更深地連結
協調牧師報告 ／ 鄭文選牧師
今年對FECDB來說面臨了新的挑戰，一方面我們的王牧師（開堂及主任牧師）卸下了主任牧師的職分，前往聯會擔任全職的聯會領導牧師；另一方ACC成為正式獨立的堂會，有自己的法人地位與免稅號碼。但感謝神的是，在祂奇妙恩手的帶領之下，感覺整個教會有了更深地連結。
一、國粵語牧區有更多面向的配合
首先是粵語和國語兩個牧區之間有更多面向的事工配合。4/15受難夜，梅牧師帶領粵語堂的同工團隊，為大家精心預備了震撼人心的崇拜，從苦路十四站的細膩擺設，到敬拜和影音團隊的流暢配搭，以及牧者團隊入木三分的角色扮演，一步步引導每個與會者更深刻的思想基督十架的大愛。當晚，兒童們也在Pastor Angela的帶領下，依序走過苦路十四站而留下深刻印象。
此外，我們在今年五月首度聯合舉行「基督化家庭月」，兩堂邀請相同的講員（包含了王師母Iris，青少年及家庭事工Pastor Joe，粵語堂的Agnes，以及國語堂的莫非老師和官傳道），使用相同的小組討論教材，並舉行母親節聯合崇拜，致贈每位母親兩堂共同選購的母親節禮物，讓基督化家庭的信念更深的植入弟兄姊妹心中。
六月份，我們共同配合年度目標（「活出聖靈能力的人生」）在聖靈降臨節的週末（6/4-6/5）舉行了「聖靈更新特會」，除了有聖經真理的教導外，也有實際呼求聖靈充滿與彼此代禱的操練。感謝主，看到不少與會者經歷聖靈的感動而流下喜樂的眼淚，會後也聽到一些弟兄姊妹病得醫治的美好見證。
六月中旬，Ada姐妹繼四月份甫完成苦路十四站的佈置後，進一步帶領粵語牧區、國語牧區與青少年牧區的弟兄姊妹們，為暑期兒童聖經學校打造了令人驚嘆的整體佈置，從一進教堂大門，到走廊兩側、餐廳、樓梯間，一直延伸到二樓rainbow room，彷彿身歷其境進入聖經故事一般。我看著如此用心的佈置，內心深深被感動，也不住為參與的兒童們禱告，求神使用老師們的教導，配合這些視覺教具，將主的真理深深烙印在他們心中。
隨著時序進入六月下旬，聖靈引領我們進到另一方面的連結，就是董事與牧者之間的更深刻交流。
二、董事牧者們有更加深刻的交流
6/18我們舉行年度董事暨傳道同工退修會。今年的形式與往年不同，我們邀請了組織發展與行為學科的專家Dr. John Brunstetter來協助我們。在退修會開始前兩週，Dr. John已讓每位與會者先做了一份stewardship heart scan的問卷，並與每位傳道同工個別解析問卷結果，幫助傳道同工更多認識自己。退修會上午，Dr. John綜合所有人的性格取向，引導我們看見我們董事牧者團隊的強項與弱項。當天下午，董事Scott使用問卷結果帶領我們進行團隊建造的活動。一天的退修會下來，我們對彼此有了更多的認識，開啟了更深的對話與交心的分享，並於會中決定將董事暨傳道同工退修會改為上下半年各一次，並且定期舉辦邀請配偶一起出席的聚餐，以增進團隊情誼。
這次退修會引發了後續傳道同工針對教會異象與核心價值的進一步討論，盼望在十月份的董事暨傳道同工退修會中，能夠納入董事們的意見並達到共識，讓整個教會在牧者團隊的領導、董事團隊的支持以及全體弟兄姊妹的投入下，越發成長、茁壯、興旺。
三、Youth與ACC有更頻繁緊密的合作
在ACC正式獨立之後，我們的townhouse model也邁入一個新的里程碑。特別感謝主的是，祂帶領青少年及家庭事工牧師Pastor Joe去年底來到我們中間（他今年為我們開設了兩次parenting的講座），Pastor Joe很認同townhouse model，也與Pastor Ben保持頻繁的溝通與緊密的合作。當發現青少年對於參加每月一次與ACC聯合崇拜感到沒有歸屬感而興趣缺缺時，他們做出了及時的調整，例如：Pastor Ben與Pastor Joe開始輪流在聯合崇拜講道，並且兩位牧者都是傳講在各自堂會的講道系列，青少年比較不會感到他們是去參加別的教會的崇拜；有時讓青少年事工的同工在聯合崇拜中報告；規劃讓青少年與ACC的敬拜同工一起參與在聯合崇拜的敬拜團服事；崇拜後一同午餐，增進彼此的認識與情誼。
此外，Pastor Joe也順利在ACC邀請到新同工加入了服事青少年的行列。並且ACC 領袖也出席我們的高中生畢業典禮宴會，聯繫每位畢業生並邀請他們參加 ACC 的活動和 ACC 的大學生聚會。今年的高中畢業生都順利加入ACC，包括有一位學校比較遠的畢業生，放假回來的時候也都會參與ACC。感謝主的恩典，我們與ACC的合作朝著更緊密更穩定的方向前進。
總結
感謝主今年帶領我們在以上幾個層面都有更深的連結。其實今年除了FECDB面臨領袖交接的挑戰外， FEC Glendale，FEC蒙愛教會，FEC Arcadia的主任牧師/協調牧師也都於去年底或今年初退休，這些友堂也相同面臨新一代領袖接任的挑戰。期盼每個堂會都順利度過這段交接轉換期，並盼望新一代領袖彼此也能更深的連結。最後，懇請弟兄姊妹持續的代禱和鼓勵，願主的旨意成全、主的福音廣傳、主的榮耀彰顯。
2022 Annual Report
Deeper Community
Coordinating Pastor Report ／ Rev. Peter Cheng
Translation: Peter Ho
FECDB faced a new challenge this year because Pastor Wong, our Senior and Founding Pastor stepped down and took up the position of Lead Pastor for FECA and also ACC became a fully independent church with its own legal status and tax ID. However, we are thankful to the Lord for his leading in bringing the whole church into deeper community.
1. Greater Coordination between Mandarin and Cantonese Zones
First, there was more ministry collaboration between the Mandarin and Cantonese Zones. On 4/15 Good Friday, Pastor Edith Mui with the Cantonese co-workers designed and led us in a deeply moving worship which included the intricate settings of the 14 stations of the cross, the smooth coordination of the worship and sound teams, and the penetrating and moving role play of the pastoral staff. Attendees were led into deeper worship and reflection on the sacrificial love of Christ on the cross. Pastor Angela Woo also led the children through the 14 stations of the cross leaving them with lasting impression of the love of Christ.
In May the church also had a combined inaugural “Christian Family Month”. Both Zones invited the same speakers which included Pastor Wong’s wife Iris Wong, Youth and Family Pastor, Pastor Joe Lo, Cantonese Zone and Presence Founder Agnes Ip, Mandarin Zone Minister Peter Kung and Author and Founder of GCWMI Teresina Chen. Both Zones also used the same cell group discussion material and held a combined Mother’s Day Sunday worship and passed out Mother’s Day gift picked out by both zones to all the mothers in the service. The inaugural “Christian Family Month” was a great success and helped to firmly establish Christian values in everyone’s heart and families.
In the middle of June, after her work on the 14 stations of the cross, Ada continued leading the Cantonese Zone, Mandarin Zone and Youth coworkers in amazing decorations of the main church hallway all the way upstairs to the Rainbow Room for Vacation Bible School. The decorations helped the children to be immersed in the stories of the Bible. I was greatly moved by the dedication of all the Sunday School teachers and prayed that through the lessons taught and the visual aid of the decorations that God’s truth will be deeply impressed upon the heart of the children.
2. Deeper community among the Board of Directors and the Pastoral Staff
On 6/18 we held our annual Board of Directors and Pastoral Staff retreat. We decided on a different format for the retreat this year. We invited Dr. John Brunstetter of Team Interplay to come and assist us. Two weeks before the start of the retreat, Dr. Brunstetter had all the attendees fill out a Stewardship Heart Scan questionnaire and did in depth analysis of the answers for each pastor so that they may understand themselves deeper. In the morning of the retreat, Dr. Brunstetter integrated the characteristics of all the attendees and guide us in recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of the Board of Director and Pastoral Staff team. In the afternoon of the retreat, Board member Scott Yeh used the questionnaire to help us in doing some team exercises. After a full day of retreat, we came to understand each other more and activated deeper communication and sharing among the attendees. We also decided to hold the retreats twice a year and hold regular meal gathering and include all the spouses to increase friendship among the team.
The retreat also led the Pastoral Staff to hold discussions on the Vision and Core Values of the church and we hope to incorporate the input of the Board of Directors and reach a consensus in the October retreat so that the church under the leadership of the Pastoral Staff, the support of the Board of Directors and the dedication of the church members will thrive and grow stronger.
3. Greater and more collaboration between the Youth Ministry and ACC
After ACC became independent, our Townhouse Model has reached a new milestone. We are especially grateful that God led our Youth and Family Pastor, Pastor Joe Lo to join the FECDB Pastoral Staff (Pastor Joe Lo held two Parenting Seminars for us this year). Pastor Joe Lo is very supportive of the Townhouse Model and is in constant communication and collaboration with Pastor Ben Pun. Once they identified a loss of interest and a lack of belonging by the Youth when attending the monthly combined Youth/ACC Sunday worship, they made some adjustments. One adjustment was to have Pastor Ben Pun and Pastor Joe Lo take turns in giving the sermon with each sticking with their respective sermon series so that the Youth do not feel that they are merely attending some other church’s Sunday worship. Other adjustments include having the Youth make announcements about Youth activities in the service, inclusion of the Youth worship team into the music worship and meals after services to build relationship and friendship with ACC.
Also, Pastor Joe Lo was successful in inviting ACC members to be Youth co-workers. ACC leaders also attended the High School Graduation Celebration to invite the graduates to attend ACC activities and ACC College Fellowship. All High School graduates are now attending ACC including one attending a faraway school who attends during school breaks. We are thankful to God’s grace that our collaboration with ACC continue to move steadily and intimately forward.
Conclusion
We are thankful to the Lord in helping the church move towards deeper community as shown above. Besides the challenges that FECDB faced this year, FEC Glendale, FECC and FEC Arcadia all faced the same challenge as their respective Senior or Coordinating Pastors retired. All these member churches are incorporating a new generation of Pastoral leadership. The hope is that all the member churches will successfully pass through this period of transition and that all the leaders of the member churches will build deeper community among themselves.
In closing, I ask for your continued supplication and encouragement. May God’s will be done and His glory be manifested as we continue to spread the Gospel.