20211031 English Bulletin

Vision: Building a Church after God's Own Heart SUNDAY 31st October WELCOME TO CAMBERWELL METHODIST CHURCH We are a faith community that is growing in our love for Jesus, who died for our sins, and is raised from the death. We are called to follow Jesus, and to make disciple of all nations. If you would like to know more about God, Jesus, or our church or the bible, please use [email protected] / Minister-in-Charge Rev. James Kong 0413 953 238 / English Pastor (Part Time) Ps. Allan Quah 0402 675 219 to Get in Touch. 58 Cooloongatta Road, Camberwell, VIC 3124 • Tel: (03) 9889 0702 • www.cmca-camberwell.org.au

Silent Prayer ORDER OF WORSHIP Call to Worship Adoration & Praise (31 October 2021) Prayer Responsive Reading <B e Still in the Presence of the Lord> The Lord’s Prayer Welcome/Notices Psalm 43:1-5 Offering Intercessory Prayer 406 <Take My Life and Let It Be> Scripture Reading 1 Peter 3:1-12 Proclamation of the Word Letting Hope shape our relationships Chorus of Response Benediction Ministry Roster 31/10/2021 Preacher LP Lina Lim Worship Leader Michael Fung Song Leader Oscar Ling Backup Cassandra Lim Pianist Adeline See Keyboardist Venus Kang Accompaniment Oscar Ling Cajon Jonathan Liew Bible Reader - Multimedia Yew Fong Lim Live Stream/PA Bryan Law & Andrew Zhang Ushers - Floral - HC Prep - Preacher Rev James Kong Ministry Roster 7/11/2021 Song Leader Cheryl Chan Worship Leader Daniel Ha Pianist Jia Xin Wong Backup Zoe Ha Accompaniment Faith & Kelly Keyboardist - Bible Reader Sammi Chua Cajon - Live Stream/PA Jin Loong & Alister Chew Multimedia Aaron Tiew Floral - Ushers Cassandra & Josiah Tan HC Prep Evelyn Liaw 2

“God looks for those whose hearts are prepared to be intercessors before Him ...Intercessors can be the only ones standing between an individual or a nation and God’s wrath.” Henry Blackaby Weekly Praying for the Church 1. Pray for coming back to church to 3. P ray for Annual Conference continue worship to be faithful in leading all churches in Australia, that we may work together to 2.1 Pray for ongoing streaming work to bring the gospel to the those who are be effective, and glorifying God; lost, and discipled to be fisher of men and women. 2.2 Pray for wisdom to discern how to allow congregation to come back to 4. Pray for Jimmy Kong (therapy worship with limited seat capacity due treatment), Ken Hii, Clarence Yek, Uncle to social distancing; Hii, Aunty Su King Ting, Mdm. Lu (Mrs. Kong’s mum), Su Sing (Leong’s brother); 2.3 Pray for the small groups, and Christina (Boon Koh’s sister, Canada), fellowships continue to connect with Flora (Singapore), and Ben (USA). Thank each other, and reach out to other; you all for upholding them in prayer. 2.4 Pray for God’s break through in 5. Pray for students sitting for VCE (Wilson all that church is doing so that we Loh, Jackyln Wong, Samuel Ling, Aidan may experience renewal in the life of Tiew, Fiona Tiang, Stephan Siew, Flor- community and ministry. ence Siew, Jasmine, Jerry, Henry, Isabel Kong, Charmaine, Venus Kang, Samuel, 2. Pray for LCEC 2021 and English working Joan, Damain Seow, and others); uni- Committee that they may work versity students. together to reach out to families, our young people, and our community. Please pray for the search of suirtable new pastor for English Congregation. 3

“God looks for those whose hearts are prepared to be intercessors before Him ...Intercessors can be the only ones standing between an individual or a nation and God’s wrath.” Henry Blackaby Weekly Praying for the Church 6. P ray for our church family continue to 7. P ray for spiritual awakening experience living God in each of these household at Camberwell Methodist 1.1 your plead with the Lord to be Church. We pray for deeper relationship merciful to us and graciously draw us among the family members, deeper back to Himself and His ways. Ask Him to relationship between husband and show us unfailing love and grant us His wife, and deeper relationship between salvation that we may rejoice in Him. parents and children. I cannot stress more than saying this is the time, God 1.2 restore us again, O God our is at work through and in our families. Saviour...Will you not revive us again, Let us not look else where but instead that your people may rejoice in you? look within our daily relationship and Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and our family. God is right there with us. grant us your salvation (Psalm 85:4,6-7); Seek Him first and His kingdom, all these things shall be added to you. 1.3 Thank God that He is willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Cry out to Him for an outpouring and mighty working of the Holy Spirit in our day. 1.4 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. (Luke 11:13) 4

All that’s going on around Camberwell Methodist Church COMMUNITY WATCH Welcome Coming Sunday (31st October 2021) • Continue Online worship We welcome everyone who join our worship • Though rules will change, but we need some service. May the peace of God be with you! If you are a new friend to the church, please introduce preparation e.g. cleaning the church (sanctuary, yourself. annex, toilets), installing air purifiers in sanctuary, preparing adequate masks & wipes, putting up Restrictions new posters, discussing how to accommodate unvaccinated members etc. Melbourne Restriction Roadmap • Suggest maximum 10-20 people fully vaccinated Current – 70% of 16+ full vaccinated Religion: Sunday (7th Nov. (Holy Communion), 14th Nov., • Fully vaccinated: Outdoor cap of 50 with DQ4 21st Nov. 2021) OR • C ontinue online streaming, starting in-person • Indoor cap of 20 with DQ4 OR, • Unknown vaccination status: indoor cap of 10 worship, need to show Covid Vaccination Certificate or related documents with DQ4 OR outdoor cap of 20 DQ4 • Sanctuary – fully vaccinated DQ4 – 42 people Public gatherings: max • Permitted for up to 15 including dependents, • Lobby – fully vaccinated – 10 people max • A nnex – fully vaccinated – 27 people max vaccination strongly recommended. • Sunday School remained online. Next phase – 80% of 16+ full vaccinated Likely from Note: Due to the Restrictions from Government, 29th October those who are yet to be fully vaccinated please Religion: join the online services. • F ully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4, outdoors DQ2 Church Picnic on 28th Nov. 2021 and 500 cap • U nknown vaccination status: 30 cap, DQ4 Opportunity for church to reconnect and care 90% of 12+ fully vaccinated Likely from 24th for each other. After English service, starting at November 12.30pm at Riversdale Park, Camberwell (5min No density limits. No gathering limits. drive, beside Riversdale train station). Light Masks in high risk indoor settings or settings where refreshment served there are low vaccination levels and where you cannot socially distance Prayer Meeting Thursday (04/11) 7:30PM Public gatherings: • Up to 30 people outdoors including dependants. Vaccination strongly Prayer Meeting to be led by Daniel Ha via ZOOM recommended. Let us serve one another through prayer. Face coverings: • Required indoors only 5

All that’s going on around Camberwell Methodist Church COMMUNITY WATCH Pastoral Needs Personal Testimony If you have any pastoral needs, please do not We encourage you to write your personal hesitate to seek Rev. James Kong (0413 953 238), testimony send to [email protected]. Ps. Allan Quah (0402 675 219) or local preachers: Lina Lim, Chris Ting, or Joo Soo Lim. If you need the The Christmas Ensemble Ministry pastor to pray for you, do approach Rev. James Kong or Ps. Allan Quah after the service. If you’re interested in joining this ministry, please speak to Sarah Ha (0411 861 255) for details. Family Devotion Christmas Pageant We encourage families to start a regular family devotion each week. It is our main thing for our An outdoor celebration of the birth of Christ Jesus. church because we will grow stronger, closer, and Come with your own designed PPE (Masks, face more love for God and one another. Let us not shields, safety glasses etc.) with a Christmas theme. waste this time of being together…. explore every RSVP by 5 Dec, 2021 opportunity to play, to read, to do something Date & Time: 11 Dec. Saturday, 5:00 pm together, to pray and to sing together. Location: Church Car Park, 58 Cooloongatta Rd, Camberwell VIC 3124. Proverb Challenge (Please visit the Church website for more details). Closing Date: 31/10/2021 Offering detail Description Abbreviations Bank reference Thank you once again for Tithing TITHE C9/E11 C9 TITHE Paul WONG brothers and sisters who faithfully support the ministry of the church General GEN C9/E11 C9 GEN Paul WONG through finance, prayers, and participation. May God bless Thanksgiving TKS C9/E11 C9 TKS Paul WONG you. Here is the bank detail for your reference: Account name: Mission MIS C9/E11 C9 MIS Paul WONG Chinese Methodist Church in Australia Camberwell; BANK: ANZ; Theological student THE C9/E11 C9 THE Paul WONG BSB: 013 225; Account Number: 4939 79025. Offering $13,821.80 Special SPE C9/E11 C9 SPE Paul WONG (17/10-22/10/2021) Others OTH C9/E11 C9 OTH Paul WONG Building fund C9/E11 C9 Camberwell mc Paul WONG, E11 Mercy mc Paul WONG…...... 6

Devotion Week 43: 31st October 2021 Theme: Facing Fear with Praise Bible verses: (Psalm 27:1-3) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold[a] of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet[b] I will be confident. As David faced his fears and expressed them to God in Psalm 27, he began with worship, celebrating the power and faithfulness of his God. Declaration of Praise The key to the entire song is verse 1. It consists of two similar sentences, each ending with a rhetorical question. \"The Lord is my light . . . my salvation . . . the stronghold of my life.\" Interestingly, David says God is all of this. The Lord doesn't simply give these things. In other words, the psalmist laid claim upon God Himself rather than His works. David knew Him personally. To David, the Lord was a very personal, ever-present Friend and Helper, not some distant Deity—an impersonal, abstract, theological Being who hid Himself high above the clouds. No, David saw the Lord as a faithful companion. Because of the Lord's presence, which meant more to David than anything else, the composer asks: \"Whom shall I fear . . . whom shall I dread?\" The Lord God was so significant, so impressive, and so overwhelmingly important to David that nothing and no one else inspired awe. I find it encouraging that Psalm 23 declares, \"I shall not want,\" and Psalm 26 states, \"I shall not slide\" (KJV). And now Psalm 27 says, I \"will not fear.\" In each case, the composer finds what he lacks only in the presence and provisions of God. Having considered the sufficiency of his God, David recalls the Lord's past victories over his enemies. (27:2–3) Note the specific occasions of potential fear: \"evildoers . . . adversaries . . . enemies . . . a host . . . war.\" What a dark scene! And you'll notice that these things weren't mere possibilities; they were realities. He says, \"when\" not \"if.\" He actually faced these dangers. Take note of two observations. First, look at the intensity of the conflict: the evildoers came \"to devour\" (27:2); the host had come to \"encamp against me\" (27:3); war had risen \"against me.\" This was no slight affliction. Second, look at the psalmist's response in the last phrase of verse 3. In spite of these dangers, both past and future, \"I will be confident.\" The Hebrew says, literally, \"I am confident!\" Dangers had come before and danger remained imminent. Pressure mounted. Severe days lay ahead. David had every reason to be shaking in his sandals . . . but he stood firm! The Hebrew term used by David, translated \"confident,\" does not mean self-reliant or brave, humanly speaking. In Hebrew it means \"to trust, to be secure, and to have assurance.\" The point I want to get across is that the source of David's confidence and stability was not his own strength—but God. His Lord was his only foundation for rocklike stability. What an unshakable foundation! While living under intense pressure and difficulty, the courageous missionary to inland China, Hudson Taylor, once wrote: \"It does not matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies—whether it comes between you and God, or whether it presses you nearer His heart.\" Reflections: We’ve Christ as our unshakable foundation, our living cornerstone! Do we face our fears and expressed them to God like David? Is the Lord a very personal, ever-present Friend and Helper? Let’s pray. From Living the Psalms by Charles R. Swindoll, copyright © 2012. 7