Recent Events - July/August

Pictures provided by David MacRaild, John Chao, and Peter Brown.

Youth Ministry dinner in Linkou.

Former Elder Bill Chang visits Friendship Club.

July Newcomer Welcome Lunch.

August meeting of The Engine Room (monthly prayer meeting).

Noteworthy Events

Rembrandt van Rijn, The Return of the Prodigal Son

• Communion Sunday – July 14th: We will hold our monthly celebration of the Lord’s Supper during the Sunday service of July 14th. Please prepare your hearts to participate in this intimate act of recognition of our dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Newcomers Welcome Lunch – July 21st, 1:15pm-3:00pm: If you are new to FPC in the last two months, come join us for food and fellowship. It is a time to meet others who are new to the church and helps us get you connected to the life of the church. You can register at the Newcomer Welcome table in the fellowship hall, or simply meet up with us in Room 402 of the church building at 1:00pm on the 21st.

• Youth Ministry “Newcomer” Welcome Overnight Retreat – Aug. 23-24: Our youth ministry will hold an overnight retreat in the church building to welcome all FPC kids who will be starting the 7th-grade (or higher) this fall. A pizza dinner, worship, games, snacks, Bible study, and a tasty breakfast will all be provided. Permission slips will be available at the Sunday morning youth service and at the regular Newcomer Welcome table in the fellowship hall. One slip required per family.

• Spotlight on Service: Did you know that each Sunday Church Service at FPC takes an average of 28 individual acts of service? We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the 67 individuals who served FPC during a Sunday Service or special event during the month of June.  If you would like to join our team of volunteers, please email deacons@friendshiptaipei.com.

• Youth Ministry Weekly Gatherings - Fridays, 6:30-9:30pm: Our youth ministry provides a time of worship, Bible study, fellowship, and fun. We meet every Friday, 6:30-9:30pm, at 261 Roosevelt Road, 6th floor.

• FPC Line News Group: Be sure to join our FPC LINE news group where you can get all the latest information about FPC. You will not receive messages from other people, only from FPC. You can also send prayer requests which will be received by the church leaders. To join, search for "@osv3181q" or scan this QR code…

From the Desk of Pastor Kim

Is worship on Sundays an activity that individuals participate in, or is it something that everyone participates in together (corporate worship)? Is Sunday worship a time for individuals to come before the Lord, laying down their burdens, confessing their sins, and listening to the sermon to hear God's word for that individual? Or is it a time for the congregation to come before the Lord together, laying down the needs of our church and our city, confessing the sins of our church and its need for Jesus, and hearing and responding to the preaching of God's Word as a community?

The simple answer is…yes. It is a time for both individual and corporate worship. It may be easier to understand why individual worship is important, especially in our individualistic, urban setting. It may be more difficult to understand the importance of corporate worship. David Mathis from John Piper’s Desiring God website writes about five benefits (though not limited to these five) of corporate worship. They are:

1.   the experience of awakening

2.   the assurance that we receive in believing in the same gospel

3.   the advance that we experience in sanctification while worshiping

4.   the practice of accepting another's leading

5.   the accentuated joy of worshipping the Lord together

I invite you to take a look at the full article here.

In closing, let us consider this passage from the Letter to the Hebrews:

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

                                                                                                                                                Hebrews 10:19-25 ESV