Salt And Light by Vancouver Chinese Baptist church

SALT AND LIGHT

YOUR VCBC ENGLISH CONGREGATION NEWSLETTER ACTS AND APOSTLES Thoughts on keeping the faith

BACKYARD AND KINGDOM Brothers and sisters outside church walls

DECEMBER 2014 FIRST ISSUE

CHURCH AND STATE What’s up on the corner of Culloden

SALT AND LIGHT YOUR VCBC ENGLISH CONGREGATION NEWSLETTER NO. 1 DECEMBER 2014 editor

Chris Cheung wizard copy editors

Cindy So Einar Wong

congregational life leader

Jeff Jung

salt and light logo

Shirley Wu publisher

Vancouver Chinese Baptist Church pastoral staff

John Chen Don Gardner Rita Ho Sam Wong

Special thanks to Monica Chow for being our missions correspondent. Vancouver Chinese Baptist Church 7474 Culloden St. Vancouver, BC V5X 4K2 vcbc.bc.ca/english facebook.com/vcbcenglish Previously published as iiConnect. Questions? Suggestions? We are always looking for more stories for future issues of Salt and Light. Contact jeff at congregational_life@vcbc.bc.ca

ou are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. —matthew 5:13-16

ust as Christ Jesus died for our sins and bridged us to our Father, so we hope to be that same bridge to those struggling to meet Him face to face. These stories contain confessions of some doubts we have encountered on our journeys together, the meeting places where we are acting out His love in the world, and a look at His faithfulness within our church body. Each of the three sections have been named for A, B, and C as VCBC’s testament. We hope they are an encouragement to you and offer a peek of how He has been working in and beyond our church community. As for the name change? We didn’t want to sound like an Apple product!

contents

ACTS AND APOSTLES Thoughts on keeping the faith 2

CLOSE IS ONLY VALUABLE IN PLAYING HORSESHOES Rev. Don Gardner

LEAVING THE CHURCH? Melanie Au

SPIRITUAL HIGHS, EVERYDAY LOWS Nicole Jung

THE 30-YEAR-OLD PAPER BOY Raphael Lee

THE SOUND OF THUNDER Matt Chan, Brian Lew, and Ben Ng

GROWING UP ON GOD Kathy Jung

BACKYARD AND KINGDOM Brothers and sisters outside church walls 9

¡QUE DIOS LES BENDIGA! Christy Lew

WATT’S UP WITH EDITH Edith Watt

CHILDREN OF CHINA Yvonne Yau

CHURCH AND STATE What’s up on the corner of Culloden 13

EAT, SLEEP, BADMINTON Thomas Chu

THE EDGE OF SUMMER Chris Cheung

ON THE JOURNEY Einar Wong

MOTHER TONGUE Hannah Wong

CLASS NOTES Sabrina Li

PRAYER ANSWERED Becky Louie

ACTS AND APOSTLES THOUGHTS ON KEEPING THE FAITH

Close is only valuable in playing horseshoes Rev. Don Gardner

Let us pray that the term “mediocre” or “average” may never apply to the ministry or burden of the people who choose to cooperate as His family at VCBC.

hen I was young, I learned that “more or less” is often a compromise toward becoming mediocre in what we are doing. To push on toward the mark of perfection requires effort that we are often unwilling to give. Talking about closeness in playing horseshoes was the illustration that was presented to remind me that there was a standard that would require more of me if I really wanted to do my best. Practice and application of what I knew about any subject was more important than just passing a test. I remember reading in the book of Acts what Paul thought about people being “close” but falling short of a full commitment. In Acts 26, verses 26 to 30, Paul is found talking with a man, King Agrippa, who held the power of life or death in his hands for Paul and others. Paul could have spoken with fear and trembling before such a powerful person but he chose the role of risk taker by challenging the faith and understanding of this powerful individual. Once Agrippa heard Paul’s boldness, he stated that even he was impressed by Paul’s commitment and was “almost persuaded” (verse 27) by Paul. Paul then took the opportunity to challenge him further with the point that “almost persuaded” is not enough for one to find peace with God. We can choose to be a mediocre Christian, a mediocre church, or a mediocre servant of our lord but all of these choices will result in our never knowing the joy of being fully used by the Father for our service. Does pushing ourselves beyond our skill set make us tired? Yes. Is there risk of embarrassment in failure when we serve?

Yes. Could you just leave it to someone else to take up the responsibilities that you should attempt? Yes. James 1, verse 22 challenges us all: “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” James 2, verse 17 goes on to say, “Faith without works or action is dead.” For this article, it doesn’t matter if I’m from Texas, Hong Kong, Vancouver, Kansas, or Shanghai, the challenge is the same for all of us as the church of God. How can we be creative, bold, impactful, focused, strategic, and meaningful with our lives? Let us not “settle” with our activities and plans. Let us not become inwardly focused to only have activities for ourselves. I am fully convinced that Satan is perfectly happy to see a church that has Bible study weekly and remains within the confines of their own safe building.

As long as we don’t actually get out and impact the lost world around us and we are satisfied being mediocre with our impact on the world around us, Satan is not even threatened by us. A C T S

What are you willing to do differently to make VCBC known as a place where Christ is glorified and is alive? Brothers and sisters, what do we have to do to make an impact on the society in which we live that will actually make things uncomfortable for Satan? What do we have to risk and sacrifice that will show a level of faith on our part that the Father will look at us and say “well done my faithful servants”? Are we not here for such a time as this? Are we not here to push beyond our own traditions and cultural sensitivities? If you think using your creativity is incorrect, remember to look at our greatest mentor: Jesus. He was constantly responding to questions and attitudes in ways that nobody expected. Yet, it was for purpose. He walked amongst the lost and the saved but seldom found himself “simply playing religion” with those who demanded it. He focused on the Father’s will and so must we as we become cheerleaders and models who dare to “attempt great things while expecting great things” (Taylor). Paul worded his commitment in Philippians 1, verse 21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” So, how about you? How are we doing? Strategy and planning are tools to be used of God. When they become dead plans without purpose or just traditions of history, they may become less than effective but they are not evil in themselves. Let us, at VCBC, be dreamers who envision a future that stretches beyond internal small groups. Let us have our small groups and our trainings but let them be done with a clear door available to others to enter our circles. Let us study the Bible, grow and mature in fellowship with our

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lord, but let us not learn just to know more but to apply more.

Let us pray more together and for each other not just for our benefit but for us to see the power of prayer in impacting the non-Christian friends we have with His truth and love. Let us learn to share Christ’s gospel not that we have received a certificate of completion but that we have a tool for service and a way to show God’s love to our lost friends. Let us pray that the term “mediocre” or “average” may never apply to the ministry or burden of the people who choose to cooperate as His family at VCBC. God’s richest blessings.

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Leaving the church? Melanie Au

Can you guess which one’s Mel? I can.

’ve seen a lot of changes during all these years I’ve gone to VCBC, one of the major ones being a change in the people attending regularly. Most of my friends in my age group have left for various reasons: changes in their walk in faith, living location, etc. There was a fair number of us once, playing hide and seek in the dark sanctuary, crawling into the nursery’s cribs when we were way too big, throwing apples at the second house… Somewhere along the way, they decided to go and I… well, I decided to stay. To be honest, I’ve considered leaving multiple times to join some of them at other churches, especially in the last while with all the challenges we’ve been having here. My conversations with God and some self reflection revealed these reasons why I needed to stay: ▪▪ Many of my motivations for leaving were wrong: social reasons, a desire to escape the difficulties at VCBC, fear, anger, bitterness. ▪▪ God called me to stay. I felt a strong calling to serve in VCBC ministries and

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He brought to my attention Revelation 3, verse 2: “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.” My decisions should not be driven by what my peers are doing. Church includes people of all ages and I can find friendship with people of any age (especially at JCKidz!) God calls us to specific places, at specific times. He gets to decide which church I attend so that He can accomplish what He wants. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time means missed opportunities. Church is made up of people in great need of grace and that means things will inevitably get messy, painful and stressful sometimes. I am not to be afraid of or run away from difficulty.

talking to Him about what He wants for my life. There have also been so many good things too (just as He promised!)— seeing God work in providing leaders in ministry, exciting times serving at church and in missions, and many, many new and strengthened relationships with people of all ages. Conclusion? Whenever you find yourself wondering where or what you should be doing (not just about which church you should attend), remember who God is: your lord who gets to decide your life’s direction and who will show you amazing things when you are right where He wants you.

And what have been the results of staying? To be honest, struggle and, at times, loneliness and confusion—but this continually causes me to really look to God for help and spend a lot of time

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Spiritual highs, everyday lows Nicole Jung

You grumbled in your tents and said, “The hates us; so He brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’” Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as He did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes... —Deuteronomy 1:27-30 lord

A game of camoflauge ensues at DF/GF camp.

piritual high. A set of words often used to describe one’s feelings after experiencing a summer at VBS, DF/ GF Camp, SYC, Tsawout, and Summer Conference. All events centered on God. These events set aside time for you to hang out with God, opportunities to practice showing God’s love to others, and surround yourself with other Christians who support and encourage you. In this kind of environment, it becomes easy to not only get to know God, but to feel His presence and His love. It becomes hard not to see Him working, and as a result, it’s easy to be feel that “spiritual high”. But especially after my first summer at all of these exciting events, I found myself missing the feelings and friends made in these places to a point of questioning where God was now. Deuteronomy 1 describes how the Israelites, who were on their own spiritual high after God brought them out of Egypt, were quick to start asking God why He helped them if they would simply be destroyed. Much like them, I soon found the goals I’d so excitedly made to read my Bible daily or to be courageous for Him lost and seemingly unreachable, causing me to ask: “what was the point of this spiritual A C T S

high if I’ve gone back to daily life and it feels like nothing has changed?” But like God’s response to the Israelites, He reminds us that He will fight for us, before our very eyes. When it becomes hard to see God working in my life, I’m reminded that God never changes; it’s really us distancing ourselves from God, not God distancing Himself from us. With that, sometimes it’s going to be easy to focus on God, but most of the time, daily life will try to distract us, causing us to feel like God isn’t there. So my challenge to you and myself is: how can we listen and get past those distractions in order to focus on God? When we focus on God, not only is it easier for us to see Him working, but it also causes us to overflow with thanksgiving because it opens our eyes to see how good God is, relighting that passion. Feeling a spiritual high is an awesome experience, but it’s also only a small piece of a goal that encourages us to walk with God daily. I’ve realized being on fire for God isn’t a short term goal; it’s a long term one. To be passionate about following God doesn’t mean never questioning Him or going through hardships, it means trusting Him

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despite these things and running after Him in all things, seeking to always glorify Him. In those moments when you feel close to God, make an effort to learn and to grow, write down what He’s doing in your life, so that you can have strength for when it’s not so easy to say “I believe in Jesus”. In the end, maybe we’ve got it wrong emphasizing the importance of feeling spiritual highs or lows. It is one thing to feel like you could do anything and everything for God, but to allow Him to work through you in all things and to build a personal relationship with Him is a journey that asks that we learn to seek God in all circumstances not just in one moment. Following God can’t be based on how we feel; it has to be based on having faith and trusting Him. I encourage you then, to reflect, to open your eyes to being thankful, to stop, to acknowledge your need for Him, and to learn all the time about Him and your relationship with Him. Then you will find that there is no reason not to be on fire for God all the time because of how close and amazing He always is.

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The 30-year-old paper boy Raphael Lee I pray this reflection can be encouragement to become more acutely aware of our surroundings, because God’s signs, reminders, and love letters are all around us.

he gospel means “good news” and Christians are often called “couriers” of this message. Naturally, a paperboy or girl is an easy analogy, but just how far can this comparison go? What exactly must a “deliverer” of news consider? Just drop it off in a box and see ya later? I thought taking a paper route in my hilly neighbourhood would be good for getting paid to exercise, but what I really gained was a new awareness of things to consider and acknowledge, with regards to sharing my faith. When delivering papers on foot, you notice each house’s route to the mailbox, slot, dropbox. My route traversed a fairly steep hill: picture going up and down steep steps on one side of the street and down and up on the other side. This was going to be harder than I thought... Who needs the Grouse Grind? Just deliver papers in South Slope, Burnaby! Each path was unique: some wide and straight, others windy and scenic, still others cluttered and maybe even threatening. Maybe it was because of the neighbourhood I was in, but no two houses in a row had identical paths (no Vancouver specials here!). Eventually, I saw those paths as the various ways that different people receive the gospel. Some had nicely paved, smooth roads with big signs that read MAIL. The receptive, hospitable ones had wellmaintained, lit paths; the news is easily delivered, and welcomed. But those easy houses were only a few. Most others had steep and narrow stairs, winding walkways, corners to turn

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around, mailboxes attached to railings, hidden behind poles, doors, trees, with some in better condition than others (rusty, dented, or shiny and new), and some houses with no obvious mailbox at all. Yet I bring the same paper to each house, offering the same “news” to all who would receive it. Just like an obvious mailbox, versus the house with a mysterious metal tube strapped to the back of a tree, or a bucket behind the fence, or a dog that roams the yard unleashed, so it is when we try sharing the gospel. Another thing: just when I think I figured out the best way to approach a certain house, the weather changes and rain has made the path slippery, or I deliver at a different time and it’s too dark or poorly lit. Sometimes wet leaves cover the stairs, stepping stones are now slick with frost, making once safe paths now unusable, and that house has to be approached differently. Either finding a way around, or just slowing down to be aware, different seasons call for different sensitivities and approaches, even when delivering the same news. So it can be when presenting people with the gospel if they’re going through different seasons in their lives. A friend who may have been open or willing to chat with you about the gospel before may have current

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circumstances that make them more cynical or hostile. Someone skeptical and usually confrontational may have “cleared their yard” or uncluttered their stairway, or in the summer when it’s not dark and stormy, that front door may actually look inviting. It often takes a unique approach to deliver the news to each person; each has their own stories and experiences. Some may be inviting, others more difficult to navigate. The houses on my route were no different. The occasional house would have a straight pathway with a clearly marked mailbox, but most often it was a tangle of switchback stairs, slick cobblestones and wooden steps, and ducking through branches and bushes. One of my favourites was a house with an unkempt, overgrown front lawn, but it had a secret Fred Penner-style mailbox attached underneath a bush that I almost missed the first time. So don’t get discouraged when your delivery seems to be rebuffed by a poorly lit doorway. Don’t be daunted by inclement weather, or when paths that seemed pleasant before seem treacherous and uninviting on others. Learn to recognize the not-soobviously placed mailbox, and don’t forget that the news you carry with you is Good News indeed, much better than the Burnaby Newsleader! L I G H T

The sound of thunder Matt Chan, Brian Lew, and Ben Ng

umours are going around. We’ve heard people complaining that drums are just too awesome. Please accept our apologies; there’s really nothing we can do about it. What we can do, however, is respond to some common misconceptions about the use of drums in worship.

reproduce the same grace and genius that is Matt Chan/Brian Lew/Ben Ng. Unfortunately, we do not allot enough time during service to accommodate the monkey. As Jim Gordon once said, “He’s the hero [VCBC] deserves, but not the one it needs right now.”

Drums are too loud

Drums are unnecessary in worship

“Loud” is a relative term, and thus necessitates an object with which to compare. For example, Matt Chan playing drums isn’t that loud compared to Matt Chan talking about his hair. So saying that the drums are loud really means the drums are loud relative to the rest of the worship team. The real issue, therefore, is sound balance (see: AV team’s role). Believe it or not, the drums are normally just as loud as all the other instruments, so why discriminate?

All drummers do is hit things, a below average monkey could do that

That is not true. We are the most smartest out of all the people. On the other hand, we must concede that theoretically, a monkey hitting drums at random over an infinite period of time could indeed A C T S

Some people may think drums aren’t necessary. Yes, but so are all the other instruments in the band. Music is just one act of worship out of many, while worship itself is a lifestyle and an attitude of the heart towards God. So it doesn’t matter if you sing out of tune, or clap at the wrong time, or do the verses’ actions in the chorus, as long as your intentions are set out to glorify God. Drums also play a pivotal role in modern worship music. Most of the time we’re happy to let worship leaders think they’re in control of things, but in reality, we control the tempo, rhythmic feel, and dynamics of a song. We also start most of the upbeat songs. The drums provide a framework upon which the rest of the worship team can build something musical

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on. If the drummer gets lazy, the song falls apart, and it can distract other people from worshipping. While we understand that some people would prefer singing traditional hymns, as a progressive worship ministry we have decided to incorporate more diverse instrumentation in order to connect with a broader generational range of laity. Obviously, our goal as drummers is not to distract the worshipping congregation, but rather to work with the other instruments to facilitate an impactful worship service here at VCBC. Emphasis on impact. Praise the lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise Him in his mighty heavens. Praise Him for his acts of power; praise Him for his surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the lord. Praise the lord. —Psalm 150

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Growing up on God Kathy Jung

Cool treats at the joint English-Mandarin congregation barbecue this summer.

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ourney Fellowship lives up to its name by inviting career couples to answer questions about their personal journeys through this critical part of their lives. Journey does this to humbly learn from those a bit older, and to foster new relationships between age groups. Sounds like a community-deepening effort to me. Recently, Journey invited three couples to their Saturday night gathering, and I was one of the guests. It was a fun night getting to know a little about each person’s week and answer questions about dating and early marriage, reasons for serving, reactions to church friends leaving, and about our own stresses as young adults. Interestingly, these young unmarried adults also wanted to know opinions on how to raise Christian kids. Who says young adults don’t know how to plan ahead! I had only a few minutes to offer my reply, but it got me thinking about what else I’d like to share about living out God’s word in everyday life, and building community right from day one of building a new family. Adulthood is a time to re-evaluate yourself, the meaning of the habits and beliefs that have been passed down to you from your parents in the truth-revealing light of what God’s spirit is leading you to discover and develop. The challenges of identity-shaking career pursuits, dating and friendships, all sorts of life-altering choices, and how to manage shifting adult to adult relationships with parents, is a crucible for dramatic transformation. It’s an exciting time. Is God’s word relevant? Despite being a young adult that purposely sought to differentiate myself from my parents, I found that many of their expectations were saturated in my being. I felt pressured to present my new house in a certain way in order to be acceptable. Now, I never argued with the fact that a clean and organized and aesthetically pleasing home is the most comfortable way to live, but I wondered why I felt so oppressed by this construct, especially when having guests over. I wanted to feel the freedom that I have in Christ, not to give rules the place of highest rank, but to experience the “secret of being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12), whether living in semisqualor or in magazine-glossy perfection. I still struggle a bit with this, but I have come to know that a home is a living, everchanging organism. When it is messy, it means somebody’s having a good time! But

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at some point, order needs to be restored to live peaceably. Freedom is more difficult to exercise than rule-following. “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” —Galatians 5:13 There is a school of parental thought which says that children will not learn unless they are given rules and consequences without exception. But what of mercy, understanding of developmental stages, love, respect of the individual, wisdom to read the situation rightly, and pure fun? When Ryan was one and Nicole was four, Nicole was having a playdate with two little friends. We were all in the kitchen when I heard a crash behind me. Ryan had pulled over the bucket of uncooked rice. (Sometimes I think parents get mad because they just get plain tired of cleaning up messes. Sometimes parents are plain selfish and elevate their own needs above their child’s. I am guilty of this at times. Remember rule following is simpler. The art of practicing our freedom in Christ Jesus takes a lot more wisdom, connection to Jesus, and finesse.) Then? I slid the two kitchen pocket doors shut and we all had a grand time riceskating. Looking to the future, sounds like a community-deepening effort to me. Until the time when we were mature enough to respond freely in faith to the living God, we were carefully surrounded and protected by the Mosaic law. The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for. But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. —Galatians 3:23-26, the message The chief question of young adulthood and beyond: how can I know what is the God-fearing best response to my situation? Our community’s reply: we can aim to know this with increasing certainty as we live and breathe and have our being (Acts 17:28) in Christ Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). L I G H T

BACKYARD AND KINGDOM BROTHERS AND SISTERS OUTSIDE CHURCH WALLS

¡Que Dios les bendiga! Christy Lew

ola VCBC! It’s been a little over nine months since I left (not counting a quick visit at the end of July) to work with Impact Ministries for a year in Guatemala. Sometimes it feels like hardly any time has passed, and other times I think of all the experiences of this year and see what a rich time it has been. Let me catch you up a little on my time here so far… I left in the middle of January to head back to Tactic where I had spent five months in 2013. It felt like returning to a second home—same house, same ministry, same wonderful people. This year, things were a little more familiar—I reconnected with old friends, jumped back into work, and understood more of what’s going on, both culturally and language-wise. The community welcomed me back with open arms, literally (because it’s a warm, Latin culture) and figuratively! So, what have I been up to? I flew in with an American doctor and his family who were slated to work with the ministry for two and a half months, so my first few months were spent in the clinic, handling administrative and organizational details and translating for the doctor. We saw staff, students, and their families from all 10 of our schools during that time. It was wonderful getting to know the kids at the different schools and gaining a better sense of their environment as we spent time in their community. It was fascinating

seeing their varying home situations and backgrounds, and the resulting issues, medical and otherwise, that would arise from that. Often we encountered issues that were beyond physical—emotional, spiritual, and psychological—that as a resourcelimited ministry, we could only pray and

leave in God’s hands for His supernatural healing work. Following my time with the doctor’s family, we had a string of short-term medical and dental teams. I was occupied with hosting them, organizing their patients, translating, and overseeing the

general running of the clinic. An added bonus during this time was a visit from my family for a week in between teams. So great to see them! Once we finished with the medical teams, my time was occupied with shortterm teams from churches and Christian schools all over Canada and the States. Each team had a set schedule of activities that keep them on the go from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. each day! Having been on a few short-term teams myself, I worked alongside of them translating and helping to facilitate various activities in their jam-packed schedules—hospital visitation, children’s ministry, home visits to sponsor kids, evangelistic events, cultural experiences, and so on. It has been an adventure this year. My

work has been primarily with teams, and with over 25 teams and additional visitors and guests throughout the year, it’s been a full to the brim with meeting new people, being part of their experiences here, and seeing the ways God is working in, through, and amongst the people of Guatemala and the North Americans that come to visit here. It is such a privilege to be in this country of such beauty and brokenness, vulnerability, and strength. God is working in this place and it’s humbling to witness and be a part of what He’s doing. Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, support, and friendship. You have no idea what it means to me to have my church family behind me! As I continue to figure out my next steps, I ask for your continued prayer. I hope to return

to Guatemala in 2015 after spending Christmas with the family. This year has been a shaping experience for me, and I’m excited for the year to come! Primarily, the plan is that I’ll be working in the medical ministry; we have a doctor on board for 10 months next year, yay! Beyond that, I hope to develop areas of holistic care and follow-up, health education, and administrative systems within our clinic. As well, I’ll be helping with social media, and possibly research and statistics. I’m just trying to follow God step by step, so I welcome your prayers, support, and correspondence as I explore this season of life.

Watt’s up with Edith? Edith Watt T

o make sense of a country, there are a few things more important than its history. How the people view their place in the past can have profound consequences for the present and future existence. Perhaps the only other component of equal gravity is religious belief. The name, Khmer Rouge, and its main leader, Pol Pot, have become synonymous to systematic cruelty and horror on an enormous scale. Between 1975 and 1979, approximately 1.7 million lost their lives; that’s almost one in five Cambodians. For such a small country, it created an effect that lingers to this day. Khmer Rouge means “Red Khmer” in French, a name given to the Communist Party of Kampuchea. The Cambodian communist movement emerged from the country’s struggle against French colonization and influence of the Vietnamese. Regional politics were extremely complex in the ‘70s stemming from the prolonged conflict between Vietnam and the United States. The Khmer Rouge capitalized on the struggle to fuel and accelerate its rise to power. They took over Cambodia in 1975 and a few days later, two million people in Phnom Penh and other cities were forced into the countryside to toil in agricultural work. Imagine a city close to the size of Toronto emptied of every single person. Phnom Penh became a ghost

town overnight. The primary focus of Pol Pot’s regime was to create a purely agrarian-based communist society in which there were no rich nor poor and no exploitation. They abolished money, free markets, schooling, private property, religious practices and traditional Khmer culture. The perpetrators forcibly separated families, friends and communities into age and gender based work camps where thousands died from starvation, sickness or deliberate killings. The intellectuals, the wealthy, minority peoples, and those accused of treason were singled out and routinely executed. The sites where people were killed and buried became infamously known as the Killing Fields. Many were held in prisons for detention, interrogation, torture, and execution.

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Life in Cambodia today

The aftermath of one of the worst human tragedies of the twentieth century is tens of thousands were made widows and orphans, and those who lived through the horror were severely traumatized by their experiences. The children of the survivors suffer from transgenerational trauma, a phenomenon of being directly or indirectly affected by their parents’ trauma. Up to 35 per cent of Cambodians suffer from some sort of mental illness with next to no help K I N G D O M

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available. There are only 40 psychiatrists in the country. Essentially, the genocide was an earthquake of the soul of Cambodia; not many were spared of its aftershocks which continue to cripple lives today.

A worldview ruled by fear

Buddhism is the dominant religion. The post-traumatic stress suffered by the survivors is magnified by what Cambodians predominantly believe in. Many victims who died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge would understandably have been filled with fear and hatred. Cambodians hold to the notion that to die with impure thoughts inhibits a good rebirth; thus, the violent and tragic way in which loved ones died bears serious ramifications for the survivors. Furthermore, not only were the survivors prevented from caring for the dying, they could not perform the proper funeral ceremonies which would have enabled them to transfer merit to the deceased with the hope of giving them good lives in their next births. Cambodia’s brand of Buddhism is entwined with animism, a belief that all non-human entities have a spirit or soul which can offer help to or harm humans; therefore, they must either be appeased or worshipped. Murdered by the Khmer Rouge, some fear that their family members A N D

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might not be reborn because of the manner in which they died. In the absence of rebirth, the souls have nowhere to go and so are wandering about. The fact that souls of loved ones are not at peace further disturbs survivors. In addition to reincarnation, Buddhism has its foundation in the law of cause and effect. You would know it as karma. It is made up of three essential guidelines: good deeds bring good results, bad deeds bring bad results, and your own deeds bring your own results. In short, your deeds and actions determine your fate. You create your own heaven and hell; your own happiness and misery. We can swiftly deduce how this can augment the suffering of the Pol Pot experience: “We must have done something terribly bad in the past life to reap such misery. We deserved it.”

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Gripped

Jesus naturally gravitated to the downtrodden, the brokenhearted because his desire is to set them free with the most powerful ingredient on the face of this earth—his love. There is only One able to take hold of shattered lives, penetrate and heal the deepest recesses of pain to create new life. There is positively nothing that the cross of Christ cannot conquer because it is there that forgiveness and love abide. I want so much to provide Cambodians with a platform to safely share their personal stories and experiences of what they endured at the hands of Pol Pot. I imagine using art, music, poetry, dance, and whatever God brings to mind. It is time for them to be heard because when such anguish is hidden and buried, it destroys the sufferer. The first step of healing is to speak out and acknowledge what has been locked away inside. Asian Outreach Cambodia (AOC)

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excels in the physical and spiritual components of community development. Lives are improving because of clean water, proper sanitation, education, vocational training and last but not least, new found faith in Jesus Christ. I believe God is the one laying the urgency in my heart to address the emotional turmoil of the people and strategies of how to do so. Romanea Thong, the national director of AOC, and I are like-minded on this subject, so I eagerly await to see what God is going to accomplish. I know it is going to be extraordinary! I am asking God to restore damaged lives and thus, rebuild Cambodia. I will be living in the capital, Phnom Penh. My departure date is Jan. 12, 2015. Bella is joining me on Feb. 20 and I start work officially on March 2. I will be actively looking for a place for us to rest our heads! As expected, God has been paving the way on this end in the preparation to move so I anticipate the same over there. The next time I write, I’ll be in Cambodia!

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Children of China Yvonne Yau

Sanmenxia

Later this year I had the privilege to lead two teams to Hengyang. The teams witnessed firsthand the effect of the mudslide that destroyed the homes of many ICC children in June. The government

welfare centre has provided two floors in their building as temporary shelters for ICC children. The children had to move into swiftly and many have to share beds but they coped very well. Just in the last two weeks, I led the second team to Hengyang to look after the children and to free up the carers and workers to pack and prepare to move into a new ICC building that is closed to being finished. Some ICC members shared their stories of their first visit of the Hengyang Welfare Centre. According to them there were 50 children of all ages and disabilities living in a ruined court house. When the carer took out a platter of rice, all the children rushed in and fought for the food, picking up the pieces on the ground. It was this devastating scene that moved them to devote their lives to help the children in China. Exactly 10 years later, a new ICC building is about to be completed which will provide family-

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his summer, I had a young, handsome, and energetic co-leader, Jamie, leading a team of university students with me. He is creative in coming up with activities for the children and team members like water fight in the welfare center, boat paddling at the botanical garden, and with the blessing of a lifeguard, taking six able children to the water park. Our days off were also filled with entertainment like massage, karaoke, and cycling in the Yellow River. I haven’t had such an action-packed team like this one. We all had a blast and the team gels very well!

Hengyang

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style homes, therapy, special education, and a playground for over 180 children. The carers and the children are all waiting expectantly to move into their new home. This Temple is going to end up far better than it started out, a glorious beginning but an even more glorious finish; a place in which I will hand out wholeness and holiness. —Haggai 2:9, the message Here I want to thank you for your partnership through finance and prayer. It’s my privilege to report back all the good work done by our God. ▪▪ Over $11,000 HKD was raised through my participation of Walk the Wall Hong Kong. ▪▪ I have not had any upset stomach in the past two teams!

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CHURCH AND STATE WHAT’S UP ON THE CORNER OF CULLODEN

Eat, sleep, badminton Thomas Chu

hat’s what the badminton enthusiasts would say. However, Tuesday night badminton at Moberly Elementary School is more than just badminton. It is a social hub for individuals inside and outside VCBC to meet new people, make new friends, and develop friendships. Tuesday badminton in 2015 marks its fifth year in operation. I have had the opportunity to meet individuals from VCBC that I would not have the chance to chat with on Sundays and was also able to build a stronger relationship with those that I already know. Badminton may be one of the most underrated sports. I’ve heard the conversations (maybe you’ve heard them too) that badminton is a wimpy sport, it’s not exciting, it’s a slow sport, and the list goes on. To tell you the truth, none of those

descriptions are anywhere near accurate. Let me ask you this, what do you think is the fastest racquet sport and what is the fastest recorded speed of that sport? Many would say tennis or squash with an average speed around 200 km per hour. But what if I told you that in badminton, with the shuttle weighing at only 5.5 grams can travel over 200 km per hour? Surprised? fun fact: Fastest recorded shuttle speed in badminton during a smash is 493 km per hour! Badminton is quite a demanding sport. Even though each side of the badminton court measures only 22 feet long by 20 feet wide, the shuttle travels at such fast speeds that top badminton players must possess excellent reflexes and stamina. They also need to be agile and quick on their feet to

respond to the unpredictable flight of the shuttle. fun fact: Top badminton players in an intense badminton game can cover over 7 km in a single match. If you’re still not convinced that badminton is a fast pace and demanding sport, YouTube it. You might need slow motion replays to keep track of the shuttle. At Tuesday badminton we’ve had participants ranging from public school students to working adults with skill levels ranging from first time badminton players to advanced levels. Whether you’re looking to start a sport, looking for some exercise or looking for some training and tips to improve your game, everyone is welcome! Did I mention that it was only $2 drop-in? You’ll have a smashing great time.

The edge of summer Lesser known traditions and rituals at Summer Conference Chris Cheung

ven if you’ve attended Summer Conference for years, there are likely a few things that still elude you. A neon orange foam bullet catches your eye from beneath your seat. The sound of screaming and running wake your children. Young people return to the common room from the woods crying. Summer Conference is a great place to get away for the weekend, focus on God, and get to know the church family, but here are some other reasons why it’s so dear to some.

Instant gratification

You’re in your group discussion and your eyes begin to wander. The conversation is great, don’t get me wrong, but it’s been a long day driving down to Sumas and you’re aching from waiting at the border. Suddenly, you see it—snacks in the corner, materialized into existence by the Creator with a little help from Costco. One of the most prized selections on a table with crunchy American grapes and ludicrous chip flavours like French onion is the instant noodles. Huddled in your pajamas as the hours grow late and your limbs grow chilly from back-andforth between your room and the main lodge, there’s nothing quite like a cup of instant noodles to warm your hands as the comforting MSG-infused steam. But act fast, they go quick, and are often used as currency stronger than the American dollar during the second day.

Cabin in the woods

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brave souls along the edge of silent pond for a tour into the trees to meet the malevolent force that calls the darkness its home. Free chips and soda provided. Not for pregnant or expecting women.

Shop the line

Some might like heading to Sumas in the early afternoon for a quick border crossing, but there are a crazy few who are up before dawn to hit the malls, outlets, and buffets of America. God be with them.

Date of nerf

Perhaps it’s because we’re in America that we decide to bear arms. I shall say no more. Ages 12 and up.

Plan on fire

You can only say “we’ll talk about it later” so many times during the summer before the summer’s actually over. You won’t believe the amount of church planning that happens at Summer Con. You can send all the emails you like, have all the meetings you desire, but nothing is more efficient than going up to the people you need and getting them to commit right there and then, even if it’s the first they’ve heard of the opportunity.

Old friends

It’s the end of the summer, which means hellos and goodbyes with people going back to university or the twilights of vacations. Summer Con has seen many hugs and tears Monday morning, but also many great memories made during the weekend with faces we don’t see often enough during the year.

Burning the midnight oil

All the last conversations of summer happen here. Reflections how God has surprised us. Questions about the future as autumn approaches. Brothers and sisters praying in corners, or chatting closely on swings, quiet stairwells, and empty dining halls at all hours around the clock is hardly uncommon. Thoughts often swarm our minds at midnight and beyond when we lie silently in our beds, but here, we only need to look beside us for a patient ear.

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Right. Journey prays at Marine Barnett Park. Bottom-left. Einar and Gabe cross an icy river at Lynn Canyon for a summer Bible study on failure. Ironic, eh? Bottom-right. Tiff and Tammy enjoy matcha chocolate popsicles at the Powell Street Festival.

On the journey Einar Wong A report on Journey Fellowship.

Journey welcomes anyone after high school. The current demographic is between 18 and 28. Journey meets Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.

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decided to write my article on Journey Fellowship in much the same way university papers get written. So twelve hours before Chris’ deadline, I got started. Naturally, I first spent an obscene amount of time clicking through my Facebook Newsfeed, updating my fantasy hockey roster, and binge-watching the first half of Doctor Who series seven before arriving at the conclusion that I think Wikipedia said it best when it stated that “Journey is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1973” (“Journey (band)”). Truth be told, that may not actually be the best definition for Journey Fellowship, but it does raise the very interesting question of what is Journey, and if you, dear reader, indulge me for a few more paragraphs, I will endeavour to answer it to the best of my ability. You could say that Journey Fellowship is a group of roughly twenty to thirty young A N D

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adults who range from their late teens to late twenties who gather together every Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. for mirth, merriment, and more Jesus as we explore the Bible, share about our lives, and give financial support to bubble tea establishments across the Lower Mainland. You could also say that Journey Fellowship is a collection of short stories and essays about being a young adult Christian in today’s society. This anthology, The Journey Potluck Book (available in the VCBC basement by our Journey pinboard), chronicles the struggles, successes, and symptoms of our current Journey members as we walk the narrow path so to speak. You could even say that Journey Fellowship is a group of people who approach fellowship with a “potluck” mentality. We acknowledge, just as Paul did, that every single Journey member brings L I G H T

something unique and valuable to the table and that

every single Journey member bears some responsibility and ownership to what goes on in fellowship even if it is just chipping in a few dollars for the turkey because you forgot to run out to the store to grab dessert on the way to a literal potluck. But while Journey is all that, Journey is so much more. Journey is rolling into Cedar Springs with your windows down, shopping bags loaded, and Carly Rae blasting from your radio. Journey is driving up to someone’s house at one in the morning because you C H U R C H

know that someone in your fellowship is not OK and that’s not OK. Journey is visiting 500 cats on a Sunday afternoon. Journey is sitting at a church members’ meeting long after the experience has turned into an ordeal, but hanging in there because you want to show solidarity with your church family. Journey is literally wading through an ice-cold river in the middle of a forest so you can have your deep talk with a view for the week. Journey is scaring our current high school students about your negative university experiences then reassuring them that everything will be just fine. Journey is trading sheep for sheep. Journey is doing Bible studies on unconventional topics like feminism and homosexuality because you have lost the ability to even at some of the things you A N D

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have heard in church. Journey is sitting on logs at Iona Beach to watch the sunset then running out of the park before the rangers close the gate. And perhaps, most importantly,

Journey is a group of people who are always there for you. Even if you are not always there for them.

Left. Wes, Terence, and Mike get ready to dig into the 2013 Christmas potluck. Top-right. Journey collaborates with the Chinese young adult fellowship, CCYM, on Operation Christmas Child. Bottom-right. Creepy lady joins Journey at Lynn Valley.

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MOTHER TONGUE Proof of their love

Hannah Wong

y parents Cindy and Simon Wong have been making the church anniversary cake since 1988. That’s a total of 26 years. The orders they receive began to grow with the congregation, from making multiple small cakes to gigantic cakes for every service. Writing about my mother’s cakes is a bittersweet struggle. Unfortunately, my birthday lands close to the church anniversary date and my mom has always been in charge of making those colossal celebratory cakes. Our family used to own 168 Bakery, but after ongoing spinal problems stemming from my mother’s work, my parents decided to sell the business. For many years I struggled—and still struggle—with forgiveness, from being disappointed that we never had the chance to go on vacation, or spend time with my parents. As a child I often felt hurt and angry that my family was cheated by a bigger business that swallowed our bakery. Seventeen years later, I still have nightmares as an adult: running the bakery, trying to sell goods and thinking up new ideas on how to promote the business.

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bunwinner

My dad was originally the one that worked at a bakery with his brothers in Hong Kong. My mom started to work there to “tao see”, or steal their baking secrets. After immigrating to Canada, they both got the journeyman level of training and she eventually surpassed my dad in cake making, whereas my dad excels in making buns. There were scary times. We were robbed once and also some intoxicated people came looking for a fight. I remember feeling very angry that someone had stolen my Christmas craft that I made in grade four. It was a pot decorated with Christmas wrappings painted on it filled with branches from a pine tree. Decades later, my mom finally told me the truth: a poor mother wanted to buy it and my mom gave it away for free. However, there was a positive side to the bakery. I was able to eat my fill of cakes, buns, and overdose on fresh whipping cream. In 1997, we sold the bakery but my mom kept making the anniversary cake for church. To make enough cake for all congregations meant we needed to do multiple rounds of baking. My mother is a perfectionist.

During the week of the church anniversary, our family needed to eat everything in our fridge, clearing it for the hundreds of eggs, butter, and fruit needed.

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This was a challenging time during our teenage hunger years, with so much food around and none of it edible.

Most of the magic happens 24 hours before the cake debut, to ensure freshness and quality. My mom had a system worked out: one person would separate the eggs, another would wash, and someone else would do the mixing, and then we would rotate. I started to wash. The mixing bowl and paddle are stainless steel industrial machines. Unlike the tiny kitchen aid stands that most people have, this monster stands waist high and weighs more than three of me put together. Washing this small steel bathtub in the sink is the least pleasant of all the tasks, but someone had to do it, and we get to rotate, right? After the first round, I was ready to swap over to egg duty, but my mom would say, “There’s no time. Just wash one more round!” Eventually, we finished making all 10 to 15 rounds of cakes and no one swapped roles. When people come up to me and say my mom’s cake tastes great or looks awesome, I think of the crazy sleepless night

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before and accept their praise. I want to say that my mom always puts church first, and that she often forgets about me and my sister’s birthdays, but somehow she saves a little bit and makes a cake for us too. I came to understand that no matter how hectic her schedule was or whatever financial difficulties that came our way, I have had 30 birthday cakes made from my mom and dad. Food became my love language, as it is my mother’s love language: my “mother tongue”. I realized that when my mom cooks for you or our congregation, she does it the Chinese way: complaining, yelling, and demanding perfection, but at the root of it, trying to spread her love using her Godgiven talents.

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Class notes

Grade 12 winnie wong

Sabrina Li reports on Sunday LIFE groups

Teachers Biblical foundations wi-guan

[The class] really strengthened my understanding of why I believe what I believe. We’ve been learning about justification, sanctification, dealing with temptation, knowing God’s will, basic foundational principles for learning how to live like a Christian. Every time you teach, I believe you always learn way more than the students.

Church history stanley

In terms of preparing for the material, I found that I learned a lot myself and simplifying it so that I could present it in the class. So I probably learn more than any of the other students, actually. I’ve been challenged by an opportunity for me to make church history relevant so that they can see how we can apply it to our current church situation.

A prayer answered Originally written in Cantonese by Mrs. Becky Louie, a longtime VCBC Cantonese congregation sister recently featured in our 45th anniversary video series.

hen I got up at 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 13, 2014, I felt numbness on the right side of my neck. I sat on the bedside for five to 10 minutes and still felt dizzy. I needed to hold on the night table and lean against the wall to slowly walk out the bedroom. After I sat down in the living room, I kept on praying, asking God to heal me. At the 20

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Contemporary Christianity wes

I’m learning that my students are horrible people. [someone in the back] Yes we are. wes

And they need Jesus.

I’m learning that we are not just teaching about the Bible to our class every week. We are also building relationships and making connections with each other. Together, we are journeying and encouraging each other to live out our Christian faith. Each week, we relate the Bible to our own lives, sharing our successes, struggles and everything in between with one another. I look forward to the remainder of the year as we continue to grow in Christ together.

Students

sabrina

That’s all? Any other thoughts? wes

sabrina

Sometimes as Christians we become too comfortable and that we need to go out there and change the world.

What have you learned so far? eunice

Character and honesty.

Relationships

haley

jack

I think I need a lot of patience with people like us who don’t respond to Him when He shows so much care and in wanting to meet with us every day, and I think in some ways I understand how He feels. I also feel His rejoicing because there are people who do want to get close to Him and know about Him and learn about Him. So being in that position, of knowing what it must be like to be Him, to experience what He experiences, I feel privileged and honoured.

same time, I put my head between my legs and stretched out my hands to do some exercises. About 15 to 20 minutes later, I was getting better. Immediately I phoned a sister telling her that I wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t drive to the nursing home to tell the gospel. I also asked her to phone another sister in Richmond to give us a ride to the nursing home. When we reached the nursing home, there were two sisters who helped me to go inside. Brothers and sisters prayed for me. I sat on a chair when I shared the gospel message. After sharing the message, I asked the elderly audience whether they wanted to believe in Jesus and accept Jesus Christ as their saviour. Many people raised their hands to express their willingness. I prayed for them and in prayer they followed me saying sentence by sentence. A N D

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That was our first lesson. sabrina

Care to expand? eunice

Uhh. ernest

Om nom nom!

After the meeting when we helped the people to go back to their rooms, there were two other elderly saying to me that they wanted to believe in Jesus. One of them was Indian, the other was Chinese. The Chinese had difficulty speaking, her tongue couldn’t move. She expressed herself by nodding her head. When I prayed for her, she nodded her head after every sentence I said. The two of them were very joyful after they believed in Jesus. All the brothers and sisters who helped went to a restaurant for lunch after the evangelistic meeting. And I still had the energy that evening to go prayer meeting. Please pray for us to have good health, safety on the road and bear more fruits. All glory to God, our Heavenly Father. Amen.

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VANCO UV ER CHINESE BAPTI ST C HURC H ENGLISH

Congregational Life CO M E GET CO N N EC TE D W I TH OUR C HURC H FAMI LY IN VARIO US GROUPS W ELC OMING ALL AGES

SUNDAY English service 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.

For children of attending parents

Nursery

Open 9:15 to 10:45 a.m. Babies and toddlers, up to age 3.

Sunday school Preschool to Grade six 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.

Junior worship

11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Free play, snacks, praise, and Bible adventure stories.

LIFE groups Sunday school Grade seven to adult 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Moberly School Learning the Word of God from knowledgeable teachers and building relationships after service.

TUESDAY SATURDAY Toonie Tuesday badminton Journey Fellowship Moberly school 8 to 10 p.m. Bring your own racquet, birdies, friends, and family.

7:30 to 9:30 p.m. High school grads to working young adults who answer big questions and journeying through life together. Bubble tea included

FRIDAY Pioneer Clubs

OTHER P2G choir

EDGe youth fellowships

Homebuilders

7:30 to 9:15 p.m., October to June Ages four to 11 Games, arts and crafts, and making Bible learning fun. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The Elim, Daniel, Gideon experience is a place to make friends, hang out with people your own age, and experience God’s love.

Practices twice a month on Sundays Celebrate being God’s kids through song. Sings during special services throughout the year. Various times Family and couples’ small groups for those in life stages from newlyweds to families with adult children.

▪▪ Elim for Grades six and seven. ▪▪ Daniel for Grades eight and nine. ▪▪ Gideon for Grades 10 to 12.

F OR MO RE INF O RM AT ION, PLEASE VISIT VC BC .BC .C A/ E NGLISH

REBOOT OF THE iiConnect BY VCBC’S ENGLISH CONGREGATION Find out the answers to all your burning questions inside ...or your money back! ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ What do I do if my friends are leaving the church? ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Why do I feel “low” after a “spiritually high” summer? ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Where do all the church’s cakes come from? ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Can the drums be quieter, please? ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪