WELCOME TO HWC ENGLISH SERVICE (6 JANUARY 2019)

Chairperson: Mr Fung Lam

Speaker: Pastor ET Wong

Worship: Sharon C, Daniel H, Justin L, Charlie M, Lilian W, Marco Y, Edward G

Proclamation

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn— shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

Psalm 98:4–6

Opening Prayer

Singspiration

The Apostles Creed

Scripture Reading

Hebrews 4:12–16  

Sermon

Title: A Surgical Scalpel

Response Hymn

Holy Communion

Doxology

Benediction

Threefold Amen

Announcements

  1. Farewell Party: Pastor Kelvin Tong will step down from his position next year. In order to thank him for his service, a farewell dinner party will be held this evening from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, at church. Please pay for the ticket for dinner to Ken Fong ($10, under 5 are free). All brothers and sisters who have signed up please attend punctually. We also have a farewell card for Pastor Tong at the front desk until after the Mandarin service.

  2. The Christmas carnival 2018 has raised a total of $560 after deducting all costs. The whole amount is going to Auckland City Mission.

  3. Deacon nomination: Invitations will be sent to all nominated deacon candidates for the next deacon board. All nominated candidates please pray earnestly for a heart of serving God in His will, and respond to the invitation by 24 February 2019.

  4. Baptism: Song-nian Li, a senior resident of the rest home Ambridge Rose Manor, Edgewater has admitted his sins and is willing to follow Christ. A baptism will be held for him at 10 am on Saturday at the rest home. Brothers and sisters are welcomed to attend and celebrate.

Mission News 

  1. Pray for missionaries:

    a. Remember the ministry of S&C and pray for their peace.

    b. Pray for Pastor Janet Tam’s serving among the Chinese community in her mission field. Remember her driving practice and safety on the road.

  2. Pray for global mission:

    a. Remember churches that are facing persecution. Pray for the faithful pastors and the faith of the church members.

    b. Pray for the Chinese Christian Church in Tanzania. May God use the church to gain more non-believers.

Prayer Items for the Week

  1. Pray for brothers and sisters’ heart to apply the church motto in their life – Having the same mind as Christ.

  2. Pray for the recruitment of pastors for the English and Cantonese congregations. May God prepare a suitable pastor to minister the members.

  3. Pray for the nominated deacon candidates. May God choose his faithful servants according to his will.

  4. Pray for the church expansion executive team and the contractor. May God keep the construction safe.

  5. Pray for the organization of the Chinese New Year event on 9 February. May God use the occasion to glorify himself.

  6. Pray for Pastor Kelvin Tong. May God remember his great effort at the Holy Word Church, and bless his ministry in the future.

  7. Pray for the unity among the three congregations, so that Holy Word Church will become a bright light to spread the Gospel and glorify God’s name.

Last Week's Service Attendance

Cantonese Service: 100, Pre-Service Prayer Meeting: 9/60

English Service: 62, Prayer Meeting: - , Children Sunday School: 11

Mandarin Service: 51, Prayer Meeting: 5, Children Sunday School: 16

Next Week's Roster

Chairperson: Mr Nixon Fong
Speaker: Pastor Kelvin Tong

Worship: Steve G, Enoch M, Fay O, Kenny P, Kinson L, Calla W, Violet Y, Herman Y

WELCOME TO HWC ENGLISH SERVICE (30 DECEMBER 2018)

Chairperson: Mr Nixon Fong

Speaker: Pastor ET Wong

Worship: Steve G, Enoch M, Fay O, Kenny P, Kinson L, Calla W, Violet Y, Herman Y

Proclamation

How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Psalm 84:1-2

Opening Prayer

Singspiration

The Ten Commandments 

Scripture Reading

Proverbs 17:24  

Sermon

Title: A Time of Hope

Response Hymn

Closing prayer

Doxology

Benediction

Threefold Amen

Announcements

  1. Church expansion update: Praise the Lord! The Resources Consent has been approved and construction dates will be confirmed soon. An expansion executive team is set up to replace the previous team which manages the progress of the project. Members: Franklin Fung and Royden Tsui.

  2. An End-of-year thanksgiving prayer meeting will be held on New Year’s eve at 7:30 pm. Brothers and sisters are encouraged to attend and testify God’s grace.

  3. Farewell Party: Pastor Kelvin Tong will step down from his position next year. In order to thank him for his service, a farewell dinner party will be held on Sunday 6th Jan , from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, at church. Ticket for dinner is $10, under 5 are free. All brothers and sisters are welcome to join by signing up at the front desk. The deadline is 30th Dec. We also have a farewell card for Pastor Tong at the front desk. All are welcome to leave a warm message to send him off.

  4. Pastor ET will be on annual leave between 1 Jan and 9 Jan 2019.

Mission News 

Praying for Turkey:

A mix of antiquity and innovation, the nation of Turkey combines modernized industry with traditional agriculture to be the sixteenth largest economy in the world.  Simultaneously one of the poorer nations of Europe yet also the most developed of the Turkic countries in Central and Western Asia, Turkey has acted as a bridge between these two worlds while remaining separate from either.

 In spite of growth, the economy continues to be hindered by a high deficit and is dependent on unreliable, short-term investments.  The Kurdish people, who compose nearly one fifth of the total population within Turkey, are in dispute with the Turks over ethnic recognition.  Although the Kurdish language can legally be used in print and spoken in public settings, the government will often prosecute Kurd speakers and confiscate publications under the guise of prohibiting separatist propaganda.  In response, the Kurds have sometimes violently demanded cultural rights, resulting in conflicts that have taken the lives of over thirty thousand people since the early 1980's.  Security forces are also fighting narcotics trafficking from Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan into Europe. 

Turkey is a secular state without an official state religion. The Turkish Constitution provides people with the right to religious freedom. According to 2016 data, Islam is the main religion of Turkey 83% of the total population. Secondly, 13% are non-religious. Christianity is 2%.

Even though it was one of the earliest mission fields and home to many New Testament churches, hostility and persecution of Christians is strong in Turkey.  It is culturally accepted that to be a Turk, one must be Muslim, even if nominally so, and over 98 percent claim the faith.  Muslim extremists, government intimidation, and family pressure discourage many from coming to Christ and there is a deep national resentment towards Christianity, making evangelism more difficult.  Even in the midst of persecution, God still stands, and He is calling out to His people of Turkey to accept the love and peace that only comes from him.

Mission Prayer Items:

•  A radical change in deep-seated prejudices and biases against Christianity

• Wise leadership to peacefully navigate the tense rivalry between staunch nationalists and radical Islamists

• The work of evangelism to go forth in power despite increased hostilities and bitter persecution toward believers

For more information on Turkey, go to the website: https://prayercast.com/turkey.html

Prayer Items for the Week

  1. Pray for brothers and sisters’ heart to apply the church motto in their life – Having the same mind as Christ.

  2. Pray for the recruitment of an English pastor. May God prepare a suitable pastor to minister the English congregation.

  3. Pray for the church expansion executive team and the contractor. May God keep the construction safe.

  4. Pray for a prepared heart to testify at the New year’s eve thanksgiving prayer meeting.

  5. Pray for Pastor Kelvin Tong. May God remember his great effort at the Holy Word Church, and bless his ministry in the future.

  6. Pray for the pastoral team, deacons, church committee, and all leaders’ togetherness and unity, to build up believers and evangelise the gospel by their ministry.

Last Week's Service Attendance

Cantonese Service: 105, Pre-Service Prayer Meeting: 9

English Service: 57, Prayer Meeting: - , Children Sunday School: 9

Mandarin Service: 40, Prayer Meeting: 6, Children Sunday School: 17

Next Week's Roster

Chairperson: Mr Fung Lam
Speaker: Pastor ET Wong

Worship: Sharon C, Daniel H, Justin L, Charlie M, Lilian W, Marco Y, Edward G