Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
How often are we like the Israelites? God wants his people to walk in obedience to him daily. So he gave them manna every day (except for the 7th day – which was for resting). And the lazy Israelites who disobeyed kept some for the next day, and it became infested with bugs. Or when they were told to pick up twice as much on Saturday, some didn’t and went hungry on the next day. We might think that we are not like them. But we are!
We may feel like obeying God one day – when we are feeling good; feeling like praising God. But the next day, we wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or we feel a little rebellious. So we choose to do what we want, ignoring God’s word. But God wants us to walk with him daily, living in obedience to Him and seeing him provide what we need when we need it. How are you doing at walking daily with the Lord?
If you ordered Niangao or pickles to support Youth STM, then you need to pick up your order from the LYF Room on Sunday, January 26, in advance of Lunar New Year, which is Wednesday, January 29.
Also, on this Sunday, our Minister of Local Missions (Charles Wang) is working with our Local Missions Deacon (Huadong Sun) to plan and prepare a Church Anniversary / New Year Celebration. (See the above flyer). Please invite your friends and neighbors to check out church on January 26.
Also on this Sunday, CBCGL is celebrating its 36-year anniversary, which was Wednesday (Jan. 22). We will have a cake at lunch time to recognize this milestone. And before lunch, between services, at 10:50 am in fact, we will gather as a church to install our new Minister of Local Missions. So, please plan accordingly during the Sunday School hour to be done by 10:45 am.
CrossPoint Community is also planning to have our annual Soup and Bread Luncheon on February 9. This is the same date as the Chinese School New Years Celebration. But hopefully you can make it to the luncheon for a time of delicious food and fellowship. Sign-up via the QR code or the link.
Please continue to pray for the nations of Israel and Ukraine and South Sudan. Pray that the wars would end and the ceasefire in Gaza will hold. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. And Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza and Lebanon, Sudan and South Sudan, and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.
This Week (Jan. 24-30, 2025):
1. Tonight, Jan. 24, 2025, the Living Stones Friday Night Bible Study is meeting from 7:30-9:30 to study “Looking Forward in Worship”. You can read Matthew 2 in order to prepare. Join in person in Room A-218 or online via the following link at 7:30 pm:
https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Password: 840840
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. CrossPoint Community Sunday School meets this Sunday – Jan. 26 in the Koinonia Room (A-216). We are continuing our study of Church History in the 19th Century, led by Bob Chen. We will use the following link for those who wish to join online this Sunday:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Password: 403767
Join by phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
There will also be a connection hour, a time for conversation and prayer, in A-202.
3. This Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, at 11:25 am, our CrossPoint Community Worship Service will start and Min. Jin Kim will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL!
Text: Philippians 3:7-14
Title: Gospel Community Building
Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/
4. Each Wednesday, such as this coming week (Jan. 29) at 7:45 pm, you are invited, encouraged, and requested to join our weekly prayer meeting. We will not grow in Christ without growing in our dependence on God through prayer. In January, we will be praying beginning with praising God each week. The link is found below in the section on prayer.
Administration / Events
1. We have a missions update (so check out the missions tab in the bulletin)! You can pray for the Panama STM team. They are working to prepare and plan for their time with students in March. For more information, you can talk with Pat Fung. Also, if you’d like to help with providing mission updates – let Pastor Nathan know!
2. CPCM has reserved the Multi-Purpose Room on Saturday’s from 1:30 to 4PM for sports. We hope to see you there this week! We can play any game: Ping-pong, badminton, pickleball, volleyball, basketball; we can do it all. The room is reserved only for CPCM members and their guests, so it is highly likely you will have lots of space and time to play whatever you want. The goal is to build deeper bonds through shared interest and activity. The contact person is Joshua Zhang.
3. Sunday Lunch Service is available at CBCGL with $5 lunches that are first-come, first-served. Pizza is $2 per slice and Ramen is available (priced variously according to size).
4. Women’s Bible Study – “KEEPING IT VERTICAL” meets the first and third Tuesday of each month to learn, share and grow in the Lord. We are studying the Fruit of the Spirit. Come join us and meet new friends and bring more friends along! Contact jeannemic50 (at) icloud.com
5. Sign up for the Soup and Bread Luncheson (Feb. 9, 12:30 to 2 pm, Fellowship Hall).
6. All other announcements can be found here (in our CrossPoint Community bulletin).
For Prayer
From Bishop J.C. Ryle – “To be prayerless is to be Christless, Godless, and in the high road to destruction…It will always be found that when prayers are few, grace, strength, peace, and hope are small.” Please join our Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 – 9:15 pm) even if you can’t participate the whole time.
https://zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
We’d be glad to pray for you. If you need prayer, you can submit your prayer request via the following link: https://www.cbcgl.org/pray/
In Christ, your servant, SDG,
Rev. Dr. Nathan Willems
Associate Pastor of CrossPoint Community – A Ministry of CBCGL