U Matters
Last week we kicked off a new season of children’s and youth ministry. We are blessed to have Jacklien Lee lead our Sunday School ministry and Hunter Purvis leading our youth ministry. Under their leadership, creative programs are implemented, lay-leaders are recruited and our children and youth are taught Christian values and principles to help them navigate life. Additionally, they also are available to support, encourage and pray for parents. We are grateful for their passion, their heart and their dedication, to both God and the people they are serving faithfully each week.
Children are a gift from God. (Ps. 127:3) It is an honour and privilege to encourage them, pray for them and build them up in the Lord. In doing so, we are making an investment that will last. I am reminded of this poem taken from the book, Children Learn What They Live by Nolte and Harris;
If a child lives with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, they learn to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If a child lives with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If a child lives with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If a child lives with tolerance, they learn to be patient.
If a child lives with praise, they learn appreciation.
If a child lives with acceptance, they learn to love.
If a child lives with approval, they learn to love themselves.
If a child lives with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If a child lives with security, they learn to have faith in those around them.
If a child lives with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
The Bible reminds us of the importance and value of investing in our children and youth. Proverbs says, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6.
Blessing,
Pastor Michele
ReCharge Returns!
Join us for dinner, worship and study together on Wednesday nights, 7:00-9:00 pm.
Study opportunities include:
- Revelation, led by Chris Fung
- The Gospel According to Jonah, led by Monte Peterson
- The Keys to a Blessed Life (Young Adults), led by Timothy Ng, Joshua Ng, KK Ip and Ken Morrison
- Lord of the Rings and the Gospel (Youth), led by Hunter Purvis
- Alpha, led by Patrick Wilson (starts Sept 25)
- Stephen’s Ministry Supervision, led by Pastor Michele
Prayer. All are welcome to join us for weekly prayer.
Tuesday Morning Prayer - 7:30am
Wednesday Discernment Prayer - 7:00-8:00pm
Sunday prayer for the city after each of the worship services
175th Anniversary
Worship and Celebration Service: Saturday, 19th October at Methodist International Church - all welcome. Please sign up at the Welcome Table or utilise the QR.
Opportunities
Prayer and Discernment for Union Church - Wednesday, 7:00PM to 8:15PM
Prayer & Discernment Update. The Prayer & Discernment Group continued to meet throughout the summer and as people return from travel, we encourage the community to join the group on Wednesday evenings at 7PM. Those who attended the 23rd March AGM and/or church meeting on 9th June, learned that the Prayer & Discernment Group was created to support Union Church with entering a time of Healing, Waiting on the Lord, and a Season of Stillness. We have clearly discerned that the first priority is to prayerfully seek greater alignment and healing to deepen our trust and become a more Christ-centred community. As such, we have not discerned that we should be in any hurry to commence a search for a Senior Pastor. We believe that unless we first "put our house in order" and seek deep healing through unified prayers, old strongholds will remain entrenched, and issues that have surfaced at various times in Union Church' s past, wi ll recur, in various forms. We can be likened to the Israelites, who waited to move only when the fire by night or the cloud by day led them to go forward. We firmly believe the Lord is telling us to 'wait' before we move forward towards a search. Meanwhile, God is doing great things at Union Church. We are working with Pastor Michele to ensure that the staffing is suitably resourced and that ministries are properly supported. We welcome all to pray as a community while we wait on the Lord to lead us forward.
Sunday School Teachers Needed
Kingdom Kids needs adults who would love to serve and devote their time and energy for our children. We provide Gospel-centered curriculum, training, supplies and the kids. You get the incredible blessing of investing in kids and growing closer to Jesus with them. We are still in need of 1 lead teacher each for the 6-7 years old and 8-9 years old classes at the 9.45am service. Contact JACKLIEN (
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Alpha Returns! Bring your friends, relatives and colleagues to the first session on Wednesday, 25 September at 7:00PM! Sign up at the Welcome Table. Reservation or info contact Alpha.
Marriage Course is back after summer!!
Build a marriage that lasts. Tuesday nights from 15 October to 26 November 2019. 7:00PM to 9:30PM. Fellowship Hall of Union Church
Whether you are newly married or been married for years, this course offers a lifetime of practical ideas and tools to help keep your relationship strong. The course runs for 7 weeks + 1 further week if we have a social gathering. It is based on Christian principles but is designed for ALL couples with or without a church background. The course is structured like a date night between each couple - there is no group sharing - just a romantic 3 course dinner which is served for you, a talk with videos and private discussions between yourselves as a couple.
Cost $1,800/couple including course materials and all the dinners.
For registration, please click or contact Joanna Yau at
or sign up at the Welcome Table.
Bless Our Schools Sunday
Sunday Lunch Study: Beginning THIS Sunday, Sept 15, we will start off the year talking about Jonah, the Prodigal Prophet. Much more than just a cute children’s story, Jonah’s story teaches us about God’s surprising call, God’s faithfulness when we stray, and God’s extraordinary love and mercy. 12:30-2:00 pm, Youth Room. Lunch provided, $50 suggested donation.
Midweek Lunch Studies
It's not too late to join either of our Tuesday lunch studies, on Ezekiel or Jonah! BYO Lunch.
Led by Yan Yu, 12:30 - 2:00 pm, in the youth room.
The Gospel According to Jonah, led by Monte Peterson. 12:30-1:30. Room 2.
Union Book Group
Mark your calendars--Union Book Group will meet again Tuesday October 15 (note the date change) at 7:30 pm. Our first book is The Reason, by William Sirls, a novel where the characters struggle with questions like Where is God when bad things happen? Does God ignore the prayers of the faithful? Books are available at the Welcome Table. Contact Monte Peterson.
Right Now Media
We’re excited to give you free access to RightNow Media, a wonderful library of video resources for all ages to help you develop and grow as both a disciple of Jesus and disciple-maker.
Link to join:https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Account/Invite/UnionChurch.
Parents in Prayer, 22 September, 12:30PM to 1:00PM, in the Sanctuary
We would like to invite all Union Church parents to join us for an opportunity to pray for our children immediately after the 11:15AM service. Please join us as we lift up our children (adult children too) and families in prayer. All are welcome.
September 22, 5:15PM.
SELAH - A pause to walk in the Spirit. This is a service designed to come away from the busyness of our schedule and sit and spend time intentionally with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. It is a walk by faith, trusting God to reveal, heal, teach and guide us in a more intimate relationship with HIM. There will be worship. There will be silence. There will be prayer. We will gather together as ONE, and walk privately as one. You are invited to come, as HE meets you heart to heart.
Faith Comes By Hearing
Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) Asia invites you to join them at their Vision Trip Sharing session on 29 September 2019 from 12:45pm to 2:30pm in the Sanctuary, to hear encounters of Father's Love for His people and of God's miracles through testimonies from their supporters who recently returned from Sapa. Please contact Carrine at or 66822346 for more information . Please RSVP
Sons & Daughters
Sons & Daughters share God's love with men and women in the red-light districts of Hong Kong. They have asked for our assistance with providing practical items, such as food, toiletries, and household items, for use in their drop-in centre and family home. If you are willing to donate items, please see the list of items needed at the Welcome Table.
The 2019 Fall Walk to Emmaus Women and Men's walks are coming!
The Women's walk (WTE#80) will be from 26 -29 September and the Men's walk (WTE#81) will be from 4 – 7 October. The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal movement dedicated to strengthening our local Hong Kong churches and communities through the development of mature Christian disciples and leaders. If you are interested or have any questions, please ask Terri Appel or Bronwyn Alexander about the Women's walk, and Nick Appel or Charles Schmitt about the Men's walk. Please go to: https://hkwalktoemmaus.org/ for information about signing up.
Join the Union Team:
We are looking for a Young Adults Director, Assistant Youth Director, Children's Ministry Assistant and a Crèche Coordinator. Please contact stating which role you are interested in. We will contact you with more information about the role.
Small Group
Small groups are one of the main ways we connect with each other and connect with God, learning what the Kingdom of God is all about. Interested in joining or starting a group?
Contact Monte Peterson.
Ladies
Fertility & Pregnancy/Infant Loss Support Group - Struggling and could use some fellowship, friendship and support? Contact Sonia Lee.
Baptism and Membership
If you have been attending Union Church for a while and have never gone through the official process to become a member, now is your chance! Please collect a green form and make it official!
If you have never been baptised and are interested, please see Pastor Michele.
Youth
The class will be a part of the regular Wednesday Night Recharge, with dinner at 7PM, followed by Worship and then joining together for the study that ends at 9PM.
Friday Youth Group –September 13
Juniors (11-13) are asked to arrive from 6-7:30PM
Seniors (14-18) are to arrive from 7-9PM
This Friday will be a Scripture Night, where Youth are given a passage from scripture as well as discussion questions and have a chance to break off into small groups. The theme we will be discussing this Fall is Expectations.
Sunday Youth Group – September 15
Youth can attend at either 9:45 or 11:15 in Indigo Hotel 29/F
Juniors (11-13) Will be following the Be Bold curriculum, dealing with big questions around their faith.
Seniors (14-18) will be following the Bible Project series on Spiritual Beings.
Wednesday Recharge – September 18
We are excited to announce that we will be going through "The Lord of the Rings and the Gospel". The study will look at the movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, and learn how Tolkien, a committed Christian, wove themes and teachings from the Gospels into his work.
Kingdom Kids
Sunday School 2019/2020 Registration
All children enrolling in our Sunday School and Crèche Center MUST BE REGISTERED by filling in and signing the Registration Form HERE. Registration Forms are also available at the Welcome Table. Please note that this registration is for the school year August, 2019 to June, 2020. Your child/children will be assigned only one (1) class (i.e., 5 yrs old, 10 yrs old) for this whole period in accordance with our age brackets.
Kingdom Kids Upcoming Events - Save the Date
Hallelujah Party: Saturday, 2 Nov 2019, 2.30 - 5.30 pm
Christmas Musical Pageant: Sunday, 8 Dec 2019, 9.45 am & 11. 15 am
Children’s Christmas Outreach:
HOLF - Sat, 14 Dec, 1-5 pm
St.Barnabas Society & Home - Sun, 15 Dec, 4-6 pm
Filipino Ministry
1:00PM - 1:50PM Congregational Prayer
2:00PM - 2:50PM Bible Study Groups
3:00PM - 4:00PM Worship Service
Every 1st Sunday of the Month from 9:00AM to 12:00PM Outreach & Evangelism.
Stephen's Ministry
Are you Going Through a Difficult Time?
A Stephen Minister can help. 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 if we can help (
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Family In Need
If you would like to help support our family in need ministry, which helps people monthly with basic needs, please mark your envelope "FIN".
Last Week Sermons
"The sweet prayer of F.A.I.T.H." by Pastor Michele
Protest/Weather Procedures
In the light of the recent protests and their impact on Hong Kong, we need to ensure the safety of our congregation and staff. We will always try to hold our services as normal, but we will implement the following procedures for our Sunday services when needed:
• All services will proceed as normal as long as there is no protest planned for the area directly around Sunlight Tower.
• In case of spontaneous events that might impact our congregation coming to Church, then our staff will make a decision on whether to suspend services. An email will be sent to all of our members to inform them of which services will be suspended.
We will try wherever possible to give as much notice as possible should we feel the need to suspend any service. Please make sure that you check your email before setting off for Church. You can help us by ensuring that we have your most up to date contact information. If you think your information may be incorrect, please contact .
At this time, we would also like to remind you of our Typhoon/Severe Weather policy:
All Church activities remain unchanged when tropical cyclone warning signal number 1 or 3 is hoisted. They will also be unaffected by the amber or red rainstorm warning signals.
When the Hong Kong Observatory issues a ‘Pre No.8 Typhoon Warning Signal’ on a Sunday, we will complete any service taking place and ask people to leave the Church and make their way home. Services planned for after this will be suspended
When the black rainstorm warning signal or tropical cyclone warning signal number 8 or above is hoisted on a Sunday before 07:30am, all Church activities (Worship services, Classes, Youth and Children’s programs etc.) scheduled at 9:45am or before will be cancelled. If the signal is subsequently lowered 2 hours before the 11:15AM service, the 11:15AM service will be held as scheduled. If the signal is lowered after 1pm, the Church will remain closed for the rest of the day.