Sunday Service on March 15, 2026

Church News

1. We warmly welcome brothers and sisters to worship our eternal Lord, who was, is, and always will be; we also extend a special welcome to new friends or visiting brothers and sisters from afar, and we hope you will become a part of our spiritual family. We thank Ps. Andrew for his sermon today, and we pray that the Lord blesses Ps. Andrew's ministry and his family. After the worship service, please join us in the fellowship hall for tea and to connect with one another.

2. Hebrews 10:25 reminds us: "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching

3. Pastor's Trip: Pastor Fang, Fu Qing, Han Shuo, and Wen Xia will be traveling to Auckland from March 13 to 15 to attend the third annual conference hosted by the New Zealand Chinese Methodist Church. We kindly ask the brothers and sisters to remember their journey in prayer and to intercede for their safe travels.

4. Prayer for the Church:

5. Pray for the Church:

6. We ask God to grant the power of the Holy Spirit, so that Jia En Church in Tauranga may continue to be a spiritual family, leading more people to know Christ and experience the renewal of life and the joy of the gospel.

7. We pray for the church to have a clear vision and unity in its mission of "making disciples, caring, and evangelism," that all members may work together in harmony to faithfully fulfill the ministry entrusted by God.

8. We seek God's guidance in all church ministries (such as Sunday worship, care groups, youth fellowship, and children's Sunday school), that they may bear spiritual fruit, love and support one another, and manifest the love of Christ.

9. We pray for the spiritual well-being, health, and families of the church leaders and workers, asking God to grant them wisdom and strength, so that they may find renewal and fortitude in their service.

10. Prayer for Believers:

We ask God to help each believer continue to grow in their relationship with Him, to have a longing for prayer and the study of the Bible, and to establish an intimate relationship with the Lord.

We pray for believers to have a humble and teachable heart on the path of discipleship, relying on the Lord's strength to grow in faith and live out an abundant life.

• We pray that believers will care for one another in love and unity within the community, supporting each other in life as we collectively experience God's grace.

• We pray for the faith development of our youth and children, that they may come to know God from a young age, deeply rooting His Word in their hearts to guide them throughout their lives.

• We pray for the New Zealand Chinese Methodist Church Annual Conference:

• We ask the Lord to lead and watch over the service of Bishop Chen Liliang of the New Zealand Chinese Methodist Church.

We pray for all pastors and their families within the Methodist Church:

• We ask God to strengthen the spiritual lives and ministries of our pastors: we pray that the Lord grants them daily time alone with Him, filling their spirits with the Holy Spirit, providing them with heavenly wisdom to guide the church in accordance with His will.

• We pray for the safety and peace of our pastors and their families: we earnestly ask God to personally protect our pastors and their families, granting them physical, mental, and spiritual health. May they feel the Lord's presence and comfort in times of spiritual warfare and pressure, staying far from all temptation and temptation, and achieving victory through Him.

• We pray for the relationships between pastors and their coworkers: we ask God to anoint the messages and ministries of our pastors, that their service may reflect the truth and love of Christ. We also pray for unity among pastors, coworkers, and the congregation as we serve together to advance the Gospel.

• The faith testimony of a children's author, He Zihui: God did not heal my father from his illness, but He healed his spirit, bringing him liberation within.

"The song of life is a melody that has both high notes and low tones; this is the essence of life." This is the final sentence from the postscript of He Zi's work, "Facing Cancer This Way." His life has composed a brilliant and moving song.

1. Joyful Melody My father, pen name He Zi, originally named He Songbai, was born in 1938 during a time of war. His parents, fearing they could not raise him, did not give him a formal name at birth; he was only known by his nickname, He Xiazi, until he was about ten years old when he was renamed He Songbai. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, my father fled with his family from Macau to Hong Kong when he was just three years old. Unfortunately, they encountered the three years and eight months of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. My grandfather was tragically captured by the Japanese army and died after being subjected to medical experiments. My grandmother, with my young father in tow, struggled to survive in an extremely dangerous and impoverished environment. Growing up in a poor family, my father had to work part-time while studying in high school to support his tuition. After graduating, he immediately took on a full-time job as a teacher at his alma mater. He enjoyed telling stories to his students, but he loved writing stories even more. After three years of teaching, he was introduced by a friend to work at a children's newspaper. In the 1960s in Hong Kong, there was a severe lack of locally created children's literature. My father cherished this job, even though the salary was lower than what he earned as a teacher. He did not mind, but the workload was considerable; he took on the roles of reporter, editor, and author, while also managing printing, distribution, and reader services, often staying up late to complete his tasks. Despite the hardships of running a children's publication, this work brought my father immense satisfaction. The newspaper had a wealth of reference books from both local and foreign sources, which he enjoyed. Over four years, he read many books, gaining knowledge akin to attending university, which laid the foundation for his journey into children's literature creation and publishing.

2. Rich Harmony Just as my father's career was flourishing, at the end of 1990, he was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer at the age of fifty-two. He had never smoked or drunk alcohol, believing that the cancer was a warning sign from his body after years of hard work. Originally an atheist, my father was accustomed to relying on himself, and his life experiences had forged a resilient character. He worked tirelessly to build his career from scratch, fully immersed in his work, never contemplating death or exploring faith. Additionally, my father's extensive reading exposed him to various worldly philosophies, leading him to harbor rational doubts about the Christian faith. However, cancer forced him to slow down, reorganize his work, and reflect on life. During this time, the Lord Jesus intervened in his life, and the love and care from Christians around him began to soften his resistance to the gospel. One day, a Christian visitor came to see him; she was a writer named Xiao Maizi, whose first collection of essays he had helped publish. Grateful for his support, she earnestly prayed for him and invited him to believe in Jesus. This marked the moment my father decided to embrace faith. The prompting and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit opened his heart to accept Christ. Following this, he experienced subtle changes within himself, which were reflected in the newspaper columns he wrote daily. From the day of his diagnosis until the day before he passed away, he never stopped writing, documenting his journey of battling illness. Initially relying solely on himself, he gradually learned to entrust his life to the Lord and discovered the peace and hope that comes from Him. He frequently declared his newfound faith in his articles, and even while hospitalized, witnessing fellow patients suffering on the brink of death, he steadfastly wrote: "I am a devout Christian, praying daily, releasing myself, and entrusting my body to God. Our doctrine teaches that we shall return to God and receive eternal life, welcomed by angels, without fear." His faith in the Lord was clearly and profoundly woven into his words.

• A Brilliant Life Reflecting on my father's journey, he began publishing stories in the popular "Overseas Chinese Daily" children's section in 1966, and his works were beloved by young readers. He later self-published his first book, "Forty Children's Novels." In the 1970s, my father saved some money and started his own business, first opening a bookstore and stationery shop, and later founding a publishing house dedicated to publishing extracurricular reading materials for students. He wrote a large number of beneficial books suitable for children and young adults, publishing over six hundred titles in ten years, and established a monthly literary magazine for schools. His publications were well-received in the academic community, earning a great reputation. Throughout the 1980s, He Zi was quite active in the literary scene; in addition to writing and publishing, he contributed to various newspapers in Hong Kong, encouraged emerging writers, published works for newcomers, and dedicated himself to the research and promotion of children's literature. He traveled extensively to give talks and serve as a judge, organizing literary events to foster communication among peers, making significant contributions to Hong Kong's cultural landscape. This was indeed a blessing from God.

• Though my father's health deteriorated later on, he lived his remaining days to the fullest, celebrating family and friendship, caring for fellow patients, and persisting in his writing. In his works, he often expressed gratitude, reflecting on how "He Zi is fortunate." What I admire most is my father's candid self-reflection in his articles and interviews, where he openly shared his inner struggles and weaknesses, sincerely repenting before