08/28/2016 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  “Characteristics of a Good Soldier of Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 2:1-7 (page 995) – Kenny Chan

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. New Church Staff: We’re excited to announce the hiring of Minister Haiyan Wu; her start date is to be determined (TBD) but her ministry focus will be on children’s and women’s ministry.  Please contact any of our church elders for questions.
  2. Serving Lunch: 6th and 9th graders are serving lunch today. For more info., please contact Daniel Chen.
  3. Friday Night Fellowship: Our summer fellowship for adults (college/working) will meet this Friday (9/2) from 8-10pm. Location is TBD.  For more information, please contact Joshua Chang (joshy.dynasty@gmail.com).
  4. Saltshakers: We will be having a Fun Day at the Park this Saturday (9/3) from 5:30-8:30pm at Rainbow Park. For more information, please contact Daniel Chen (dantchen83@gmail.com).
  5. Blood Drive: Our church will be having a blood drive on Saturday (9/24) from 10am-3pm. Please sign up if you’re interested in donating and/or volunteering on that day.  For more information, please contact Christine Tsao (tsao@gmail.com)
  6. Baptism Information Session: We will be having a 15-minute information session next Sunday (9/4) from 11:10-11:25am in Room 104. Actual Baptism class will start on Sunday (9/25).  Please contact Pastor Kenny (pkennychan@gmail.com) for questions.
  7. Inheritance: This month’s issue is now available! The topic is “Proximity”.  Inheritance is a monthly magazine that focuses on how Christian faith interacts with Asian and American cultures.  (Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in Inheritance do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of CFCCSJ.)

Prayer Requests & Praises   

  1. Pray for students who have recently started going back to school that their transition will go smoothly. Pray that they will be a blessing and a light to their campus.
  2. Pray for Minister Lian-Hai Fu and his family as he continues transitioning into our church community as well as ministering to the Chinese Congregation.

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 46: What is the Lord’s Supper?

Answer: Christ commanded all Christians to eat bread and drink from the cup in thankful remembrance of him and his death .

Passage(s): 1 Corinthians 11:23-26