Staying Attached

Passing this farmer’s field, the pomelo are visible growing on the tree.  They grow and ripen attached to the tree.  Under the tree, not visible in the photo, some fruit was lying on the ground.  It was no longer connected to the tree.  It will not continue to grow.  If left there it will begin to decay.

Life is like that too.  Jesus explained the necessity of staying attached to Him as the source of life (John 15). We stay connected through personal habits of Bible reading and prayer.  We also stay attached to Him as we gather with other believers for worship, celebration, teaching, fellowship, and service.  All of these habits contribute to producing a healthy balanced Christian life.

Please pray for those who are disconnected due to their failure to create and maintain these habits.  Pray that they will be strengthened in Christ and will stay attached to Him as the source of their spiritual life.

Praise and Prayer

• We will be on vacation as you read this.  Please pray that we will find refreshment in our change of activities.
• Planning for Winter Camp during the Lunar New Year vacation is happening. Please pray for the short-term team as they prepare and for the arrangements that are being made here in Baozhong. Please pray that we will do things in ways that bring honour to Christ.
• For a variety of reasons, Sunday School students have become irregular in attendance. Some weeks there are no children to teach.  Please pray that teachers will not become discouraged, but will continue to be diligent in preparation.

Celebration

On Sunday afternoon, the Taiwan Alliance Theological College in Taipei held a graduation ceremony for the 32nd and 33rd graduating classes.  The 2021 and 2022 Spring graduation ceremonies had been postponed due to Covid restrictions on gatherings.

In the 32nd class, one of the graduates was YuanFang, a former intern at Baozhong Alliance Church.  He received his Master of Ministry Degree. He serves as the director of the OPERATION DAWN Addictions Treatment Program in PingTung Taiwan.

Pastor Joshua graduated in the following year’s class.  He also received a Master of Ministry Degree.  His wife Ilaine and his children were able to be at the ceremony to witness him receiving recognition for this achievement. Their son John is probably too young to remember, but he was there.

Our prayer for these two, and the other eight who graduated with theological degrees, is that God will use what they have learned to help them serve the Lord well.  May God give them creative ideas of how to use the divine opportunities given them to share the gospel with those who have not yet heard.

Praise and Prayer

• The church van is being delivered on Thursday. Please pray that this will enhance ministry and provide new opportunities to serve God and those around us.
• Covid infections influence people’s lives and church activities.  Parents of children in the Homework Club tested positive this past week.  That means the children must also isolate.  They are finding it very difficult.  Please pray for the children as they adjust expectations.  Pray that it will make them more open to listening to God’s truth when they are permitted to return.
• Please pray for breakthroughs in some long-term relationships we have with people. Sometimes they expect us to talk about Christ, and that becomes a defense against personalizing the truth for themselves. Only God can help take relationships to the next level.

Neglected

On a prayer drive, we drove past Chaurtsuo Elementary School.  A number of years ago we taught and told Bible stories to the students.  We even took short-term teams there to provide activities for the students.

The school has been transformed into a Waldorf School that teaches both elementary and higher grades.  As a part of the changes occuring on the school campus, a new main entrance was created.  The old entrance, pictured above, is both not needed and not used.  It is out of sight behind the building.  As a result, it has been neglected. One day, someone will organize a work project to clean it up. It will not take care of itself.

Sometimes life can be like that.  We allow something to lapse without caring for it. When we are reminded and are aware that the time has come to deal with the issues, we may feel it is beyond our ability to do what is needed.  Thankfully, God is there with His power, grace and mercy to do the needed cleansing and purifying work.

Please pray for those who are struggling to decide whether to welcome God to do this work in their lives.

Praise and Prayer

• The Taiwan C&MA will hold its annual business meeting on Saturday, Oct. 29.  Please pray that delegates are filled with faith and listen well to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  They will approve plans and the budget for the next calendar year.
• We are thankful for those who were able to attend the outdoor service yesterday.  Please pray for the truths of what they heard and saw to continue to work in ways that draw them closer in a relationship with Christ.
• Having friends with Covid infections provides opportunity to serve them.  Please pray that we will do this well so that God’s love is seen in our actions.

Creative Efforts

In this issue of our Monday update, we want to highlight two happenings at our church.

The dark blue poster is for the Elementary Student Ukulele Class that began this last Saturday.  There are six students.  Some of those have attended previous classes.  The classroom was filled with laughter and fun as the teacher interacted with the students. In addition to helping them learn some music, there is a goal to build relationships with the families of the students.  (One student is the grandson of one of our church members.)  The hope is that through relationship with us, they will find relationship with Christ.  Will you pray for that to happen?

The other poster is for our Outdoor Service on October 23.  Four Alliance Churches being started are joining together for worship, food, and recreation.  The cousin of one of our church members who does not usually attend church events has agreed to come and will ride with us in our car.  Please pray that God will use all the happenings of that day to glorify His name.

Praise and Prayer

• Please pray for health for our international worker coworkers as Covid has been active in their family this past week.  Pray for health so they can once again participate in activities outside of their home.
• Please pray for a Christian friend who is awaiting results of medical tests.  Please pray that he and his family will be filled with peace and faith during this time.
• Please pray for good weather for the outdoor service on October 23. Pray that we will all be aware of God and His work on that day.

Double Ten

What a special Monday!

Not only is it Thanksgiving Day in Canada, it is also Taiwan’s National Day. (The number ten when written in Chinese looks like a plus sign.  So the above photo is the Taiwan flag blended with the “Double Ten.”)

For a brief history of Canadian Thanksgiving Day, click here.

For a brief history of the Republic of China (known better as Taiwan) click here.

There are so many reasons, both big and small, to give thanks to God.  We have heard of God protecting family members, participated in the baby dedication for Pastor Joshua and Ilaine’s son, observed children learning about God in Sunday School, and much more.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Double Ten Day Taiwan!

Praise and Prayer

• The contract for the purchase of the church van will be signed on Thursday.  Please pray for Pastor Joshua who will make a quick round trip to Taipei that day in order to return to help with the Homework Club.
• The Canadian Thanksgiving celebration at our house has been scaled back as one family is in Covid-related quarantine and the wife of another couple needed emergency eye surgery to repair a detached retina.  So we will miss those who cannot come while celebrating with thanks with those who can.
• Please pray for good weather and that friends will be willing to join us for the “outdoor service” on October 23.

Celebration Time

Last month we shared with you a dream of having a van to transport children to and from the Homework Club.  One month after the decision to raise funds for the purchase of a vehicle, we want to share with you that the fundraising goal has been reached.  The church is ready to purchase the van!

This seems miraculous.  We appreciate the generosity of donors who gave to this project. And mostly, we thank God for His provision.

There were donors in Taiwan.  But it was the generosity of our Canadian partners that helped us to quickly reach the giving goal and see the dream come true.  Thank-you so very much!

Please rejoice with us!
We hope to be able to show you a photo of the purchased van sometime later this month.

Praise and Prayer

• Pastor Joshua and his family will begin experiencing home life with a newborn baby.  Ilaine and baby 李昊 (John) will come home on Wednesday.  Please pray for them as they adjust.
• The Canadians on our Taiwan Team are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving together.  We are excited to be able to see some people we have not seen for some time.
• The “outdoor service” on October 23 is an opportunity to invite people to come to a church event.  Our church along with three nearby Alliance churches will worship, eat a special lunch, and visit a tourism farm.  We are praying for good weather and that friends will be willing to join us.

News Updates

We thought we would use this week’s email to bring you updates on what has been happening:

• Kathy-Lu had three students in Sunday School yesterday.  None were familiar with Jesus, nor the Bible.  Please pray that they will continue to come and will bring others.
• The Homework Club began meeting and the first week went well.  Each day, in addition to homework and entertaining themselves in a safe environment, they read the Bible and pray together.  We are expecting nine students this week.
• Because our pastor’s wife recently gave birth to their second child, we will be helping to watch their daughter during Homework Club times this week.  (She is 2 1/2 years old and would be a distraction to the students.)
• Yesterday, the third C&MA church work in Yunlin County celebrated the installation of their Taiwanese pastor as the  lead pastor. (Photo Above)  We were able to attend the service of thanksgiving at Sihhu Alliance Church.  Please pray for our Taiwanese pastors as they give leadership to small and growing churches.
• Although we have reconnected with some friends, there are still others in the community with whom we want to spend time.  Please pray that God will mesh our schedules so that can happen.
• Our recently arrived co-workers are rejoicing that they received their resident certificates, driver licenses, and made progress on other fronts too.  Join us in praising God with them.  Please pray for their daughters who are adjusting to new schooling situations.

Praise and Prayer

• Pray for the Homework Club students to understand and internalize the truths they are reading in God’s Word.
• Communication is very important.  Please pray for healthy, understandable interaction with leaders, between co-workers, and with those with whom we are desiring to share the good news about Jesus.
• Pray for receptive hearts as we invite friends to attend the “outdoor service” on October 23.  Three nearby Alliance churches will join with us as we worship, eat a special lunch, and visit a nearby tourism farm.  We are praying for good weather and that friends will be willing to join us for that day.

Shaken

Over the last two days, Taiwan has experienced two earthquakes over magnitude 6 and many smaller aftershocks.  (We are all OK! There is property damage on the other side of the island, some injured people, but no reports of loss of life. News Report)

Kathy-Lu was telling me that the Bible memory verse  she chose as a part of the Sunday School lesson was Psalm 62:2. How appropriate for Kathy-Lu to memorize that verse in her preparation for teaching, learning it before these earthquakes, right?

Unfortunately, the students were all unable to attend on Sunday.  She has arranged to teach the lesson that she prepared next Sunday.

Will you pray that the students will attend, and learn about the value of building their lives on the Rock vs building on sandy soil?

Praise and Prayer

• Homework Club starts meeting on Tuesday, Sept 20.  Pray that healthy routines will be established and for trust relationships to be formed.
• Adjusting hopes and expectations as we deal with the unexpected is a part of life.  Sunday (Sept 18) was an example of that:  (1) Pastor Joshua preached as the guest speaker could not come; (2) Kathy-Lu did not teach because students were all absent; (3) The congregational meeting did not have a quorum so alternate methods of decision-making are being used.  Join us in praising the God who does not change for extending grace and helping us to adapt our plans for the unexpected.

Homework Club

The Baozhong Alliance Church after school program for elementary students will begin on September 20.  It will be Tuesday through Friday each week.  Currently, eight eager elementary students are registered.

Most days, the students will be picked up from school at 4 PM ( the time that school is dismissed).  On Wednesdays, the students have early dismissal requiring them to be picked up at 1 PM.  Each day they will be driven to the church building where they will receive a snack and will have a place to do homework.  The supervisor, usually Pastor Joshua, will provide help and will also have reading or other activities for the students after their homework is completed.  Parents and guardians will pick the children up from the church building at 6 PM.

The plan is to have monthly meals with the families of the registered students and one recreational outing every three months or so.  Eating together and doing activities together are important for building relationships in Taiwanese culture.

The costs of the “Homework Club” will be subsidized by the church budget.

The church board last week approved fundraising for the purchase of a church van that can be used for transporting the students from the school and for outings that will be planned.  The estimated cost of a dependable used or new vehicle is $400-700,000 New Taiwan Dollars.  That is $18-31,000 Canadian dollars.  Local Taiwan donors have already contributed about CAD$5,000.

Please pray for this ministry:

1. Pray for safety as students are transported and supervised each day.
2. Pray for relationships to develop between Pastor Joshua and the families of the students who are registered.
3. Pray that the love of Christ will be evident as the students are cared for.
4. Pray that the needed funds for the purchase of the van will be donated.

Praise and Prayer

• Kathy-Lu will be helping to provide snacks for the Homework Club students two days each week.  Pray that she will find creative snacks the children will enjoy.
• Praise the Lord that Pastor Joshua and his wife Ilaine welcomed a son into their family last Wednesday.
• Please pray for Ilaine as she recovers and “sits the month” at a center that provides for mothers who have given birth.
• Please pray for Kathy-Lu as she prepares for teaching Sunday School on September 18.  Reading the Chinese teaching resources and planning how to communicate in simple ways that children understand can be challenging.

We are…

Riding an escalator at Costco last week, I noticed the pattern on the shirt of the person in front of me.  It repeatedly said: “We are romance.”

After seeing that, I began to reflect about what others observe about our identity,  Advertising experts will tell you one goal of advertising is to insure that “who we are is who people say we are.”  If there is a mismatch, we need to find ways to communicate who we truly are.

So as people look at me (us), would they see me (us) as:

• a disciple (follower and imitator of Christ)?  [Acts 11:26]
• the salt of the earth?  [Matt. 5:13]
• the light of the world?  [Matt. 5:14]
• having love as the foundation of life? [Eph. 3:17-19]
• a bringer of hope? [Rom. 15:13]

The above list is not complete.  But as we are aware of who God says we are, we are better equipped to serve others.

Please pray that God will use our Christ-likeness to help others discover relationship with Jesus.

Praise and Prayer

• The “Homework Club” has eight students registered.  A maximum of two more will be accepted.  Kathy-Lu will be helping to provide snacks for the students two days each week.  We hope to share more about this ministry next week.
• Wes and Nancy, with their two daughters, arrived safely.  Please pray for them as they adjust to the heat and humidity of Taiwan.  Wes started language classes today.
• Please pray for the Alliance Church pastors in Taiwan.  The monthly letter from the C&MA President has challenged them to find the right rest-work balance.  Pray that God will provide encouragement and energy for every aspect of life and ministry.