“Building our new home” Sunday Service series

Nov 7,14,21, 2021

To prepare our church for 2023 Building our new Home,for 3 consecutive Sunday Service, we had a series of theme to prepare our church to understand and take part in the 2023 New Vision.

• Building our new home
• Freely Received, Freely Give
• Commitment

Pastor Gavin brought us into the journey of Hope of God Church Hong Kong with Pastor Arlene. They shared the story of how God had called them during their time as students in Australia. In 2019, where he and pastor Arlene were challenged in the ministry and they realised that God is all that they need. God encouraged them through the bible verse, Hebrews 12:26 “Whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’ ” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. It allows they to reflect their calling in their lives again.

Looking back to 1989, the first service started with 3 people in YMCA , God gave Church the vision from Matthew 26:18-20. From Yik Hon building, the congregation grew to 100 people. The church started the first building fund and managed to buy the unit. It was then, they started the mission in Manila , Taiwan and Indonesia. As the congregation grew, the new venue was Wan Chai then to Tsuen Wan our present location. God had opened the way for missions in Hope land, Thailand and Philippines. For Medical relief we have witnessed over 10000 of people coming to Christ and many miracles. Even with the Covid-19, there are 14 care groups ongoing in Philippines with God’s grace and protection the mission work has continued. For Pastor Gavin and Arlene, their family life has been fulfilled. They subsequently have Phoebe and Daniel and grew as a family even closer to each other

Building our New Home

From 2019, the church moved on to one team approach with an open perspective where we invite more bros and sis to involve in planning and giving feedback in different events. Serving one another with a fervent heart.

A series of events hit us but God’s grace was with us. When the social unrest started in June 2019, God gave us the word from Isaiah 60:1-2 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. As a church, we choose to stand on the Word of God, not taking sides but keeping Hong Kong in prayers.

Then world was hit with the Covid 19 in 2020. Though we are not able to meet in person, but was able to move to online service immediately. We had never stopped our Sunday Service. God had prepared us what is to come. Praise the Lord!

With all these we can see God’s leading at different stages:

• Presence of the Lord
• Preparation of the Lord
• Pandemic Transformations
• Post-Pandemic

During this time, the management fees increased to 140%.We had appealed but this matter is still ongoing.Pastor Gavin reviewed with the congregation our tithings, expenses and the use of our space. With the situation, it is about time that we move on to a new place and would like to invite all to participate and to pledge by faith.

Pastor Gavin shared that there are bros and sisters who had started giving when they had received the news and the vision before the service. Let us as a family of God to give by faith, believing that we are in God economy not in the World economy. Towards the end of the service, bros and sis then took the time to pray, filled in the pledge form, deposited into the church building fund box and during that time all went out to pin their vision and hope of our spiritual home on the display board, building our new home.

Freely Received, Freely Give

For us to have deeper understanding of the New Vision, this week testimonies of bros and sis who had freely received and freely give are shared and the chairperson invited the congregation to write down what they had received and will give to God. Pastor Gavin then shared Matthew 10:7-8 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Pastor then encouraged us to give our lives free hand to God and He will lead! This coming 4^th move is going to be an exciting one and God is going to pour out His blessings into our lives.

Pastor Arlene also shared about the awakening moments in her life along with other bros and sis who served full time in the church. She saw the Northern lights during one of her mission trip and she saw schools and people circling and praying. The medical relief just grew to different schools, communities when we respond. Even in Thailand, we have our mission where we see salvations and healings.

Praise God for our full time ministers sis Janelle, Pik Sai, Elaine, Ivy Chan, Penny and bro Kessler Chan who had served faithfully in church. They had given their lives to God and together they had helped in the missions field and lead in different ministry and their lives have been blessed by God. All of us in turn have been blessed by their lives.

Remember the awakening moments in our life and hold on to that as that is our mission for life. Take a little step forward and we will see that He will open the way and fulfil our BIG dream in His miraculous way.

On that day we see more bros and sis putting their Building pledges into the box. Giving freely to God as they had received freely.

Commitment

Praise God that this week as third week of unfolding our vision. This week we focus how we can stand strong in our commitment to the vision 2023 Building our New Home.

Pastor Gavin shared from Luke 9:1-3 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,  and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.”

He further elaborate the 3+1 ingredient that will help us in our commitment :

• God is the One who calls us
• God is the One equips and trusts us with His treasure
• God is the One who sends us
• What happen when we do not have enough

Pastor Gavin shared about God’s vision superseding our own. Just like the sharing of four sisters who served in the praise and worship ministry. Even though they may not be equipped, they have experienced God’s leading and joy of following Him. They have been more closely knitted together as ever. When God calls us,  He will equip us with what we need, multiply our skills and take care of our family just as Pastor had experienced.

To stand strong in the process of committing into God’s calling, we do not focus on what we don’t have but to give what we have to God. Depend on God and He will manifest in our lives.

Thank God that the pledge has overshot the target.

Let’s walk together in commitment to God’s calling in our lives .

Be a part of “2023 Building our New Home “ !