened and where we together can draw strength from the power of God.

• The safest place on earth

The safest place on earth; where people connect and are forever changed is a book by Christian psychologist, Larry Crabb, published in 1999. The book talks about how the church, rather than being a place for people to display their goodness and hide their failures in fear of censure, it should be open, supportive, and compassionate in dealing with our weaknesses. The pandemic has brought out much of our weaknesses, but we can together accept each other in the Christian community and make the church “the safest place on earth.” Due to the pandemic, people who suffer losses in personal health, even deaths within the family, loss of job and security…, should be able to find the Church community a place where they can find peace, compassion, support and comfort. Is RCAC such a church?

In the New Normal, we have already observed that a new anxiety has crept into our lives, the anxiety of wanting to go back to the old normal quickly, and the impatience with the slow and cautious reopening that we are going through even as we enter Phase 3 of the reopening in our Province of BC.  We need to continue to stay vigilant and not let down our guard lest we trigger a second outbreak of the Coronavirus, like what is already happening in a few countries around the world. Therefore we may need to continue for a while the way we have been “doing Church.” We need to keep staying safe. May we find that safety in our home and family, as well as in our Church community.

In August, we are planning to resume in a safe way some of our activities (including the summer children events) within our church building, I urge you all to follow the protocol we have set up so that we can “be kind, be calm and be safe,” by being the Church that displays the character of Christ, kind, calm and loving.

In facing the pandemic, we have considered carefully the instruction of Dr. Henry to “be kind, be calm and be safe”, from a health perspective as well as a Christian perspective. I would like to conclude this series with the words of Paul: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7) Amen.

Your servant in Christ

Rev. Dr. Simon Lee

Senior Pastor

Jul 11-12, 2020
李耀全牧師

列宣家親愛的弟兄姊妹,

自疫情蔓延以來，至今已封鎖了四個月。每週我也真正地坐在牧者的辦公桌前(From the Pastor ’s Desk)，而現時已轉移至家中工作間的書桌前，不斷思索著如何透過文字事奉，把心中的肺腑之言(教牧心聲)和教會的兄弟姊妹分享，藉以作為鼓勵，為大家打氣。現已是足四個月了，感謝主！數月前開始每週撰寫「教牧心聲」時，心中實在有無窮無盡的話(有若過往擔任教席時寫作的生涯) 。現時老實說，自己總覺要講的話大致上已講盡，在寫作事奉方面，有時也會有點需要搜索枯腸，已江郎才盡，有難以下筆之感。如身邊的人所指出而我也有所覺察，我的寫作未免偶現重複冗贅。同時我常向我的同工團隊表白，我好像初哥新手一般，正在重新學習做好這份牧職。這絕非表示沒有神的話語可傳，而是我在承認自己的不足，為此，我和我們所有的教牧同工也需要您的祈禱支持，我們要彼此服侍。

邦妮·亨利醫生在每天更新疫情報告時，我們均可聽到她以：“保持友善，冷靜和安全”作為結束，我們實在應聽取她那精簡優良的智慧。於此之前我們已分別探討了“友善”和“冷靜”的含義，這是對病毒蔓延當前應持守的態度，以讓我們能採取關鍵行動來“保持安全”。

• 如何“保持安全”？

“保持安全”是指我們盡最大努力去避免染病，盡量遠離與無處不在的活躍冠狀病毒接觸並受到感染的風險。
我們現在都知道，必須經常洗手，勿觸摸臉部 (包括眼睛，鼻子和嘴巴)，時常用消毒劑清潔不同的表面，與他人緊密接觸時要戴上口罩，保持身體距離1至2米，避免人群及其他類似的預防措施皆有助於減低感染的風險。此外，通過健康的飲食和鍛煉身體以保持健康，有助於我們增強免疫力(減少脆弱性)。保持人與人之間的距離和減少與人的接觸次數 (避免大形聚集)也有助於我們和他人免於受病毒感染。若有病癥便需留在家中。

可是，“保持安全”不只是在我們面臨威脅時須保持警覺和警惕。而是在生活上養成習慣，且準備面對任何攻擊侵襲（例如冠狀病毒），讓預防行為自然地成為我們的第二天性。邦妮·亨利醫生於2009年撰寫了一本書，並於2020年再版，名為《肥皂和水與常識Soap and Water & Common Sense》，書中記錄了她一生對公共衛生和預防醫學的興趣，並為我們提供了在充滿細菌的世界中保持健康的指南。亨利醫生提到：我經常稱其為  “另類常識” (uncommon sense)，她認為像經常洗手一般的“常識”(屬於傳統智慧) 經常奏效，我們應該時常這樣做。預防遠勝於治療。也許最好的是養成“保持安全”習慣，而不是僅在發生危險時才“保持安全”。

• “保持安全”就是過充實，健康及整全的生活

我還想補充的是，“保持安全”是要認識到每個人都是生理-心理-社會-靈性的整體，因此我們的身體健康與我們的心理-社會-靈性方面，全人是緊密關連的。我們的心理健康，健康的支持網絡和靈性方面皆與維持身體健康息息相關。從心理方面來說，我們需要在認知和情感上適應當前的現實以保持健康。如果我們在個人心理健康上能保持穩定（保持鎮定），那麼我們就能夠與其他人進行友善的聯繫（保持友善），因為每個人都在遭受疫情大流行的影響。當焦慮和痛苦變得難以忍受並且看不到解決之方時，我們需要靈性資源來使我們振作起來並提昇我們超越的視角。所有這各方面也有助於減輕我們承受的壓力並降低患病風險，從而使我們能夠感到並更為安穩（保持安全）。

在這疫情大流行期間，我為著絕大多數人如何極度關注自身的健康免受感染而感到震驚。當我們最終意識到現正處於致命的疫症蔓延中時，大多數人也會認真地面對，有些人因知道冠狀病毒帶來每天在世界各地有成千上萬的人因而喪生時，引致恐慌和焦慮。當西方醫藥尚未找到治愈方法，疫苗尚未開發時，民間偏方和另類療法突然變得如雨後春筍般湧現。相信這些藥物會帶來奇蹟性治愈或預防能力的，大有人在。我們也期待著可確保健康的有效應藥物能及早面世。

然而，大抵由於我們各自也在心理和社會因素，健康情況等方面有某程度上的差異，在靈性方面的差異更不在話下，我們也會在不同程度上會抗拒或忽視公共衛生和預防措施的建議。如前所述，我們是共同生活在一個社群中的心理社會個體，任何病發都可能始於一個人或一小撮的人。因此，必須通過公共衛生來共同維護個人健康。這也是為什麼我們的教會作為信仰群體是如此重要，以至我們需要共同實行“保持安全”（“藉彼此隔離以保持維繫”）並藉相互鼓勵，以學習和體現如何保持“友善”和“鎮靜。”教會應該成為喚醒靈性之處，並成為我們可以一起從神的力量源頭中汲取力量的地方。

• 世上最安全的地方  

基督教心理學家克萊布（Larry Crabb）在1999年所著的一本書： “世上最安全的地方；人與人彼此聯繫和永遠被改變的所在” (The safest place on earth; where people connect and are forever changed)。該書談論的是，教會不是一個讓人們因著害怕受到譴責而展示自己的善良和隱藏失敗的地方，而是應該在處理我們的弱點時保持坦誠開放，得到支持和同情。病毒大流行顯示出許多人的弱點，但我們可以在教會群體中相互接納，使教會成為“世上最安全的地方”。由於疫情所致，那些個人健康受損，甚至遭遇家人喪失，失去工作和安全感……的人，應該能夠從教會大家庭中找到一個可以得著平安，同情，支持和安慰之所在。我們列宣家教會可會如此？

在新常態中，本省正以緩慢而謹慎的步伐進入第三階段的重新開放，我們已觀覺到新的焦慮–希望能快速回復舊常態的焦慮與不耐煩，已經滲透於我們的生活之中。我們需要繼續保持警惕，不要放鬆警戒，以免引發冠狀病毒的第二輪爆發，就像一些其他國家已經發生的情況一樣。因此，我們可能仍需要以“現時的教會形式”繼續下去一些時間。我們需要能保持安全。願我們能在家，在家庭中以及在教會群體中找到安全。

我們正計劃在8月，以確保安全的方式續漸恢復於教會建築物內進行的一些活動（包括兒童夏令活動），我促請大家遵循教會制定的協議，以便我們能保持“友善，冷靜”。作為教會，可以展現出基督的品格，友善，鎮定和愛心。

在面對病毒大流行之際，讓我們從健康角度及基督教的觀點，仔細考慮按照亨利醫生的“善良，冷靜和安全”的指示。我想引述保羅的話來作本系列文章的結語：“應當毫無憂慮，只要凡事藉著禱告祈求，帶著感恩的心，把你們所要的告訴神，這樣，神所賜超過人能了解的平安，必在基督耶穌裡，保守你們的心思意念。”（腓4：6-7 -新譯本）阿們！

主僕

李耀全牧師
主任牧師

Jul 04-05, 2020
Rev. Simon Lee, Senior Pastor RCAC

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

We started the year 2020 with the theme of “Launch Out into the Deep,” by examining “our identity, stand and mission as a C&MA Church” in the first quarter. The Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic disrupted our plan and by the second quarter we switched to the subtheme of “Jesus calms the storms in our lives /Restore us to Yourself, O Lord.” Now in the New Normal, in the third quarter we are going back to Biblical history and examine the rise and fall of the kings of Israel and Judah, so as to discover lessons for us today for our personal lives and the growth of the Church. The major lesson that Kings teaches us is that failure to honor the revealed will of God results in ruin and destruction.  The nation of Israel reached the height of its power and prestige in Solomon’s day. It began to decline because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness and failure to honor the Mosaic Covenant.

 Biblical scholars do not know who the author of the Kings was, but the historical period Kings covers totals about 413 years which started with Solomon’s coronation as co-regent with David (973 B.C.) and ended with Jehoiachin’s release from Babylonian exile (561 B.C.). However, most of Kings deals with the period from Solomon’s coronation and to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., a period of 387 years. At the beginning we see the temple built and at the end the temple burnt. I find these quotations from Constable’s notes very helpful:

“. . . 1, 2 Kings present Israel’s history as a series of events that describe how and why the nation fell from the heights of national prosperity to the depths of conquest and exile.”

“More specifically, 1, 2 Kings explain how and why Israel lost the land it fought so hard to win in Joshua and worked so hard to organize in Judges and 1, 2 Samuel.”

“Plot relates the causes and effects in a story. Thus, the story line in 1, 2 Kings may be that Israel went into exile, but the plot is Israel went into exile because of its unfaithfulness to God. To make cause and effect unfold, plots normally have at least two basic aspects: conflict and resolution. A plot’s conflict is the tension in a story that makes it an interesting account, while a plot’s resolution is the way the conflict is settled. How the author develops these two components usually decides the shape and effectiveness of the plot.”

The theme of our new series is “Launch out into the Deep III: Why Kingdoms Rise and Fall (I and II Kings).” As the title suggests we are exploring the reasons for the rise and fall of the Kingdom of Israel. Out purpose is to discover the role of the kings and leaders in that period in the fate of the nation. We hope we can then apply it to our Church as we face the challenge brought on by the COVID 19 pandemic, to reflect on how the lives of our pastors and leaders can directly affect whether we are going to success or fail as a church.

Our preaching schedule in the summer quarter will be as follows:

In the New Normal we do well to remember that God has revealed Himself in the history of Israel. With each sermon, we shall reflect on this history with an eye on how we as a people of God in Christ’s Church at RCAC must not fail in following the teaching of God, lest we FALL like the people of God in this period of history! We shall cover the history up to I Kings 16 in this quarter from July to September and return to the rest of the history at a later date (projected to Winter, January – March, 2021). This is arranged so that we will return to a New Testament study in the fall. Let’s dig into the Word of God together.

Your servant in Christ,

Rev. Simon Lee

Senior Pastor, RCAC