U MATTERS
On Wednesday this week we started our journey towards Easter. Honouring the Lenten season with an Ash Wednesday service, we took time to reflect, to remember, and to repent.
Lent lasts for 40 days and is symbolic of the 40 days that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. For some Lent is a time of surrender - a time to give up something. Typically, people fast or give up food.
Recently I came across this poem which suggests what we could consider giving up.
Give up discouragement - be full of hope
Give up bitterness - turn to forgiveness
Give up hatred - return good for evil
Give up negativism - be positive
Give up anger - be more patient
Give up gloom - spread joy
Give up jealousy - pray for trust
Give up gossiping - control my tongue
Give up giving up - hang in there.
Some of you may feel you have given up enough recently and you would rather add something to your life during Lent. In this climate you may wish to consider self-care - be intentional in enjoying God’s creation. You may wish to add a spiritual practice - meditation or solitude. You may wish to add service - reach out to someone in need or make a telephone call.
We don’t know what we will experience in the next 40 days, or what it will look like. But what we do know is that God is with us. He is Emmanuel. In the words of N.T. Wright, “Easter was when Hope in person surprised the whole world by coming forward from the future into the present.”
Whatever wilderness the Spirit has brought you to:
walk in boldness, as a beloved child of God
walk in peace, under the shelter of the Most High
walk in faith, knowing Christ walks with you. Amen.
Blessings to you - Pastor Michele
CHURCH ONLINE
Communion Sunday is approaching. Please prepare your bread and wine/juice in advance as we meet at the Lord's table. We are also starting a new sermon series for Lent based on the seven "I AM" statements of Jesus in the Book of John. Pastor Michele preaches on I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35). Join us for the livestream of the 9:45am (Traditional) and 11:15am (Contemporary) services here and on Facebook.
Did you enjoy the Union staff team sharing about their favourite Psalms during February? Watch them here.
FAMILY NEWS
Happy Baptismal Anniversary! Last Sunday, 27 February, marked the 50th anniversary of Grace and George Payne's baptism, shown in the photo with their parents, Edward and Eugenie, former Deacons. It was a pleasure to read the good wishes sent to Grace and George by Christopher Legge, Anne Ferrett (nee Rogers) and Reverend Kenneth and Margaret Anderson.
Giving by HK taxpayers: If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation, kindly date and send your cheques made payable to “Union Church” to the Union Church Accounts department no later than 31 March 2022. If it is late, your donation cannot be recognised in the 2021/2022 HK tax year. For other methods of giving, please refer to our website.
During this season of online worship, we appreciate your continuing to make your tithes and offerings.
International Women's Day: Tune in to RTHK on Sunday, 6 March, 11:05am to celebrate International Women's Day. A special Sunday radio worship service will feature female clergy and leaders in our city including participants Rev. Dr. Judy Chan, Pastor Maggie Mathieson, Pastor Michele and more.
Chris McKenzie joins us as a part-time digital consultant for the next six months! Welcome aboard Chris. We asked Chris to introduce himself:
Ever since leaving my hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada to participate in a youth ministry programme with Youth For Christ Northern Ireland my heart has been captivated by the global experience. When my wife, Nevada, said yes twenty plus years ago I’m sure she had no idea we’d be on a mission that would take us all around the world. We’ve followed God’s lead to Taiwan, where Nevada taught music and I pastored; we returned to Canada where she taught music and I completed my MA in Theological Studies at Regent College in Vancouver; and for the past four years we’ve been in Hong Kong where she teaches music at ICS and I’ve been working part-time on recovering after some of life’s blows had knocked me down and I’ve been working part time at ICS as a Digital Content & Marketing officer. Along the way, we added two amazing kids to Team McKenzie: Gemma (15) and Guinness (12).
LENT
In this season of reflection that leads to the cross and the Resurrection life that follows, we have a number of opportunities for prayer, study and fellowship. This week you should receive a Lenten package from Pastor Michele. Please let Admin know if you do not receive your package and provide your postal address to us. Thank you.
Ash Wednesday Service: You can watch the playback of last night's Ash Wednesday service here.
Praying as ONE - Individually and Corporately - As a church, let’s stay grounded together in scripture and prayer.
Individually -
- ONE2022 Hearing the Word campaign - listen to the Gospel of John and 3 Epistles of John on the app or read the hard copy booklet in your Lenten package. Thank you to Simon Chiu, Nick Appel, Lakshmi Jacota, Maurice O'Brien, Bronwyn Alexander and others who have worked on the recordings of ONE2022 devotions and prayers!
- “Praying as ONE” guides us daily through scripture from the ONE2022 campaign and prayers of our leaders. Receive your daily prayer through Union Church’s new WhatsApp number! Scan the QR code or click here to opt in to get the prayers and occasional messages from Union Church. Please note that this is a WhatsApp group without the usual social media chatter! Be sure to add the Union Church WhatsApp number to your Contact list. +852 9182 7247 - Click here to download the church profile.
Praying Corporately - Let's pray for our city and world. We will gather on Zoom for Wednesday Evening Lenten Prayer on 9, 16, 23 and 30 March, 7:30pm - 8:15pm. Register here to receive the Zoom link.
Men's Online Study - Wednesdays 8:00-9:00pm and Thursdays 12:30-1:30pm, 7 weeks starting 9 & 10 March: Connect with other men during Lent as we journey through Jesus' seven "I AM" statements from the Gospel of John. Two options: Andrew Lo and Warren Ke will facilitate on Wednesdays, while Dan Tupps will facilitate on Thursdays. Please register here.
Young Adults Online Study - Wednesdays at 8:00pm, starting 9 March: Join us during Lent as we journey through Jesus' seven "I AM" statements from the Gospel of John. For more details and the Zoom link contact Dan Tupps.
ALSO THIS WEEK
Women's Ministry - New Online Wednesday Lunchtime Study, 6 weeks, starting 9 March, 12:30pm - 1:30pm: Juliana Rotmeyer is leading a new online study group for busy women looking for lunchtime spiritual refreshment. Our first study is Eugene Peterson's Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best. Please register so we can send you the book.
Alpha Online, Thursdays, starting 10 March, 7:45pm, with the introductory session, Is There More To Life Than This? The Alpha course is your opportunity to ask any question about the Christian faith. Bring a family member, friend or colleague to the online course - ask God who that person is. Register now!
GriefShare continues: We will start sessions 9 - 13 on Tuesday, 8 March. Do you know someone who has lost a loved one? Want to know more about grief and the grieving process? The class is still open to newcomers. Learn more and register.
Compassion Project: Let's pause, be still and listen to God as HE leads a new grassroots initiative where women help women. What might the Compassion Project look like? Join us and pray about this - not too late to join! Learn more here.
MORE UPCOMING
Women's Ministry - Let's Koinonia! Tuesday, 29 March, 7:30pm - 9:30pm, Zoom: Women - you and your friends are invited to this wonderful evening listening to Nutsa + Lakshmi share their testimonies through the 4 seasons of their lives. Learn more here and register.
KINGDOM KIDS
Online Sunday School, Every Sunday at 10:30am: Children ages 3 to 10 years old are invited to join us! There will be a time of worship, learning about God's Word, sharing and praying for each other and a Kahoot game. It will be fun to learn together. Please email to get the Zoom link.
Kingdom Kids Sunday Edition - The Good Samaritan - will be available at the end of the 9:45am and 11:15am worship services on the Union Church website and Facebook. See recent episodes here.
Online Friday Youth - Tomorrow! - 3 March, 6:00pm - 8:00pm: We'll continue with our series, Fruit of the Spirit: The 9 Keys to Happiness. We'll meet on Zoom at 6:00pm before heading into breakout rooms for Juniors and Seniors. See you on Zoom - the link is here.
Online Sunday Youth - 6 March, 11:15am: We'll continue our series on lesser known figures of the Bible for Juniors and Seniors, as well as having time to check in with one another, pray and more. Youth can join the Zoom here at 11:15am.
MISSIONS
A New Promise House for Sons & Daughters (S&D). S&D is seeing more women wanting to exit the commercial sex industry. They have a huge uptake in women who are waiting to be admitted into their one-year aftercare programme that guides them through counselling, casework and skills classes at their drop-in centre, Promise House. This means they have outgrown their current space and are looking for a new bigger space! Please would you pray for Sons & Daughters' search for a new facility and the resources needed? Pray for the new life in freedom that is coming for the people they serve!
Meet our Ministry Partners - Faith Comes By Hearing on Sunday, 13 March: We look forward to meeting with Faith Comes by Hearing at Zoom Coffee Hour, 13 March, 10:45am. Ask for the Zoom link.
Virtual Tour with International Care Ministries (ICM), Philippines, Saturday, 12 March, 11:00am - 12noon: Our Missions committee and ICM invite you to immerse yourself in a live virtual trip to one of ICM's Transform communities near Dumaguete. Register to receive the Zoom link - scroll down on the Missions web page! You may also email Admin.
Union Church Ministry Partner, Hong Kong Church Network for the Poor, has launched HK Caring Movement in Love for the Lenten season. It's a citywide campaign for caring for the underprivileged in the midst of the pandemic. Only 3 things are asked of us! Please see the image - and call on the Holy Spirit.
Light of the World Church and Preschool, Myanmar: Praise God Pastor Vum and his family have recovered from illness - thank you for your prayers! Please continue to pray for the health of the congregation and preschool children and their families. Prayers are needed for peace in Myanmar and citizens' protection from persecution.
Small Groups
Stay connected while church is online. The support from your friends in a small group is tangible demonstration of God's love for us. Interested in joining one? There are groups for women, men, couples, day-time, night-time, etc. Contact so that we might suggest a good group for you.
Prayer
Prayer changes everything. Need prayer? Reach out to us confidentially at .
Stephen Ministry
Going through a crisis or a difficult time? Stephen Ministers are members of our congregation who listen, care, encourage, and provide emotional and spiritual support during life's challenges. Please contact if we can help.
Last week's service
“Psalms of Hope - From Lament to Praise" Rev. Dr. Michele Bland
STAY CONNECTED
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