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The Word of the Lord stands forever.
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(Isaiah 40:1-10)
As we enter the season of Advent, we do so as a church family. We prepare by repentance, reading, singing,
encouraging, and service. This Advent, the words of Isaiah 40 are guiding our reflection in worship, and
they give us a strong message that our Lord is coming with good news for us. Indeed, when Jesus comes at
Christmas, he comes for us. Jesus comes today through his word and sacrament; he comes for us. Jesus is
coming on the last day, and he will come for us.
The time of preparation during Advent reminds us that, while Christ has done all that is needed "for us and
our salvation, we still have to live in the world as we wait for his coming. As we live here, he calls us to be
the people he has made us- his people. He calls us to be the ones in whom comfort, glory, and his word is
revealed.
Our Advent waiting at Church of All Nations will be interrupted on December 14 with the Family Christmas
Celebration. Through the songs and the stories
the children will share, we get an early glimpse
of the joy of Christmas that comes at the end of
our Advent waiting. The Love, Peace, Joy, and
Hope of define who we are as people of Christ.
So, we can follow the words of Isaiah and go up
on the high mountain tops say, that Jesus
Christ is born for us!
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Pastor Joel
Christian Parenting
Does It Make a Difference?
A few weeks ago Pastor Joel shared Gods Word with us focusing on how God does not
need us to do good things for Him, but other people do! He put forward a few scenarios
and asked us Does it make a difference? We walked away with the reassurance that
the little things make a big difference and that God equips us to minister to each other
daily. But maybe some of you are still overwhelmed with the How?!
Every week I have the privilege to share life with so many of you to share in the joys, hurts, and challenges. Over
and over again I hear you share about your families, especially your children and so often there is an underlying
current of how to best handle the busyness and maintain a balance. Time is a precious commodity one that can
starve us not only of time within our church community but also within our family lives. So, how do we care for
our families amidst this reality?
I recently read an article sharing the findings of The National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR) which followed
youth through young adulthood with the intention of finding out why some young adults have clung to their faith
as foundational as they embark on adulthood while so many others find faith inapplicable to this new season of
their lives.
I myself have struggled with this truth especially being in a position of responsibility for the children and youth
ministry programming that happens here at Church of All Nations. Ive thought, Should we offer more programs
additional VBS programs? After-school activities? More fellowship opportunities? Etc. As a community you
have echoed that the spiritual health of your family is important, especially as your children grow but how do we
do it well?
The NSYR found that just 1 percent of teens ages 15 to 17 raised by parents who attached little importance to
religion were highly religious in their mid- to late 20s.
In contrast, 82 percent of children raised by parents who talked about faith at home, attached great importance to
their beliefs and were active in their congregations were themselves religiously active as young adults. 82
percent! Overwhelmingly, you are the greatest resource to nurture the faith of your children. In fact, factors such
as youth ministry or service projects or religious schools pale in comparison to your influence as a parent. Your
faith has the biggest impact on the faith your children will carry with them into adulthood!
With the reassurance that your faith is impactful on your children, how do you live it out?
Worship together. Your child learns what worship is all about from you talk about the songs, encourage them
to attend the childrens message, write down questions from the sermon to talk about later that day.
Read Gods Word together. Make bedtime an opportunity to read together stories of how God has always been
working in the lives of people and remind each other of why we need Jesus.
Pray together. Take time in the day to share hurts and joys with each other and then share those things with
God.
Ask for help. There is great joy in being a part of a community of believers if you need help or advice on how to
start, restart, or rethink how you approach or talk about faith as a family let me know!
Take these words of mine to heart and keep them in mindTeach them to your children, and talk about them when youre at
home or away, when you lie down or get up. Deuteronomy 11:18-19
May this Advent be a time to prepare your heart (and the hearts of your children!) for our savior Jesus,
Megan
Article: http://blogs.thearda.com/trend/featured/parents-no-1-influence-helping-teens-remain-religiously-active-as-young-adults/
Let It Snow?
I have been in Hong Kong for over three months now, and though I
have adjusted to a many things, some will simply take more time. One
of these is that I now find myself quickly moving towards my first
Christmas in Hong Kong, though to me it feels nothing like the
Christmas season. After spending my whole life in the northern
Midwest of the United States I have become accustomed to Christmas
meaning cold weather, snow on the ground, an abundance of
decorations, and plenty of Christmas cookies and candies. Now, 7000
miles away from that, is seems unreal that the Christmas season is
upon us. However, it has made me think about what Christmas really
means and how it can become diluted so easily. As Christians, we know of course that Christmas is a
celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ yet it is so easy to get caught up in all the frills
and decorations and secular traditions that we do indeed lose sight of what we are celebrating. Maybe a change
of scenery is just what I needed to remind me of what Christmas is all about.
One constant that I have found so phenomenal about my move to Hong Kong is that I have come halfway
around the world and have found people that worship that same God with as much passion as anyone I knew
back in the States. Though the culture and people change, the God stays the same. We celebrate the same birth
of the same Jesus and that is something that will not change no matter how much snow there is on the ground.
So, this Christmas, take some time to see past the feeling of the Christmas season and focus on the truth of our
Savior coming to earth.
Nic Cass
CHRISTMAS WORSHIP
Dec 24 Christmas Eve Services -
5:00 p.m. , 7:30 p.m. & 11 p.m.
Dec 25 Christmas Day Service - 10:00 a.m.
Pastoral Acts
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42
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Offering Figures
Date
Oct 19
Oct 26
Nov 2
Nov 9
Nov 16
Nov 23
Nov 27
GENERAL DESIGNATED
HK$21,215
-
HK$22,259
-
HK$40,803
-
HK$22,205
-
HK$21,294
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HK$25,536
-
HK$4,340
-
Nov 30
HK$61,162 HK$2,885
Thanksgiving 2014
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Courtesy of
sabrina-putri.blogspot.hk.com
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"...for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord;
walk as children of light...."
Ephesians 5:8 (Revised Standard Version)
With God's blessings, we each have unique opportunities to let God shine through our
lives into the lives of others.
CAN thanks God and our church family worldwide for the talents, time and resources
that enable us to share and spread the good news of God's great love.
We also ask each of us at this time to consider prayerfully and deliberately how
we can let God's light shine through our personal and congregational
ministries. With our recently installed pastor and newly arrived members, we
have fresh opportunities to let God shine!
Please join with us as God blesses CAN with minds to understand needs, hearts to
care, and hands to give.
To find out more, connect with any of us listed below, or call Pastor Joel or Megan
Birney at 2812-0375.
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In God's love,
CAN Stewardship Board
Vincent Li, Thom Garetson, Paul Strecker
Fellowship at CAN
Soup Lunch, Nov 2
On November 2, a Fellowship (Soup) Lunch with silent
auction was held at the HKIS HK Campus in Tai Tam. The
FPSC and nine CAN families provided soup and food.
Art from HKIS, Savior Lutheran School and the Philippines
was auctioned. A total of $5,770 was raised from the sale of
Coming up on Saturday,
December 13...
Childrens
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Children Age 3 Grade 5 are invited to join every Sunday
morning at 10:10am for songs, games, and interesting
lessons from the Bible!
Grades 1 & 2 in Room 507 with Mrs. Karen & Mrs. Cat
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Grades 3, 4, & 5 in the 6/F Lounge with Mrs. Iantha & Mrs.
Chenhsi
CAN Kids Praise Team will resume when school after the new year. All
interested HKIS Upper Primary students can register through the CAN
website.
Amount
Date
P12,500
P15,000
Oct 4, 2014
P8,000
Oct 4, 2014
P6,500
Oct 1, 2014
My warm regards.
!!
Total: P42,000.00
Sincerely,
Anna Bella Caballes
Executive Director
Memo
The 18th Annual Kowloon Caring Party (former Street Sleepers party) will be
held on January 17, 2015. More than 130 low-income families would receive
food, clothing, and Christian fellowship at this event. CAN has long supported
this charity event in a variety of ways:
Collection of Donations:
Leftover holiday goodies (cakes, cookies, fruit, chocolates, candies or snacks, etc.) collection points are at
CAN and at the LP and UP school offices or the MS and HS Teachers lounges
Monetary Gifts to help purchase groceries including rice, oil and others. We are looking to raise HK$11,000.
Donations may be put in the offerings, marked Kowloon Community Caring Party
Volunteers
To attend the party and help with activities (There will be a bus service departing from CAN)
HOLF VISIT
Date: Sunday, December 14
Time: After late service
Venue: Sheung Shui, Lo Wu
Members of the FPSC will visit and sing
Christmas carols at the Home of Loving
Faithfulness (HOLF). Everyone is invited to
share their talents in music or join in this
annual event at HOLF. Please contact Mary
Ewing (mewing@hkis.edu.hk) for more
information. The more the merrier :)
VIETNAM SERVICE
TRIP