07/24/2016 English Sunday Service

Chinese for Christ Church of San Jose

English Worship Service

Worship Service: 10:00 –11:10 am followed by snacks in the Fellowship Hall.

Call To Worship* – Hannah Lee

Praise & Worship*- Praise Team and Congregation

Welcome & Announcements – Daniel Chen

Sermon  “Service, Fairness, and The Kingdom’s Generosity” Matthew 20:1-16 (page 825) – Alex Leung

Song(s) of Response* – Praise Team

Doxology (Words of Praise)*- Congregation

Prayer & Benediction (Lord’s Blessing)* – Kenny Chan

*Please stand, if physically able. Also, please set your cell phones to “silent.”

Please exit through the ‘front’ of the sanctuary at the end of service.  Thank you.

We are glad you are here this morning to worship God together with us! We hope that through this service you would experience God’s blessings to you — and know His love for you through Jesus Christ and the presence of His Spirit!

If this is your first time here, please fill out one the pink cards in the pew and pass onto any of our ushers if you would like us to contact you with more information about our church.

Sermon Notes

Announcements

  1. Combined Sunday School: We will be gathering in the Fellowship Hall today during the Sunday School hour (11:40am-12:40pm) to hear from our Budapest short-term mission team.
  2. MCF (Married Couples Fellowship): Our summer fellowship for married couples will meet today (7/24) from 4:30-6:30pm at Tony & Michelle’s home. Please contact Pastor Kenny (408-893-0710) for more information.
  3. Friday Night Fellowship: Our summer fellowship for adults (college/working) will meet this coming Friday (7/29) from 8-10pm. Location is TBD.  For more information, please contact Josh Chang.
  4. Random Day of Fun: Our English Congregation will be having a whole day of activities next Saturday (7/30). For   more information, please see or contact Christine Tsao (christine.tsao@gmail.com).
  5. Saltshakers: See #4 above. Contact Christine Tsao or Daniel Chen for questions.
  6. Yard Sale (8/13): We’ll be having a church-wide yard sale on Saturday (8/13) from 9am-3pm in the front yard of our church. If you have usable and sellable items that you would like to donate, please drop them off at one of the boxes or barrels located in the church hallway by 8/7.  All proceeds will go towards City Team Ministry.  For more information, please contact Daniel Chen (dantchen83@sbcglobal.net) or Keh-Chiang (kehchaing@gmail.com)
  7. Church Directory: Our updated church directory is now available. For a paper copy, please see Elaine Hung or contact her at elainehung@cfccsj.org.

 Prayer Requests & Praises   

  1. Praise God for yesterday’s service event with other churches in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco through SF Impact.
  2. Pray for our brothers and sisters who are getting ready to go on a short term mission trip this summer. Pray that we as a church continue to support them through prayer.
  3. Pray for Pastor Joey (and family) as he is currently on sabbatical (July 1-September 30). Pray that during these three months, it will be a time of rest, growth, and discernment for him.

What is a “Sabbatical”?

The principle behind the sabbatical comes from Genesis 2:2-3 and Exodus 20:8. As Christians we are all commanded to “sabbath” (rest) weekly.  God has created us to work and then to rest.  The rest commanded is not just physical rest or to busy ourselves with other projects or distract ourselves with entertainment but a deep rest where worship of God is the source of our rest.  Our rest is mean to refuel us to work.  Our rest is also meant to remind us that we are not God (i.e. in complete control) but that God is God!

For CFCCSJ, we have an extended sabbatical policy (3 months) for our full-time pastors.  This sabbatical is not the same as a vacation.  The purpose behind the sabbatical is for pastors to be refreshed, refocused and renewed.  This extended time allows the pastors to take classes, have extended time to read, spend time with their families, visit other churches, etc. As author Thom Rainer writes, “A pastor has emotional highs and lows unlike most other vocations.  In the course of a day, a pastor can deal with death, deep spiritual issues, great encouragement, petty criticisms, tragedies, illnesses, and celebrations of birth.  The emotional roller coaster is draining.  Your pastor needs a break – many times a break with no distractions…Most pastors don’t have an “off” switch.  They go to sleep with the knowledge they could be awakened by a phone callat anytime of the day.  Vacations are rarely uninterrupted.  It can be an exhausting vocation, and a sabbatical can be a welcome time to slow down.

New City Catechism (from www.newcitycatechism.com/intro.php)

We hope that this will be a tool for us to use in disciplining our children, one another and ourselves as a church community.  The New City Catechism is also available online & for your smart phones.

Question 42:  How is the Word of God to be read and heard?

Answer: With diligence, preparation, and prayer; so that we may accept it with faith, store it in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.

Passage(s): 2 Timothy 3:16-17