Church Life

January 9, 2022

The Deacons' Fellowship gathered together to celebrate Sister Xinwei's birthday.

February 6, 2022

The church resumed in-person worship, and Sister Jialin shared her testimony of coming to faith in Christ.

Students from the Truth Class and their families enjoyed a meal at the pastor's home, giving thanks to the Lord for leading Edwin and Sammi to become His children as they made their commitment to faith, all glory to God.

February 2022

Various groups held New Year gatherings, where brothers and sisters celebrated together, prayed for one another, and received blessings.

February 24, 2022

An online information session for the Life of Christ course was held.

Group photo from the Christ's Life course on Zoom.

March 2022

Taupo visitation ministry: Due to the pandemic, the Taupo group is unable to hold in-person gatherings. Through visiting each family, we provide care and encouragement to the sisters there.

March

Online group meeting.

New Believers Training Class: Mentor - Guo Yun; Students: Li Min, Yuan Yuan, Lily, Rachel, Lily Chi.

May 14th, Bethlehem group meeting. The children's expressions perfectly reflect the joys and sorrows of life.

May

Nazareth group mountain fellowship (viewing the mountain)

June

The Taupo group invited student Huang Wanli to share with us.

Mission Ministry: Pastor Wang, Sister Maggie, and the brothers and sisters from Queenstown enjoyed fellowship at the ski resort.

The Cantonese sisters' group gathered together after fellowship to enjoy delicious food.

The Bethlehem group is not to be outdone!!

The most abundant place has to be Capernaum – after all, Capernaum is known for its rich produce and was a significant location during Jesus' ministry (not just my opinion; you can check the life of Christ).

August

The Canaan group meeting.

The Bethany group meeting.

The deacons celebrated Pastor Fang's birthday….

Our spiritual growth is inseparable from the study of the Bible.

2022 Beginner Cultivation Class

We thank the Lord for leading the mentors and students to complete 17 lessons over approximately four months of study. After the course concluded, the mentors and students gathered for a meal, sharing with one another and praying for each other.

September 18, 2022

Today, we celebrate the 16th anniversary of Jia En Church. We are grateful to the Lord for the encouraging message from President Gong: a reflection on the distinction between the sacred and the secular from a biblical perspective: being set apart. Additionally, brothers and sisters drove for several hours to come to the church to sing, and the deacons also took the stage to perform. The Chuang Le Choir and the children presented their offerings as well. After the worship service, we enjoyed a grand meal together, with nearly two hundred people gathered, sharing joy and love as one family. (The pastor's introduction was very serious, but it was excellent and without fault.)

The family photo for the 16th anniversary is so heartwarming. We thank God for His love that allows us to grow together in the Lord.

The Chuang Le Choir passionately performed: "How Beautiful is Your Name Across the Earth" / "Joyful Singing."

CJ Youth Voice performed.

The Sunday School classes of all ages presented a musical performance.

The pastors and deacons sang: "Walk with Me Through Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter." We thank God for guiding us through 16 years, filled with grace.

The anniversary celebration meal was not only well-attended, but there was also an abundance of food! Those who were present were truly blessed. (As for me, who didn’t get to eat, I was drawing circles on the ground.)

Essential Cake

Finally, I would like to share a poem written by Sister Suhua.

Once again, it's Sunday for worship, serving my Lord is what we ought to do,

Cars pass by in front of the church, while the children sing together,

The sun shines brightly as we welcome distant relatives; though the stars in the sky are countless,

Brothers and sisters gather as one, for my Lord's salvation is more numerous than the stars,

Celebrating sixteen years of our church, Grace Church is the Lord's house,

We sing praises to the glory of the Lord, and the congregation is a vessel for spreading His word,

Blessed to serve as greeters at the church entrance, sharing the Gospel of the Lord,

Thousands rejoice in salvation, may the Lord protect Grace Church.

The church thrives as many come to faith, sinners awaken, and souls are saved.

All glory belongs to the Lord; let us sing hallelujah to God!

----- Sister Suhua

Youth Fellowship

January 14-16, 2022

During the Sunday School camp, the children shared and learned God's word together in the Lord.

2022 Youth Outing

Important Matters for the Youth Fellowship in 2022

Chinese Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) online joint gathering: Our youth and mentors from Jiaen Church participated.

Sharing from brothers and sisters

Testimony Sharing: Sister Yang Zhimei

On November 7, 2020, despite the ongoing pandemic and the need to undergo two rounds of quarantine, my concern for my elderly parents and my seriously ill sister compelled me to embark on the journey back home. My family there needed me more…

My cousin, who is 71 years old this year, and I share a close bond. She cares for me deeply, and I understand her well. In my life, she has been both a sister and a mother to me, providing love and support throughout my entire life…

My sister is a hardworking, kind, generous, and compassionate person, yet she is also competitive and has a strong desire for control. I know this stems from her childhood environment; as the eldest in the family, she bore the burdens of life too early and was often unrecognized, frequently scolded and punished by our parents. This lack of love has affected her marriage, where despite her efforts to give and find a place of love, she has not received understanding or care. Her strong personality has driven a wedge between her and her husband, leading her to become more bitter and resentful. Her daughter grew up in this environment and, after graduating, chose to escape and settle in Japan. Each time she returns home, her visits last no more than two weeks, as the atmosphere at home makes it difficult for her to stay. She has tried to make her parents happy by using her hard-earned first savings to buy them a big house, but it has not helped; the couple continues to argue, leaving their child heartbroken.

We sisters share everything; I understand her preferences, dreams, and worries. I often support and encourage her, helping to ease her burdens. More often than not, she shows her gentle side to me, rejecting others but accepting and relying on me. Every time I return to New Zealand, she sees me off with a big hug. I ask her, “Sister, do you regret supporting me all the way here?” She replies, “No regrets, as long as you are doing well.”

My niece Yuying and I also try to make her happy by taking her to Japan and New Zealand for travel. After the trips, she said, “I am sensitive and fragile inside; I feel uneasy everywhere I go, as if nowhere is my home.” I know she needs inner peace the most. I often think how wonderful it would be if she believed in the Lord, as she so desperately needs the God who grants peace. Due to her anger and strong personality, I dare not speak too much to her about faith, but I can only pray silently for her.

In early April 2019, when I returned home due to my father’s illness, I noticed my sister’s poor condition and weight loss. I asked her what was wrong, and she mentioned pain in her back while swallowing food. I sensed something was wrong and took her for an endoscopy, which revealed esophageal cancer. Knowing her personality—strong on the outside but fragile inside—I feared that if she learned the truth, she might not cope or refuse treatment. After discussing with the family, we decided to keep her diagnosis a secret. The surgery on June 10 was very successful, and the pathology results showed stage two esophageal cancer. Since she needed further chemotherapy and radiation treatment, after I returned to New Zealand, my niece truthfully informed her of her condition, but she refused chemotherapy and chose to let things take their course. We could only pray for her. At that time, she finally laid down the burden of caring for our father, who was over 90 and suffering from dementia. To my surprise, during that period, she seemed relatively relaxed and happy. (Perhaps this was one of the few times in her life she lived for herself.) She often expressed gratitude for her current life, saying it was good and that she had everything she needed.

In June 2020, during a follow-up examination, it was discovered that the cancer cells had metastasized to the lymph nodes, indicating that it had reached the terminal stage. The family back home kept this from her, and we were all anxious. My niece and I were abroad, and with the pandemic, there was no one to care for her. (Her husband continued to act as

1. My sister has devoted her whole life to us, and now, in her time of greatest need, I pray that God prepares and guides us to care for her until the end of her life.

2. I ask the Lord to show her grace and choose her, so that she may receive salvation.

3. I pray that the Lord protects her from suffering and pain.

4. I ask the Lord to help her family come together and enjoy more love and care.

5. I pray that she can find peace at the end of her life, free from pain, as if she is peacefully asleep.

6. I also ask the Lord to grant us strength, so that we do not fall into worry, but instead entrust everything to Him.

From the moment I booked my return flight (which was quite expensive, and I managed to get a ticket for $600), I knew that God was paving the way for me. Everyone was concerned that the hotel quarantine would be boring, but I felt that having a Bible would be enough. During that half-month of quarantine, I truly found relaxation for my body, mind, and spirit. I spent time alone in my room, rarely turning on the TV or looking at my phone, and I was able to quiet my heart to read God's word, sing hymns, and pray. It was a time of comfort and sweetness, and I enjoyed it immensely. Thank you, Lord!

Thank you, Lord, that my niece and I were able to return home smoothly in November and December. Each day, we traveled between home and the hospital, and it was not only physically exhausting but also challenging to figure out how to tell my sister the truth about her condition. She had been looking forward to us returning to take her for better treatment, especially hoping to live well. If we told her the truth, I feared she might not be able to accept it. The doctor ultimately announced that there was no cure (as my sister was suffering from severe vomiting due to the IV), advising her to eat and drink less to avoid further suffering. This was the heartfelt advice of a doctor, and it was also the reality. For a patient in the late stages of cancer, the cancer cells have already spread extensively, and any excessive treatment or medication to prolong life might bring her unbearable pain. Therefore, we decided to bring my sister home to spend her final days in peace, doing our best to care for her, accompany her, and enjoy the love of family...

The developments were truly beyond our control, and I am not that strong; we are all quite weak and in need of strength. I held tightly to the Lord's promise that for those who believe, all things are possible (Mark 9:22). During that time, I lived with my niece (my sister was sleeping well at night and did not need companionship), and after finishing household chores during the day, we would read the Bible and pray together at night, entrusting everything to God. We were also supported by Pastor Wang and his wife in New Zealand, Pastor Ling Ai, the Bethany group, and familiar sisters in Christ from back home who were praying for us. It was truly miraculous that during that time, I slept so well at night, waking up refreshed and renewed the next day.

When my niece mustered the courage to tell my sister the truth about her condition, my sister remained calm and silent. She no longer blamed us for not taking her to the hospital for treatment, nor did she complain about my inability to cook her favorite meals. She stopped worrying about why the hard lump on her neck wouldn’t go away. During those days, the only thing she wanted to do was to call her good friends and old neighbors to come and see her, as if

Looking at my sister's gradual decline, I felt an urgent mission to share the gospel with her. I prayed about it every day and asked the sisters in the church to pray for her as well. However, when it came time to speak, the words were hard to come by. I knew my sister's personality well; if she rejected me, it would be difficult to continue. I was waiting for the right moment. One day, while we were all sitting in the living room watching television, my sister mentioned an old neighbor and how her good deeds had truly touched God, leading to improvements in her family—her husband’s health had improved, and her son had become more understanding. My sister also expressed her belief that people have souls, and if one does not believe in the Lord, their life is essentially wasted. I was surprised by my sister's insights and said, “Sister, we all have a time to leave this world. Both Yu Bing and I believe in the Lord now. If you are willing to believe, we will be able to meet again in heaven.” She replied, “I am willing.” Those words brought tears to my eyes. They were tears of gratitude, feeling that God was choosing my sister, placing these thoughts and words in her heart—what a miracle! Later, Pastor Ling Ai led her in a prayer of commitment, and a pastor from a church in China came to our home to baptize her. During this time, the issue of sin was raised, and my sister acknowledged that she had many sins, especially in her words...

Death seemed no longer terrifying, nor was it a sensitive topic. Life had taken on light and hope. During her illness, my sister grew increasingly frail, changing daily. She could no longer walk to the bathroom or swallow pills, and she could not speak. Yet, she remained alert and aware, able to hear, sleeping well without pain, and she could drink porridge and water without vomiting, which brought us much comfort. In her final days, I tearfully spoke to her, “Sister, Yu Bing and I are here with you. Are you happy? We both believe in the Lord now; isn’t that wonderful? We will all go to heaven and be reunited. If you feel scared or uncomfortable, just call on the Lord Jesus to help you. If God sends angels to take you, don’t be afraid; just follow them. That is going to God’s home, a place without pain!” My sister understood well, responding with nods, shakes of her head, and smiles. We faced death together, unafraid! My strong sister, in the final stages of her life, was grateful, content, gentle, obedient, and unafraid of death, finding peace in her heart.

As her illness progressed, my sister ate very little, only able to drink some rice soup and water. My brother-in-law often shed tears, repeatedly saying, “What will I do without you?” His attentive care and companionship, wanting to take her to the hospital for the best treatment, were evident. My niece stayed by her side, sleepless, keeping vigil at her bedside (until my sister completed her journey in this life, she wanted to care for her mother one last time). Such a harmonious and loving scene was rare in my sister’s life; perhaps she had been searching for this love her entire life. Truly, I thank the Lord!

On March 25, 2021 (one week before I returned to New Zealand), in my prayers, my niece Yu Bing and I held my sister's hand, surrounded by family. She peacefully rested in the Lord's embrace, like a sleeping child. Her passing was calm and steady, without pain. We were all in tears, not from sadness or regret, but filled with gratitude. Every prayer had been answered; Yu Bing and I marveled at God’s wondrous works. From beginning to end, my sister finally found her home of love and her eternal resting place. Praise the Lord!

The passing of a loved one is often the darkest moment in life, yet I felt the beauty of humanity and the grace of God, which truly exceeded my thoughts and expectations. I am also very grateful for the efforts of the funeral choir led by Li Fengyan and the sisters and brothers who visited my elderly father weekly to share the gospel (often praying for him with tears), as well as Sister Zhang and Sister Yu. I am thankful for their enduring, selfless contributions; they are like angels. May the Lord remember them and bless them forever!

Testimony of Faith: Sister Sun Li

My name is Sun Li. I was born in Shandong, China, and grew up in an atheistic revolutionary family. Both of my parents were early participants in the revolution and old Communist Party members. They taught us not to be greedy or lazy, to be responsible for our words, to understand gratitude, and to love everyone around us. They emphasized learning to be a good person before doing anything else, and they lived by these principles. This was also my guiding principle before I came to faith.

I was born in the 1950s, which makes me part of a unique generation in China, having experienced extraordinary life events such as hunger at birth, school closures, being sent to the countryside after graduation, and the one-child policy during marriage, as well as mid-life unemployment. During a business trip, I unexpectedly met an immigration consultant, and we discussed the topic of immigration. Although I didn’t speak English and was hesitant to consider it, my heart was stirred. Upon returning to Beijing, I immediately searched online and discovered that every immigration country had language requirements. Just as I was feeling disappointed, a striking phrase caught my eye: “The land of white clouds, the city of white sails, the last pure land in the world—New Zealand.” A country I had never heard of appeared before me. With curiosity, I opened the webpage about New Zealand’s entrepreneurial immigration, which had no language requirements and no need for financial investment, only requiring over four years of business management experience. I met all the conditions for entrepreneurial immigration. In 2002, I brought my 14-year-old daughter, and thus, guided by God, we arrived in this beautiful country of New Zealand. Before leaving, everyone around me, including friends, did not understand or support my choice. A white-collar worker in Beijing with a house and a monthly after-tax income of nearly ten thousand, who didn’t speak English, going to start a business in a foreign country seemed absurd, even laughable. No one could understand my heart; life is not just about existing for the sake of existing. Money and material possessions were not what I sought. I felt empty and lost, unable to see the direction of my life. However, a small voice within me told me, “You can do it; you will succeed.” At that time, I did not know God.

While my daughter was in university, one of her high school classmates invited her to attend a camp organized by the Chinese Methodist Church, Hong En Tang, for the youth

Time flies swiftly. On January 1, 2010, my daughter and I returned to New Zealand. She continued to invite me to church, but I declined. However, she did not give up; she persistently invited the pastor, ministers, and fellow brothers and sisters from Hong En Church to pray for my faith. On the eve of Mother’s Day in 2010, my daughter tentatively invited me to attend the church's Mother’s Day Sunday service. Without hesitation, I accepted the invitation. When I arrived at the church, I felt a peace I had never experienced before. The warm welcome from the pastor, ministers, and fellow brothers and sisters made me feel like I had found a home. After the service, Pastor Chen Liliang shared about family matters, mentioning Dr. Mai Xizhen, the former president of the Singapore Theological Seminary, who at eighty years old, was blind and was holding his last overseas evangelistic meeting in Auckland. Hearing this filled my heart with a deep sense of hope.

The theme of Dr. Mai Xizhen's evangelistic meeting on the first day was "Crisis, Turning Point, and Vitality." God had prepared this time for me, and through His servant, He spoke to me about the "crisis" in life. God revealed to me that there is no righteous person in the world; everyone lives in sin and is destined to die. However, God loves us and does not want to abandon us. He tells us that there is a "turning point" in life. To save us sinners, He sent His only beloved Son into the world to bear our sins, shed His blood, and die on the cross. This was to grant us forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, giving us the status of being God's children freely. God also tells us that life is filled with hope; He has prepared a free gift for us—"vitality." God has compassion for us and loves us; He knows we live in the weakness of the flesh and that we can never save ourselves from sin. Therefore, He allows us, unworthy sinners, to come to Him solely by "faith." As long as we believe in the precious blood of Jesus Christ on the cross, which can cleanse our sins, and if we are willing to come before God to confess and repent, we can die and rise with Jesus Christ. Our sins will be forgiven, and we will be reconciled with God, receiving eternal life. That night, my heart was filled with the Holy Spirit, allowing me to see myself living in sin. I humbly came before God, confessed and repented, and resolved to turn to the Lord. I firmly believe that He is the only Savior in my life. I finally found hope in life—Jesus Christ, my Savior. I am grateful!

The Bible tells us:

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16