2024.02.03/04

陳榮基牧師

侍奉是什麼？

最近有幸在 YouTube 觀看了一輯王一平牧師 “一言道破”系列，主題為 “侍奉是什麼？” 的視像錄影。對我有非常好的提醒。王牧師向在場的弟兄姊妹發出一個問題：侍奉是什麼？他解釋說，侍奉不是要滿足上主的需要，乃是要滿足人的需要，因為上主自己沒有需要。但上主的心意，乃是要人的需要得到滿足。

主耶穌開始公開傳道不久，“就來到拿撒勒自己長大的地方，照著習慣在安息日進入會堂，站起來要讀經。有人把以賽亞先知的書遞給他，他展開書卷找到一處，上面寫著：“主的靈在我身上，因為他膏我去傳福音給貧窮的人，差遣我去宣告被擄的得釋放，瞎眼的得看見，受壓制的得自由，又宣告主悅納人的禧年。”他把書卷捲好，交還侍役，就坐下。會堂裡眾人都注視他。他就對他們說：“這段經文今天應驗在你們中間了。””(路加福音 4:16-21)

這可以說是主耶穌開始公開服侍之後，為自己侍奉的目的和內涵作出的宣告。無論是傳福音給貧窮的人，宣告被擄的得釋放，叫瞎眼的得看見，叫受欺壓的得自由，宣告人可以進入上主悅納的禧年，都是要把人從厄困之中拯救出來，藉着上主的恩典去滿足他們的需要。這提醒了我，我們要服侍的對象是人，不是事工。所以，王牧師亦鄭重提醒我們，“事奉” 和 “服事” 的正確寫法應該是有人字邊的 “侍奉” 和 “服侍”。這樣看來，我們必須首先明白我們服侍對象的真實需要。而我們的服侍，必須從他們的需要出發，而不是從我們自己的想像、喜好或者專長出發。

王牧師又提及侍立在上主面前，最接近上主的撒拉弗（seraphim）。他們是最忠心，最有能力的天使。就好像站在地上君王周圍的御林軍一樣。撒拉弗有三對翅膀：一對用來遮臉，一對用來遮腳，一對用來飛翔。遮臉代表他們對上主的敬畏，也代表他們願意謙卑，隱藏在上主的榮耀之中。遮腳代表他們承認自己的虧缺和羞恥，也代表他們不是因為功名去侍奉上主。最後，一對翅膀用來飛翔，代表他們願意盡心竭力，毫無保留去侍奉上主。王牧師特別提醒我們這三個動作的次序非常重要。因為侍奉上主的人，首先要有正確的侍奉態度：敬畏上主、謙卑自己、只為完成使命、不為建立功名的心，才可竭盡所能、全人投入去侍奉上主，得着最美滿的屬靈果效。

王牧師又提及他年青時遇上兩位著名美國牧師犯罪跌倒的醜聞。這兩位牧師表面上都是滿有恩賜， 大有能力，被上主使用的牧者。可是在他們的內心，埋藏了從未認真對付，不斷蠶食屬靈生命的罪。當上主將他們在暗處所犯的罪公開的時候，他們最初為天國所做的一切，都變成眾人的網羅，世人的笑柄，更加為上主的名帶來羞辱。所以，侍奉上主的人，他的品格比起他的恩賜、能力，更為重要。如果侍奉的人沒有品格，只有恩賜和能力，就一定會帶來災難。(Charisma without character always leads to catastrophe)。綜合以上而言，先要有好的侍奉者，才會有好的侍奉。好的侍奉者，就是擁有正確侍奉態度的人。

在上主的恩典和供應下，列宣家 46 年以來一直都有熱心的弟兄姊妹參與侍奉。當我們侍奉的時候，最值得我們注意和努力的方向，也許不是恩賜和能力，而是我們在上主面前清潔、正確的侍奉態度。踏入 2024 年，大家一起努力吧！

2023.12.09/10

陳榮基牧師

最近同 Winnie 探望了一對在英國居住的主內弟兄姊妹。弟兄是廣州人，姊妹是香港人。兩人結婚超過20年，有一位剛剛大學畢業的兒子。他們最初經營一間中式快餐店，後來因為英國經濟差而結業。大約十年前，弟兄開始從事裝修工作。由於他的手工好，而且收費合理，所以生意非常好。自從兒子轉到另一個城市攻讀大學之後，太太每天都跟從丈夫到地盤開工。兩口子最溫馨的一刻，就是在工地一起吃自家煮的中午飯。話雖如此，原來丈夫心底一直都對太太不滿。由於自己英語水平低，每次到建築材料公司買貨，都要大費周章才買到需要的東西。自從太太陪自己一起工作之後，自然期望太太可以用比自己流利得多的英語，盡快幫自己買到需要的東西。但事與願違，每次告訴太太需要的東西，太太都愁眉深鎖，看似極不情願，而且需要很長時間才買到需要的東西。不停經歷類似的場景，令丈夫深信太太並不是甘心樂意幫助他，他甚至認為太太從來都不重視他。這就是他對太太不滿的原因。當我們與他們一起吃飯的時候，姊妹主動提起自己心裏的委屈。她說丈夫總是嫌棄自己不能盡快幫他買東西，最近索性不要她幫忙，就是給她說話聽，令她覺得十分委屈。說到這裏，姊妹的眼中已經充滿淚水。我同 Winnie 立即在心裏默默禱告，求聖靈幫助他們夫妻二人好好溝通，平心靜氣說出心底話。姊妹繼續說：「佢用中文同我講佢要嘅嘢，我好多時都聽唔明。嗰啲根本就係裝修嘅專業術語。我要上網查字典，搵圖畫，先搞得清楚。之後仲要同個店員溝通，好彩嘅就搵得啱，唔好彩就重新嚟過，咁又點會快？但係佢就係心急，話我冇心幫佢。其實我已經盡晒力！」弟兄還是憤憤不平地說：「咁點解你同其他人做翻譯又做得咁快？」姊妹說：「我同其他人做翻譯，好多時都係講屋企裏面發生嘅事，作為一個媽媽，我又點會唔明？咁翻譯起嚟，就梗係容易啦 ！」弟兄還是不肯罷休，繼續說：「喺你心裏面，都唔知將我放喺第幾！你阿爸，你阿媽，你個仔，甚至你啲朋友，都比我重要！你話係唔係？」已經淚流滿面的姊妹說：「老公，係我對你唔住。自從阿仔出世之後，我的確忽略咗你。請你原諒我！而家阿仔已經出嚟做嘢，之後就係我同你一齊行埋下半生嘅路。而家你喺我心目中，絕對係第一位！」聽到太太這樣肯定地說自己是她心中的第一，弟兄的神情明顯地舒泰起來。在一個相對輕鬆的氣氛中，我們一起帶著感恩的心吃完這頓飯。

2023.10.14/15                                                                                                                                                               親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：                  

剛剛過去的星期一是感恩節，我也為着 AYAYA 群體去感恩。

為了反映不同年齡的弟兄姊妹都有參與我們的崇拜這真實情況，我們於8月5日正式改名為AYAYA週六晚崇。靠著主的恩典，AYAYA 聚會人數在過去一年經歷了顯著的增長。2023 年初，我們的平均出席人數達到200 人，到9 月，我們的出席人數已達到300 人。在這300 人中，不少於60 人是參加與AYAYA 崇拜同步進行的AYAYA Kids 和AYAYA Teens 的兒童和青少年。每逢第5個星期六，我們的兒童和青少年會在大禮堂與成人一起進行家庭崇拜。我們現在有10個團隊在AYAYA侍奉，包括影音組 (AV Team)、AYAYA Kids團隊、AYAYA Teens團隊、關顧組 (Care Team)、餐飲組 (Catering Team)、車手組 (Carpool Team)、數據組 (Data Team)、敬拜隊 (Praise Teams)、社交媒體組 (Social Media Team)，以及迎賓組 (Welcome Team)。 一方面，我們感謝讚美主將更多的人託付給我們；另一方面，我們祈求主呼召更多弟兄姊妹參與侍奉。

在2023年我們有幾個特別感恩的新發展。首先，我們的會友兼神學生李楊敏賢姊妹 (Phoebe) 於 2023 年 5 月 1 日正式受聘為非全時間事工同工，在AYAYA 群體中侍奉。她是一位非常得力的同工，她不但與我同心侍奉，實際上也一定程度上舒緩了我的工作壓力。第二，是一個全新的少年敬拜隊的成立。為了培養青少年靈命成長和教導他們帶領敬拜，我們於2023 年4 月15 日成立了一個名為「種子敬拜者」(Seed Worshippers) 的敬拜隊。這是我們的第5個敬拜隊，負責在第5個星期六帶領敬拜。雖然他們每年只有4次侍奉安排，他們每月都有定時的練習和靈修時間。第三，是經過5個月以「撒母耳小組」的名義嘗試之後，撒母耳團 (Samuel Fellowship) 終於2023年6月3日成立，服事對象是從香港來到加拿大的9至12班說廣東話的青少年。目前我們每週的平均出席人數已接近15人。最近，有6位團友應邀加入新成立的團契職員會，開始在4位導師的指導下學習侍奉。

在未來的日子，我相信我們的人數會繼續增長，當中弟兄姊妹的屬靈需要亦會與日俱增。有見及此，我們在9月16日特別呼籲弟兄姊妹參與侍奉。感謝主，有超過40位弟兄姊妹回應。現在我們正在約見他們，在聖靈的帶領之下完成明辨的過程 (discernment) ，希望他們可以在12月之前投入侍奉。全是恩典，感恩不盡！

主僕,
陳榮基牧師

August 26/27, 2023

From the Pastor’s Desk – Rev. Francis Chan

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

In churches established by Hong Kong immigrants from the 80s and 90s, the average age of the Cantonese-speaking congregants has been increasing as time goes by. As at now, the average age would be around 60 if not older. Meanwhile, their second, third, and even fourth generations, if they have remained in their church, most of them would have settled in their English-speaking congregation. Given this trend of development, the number of Cantonese-speaking congregants is expected to decrease over time, while the number of English-speaking congregants is projected to increase.

Starting from the latter half of 2020 however, there has been a continuous flow of Hongkongers immigrating or returning to Canada. Since the Canadian government’s “lifeboat program” for Hong Kong residents came into effect on June 8, 2021, a substantial number of Hongkongers have come to Canada through Stream A to study and Stream B to work. As our church is located in one of the cities with the highest number of Hong Kong immigrants, we have naturally attracted many newcomers from Hong Kong. Despite a decrease in physical attendance across our 3 Cantonese-speaking services after COVID, the influx of new Hong Kong immigrants has helped maintain a weekly average of over 600 attendees for our 3 Cantonese-speaking services. For this, we are most thankful to God.

Recently, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada (IRCC) announced the relaxation of educational requirements for Stream B work applications from August 15, 2023, until August 31, 2026. Accordingly, any Hongkonger with a valid work permit, regardless of his educational background, regardless of the type of work, can apply for Canadian permanent residence (“PR”) so long as he has either completed one year of fulltime work or accumulated 1,560 hours of parttime work within 3 years. This relaxation also applies to Hongkongers coming to work in Canada through the Working Holiday visa, which is available for those aged 18 to 30 and who have purchased round-trip tickets. Another popular route to obtain work visas is through Stream A. When a married fulltime student receives her study permit through Stream A, her spouse will be eligible to apply for an open work permit. In such a case, even if the fulltime studying spouse is unable to complete the specified course within 2 to 3 years, as long as her spouse begins fulltime work upon arrival and continues for a year, the working spouse will be eligible to apply for PR after completing one year of fulltime work. It follows that whether the studying spouse could eventually complete her course will not affect their family’s immigration plan if her working spouse can successfully applied for PR.

Due to the relatively lenient conditions for work visa applications and the requirement of only one-year fulltime work for PR applications, Canada has recently become the most favored immigration destination for many Hongkongers. Against this backdrop, it is highly likely that more young people and young families from Hong Kong will come to our city in the next 2 to 3 years. As a church established by Hong Kong immigrants, how should we respond to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as those faith seekers from Hong Kong? How can we prepare ourselves to answer God’s calling and fulfill his will?

His Servant
Pastor Francis Chan

2023.08.26/27 

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

隨着八、九十年代香港移民老化，由香港移民建立的教會，其廣東話會眾的平均年齡亦與時並進。時至今日，就算不到60歲，也相差不遠。而他們的第二代，第三代，甚至第四代，如果沒有離開自少成長的教會，大部份都已經在教會英語部落地生根。從這個發展趨勢來看，廣東話會眾的人數應該逐漸減少，而英語會眾的人數就應該逐漸增加。

但從2020年下半年開始，不斷有香港人移民或回流加拿大。自從2021年6月8日加拿大政府針對香港人的救生艇計劃生效以來，大量香港人透過Stream A來加讀書，亦有透過Stream B來加工作。我們教會位於其中一個最多香港移民聚居的城市，自然吸引了不少新來的香港人。雖然COVID之後，實體參與教會崇拜的人數有下降趨勢，但得到新來的香港人補充，整體廣東話會眾的每周平均實體崇拜人數，仍然能夠維持在 600人以上。實在感恩。

加拿大移民難民和公民部(IRCC) 較早前宣布，從2023年8月15日直至2026 年8 月31日，放寬透過 Stream B來加工作的學歷要求。任何香港人，不論學歷，不論工作種類，只要循合法途徑來加全職工作滿一年，或者於三年之內能夠兼職工作滿1,560小時，就可以申請成為加拿大永久居民。此計劃亦包括透過工作假期(Working Holiday) 獲得工作簽證來加工作的香港人，而工作假期的申請資格就是年滿18歲不超過30歲，已購買來回機票的人士。另一個熱門獲得工作簽證的渠道，就是透過Stream A來加讀書人士的配偶。所有已婚全時間學生的配偶，一經申請，都會獲得工作簽證。在這情況下，就算全時間學生未能在兩至三年內完成指定課程，只要其配偶一到步就開始全職工作，一年之後，其配偶就可以申請成為永久居民。因此，全時間學生最終能否完成課程，亦不會影響一家人的移民計劃。

由於申請工作簽證條件相對寬鬆，加上申請成為永久居民所要求的工作時間只是短短一年，加拿大現已成為很多香港人最熱衷的移民國家。在這背景下，在未來的兩至三年，應該會有更多香港年青人和年青家庭來到我們的城市。作為一間由香港移民建立的教會，列宣家應該如何回應香港弟兄姊妹和慕道朋友的需要呢？我們又應該如何準備自己，去回應上帝的召命，去滿足上帝的心意呢？

主僕,
陳榮基牧師

2023.07.01/02

from the pastor’s desk :Rev. Francis Chan

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

God promised Abram: “I will make you a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing to the others.” God then instructed him to follow his lead. The Bible does not reveal what Abram was thinking at that time. He, who was apparently obedient and trusting, took his wife Sarai, nephew Lot, servants and livestock, and left Haran for the Promised Land. He was then 75 years old.

Upon arrival, there was a famine. Without asking God, Abram took his people to Egypt, where there was still food. Because he was afraid that the Egyptians would kill him for coveting Sarai’s beauty, he asked his wife to tell outsiders that she was his sister. Because of his selfishness, cowardice, stupidity, and little faith in God, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had almost slept with Sarai. Yet God revealed the truth to Pharaoh, and Pharaoh sent Sarai back to Abram. After returning to Canaan, God promised Abram that He would give to his descendants the land from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates. After 10 years, Sarai still bore him no child. Abram’s problem of little faith broke out again. Without asking God and listening only to Sarai’s advice, he slept with her maidservant Hagar, who gave birth to Ishmael. He was then 86 years old.

God appeared to Abram again when he was 99 years old and asked him to change his name to Abraham, meaning that he would become the father of all nations, and Sarai also changed his name to Sarah. Through circumcision, God made an eternal covenant with Abraham and his descendants, giving them the land of Canaan as their eternal inheritance, and the LORD God would be their eternal God. However, the descendants of Abraham who were entitled to this covenant could only come from Sarah, his legal wife. When Abraham was 100 years old, the God’s promise came to pass, and Sarah gave birth to Isaac. When Abraham lived in Gerar, he also told the locals that Sarah was his sister. Before long, King Abimelek of Gerar brought Sarah to the palace. God again intervened and protected Sarah’s innocence.

All these things tell us that Abraham was not an extraordinary person with the strongest faith at all times but an ordinary person whose faith could become weak from time to time. However, when he experienced God’s salvation and fulfillment of God’s promises time after time, his faith in God grew stronger and stronger. In the ultimate test, because he believed that God could raise the dead, he obeyed God’s command and offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Of course, God was only testing his faith and obedience. In the end, the angel prevented him from killing Isaac; God prepared a lamb for him as a sacrifice; and he was even called in the Bible father of the faith and a friend of God.

Dear brothers and sisters, are you struggling in your journey of faith? Do you have doubts about God’s leading in your life? Are you hesitant to place your life entirely in God’s hands? Please do not feel guilty or afraid. Accept the fact that you are only an ordinary person, firmly believe that God’s grace is always sufficient, continually follow God’s leading, and continually experience God’s presence… and you will be just fine.

Thanksgiving Sharing: After more than 20 years of prayers, my father-in-law/Winnie’s dad accepted the Lord in Hong Kong at around 1:30 pm on June 30. Winnie and I would like to express our gratitude to all brothers and sisters who have interceded for us in the past. May all glory and praise be to the loving and faithful God.

His Servant
Pastor Francis Chan

2023.07.01/02

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

耶和華上帝應許亞伯蘭：“我必使你成為大國，賜福給你，使你的名為大，你也必使別人得福。”上帝要他離開本地、本族、父家，到祂指示的地方去。聖經未有描述亞伯蘭當時的心情，表面上順服、信靠的他，就帶着妻子撒萊，姪兒羅得，僕婢和牲畜，浩浩蕩蕩離開哈蘭，向應許之地進發。當時他75歲。

到達後遇上饑荒，未有求問上帝，亞伯蘭決定帶領族人到埃及，因為那裏仍然有糧。由於他害怕埃及人因垂涎撒萊的美色而殺害自己，就要求妻子告訴外人自己是他的妹子。因為他的自私、懦弱、愚蠢和對上帝的小信，埃及王法老險些與撒萊同房。就在千鈞一髮之際，上帝啟示法老王，法老王就將撒萊送回亞伯蘭身邊。回到迦南地之後，上帝應許亞伯蘭，要把從埃及河直到幼發拉底河之地賜給他的後裔。等候10年，撒萊仍未有所出。亞伯蘭的小信再次發作，未有求問上帝，只聽從妻子的主意，就與婢女夏甲同房，生了以實瑪利。當時他86歲。

上帝在亞伯蘭99歲時再向他顯現，叫他改名亞伯拉罕，意思就是要他作萬國之父，撒萊也改名撒拉。上帝透過割禮與亞伯拉罕和他的後裔立永遠的約，把迦南全地賜給他們作永遠的產業，上帝要作他們永遠的神。只是，亞伯拉罕的後裔只能從元配所出。就在亞伯拉罕100歲時，按着上帝的應許，撒拉為他生了以撒。亞伯拉罕居住在基拉耳的時候，同樣告訴別人撒拉是他的妹子。未幾，當地的王亞比米勒就把撒拉帶到皇宮。上帝再次出手阻止，保護了撒拉的清白。

這些事都告訴我們，亞伯拉罕並不是一位徹頭徹尾、無時無刻都充滿信心的偉人，而是一位信心久不久就會出現軟弱的凡人。只是，當他經歷一次又一次上帝的拯救和上帝的應許得著成就，他對上帝的信心就越來越大。甚至最後，他因為相信上帝可以叫死人復活，就服從上帝的吩咐，把以撒獻作祭物。當然，上帝只是試驗他的信心和服從。最後，天使阻止他殺以撒，上帝為他預備了羊羔作祭物，而他也因此被稱為信心之父、上帝的朋友。

親愛的弟兄姊妹，你是否在信心的路上搖晃不定？你是否對上帝在你生命中的帶領產生疑惑？你是否掙扎應否將自己的生命完全放在上帝手中？請你不要內疚，也不要懼怕。接納自己不過是凡人，堅定相信上帝的恩典夠用，繼續跟從上帝的帶領，繼續經歷上帝的同在，那就夠了。

感恩分享：經過20多年的禱告，我的外父大人，Winnie的父親終於在6月30日下午1:30左右在香港決志信主。特此感謝多年以來同心為此禱告的弟兄姊妹。願一切榮耀頌讚歸於既慈愛又信實的上帝。

主僕,
陳榮基牧師

2023.05.20/21

From the Pastor’s Desk:Rev. Francis Chan

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

The first AYAYA Youth Worship was held on January 12, 2019, in Room 200. At that time, there were less than 30 participants. The main attendees were members of John Fellowship, their mentors, and a few members of David Fellowship. The mentors had three children and a serving couple had one child. In order to take care of the four children, Auntie Winnie began the joyful journey of AYAYA KIDS. Due to the lack of serving people, we could only have worship twice a month. Thanks to their love for our young people, brothers and sisters regularly attending our Saturday and Sunday Cantonese worships would join us from time to time to show their support.  After a year, brothers and sisters got used to serving in AYAYA, and their sense of belonging to AYAYA had also grown. Our numbers continued to increase. We gathered on the second and fourth Saturday evenings. On the fourth Saturday before the service, we would have dinner together. We called it AYAYA HAPPY MEAL. Several adorable brothers and sisters who loved our young people would cook delicious dinners for us. This is a beautiful memory cherished by all of us who have participated in the HAPPY MEALs.

Encouraged by the senior pastor at the time, we started to have worship every Saturday evening in January 2020. To be honest, I was a little nervous at that time. Going from worshiping twice a month to worshiping every week more than doubled the demands on manpower and worship preparation. Thanks be to God, our co-workers were full of anticipation and with commitment, they took on the new arrangement. That is how we started having worship every Saturday evening. At that time, our average attendance had reached over 50 people, with over 80 people at the most.

However, good times did not last. COVID-19 arrived unexpectedly and disrupted our plans. Physical worship every week turned into online worship. In the new normal, every hymn was recorded by the worship teams at home, and every sermon was recorded by the pastors at home, then edited by our gifted editors, and finally played on YouTube. Without noticing, we did our worship online for 18 months.

On September 18, 2021, we resumed physical worship. Unexpectedly, more than 90 brothers and sisters signed up to participate. Because of this, we had to move to the sanctuary. From that time on, our numbers continued to increase, mainly due to the arrival of many new young families and young people from Hong Kong. From the beginning of 2023 until now, AYAYA Worship, AYAYA KIDS, and AYAYA TEENS, have an average weekly attendance of 220 people. As the number of congregants increases, so do the needs within our congregation, and the need for manpower. At the moment, we are still adjusting. We are thankful to God because we are facing happy problems. We are thankful to God because He loves and trusts the RCAC Family when He gives us brothers, sisters, and seekers of the faith in abundance. In our thankfulness, do we see the work that God is doing among us? Are we willing to participate in God’s work, and to work with him?

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Francis Chan

2023.05.20/21

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

第一次AYAYA 青年崇拜於2019年1月12日在200 號室舉行。當時參與人數不到30人。主要是約翰團的團友，約翰團的導師，和幾位大衛團的團友。團契導師有三位小朋友，一對參與事奉的夫婦有一位小朋友，Auntie Winnie 為着照顧四位小朋友，就開始了AYAYA  KIDS 的歡樂旅程。因為事奉人手短缺，一個月只能有兩次崇拜。由於教會弟兄姊妹對青年人的愛護，從開始到如今，都有週六崇和週日崇的弟兄姊妹偶爾來參加，表示支持。經過一年時間，大家開始熟習在崇拜事奉，對AYAYA 的歸屬感也增強了不少，我們的人數也不斷增加。我們在第二和第四個星期六晚上聚會，每逢第四個星期六聚會之前，我們會有AYAYA HAPPY MEAL。幾位愛護青年人的年長弟兄姊妹，會為我們煮一頓極之美味的晚餐，這也是我們早期參與 AYAYA 的弟兄姊妹，到今天仍然津津樂道的美事。

得到當時主任牧師的鼓勵，2020年1月我們開始每個禮拜六晚都有崇拜。說實話，當時我的心情的確有點忐忑。由一個月兩次崇拜，增加至每個星期都有崇拜，對事奉人手和崇拜準備的要求，增加何止一倍。感謝上帝，事奉同工對這個新安排，充滿期盼和承擔。就這樣，我們開始每個星期六晚都有崇拜。當時我們的平均人數已達至五、六十人，最多的一次有超過80人。

好景不常，COVID 19 在毫無預兆之下，悄悄降臨，打亂了我們的安排。由每個星期實體崇拜，變成線上崇拜。在新常態之下，每一首詩歌都是敬拜隊在家中自行攝錄，每一篇道也是牧者自己在家中錄影，然後由兩、三位姊妹剪接，最後在 YOUTUBE 播放。不知不覺，我們在線上崇拜，也就過了 18 個月。

2021年9月18 日，我們重新開始實體崇拜。想不到的事情發生了，我們竟然有超過90 位弟兄姊妹報名參加。因為這樣，我們只好移師大禮堂進行崇拜。從那時開始，我們的聚會人數不斷增加，主要是因為從香港來了很多新的年青家庭和青年人。從2023年年頭到現在，AYAYA 崇拜，加上 AYAYA KIDS 和AYAYA TEENS，我們的平均聚會人數已經超過220 人。由於聚會人數增加，群體裏面的需要也增加，事奉人手的需要也增加。我們現在還在適應中。我們感恩，因為我們要面對的，是開心的問題 (happy problems)。我們感恩，因為上帝愛護、信任列宣家，將弟兄姊妹和慕道朋友大大賜給我們。感恩之餘，我們是否看見上帝在我們當中開展的工作，我們是否願意參與、配合？

主僕
陳榮基牧師

April 1/2, 2023

From the Pastor’s Desk : Rev. Francis Chan

The Apostle John used 5 chapters to recount Jesus’ parting words to his beloved disciples in the upper room. Jesus said that he would leave them to go to a place where they could not go with him, and that he would be betrayed by a disciple and eventually killed. Although Jesus also said that he would leave to prepare a place for them, and that he would rise from the dead and come back for them, his disciples had failed to listen up and could not understand because their hearts were filled with worries, confusion, sorrow, and fear.

Jesus was not only their teacher, but also their family who had lived with them for three years. Jesus’ way of loving them meticulously, teaching them patiently, saving them mightily, and leading them authoritatively had become the most unforgettable and irreplaceable experience in their lives. Thanks to Jesus, they had received a renewed insight into their faith and the meaning and purposes of their lives. Jesus had become an integral part of their lives and the foundation of all their hopes for the future. When Jesus was about to depart, their reluctance, their trepidation, and their difficulty in accepting it were only natural.

In our lives, there are people who are very dear to us. They are an integral part of our lives. For example, our families, our relatives, our best friends, as well as our pastors who have enlightened us and brothers and sisters in the Lord who have walked with us in our journey of faith. When these people leave us for different reasons, it is as if a part of our life is leaving us. Our hearts have sunken into an abyss.

Jesus’ temporary departure was God’s will. In God’s time, Jesus will come again to welcome us into the new heavens and new earth to enjoy the presence of God and all the goodness and happiness that God has prepared for us. If the disciples could see Jesus’ departure from a heavenly perspective, they would understand that everything Jesus experienced on earth, from his birth to his death, was in God’s plan. Jesus’ life was to fulfill the mission God had given him.

The same goes for our lives. From the moment God called us to be his children, God’s wonderful plan for us had begun. Maybe we will stop here for a while and go there. Maybe sickness, death will temporarily separate us from our loved ones. If we can just see things from a heavenly perspective, willing to believe that God’s plan is good for us and his kingdom, we can accept such separation with peace amid our sorrow. As long as those who leave and those who stay are willing to follow God’s will and fulfill God’s mission faithfully, all temporary separations and departures in this life would be bearable in God’s love and mercy.

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Francis Chan