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親愛的弟兄姊妹：

平安。

11月是頌主堂的差傳雙週，作為一個曾經在差會推動差傳事工11年，又在宣教工場11年的我而言，實在是興奮不已。回顧過去32年的事奉，差傳的服事竟佔了我三份二的人生，我真的引以為榮，也樂此不疲。可惜在頌主堂我的崗位不是專職差傳事工，差傳委員會過去3年亦沒有委員和部長，讓頌主堂的差傳工作舉步維艱。但神的恩典仍然豐厚，聖靈仍然在人心中凝聚宣教的力量。感謝神，有姊妹願意起來承擔明年差傳部長的崗位。盼望明年有更多弟兄姊妹加入差傳委員會，或宣教士關心小組，好讓頌主堂真的成為一所關心宣教的教會。

2023年10月我剛到任頌主堂，同工會已定了2024年的差傳主題是「門前宣教」，目的是讓會眾關心我們附近的不同族裔。在人口流動頻密的今天，宣教不用遠渡重洋去接觸不同族裔，神已把450多個不同族裔放在加拿大1，只要我們願意走出頌主堂，我們便可接觸他們，把福音帶給他們。2024年2月教會舉辦了探訪難民中心，11月又舉辦了認識印度工作坊和探訪我們的鄰居印度教與錫克教的混合宗教場所。為了讓頌主堂的差傳教育持續及深化，2025年的差傳主題，是接續2024年的「門前宣教」而定為「走走看看差情尋」。顧名思義，同工會是希望能動員會眾出去走走，看看溫哥華不同族裔人士的需要。你或許看不見溫哥華有450多個族裔，但你肯定會看見印度人和旁遮普人。神把這麼大的一個族裔放在我們面前，且是未得之民，我們怎能無動於衷。神愛世人，祂要我們傳福音給萬族萬民。我們不能愛，只是反映我們沒有與神結連。因此一個不傳福音、不做差傳的教會，一定是屬靈光境有問題的教會。一個不傳福音、不關心差傳的基督徒，一定是屬靈光境有問題的基督徒。求主憐憫這些教會和基督徒，讓他們與主重新結連，因為「人若不常在主裏面，就像枝子丟在外面枯乾，人拾起來，扔在火裏燒了 (約15:6)。」

去關心和愛一些陌生人和族裔是困難的，除非我們滿有基督的心和愛。因此2026年我們盼望透過我們所支持的宣教士入手，學習如何關心他們和他們的事工。同時也透過他們的服事，認識接觸不同的族裔。若連教會支持的宣教士你都不關心，那牧師真要主動關心你的靈命狀況了。只要我們常在基督裡，我們為神國所求和所做的，必能心想事成。「你們若常在我裏面，我的話也常在你們裏面，凡你們所願意的，祈求，就給你們成就。」(約15:7)

愛你們的牧者，
胡志雄牧師

1 2021年統計局資料。https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/dq221026b-eng.htm

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

Peace be with you.

November marks the Missions Bi-week at Bethel, and as someone who has spent 11 years promoting mission work in a mission office and another 11 years on the mission field, I am truly excited. Looking back at my past 32 years of ministry, mission has occupied two-thirds of my life. I am genuinely proud of this and have been tireless in this pursuit. Unfortunately, my current role at Bethel is not dedicated solely to mission work, and the Missions Department has lacked members and a department head for the past three years, making the mission ministry of Bethel very challenging.

However, God's grace remains abundant, and the Holy Spirit continues to gather mission strength in people's hearts. Thank God that a sister is willing to step up and assume the role of Missions Department Head next year. I pray that more brothers and sisters will join the Missions Committee or the Missionary Care Groups next year, so that Bethel can truly become a missional church that cares about missionaries and missions.

When I arrived at Bethel in October 2023, the Pastoral Team had already set the 2024 missions theme as "Missions at Our Doorstep". The goal is to encourage the congregation to care for the different ethnic groups in our vicinity. In today's era of frequent population mobility, mission work no longer requires traveling across oceans to reach different ethnic groups. God has placed over 450 different ethnic groups in Canada1. As long as we are willing to step out of Bethel, we can reach them and bring the Gospel to them.

In February 2024, the church organized a visit to a refugee center, and in November, a workshop on understanding India was held, followed by a visit to our neighbours' mixed Hindu and Sikh religious place. To ensure the continuity and deepening of missions education at Bethel, the 2025 missions theme, following "Missions at Our Doorstep," has been set as "Go, See, and Seek the field’s needs". As the name suggests, the Pastoral Team hopes to mobilize the congregation to go out, walk around, and see the needs of different ethnic groups in Vancouver. You may not see all 450+ ethnic groups in Vancouver, but you will certainly see Indians and Punjabis. God has placed such a large ethnic group right in front of us, and they are an unreached people group—how can we remain indifferent?

God loves the world, and He commands us to preach the Gospel to all nations and peoples. Our inability to love only reflects our lack of connection with God. Therefore, a church that does not evangelize or engage in missions is certainly a church with spiritual problems. A Christian who does not evangelize or care about missions is certainly a Christian with spiritual problems. May the Lord have mercy on these churches and Christians, allowing them to reconnect with the Lord, because "If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." (John 15:6)

Caring for and loving strangers and other ethnic groups is difficult, unless we are full of the heart and love of Christ. Therefore, in 2026, we hope to start by focusing on the missionaries we support, learning how to care for them and their ministries. At the same time, through their ministry, we can learn how to reach different ethnic groups. If you don't even care about the missionaries the church supports, then the pastors really need to proactively care for your spiritual condition. As long as we remain in Christ, what we ask for and do for God's kingdom will surely come to fruition. "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (John 15:7)

Sincerely yours,
Rev. Woo

1 2021 Cencus Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/dq221026b-eng.htm

 

亲爱的弟兄姊妹：

平安。

11月是颂主堂的差传双周，作为一个曾经在差会推动差传事工11年，又在宣教工场11年的我而言，实在是兴奋不已。回顾过去32年的事奉，差传的服事竟占了我三份二的人生，我真的引以为荣，也乐此不疲。可惜在颂主堂我的岗位不是专职差传事工，差传委员会过去3年亦没有委员和部长，让颂主堂的差传工作举步维艰。但神的恩典仍然丰厚，圣灵仍然在人心中凝聚宣教的力量。感谢神，有姊妹愿意起来承担明年差传部长的岗位。盼望明年有更多弟兄姊妹加入差传委员会，或宣教士关心小组，好让颂主堂真的成为一所关心宣教的教会。

2023年10月我刚到任颂主堂，同工会已定了2024年的差传主题是「门前宣教」，目的是让会众关心我们附近的不同族裔。在人口流动频密的今天，宣教不用远渡重洋去接触不同族裔，神已把450多个不同族裔放在加拿大1，只要我们愿意走出颂主堂，我们便可接触他们，把福音带给他们。2024年2月教会举办了探访难民中心，11月又举办了认识印度工作坊和探访我们的邻居印度教与锡克教的混合宗教场所。为了让颂主堂的差传教育持续及深化，2025年的差传主题，是接续2024年的「门前宣教」而定为「走走看看差情寻」。顾名思义，同工会是希望能动员会众出去走走，看看温哥华不同族裔人士的需要。你或许看不见温哥华有450多个族裔，但你肯定会看见印度人和旁遮普人。神把这么大的一个族裔放在我们面前，且是未得之民，我们怎能无动于衷。神爱世人，祂要我们传福音给万族万民。我们不能爱，只是反映我们没有与神结连。因此一个不传福音、不做差传的教会，一定是属灵光境有问题的教会。一个不传福音、不关心差传的基督徒，一定是属灵光境有问题的基督徒。求主怜悯这些教会和基督徒，让他们与主重新结连，因为「人若不常在主里面，就像枝子丢在外面枯干，人拾起来，扔在火里烧了 (约15:6)。」

去关心和爱一些陌生人和族裔是困难的，除非我们满有基督的心和爱。因此2026年我们盼望透过我们所支持的宣教士入手，学习如何关心他们和他们的事工。同时也透过他们的服事，认识接触不同的族裔。若连教会支持的宣教士你都不关心，那牧师真要主动关心你的灵命状况了。只要我们常在基督里，我们为神国所求和所做的，必能心想事成。「你们若常在我里面，我的话也常在你们里面，凡你们所愿意的，祈求，就给你们成就。」(约15:7)

爱你们的牧者，
胡志雄牧师

1 2021年统计局资料。 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/dq221026b-eng.htm