Advent Rising

“Here the impossible union Of spheres of existence is actual, Here the past and future Are conquered, and reconciled”-T. S. Eliot, from The Four Quartets

Hello Friends,

Happy Monday to you all. I pray that this finds you well and for all you East Coast friends, you had your first dose of snow. It is the second week of Advent as we reflect on the coming of the Lord in the form of a newborn child. During worship on Sunday, my heart was overwhelmed to tears to recognize the depth of my sin but more powerfully the measure of His love. That came in the desperate cry of a child in the company of confused parents:

"He has regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden," said Mary when she saw, accepting her nothingness, the essential love of God and felt her flesh become the dwelling place and nourishment of the Word Incarnate. How wonderful that Mary's nothingness should attract God's all. What sweetness in her prayer when she recognized that she was at the opposite pole from God, where humility not only becomes the acceptance of love, but is one of its demands.”-Carlo Carretto, Letters from the Desert

I hope as Christmas approaches, we are reflecting on the advent journey of this child. I will be posting a reflection of Jesus as priest and king on a seperate blog on Wednesday. As part of my ministry, I wanted to have some writings and spiritual musing for expressing some of my thoughts and rants about ministry and my pilgrimage.

I want to thank you all again for the encouragement. I want to thank Jenny for giving me some funding leads and for always encouraging me. Also want to thank DJ Chuang for giving me some perspective on ministry and look forward to connecting with him and listen to his thoughts on Asian American ministry. I also connected with a youth pastor in GA who i hope to connect with soon. This blog is getting some exposure so that is great to know.

I am posting some support forms on the Yahoo Group so that it would make things easier if people want to support me. Thanks friends who gave me some advise on this.

Personal Items:

Tears: I cried at service...it started with songs that are familiar to me...but then realized the depth of my sin...my heart was reminded that 9 years ago...this prodigal son brought me home and then have blessed me so much in my life...even in the midst of so many hardships, God called...in the depths of my sin...he is so faithful.

Married life has been good. Jamie and I are attending a couples fellowship where we are studying Love and Respect Series. It has been a time of refreshing...there is great intimacy and affection in our relationship but also places of healing and restoration. Pray for us to be strengthened to be the man and woman He created us to be and that we may serve others.

Family We are planning to spend time with folks as we come back to NYC and then with Jamie's parents in HK. Pray for interaction and reflection of the love we have for one another because of Christ.

Pray for my sister as she is going through transitions and raising the kids on her own. She accepted Christ a few months ago and still trying to sort out her faith in the midst of many trials.

Syracuse Alliance Church (our home church here) has asked me to come aboard to serve as an advisor to the youth ministry and also to observe on their strategic meeting. I am a bit ambivalent as it seems that there seems to be a great deal of struggles as the church seeks to move forward. I attended a SonLife Youth Ministry Strategy Seminar this past weekend and took in a lot of the challenges that face the youth ministry. Pray for servant heart and to allow God to use me.

Ministry Items:

-Funding:
I had some leads this week and that I will be able to follow through on those. Pray for boldness and sharing. I am meeting with the missions board of the Chinese Community Church of NJ this coming Sunday as I am speaking. I will be preaching on Christ as the fulfillment of Isaac.

-As I mentioned earlier, my friend Jenny gave me some names for me to pursue a partnership with. I hope that those meetings go well.

-I am praying that I could approach some individuals in Syracuse to connect and partner with them for this vision.

-I am trying to form a committee of intercessors who can pray for me and also serve as a sounding board to raise some funds. Pray that I ask with humility and wisdom those who are close to the ministry to join me.

-Praises! There were some more funding that came in but at this rate, I won't be able to get paid till next year! But I have faith for He is the Lord who provides.

-Sending out my prayer support letter to Church missions board. I will also send another appeal letter to some of my friends and supporters.

-Speaking:
I have decided that I will speak at Teen Eastern Chinese Bible Conference if their first choice cannot speak. The theme is Hope...which is awesome! Please pray for discernment and passion as I prepare my heart.

I am still praying about the New York Summer Conference and their theme is persevering faith. The organizer and I are good friends and I served before there as a workshop leader and see how God has used the conference to do amazing things.

I had a good talk with Joel, a staff at Cornell who is facilitating the Grace Christian Fellowship retreat in January where I will be speaking. They are still developing a theme and expressed that they have several non-believers coming which is such a burden of my heart.

Academy
I am finishing up the surveys for the churches and also organizing a date for the academy. I was thinking of having an emphasis on youth ministry and leadership the first time around. But thinking of contextualizing it and partnering with Intervarsity and other institutions.

Website
I am in the midst of making a website for my personal ministry page. I have asked a good friend of Jamie's to develop it and I should have it up soon. I hope to get it up before Christmas.