Greetings to Aldersgate Family!
I hope you had a great summer with fewer restrictions on traveling and gathering
– having fun with family and friends and enjoying the beauty of nature.
Summer is my favorite season. I like summer because of its power and energy.
I feel the power of God creating and recreating in the power of summer. The
only problem with summer is, it’s getting shorter and shorter as I am getting
older. It seems that summer started yesterday, but it is already September.
Anyway, just wanted to share with you the highlights of this summer. First,
Jung and I, with our son Joey, went to Buffalo to watch the Yankees playing the
Toronto Blue Jays. It was a perfect summer night in the ballpark. What a deal!
Just drive 50 miles to watch Yankee’s game instead of going to the Bronx!
But the best of this summer was a family gathering in California to celebrate,
our second granddaughter, Autumn’s 100th day, which is a Korean tradition.
Jung and I had a great time with our children and grandchildren.
Now summer is gone. Of course, it will come back next year. Anyway, we are
welcoming another great season, fall. A new season for school and football.
A new beginning! It is also a great season for the church with a new beginning.
Some people might say, “What new things can we do new in the pandemic?”
I can understand why you say that.
But crisis, in Chinese, is 危機, which is a combination of two words, danger and
opportunity. I believe the pandemic is an opportunity for growth and thriving. I
think we have learned and still are learning about God, faith, church and life
from the experiences in the pandemic. Now is the time to rebuild our lives and
our church and our ministries. I believe that is what God wants us to do. I believe
God is excited about this new journey and He will bless our journey. God
is not in quarantine!
Beginning September 12, we will go forward with, NOT back to, two services –
contemporary and traditional. We will also start rebuilding ministries for the
growth of our faith and strengthening and growing our ministries in the given
situation and context. And we must continue to find new ways to grow as life
continues to change.
I am excited. I also affirmed excitement and strong commitment from church
leaders. We can do it together as God is with us. Let us join together in this
exciting new journey.