Psalm 133 says: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!...For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life evermore”.

 

The name “Union” was given to this Church. However, the enemy always seeks to sow “Dis-union” and divide us. We have all fallen short, we have all made mistakes. Martin Luther King Jr said “There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” The apostle Paul says “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Only in Christ is this truly possible. Only He who loves and dwells within us is our hope; in Him we are more than conquerors. He promises that when we confess our sins and repent He is faithful and will forgive our sins and restore us to fellowship with Him. He “re-Unions us”! We therefore should confess, repent and seek restoration so as to be “re-Unioned” with Him and with one another.

 

This starts with “me”, that is with each one of us!

 

The Special Meeting last Sunday was a time when we came together as a body and shared views, opinions and heartfelt feelings. While there was a diversity of views expressed, there are many who feel we left with a greater sense of unity than when we arrived. Many have said that it was a positive “watershed moment” for Union Church. There was also a strong sense of the need to look forward, to journey “onward and upward” in seeking, with God’s help and inspiration, to become a more Christ-centred and loving community of faith. Let us not leave these “good feelings” there. Let us indeed seek to move forward in “re-Union”, reflecting authentic unity in the midst of our rich diversity, with Christ as our true centre.

 

The vision statement of Union Church is “making mature followers in all nations for Christ, through our united lifestyle, witness and mission” May this be so. Although we are many, in Christ we are one! 

 

May we always cherish and give thanks for the love and grace of God which we receive so freely, yet at such great cost to our Saviour, and which bind us together more closely than the differences that can ever separate us.

 

The Leaders of Union Church

13 Feb: Environmental Justice: It's Just Creation with Matt Peterson. Is it a just creation—a creation of God to revere and live by? Or is it just creation—something we can destroy because it’s Earth, not Heaven? What does the Bible tell us about creation, and what does creation tell us about God, the author of all things? In our era of “de-creation,” with rising seas, deforestation, and mass extinction, what is our confession, and to what life might God be calling us?
20 Feb: Justice for Women with Brittney Tsang from Sons and Daughters. Sons and Daughters is a ministry that seeks to reach out to the men and women in the red-light districts of Hong Kong, with a mission to interrupt the darkness by sharing God's love with those trapped in or vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
27 Feb: Justice for Refugees with Dr. Isabella Ng, co-founder of Hong Kong Society for Asylum-Seekers and Refugees. Dr. Ng is an academic working with the Department of Asian and Policy Studies in The Education University of Hong Kong. Her research areas are gender and migration in Asia, and she is currently working on Thailand and Burma's displaced population. Through both her research and her activism, she works to better inform the public and the policy-makers on what the real picture is with asylum-seekers and refugees in Hong Kong.

Save the Date: 29th - 30th March 2019. Union Church is inviting everyone to join us at the Methodist Retreat Centre on Lantau for a Family Retreat. There will be lots of fun, worship and connecting activities. More details will follow, but if you are interested please contact or complete the form at the Welcome table. Please note that places are limited, so they will be allocated on a "first come, first served" basis.

Sunday Lunch Study
Join us as we read and discuss The Good and Beautiful God together (our church wide study) after church on Sundays. 12:30PM-2:00PM, youth room. Books available at the Welcome Table ($70).

Note: we will NOT be meeting this Sunday, 10 Feb, but will start again 17 Feb, discussing chapter 7, "God is Self-Sacrificing."

 

Men

“Word Made Flesh”: The Gospel of John as a one-man show!
A new 6-weeks Bible study for Young Adults.
Actor Joe Boyd explores the mysteries of the Gospel of John in a one-man show that utilizes his unique balance of comedy, sincere drama, and historical insights crafted over decades of studying the text and performing on stages across the US.
Join Anto for this new study that will take place every Wednesday, starting in January, for 6 weeks.
Every screening will be followed by a group discussion.
Wednesday Night (as part of ReCharge), from Jan.9 to Feb.20, 2019 (with break on Feb.6 for CNY) 7:00PM dinner, 7:45-9PM study Email Anto Ficatier for more information!

New to Union?
Are you a Young Adult new to Union Church? Make sure you meet our Young Adults Director, Anto Ficatier, at the Welcome Table every Sunday. You can also email Anto for more information about Young Adults at Union!  

There will be no Friday Youth Group during the CNY break. We will start back the following Friday, 15 February.

 

Youth can attend at either 9:45AM or 11:15AM.
Juniors (11-13) and Seniors (14-18) will meet in Indigo Hotel 29/F, and seniors will head out after prayer to have a biblical discussion.

 

Next Sunday will be our first Confirmation class of the year. We will meet in the Youth Room in Sunlight Tower at 12:30PM for a 2 hour class, with light lunch and snacks provided.

Creche Center & Sunday School Resumes, Sunday 10 February, 9.45 am & 11.15 am
A Blessed and Happy Chinese New Year to all of our Kingdom Kids families. This coming Sunday we resume our regular Sunday School class and we look forward to welcome back all of our children. Children aged 0 to 3 years old are invited to join our Creche Center for an exciting program designed specifically to stimulate and nurture our little ones. Children ages 3 to 10 years old are invited for Praise and Worship at the Fellowship Hall at the start of the service followed by Sunday School lesson and activities at the designated rooms.

 

Sunday School Teachers
Kingdom Kids is seeking additional lead teachers for our 3-5 year olds and 10 year olds group at the 11:15AM service. It is a wonderful opportunity to be able to share the gospel with young ones and it will bring so much joy to your life and the lives of the children and their families. If you are interested in joining our amazing team of Sunday School teacher volunteers, please reach out to us at  . Training is provided. 

 

Sunday School 2018/2019 Registration
In order to receive updates regarding Children Ministry programs and for the safety of all children attending our Sunday School and Creche Program, we ask that parents please register their children by filling in and signing the Registration Form available on our church website and also at the Welcome Table. Register HERE and for more information please visit www.unionchurchhk.org or contact us at or 2101 0414. Thank you.

Filipino Ministry

"God is Love" by Pastor Michele Bland