37 2013
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Newsletter
Reaching the “At-Risk” by Pattie Lee INSIDE THIS ISSUE// P.1/ - Top News: “Reaching the ‘At-Risk’” - Local News: Da-he Japanese Restaurant P.2/ - Mar’13 Review - SLPC 100Y Celebrations - EM Retreat “How Great Is Our God” P.3/ - “My Life in Taiwan” - Easter Egg Hunt? - Apr’13 Preview
P.4/ - Calendar / Three-Year Bible Schedule - From the Pastor’s Desk
LEARN MORE// What does an egg hunt have to do with Easter?
Where can I find good sushi near church?
What does it mean to be “at -risk”?
Where can I view the handwritten copy of SLPC’s 100Y Bible?
Does EM offer a quick Bible overview class?
Where is Junko leaving to? What is this year’s theme for the EM retreat? www.slpcenglish.org
Many of us go out to eat, try different foods and don't think too much about it. But to a group of at-risk youth, McDonald's is one of the best meals to get. On March 16 Chosen carecell and Josedid Above: Wen-Ting building up phine outreach to bonds with “at-risk” boys. some at-risk youth in Taipei—“at-risk” meaning broken homes, poor socio-economic situations and terrible grades in school. We played games, ate food, and shared the story of Jeremiah. We had moments of great fun and joy in playing games and building relationships.
APR
There were times when the kids were cold to some of the newcomers but I watched as Josephine pushed herself to build relationships with them. I admired Wen-Ting as he shared God's faithfulness to a group of teenage boys way too cool to listen, and I felt joy when I watched Susie and Christina participate in the games.
These kids have had some terrible things happen and have had people, churches, teachers come and go. They don't easily trust and they don't easily open up. They are amazing kids and deserve so much more then just one McDonald's lunch. As EM Chosen carecell continues to go and outreach to them I pray and hope that someday all of them will give their lives to Jesus, the only one that will always love, protect, and never leave them. Ever. Note from editor: Let us as the EM seek more ways in which we can reach the “lost” for Jesus Christ, whom we follow.
Local News: Da-he Japanese Restaurant (大和) Who doesn’t like sushi? Well, perhaps not everyone likes raw fish, but Da-he Above: The “chirashi” sushi at Da- J a p a n e s e he Japanese restaurant. restaurant Below: Entrance to Da-he. across the street from SLPC offers a nice menu of both cooked and raw dishes that should -1-
satisfy anyone’s palate. Sashimi comes in large portions and are decently priced (~NT400-600) while there are also “set” meals towards the back of the menu that provide a filling bite (~NT180-300). The environment is open and has some private rooms, but can be loud at times due to its popularity. Call ahead and make a reservation so that you don’t have to wait in line. If you go on Sunday, you may even see SLPC members, who, by the way, are not charged the service fee if you tell them you’re from SLPC. 台北市錦州街 17 號 1 樓. 2531-7786
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MAR’13 REVIEW Outreach: Chosen carecell spent time with at-risk youth on 3/16 eating, playing, teaching and loving together. Worship: (i) EM combined worship and communion on 3/3 for SLPC’s 100th anniversary (televised Taiwanese worship on 7F, 9F and 11F); (ii) Yushan Seminary weekend on 3/10 with missionary Judy Estell; (iii) Ps. Peter preached from John’s Gospel on “Seeing Jesus” 3/17.24; (iv) SLPC Maundy Thursday service 3/28 as we remember Jesus’ Last Supper before being arrested and crucified; (v) Rev. Dr. Jonathan Seitz from TTCS shared on Easter Sunday 3/31.
Fellowship: (i) Join our church family in carecells (Tues-Thurs); (ii) Let our Care Team know how we can pray and assist through Connect Cards; (iii) Easter egg hunt on 7F for children on 3/31 after lunch. Discipleship: (i) “TYBS 2013-15” worksheet for Mar readings due 4/28; (ii) “Basic Bible Reading in English” every Sunday at 9:30 AM in 702 (no class 3/3); (iii) “Genesis” w/Jonas Stava throughout March at 1:00 PM in 702. Service: The church building may serve as the place for our meetings, but the church is really the people who are in service to God. Sign up today to be used by God.
Above: Missionary Pattie and EMers spend time with atrisk youths as they share Jesus with them. Right: Easter egg hunt progressing as EM children decorate their paper bags.
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SLPC 100 Celebrations You probably joined in on at least one of SLPC’s 100 year anniversary events, whether it’s the bazaar or worship or thanksgiving or touring activities. They were fun, memorable and entertaining, but none is as lasting as copying by hand the entire Bible in Taiwanese. Above: One of SLPC’s pastors, Rev. Xiong, poses next to the special SLPC 100 year edition of the Taiwanese Bible, handwritten by SLPC members.
For the majority of 2012, dozens of church members took part in this special edition of the Bible. Take a look at it on the 10F hallway and
see for yourself, knowing that: “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25). Truly, God’s Word is forever because it is life-saving truth, and as long as the church remains obedient to God’s Word, then we shall stand forever as we worship the one and only true God.
EM Retreat 2013 “How Great Is Our God” Every year we enjoy a weekend retreating from our normal routine as we build up relationships with brothers and sisters and also draw closer to God. This year’s theme is “How Great Is Our God” and if you want to be encouraged and charged up in your faith, the two messages from Louie Giglio will certainly do that (DVD based, English w/Chinese subtitles). Here is an excerpt: “Your life is a miracle, and the creator of the universe knows you by name. He’s big enough to breathe out stars, yet intricate enough to fashion together the trillions of cells that make up every facet of who you are. The God who spoke the universe into existence made you, www.slpcenglish.org
too and knows everything about you. From the smallest molecule to the situation you find yourself in right now, He’s aware of your circumstances and intimately acquainted with everything you do. And He cares about you and promises to carry you through. That’s where we find hope in the midst of the darkest places in life. The journey is often complicated and painful filled with confusion and chaos. Yet, the cross of Christ reveals God’s promise to preserve and restore you no matter what the circumstance. He will hold onto you and hold you together, giving strength to those who hope in His unfailing love.”
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Above: Get ready to be blown away by how awesome is our God at EM retreat 2013.
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Carecell Corner: My Life in Taiwan by Junko Yamamoto
Above: We’ll miss you, Junko! Welcome to stop by anytime for worship and fellowship whenever you are in
“I had been praying to find an Englishbased church to grow in my faith before finding EM in January 2012. My experience at EM has been wonderful, not only because I can share the faith with brothers and sisters in Christ but can also be encouraged by them.
My life in Taiwan has not been only learning Chinese and growing in faith at EM Taipei again. Meanwhile, God bless but also spending time with my grandyou and your family in Japan. mother in Tainan. She was hospitalized last August and since then I have been to Tainan sometimes more than once in
a week. Because of that I couldn’t attend EM as often. However, during that time carecell members have been praying for my grandmother and supported me. And even though my grandmother passed away on January 13, 2013, God surely helped me go though the grieving process and made me stronger. If I didn’t have EM and my carecell members, then I would have had a even harder time going though this hard moment. I strongly encourage you to join a carecell and find ‘family’ here at EM.”
Easter Egg Hunt? We all know Easter is about Jesus who rose from the dead to conquer death, but… what does the egg hunt game have to do with Easter?
tomb and the egg yolk and egg white are the life inside. Thus, Jesus is the life and “broke” out of the “shell” of the tomb. Jesus lives! He is risen indeed!
Originally the egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the earth in non-Christian celebrations of spring. However, it was adopted by early Christians as the symbol of rebirth of man. SpecifiAbove: This year Aaron was Easter egg hunt- cally, the egg became a symbol of ing at Fair Lawn Community Church in New Jesus’ resurrection from the tomb on Jersey with many other children and their Easter morning. The eggshell is like the
It’s great to have fun chasing after and finding Easter eggs, especially for the children. However, do let us remember that Jesus had to die because of our sins. The least we can do is to chase after and find Jesus in our daily living. May the Easter message bring you hope for everyday.
parents.
APR’13 PREVIEW Outreach: There are many in Taiwan who are spiritually dying without Jesus. Propose ideas to us and let’s work together to reach them before it’s too late. Worship: (i) Rev. Jonathan Seitz will be preaching 4/7 in Ps. Peter’s absence (holiday); (ii) Ps. Peter returns from vacation and will preach 4/14 and 4/28; from Luke’s Gospel; (iii) We have a guest from Tainan Seminary on 4/21 as our offerings will go to support the seminary’s works; (iv) Baptism service is 4/28 on 10F starting 10:30AM (Taiwanese); English worship continues as usual at 11AM on 7F; (v) Praise Team serves on 4/7 and Choir on 4/21. Fellowship: (i) Join one of our carecells and be connected to the church body as we meet and grow outside of just Sunday worship; (ii) (ii) Our Care
Team looks forward to connecting with EMers each week as we pray for your Connect Cards. Discipleship: (i) “TYBS 2013-15” worksheet for Mar readings are due 4/28; (ii) Join the Basic Bible Reading in English course with Teacher Cecilia every Sunday at 9:30 AM in 702; (iii) Bible Overview (Apr) course at 1:00 PM in 702 beAbove: The Bible can be daunting when gins 4/14. you try to read it alone. However, with Service: Our families work best when we are all doing our parts. Why, then, should we not be working together in the church family as well? If you’re not involved yet, talk to us and learn how your contributions can be a valuable part of our ministry, and be surprised to find that your works will actually help your faith.
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“Bible Overview” beginning 4/14, you don’t have to walk it alone. Join us and grow to know and to love God as you walk together through God’s Word.
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APRIL 2013
Join us for English Worship on Sundays at 11 AM on 7F and lunch afterward in the café area. * Baptism service (4/28) is in Taiwanese on 10F.
Sun
Our Vision Evangelistic & Nurturing Church Our Mission Love God & Love Others as Ourselves
7 Nu 29-30
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1 Nu 21
2 Nu 22
3 Nu 23
4 Nu 24-25
5 Nu 26
6 Nu 27-28
8 Nu 31
9 Nu 32
10 Nu 33-34
11 Nu 35-36
12 Dt 1
13 Dt 2
7:30P Chrysalis CC
7:30P 1Way CC 7:30P Music Team
7:30P Chosen CC
16 Dt 7
17 Dt 8-9
18 Dt 10-11
19 Dt 12-13
20 Dt 14
7:30P Chrysalis CC
7:30P 1Way CC 7:30P Music Team
7:30P Chosen CC
23 Dt 19
24 Dt 20
25 Dt 21-22
26 Dt 23-24
27 Dt 25-26
7:30P Chrysalis CC
7:30P 1Way CC 7:30P Music Team
7:30P Chosen CC
9:30a BBRE 11A English Worship 1P Choir
14c Dt 3-4
15 Dt 5-6
9:30A BBRE 11A English Worship 1P Choir 1P “Bible Overview”
21 Dt 15-16
22 Dt 17-18
9:30A BBRE 11A English Worship (Tainan Seminary) 1P Choir 1P “Bible Overview”
28 Dt 27
29 Dt 28
9:30A BBRE 10:30A Baptism Svc 11A English Worship 1P Choir 1P “Bible Overview”
30 Dt 29-30 7:30P Chrysalis CC
c: Communion Sunday BBRE: Basic Bible Reading in English
TYBS Readings: Nu: Numbers Dt: Deuteronomy
From the Pastor’s Desk MAIL TO
FROM SLPC English Ministry 雙連教會英文牧區 111 Zhong Shan North Rd, 9F Sec 2, Taipei, Taiwan 台北市中山北路二段 111 號 9 樓 E: emcaresforyou@gmail.com Tel. 02-2541-5390 slpcenglish.org Fax. 02-2523-1361 SLPC-EM
About once a year I return to the USA to visit my family for two to three weeks. While it seems like a long vacation, the time sure goes by fast. And it’s not as if our schedule is filled with activity after activity, but it is filled with many meals and conversations and photos and simply enjoying family together. For the church family to really grow in love, we ought to be finding opportunities to spend more time with each other, too. And like my schedule, it’s not necessary to find a particular activity—though that certainly is a good option, too—but simply sharing a meal and conversations together would do. And sure, take a photo and enjoy the memories which the photo will bring later on. Furthermore, if we wish to have nonbelievers become part of the church
family, then we have to be just as intentional to go and spend time with them. Above: Rev. Peter Chen & Family Just as Chris陳道南牧師家庭 tians don’t normally go visit a local temple, so it is uncommon for non-Christians to be visiting church on their own. Thus, you can either invite nonbelievers to church and carecell, or you can bring the church and carecell to them—certainly, that's what Jesus was doing as he traveled from place to place. Remember that the church is people so let us bring the church to those who are still unchurched. Looking forward to returning to EM!
Articles in this edition of EM News reflect the opinions and personalities of the English Ministry at Suang-Lien Presbyterian Church. If you would like to contribute to EM News—opinions, testimonies, photos, etc—please email to emcaresforyou@gmail.com. www.slpcenglish.org -4-