Concerns
of Our Gatherings
Thank God for giving
us a day of joy and wonderful testimony last Sunday at our ˇ§New Church
Dedication and 11th Anniversary Thanksgiving Celebrationˇ¨! Many
guests, when they heard of the miraculous works of the Lord during our church
construction, and saw the deeds of love of the brothers and sisters were
thankful for our sake and declared, ˇ§God is truly amongst you.ˇ¨ Praise God!
What is more important than the Lord receiving glory from amongst us? What is
more precious than God being with us? What is dearer than Godˇ¦s pleasure that
we are recognized by others as His disciples? I hope that the brothers and
sisters will continue to progress along their spiritual path, be patient in
their service, accept and be sympathetic to one another in love, and become
good custodians of the myriad gifts from God.
While we are
delighted and thankful for this splendid and spacious assembly hall prepared
for us by God, the writer wants to express certain concerns about our
gatherings.
Regular service:
Please arrive a little earlier, and have a moment of quiet prayer in the
sanctuary to prepare yourself to meet with God. Conversing loudly in the hall
is not appropriate as it may interfere with the quiet prayers of other members.
Turn off your cellular phones and pagers. If there are urgent matters to
discuss with other members, do so outside of the hall or after the meeting.
Although the chairperson will be using the projector more often in the future,
members should still bring their own Bibles for ease of reference and
note-taking. Bibles should not be placed on the ground. The writer always feels
uncomfortable seeing members put their Bibles on the ground, not because of
conscience, but because of concern that the member may lack reverence for God
and true respect for His words. (For what exists within is manifested without.
The body language of a person is enough to reflect how much reverence this
person has for God inside.) By the same principle, do not consume food or drink
inside the sanctuary, including chewing gum or eating candy during the service.
I hope that members do not consider me authoritarian. The writer only wishes
that brothers and sisters will truly know God and maintain a reverential spirit
in all gatherings where the Lord draws near. In seating, please begin by
filling up the first rows of chairs upon entering the hall so that
late-arriving members will not feel embarrassed having to come forward for a
seat during the service because of insufficient back row seats. Donˇ¦t arrive
late for service or leave early, but if a premature departure is absolutely
necessary, take a back seat before the service begins. Sing hymns with
heart-felt emotion, and use your best vocalization to praise and thank God.
When others have spoken words in their prayers that echo your thoughts, you can
join in with ˇ§Amenˇ¨ as an indication, adding to the significance of praying in
unity. Listen attentively to the sermon with an attitude of humility and willingness
to learn, in anticipation that God through His servant will speak to you. After
dismissal, greet the members sitting around you and inquire as to their
well-being. Be honest and sincerely in your interactions. Actively and
earnestly welcome new guests and do not overlook anyone.
Breaking of bread in
remembrance service: This is the service that our Lord Jesus Christ
specifically instructed us to ˇ§do ˇK in remembrance of me.ˇ¨ Therefore, the
purpose of this meeting is to remember who the Lord is and what the Lord does,
especially the grace of salvation that He accomplished. All content in the
worship and remembrance of the Lord (including prayers, sharing of hymns and
Bible passages) should revolve around Christ as the focus, offering
thanksgiving and praises to Him only. If you are moved to share, please prepare
the hymn or passage you wish to present in advance at home, and express to the
Lord the sincere gratitude and love within your heart. Be enthusiastic in
sharing or prayer; donˇ¦t wait around for each other lest the Lord be ignored.
Prayers should be precise and brief, so that everyone can be united in spirit
and thankfulness, and others will have opportunities to show their gratitude.
The breaking of bread in remembrance service is set up for those members who
are certain of their grace and salvation, have repented of and turned away from
sin, are baptized, and have joined the church. If you know of brothers and
sisters from other churches who will be participating, please consult with our
elders and pastoral staff first. The writer only wishes that everyone will be
cautious with this service and maintains holiness, for whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner
will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
By: Daniel To