HOPE FAMILY NEWS
Landing in Montreal, Canada - Spring 2009 
Montréal is largest city in Quebec and second largest in Canada. The city of Montréal is a beautiful offspring of a union between European charm and North America attitude. Eighty distinct ethnic cultures are represented in its population of more than 3.6 million.
[Photo of Montreal Team: Pei, Beng and Mel]
Over the past 2 years, a team has been forming to be part of the pioneering group to Montréal, Quebec. In March 16th 2009, part of team comprising of Mel, Pei and Beng arrived in Montréal.
"One of our main objective over the next 12 months is to learn, experience and immerse ourselves first hand in the rich local French culture, history and diversity in this 'international' city. We hope that we would gain some valuable insights on understanding the needs of local Montréalers and how we can respond to those needs in a local cultural context" Beng Cheah
Montreal Team Commissioning Video
By the grace of God Beng, Mel and Pei have arrived at a time where they’ve confirmed their plane tickets and travel itineraries, ready to fly and embark on their newest adventure. Montreal, here they come!!!
[Photo:Commissioning prayer for Montreal Team]
Mel/Beng & Sarah/Lee King are still currently for their Canadian PR to be approved. Do keep them in your prayers and for our friends currently in Montreal.
Photo of Beng & Mel at Montréal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International airportFor more information on their pioneering stage or ways you can support this team, feel free to contact:
Email: mellyana80@gmail.com
Blog : seedsofhopemontreal.blogspot.com
Face Book group:
Hope Montreal Pioneering Work
Hope Manila, Philippines: Church Planting in Calamba
Hope of God Calamba began in November 2, 2008. We decided to start our first afternoon service in a small apartment room of one of our members which can only fit 20 people. After our morning service in Hope San Pedro, we would travel to Calamba in time for the afternoon service.
At the start, only 12 people attended the service. Many others had a never-ending list of reasons why they couldn’t attend the afternoon service. However it didn’t discourage us from continuing on what we had started. We encouraged our existing leadership team to double their efforts and to keep persevering because we know that God is a merciful God; He will not let us down in our fulfilling the Great Commission in Hope Calamba.
[Photo of new church venue]
The place became crowded and we started to look for a new venue. After so many days of prayer and fasting for new church venue, God was faithful and answered us in our time of need because He led us to find a newly constructed building which had no tenants on the second floor. The room can accommodate 100 people with no post and high ceiling.
[Photo of old church venue]
Last February 2009, we started our morning service in Hope Calamba and Sister Hani took on the challenge of looking after the church. People were excited about the new venue. We had 23 adults and seven children at the first morning service. We are now also pioneering university groups.
We keep our people excited about fulfilling the Great Commission in our lifetime and are looking forward towards the future expansion of Hope of God Calamba.
Pastor Henry and Hani
Hope Calamba, Philippines
Hope Kuala Lumpur Mandarin: Chinese New Year Dinner
God is doing a great work in our Mandarin Church. He is bringing in the harvest. In 2008 we have seen a total of 71 accepted the Lord in Hope Petaling Jaya. To assimilate these new visitors & to welcome in the Mandarin service members from Hope Kuala Lumpur, we held a Chinese New Year reunion dinner recently.
[Photo: Pastor Sow Fong & Estee]
Chinese New Year is a very important occasion for the Chinese Family. It is the time when all family members will come together for a reunion dinner. Therefore we decided to ride on this special occasion to communicate God’s love and to build a strong family atmosphere in the church.
During the night we have 140 attendances. The atmosphere is joyous and exciting. All members brought different Chinese New Year delicacies and dishes to bless the church. We were also blessed to have a numbers of elderly in our midst.
These are the parents and relatives of our members & visitors. For some of these visitors, this was the first time in their lives to step into a church. They enjoyed the fellowship, good food and sharing from the family of God.
The programme of the night included “Yu Lou Sheng” or “Yusheng”. Yúshēng (鱼生) is interpreted as a homophone for Yúshēng (余升) meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore we shared about God’s abundance and blessing through this activity. The worship team also leads the congregation to praise God for His abundance. Through the sharing of the word of God, the church also learned the true meaning of God’s blessing.
Thank God for His family.
Pastor Sow Fong & Estee
Hope PJ Mandarin Service
Hope Hong Kong: Chinese New Year Service
Praise the Lord for the Lunar New Year Sunday Service,which fell on the 7th day of the Year of the Ox. It was a festive day indeed and we exchanged not only the usual Chinese New Year greetings, but also blessed each other with Biblical-style greetings like "Jue Yan Sheung Joi" (Grace of Lord is with you always); "Chat Nin Fung Sau" (Seven Years of Abundance). Many of these auspicious words were inspired by the special "Fai Chun" stuck up around the hall area during this festive season.
Sis Arlene also gave a timely sermon regarding changes. She shared with us that indeed Christians will undergo lots of changes in life, but our changes should be for the purpose of glorifying God's name and testifying God's presence in our lives before the people.
We should put on the love of Christ in our daily life by putting in us the right attitude, not just once but everyday in our life. During the changing process there will be clashes and conflicts with others but our hearts should be ruled by the peace of Christ, this can be done if we are indwelt with the Word of Christ by constantly praising and worshipping Him in our hearts. By putting our Lord constantly in our presence, we will depend on His power in every circumstance in life and therefore will do everything in His name. New Year has always been associated with changes, from old things to new things. In the year of the Ox, let us all be changed in Him!
Pastor Gavin & Pastor Arlene Toh
Hope Hong Kong (Website)
Hope Brisbane: Australia Day Service
On January 24, 2008, Hope Brisbane Church’s Morning and Ablaze Services held their first combined ‘Australia Day Service’. The event was held at Griffith University and was designed to cater for new visitors and locals to have their first experience with God and the Hope Brisbane family.
Australian Day Service Video
In true Australian style, there was a free sausage sizzle and cool drinks which matched the very humid Brisbane weather. Refreshing water and cordial was on hand to help cool the overheated. Soon we exchanged the outdoors for the air-conditioned lecture theatre as the Australia Day Service officially began.
Pastor Lance from Hope Gold Coast was chairperson and he was his amusing and effervescent self. The night kicked off with three (un)lucky volunteers from the two services who undertook a series of challenges to see who was the most proud and patriotic Aussie in Hope. The audience were far from quiet however, with a partisan crowd cheering and encouraging their favourite.
After an energetic praise and worship session, Leon Toh from Ablaze Service was interviewed about what it means to be an Australian and a Christian in this day and age. He shared to the congregation that biblical community is the strength of the church of Christ.
Pastor Wilson’s sermon was entitled ‘Advance Australia Where’. In his teaching, Pastor Wilson told the congregation that the cherished national values of mateship and the Great Australian Dream are not enough; we need to have God at the centre.
Supper after service was quintessentially Aussie: lamingtons and scones with cream and jam which complemented the joyful fellowship between the two services. The night was a roaring success filled with national pride, community, food and the presence of God.
Reported by Trung Tang
