Happy Chinese New Year Celebrating the Year of the Dog
18 February 2018
Welcome to
ST ANDREW’S
Thanks for coming along to church today. At St Andrew’s, we want to welcome everyone; Christian believers, those seeking faith, skeptics, all who are looking for a spiritual home in Hong Kong. At each Sunday service we seek to learn more about the truths of God from the Bible, and encourage one another in our faith in Jesus. If you’re new, come along to the red welcome table in the north entrance foyer after the service. We’d love to be able to meet you, welcome you personally, and answer any of your questions.
CHINESE NEW YEAR Chinese New Year is here. And to my disappointment I have found out that as a married man in Hong Kong I will no longer be on the receiving end of red packets! But instead have the good news and joy of getting to give them out. Chinese New Year is great time of family reunions and catching up with the clan from far and wide. But it can also be a bittersweet time as many of us will be confronted with family difficulties. The disappointments of another year past and the same awkward questions on love, marriage and career. Furthermore, it can be painful because many of our family members are not Christian and it can be very challenging to discuss Jesus let alone share the gospel. I am often struck at the blessings that are given out and sought at this time of year, but as Christians we can be reminded that in the gospel we have received “every spiritual blessing in Christ” Ephesians 1:3. That this year instead of seeking earthly blessings we can stop and note that knowing God and being united to him in Christ is the greatest joy and blessing to receive and also to share. This blessing in Christ is so wonderful that we also have a responsibility to take the gospel to our family and friends this New Year. Many will be in need or despair at the state of the world but as Christians we know that not just any faith or hope which saves but it is the gospel. This Chinese New Year know the blessing you have in Christ and be praying and seeking opportunities how you could share the good news with those who do not know Jesus yet and are looking for blessing in all the wrong places. As Paul describes the blessings we have in Christ: ‘For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will’ Ephesians 1:4-5 Much better than any Red Packet. 新年快樂
Rev. Darren Pollock Associate Minister
Upcoming
Enquiries or Sign-ups? Please go to the North Lobby or church website
25 FEB 8:30AM & 9:30AM CONGREGATION BREAKFAST After the service
Seeds Garden, Life Centre
A good opportunity to get to know others who come to the same service. A simple breakfast and tea will be served. Come and join us next Sunday.
25 FEB WELCOME TEA FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW TO 11:30AM SERVICE If you are new to St Andrew’s, come and join us for some light refreshments after the service today. Sunday, after 11:30am service
North lobby, G/F Life Centre
There is an option to join Rev. Ian Hadfield for lunch after the welcome tea.
25 FEB - 25 MAR ST ANDREW’S PARTNERSHIP St Andrew’s Partnership Course is held to introduce you to the church and what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus. It is a course also for those who are new to St Andrew’s and is the gateway to our Growth Groups. It’s a 4 week course and a great way to meet new people and get involved. Sunday, 2:30 - 4:00pm
G/F lounge, Christian Centre
Registration: www.standrews.org.hk/st-andrews-partnership Enquiries: carrie@standrews.org.hk
4 & 11 MAR otLIVE - WALK THRU THE BIBLE Sunday, 2:30 - 4:30pm
1/F Hall, Christian Centre
HK$100/per person (2 weeks) otLIVE is a fun and interactive way to learn the content of the whole Old Testament in a few hours. It is for all ages. Registration: www.standrews.org.hk/otlive
4 -11 MAR PEACE BOX CAMPAIGN 2018 Peace Box Campaign is organised by the Hong Kong Church Network for the Poor and others to celebrate the peace and love of God with the underprivileged in the community at Easter. We are hoping to collect 200 gift boxes. For acceptable dimensions of each gift box and suitable items to put in please refer to the Peace Box posters or visit www.standrews.org.hk/peace-box-campaign-2018. Collection dates: 4-11 March, covered area of Christian Centre.
5-6 MAY COMBINED 20s & 30s WEEKEND AWAY
St Andrew’s, Shatin and Ambassador International Church are getting together to host a ‘Combined 20s & 30s Weekend Away’ event. It will be a great weekend to meet people, unwind and relax, and learn from the bible. Saturday (9:30am) - Sunday (2:00pm)
YWCA, Lantau Island
Cost: HK$450 early bird rate (closes 6 April) / HK$550 standard rate (closes 31 April) *Includes transport, accommodation & food Theme: ‘Forever, For Real, For Sure’ - All about the life changing truth of the future – Christ’s return, judgement, hell and heaven Registration: www.standrews.org.hk/2030forever Enquires: alistair@standrews.org.hk
ABOUT THE ANNUAL CHURCH MEETING • Nomination of Trustees & Council Members closes 7:00pm, 28 February. • Electoral Roll enrolment by 4 March. • Submit any motions to the Chairman by 28 February (alex@standrews.org.hk) A flyer with full information about the Annual Church Meeting, Electoral Roll cards and nomination forms can be found in the Information racks.
Bible Reading Exodus 12:1-13 1
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 ‘This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbour, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door-frames of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire – with the head, legs and internal organs. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover. 12
‘On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
Notes
The Passover Lamb - Exodus 12:1-13
Next Sermon The Great Escape - Exodus 14:11-31
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Sunday
Clergy
ST ANDREW’S CHURCH BUILDING
Alex McCOY, Vicar Ian HADFIELD, Associate Minister Sok Han YONG, Associate Minister Alistair GIBBS, Associate Minister Darren POLLOCK, Associate Minister
(Weekly Communion) 8:30am Early Morning Lord’s Supper 11:30am Putonghua Lord’s Supper LIFE CENTRE - AUDITORIUM (Lord’s Supper 2nd & 4th Sundays) 9:30am Mid Morning Church 11:30am Late Morning Church 5:00pm Evening Church
Directors Juliana WONG, Community Relations Director Carol STRYDOM, Children’s Ministry Director Ryan RUDOLPH, Youth Ministry Director Evan BROWN, Creative Ministry Director
FACEBOOK You can also find us on social media.
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www.standrews.org.hk 2367 1478 / info@standrews.org.hk 138 Nathan Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong