A New Year at CERC

CERC begins each year with a gathering at church.  The church theme for the year is presented, a speech is given, we eat lunch together, and this year there were also discussion groups.  The speech by my husband was on II Thessalonians 1:10--"When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe..."  When we reach the end of this year and others look at us, what do we want them to say about us? Our desire should be that they see Christ in us in the way we have lived, and then glorify and admire Him.

Presentation of the church theme and church calendar by Elder Wong

One of the discussion groups

When we went home after lunch, we saw another gathering--this one right outside our church building by the shrine of Ganesha, the elephant god.  It involved drums, food, and offerings to Ganesha.  I seem to remember the same thing last year, so apparently they begin their year in worship too...to an idol made by human hands.  Sad.

On Sunday, January 5, there was a program to kick off the new Sunday School year.  The school year, and therefore also catechism and Sunday School, goes from January-December here.  The kids gathered with their last year's classes, but from now on a number of students will be moving up a level in their Sunday School training.

 Meng Hsien chairing the program

 

The youngest classes (preschool through grade 4) sang "Jesus 

Loves Me" both in Chinese and in English, and also sang Psalter #268.

Elijah and Megan--good friends!

The next Sunday School class talked about 

lessons they had learned from the life of Abraham.

The high school students sang a couple of songs.

Jessica's class with their teachers

We pray God's blessing upon another year of covenant instruction here!