LIFE TOGETHER IN CHRIST

I want to take a moment to say a very heartfelt thank you to all of you.

Over the past days, as my family walked through the passing of my mother-in-law, many of you have supported us quietly and faithfully—through your prayers, your messages, your presence, and your generosity. These were not just practical help; they reminded us that we were not grieving alone. You carried this sorrow with us, and my family and I are deeply grateful.

What we experienced was more than care for a pastor’s family. It was the church being the church. In our vulnerability, we were reminded again that God is shaping us into a people who know how to carry one another’s burdens. This is how God’s missional community is built, not first through programs or plans, but through real love shown in ordinary, painful moments.

As God’s missional community, grief is never meant to be carried alone. Loss is communal, borne together, and shared. To be remembered, accompanied, and supported in a time of bereavement is a profound expression of love. And when you step into such tender spaces with gentleness, the Gospel is not just spoken, it is seen.

As Chinese New Year approaches next week, I would also like to offer a gentle word of pastoral and cultural guidance, as we live out our faith wisely in our context.

In Chinese culture, the period surrounding death is often seen as a time of liminality. For some, visiting—or being visited by—someone who has recently experienced bereavement during the New Year season may feel 不吉利, inauspicious. While this is not what we believe, it is something that carries deep cultural and emotional meaning for many, especially those who do not share our faith.

As Christians, we hold firmly to the truth that in Christ, death does not have the final word. Our hope is in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time, Christian love is never about insisting on truth without care. Scripture teaches us to walk wisely, to be sensitive to conscience, and to seek the good of others before our own freedom.

Building His missional community does not mean ignoring culture. It means entering it with discernment—knowing when to speak, when to hold back, and when love is best shown through patience rather than presence.

As you plan your Chinese New Year visits with family and friends, especially those who do not share our faith, I encourage you to exercise wisdom and sensitivity. If questions or discomfort arise because of a recent bereavement, choosing restraint is not a lack of love. It is love.

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 8 that even when something is permissible, love sometimes calls us to limit our freedom so that others are not confused or troubled in conscience. When this Gospel-shaped love meets cultural wisdom, the church becomes a gentle and credible witness, one that builds trust, honours people where they are, and makes space for God to work in His time.

Chinese New Year is a season of blessing, reunion, and new beginnings. My prayer is that we will be known not for insisting on our freedom, but for practicing thoughtful love, love that builds trust, opens doors, and creates space for the Gospel to be heard.

Thank you once again for walking with us through this valley. As we continue to learn how to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to mourn with those who mourn, may God keep shaping us into a missional community that bears witness to Christ—not only in what we say, but in how we live together in Christ.

Building His Missional Community,

Pastor Forest