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Remain in Jesus

Key Verse: (John 15:5)  “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Thank God for his goodness and faithfulness to us despite our weaknesses.  Thank God for giving us his Son Jesus so we can have a deep life giving relationship with God.  We thank God for blessing Baltimore ministry in 2014 through our Bible study ministry and coworking and house church families.  May we remain in Jesus and grow in a deeper vine and branch relationship with Jesus to bear fruit in our lives that is the fruit of love relationship with God and his Son Jesus.

Thank God we could study his word through 1:1 Bible study, group Bible study, personal study and through SWS.  Throughout the year we could study John’s gospel, 1 & 2 Kings, special passages and now we are studying Romans.  John’s gospel taught us the love of God to give us Jesus to teach us the way to eternal life and eternal love relationship with God.  The cross of Jesus and his resurrection from the dead are the source of our living hope through the forgiveness of sins and assurance of bodily resurrection to live in glory with Jesus forever.  Through 1 & 2 Kings we could see how God shepherded his people through men of God like Elijah and Elisha.  We saw there were kings who did right in the eyes of God like King David and also wicked kings who led God’s people in idolatry.  We pray to be godly shepherds and for God to bless our nation by raising men and women who love God and teach us to turn our hearts to him in love and obedience.  Through Romans study so far God is teaching us that in our sin we are powerless and hopeless and subject to God’s wrath and judgment and condemnation.  Out of his heart of love he offered his own Son Jesus to take the wrath of God upon himself through his sacrificial death on the cross.  In this Jesus justified us, making us right with God when we have faith in Jesus.  The righteous will live by faith.  We were enemies of God but through faith in Jesus we have the fruits of peace, joy, love, hope, the Holy Spirit and eternal life.  We had Friday leaders’ meeting Bible studies each week studying these books.  Sh Paul & Sh Cyril regularly delivered messages as well as Ishaya and other coworkers for SWS and conferences.  Thank God for giving the word of God and Holy Spirit for us to give the messages.  The SWS environment was also beautifully served by all coworkers.  The praise group grew from Joseph alone to include Caleb and Grace.  M. Pauline played piano and carefully selected hymns to help us worship, with Caleb assisting on the piano.  Women, men and YDJ teams gave offering songs and also were prayer servants.  Ishaya, M. Augustine and Darius did a great job to lead us in worship. 

For 1:1 Bible study regular and faithful students included, Mack, Mary, Joseph, Jingxi, Charmane, Dinci, Darius, Keyanna, Ronlet, Noami and others.  We invited students through campus fishing, student fairs and SGA website.  Our children also studied the Bible with us and continue to attend Saturday youth group and SWS in Washington as well as join our SWS once a month.  They are encouraged to read and study the Bible and grow in their personal faith.  They also serve the poor locally and globally through fundraisers and serving.  Sometimes they go out to shopping centers and share Jesus and pray with people they meet.  May God grow our students and children in their love for Jesus and have Jesus’ calling to be his disciples to spread the gospel through campus mission.

Discipling was done through prayer, Bible study, personal relationship and fellowship.  Ishaya grew through Sun. messenger training throughout the year.  We pray for him to have a better work schedule not to conflict with SWS, grow in faith and responsibility, and establish a house church family.  Another wonderful discipling method is through our Young Disciples of Jesus team (YDJ).  Once a week Sh Cyril & Mary host students in their home downtown around the Univ. MD Balt (UMB) campus.  Sh Cyril leads with Bible study followed by dinner fellowship.  They also prepare offering song for SWS once or twice a month.  The students enjoy so much, they sometimes contact the Boyd’s during break because they still want to come over to meet!  YDJ members included Joseph Kim, Dinci, Charmane, Ishaya, Carlo and others.  They are encouraged to have 1:1 Bible study and grow in personal faith and calling from Jesus as his disciples.  Thank God for the Boyd’s shepherd’s heart for the YDJ team.  Another discipling opportunity came through Grace Sambuco’s visit to Chicago during high school Spring Break.  She was hosted graciously by M. Isaac & Deborah Lim and had Bible study with Mother Barry and Dr. Helen Rarick.  She also was encouraged to have personal study and testimony writing during her stay.  Through her testimony sharing from 1 Cor. 15 she repented of her sins and deeply accepted the grace of Jesus.  In the following fall she started classes at Towson U. and helped us minister there through preparing our group tri-fold and inviting students at the fall student fair.  May God use her as salt & light for Towson University students.

For the Summer conference we joined Mid-Atlantic chapters at James Madison Univ. in Virginia.  Sh Cyril gave message from Romans 1: I am Not Ashamed of the Gospel.  Sh. Mary led us in preparing a joyful and energetic resurrection dance.  Each year we join Washington and other Mid-Atlantic chapters for our Easter conference.  This year we held our first independent retreat, “Jesus, Our Living Hope” (1 Pe 1:3).  It gave each member a chance to have more involvement and a master mind.  We held messenger training for the two weeks leading up to the conference.  Joseph Kim gave his first Bible message as the opening message on the Gospel of the Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-11); M. Paul Chang delivered “By His Wounds We are Healed (Is 53); Ishaya Daniel delievered “Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son to Life” (Luke 7) and M. David Park delivered closing message “Jesus Our Living Hope”.  We had three Bible study groups including a YDJ group and youth group with passage study and testimony sharing.  Christian book reports were shared by Augustine Byon and Mary Boyd.  Life testimonies were shared by Naomi Hwang and Faith Sambuco.  The youth made a good environment through praise music and coworkers arranged all the meals.  Students Dinci and Ronlett joined and Darius designed a professional banner.  God blessed our retreat to increase our faith in Jesus’ death to heal our wounds of sin and resurrection to give us hope in this life and for eternal life.

We held a special graduation SWS in June for Caleb and Grace who graduated high school, David Jr. who graduated from UM College Park and Joseph Kim graduated from Johns Hopkins University.  We prayed for them to be salt and light on the college campus by living out their faith as Jesus’ people.

For World Mission we welcomed M. James Lee from South Africa for SWS.  He had graciously served Ishaya Daniel who went as a short term missionary several years ago.  M. James shared his gracious life testimony and we enjoyed fellowship together.  We were honored to be visited by Pastor Abraham and Sarah Kim.  Pastor Abraham led us in Bible study from Acts 28- Paul Preaches the Kingdom of God in Rome.  Though Paul was under house arrest, he boldly preached the kingdom of God.  We were encouraged to not dwell in our problems but have Jesus in our heart to strengthen us in any situation.  At the beginning of the year Naomi Hwang came to Univ. of Delaware as Ph.D. exchange student from Taiwan where she studied the Bible in Steve & Allison Haga’s chapter.  Each weekend she travels by bus about 2 hours each way to have 1:1 Bible study with Sh. Faith and join our SWS.  Baltimore coworkers took turns serving her and accepted her as our sister and coworker.  Soon she will return to Taiwan and we pray she may grow as a shepherdess and mother of prayer.  In World Mission dept. M. David Park and M. Augustine Byon served as Treasurer and assistant along with Sh. Faith as good stewards of God’s offerings and expenses for God’s work.

We continue to pray for God’s healing to coworkers.  M. Grace is still suffering from vasculitis auto-immune disorder (swelling of blood vessels) after several years.  M. David developed a nerve problem in his neck and also a condition causing a sudden loss of eyesight.  Other coworkers struggle from certain health conditions as well, yet God is gracious and they keep growing in their hope and faith and love for God despite their suffering.  May God grant our coworkers his healing mercy and love in the midst of illness.

2014 Thanksgiving Topics:

1) 1:1 Bible study with new students

2) YDJ team through Boyd’s house church

3) Sh Cyril & Paul serving Sunday message

4) Children’s growth in wisdom and stature before God and men.

II. 2015 Vision & Strategy

2015 key verse: (John 15:5)  “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Jesus is the source of life and nourishment for our souls.  When I try to live my life and serve God I become very weak.  I realized I was very fruitless in character and as a shepherd because I was not connected in a deep vine and branch relationship.  I repent of my lack of faith which causes me to lose connection to Jesus and makes me an unfruitful branch.  So I become a burden to coworkers and not a good leader for my family and the ministry.  I repent that I could not be a more faithful and inspiring and visionary leader for God’s work.  I realize how powerless and sinful I am.  May God have mercy on me to trust in Jesus for my strength.  May God strengthen coworkers through vine and branch relationship with Jesus that fills us with the Spirit of Jesus so we may be overflowing with the love and character of Jesus and bear fruit as campus shepherds.

 Prayer topics:

1. Sun. message by Sh. Paul, Cyril, and others
2. Ishaya to get better schedule to grow as shepherd
3. 1:1 Bible study ministry
4. YDJ team grow and be fruitful
5. Children to grow in personal faith in Jesus and as our coworkers
6. God’s Healing and strength for all coworkers
7. Coworking and love among all members.

One word: Repent and remain in Jesus to bear much fruit.