Family Notes 2021

February 20, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Our Sunday Celebration today can be accessed on YouTube video stream at around 10:45 AM (12:45 AM Asia).

Last week, we started to share on the core topic of our “Shalom 2021” roadmap: the soft-heart.  In the coming season of God bringing the church into great elevation or great storms, responding with a soft-heart will be our key to the authority of shalom.  Feel free to visit the Shalom 2021 page to review this past Sunday’s message that expounded on the following principles:

• Kingdom encounters demands self-denial
• Kairos – God’s grace to shake us
• Soft-heart in kairos brings us shalom

God willing, we will continue to dig deeper for biblical insights of the “soft-heart” by looking at how it differs from a “hard-heart.”  The message scheduled for tomorrow is: Preparing for Kingdom Encounters – Pictures of the Heart.  Scripture passages: Genesis 3:1-13, Mark 6:45-52, Galatians 5:22-23, John 20:24-29.

I certainly look forward to tomorrow’s balmy forecast with a high of 36 F.  We expect to hear some spectacular rumblings as large sheets of snow melt from our sanctuary roof, like the great thawing of Narnia as Aslan’s appearance drew near.  We’re most thankful that WPC and our corporate worship seem to have withstood well the coldest two Sundays of this winter season with no heat running in the sanctuary.  We now look forward to a few good months in the coming spring and summer to better prepare for the sanctuary HVAC replacement.  On that note, we remind you to stand strong in the blessings of tithing.  If everyone in our current church body tithes, we can cover all running expenses with surplus – not to mention seeing the tremendous testimony of our entire church body coming under God’s cover in finances and blessings in the “work of our hands.”

Let’s stand together as a body to bring God our best possible worship with our offerings of sacrifice – and astound Him with our faith.

For tithing during this time, please click here to see the three ways listed by our finance team.

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

February 13, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Our Sunday Celebration today can be accessed on YouTube video stream at around 10:45 AM (12:45 AM Asia).

Last week, we introduced “Shalom 2021” – which encompasses our roadmap for navigating through the kairos time of 2021.  Feel free to visit the Shalom 2021 page at our church website to see the roadmap framework, delivered messages, and tentative topics.

Scripture uses “shalom” to encompass many of what the world is seeking today – peace, safety, contentment, prosperity, health, completeness, friendship, and even covenant with God.  Jesus has prepared the world in 2020 so that His church can begin to take on the authority of shalom in 2021. This is why we are spending time and effort to prepare for kingdom encounters that will lead us to such authority.

God willing, we will share on the message: Preparing for Kingdom Encounters – the Soft-Heart.  Scripture passages: Jonah 1-2, Galatians 5:22-23.

So we went through two Sundays of extreme weather, and are heading into a 3rd Sunday where it’s forecasted to be -5 F when we leave the house for WPC – the place we have been called to lead the corporate worship, whether anyone joins or not.  Even through the extremities, we have seen much beauty and sense the tender presence of the Groom over us.  This was illustrated 2 Sundays ago during the snow storm, when Brother John Lee made a fly-over of WPC with his drone (see it here).  It’s like God’s breath upon us, just as He breathed life and destiny into Adam.

If you plan to join us, please note that the sanctuary may be cooler than usual, maybe around mid 50 degrees.  Do not give up!  Let’s stand together as a body to bring God our best possible worship with our offerings of sacrifice – and astound Him with our faith.

For tithing during this time, please click here to see the three ways listed by our finance team.

Experience Emmanuel & Happy New Year!

pdt

February 7, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Our Sunday Celebration today can be accessed on YouTube video stream at around 10:45 AM (12:45 AM Asia).

Towards the end of 2020, the Holy Spirit has moved us to understand His heart for “Shalom 2021.”  Pastor Joseph kicked-off the first message series of “Shalom 2021” on the foundational theme of Faith.  Last week, we began our second “Shalom 2021” series on the theme of Preparing for Kingdom Encounters with the message entitled Kingdom Encounters of the Kairos Kind.

Scripture uses “shalom” to encompass many of what we desire – peace, safety, contentment, prosperity, health, completeness, friendship, and even covenant with God.  Jesus has prepared the world in 2020 so that His church can begin to take on the authority of shalom in 2021. This is why we are spending time and effort to prepare for kingdom encounters that will lead us to such authority.

There are many messages flying at internet speed that can bring about confusion, anger, fear, and anxiety.  God is speaking to us.  So let’s help each other do away with these distracting messages, and turn our focus on what the Holy Spirit is saying to CASC: Jesus has an awesome agenda for His bride at this kairos moment – that is to prepare our hearts for kingdom encounters.  Let’s walk in faith and stick with His program.

God willing, we will share on the message: The Purpose of Kingdom Encounters.  Scripture passages: Ephesians 5:25-27, Matthew 16:13-28, Matthew 20:20-28, Hebrews 11:1-3, Malachi 4:5-6.

Last week was a major storm.  This week will be record breaking cold.  Yet, we still plan to take our places at WPC so we can lead the corporate worship.  Joining us in worship would be a major kingdom encounter for many, yet we remind you to not squander these kairos opportunities.  If you plan to join us, please note that the sanctuary may be cooler than usual, maybe around mid 50 degrees, because the heating system is not available.  Do not give up!  Let’s stand together as a body to bring God our best possible worship with our offerings of sacrifice – and please Him with our faith.

For tithing during this time, please click here to see the three ways listed by our finance team.

Experience Emmanuel!

pdt

January 30, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Our Sunday Celebration today can be accessed on YouTube video stream at around 10:45 AM (12:45 AM Asia).

For the past 5 weeks, Pastor Joseph not just spoke the message of faith, but also brought an impartation of faith from the spiritual authority that God placed over him.

What a blessings of a most valuable treasure in all creation!  Faith can astound Jesus, the Creator of all things.  Faith is the key to pleasing God and enjoying His reward in our lives.  By faith, what is impossible can be made possible through us.  Through faith, we can turn from eternal judgment to eternal salvation.  What is more powerful than faith?

God willing, we will begin a message series on the application of faith to prosper in 2021 – a kairos time of Jesus elevating HIs church in purity and authority.  We will seek the Holy Spirit’s counsel on how to apply faith as the fuel for the engine of self-denial, which in turn, powers the vehicle of authority that Jesus has proclaimed over His church.

Tomorrow’s message: Kingdom Encounters of the Kairos Kind.  Scripture passages: Matthew 13:24-30,  Hebrews 11:1-2,Jonah 1:1-6.

A major storm is moving through the Chicago area now and is expected to dump ample snow throughout the night.  Currently, we plan to stand our place at WPC in the morning so we can lead our corporate worship.  We may experience possible delays or change of plans and would greatly appreciate your graciousness and patience.  Do not give up!  Let’s stand together as a body to bring God our best possible worship with our offerings of sacrifice – and please Him with our faith.

For tithing during this time, please click here to see the three ways listed by our finance team.

Blessings,

pdt

Blessings to you as we close off 2020 – a year beyond anyone’s expectations.

Back in mid-February of 2020, I wrote the following note to encourage a good brother and his wife:

“There are several events that I am anticipating God to bring to CASC this year, where each event may have greater impact on us than the WPC roof repair and site restoration we saw in the past two years.  I expect the events to visibly show God’s hand, such that what you see, assume, and believe today will be drastically changed.”

God has certainly delivered…and well beyond anyone’s expectations.

We expect this trend to not only continue in 2021, but to also intensify.  As Pastor Joseph shared in his Sunday message, we anticipate a “kairos” turning in 2021 that may bring “the best of times and the worst of times.”

We believe that a year of “manifestation” is coming when God will make His heart crystal clear for everyone to see, if it was not clear before.  The best of times may be coming for some who persevered in faithfulness through His training of self-denial, where they will prosper in relationships, wisdom, spiritual authority, personal authority, and financial resources.  The worst of times may come to some who, like Jonah, will meet the hand of God in a storm of a lifetime, and be offered the mercy for a turnaround of a lifetime.

We stand encouraged because God has led our church, through many years of fire, to prepare for these coming “kingdom encounters” – whether they be the best or the worst of times.  Moreover, He has provided us a clear roadmap for navigating through the “kairos” of 2021 and beyond.  We will be sharing on this roadmap in the coming weeks of the new year.  Let’s give thanks for God’s mercy and faithfulness.

Jesus loves His church, and promised to be with us to the end of the age, including 2021.  Experience Emmanuel for 2021!

Blessings,

pdt