Pastor’s Corner                                           Mrs. Liu   July 2010

A heart with Passion

PGC’s bible reading movement has reached the book of Exodus in June.  One day while I was reading chapter 35 and 36, I was captivated by how the whole Israel nation was involved by their willingness to offer many different kinds of gifts for the making of the Tabernacle until Moses gave an order to stop, for it was more than enough (36:5)! I also noticed how the words “willing”, “willing and whose heart moved”, “skilled” (wisdom in his heart) are repeating all the time!   These words all point to our hearts.  Our hearts and our passion motivate us to offer, to give, to achieve what God has planned, but they can also destroy and ruin everything we own.

We care about our appearance, but God cares about our heart. When Mary brought an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume to offer to Jesus, the disciples were indignant and gave her a hard time!  Only Jesus told them it was a beautiful thing!    While everyone admired how the rich man offered, Jesus praised the widow’s offering of her two small coins.  While Cain offered some fruits faithfully to God, God looked more with favour for Abel’s offering because they were the best from his flock.  How they reminded us relationship with God is not just finishing a task, but how our passion to give God the best.

While I was a young Christian, someone reminded me, “A responsible person finishes his job, but a person with passion makes his work beautiful!”

It’s such a great reminder for me from time to time as I face my family, meet different people, and in ministry and so on.   If heart our generator of life, what is inside our hearts? Is it fatigue? Is it serenity? Strength? Or do we allow sadness, anger, withdrawal and critical spirit to control us?   If we don’t have fellowship time with God each day in quietness, how can we façade ourselves with strength and stability?  If we don’t have time to reflect and adjust our lives, our lives can never be beautiful!     Furthermore, how can we finish the tasks God has assigned to us and make them beautiful?

While I attended Charis’ dance school recital in June, she admiringly told me, “Mom, a few girls danced so brilliantly!”  I answered, “Yes, because not only did they dance, but they danced with joy and passion!  Listen!  There are indeed a lot of great performers in all disciplines, but there may be only a few worshippers you can find among them!   Mom wants you to be a worshipper in whatever God has placed you.”

A noble heart can turn ordinary tasks to be a channel of love and blessing to others.   Back in May 2008, William and I took our children back to Hong Kong to visit my ailing mom-in-law.  We were so grateful that my friend in Hong Kong offered us to stay with her family.  I will never forget how they spared their own master bedroom for us, while 3 of her family joyfully slept in the living room!    At the end of my trip, we gave her some money as a token of thanks.    On our way back, we were surprised to find an envelope in our luggage!    On the envelop she printed, “Everything was from my heart.”  When I opened it, I found the whole sum of money that I gave her.  I still could not hold me tears as I write this.

May we always treasure our relationship with Jesus, and keep our hearts clean to be a fountain of blessings to others.

The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

牧者心聲               廖傳道              2010年7月

從心而發

萬民堂6月份的讀經運動正讀出埃及記。一天,當我讀到35-36章﹐提及以色列全會中如何甘心樂意為神的帳幕造各樣的工﹐獻各樣的禮物﹐甚至不必再拿來﹐因為一切已｢富富有餘｣時, 我被經文中不斷重覆出現的 ｢心｣字深深吸引﹕｢凡心裡受感｣､｢甘心樂意的｣､ ｢心裡有智慧｣､｢甘心獻的禮物｣､｢心中有智慧的｣……我們的內心﹐能發動一切､奉獻一切､擺上一切﹐成就神一切的美意﹔卻也能拆毀一切､敗壞一切。

您和我常專注和介懷別人怎樣看我們的外妝﹐但是 神卻看重我們內心! 馬利亞那從心而發的愛和奉獻香膏﹐雖帶來不少門徒的批評揶揄﹐卻得著了將被賣主耶穌的心﹗ 窮寡婦獻上的兩個小錢﹐勝過財主擲地有聲的滿滿奉獻﹗該隱對神｢求其｣和｢盡責｣的奉獻﹐不及弟弟亞伯把頭生和最好獻上而得神的喜悅…皆因是我們的內心是怎樣﹖

初信時候﹐曾聽一位長輩分享﹕

責任叫人把事情做完了﹔用心卻叫人把事情做得更好更美﹗

無論面對家庭､親人､工作､面對顧客､事奉﹐這說話常在我心內﹗它提醒這忙碌和容易失迷的我﹗如果內心是一個人最寶貴的地方﹐那麼我們讓它充滿了什麼﹖

我們可以用哪個形容詞來形容自己內心常有的狀態﹖是 ｢倦透了｣﹖｢平靜安穩｣﹖｢詩般樣的心｣﹖還是｢煩躁｣､｢傷心｣､｢忿怒｣､｢抽離｣､｢批判｣﹖沒有安靜與神相交的靈﹐又怎能擠出或裝出平靜安穩､或溫柔安靜的內心﹖沒有謙卑和清晰的調整､重修﹐生命並不能再綻放異彩。  再說﹕在生命裡又如何把  神交托給我們的事情做得美﹖做得好﹖

女兒參與跳舞學校年終表演後跟我說﹕很多女孩子跳得很棒﹐很出色。我跟她說﹕｢是的﹗她們不單努力﹐而且用心﹗但媽媽很想和您說﹕這世上有很多 great performers (出色表現者), 但往往很少能夠是天父眼中的 great worshippers(美好的敬拜者)! 我很希望囡囡學用心﹐盡心做好每件事﹐用敬拜的心來敬拜天父﹗做一個worshipper!｣

美善的內心把平凡的事變成愛和祝福別人的美事﹗ 2008年我和丈夫兒女回港探望病塌中的家姑﹐那時得著一個姊妹接待﹐把她的主人房騰出來給我們一家住宿﹐而她自己和丈夫兒子則在大廳睡﹐齊齊做廳長﹗  我在旅程完結前送給她一筆金錢感謝她的照顧和開支﹐但在我回加途上﹐嚇然發現行李中有她的一封信﹐信封面上寫著﹕｢一切從心以發﹗｣  ﹐裡面她把所有的金錢退還給我﹗執筆之際﹐我的眼淚現今仍掉下來﹗

但願我們在愛我們的主面前﹐好好調整和保守內心﹐成為一個美善之泉﹗

聖經說﹕｢您要保守您心﹐勝過保守一切﹐因為一生的果效﹐是由心發出來﹗｣箴4:23

2010年的母親節

自從有了孩子，每年的母親節都是在家裡跟妻子和孩子們一同慶祝的，今年例外。。。

三月初，還在上海的時候，從妻子處收到母親摔跤進了醫院的消息。母親因為脊椎骨損壞，壓到神經，雙腿麻痺，又非常疼痛； 止疼藥吃多了，就頭暈，腳無力，兩次在衛生間摔跤，雖然頭上縫了幾針，身上的骨頭還好沒有一根破損，實在感恩！

小的時候，我喜歡到天台去放風箏，有時還會跟鄰近天台的小孩們鬥，看誰的風箏飛得高，飛得遠，有時兩個風箏相碰，便用力扯拽，要將對方風箏的線弄斷，每逢看到斷線的風箏，我們一票的小孩子就會在街上跑着去搶；我家在海旁，有時一陣大風刮來，斷線的風箏就會被吹到海浪的上空，慢慢地被帶走；那時的心情，已經記不清楚，只記得每次都是呆呆的站在那兒，直到風箏消失在無邊的天際裡。。。在外已經多年，不知道為什麼有時候還會感覺到自己好像一只斷線的風箏，隨風飄盪，從大洋的一邊，慢慢飄到另一邊。
倦鳥歸林，遊子思鄉；父親去世後，十多年來，總是找機會，找藉口，要回老家看望母親。母親一向個性爽朗、獨立，只愛助人，不求人助，自己生活，不靠兒女。這回倒下來，她實在沒法接受。三月中旬，我從深圳到香港，哥嫂已經比我早一天從美國飛到；看著母親在病榻上的煎熬，疼痛難支，我們卻愛莫能助，心中只有跟她一同疼著。為著要替她打打氣，也難得咱們兄弟和小妹五個人都在一起，在過去的四十年中，這才是第五次呢，於是決定為她提前慶祝生日；餐廳裡，雖然身體上的疼痛沒有減少，但母親的臉上還是流露出歡慰的笑容。第二天，哥嫂就飛走了，再過兩天，我也回多市了。
五月九號是今年的母親節。十八歲以前，不懂得有母親節，父親是海員，終年在外，從沒有人提醒我們要慶祝母親節；十八歲之後，我就沒有在母親節的時候回過老家。思前想後，終於決定再回港一趟，與母親共渡母親節。好不容易，從醫院替她請了兩天假；和妹妹推着輪椅，帶她回老人中心，又去教會做禮拜。能夠和多年的老朋友相聚，兩個月以來的辛酸疼苦，終於得到暢懷喧泄的機會。後來，一家人去吃晚飯，孫子孫媳婦也在，開心極了！席中，母親突然冒出一句：『今天，我很高興；我是等了九十多年的！』聽後，內心不禁有點黯然。。。希望再有機會與她共渡母親節。
回程中，飛機遇到氣流，我從睡夢中被震醒；向窗外俯瞰，飛機正在加拿大洛基山脈的上空，高山峻嶺，終年積雪，在耀眼的陽光下炯炯生輝，我遊目四處尋找，看看在幽暗的山谷中有否人煙之處；忽然發現機旁有一朵孤雲，正從我的來路飛來。凝視着，心中的萬般思緒，又被帶返母親在醫院的病榻前。幾天以來，一直聽到她的痛苦呻吟、責問，心中的不甘、憤怒、掘強、無奈。。。歷歷在目。臨走的前一個晚上，我握着她的手為她禱告，說了『阿門』，正要張開眼睛，覺得母親緊握着我的手不放，我以為她捨不得我離開，突然聽到她放聲禱告，求神保守我回家的路程，然後一個一個為我家裡的人提名祝福；母親常為我們禱告，我是知道的，這時緊握我的手，懇切陳詞。。。卻是第一次！說過『阿門』，我就讓她安心睡覺；趕快轉過身來，拖著弟弟和妹妹的手離開，因怕在她面前掉下眼淚。
第二天，帶著母親的祝福，我踏上了回加的歸程。這時的一片孤雲，像是告訴我：母親的眷愛、看護、叮嚀，是會不斷地追隨着我。我與母親，雖然身隔萬里，卻是心心相繫在主裡。

Mother’s Day 2010

I celebrated every single Mother’s Day with my wife and kids ever since I became a father, but this year was a different one!

While I was in Shanghai this March, Dorcas sent me news that my mom was sent to hospital. She lost strength and balance in the washroom due to an overdose of painkillers that was trying to relieve her pains that resulted from her deteriorating spine. She got several stitches on her head. Despite two falls, we thank the LORD that no bones were broken!
I love to fly kites on the rooftop with my neighboring kids when I was young. We were dying to see whose kite went highest and farthest, to an extent that we even cut each other’s kite down. Whenever a kite got broken, we ran after it to see who could get it. Since we lived by the sea, I can still remember many times I would stand frozen by the shore to watch a broken kite blown away towards the sea until it disappear from sight. ….many years later, I feel like myself as a broken kite: carried by the wind from one continent to another!
A Chinese proverb says “A wanderer longs to return home and a tired bird longs for his nest.” It is true for me in the past ten years since my dad passed away. I try my best to maximize the time to visit my mom in Hong Kong. My mom is an independent, easygoing and helpful lady never expecting people’s return or our help. Therefore she took her recent falls really hard. As we visited her at the hospital in March (my brother and his wife also came back from US), we were heartbroken and yet so helpless to see her suffering from such unbearable pain. In order to cheer her up and encourage her to move on, we five children decided to take her out for an early birthday celebration dinner. How precious is this moment! This is only the fifth time in the past 40 years that all her children could gather together! Although her pain was not lessening during the dinner, her face was brilliantly satisfied! My brother, his wife and I all flown away and returned home the next day.
May 9th was Mother’s Day this year. I never knew about Mother’s Day before I was 18 years old. My dad was a sailor and he was never home so nobody reminded us of celebrating Mother’s Day with her. After I left home at 18, I had never celebrated Mother’s Day with my mom! After much thoughts in April, I decided to go back Hong Kong once more in May to celebrate Mother’s Day with her. We took her out from hospital for 2 days. My sister pushed her in a wheelchair. We took her to senior center, church worship service and even take her to meet with her old friends! At a dinner time with all of us and her grandchildren together she was overjoyed! She suddenly said, “Today I am so joyful! I have been waiting for 90 plus years for tonight!” My heart sank at her words…..may God bless her so that we can celebrate Mother’s Day with her again!
On my return flight to Canada, the plane met a strong air current that woke me up from a deep sleep. As I watched the Rockies out of the window with dazzling white snow I wondered if there are any houses or villages. Suddenly I saw a single piece of cloud by my window! My mind flew back to my mother at her hospital bed of the past few days. She was crying and moaning, questioning and feeling helpless…..everything was still clear on my mind! The night before I left her, I held her hands to pray for her. As I said, “Amen” my mother’s hands wouldn’t let go of mine! I thought she did not want to see me go but she prayed out loud instead! She asked the Lord to protect my way home, and she blessed every person in my family by name! I know that my mom had always been praying for us, but it was the first time I heard her earnest prayers holding my hands. After she said “Amen” we let her sleep. I quickly took my brother and sister’s hands to leave as I was holding my tears!
I took my mother’s blessing as I returned home next day. This piece of cloud reminds me of my mother’s loving care and encouragement by my side. Though we are thousand miles apart, our hearts are joined together in the LORD!

牧者心聲 陳牧師 2010年4月

四月初與太太到美國賭城慶祝結婚廿週年，好不容易可以放下工作及家庭與太太共渡數日，又可以故地重遊，實在是賞心樂事。有趣的是人雖在外，但心裡無法忘記遠方的兒子，自己會每天都藉電郵與三子聯絡，太太則在購物時必先想三子的需要。當想到將來有朝一日空巢時，便要適應只有對方的生活，或許要找多些機會及借口，二人多些獨處才是，也可以此為借口，要三子多做一點家務，讓兩老可以去拍拖；我倆少一點家務，三子可以無王管，各得其所！

近期與李傳道及柯傳道開始每週一次在清晨開早禱會，雖然只是一個多小時，但每次結束時都意猶未盡，十分享受弟兄間同心禱告的甜蜜，並且可以清晨與主談心，實在美好。但可能年紀大了，每次早禱會完了，當天晚上都要早一點休息，這回可真是早起早睡了！

最近開始了一個新嗜好，就是寫網誌，要每日添新內容實在不易，然而這卻給自己另一個機會去反醒生活及與神的關係，不單叫自己更敏於用屬靈眼光看生活的點滴，且可以透過網絡與人分享信仰，是另一種滿足感。只盼可以透過現代科技，多一條渠道事奉神，利己利人，榮神益人。

同工消息

1. 蕭牧師將在5月5至11日回港探望正在醫院療養背痛的母親﹐請為她禱告。
2. 李傳道將在5月7日至26日休無薪假期與親戚到以色列旅遊。他母親日前曾跌傷盆骨﹐請為她禱告。
3. 感謝主﹐柯傳道上月回港探望他的外婆﹐並領她歸主。
4. 葉牧師將在5月31日至6月22日到菲律賓訓練韓國及菲律賓宣教士﹐請為旅程禱告。

In January my mission trip took me to two cities in India: Hyderabad and Kolkata. I came back with a deeper appreciation of Canada as a haven of freedom and rest, yet at the same time with an awareness of God’s great work outside the western world.

Hyderabad was in the midst of political turmoil with the people of the area wanting to form a separate state. While in Canada such a desire is usually resolved peaceably, in India violence cannot be avoided with many people wounded and university students committing suicide (foreigners like me are very safe though). Yet OM India, the mission whose staff I taught, has over 2,000 staff planting churches everywhere in India including many unreached people groups.

Kolkata (formerly called Calcutta), the city of joy, has little joy with 1 million homeless people and perennial pollution. A pastor told me that the whole city was a giant slum. It is also spiritually oppressive, being the only city in India named after an Indian god (Kali). Mother Teresa started work among the dying right next to the temple of Kali. There is constant persecution of Christians in the surrounding areas.

Yet God is doing a great work. Many of the students at the training school that I taught have already planted churches while in training. The whole mission has planted over 200 churches. The mission director asked me to teach them about discipling, which they are weak at. Using what we developed in our church I led them through the methodology of cell ministry and intensive discipling. In the process I led them through Neil Anderson’s 7 Steps to Freedom in Christ. It was not done properly since many of them had poor English and required translation; and yet God touched many hearts and many shared with tears how their lives were changed. At the end of the training they wanted to change the churches they planted into cell churches and asked me to go back to teach them more. I am reminded of our church’s vision statement: “multipling disciples . . .locally and worldwide”; here is an example of extending our church’s discipling ministry worldwide.
While I appreciate Canada as a haven I can return to, God is doing a greater work elsewhere where there is great poverty and darkness. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20). I feel very blessed to be able to participate in this work of God in the Majority World.

Staff News

1. After taking the place of a missionary couple in Germany for 5 weeks Pastor Lee is now in Hong Kong and China visiting various ministries.
2. Pastor Siu is now in Hong Kong and Asia for 3 weeks to teach and to visit family and friends.
3. Pastor Or’s grandmother is very sick and he will soon go to Hong Kong to see her and to witness to her.

我在1月份短宣中到訪印度2個城市-海德拉巴 (Hyderabad)和 加爾各答 (Kolkata). 回來加國後﹐我不但為能夠居住在如 此自由和安寧的加拿大而感恩﹐我也比以往更深察覺神在西方國家以外的奇妙工作。

海德拉巴民眾因渴望成立獨立州份導致政局不穩。在加國﹐類似的問題通常都以和平方式訴求和解決﹐但在印度卻引發很多暴力衝突﹕不少民眾傷亡﹐大學生也為此自殺(我身為外國人卻比較安全)。今次我所教導的印度宣教士們皆屬印度OM差會﹐差會共有2000名同工在印度各處建立教會﹐深入未得之民。

加爾各答雖被稱為｢喜樂城｣﹐但城內卻有超過一百萬無家可歸者﹐城市污染亦十分嚴重﹐實在看不到什麼喜樂。有一位牧者告訴我整個城市就像一個巨型的貧民窟。這城市亦深受嚴重的靈界捆鎖﹐因這是印度唯一以印度教神(Kali)命名之城﹐ 德蘭修女的事奉開始就在Kali 神廟旁邊服侍一些垂 死的人﹐而且鄰近各方的基督徒常受到逼害。但是神的工作卻很偉大﹕很多前來學習植堂的學生在未完成學業前已經在各處植了堂會﹗整個差會已在印度各處建立了200間教會。 差會總監因為感到教會內門徒訓練事工比較弱﹐故邀請我教導他們門徒訓練。我就藉著在恩典堂牧會的發展經驗﹐分享細胞小組事工理念和密集的門訓方法。在教學過程中我亦使用尼德生(Neil Anderson) 的 ｢主裡得勝 7步驟｣來帶領他們經歷在基督裡的自由和得勝。雖然他們英語水平低﹐需要翻譯﹐以致習作進行遇上不少障礙﹐但神的靈卻觸動了很多心靈﹐他們有些流著淚分享生命怎樣得到改變。他們很渴望能夠為他們所建立的教會帶來改變﹐也渴望成立細胞小組﹐所以邀請我再回去教導。 我不禁想到我們教會的異象信約﹕｢…門徒倍增﹐遠近宣揚…｣ 這豈不是神藉著我們的門徒訓練事工來在世上其它 地方倍增主的門徒嗎﹖

雖然我已回到一個安寧和自由的加拿大﹐但我卻看到神的靈卻更大的在一些貧窮和極黑暗的地方作工﹗
｢耶穌舉目看著門徒，說：你們貧窮的人有福了！因為神的國是你們的 。｣路6:12 能夠在佔世界人口大多數的貧窮人中事奉神﹐我實在感到十分蒙恩﹗

同工消息
1. 李傳道結束了5個星期的德國短宣﹐他現在香港和中國探訪不同的事工。
2. 蕭牧師現有3星期在香港和中國探親和教學。
3. 柯傳道的外婆在香港病情嚴重﹐他即將回港探望她和向她傳福音。 (廖傳道譯)

信徒的『呼吸』与『進餐』

『親愛的弟兄啊，你們卻要在至聖的真道上造就自己，在聖靈裡禱告，保守自己常在　神的愛中，仰望我們主耶穌基督的憐憫，直到永生。』（猶大書1：20-21）

有人認為『禱告』像是信徒的『呼吸』，讀經則是『進餐』，深願我們都像新生的嬰兒，渴慕那純淨的靈奶，藉著每天固定地禱告靈修生活，使得屬靈生命漸漸成長。

恩典的歲月 (9-2009)

到多市這三十二年中，大概可分成三個十年的時期， 頭十年我們夫婦投身中大學生的工作，八十年代，從香港和東南亞來的留學生特別多，大多數聚居在唐人街一帶，我們的家也成了許多學生進出的地方。

『他的憐憫不致斷絕。 每早晨，這都是新的；你的誠實極其廣大！』（哀3：22-23）

還沒走進聚會的地方，弟兄姊妹就跑過來：『蕭牧師，恭喜您今天按牧！』。

『感謝主，如果沒有您們，我也不會有今天的。。。』