Tried and True Interview with Chris and Andrea Open Arms Club, CG Warriors & Morning Service Devotional by Kevin Go Thanksgiving Retreat
IFGF Pinole Monthly Newsletter November 2015 SEPTEMBER 2015 • 1
We admire faithfulness. That is a reality. We adore a dog named Fido who faithfully waited for 14 years in front of a bus stop for his master who was actually killed in an air raid during World War II in Italy. We said ‘wow’ when we heard stories of a couple that had been together for 50 years, 75 years or longer. We adore faithfulness. From
The reason we adore faithfulness is because it is rare. And it is
Pastor’s
beautiful. The Bible indeed said that “Many claim to have unfailing
Desk
love, but a faithful person who can find?” (Proverb 20:6). Most people easily promise unending love, but few actually remain committed until the end. Just look at the divorce rates anywhere in the world today.
Faithfulness seems to be an exception in today’s world but it should not be. Faithfulness is one of the most prominent fruit (other than love) of the Spirit that God keeps on commanding his people to show. We need to learn it, and we need to practice it. What does the word of God say about it? How is faithfulness practiced in our daily life? Why is it important for the people of God to have this expression of the fruit of the Spirit? What is the downfall when someone is not faithful? These are the questions we will discover as we dig the word of God this month. Let’s find out what the theme of this month, “Tried and True”, is all about. When God wants us to grow into faithfulness, He must have a great plan for our life. So shall we go and learn, and grow. Ps.Sugi
Shown on Front Cover: Ps. Sugi and Jen Hendric 02 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER
This is Our Church
Christian Liong & Andrea Pangemanan Core Team at Morning Service Caregroup: Warriors
Hey guys, how are you all doing? Hope you are all doing fantastic. As I’ve mentioned previously, Genesis is interested in covering the morning service and the local outreach. I think it’s good to update everyone so that we are on the same page in terms of the vision and mission of the church. Just a bit of background for the readers, the morning service is a platform that our church created to reach out and serve the locals. Can you start off by updating us on what has been going on with the morning service and how has it been since its first launch?
should be welcomed to come to Pinole as well, where they can feel comfortable and be themselves. So the morning service was designed for that and it is a place where people whom we have reached out to during the week, through care groups or the high school club, can gather on Sunday and celebrate and worship with us. Andrea: Another thing to add is that we believe as a church we should be effective in the local community since we are placed here in Pinole. Instead of reaching out to people who are outside our community, we thought that it’s a great opportunity to finally take
Chris: So the purpose of the morning service is to provide
the first step or be initiative in reaching out.
a place where the local people can come together to - if the local community comes together and shows up
How many of you guys are actually in the morning service?
at church, they may feel outnumbered. We feel like as a
Chris: We have a core team of eight. People who
church, we are not able to effectively welcome them into
come regularly is between 15-20. People who are
a place that’s open, accepting and comfortable. And it’s
crossing over from the afternoon is about 10.
worship. We feel like right now with the afternoon service
not necessarily the fault of the church since it is made
which is great because that is what our church is about.
So it’s a much smaller setting. Do you see any difference in dynamics between the morning service and the afternoon service?
However, we felt in our hearts that the people and the
Andrea: Yes, definitely. In the morning service, we’re
community and whoever that wants to come to church
only 20-30 people at most. In the afternoon service
up of a group of people who are from Indonesia and come to church creating a community away from home,
NOVEMBER 2015 • 03
that can sum up to a total of 100 members, normally you would not get to know everyone at a personal level. In the morning service we have the chance to actually practice and fellowship with one another and get to know every single one of our members. Chris: I think with that too we see people engage with different people and it’s not the same group talking each week. People are talking to different people and they are having discussions and it changes week to week as to who they are having conversations with as they are not looking to just spend time with their clique. They are very ‘let me connect with new people’ oriented. Also, I think that along with providing a platform for local people to come to the service, this church and the caregroup have brought a new environment and culture where we’re able to start something new. People from AAU, UC Berkeley, DVC, know IFGF Pinole; they know that there is an Indonesian church for them. For the morning service, people don’t know IFGF yet. So it’s us getting our name out there and building a new culture, a new movement
really more than that. It’s for families, professionals,
for how we outreach and bring people into the church
kids. We want to establish the full depth of a family
and how we establish ourselves in the community. It’s
between the oldest to the kids, the full spectrum.
a really small group that we have but the dream that
we’re bringing into the church. Not that one is greater
Can you tell us more about the high school club. How did it start and what prompted the high school club and what are you guys actually doing?
than the other, it‘s just a different perspective.
Andrea: We started it about a year ago. Chris was the
we are chasing - the call that God has placed in us - is a big call, a big shift and a different perspective what
one who started the club because of the strong vision
How does it feel like to be serving in a smaller group setting and how different is it compared to when you’re serving in the afternoon service?
that we had. We were blessed to have Chris that initiated
Andrea: It’s a totally different atmosphere! Things
who are coming in are those who come from a difficult
are more noticeable in a small group setting.
background or come from pretty much all different walks
the first step. As of now we are trying to reach out to more high school students. So I see this pattern that kids
of life - and they are so different from the students Chris: I feel like you get your hands wet a lot more in
who are from the afternoon service. Different cultures
ministries and are more involved in every aspect of the
particularly. I see that there is a need in this community
church. We’re still building the vision, the core, and the
especially since Pinole Valley is a low-income, low-
workers while still outreaching. We can have people
ranking school, it is a good place to start a reach out.
who are leading music and leading Sunday School the same day. Everyone is really doing everything and it
Chris: It started from Pastor Jeffri saying that we should
really stretches us. We’re definitely stretched by God.
really do something for the school so I can’t take the
God is molding you in an uncertain and often times
credit for it as I was just being obedient to my leaders.
uncomfortable environment. You don’t know what’s going
The experience speaks about God’s faithfulness in our
to happen so you feel that your faith has to increase and
obedience to our leaders and all I did was make myself
you have to trust in God because we really have no clue.
available and commit to coming every week. But it was God who opened the door and gave us favors in the
So do the morning service attendees go to Warriors mostly?
school so that the teachers are for it and the principal
Chris: Yes, a majority but we also get some of the
things and submit and obey under your leadership.
families. I think that’s the kind of image that we have.
Even when you feel anxious and scared, just trust that
The morning service is the high school kids. But it’s
God is using our leadership to move our church.
04 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER
is promoting it. All I can say is be faithful for small
them have gone to churches, some have experiences with
Also you mentioned that the church is thinking of creating a tutoring program and other practical programs to help the community, can you elaborate more on that? Is there any way that the members of the congregation from other services be involved in that?
churches and some just don’t care, but most of them have
Chris: Yes, definitely. Everyone interested can and
this negative perception of what following Jesus is about.
should be involved. At the end of the day, we are one
And we’re just trying to share the Gospel at its most basic
church and this is just another platform to serve the
form - that broken people need a perfect Savior, and they
locals. As we were thinking about how we could reach
can’t find it in relationships, achievements or anything like
out to the community, we looked at the specific talent
that. There is this desire to be connected with Something
has God given us to the church as IFGF Pinole. How
and that what we do outside of Christ is not going to fulfill
can we utilize our talent that to reach the community
that. This is what the church about: loving people who are
at its weakness? So if the weakness is in its education
messed up and broken and not judging them. In fact, one
and here at Pinole we have a bunch of students from
of the reasons why we call it ‘Open Arms’ is because we
UC Berkeley, USF who are smart and know how to
believe that God welcomes everyone into the church with
deal with academics, let’s connect and utilize that.
Chris: What we do is basically share the Gospel every week. We try to tie in the monthly themes into what we share and how we share and keep it relevant to them. The biggest thing is gathering them but once they’re there, exposing them to what Jesus is really about. A lot of
open arms, for anyone who is willing to say that I need Jesus and I can’t save myself and not just a select few.
We are still planning the logistics of it, just keep in mind that we do all of this to have the integration of
We also want to build leadership skills and develop
the afternoon service in mind. While we’re not ready
plans for the community so that the school’s education
yet at this point to fully integrate, the whole goal
system can increase. We’re looking at tutoring club,
is still to be one church. In heaven it’s going to be
implementing and collaborating with the knowledge
everyone there, so if we are supposed to bring heaven
that our church has into the team. So it’s more than just
to earth, our earthly churches should include that piece
a club that we go to every Thursday. It’s a next step of
of heaven that integrates everyone from all across
how we set our foundations in the community in utilizing
the board. At the end of the day, collectively and
what God has given us to impact the community.
effectively we are working towards the same purpose. It’s still God’s church and His people, so I just want to
Wow, God has been really faithful to all of us and to this outreach. Do you guys have any other things to share to the readers? Anything interesting coming up in the club or at morning service?
encourage everyone to be bold about your faith and be confident and secure in your identity in Christ and continue to be faithful in whatever God has given you.
Andrea: I remember Chris or Karen telling me that the high school kids think that Open Arms means firearms (“shooting”). There was a one person asking me if it was a club about guns. Obviously it’s not but it’s funny how we can take that question and explain to them more about what the club is. So that’s interesting. Also, in terms of openness from the school, I graduated from Pinole Valley 2014 and I’ve seen how Christianity was not a popular thing. It’s amazing how God was able to work from last
Be bold about your faith and be confident and secure in your identity in Christ and continue to be faithful in whatever God has given you.
year. It’s really Him saying that it’s not what we can do or how many people we can bring but because He anointed us and He blessed the club. Each day new people are coming and people are curious about it and some of them don’t even come for the free food anymore. Chris, Andrea and some other have been leading
How many people are coming to the club right now and how many times do you meet?
a team in to spreading the Gospel to the local
Andrea: We meet at Room 54 every Thursday from 12.17PM
High School. They both enjoy serving the Lord through
- 1.03PM (their lunch hours) and we have around 30 people.
Warriors Caregroup and the Open Arms Club.
community by through reaching out to Pinole Valley
NOVEMBER 2015 • 05
OPEN ARMS CLUB LOCATION Pinole Valley High School 2900 Pinole Valley Rd Pinole, CA 94564 Room 54 TIME 12.17PM - 1.03PM every Thursday Ms. Weeks Teacher Sponsor of Open Arms Club
CONTACT Chris 510-837-7867 Andrea 510-333-5446 VISION & MISSION Share God’s Word to students to give them an opportunity to establish a relationship with God. Share God’s love to students to create a safe environment for all students to join and feel belonged.
06 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER
INTERVIEW WITH SOME OF THE CLUB MEMBERS Club Members
What do you think of Open Arms Club?
What do you like the most about Open Arms Club?
If you could describe Open Arms Club in one word what would it be?
I think it’s really touching
The Care Group. I really like
There is no one word
and it is really good as I
it because I can hang with
that can describe
can hear God’s message to
people in my religion between
Open Arms Club.
thoroughly evaluate yourself.
7-10pm while everyone else
I needed this group.
is getting drunk.This is the care group for the opposite where we fellowship and
Mikeala Barnes
talk about real stuff.
I think it’s great, it’s a good
The different lessons we go
way to find others who are
over and the new subject
trying to learn more about
each month. Especially since
the work and connect and
it is during school time it
I think of it as an in-school
can help many people.We as
family who has my back.
teenagersare facing different
Helpful.
things and stressful moments Evan Littlejohn
here at school but this club can tone us down and bring us back to the level where we can be good with ourselves.
I like the variety of people
The message, I really like
that come meet here all
the message. it brings a
together just to worship
lot about me and my life.
Awesome.
and talk about God.
Adam Saechao
This club helps me with
I like how I can tell you
my life and school, and
guys anything and you
the way I look at things.
guys would help me out.
Helpful.
Andrew Law
NOVEMBER 2015 • 07
CARE GROUP WARRIORS LOCATION
2885 Pinole Valley Rd Pinole, CA 94564
TIME
7.30 PM every Friday in the Dome Building
CONTACT
Maxwell 510-374-2686 Chris 510-837-7867
TESTIMONIES
MAXWELL CHEN
Warriors Caregroup Leader & Morning
What a church boils down to is, to put it simply, to reach out to the broken and lost, and be a community for these. The keyword here is community. Now I love IFGF Pinole. It’s been my church for almost 5 years now, and I could not see myself serving in any other church besides this one. That being said, a big struggle for me for the longest time was inviting my friends to church. I would invite them, but then they would say something along the lines of, “Wait, are there any white, black, hispanic, non-asian people there?” To which I’d say, “No... not really.” This, to me and a lot of the people at Warriors, started to become a problem so huge that we decided to start a new service under the IFGF banner just so that we could invite people and have them feel comfortable. We need to reach out to the people in our community. As in our immediate surroundings. The school you go to is your community. The barista you ordered coffee from, your co-workers, classmates, teachers, people of every race, gender, and background. Those are your community. And they are who we have been called to reach. That’s the mission of CG Warriors.
Service Activist
When I first started attending the morning service, I didn’ t know what to expect - we were plunging into uncharted territories. However, as I saw the morning service develop, I have begun to see the potential it has to impact the lives of many. Although we may not have a lot of non-Pinolean recurring members that go weekly, from the few that I got to know, I can see passion in their eyes for the Lord. The morning service is probably unlike any other conventional church - we only have a guitarist and a singer and we have a small rented room - but it is the fire in the ministers there that keep it alive. Be it the high school club that is happening, or the people from the Pinole community that visits, the morning service is definitely different in a good way. Perhaps some local members there might not be comfortable enough to be in a church full of Indonesians just yet, but the morning service still provides them a way to connect with the Lord! TARA CALLISTA
08 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER
MORNING SERVICE LOCATION
Alex Clark Room 880 Tennent Avenue Pinole, CA, 94564
TIME
10 AM every Sunday
CONTACT
Jeffri 510-499-5966 Chris 510-837-7867
VISION & MISSION Share God’s original intention have people gathered in a community to build and support each other. Share God’s vision to see people work together to serve its community in all areas of need (education, family support, employment, physical well-being, and spiritual well-being).
COME JOIN US!
NOVEMBER 2015 • 09
LET’S PRAY FOR NOVEMBER with Joan Wirolinggo
Devotional
I Surrender All by Kevin Go / Care Group: Favor
Our pastors and leaders that they abide in His word. Our two new services in downtown
The Faith Journal
Skype, July 2015
Pinole and Sunnyvale. Pray for the
Surabaya, December 2014
I was too late. I was on video call
church to have zealous heart to
I finally went home after a semester
with my grandpa and he couldn’t
serve their community and also
adapting in the United States. I
recognize me. He couldn’t even
fruitfulness.
was welcomed by my family and
respond to what I said and I could
couldn’t wait to see my favorite
tell that he was having a difficult
Our church that it will be filled
family member, my grandpa. I
time comprehending what I was
with passion for His name and
remember that day when I had the
saying. My heart was so broken
evangelism heart.
chance to joke around with his
and I didn’t know what to do.
energetic soul. If you were in my Holy Spirit to touch and refresh
place, you would know that when my
However, as I played my songs on
those who are heavy laden and
grandpa was around, he had always
shuffle, a song titled “I Surrender
tired.
brought joy to every situation.
All” by Judson W. Van DeVenter,
Our care group gathering. Let’s
Whatsapp Group, April 2015
repeat and it kept on reminding me
pray that Jesus will be the center
“Grandpa had just had a seizure
how I should have faith in Him for
of each care group and the care
and he is going to be brought to
He always has a great plan. I am
groups will have evangelism heart.
the hospital,” said my brother.
not saying having faith is as easy
We finally heard back from the
as 1,2,3. In fact, it is very difficult to
Our new friends who are new to the
doctor; my grandfather was
let God take over our lives because
states or just transferred that they
diagnosed with cerebral atrophy.
it is in our human nature that we
may find a new family in Christ
From then on, his brain would
want to react to our situation.
through this church.
start shrinking and slowly losing
caught my attention. I put it on
control of his motoric skills. I was
Again, this song reminded me
Our friends who are still looking
devastated and worried. At one
that we, human beings, have
for job.
point, I was mad at God, asking
no right to control our own or
Him why. I really wished I could do
others’ destiny. God has already
something to fix it or at least have
written our lives beautifully and
one chance to see him before he
as we are living our lives to the
couldn’t recognize me anymore.
fullest, we should learn to always
Our friends who have midterms.
surrender and have faith in Him. Lyrics:
10 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER
All to Jesus I surrender;
All to Jesus I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
I will ever love and trust Him,
Fill me with Thy love and power;
In His presence daily live.
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
Thanksgiving By: Cheryl Ng and Yosia Urip
IFGF CONFERENCE - WEST COAST
THANKSGIVING 2015
Transcribed from John Piper’s article in http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/thanksgiving-
LOCATION
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach
thanksfeeling-and-the-glory-of-god
450 East Harbor Boulevard Ventura, CA 93001
Gotta Feel It People can say “Thank you” whether they feel it or not. In his article, John Piper explains that thanksgiving is more than words. “This people honors me with their lips,
SPEAKERS
but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship
Jimmy Oentoro Joey Bonefacio
me” (Matthew 15:8-9). In this verse, God discards people
Joseph Bonefacio
who do the lip service worship with disconnected heart attitude. In the same way, saying “thank you God” without feeling thankful in the heart is not a genuine thanksgiving.
DATE
NOV 26-28
PRICE
feel grateful or ungrateful in response to our situation.
Adult Kid
Why does genuine thanksgiving matter? “The one who
All Prices Subject to Change
Thanksgiving Sacrifice Genuine thanksgiving is not something we think and plan about. It is a spontaneous experience, we either
$159 $75
offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me” (Psalm 50:23). “You will not delight in sacrifice ... you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a
CONTACT
Julie Arifin 323-599-6717
broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:16–17). A genuine thanksgiving
For more info, visit ifgfla.com/tgr2015
where we feel the goodness of God, even in midst of our trials and tears, is a sacrifice unto God. It is not just any other sacrifice, it is the perfect one that He values. The Problem and Solution As sinful human, we become dull and it is hard to completely accept that God is good. Authentic-hearts
REGISTER NOW!
feeling is not in our control, and we cannot force our heart to feel thankful. Thus, there is only one explanation and solution: the feeling of thankfulness is a work of grace. God gives us the ability to feel thankful. Knowing our weaknesses and the grace of God, we should rely daily on God and ask the Holy Spirit for help to overcome our hardness and understand that God is indeed good. Then and only then we could celebrate the true meaning of thanksgiving. HAPPY THANKSGIVING
NOVEMBER 2015 • 11
IFGF Pinole AFTERNOON SERVICE (2:15 PM)
MORNING SERVICE (10 AM)
SOUTH BAY SERVICE (10.30 AM)
2885 PINOLE VALLEY ROAD
ALEX CLARK ROOM
SUNNYVALE COMM CENTER
PINOLE, CA
880 TENNENT AVENUE
550 E REMINGTON DR
PINOLE, CA
SUNNYVALE, CA 94807
CARE GROUPS
PRAYER MEETINGS
NOVEMBER EVENTS
CG FAITH - SAN FRANCISCO
FAITH (Fridays 2nd & 4th week, 7.30P)
1
Melanie 925.586.7770
Melanie 925.586.7770
South Bay Service Grand Opening 10:30am
Jason 925.305.1278
KING (Thursdays, 7PM) CG KING - SAN FRANCISCO Jessica 415.758.8645 Benny 510.367.0664
6 & 20
Caregroup Gathering
6
Youth Worship Night
7
Corporate Prayer Meeting
Jessica 415.758.8645 HEROES (Wed or Thurs, 7PM) Kevin 510.316.8758
CG WARRIORS - PINOLE
at Pinole, 6pm
Maxwell 510.374.2686
LEGENDS (Thursdays, 8PM)
Chris 510.837.7867
Michelle 408.874.5098
CG FAMILY - PINOLE
WARRIORS (Tuesday nights)
Julietha 510.323.5747
Maxwell 510.374.2686
CG FAVOR - PLEASANT HILL
FAVOR & HOPER (Thursdays, 8PM)
Dana 925.690.7561
Nathan 925.888.9420
14
Anniversary Dinner & Ministers Appreciation
26 - 28
Thanksgiving Conference
Stephanie 925.331.7818 FRONTIER (Thursdays, 9PM) CG HOPER - PLEASANT HILL Nathaniel 925.888.9420 Andrew 925.888.9421
Tinus 510.673.7334
MINISTRIES
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Documentation - Eric Timotius
03
Nevin Darrel
CG LEGENDS - BERKELEY SISTERS
Genesis Newsletter - Irene Chandra
06
Glorio Yulianto
Irene 510.612.3394
Men’s Ministry - Christian Liong
06
Billy Saputra
Clarissa 510.541.2076
Multimedia - Catherine Santoso
08
Andrea Pangemanan
Praise & Worship - Karen Liong
08
Andrea Widjaja
CG HEROES - BERKELEY BROTHERS
Prayer & Intercession - Joan Wirolinggo
08
Alexandra Widjaja
Glorio 925.222.8675
Refreshments - Nathalia Prasetyo Jo
09
Douglas Lim
Revelation Videos - Jessica Tjahjady
10
Jessica Audrey
CG FRONTIER - SOUTH BAY
Sound System - Glorio Yulianto
13
Tiana Olivia
Adi 415.463.9010
Sunday School - Jen Hendric
14
Kevin Go
Antony 408.685.1540
Transportation - Leonardo Saerang
15
Parama Pradana
Ushers - Renaldi
17
Fiona Madeline
CG FRONTIER - EAST BAY
Website - Yosia Urip
21
Marelda Chandra
Renaldi 510.710.6316
Women’s Ministry -
29
Jason Joshua
Nita 408.718.0834
Karen Liong & Elissa Irma
29
Jason Novanto
PASTORAL TEAM
CONTACT
CONNECT
SUGI HENDRIC Senior Pastor
IFGFGISIEASTBAY@GMAIL.COM
FACEBOOK: IFGF Pinole
JEFFRI HALIM Associate Pastor,
IFGFPINOLE.ORG
INSTAGRAM: ifgfpinole
Biblical Teaching
(925) 609 4343
E- NEWSLETTER: issuu.com/ifgfpinole
12 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER