So, what are we known for?

CROSS FELLOWSHIP
CHURCH

Our LPD Church of the Week

At our 2019 LPD Conference, it was a joy to welcome Cross Fellowship Church, One Hope Community Church and Grace Ethiopian Evangelical Church into our LPD/EFCC Family.

Cross Fellowship Church meets in Port Coquitlam, and ministers primarily to recent immigrants from Korea. This church was planted out of Grace Hanin Community Church, and is led by Pastors Hong Gun (Joshua) Lee (senior pastor), David Hong (youth and administration), Peter Yang (associate pastor) and Hokun Kang (associate pastor).

The name of this church is significant. “Cross” is a reference first of all to the church’s focus on the cross of Christ, and the grace extended to us through Christ. Secondly, “cross” is a reference to being a church that “crosses generations.” Thirdly, “cross” refers to the church’s mission of “crossing cultures.” Though the church is composed primarily of Korean-Canadians they have an outreach to First Nation People, international missions and are committed to minister cross-culturally. Their mission is, “Building God’s kingdom through raising up God’s people.”

We are thankful for this church family, and for their ministry locally and globally! Their website is: http://crosshanin.com/

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So, what are we known for?

As we have all followed the results of the US election this past week, it is evident that not only is the nation divided – the US church is divided as well.

LIstening to local radio on Wednesday, I was flabbergasted to hear the President’s “spiritual advisor,” Paula White, praying for God to intervene on the results of the election. Her prayer was totally partisan and was mocked by the media. I could post the link to the video, but choose not to…

Is God on the “side” of Trump or on that of Biden? Both will claim to honour God in their own way, and Paula White calls down angels to intervene on the part of Trump.

In a rather thoughtful article in Christianity Today, “Why Evangelicals Disagree on the President,” writer Timothy Dalrymple (President of Christianity Today) … writes, ” I believe the evangelical alignment with the Trump administration has advanced the kingdoms of men but not the kingdom of God. I worry it has damaged the culture and tarnished our witness for generations. Of course, I could be wrong. I hope I am wrong. But I lament that so many people now look at evangelicals and see Trump instead of Christ, and I fear my children will grow up in a society more hostile to their faith as a result. ”

Dalrymple believes that U.S. evangelicals can be understood as being either “The Church Regnant” or the Church Remnant,” and he calls both to come together and to honour Christ. He concludes his article in this way,”The last radical act in a radically polarized age is to love and understand both sides. 2020 has already left a lot of wreckage in its wake. Reach out to those who disagree with you and demonstrate the love of Christ. Whatever the outcome, we will need to work together to bring the kingdom of God into the ruins and help our people find hope again.” Here is the link: trump-election-politics-church-kingdom.

As I write this blog, the final election results are yet to be tallied, but whatever the outcome, Christians will be called upon to unite and to preach hope in Christ.

Here is another article, this on by Pastor Timothy Keller, that cautions about seeking to align a political party with our faith. The article is titled, “How Do Christians Fit Into a Two- Party System? They Don’t.”sunday/christians-politics-belief.html

As I reflect on the situation south of the border, I see that evangelical Christians on our side of the border can be divided similarly on matters of our current pandemic and other issues.

As I conferred with fellow District Superintendents and our Executive Director this week, all spoke of the pressure, weariness and discouragement in serving a leading congregations that are deeply divided over issues of COVID.

No matter what a church plans, and no matter how thorough a COVID policy, there will be those who believe that the church is either cavalier and loose about COVID policy or way too uptight about it.

There is science. There is the policy of Medical Health Officers. There is politics. There is the Internet and a wide range of public opinion… People form their own personal views and pastors and leaders find themselves somewhat “caught in the middle.”
So, how do we lead in such times? Last week, I offered a quote from Thomas Aquinas that states, “If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.”

As pastors and leaders; as Christ’s Church, we are called to mission – to venture out onto the seas of ministry, and we do this best and most safely when our crew is united and working together.

Christ has said that we will be known by our love for one another (John 13:34,35). The early church was composed of both Jews and Gentiles, and together, they were formed into the Body of Christ, both universally and also locally.

Unity was not uniformity, as in cult-like regimen. Unity was to be found in together honouring the Lordship of Christ and focusing on what matters to Him, not personal preferences. As Paul writes in Romans 15:5-7, “May the God who inspires men to endure, and gives them a Father’s care, give you a mind united towards one another because of your common loyalty to Jesus Christ. And then, as one man, you will sing from the heart the praises of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. So open your hearts to one another as Christ has opened his heart to you, and God will be glorified. (J.B.Phillips).

Dan Reiland offers some encouraging counsel to us as servant-leaders in Christ’s Church, in his article, “How to Lead People Toward Grace and Peace in An Anxious Time. how-to-lead-people-toward-grace-and-peace-in-an-anxious-time/

So, what is your church known for? Our EFCC motto is, “In essentials unity; in non-essentials charity; in all things Jesus Christ.” This seems to be good counsel for today…
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Upcoming events:

Together for Good

National Day of Marriage

Presented by Family Life Together

Saturday, November 21

By signing up, you can stream this free event from your home
Here is the link for information and registration:

https://www.facebook.com/familylifecanada/posts/10157441044920009
Here is the link to the event’s Facebook Page

familylifecanada.com/event/tfg-2020/

Here is a preview video:
https://vimeo.com/473122887

Registration is filling up, so please check this out today, and forward this information to your church

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Please Remember our LPD Missionaries:

Here is the link to their information and how to support them:
Please remember all of our LPD Missionaries (and all missionaries) at this time.

https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/donations

LPD Missionaries:

Dan and Sharon Williams (Osoyoos Project)
Steve and Gillian Sharpe (Missionary of Church Planting Development)
Jonathan and Harmony Ng (Inner City Ministry)
Noel and Lynda Macasaet (New Living Assembly)
Jorge and Emily Lin (Church of All Nations/”new”New West EFC)
Joshua and Nicole Fast (Priceless Youth Ministry)
Allen and Hannah Chang (Steveston Project)
Daniel and Joyce Wong (Steveston Project)
Nathan and Amber Kinsey (Winsome Games)

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HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR CHURCHES REGARDING COVID-19

We in the LPD are here to serve you and your church through this time. Josephine has been continually updating our information, so has the most current information available on resources available to you and your church in this time. Please email Josephine

Please contact us for info on:

Congregational Meetings – whatever your bylaws state, the BC Government is accepting “virtual meetings” for annual and general meetings. Here is a link to the government communication about this: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/business/not-for-profit-organizations/societies-agm-covid-19
Current Information on the Federal Government Wage Subsidy Program. Recent changes will positively impact the eligibility of grants for churches. Please contact our office for information.
Resources regarding “restarting” and regathering in your church, and regulations for doing this. Several churches have been “re-opening,” as regulations permit. We are posting information on our website: https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/ By law, your church will need both a plan and a policy, and we can help you with this. Please check with us, as government policy is changing weekly, even daily!
Online Giving Options for your church – helpful, especially when your church cannot physically gather.

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Please pray for:

Let’s give thanks for our freedom in Canada, and for those who sacrificed in order to protect this. My father served in WWII, and my grandfather and several great uncles in WWI. Let’s specially remember and pray for our military chaplains – Shiya Janzen (now transferred to Quebec), Peter Han (Esquimalt) and Chris Willis (Esquimalt).
Pray for our “new” government in BC, for our federal leaders and for our U.S. neighbours. Whatever our politics, we are called to pray for our leaders – may our witness be used of the Lord. “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. his is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:1-4).
This Sunday, I look forward to joining Jesus Is Our Salvation Church in Aggasiz, and to preach at their “live”service, which is also streamed. Please Pray for them, and for Pastor Charlz (Ruth) Sebastian.
Pray for the Church of All Nations, and for church planting missionaries Jorge and Emily Lin.
Pastor Tom and Sandi Ford and family. Here is a video update and greeting from Tom: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DD_BazLq2t4f016y1g0gk6s-tbasmiMs/view
Henry and Kim Ngugi – EFCCM Missionaries to Kenya: https://movedchurch.org/ Please see their latest newsletter.
Nathan and Amber Kinsey. Nathan (Coach K) has just been approved as a LPD Missionary, in order to lead Winsome Games, a ministry to reach out to children and youth through sports.
Our LPD Board. Board members are Randy Lemke (Allana) – Chair, Patrick Chan (Sarah) – Property and Finance, Ben Crumback (Anna) – Island Liaison, Charles Labun (Carolyn) – Church Board Liaison, Rob Stewart (Karen) – D.S., Tim Stewart (Emily) – Innovative Ministries, Sang Hyun (Sam) Cho (Eun Young) – Korean Church Liaison; Phil Yung (Grace) – Church Planting, Philip Leung (Karen) – Chinese Church Liaison and Josephine Papp, LPD Office Administrator – Recording Secretary.