WELCOME TO HWC CHRISTMAS COMBINED SERVICE (25 December 2022)

Chairperson: Nixon Fong

Speaker: Rev. ET Wong

Interpreter: Amy Tong

Singspiration: English Service Worship Team

Scripture Reading: Anthony Chen and Phoebe Guo

Committee on Duty: Nixon Fong

Proclamation
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
    extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD.
(Psalm 95:1-3)

Opening Prayer

Singspiration

The Lord's Prayer

Scripture Reading
Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4; John 1:1-14

Sermon
Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays

Response Hymn
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Closing Prayer

Doxology

Benediction

Threefold Amen


Announcements

  1. A warm welcome to everyone who joined us this morning. We are delighted to see you all.

  2. Floral Offering: Cindy Chiu

  3. End of Year Thanksgiving Prayer Meeting will be held at church on Saturday 31st December at 7:30pm. It will be a combined event starting with a joint singspiration, then the three congregations will split for thanksgiving and prayer. All brothers and sisters are encouraged to join.

  4. Mission Department’s Sri Lanka short-term mission will take place on 6-15 April 2023. If you are compelled to be part of the mission team, you may find the application form at the front desk and submit it to Tony Yeung or Cassandra Lee. Should you have any inquiries, feel free to contact Tony. Deadline for application is 15 January 2023.

  5. Share Lunch after Cantonese Service: The Caring Department will be organising a share lunch every second Sunday from January to March after Cantonese Service. The first time will be on the 8th of January. Cost: Freely Offer. For preparation purposes, please register at the usher desk before 1st January 2023. All brothers and sisters are welcome.

  6. Rev. Mureen Wong and her family have arrived in Auckland on Friday. Her family will return to Hong Kong after spending the holiday with her. Rev. Wong will start her new role as the Cantonese pastor on 16th January 2023.

  7. 2023 Floral offering can be registered at the front desk now. Floral offering is a form of dedication to God, therefore only Christians are allowed to offer flowers for Sunday services.

  8. Cantonese Service CNY Outing: Date: 21st January 2023 (Sat). Time: 10am to 2pm. Place: Farm Cove Reserve. Gathering time and place: 10am at Pakuranga Saling Club via Bramley Drive. Feel free to arrange carpool from church. There will be games and shared lunch. Please bring your own lunch, water, sunblock and hats. Feel free to invite your family and friends to come along. Please register your interest at the usher desk before 15th January 2023. Please contact Desmond or Kitty if you have any questions.

  9. English Service Summer Retreat is confirmed for 13-15th January! All are welcome, so put it in your calendars, more details to follow! Come have a chat with Sunny if you have any questions.


Mission News

  1. Pray for the preparation of the Sri Lanka Short term mission from 6 April to 15 April 2023. We will announce the date for signing up soon. Mission Department printed some copies of “The Meaning of Short Term Mission and Mission Team’s Requirement”. Feel free to take a copy at the front desk to learn more about short term mission.

  2. Pray for the missionaries: Pray for S&C’s family, for the COVID pandemic is surging in their area; H&P’s are teaching missionary courses online and there is more than 10 students. May God give these students a heart of mission; Pray for Pastor Janet Tam’s ministry in Sri Lanka, and the church planting in Galle in Southern Sri Lanka; Pastor James is serving at a church in Fiji. May God remember his service.


Prayer Items for the Week

  1. Pray for the Gospel needs in North Shore. With the recent increasing population of Cantonese-speaking residents in North Shore, may we seek God’s guidance and vision for this vast Gospel field.

  2. Pray for Rev Mureen Wong, our new Cantonese pastor. May God use her and empower her to become a blessing for all brothers and sisters.

  3. The Church Theme for the next two years is: Love as He Loved • Love with His Love. May we focus and act on this theme in our daily lives to love one another.

  4. Pray for pastoral recruitment for the Senior Pastor and English Service Pastor.

  5. Psalm reading plan has finished. May God give us the determination to continue the reading and let us learn about Him more deeply so we will worship and praise Him more.

  6. Pray for the brothers and sisters who are leaving Auckland for holidays or visiting their families. May the Lord keep them in peace and stay connected to God.


Last Week's Sunday Service Attendance (18 December 2022)

English Cantonese Mandarin
Sunday Service 61 117 59
Prayer Meeting - 9 12
Children Sunday School 12 - 17

Next Week's Roster (1 January 2023)

Chairperson: Nixon Fong

Speaker: Rev. ET Wong

Singspiration: Shirley Ho

Committee on Duty: Nixon Fong