Family Letter

July 15, 2007

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

THE SECOND HALF OF 2007

Two weeks ago, I wrote to encourage one another to seize the remaining days in the second half of 2007, to deliver our commitment made to the Lord in the beginning of the year. Today, I am outlining some important events and dates for church-wide activities from July to December, with a view to seeking your prayers and participation so that we continue to honor God through what we do as a corporate body. With our unity and dedication, we will proclaim to the outside world that we serve one Head who has redeemed us all.

Renovation of Movable Partitions for Classrooms 101-104, end of July to early August

Many of you have noticed that the partitions were showing their age and you could almost follow the class in the next room. We will replace these partitions with new ones and the only window of opportunity where the impact of the works would be minimal is about the end of July to early August. We hope to have it all replaced within a few days but just in case, please tolerate some inconveniences. Also pray for safety and quality of the works.

Family Matters Meeting on Amending the By-law for Simplicity & Clarity, 8/5/2007

Just as the movable partitions have served their useful functions and are in need of replacement, our current By-law was last amended 10 years ago in 1997. Since then, we have seen the movement to setting up EFCs in Freemont and Sunset. As a result, we have also changed from a relatively large church of close to 600 into one of a smaller size. The multi-layers of committees in our current By-law might be good in a sizeable church, but for us it has become unsuitable because it does not permit simplicity in the structure. At the same time, experiences over the past 10 years have shown that the By-law did not anticipate a long period without the Senior Pastor and there was actually no provision to enable people like me to be a stop-gap measure. Several other sections are in similar categories and likewise require spelling out. These Family Matters Meetings are therefore organized to inform you of the matter in greater details. Please make an effort to attend either at 11:30 am or 1 pm, and contribute to the success of this exercise.

20^th Anniversary Celebration, 9/14-9/23/2007

This is the time for us to remember the goodness of God over these 20 years and to proclaim again to believers and non-believers His everlasting kindness. We will have revival meetings that are mainly for believers, evangelistic meetings and Gospel Sundays suitable for our non-believer friends and relatives, as well as a celebration for all who have tasted His grace through this Church. Please note the following specifics, mark your calendar, and pray for those who work in this celebration. Do not forget also to pray for people whom you are thinking of inviting to the evangelistic meetings.

· 9/14/07 Friday 7:30 pm Revival Meeting @ SFEFC

· 9/15/07 Saturday 1:00 p.m. Evangelistic Meeting (Adult Fellowship) @ SFEFC

· 9/15/07 Saturday 7:30 p.m. Evangelistic Meeting (General) @ SFEFC

· 9/16/07 Sunday 11:30 a.m. Gospel Sunday @ SFEFC

· 9/21/07 Friday 7:30 p.m. Revival Meeting @ SFEFC

· 9/23/07 Sunday 10:00 a.m. Sunday Celebration Service cum Luncheon @ St. Mary’s Cathedral

Annual Election Meeting, 10/7/2007

We will have a joint Chinese worship service at 10 am and immediately following that we will hold our Annual Election Meeting (AEM) to fill up various positions that are to be vacated at the turn of the New Year. Please begin to pray to understand His gift to you and to have a willingness to serve Him in the church.

Church Picnic, October 2007

This annual function is one of the favorites. It is a good opportunity to get to know brothers and sisters from other fellowships and congregations. It has also been traditionally a good way to get our friends and relatives to come and enjoy a good time amongst Christians. Often, this will be the first step for them towards getting into the house of God. As soon as we have fixed a site and date, we will notify everybody.

Thanksgiving Joint English/Chinese Worship and Luncheon, 11/18/2007

Those of us who attended last year would no doubt look forward towards worshipping together with those from the Chinese Congregation, and having good table fellowship over lunch. We will again keep this tradition and have a joyous sharing of food together to witness to His rich blessings. Do not forget to mark off this date on your calendar and begin to pray for non-believers you would wish to invite.

Thanksgiving Baptism and Membership Transfer, 11/25/2007

If you have not been baptized, this is your opportunity to demonstrate your obedience to the Lord who gave His life for us. Let no excuse stand in the way. If you are not a member of SFEFC but would like to be, this will also be a good occasion. Please pray to God to give you the obedience and courage. Then fill out the form available outside the sanctuary, and pass it to me. You do not need to wait till November to do so.

Christmas Joint Chinese Worship, 12/23/2007

Our two Chinese services will join together to celebrate the birth of Christ. As in any festive season, Christmas is a good time to invite friends and families to come to God’s church to see how children of God worship, and to understand why they worship Him. This is a season for boldly proclaiming the good tidings. Let’s rejoice that He has found us to be worthy heralds.

I hope the above have provided you an overview of the major dates, so that you could plan your own schedule accordingly. It is possible that you would be approached to help out in one or more of these events. If you are, then react with love and grace, just as God has bestowed upon us His loving kindness and gracious gifts.

Pastor Raymond