U MATTERS
Christmas is a wonderful time of celebrating and entertaining. We decorate, we entertain, we reach out to family and friends. But this year is different. As I canceled another event, I was reminded of a verse - “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17
This Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent and our theme is “great joy”. The Bible speaks a lot about joy. James reminds us – “whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” James 1:2-3
The Psalmist said, “Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5
Jesus proclaimed, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11
This is the season of joy. And the coming of the Messiah gives great joy! But without an eternal spiritual perspective our joy can easily be quenched. This Christmas season may we too be "overwhelmed with joy" and reflect the same joy that the wise men had when they saw the Messiah:
"When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:10-11
With joy, Pastor Michele
CHURCH FAMILY NEWS
Online worship this Sunday!
Have you been reading the Union Church Advent Devotional? We so appreciate the reflections and prayers from our own church family members and staff. It is one of the ways to feel connected during this latest round of online worshipping and meeting. If you did not receive the devotional at church, please collect yours at the office from Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 6:00pm or give us a ring on 2523 7247.
A word about extended family - we now have 120 construction workers on site at 22A! The church through the BUFF team will reach out to workers next week with a small Christmas gift including the Alpha booklet “Why Christmas?” in Chinese. Please continue to pray for the workers’ safety and that curiosity is sparked as they read about the true meaning of Christmas.
THIS WEEK
Worship is ONLINE this Sunday, 13 December at 9:45am and 11:15am - be blessed by the message and the Children’s Christmas Musical. Online Sunday School is continuing as noted below. We have a full worship schedule planned for this special season. Check it out here and share the link with your friends and colleagues. We are online until further notice.
Zoom into Christmas - Children’s Christmas Musical: Sunday, 13 December, 9:45am and 11:15am. This Christmas is unlike any before. How can we stay connected while being separate? Watch as our amazing group of children tells the Christmas story in a new and exciting way at Union Church’s first-ever filmed children’s Nativity musical. Even while we’re apart, the story of the first Nativity will bring us together.
Blue Christmas: A Service of Reflection for Difficult Days, Wednesday 16 December, 7:30pm, online. Christmas is often a season that brings up difficult memories and emotions, and with all the losses and changes of 2020, many may find Christmas a challenging time. This special service offers an opportunity to acknowledge the grief and pain we bring to the manger this year, and find some comfort in the birth of Immanuel, God with us. We will worship with music, silence, and prayers, and let God minister to our deepest needs. Watch online on the Union Church website, Facebook or YouTube.
Zoom Coffee Hour: Between Sunday services, grab a cup of tea or coffee and connect with friends and church leaders 10:45am - 11:15am. Contact the admin team any time to get the Zoom link. See you there!
Giving: Thank you for supporting God’s ministries at Union Church. You may give online or use the QR code below. You can also send us a cheque made payable to "Union Church" to: 18F, Sunlight Tower, 248 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
Giving by US taxpayers: If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation, kindly date and send your cheques made payable to “Friends of Hong Kong Charities, Inc.” to the Union Church Accounts department no later than 31 December 2020. If it is late, your donation cannot be recognised in the 2020 tax year.
UPCOMING
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: Enjoy carols and more during our online Christmas Eve service on 24 December at 5:00pm and our Christmas Day celebration on 25 December at 10am. The online Advent and Christmas programme can be found here.
ReCharge
ReCharge will reconvene early in the new year! Join our Blue Christmas service on 16 December (see above).
Missions
Flourishing Future: The pandemic lockdown in Mongolia is severely impacting daily wage earners. Our UC Missions partner, Flourishing Future, is serving 300+ hungry and cold families in -28C weather without money for coal and food. HK$900 will sustain one family for one month. Proceeds from Union Church's love offering this Advent and Christmas season will go to Flourishing Future. Since we are worshipping online, you may send your cheque to the Church office any time. Please make it payable to "Union Church" with Flourishing Future on the reverse side. Watch the video and visit www.flourishingfuture.com.
SAT-7 is one of Union Church’s Missions partners. SAT-7 delivers Christian satellite television for the Middle East and Africa, supporting Christians in their witness and lives, and sharing the good news with the unreached. Please pray for their audiences whose family life, livelihoods, education and mental health have been affected by COVID-19. Pray that SAT-7's Christ-centred programming helps viewers find freedom in God this Christmas season. Learn more at https://sat7.org/.
Sons & Daughters: The mission of Sons & Daughters is to help those caught in sexual exploitation to reclaim a life of love, family, and freedom in Christ. They have started skills training with local women to offer alternative means of work. Please pray for women to thrive with confidence in new livelihoods and also for women to engage in the new Chinese-language Alpha course. Please consider donating everyday items for their drop-in centre and safe house: https://forms.gle/6pUQ7LqAte5DdY1bA.
Read more about all of our Missions partners here. We thank God for the opportunity to build bridges with them in His Kingdom.
Kingdom Kids
Online Sunday School: This Sunday, we will gather online via Zoom from 10:45 am - 11:30 am for a viewing of our Children’s Christmas Musical followed by games. Registration required.
Sunday School 2020/2021 Registration is open: All babies and children need to be registered for the Creche and Sunday School which also allows you to get the Zoom link for our online Sunday School. You may complete the registration form here. For more information, please visit the Union Church website or contact us by email or ring us on 2101 0414.
Youth
Friday Youth Group – 11 December: We’re going online this week, and we invite Youth to join us from 6:00pm - 8:00pm for a night of games, discussion and a creative activity that will give Youth a chance to talk about their passions! Youth can join the Zoom via this link.
Sunday Youth – 13 December: We’re meeting online this week. Youth can join a Zoom call at 11:15am where we’ll read scripture together and discuss. Currently we are exploring the Psalms together. Youth can join with this link.
Wednesday Church History Study – 16 December: On Wednesdays, we’re enjoying a series based around the History of the Church – diving into how the church started, and how it has evolved and grown over the centuries. Join us on Wednesday, 6:30pm – 8:00pm. Here’s the Zoom link!
Small Groups
Meeting as a small group at this time is challenging, but the support from each other is more important than ever. There are online options - please reach out if you need help figuring this out! If you aren't currently in a group, we encourage you to try it out in the new year. There are groups for women, men, couples, day-time, night-time, etc. Interested? Contact Monte Peterson.
Connecting
Pastoral Care: For prayer, please contact Ministry leaders directly or or call 6225 5042.
Stephen Ministers are members of our congregation who listen, care, encourage, and provide emotional and spiritual support to people going through a crisis or a difficult time. Please contact Pastor Michele or if we can help.
Fertility & Pregnancy/Infant Loss Support Group - Struggling and could use some fellowship, friendship and support? Please contact Tess Lyons.
Families in Need (FIN)
Our Families in Need ministry helps people with their basic monthly needs. If you can help, we are grateful for your generosity. Please mark your envelope "FIN".
“Good News: Crossing Boundaries” – Monte Peterson