December Events - Candles, Kids, and Caroling

Photos courtesy of Anna Furness, Peter Kim, Stephen Tsai, and Peter Brown.

The Candle of Hope

FPC Leadership Retreat

The Candle of Peace

Caroling in Shida Night Market

The Candle of Love

FPC Kids’ Choir

The Candle of Joy

Christmas Eve Rooftop Reception

The Christ Candle

Christmas Eve Rooftop Caroling

Noteworthy Events

Annunciation, by He Qi

• Advent Events

-        Sunday, Dec. 9th – Advent continues. This year, the Junior Class children will be leading the readings. Today we light the Candle of Peace.

-        Saturday, Dec. 22nd – Night Market Caroling

-        Sunday, Dec. 23rd – 11:00am: The children will give their Christmas presentation during the worship service before Sunday School. Join us in the fellowship hall for a Christmas fellowship time after the service.

-        Monday, Dec. 24th – Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 7:30pm, 4th Floor Chapel, followed by rooftop candle lighting, carols, and refreshments.

-        Preaching Schedule:

Sunday, Dec. 9th - Peter Brown

Sunday, Dec. 16th - Peter Wang

Sunday, Dec. 23rd - Pastor Peter Kim

Sunday, Dec. 30th - Pastor Peter Kim

• Communion Sunday – Dec. 9th: We will hold our monthly celebration of the Lord’s Supper during the service of Sunday, Dec. 9th. Please prepare your hearts to participate in this intimate act of recognition of our dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Monthly Prayer Group – Dec. 11th: FPC’s monthly prayer group, “The Engine Room,” is now meeting regularly on the second Tuesday of each month. Accordingly, the November meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov. 13th. Come join us for an evening of kingdom-centered prayer. We gather at 7:30pm on the 4th floor of the church building and go into prayer from 7:45 to 9:00. All are welcome.

• Youth/6th-Graders Gift Exchange – Friday, Dec. 21st, 6:30-9:00pm: All FPC teens and 6th-graders are invited to a White Elephant gift-exchange party, with dinner provided by the church. Required permission slips will be available in Sunday School class and at the Newcomer Welcome table in the fellowship hall. Please return the signed slip to Sam Huang, Peter Brown, or Anna Wang. One slip needed per family. Friends are welcome! (But also need a slip.)

• Spotlight on Service: Did you know that each Sunday Church Service at FPC takes an average of 28 individual acts of service? We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the 64 individuals who served FPC during a Sunday Service in October. If you would like to join our team of volunteers, please email deacons@friendshiptaipei.com.

• C.S. Lewis Group: The C.S. Lewis community group meets bi-weekly on Thursday evenings at a pub to read and discuss Christian books by C.S. Lewis over beers. The next book we are discussing is, “The Problem of Pain.” If you are interested, email jasonjwarren@gmail.com for an invitation.

• New Mothers & Wives Facebook Group: This is a Facebook Group created to support mothers and wives in their walk with the Lord and their families. We encourage all mothers and wives from our FPC congregation to join. Email fpchurch@friendshiptaipei.com for more details.

From the Desk of Pastor Peter

by Pastor Peter Kim

We had a great month at FPC this past November, especially because we welcomed 10 new members into our church. We are so thankful to the Lord for all that He is doing in our church and we look forward to growing together as a community to point each other to Christ and to point others outside of the church to Christ.

Our church in the past had a reputation of being a very friendly church (from what I have heard from long-time members), and we have tried through many years to live up to that name. However, as the church grows it becomes easier to lose that friendliness. It is not as easy to get to know so many people. Cliques can form. It is easier to get to know everyone when there are 20 people. But what if there are 200 people? That is why we are hoping to encourage more of a community feel within our church. We have started by including a time to share prayer requests with one another during the service, and, as always, we encourage people to join one of our community groups. In these ways, our church will become more and more friendly.

I believe one more step is needed, though. I believe that we can all contribute to becoming a friendlier church by seeking to love one another as Christ has loved us. We can do this by having a conversation with someone you do not really know, by asking for prayer requests, and even just by greeting people you have not met. I am reminded of a verse from 1st Peter:

 1st Peter 4:8-11  8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.  9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.  10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:  11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

I hope and pray that all of us together will love one another all for His glory and, in doing so, that we would really become a church that is friendly no matter how large we become. Not by our own strength, but according to what God has supplied.