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[主任牧師報告] [Rector's Report] |
2008Annual Parish Meeting Rector’s Report by The Rev. Lily Chang |
To Bravely Answer God’s Calling
Jesus said to them, "Follow me...." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:19-20)I don’t know how many of you still remember the topic of my sermon at the last Annual Parish Meeting. I think most of you have probably forgotten. Last year I chose the passage from St. John’s Gospel 1:35-42, and I shared with you the topic: “Companions on the Journey of Faith”. In this passage we don’t know which of these 2 disciples first accepted the suggestion of John the Baptist and decided to see who Jesus was. And in this passage we also don’t know which of these 2 disciples first decided to follow Jesus. Actually we can see that both of them decided to follow together. Together they accepted the calling of Jesus to become his disciples.
When I was preparing this year’s sermon for the Annual Parish Meeting, I was so amazed to find that we also read this same passage from St. John’s Gospel last Sunday. It seems that God would like to invite us to continue the idea of last year’s “Companions on the Journey of Faith” and keep walking with him in this coming New Year.
Indeed, we are the church of “Companions on the Journey of Faith”. In 2007, God led us - the Kindergarten, the Senior Social Service Center, and both English and Chinese Congregations – all of us have had different growth experiences. But because we have walked together, we have had more interaction and have been able to support each other and learn from each other. Look at the way we shared together with the old people this Christmas, this was not just the social workers doing their job, but involved interaction with the Kindergarten children, both priests and our elder group church members. We also began a new relationship with Yang Ming High School in 2007. The students were willing to help our seniors and Drew was able to help them in English conversation; which led to us inviting them to join in our Thanksgiving Concert. These are just a few examples, but from these we feel that when we walk together and share the Gospel, God also walks with us, and we are able to see his presence and his miracles.
The growth of the English Congregation in 2007 has been helped not only by 4 new babies who have brought so much happiness and energy, but also by the monthly luncheons; regular Executive meetings; meetings during Lent and Advent; Bible Studies; the fellowship with the English-speaking congregation at St. James, Taichung; the outreach to SOS International Children’s Village and Animals Taiwan; and better relationships with the foreign institutes in Taiwan. We can see that this is because of Rev. Diane’s hard work and the willingness of the English congregation members to help and support her.
In our Chinese Congregation, not only have we had different meetings as usual, but we have also attempted a new event at Thanksgiving, what we called a ‘Thanksgiving Concert’. We shared the Good News with about 300 people from our community. At the Summer Camp we had more than 50 church members joining us to help 130 children to be reached with the Gospel. Our choir made its first CD, named “Seasonal Praises of Good Shepherd” and also participated in the 288 ecumenical choir event. In the Diocesan Bible competition we have earned first place. Senior and teenager groups are stronger than in previous years. Thanks be to God for His grace and blessing. Grateful thanks also to all those who help, support, and donate their time and money.
We are the church of the “Companions on the Journey of Faith”. Rev. Diane not only helps the English Congregation, she also offers her time to support the social workers, kindergarten teachers and parents, as well taking care of spiritual education. Thank God for bringing Grace to us to support the church music ministry. Ms. Grace not only helps our church choir and teenagers’ choir, but also directs the kindergarten teachers and social workers choir.
Looking back on 2007, we can see how much God has poured out his grace upon us. As the gospel passage that we have just heard from Matthew says, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John, they are all companions on the journey of answering the call to become Christians, to become disciples.
What kind of situation were they in when Jesus called them? If we look at the beginning of this passage, it says: “When Jesus heard that John had been arrested”. John the Baptist is the one who has come to prepare the way for Jesus. But now he is in prison. He may be killed because of his faith in the Kingdom of Heaven. In this kind of situation Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John to follow him. What are their responses? According to the Bible, when they heard Jesus say: “Follow me”; verse 20 says that: “Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” Verse 22 says: “Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Jesus.” How could they respond to Jesus so quickly? What kind of faith did they have that meant they were willing to give up everything to follow Jesus? Did they not see the danger and the challenge if they chose to follow Jesus?
Today is our 2008 Annual Parish Meeting. We gather together this day, in front of our LORD. We give thanks to God for the past year, and we come before God to look at this coming year and to set our goals and expectations. Today’s gospel gives us this challenge to learn from the faith of Jesus’ disciples, which is “To Bravely Answer God’s Calling” “To Bravely Answer God’s Invitation”. As today’s Collect says: “Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ”. So this is the topic that I would like to encourage us to think about today.
Let us “Bravely Answer God’s Calling”. Thanks be to God that in 2007, we reached a new high in the history of our stewardship at Good Shepherd, but still we have not yet reached the budget of 3 million that we planned for at the beginning of 2007, although we approach 99.6%. We hope that in the next 2-3 years, we can become financially sound and self sufficient. This is a challenge, but we believe that with God, all things are possible.
Let us “Bravely Answer God’s Calling”. In 2007 the three reconstruction project sub-groups: the Prayer Committee, Building Committee and Funding Committee members all showed great loyalty in helping us give their opinions for our research. Fund-raising activities will start this year. The reconstruction budget has been targeted at NT$ 150 million. We plan to raise NT$ 30 million in the next three years. Once the financial capability of the reconstruction project reaches NT$ 100 million, we will report to the diocese and commence building work.
This is the challenge of our faith. But as Peter, Andrew, James and John heard Jesus’ call, how did they respond? “Immediately they left their nets and followed Jesus.” “Immediately they left the boat and followed Jesus.” Some say that the faith of Peter, Andrew, James and John could be described by that one word: “leave”. They left what they depended on but only to depend on God. They left what they planned to do but only to look upon Jesus and to have courage to answer God’s calling and invitation.
I ask all of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, to pray for the reconstruction project of Good Shepherd. As I mentioned in the 2006 Annual Parish Meeting: “For such church reconstruction work as this, it is no simple task, but a holy and spiritual matter. When we pray, we must in faith seriously ask God to guide us in our mission and planning for the future. God can speak through prayer and through our team work. As we put him at our centre, he can raise a common consensus among us, then we can better understand what he wants to reveal to us.”
Therefore let us use today’s collect to be our prayer to God. “Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works.” In this coming year let us continually strive to be “Companions on the Journey of Faith”, and “To Bravely Answer God’s Calling”. May our church have growth in all its different areas. May God delight in what we sincerely offer. May the glory be given to our Father in Heaven. Amen.