Update from our Senior Pastor
We are well into the new year already, and Elders have been meeting to talk about the coming year.
One of the biggest challenges facing us as a church community is working out what it means for us to be ONE CHURCH, across congregations and cultures. Last year brought many challenges, especially for our Chinese congregation. With the changes and growth that have occurred within the church, it has become clear that our leadership structures and constitution are no longer serving the church as well as they once did. As a whole community we therefore need to explore what being ONE CHURCH looks like, and how we can support and love one another so that we may serve our community more effectively, sharing the love of Jesus.
To this end, we have decided to call the whole church to prayer. We believe that before we plan we need to pray. So, we invite all congregations to join us for two PRAYER NIGHTS (7 & 28 March); to pray for each other, to pray for our church, and to hear what the Spirit has to say about WHO WE ARE and where we are heading.
Along with this call to prayer, we are proposing to bring together a small group of people representing each of our congregations who will meet together to consider our way forward. This group, made up of around 25 Elders, Pastors and representatives from both congregations, will be ratified at the Annual General Meeting.
We understand this process of determining our future is not to be rushed and will not happen quickly. But we are committed to finding God’s will and plan for our church. We are also committed to keeping the church well informed throughout this process, and are open to any questions or concerns that you might have.
Towards the end of 2017 we were sorry to lose John Wood and Grace Kao as they stepped down from their positions as Elders after serving our church for many years. We are now starting the process of appointing new Chinese Elders, accepting nominations, with a vote to take place at our AGM. Please join us in prayer for our Chinese congregation as they prayerfully consider the best candidates.
Please continue to pray for one another and for the whole church as we work through these things. We are trusting God that through the prayer, the listening and the discussions which take place, He will give us everything we need and that he will guide us.
Bruce Bradburn
Senior Pastor
主任牧師的信息
新的一年開始已久，教會的長老們已開過幾次會，討論新一年的計畫。
目前我們教會面對的最大挑戰之一，就是在多語言堂會和多文化環境下，什麼是合一教會。去年有很多挑戰，尤其是我們華語堂；幾年來教會的成長與變化，凸顯了目前教會的領導架構和章程不再能如當初那樣合適教會的運作。因此，作為一個共同體，我們需要探索一個合一教會應該是怎麼樣的，我們要如何彼此扶持，彼此關愛，以致於我們可以在社區中更有果效地分享耶穌的愛。
為此，我們決定發動全教會來禱告。我們相信在我們做任何計畫之前，我們需要禱告！我們邀請兩堂的所有會眾加入我們的兩次禱告會（3月7日和28日）；為彼此禱告，為我們的教會禱告，求告聖靈告訴我們是誰，我們要往哪裡去。
同時，我們也提議由兩堂代表組成一個小組，大家一起討論我們共同前進的道路。小組將由大約25個人組成，其中包括長老，牧師和兩堂會眾代表。詳情將在年度會員大會通報及申請批准通過。
我們知道決定教會的未來是一個不可倉促的過程，也不會立即發生。但是我們堅定地在尋求神對我們教會的旨意和計畫。我們也保持和會眾溝通，持開放的態度聽取諮詢提問及關注個人潛在的顧慮。
在2017年年末，吳以龍和高張素端在教會服事多年的長老崗位上退下來，我們感到很遺憾。現在，任命華語堂新長老的程式已經開始了，我們接受長老的提名，並將在年度會員大會上舉行投票。請大家帶著禱告的心物色最佳人選，請大家一起為華語堂禱告。
請大家繼續為彼此和整個教會禱告，我們倚靠神，神將帶領我們通過禱告，尋求和討論，給我們一切我們需要的，引導我們前面的路。
Bruce Bradburn
主任牧師