can newsletter december 2013
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CAN Newsletter December 2013TRANSCRIPT
Celebration of ThanksgivingOn Thanksgiving Day this year, we were blessed with nice and clear weather, an abundant supply of sumptuous food and Thanksgiving sweet treats, the fellowship of over a hundred friends of CAN, missionaries and adorable little ones, and a great worship attended by 110 members and friends of CAN at which we gave thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ who has provided us with all we that have, and also the most important gift of all - our salvation! The Anthem presented by CAN’s Kids’ Praise Team really says it all... “How great is our God!”
CHURCHOFALLNATIONS-HONGKONG.ORG
DECEMBER 2013 8 South Bay Close REPULSE BAY, HONG KONG
"Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the
LORD, for he is good; his love endures
forever.” Psalm 106:1
• • •
Thankfulness is a key part of every Christians life.
When we have an attitude of gratitude we look at life differently. We concentrate more on what we have than what we don't have. We have contentment with what ever we have in life. Paul said " I have learned to be content." He is also the one who says,"be thankful in all things".
Thankfulness to God leads us to worship. Hebrews says "be thankful and so worship God". When we focus on what God has done and is doing for us we are motivated to worship Him.
Thankfulness gives us a healthy perspective on possessions. When we appreciate all that God has
given to us we tend to look at them as a way we can show appreciation to God and bless our neighbor. Simply when we acknowledge our blessings we want to be a blessing to others.
May God give us all grateful hearts as we get ready to celebrate the birth of our greatest gift, Jesus the Christ.
In the joy that we share in Christ,
Pastor Vic
Note from Pastor Vic
Pastoral ActsWe thank God for...
The marriage of Catherine Siu & Maury Wong on October 27!
The baptisms of Dylan John Linker (October 6) and Carlo
Cagnin (November 24)!
A Note of Thank you..We have enjoyed our time with you. Our prayer is that The Lord will bless all that we have done together. Thank you for the warm welcome for Shirley and myself. It has been a joy to work with you. A special thanks to Joel, Megan, Pat, Alice and Dave W. for all the extra work to orient us and make us comfortable in the parsonage. Thanks to all who invested time in the interviews. They were very helpful to give me a balanced understanding of CAN. And the 25 people who gave great time and effort to study and discuss Church Unique and build a foundation for developing a strong vision for CAN.
While we have been with for a short period of time, this has been an indelible experience for Shirley and myself. We have enjoyed getting to know you and will remember you with great fondness.
In the joy we share in Christ,Pastor Vic and Shirley
From Our Beloved Former Secretary...
Dear Friends at CAN--
As John and I gathered with friends and family in the US this past week to celebrate Thanksgiving, we also gave thanks for the 7 years we were in Hong Kong and at, for our friends and church home at Church of All Nations, and for the 3 1/2 years that I was privileged to work as secretary and bookkeeper for the CAN congregation. Thank you, too, for the chance to say "see you again" (not farewell!) at church on November 17th, and for your kind words and thoughts in cards and notes.
God bless you all as you begin the season of Advent and prepare to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus!
In Christ,Susan Mehl
WORSHIP AT CAN
CHRISTMAS WORSHIP
Silient Night ....Christmas Eve 2012
Rev. Carl Hanson preaching Christmas Day sermon that included unwrapping "the Gift."
November/December 9am - Traditional 11am - Contemporary
Special Worship Celebrations
December 15th, 11amChildren’s Christmas Cantata
Tuesday, December 24th - 7:30 p.m.Candle Light Service
Wednesday, December 25th - 10:00 a.m.Christmas Day Service
Advent Wreath 2012
$0
$15,000
$30,000
$45,000
$60,000$52,615
$21,933$30,755
$16,952
$8,350Nov 3 Nov 10 Nov 17Nov 24
Nov 28
General Offerings Figures
Introducing Rev. Dr. Scott
RischeServing as CAN’s vacancy
pastor beginning in January.
Pastoral Call
Committee Update
Please be continuing to pray for the efforts of our call committee as they seek the Lord’s guidance in who will become CAN’s next senior pastor.
If you have questions about the call process or LCMS pastors you know who may be a good fit for CAN, please contact Pat Klekamp.
FAMILIAR FACESREV. JOEL SCHIEWE & REV. CARL HANSON
We are very thankful for our LCMS Missionary Pastors who will continue to provide Word & Sacrament ministry
to the CAN Community.
Rev. Dr. Scott Rische will be serving Church of All Nations during the winter period of pastoral vacancy. Scott serves as director of Pastoral Leadership Institute International and is based in Shenzhen. Scott brings a history of dynamic leadership and commitment to a personal life of witness. In addition to Pastor Scott, missionaries Carl Hanson and Joel Scheiwe are available for pastoral care.
Scott F. Rische received his B.A. from Concordia Wisconsin in 1984, his M. Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 1988, and his D. Min. from Bakke Graduate School in Seattle, WA in 2006. Scott was called from St. Louis seminary to plant a new congregation, Lord of Life, La Fox, IL in 1988 where he served for eight years. Scott then served as lead pastor of First Lutheran Church in El Cajon, CA for 13 years. In September of 2009, First Lutheran Church formed City Transformation Ministries to support their vision of church planting, and in that same year, Scott stepped down as lead pastor to become an assistant pastor and the Director of City Transformation Ministries. Since January 2011, has been serving as the full-time Executive Director of Pastoral Leadership Institute International. In August of 2013, Scott and his wife moved to Shenzhen, China. Scott has been married to Lori for 29 years, and they have four children, David (Lindsey) Rische, Sarah (Zach) Pfannenstiel, Benjamin, and Hannah.
“Place these words on your hearts... Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a
reminder. Teach them to your children...” -Deut. 11:18-19a
• • •All Children’s Ministry will resume the week of January 5th. Have a blessed Christmas break!
Buzz Sunday SchoolClasses begin around 10amAge 3 – Age 5 - Room 503AGrades 1 & 2 - Room 503B
Grades 3-5 in the UP 6/F Faculty Lounge.
CAN Kids Praise Team A discipleship opportunity for students Grade 1 – Grade 5 at HKIS who have a heart for singing and using their voices to praise God!
Thurs., 3pm. HKIS Students can register online @
churchofallnations-hongkong.org!
Little Lambs Children’s ChurchA short 20-minute lesson during the sermon
portion of the 11am worship service. Designed for children age 3 – grade 2.
Have a gift for sharing the Gospel with young hearts?
CAN Children’s Ministry can always use more willing hands and hearts! Contact Megan if
you interested in using your gifts to enrich the spiritual nurture of children in our
OUR 2013 CHRISTMAS CANTATA!
CAN’s annual cantata is a musical production of the Christmas story led by the children of the congregation.
This year’s theme reminds us that all signs of Christmas should point to
Jesus!
Our performance will be during worship on
Sunday, Dec. 15 @ 11am.
We will have a reception following the worship service downstairs in
the Blue Room.
We’ll provide the coffee & hot cocoa. Please bring your favorite
Christmas cookies to share!
Children’s Ministry / Youth Ministry
CAN Youth
All youth are welcome to join us for
discipleship, fellowship, and service events.
Contact Megan for more information -
Upcoming Youth Events
Dec. 6 7pm Youth Group @ Tai Tam Band Concert
Dec. 8 4-6pm Family Soup Night @ HKIS Tai Tam
Dec. 13 5pm Youth Group
EVERY SUNDAY - Resumes January 5
10amYouth Discipleship
@ CAN Youth Room
Outreach & FellowshipHOLF VISITDate: Sunday, December 29
Time: 1-5pm
Location: Depart CAN at
1:15pm and travel to HOLF in the New Territories
What to Bring: Your family & friends and your best
singing voice
Details: FPSC is planning a
trip to Home of Loving
Faithfulness (HOLF) on December 29.
Visit their website at http://www.holf.org.hk/ to see the
amazing facility that is home
to the severely handicapped. If you'd like to join us, please
let Mary Ewing know at [email protected].
We will mingle a while with the residents, then sing some Christmas carols and hymns. A bus will leave CAN at 1:15
for a scenic drive into the New Territories, with a departure from HOLF at 4 to return to the southside of Hong Kong via Shatin, Kowloon Tong and
Central.
Calling all crafty people!
Do you knit? Crochet? Sew? Make stationary? Scrapbook?
Look for more information in January on a new monthly fellowship opportunity for
creative creators!
Contact Mary Evelyn Daniels for more info!
DINNERS FOR EIGHT
Dinner for Eight is designed to connect people in our community over a meal. The
day of the week and time of the meal can be determined by the group. Each group will have a “host” who will decide if they will host the meal at their house – providing the entrée
and assigning side dishes, beverages, & dessert OR host the meal at a restaurant of their
choosing. After the first meal, someone else may volunteer to host. The purpose is only
for connecting fellowship over food!
New groups will form in January and meet through May. Each group should meet about 3
times.
If you would like to join or host a group for the Spring, contact Megan Birney,
“You gave me the opportunity. You made my family’s life full of hope. I think that if everyone’s heart is full of love, then this world would be lovelier. When I graduated from junior high school, I decided to stop learning and return home to help my mom. But, I found that if I give up learning, I would be just like a bird which has no wings, eager to fly in the sky, but too difficult to do. My mother knew my thoughts and told me that she wants me to keep learning. After I heard my mother’s words, I have never thought of stopping my study again. I know that the best way to thank my parents is to keep on learning.”
Lu, currently a year 2 student in Yunnan Province
Families in China bear the burden of tuition and school fees for their
children to attend public high school. For high-achieving rural students
who have overcome so much to test into the top-level public schools in their county, the cost is often more
than their family can bear.
Church of All Nations continues its partnership with Concordia Welfare
& Education Foundation to make the dream of attending high school a
reality for young women and men in China.
Last year Church of All Nations families supported scholarships for
65 students! Students live in China’s Guangdong and Yunnan Provinces.
Participants in the scholarship program also join in life skills and
English enrichment programs. Marty Schmidt will lead a volunteer group
to work with some of the scholarship students in January.
Please join us in giving these young people the opportunity to change
their future through education! A one year scholarship is HK$3135/US
$400. Gifts may be given to Church of All Nations and designated
CWEF Scholarship.
Contact Iantha Scheiwe any questions - [email protected]
“While we work, we have to stand though the entire day, and sometimes we even have to work overtime during the evening. It did not feel so bad on the first day, I was not very tired. Day after day, as the time extends I started to feel more and more tired. Standing made my feet ache but I could not give up, even if there is pain and tiredness I have to persist. If I cannot persist then I would not have enough money to pay my school fee, in addition I won’t be able to go to school. I simply have to school because my sister worked so hard up to now to provide me the opportunity to go to school. I will study hard, although studying is not the only way out, studying is the best option for me.”
Xu, Currently a year 2 high school student in Guangdong
CWEF High School Scholarships in China
The annual Street Sleeper’s Party will be held at Concordia Lutheran School in Sham Shui Po on January 18, 2014, and more than 80 guests are expected. This event provides food, clothing, and Christian fellowship for some of Hong Kong’s homeless people who live mostly on the streets of Hong Kong. Deaconess Carol Halter and her Chinese associates work with and know many of the “guests.”
CAN has long supported this party in a variety of ways:
• Collection of Donations (both at CAN and HKIS):
Ø Leftover holiday goodies (cakes, cookies, fruit, etc)—collection points are at CAN and near the LP and UP school offices or the MS and HS Teachers’ lounges
Ø Gently used clothing (women’s and small-sized men’s/teens sizes) and blankets—collection point is space P1 #74 in the HKIS High School Parking garage
• Monetary Gifts to help purchase one new set of warm clothing for each guest — we would like to raise HK$8000 to finance the purchase of 100 sweatsuits at HK$80 apiece - donations may be put in the offerings, marked “Street Sleeper Party”
• Volunteers
Ø To sort donations prior to the party (mostly on Friday, January 17)
Ø To attend the party and help with activities (CAN hires a bus, leaving from the church at 9 am)
A bus will take volunteers from CAN to Sham Shui Po on the day of the party, and leaves the party again at 12:30 to return to Repulse Bay.
Street Sleeper’s Party - January 18th, 2013
Consider supporting the event in the following ways:
1. Leftover holiday goodies
2. Gently used clothing
3. Monetary gifts
4. Volunteers
SIGN UP TO BE A VOLUNTEER!
Last year the Street Sleepers Party served over 100 people so you can imagine that many volunteers are needed to support these event! Contact Karen Ng at [email protected] or Chenhsi Hanson at [email protected] if you would like to be on the
volunteer list for the party or if you can help with pre-sorting on the afternoon of Friday, January 17.
As we approach the season of thanks and gifting, we remember that:• God revealed his unbounded love for us through his son Jesus;• We are joined together in that love;• We are sent here and now with gifts that are further signs of God's love --including our gifts of talents, time and resources.
Everything that we have, God has given us in the first place. With God's blessings, we each have unique opportunities to respond to His love and share it.
CAN thanks God and our church family worldwide for the talents, time and resources that enable us to share and spread the good news of God's great love.
We also ask our congregation at this time to consider prayerfully and deliberately how each of us can use and share our gifts in ministry.This is especially important as our church works on two important challenges: - carrying out our active ministry plans, even as we call a new pastor; - funding 100% of the mission work of our Family Life Director, Megan Birney.
Please join with us as God blesses CAN with minds to understand needs, hearts to care, and hands to give.
To find out more, connect with any of us listed below, or call Pastor Vic Hippe or Megan Birney at 2812-0375.
In God's love, CAN Stewardship BoardVincent Li, Thom Garetson, Mary Garetson, Paul Strecker
Joined Together in Christ...Stewardship at CAN
"...you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but...members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit." Ephesians 2:19-22 (New International Version)
Can You Share Your Talents and Time?
Here are just a few current opportunities to share in the life of our church. Check the yellow weekly service bulletin for more!
-CHILDREN'S/YOUTH MINISTRY: Adult leaders and assistants. (Contact Megan Birney 6904-3908; Robyn Steuernagel 2552-5464)
-MUSIC MINISTRY: Musicians in contemporary or traditional styles. (Contact Dave Werner 2553-0499; Robyn Steuernagel 2552-5464)
-ALTAR CARE: Prepare and care for the altar for specific worship services. (Contact Church Office 2812-0375)
-COUNCIL SECRETARY: Participate in, monitor, and document our council and congregational monthly proceedings. (Contact Vincent Li 2838-1225)
-CAN COMMUNICATIONS: Graphic Design help is welcome! (Contact Megan Birney)
-SOCIAL MINISTRY BOARD: Help plan and coordinate CAN social ministry projects. (Contact Persephone James 6628-4190)
-PRAYER CIRCLE: Participate in the informal, heartfelt, and essential petitions and intercessions of our community. (Contact Church Office 2812-0375)
Sharing Your Financial Gifts in Ministry
CAN is blessed with extraordinary opportunities for ministry, and needs your continued gifts of time, talent and financial support to realize them.
This year our congregation planned ministries and programs based on financial gifts of HK$3.308 million (weekly average of HK$63,610). We are funding 100% of the missionary work of Megan Birney, our Family Life Director, who continues to grow our ministry to children and youth. We support and participate in service ministries in Hong Kong, Macau, China and the Philippines. (eg. this Fall we helped renovate the relocated CCS orphanage in Manila, and are donating HK$32,000 for new cribs and beds.) To prepare for our new pastor, we refitted our parsonage for the first time in 17 years.
Approximate budget allocations:32% Education and Fellowship 15% Social Ministries25% Worship and Music Ministries 28% Operations, Supplies and Staff
As of 31 October, general gifts for the fiscal year totaled about HK$1,174,000, significantly below budget due to summer months. With careful management of expenses, there was an operating deficit of HK$85,000. Designated Gifts for special projects totalled about HK$451,000.
As we move through Fall, every gift from the heart will be needed. Can you help with regular giving or special gifts?
CAN's ministry is funded solely by current congregational giving. It does not receive funding from HKIS or any external sources. Please join with us as God continues to bless CAN with minds to understand needs, hearts to care, and hands to give. Thanks to all for your gifts from the heart!
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Cantata
Rehearsal
10am E
ducation Hour
11am C
ontemporary
Worship
12:30pm FP
SC
5:30pm
Elders
7pm C
hurch Unique
8:30pm C
hristmas
Tree Decoration
9am W
omen’s B
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tudy 7pm
Walking w
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9am M
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Kids Fellow
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CAN Kids Praise Team
6pm Y
outh Fellowship
9:30am Young Adult Bible
Study @
Central Starbucks
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Traditional W
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Cantata
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10am E
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11am C
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SC
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Confirm
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etreat 4pm
CA
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oup Night
9am W
omen’s B
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tudy
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Kids Fellow
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CAN Kids Praise Team
5pm Y
outh Group
Movie N
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Cantata D
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Cantata P
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Adult B
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Worship –
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