Chairperson: Vincent Chan
Speaker: Rev ET Wong
Singspiration: Timothy Yeung
Committee on Duty: Sally Che
Proclamation
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
(Luke 2:14)
Opening Prayer
Singspiration
Ten Commandments
Scripture Reading
1 Corinthians 16:5-9
Sermon
The Door has Opened
Response Hymn
Closing Prayer
Doxology
Benediction
Threefold Amen
Announcements
A warm welcome to everyone who joined us this morning. We are delighted to see you all.
Mission Sunday will be held on 25th August with a combined service of three congregations. The theme is "Challenges and Opportunities in Mission Today," and the speaker will be Johan Linder, the National Director of OMF New Zealand. Service starts at 10am. Please keep this event in your prayers and reserve time to attend.
Cantonese Congregation's Pastor Appointment: Thank the Lord that after multiple rounds of interviews by the deacons and Cantonese congregational committee, we have confirmed a pastor from Hong Kong who is willing to accept the appointment to serve at Holy Word Church. However, due to the time required to process the visa application and the pastor's need to resign from the current church, we are temporarily unable to disclose the pastor's name. We hope for your understanding. Please pray for the pastor and their family, asking the Lord to ensure a smooth visa process so that the pastor and their family can arrive soon.
Church Building Repairs: Following up on the previous AGM, the congregation was informed about the church roof's leakage issue. The maintenance team has recommended that the roof needs to be replaced as soon as possible. A four-week consultation period has been initiated. If any members have questions or opinions regarding this project, please email the Deacon Board at db@holywordchurch.org.nz by August 24th. Additionally, several significant cracks have recently been discovered on both the upper and lower floors of the main hall. For safety reasons, a structural engineer will be hired to conduct an inspection.
The Deacon Board responds to members' concerns raised at the AGM regarding the church's financial budget, specifically the expenses under the "Building Maintenance" item. These expenses include: marking driving lanes and loading/unloading areas in the parking lot, chair repairs, refurbishing moldy wall areas, air conditioning inspections, emergency repairs, and building safety inspection fees.
56th Baptism will be held on 06/10 as a combined service for all three congregations. For those who want to be baptised, please contact any Deacon, Pastor or your Small Group Leader. The deadline is 01/09. All baptism applicants are required to have their nurturing course completed. Once an application is received, baptism class will be arranged and the deacons will meet with you to confirm your faith. Please also contact us if you would like to have your church membership transferred to HWC or would like to have child dedication.
Carpet cleaning and pest control services for the church building will be conducted tomorrow morning (19th August). We kindly ask all members and staff to refrain from coming to the church for any business on that day.
Overseas Mission and Hardship Fund Financial Report for July 2024
| Overseas Mission | Hardship | |
|---|---|---|
| Balance Last Month | 6,940.10 | 701.42 |
| Donations | 6952.00 | 8482.00 |
| Interest | 16.68 | 5.94 |
| Balance on 31 July 2024 | 8051.78 | 1507.36 |
Note:
(1) Overseas Mission Fund: Paid $5,497 in mid-July 2024 to support Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
(2) Hardship Fund: Paid $7,682 in mid-July 2024 to one of the church families in need.
Mission News and Prayer Items
For S&C
Pastoral Care: Pray for S & C as they lead and participate in summer activities for the church. Ask the Lord to guide them with wisdom and strength as they provide pastoral care to local church leaders and coworkers.
Family Needs: Lift up S & C's children in prayer. Remember their daughter, Eva, who is studying in New Zealand and living with her grandparents. Pray for her well-being and success in her studies. Also, keep their son, Elias, in your prayers as he continues his education in the mission field.
Emotional Well-being: Pray for S & C as they serve faithfully in the mission field. Ask God to surround them with His love and comfort, especially during moments of loneliness, and to fill them with the strength and warmth of His presence.
For H&P
Mission Home: As Term 2 approaches, please pray for the participants’ safe arrival and smooth transition into their new living environment.
Community Classes: The second term of the Community English and Chinese classes will conclude in two weeks. H & P are planning special activities for the final session, which coincides with Mother's Day. Parents will also be invited to join the celebration.
Short-Term Mission Team: Please pray for the short-term mission team arriving at the end of August. Pray for good health and energy for each member, and for them to have a meaningful and fruitful time with the local coworkers and the community.
For H&Y
Salvation: Pray for H & Y’s local friends who show little interest in the Bible, Christ, or spiritual matters. Ask the Lord to reveal Himself to them in their lives, dreams, and visions, saving those who belong to Him.
Family Reunion: Pray for H & Y’s upcoming family reunion as their daughter Nancy and Y's elderly mother are visiting in mid-August. Nancy will stay for two weeks, and Y's mother for four weeks.
Language Exam: Please pray for H & Y as they prepare for the advanced local language exam in September. Ask the Lord to grant them strength and wisdom, so that they may glorify His name in all things and not boast in themselves.
For Reverend Janet in Sri Lanka
Personal Needs: Pray for Reverend Janet Tam’s improved sleep quality, wisdom in preparing her sermons for Hong Kong churches, and provision for a shortfall of HKD 9,536.88 in missionary funds.
Mission Field: Pray for effective collaboration among functional groups at Sri Lanka First Chinese Baptist Church and for a suitable replacement for a departing Sunday school teacher.
Sri Lanka: Pray for a peaceful transition around the September general election and for the growth and effective evangelism of all Christian denominations in Sri Lanka.
For James and Jessica Che
Tanzania: Pray for the Lord to send committed pastors to lead the church in Tanzania and for the development of dedicated workers who will receive theological training and serve effectively in God’s work.
Ethiopia: Thank the Lord for the workers who have been sent to serve at the church in Ethiopia and for the support provided by local pastors with missionary visas. Pray for $6,000 to cover the church's rent for the next six months, for daily growth in the number of saved individuals, and for the provision of all necessary ministry resources.
Preparation: Give thanks that James Che and Jessica have returned safely to serve at the Ethiopian church. Pray for the successful preparation of all documents required for the church's registration.
For Nic
Alpha Course: Praise God for the participants in our Alpha course and pray that God will work powerfully to draw them closer to Him.
Personal Salvation: Pray for Ryo and Yasir, that they would come to know Christ and experience His transformative love.
Retreats and Spiritual Protection: Pray for the upcoming guys’ and girls’ retreats at the end of August, that they would help students grow closer to God. Also, pray for spiritual protection against the increased activity of cults on campus, that individuals would remain steadfast in their faith and not be led astray.
Prayer Items
Pray that God would open our eyes to the opportunities He places before us to share the Gospel, and give us the courage and perseverance to walk through those open doors, even when we face difficulties or opposition, trusting in His strength to guide us.
Pray that the Lord will work through next week's Mission Sunday speaker, Rev. Johan Linder. May the Spirit of the Lord continually expand the reach of the Word and the Gospel across cultural and geographical boundaries, bringing all nations to Him.
The roof of our main sanctuary has multiple leaks, and there are noticeable cracks in the walls. Pray that the Lord grants the Deacons’ Board wisdom in handling the building’s maintenance issues. We ask all members to pray for this matter and show concern for God's house.
Last Week's Sunday Service Attendance (11 August 2024)
| English | Cantonese | Mandarin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Service | 52 | 159 | 48 |
| Prayer Meeting | 27 | 102 | 17 |
| Children Sunday School | 19 | - | 18 |
Next Week's Roster (25 August 2024)
Chairperson: TBC
Speaker: Johan Linder
Singspiration: TBC
Committee on Duty: Nixon Fong