Winter at Gracepoint!

This winter schedule is packed and we have lots of opportunities for you to get involved, equipped and have a lot of fun!


DECEMBER
12/5 - Koinonia Bible study at First Pres
12/12 - All College Combined Bible study at First Pres
12/17-12/27 - Taiwan Winter Mission Team
12/19 - All College Bible study/Potluck at North Loop
12/20 - Angel Tree Christmas Party
12/31 - New Year's Watchnight Service

JANUARY
1/1 - New Year Celebration
1/4-1/15 - Cambodia Winter Mission Team
1/4 - 1/9 - Advanced C101 Training Camp
1/12 - 1/16 - GLIVE Tech & Arts Training Camp
1/13 - 1/15 - Soph Discipleship Retreat
1/15 - 1/18 - Senior Discipleship Retreat
1/17 - Snow Trip
1/23 - 1/25 - Church-wide Winter Retreat - SIGN-UP HERE

November's Bible Study/Post-Bible Study Activity Schedule

Here are November's Bible Study and Post-Bible Study Activity Schedule

11/6 - GONE

11/7 - UPDATED: 

6pm: BYOD (bring your own dinner) to Dwinelle - meet on the steps.

7-10pm: TC PRACTICE

11/14 - UPDATED: Bible study @ St. Augustine's and TC Practice afterward
11/21 - 6pm - Koinonia TC - at the Lipman Room in Barrows Hall
11/25 - Prayer Mtg/Bible study/HG gathering

GONE

In 24 hours, Today will be YESTERDAY and it’ll be GONE. Join us for a time of LIVE MUSIC, PERSONAL STORIES, a THOUGHT-PROVOKING TALK and some boba and food.
You don’t want to miss GONE.

Thanksgiving Retreat - Sat Nov 15

I've been attending Gracepoint now for over 14 years.  I know I look like I just stepped foot on this campus =).  Well, over the years our ministry has changed, matured and grown in many ways.  14 years ago, we were mainly doing ministry on just the Berkeley campus and there was just one college group.  But now, we have a2f, koinonia and kairos on the Berkeley campus and we have koinonia's all over the bay area - from CSUEB to SFSU.  And this of course, doesn't include our sister ministries like Bridgeway and Waypoint. 

Over the years people have said to me that gracepoint seems so large and it's hard to know everyone.  And it's true that there are more people now than before and more ministries.  But I personally learned that getting to know others requires one to be pro-active.  It means getting to know someone else's name and remembering that person and saying hi the next time you see him/her in line at the ASUC or at the DC or RSF.  Building community takes effort, no doubt, and I know I myself need to be pro-active to get to know others.  

And that's why I also really love the Annual Thanksgiving Retreat. It's a time for me and for our whole church to "get to know each other" better. You get to hear testimonies, stories, and facts of how God has been working in many people's lives right in our midst.  It can be learning about what's happening in Impact or Joyland or ISM.  And it's also a time to hear how one person struggled to grow in his/her relationship with God.  And especially those stories have really helped me to grow myself.  So I hope that everyone can take a day out and come to the Thanksgiving Retreat. 

Sign-up here: http://www.gracepointonline.org/signups/thanksgiving_retreat

oh, and here's our trailer:

TC Trailer

So, it's that time of year again, when we go all out to make Thanksgiving really special.  So we, as Koinonia and as a church, celebrate Thanksgiving in a grand style.  

On 11/21, we'll be having the Koinonia-wide thanksgiving celebration full of song, dance and laughter. Then on 11/23, we'll get together as a church to witness all the amazing things God has been doing through our church and give thanks!  And we'll also see some more song and dance and a whole lot of laughter.  And we'll finish off the night with a grand old Thanksgiving Dinner - with all the turkeys, fixings and trimmings.  To inspire you, here's our trailer!

October's Post-Bible Study Activities

Just wanted to give you a heads up for this month's activities after Bible Study, so you can mark your calendars. 

10/3 - Bowling

10/10 - Homegroup Gathering at our place in Alameda

10/17 - UPDATED: Movie Night at our place - Watching "Glory"

10/24 - HG Activity

10/31 - UPDATED: Sports/Game night in Alameda.

Sierra Barn...do we own a farm?

OK, so you may have heard about something about Sierra Lodge or Sierra Barn and maybe you're thinking barn...do we have a farm?  Well, we don't although maybe one day we will be able to have some horses around!  But we have some land up in the Sierras that we have been developing as a retreat site and a home for our getaways, camping trips, hiking trips, etc...  But as hg RED has already blogged about this, i'll let them tell us all about it. Check out the link here:

http://koinoniaberkeleyfellowshiphg7.blogspot.com/2008/09/sierra-barn-construction.html

Bowling This Past Friday

Hi,

last Friday, hg5 and hg7 a.k.a R.E.D, went out to Country Club Bowling in San Rafael. Here are some pics from this past Friday's bowling. Sorry, couldn't get everyone. ps...if you don't want your pic here, let me know and i'll remove it =). 

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

God doesn't waste...

This past Sunday, we had a special Sunday at Gracepoint Fellowship Church as we had a Baptism Service and our Open House, which highlighted the different ministries at our church.  I think the Baptism service was my favorite part and I think I always tear up as I hear the testimonies of the people and hearing how each person has come from such a different place and yet we find ourselves so similar.  Despite our pasts and history, we have a common theme in our lives; we're disconnected from our Maker in Heaven - God.  And our sin has separated us and has often led us down very dark roads - pursuing the wrong things in our life instead of God like partying, drugs, alcohol, romance, and other addictions.  But again, I love that part when each person comes to his/her senses and realizes, just like the prodigal son, that they have been living apart from God and what they were pursuing didn't and couldn't satisfy but only God could.  They find what's always been missing. 

Hearing Mike Kim's testimony also reminded me that God doesn't waste anything in our lives.  He explained how during one of the Brothers' sharing time in which he heard Jesse Kim (one of the staff interns in our homegroup) share his testimony and struggles really hit him.  After hearing the testimony he talked to Jesse for hours and Jesse got to really share his struggles and battles with sin and his own future as well.  I know that for Jesse he had some tough struggles but had it not been for those struggles and growing in his own trust in God he would not have been able to share with others what God has done in his life and ultimately help Mike come to know the gospel.  I really thanked God as I thought about this amazing event.  Even the difficulties and struggles we go through, God can use and He doesn't waste.  That's awesome!

Blogs, websites, news emails....

There are so many new ways to communicate with people in our tech-rich and rampant age.  I'm trying to simplify ways to communicate with everyone - email, blogs, websites, etc... But to be honest there are just so many choices and unfortunately I still have not found a catch-all.  So I'm going to be trying different things from now on. 

Here's how I like to divide the info:

Blog: Special posts/pics/sharings.  I want more of you to share and comment here!  Send me something you'd like to share with the rest of us. Updated regularly. 

Web News: Each week's events/news, coming month's news, calendar events in web form. Updated regularly.

Email: Each week's events/news that I will email out - on a weekly basis. 

I'll try this out for the next couple of weeks and see how it goes.  Please comment with questions or suggestions. 

Gracepoint Fellowship Church's Missions Night

Join us as we’ll be hearing testimonies and stories and watching videos/slideshows from fellow college students of Gracepoint Fellowship Church - A2F, Koinonia, and Kairos - who went from Honduras, to Taiwan, to China to Kyrgyzstan and Cambodia!

WHEN: FRIday, 9/26 @ 7pm

WHERE: First Pres. Church on Channing/Dana

Check out the trailer...

NEW News...

Hi there,

just trying something new with our news emails.  check it out here:

http://web.me.com/johnko76/Site/Welcome.html

comment and let me know if you like:

1. these new emails/web site

2. old emails

3. news on the blog 

Mmm.. Ribs!

We kicked off our guys frosh small group this past week.  We had home-cooked ribs, corn and bread!  And then we spent some getting to know each other a little better and we got to hear about our various spiritual backgrounds.  When asked what I want to get out of this small group - as the leader - I wanted to see each person grow and know God more and for us to get real close this semester!

The guys are meeting again this week:

THU

time: 6:30pm

location: 225 Dwinelle

Sophs are off to a great start!

Who knew that bread with a name as ugly as Pugliese could taste so good? And that Asians are lactose intolerant because there are no cows in the motherland??

They say that Sophomore year is really "suffer-more" year.. Well. At least we're off to a promising start! This Saturday, the sophomore small group had a time of food and fellowship which began with a home-cooked dinner in Alameda, followed by some Chinese dessert at Creations in SF. Of course, all this would not have been possible without Ella's yummy pasta recipe, Yumi and Jin generously lending us their 8-seater van, and Ellen for helping with cooking! Not to mention the rockstar parking just as we pulled up to Creations.

The adventure was not over for the few who slept over! We romped around the Central Apts complex and were fortunate enough to find Joanna at home so we could pop in for a "visit". Another highlight was witnessing a curious "moonset" at Shoreline Park as the dusty yellow crescent moon dipped itself into the twinkling city skyline and disappeared in a matter of minutes. Astro 10 anyone?

There are definitely many new experiences to come in Sophomore year – apartment life, harder classes .. and in the midst of it all, the challenge of living out God's calling, as disciples of Christ. But as James 1:2-4 says: 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Let's continue looking to God's word for encouragement and wisdom, as well as draw strength from our brothers and sisters in Christ here at Gracepoint!

Back on Campus!

Last Friday Pastor Ed from Gracepoint Fellowship Church stepped back on campus to teach Koinonia Bible Studies.  I felt transported back in time and was just like one of the students sitting and listening to the messages.  When I first came to our fellowship I was struck just by how much Pastor Ed could show how the Bible was so relevant to my life and the same is true today as it was then.  As he shared about our culture's need to rush through life (like incessantly pressing the elevator button even though it won't come any faster) and go at a dizzying pace without ever stopping to think and reflect I found myself once again hit by the truth of the Bible and how we are so uneasy with ourselves.  He said that we're so aware of our limited time here but that it ought to cause us to prioritize our lives - to know the essential questions of life like who am i, what is life and what is the purpose for my existence?  These questions never get old and are always relevant. Man, I love hearing the Word of God preached! 

Afterward, Kevan/Jenny and Ellen and I went out with the juniors in Koinonia. We got a chance to slow down and see the beauty of the Golden Gate.

Small group Video!

This is a small group video that was made by some of the tech guys from Gracepoint Fellowship Church - Berkeley. It's a free resource that actually anyone can download/use. I think that's awesome!

Can't Wait for NSWN 2!

I can't believe we're already at New Student Welcome Night.  Last night was awesome and amazing as we got to meet many new friends.  This past week has been filled with meeting lots of new people and playing lots Frisbee and eating lots of DC food!  I love the fall as it's so exciting. Here are a few pics from last night...

Don't forget we have one more welcome night this Friday!  It's going to be even more awesome!  I'm sure of it.

My FTS Experience

Hi everyone,

just wanted to let you know about a post I wrote for the Gracepoint Fellowship Church website under Growing Up.  It's about my experience at the FTS retreat.  It's hard to believe this was less like a month ago.  It feels more like last year!  Check it out:

http://www.gracepointonline.org/pages/life_at_gracepoint/life_at_gracepoint_articles/growing_up/john_ko

Another Poll - Gracepoint Fellowship Church Worship Team

Hey everyone, James Kim, the worship team director at Gracepoint Fellowship Church in Berkeley, setup a poll to see what your favorite worship song is. Let him know by commenting on his site...and ours!  Thanks to all of you who comment!

Mine is:

"At the Cross" by Hillsongs from their Mighty to Save album. 

http://gracepointworship.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/favorites-gracepoint-fellowship-church/

ps.  I also added his blog to my blog link.  If you haven't seen the blog links, check them out!

Friday Fun!!

Does this picture excite you?  Well, there's more of that!  This Friday.  Ok, if you're a vegetarian, I'm sorry.  We'll have something for you, too! But This Friday we'll be having a Koinonia-wide bbq at Leydecker in Alameda. We'll be playing some sports and just having a fun old time.  Some of the senior guys are going to setup.  Let me know if you can go early.  We're starting at 5pm!

Afterward, we're going to split up into our homegroups!  

NSWN - just around the corner!

Are you getting pumped, yet?  NSWN is just around the corner.  If you're free this week during the day to help out, sign-up here:

http://www.gracepointonline.org/gp/signups/nswn_workdays

Pastor Ed's Poll?

Hey all, did you check out Pastor Ed Kang's poll that he's taking on his blog? Check it out before it closes.  BTW, I had my share of cockroach stories, too!  I'll share them at our next mtg =). 

http://edkang.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/gracepoint-fellowship-church-pol

NSWN 1 and 2

It's almost here! I can't believe it but we're almost at the beginning of another year. Smell that? It's freshmen - almost- in the air.  What was your guys' favorite part of NSWN when you first came? Comment below!

 To get you guys pumped check out the new trailer here: http://www.newstudentwelcomenight.com/.  

Spread the word and let your friends know - especially if you've got friends coming this fall!

Our Faucherie Camping Trip

This past weekend our homegroup and Kevan/Jenny's homegroup went to one of the most beautiful lakes I've ever been to.  There were many times I looked out at the mountains and the lake and I was left speechless.  It reminded me of one of my favorite songs - "Nothing to Say" by Andrew Peterson - in which he sings of how floored he is by all of God's creation that it leaves him speechless and absolutely lifts his spirit up.  There are few things I love more than being outdoors and in Creation.  Taking a line from the song, "The mountains sing your glory hallelujah, the canyons echo sweet amazing grace, my spirit sails...and I've got nothing to say."  

Along with being outdoors, I love being with my friends and our homegroup.  And this weekend I got to do both!  Hanging with Kevan/Jenny's homegroup was wonderful as we shared stories - scary, funny and very personal - and as we played, got each other wet, hiked, played in the water and ate BBQ dinners and late night snacks.  I hope next time you can all join us!  Here are some pics of our trip from kevan's flickr site:

Faucherie Pics

and here's a slideshow:

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Dinner @ Eldwin's

Last night a few of us were over at Sam and Eldwin's place.  and we (Chris, Jeff and I) were treated to a royal seafood feast. Eldwin, who's one of the juniors in homegroup5 has been living in an apartment off campus and has been really honing his cooking skills. I'm sure he has been learning from Chef Ko's cooking program!  This is just a prime example of how you can take cooking to the next level and sharing this joy with others.  Thanks for opening up your home and giving us such a great meal. I can't wait to have many more meals with many more people this year! 

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Flickr Link

Have you ever wondered how you could get one of these awesome hg pictures on the right hand side of this blog? here's your chance!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnko

you can get full-res pics of our events here. and if you want, there are some pics of maddy there too. i'll try to update those for you guys.

Camping Trip this Weekend!

UPDATED: Here's a pic of Lake Faucherie, where we're going!

It's Just a Little Bit...

Did you know that I have my own Food Network Show?  Ha, just kidding.  Actually, I really wish i did =).  Well, in that spirit, I made this video last week as an example for one of my messages at the FTS Retreat.  The example was to support the idea:  Even just a little bit of something that does not belong is WRONG.  This most clearly relates to how even a little bit of sin, which does not belong, damages and harms us. I hope you learn from this funny example and yet important spiritual lesson!

Dish-gracepoint - Food at Gracepoint Fellowship Church

One of the many skills and talents that you MUST acquire is learning to cook for more than just yourself.  It's an important skill to learn so that you can learn to love and care for others.  So many people learn to cook for at least their roommates and a few new students.  And that's wonderful but at times you NEED to cook for at least 30!  Ellen's great at doing this and no less talented is my dear brother in Christ, Tom Kim.  In fact, he's so passionate about cooking for 30 and making it cheap that he created this website:

http://dishgracepoint.blogspot.com

You can find recipes along with special deals of the week.  I hope to eat from one of your apartments one day soon!

Back from the FTS Retreat

I'm back!  and what a roller coaster ride it has been!  First off, I just wanted to thank you for your prayers and I wanted to thank and praise God for the 3 salvation decisions!  3 of the FTS kids made very clear and sincere decisions; what a sweet sight to see.  Giving 6 messages over the 4 days was quite challenging but I got to really experience the church as people were helping in all sorts of ways - from helping me with examples and giving me feedback about my messages, helping me with props, and even giving me tech support (as my hard drive crashed during the retreat) and to all the prayers I received.  I was so thankful for all the support.  I'll tell you more about the retreat this Friday during our homegroup time. See you!

Leaving for our FTS Retreat

Hi everyone,

i'm heading out for our annual FTS Retreat where I'll be speaking!  I can't believe it but I'm very thankful for the chance to go and share the gospel message with these precious kids.  Please pray for me to clearly and effectively and lovingly share this precious message.  Please also pray for the children's hearts to be open.  

I won't be there tonight at our weekly Homegroup time but please have fun without me!!! I really insist.  

Gracepoint Fellowship Church - Summer IMs

Jammy Yang, our head coordinator for Gracepoint's Summer IMs, has asked me to post a link for you to check out the weekly schedule, stats and HIGHLIGHTs from each week's IMs.  Highlights - hey, how come I'm missing?  

http://gracepointfellowshipchurch-intramural.blogspot.com

Honduras 1 Team Video

Gordon Lai from Gracepoint SF Chapel has posted a vide from their Honduras 1 trip.  Check it out here: 

http://gracepoint-sf-hg2.blogspot.com

This is a mission trip that our church took with BMDMI (Baptist Medical Dental Mission International).  Our Honduras 2 team is there now!  Please continue to pray for them.  

Team-building!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Here's a slideshow from last week's fun time of team-building with saltines and a special glue like dip!  We also made crab rangoon pot stickers.  Making food is always the best activity because you get to eat it too!  Can you guess what each of the groups made?  Some of the answers are: tower, angel, wall-e, maze...can you guess which is which? 

Visiting From Gracepoint Fellowship Church - Hsinchu

In case you've never met them, let me introduce you to Eugene and Cynthia Peng.  They are two very precious and dear friends of mine who are serving and leading our church in Hsinchu, Taiwan.  They've been there almost a year now!  How time flies by.  Last night, we got to hear from them about how life and ministry is happening there.  I used to live with Eugene for a couple of years while we were doing college ministry together and one lesson I learned from him is self-denial.  He really made his body his slave for the sake of the gospel.   I'm really challenged by this couple who are just a year younger than me but who have forged ahead out into a foreign land for the sake of the gospel. They will be here this Sunday with us so please say hi, introduce yourself and get to know them!  and please continue to pray for Gracepoint - Hsinchu!

Ultimate Pizza

We're going to have some ultimate pizza!!!  Join us WEDNESDAY - JULY 16 - @ 6pm at the field next to VLSB for some Ultimate Frisbee and Pizza.  We'll be there at 6pm, play some frisbee, eat some pizza and hang out.  Bring your friends for a fun time!  You can contact josh if you want some more info or ask me. 

Double Portion

"It's so hard to say goodbye."  This pop song I grew up listening to in the 80's echoed my sentiments this past week as we sent off our Austin team.  It can only be easy to say goodbye if you don't know the person or you don't have a shared history.  But I've had a shared history.  I've known Pastor Manny and Sunny for 14 years.  Actually I've known Sunny longer as she's my cousin.  But we've bonded more closely than as just physical family members. We've grown closer as coworkers and partners in serving God and His church.  From my freshman year, they've helped me mature and grow up and actually begin to care about others.  They helped me to turn my selfish heart into a heart of service by the example of their own lives.  

I could write pages and pages of all the ways they have affected me.  Not just them but the other team members as well.  I know I miss them and will miss them but what I've thought about most recently is that I want to fill the gap that each of them is going to leave behind.  From Sunny's warm smile to Pastor Manny's personal and loving care for a person whether through trash talking or a contagious spirit to Bryan's faithfulness or Henry's beastly exuberance and the others, I want to live out a double portion of their lives here. I think that's the best way I can honor their sacrifice of going to Austin.  I pray I can live out my faith here that much more passionately!

Gracepoint Fellowship Church's 30 hour famine

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to let you know about another blog we created to share stories from the 30 hour famine. Please submit your stories! Here's the link: http://30hourfamine-gfc.blogspot.com/

Also, just wanted to let you know that we as a church raised over $106,000! Praise the Lord. I'm so thankful to be part of this and glad that many of you were able to participate as well.

Kelly Kang's Sharing

Hi everyone,

here's a sharing from Kelly Kang from Gracepoint Berkeley.  She and Pastor Ed Kang have been up at the Sierra Lodge hosting different groups during the week and weekends - staff, SLT, Bible teachers, and various ministry groups.  This is her reflection on the recent fires in California. 

I'm linking her sharing here: http://acts2fellowship.wordpress.com/2008/06/30/sharing-from-kelly-kang

wearing different shoes

"Would you like to donate a $1 to help fight world hunger?  A dollar feeds a child for a whole day".  I repeated these words outside a Safeway in Alameda for a few hours last Saturday to finish off a day of stepping into the shoes of another person.  Along with over 400 other members of Gracepoint Berkeley and from 17 people from our homegroup we fasted for 30 hours.  We fasted to feel just a little bit of hunger that others in our world feel daily.  And if you know me, you know how much I do love food.  I think the experience that hit me the most though was the AIDS exhibit by World Vision.  We trekked down to Fremont after our Clinton Village visit and got to actually listen along to the story of 1 of 4 children in Africa who face the reality of AIDS, poverty, physical danger and being orphaned.  Walking through the exhibit was like walking in their actual home and seeing what they faced; it was sobering to say the least. At the minimum I cannot complain about anything....anything.  I have so much.   Some said you're doing such a good thing or you're a saint to do that but going through the experience I felt like a sinner ever more.  I thank God for the opportunity to go through this kind of experience and I'm so glad our whole church could as well.  As a church, Gracepoint Fellowship in Berkeley, raised over $76000.  I give all the praise to the Lord and thank all the generous people who donated and for those who participated in this very meaningful effort.  I hope we can continue to live out the lessons we learned and participate with even more vigor next year!

GSI - Gracepoint Summer Institute

Join us this Friday and Saturday for our Annual GSI.  Dr. Jon Choi will be teaching on the topics of Old Testament Survey and Narrative Reading Strategy.

Going to Korea

Yup, I'm going to Korea for a week with Ellen and Madeleine.  We're going to visit my relatives who have not met Ellen or Madeleine and also for a wedding.  Even though it's just a week, it already feels like a long time. One thing for sure is I'm not looking forward to the flight...12 hours...  As usual, I'll post pics...see you next week!

Convocation and Commencement

Spring always brings the start and end to many things in life - from rain to sunshine, from hidden sprigs to blooming flowers, from seniors to graduates. Running from Zellerbach to the Greek Theater and cheering graduates and then running back to Sproul to take pictures and meeting parents and family friends and sharing a celebratory meal is all a part of this wonderful celebration. Spring is the season of change and it's so exciting to see many end this chapter of their lives. And so as we end another year of school I'm reminded of the many faces of those who have made Gracepoint and Koinonia their home for the past four years. I really consider it a privilege that I have had the opportunity to minister to many of them - eating in our home, teaching them Bible study, playing countless games and sports, joking and telling stories, taking trips and even speaking some hard truths at times; and some I've had the privilege of seeing come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. I feel so blessed seeing how their lives and ours have intertwined.  But I know that as much as this is the end of a season, it is the beginning of another.  I always thought commencement was an odd word for a graduation ceremony but over the years I have seen how it is a fitting word for graduates as they begin this new and almost real chapter of their lives.  All they learned in college is what they will take with them for almost the rest of their lives. Thinking back to a Sunday message we recently had in Mark 12, I'm reminded that all of our lives belong to God.  And I pray that the seniors can really submit their entire lives to the Lordship of Christ - from their jobs, careers, grad school, marriage, time, energy, money - so that they can personally experience God and so that God can use each of those things - degrees, money, jobs.  

Signups

We have a lot going on this  summer so I thought I would put it all in one place - all nice and pretty like. 

SET: Summer Evangelism Training

GSI: Gracepoint Summer Institute

MYT: Multiply Your Talents

30 hour Famine

Summer IMs

Koinonia 2 - Year in Review

Here's a slideshow that some of the staff put together of our past year together. 

Farewell, adieu to you and you and you

Before embarking on finals we all gathered one last time this school year to honor the seniors who are graduating this year.  We celebrated May bdays, played "Guess Who" (an embarrassing game that tries to match people to their baby pictures) and ended the night with a few last words from the seniors and the staff.  The seniors shared their words of wisdom to the other students and the staff shared their advice for the seniors and students. 

It's hard to believe that the school year is coming to a close.  Yesterday was the last day of instruction and now finals are here.  It's been 10 years for me since I had taken my last final.  The best advice that I gave and would give to anyone willing to listen is to hang in there.  Life can be tough with many struggles - from our own flaws to hard truths about life, ourselves and even difficult decisions about our future.  No matter how tough life can be, I think the most important lesson I've learned is to hang on - to God's Word and the people of God.  These have helped me get through many important and difficult times in my own life. 

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Courage - Facing Fears

Last week, Pastor Ed Kang led a bunch of brothers on a trip to Sierra Lodge.  We had a wonderful time of sharing memories, laughter, food and song together.  From the campfire - with smores and singing oldies - to the late-night hike star gazing we enjoyed being together and enjoying God's creation.  

I think the most memorable time for me was the DT sharing time through Joshua 1.  In particular we discussed the topic of courage and really the lack thereof in our culture today.  Courage is not readily rewarded and not easily found today because being pragmatic, prudent and disciplined is far more applauded and considered virtuous. In a way, it's also because we don't have orcs to defeat and dragons to slay so we do need to find ways to be courageous in less dramatic ways.  Also, being courageous is not being simply accessing some reckless bravado that numbs oneself to his fears.  Instead, it's identifying our fears and facing them and still pushing through. For Joshua, he had just lost his great leader and mentor and he must have been feeling insecure and tepid.  But God comes to him to  assuage his fears and insecurities and keep pressing on into the Promised Land.  For me the fears that I face range from losing face, being labelled a loser or experiencing disapproval, or failing in some significant way, etc...  As I thought about my fears and this passage I thought how much I want to identify and face my fears.  And as I came across this picture from our campfire I thought how much I want to burn my fears up in those flames. 

All Koinonia Bible Study - 5/9 @ 7pm

This Friday we will have an All Koinonia Bible Study at 7pm at First Presbyterian. Afterward, we will be gathering Koinonia 2 wide to have an end of the year final rally together and have a special time with the seniors (and one junior) who are graduating! We're going to play some games, watch a slideshow and hear some parting and special words from the seniors themselves.

Please join us and support our graduates!

31 rows

If you've ever played Jenga you know the "pressure" that's involved as you must move a building block from the bottom to the top.  Among four friends it's fun but among forty?  Now that's pressure! Last Friday night, after our Gracepoint Monthly, the Frosh and Sophs from Koinonia 2 gathered to have some shaved ice and play some games.  We started off with Family Feud which went down-to-the-wire and then we finished off the night with team jenga. With 40 people in 4 different teams taking turns we made it up to 31 rows!  Check out the slideshow.


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Gracepoint Monthly - 5/2 @ 7pm

This Friday we'll be having Gracepoint Monthly at First Presbyterian at 7pm.  Beforehand, we're going to eat at 6pm at Crossroads DC.  

Leads me "beside quiet waters"

Psalm 23 is one of the classic Christian passages of all time and I thought it was a wonderful passage to reflect on this past week and in light of our Baptism service this past Sunday. One of the girls in Ellen's group along with 18 other people got baptized this past weekend. As I heard many people's stories from the videos I thought how many were the same in that they were lost or looking for some "pool of water to satisfy" them like ambition, career, romance, just being liked but in the end God found them and directed them to the water that would truly satisfy them.

I thought of my own testimony and how I came to Cal as an anxious, insecure, yet cocky East Coaster. I based my identity on what others thought of me instead of being a genuinely loved child of God. Indeed, God has been the good shepherd who has led me "beside quiet waters" - to live a life that is centered on loving Him and loving others. Any other pursuit - for man's attention - is certainly not worth it.  The message of how God has been leading my whole life and nothing has been by chance really hit me once again and I was really humbled.  God knows what is best for my life and I need to be humble to receive this and let him guide me by letting his rod and staff comfort me - protecting me from sin and molding and shaping me into the person of love he wants me to be. 

Hans and Franz

Last Thursday, some of us celebrated the 18th birthday of Isaiah Kang, the oldest son of Pastor Ed Kang and Kelly Kang.  And we had some special guest visitors drop by - Hans and Franz. Those of you familiar with our church's Glive or Christian Festival productions, no doubt, are familiar with Hans and Franz and sometimes known as the Dorcs.  Hans and Franz challenged Isaiah Kang to an arm wrestling competition.  But they were all flash and no cash as Isaiah soundly humiliated their "puny" attempt. Of course, they defended their loss by saying "Happy Birthday"!

It was a fun and wonderful time celebrating how faithful God has been in Isaiah's life.  When I had returned from a 1 year trip abroad serving as an English teacher and helping a church I moved in with Pastor Ed and Kelly Kang and Isaiah, Noah and Anna.  We shared many wonderful times together and really felt like a family.  I especially loved the late night times of fellowship over the dinner table as Pastor Ed would whip up anything and everything. This is one trait I know that Isaiah has as well!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Expelled

Last Sunday, after church, a bunch of us went to go watch Expelled, a documentary about the tension between the theory of Intelligent Design and Darwinism.  The film stars Ben Stein whom I know most famously from the old film about skipping school called "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"- "Bueller, Bueller".  If you haven't seen the movie don't worry about it but Stein is hilarious for his monotone demeanor and being quite expressionless, which is actually funny. I found the movie very stimulating and although I am not a science major I have studied both camps quite a bit.  I definitely was impressed with the movie and especially many of the implications of the ideas of a life that is lived out simply from a Darwinian perspective that does not include a Creator God or an Intelligent Designer.  Having studied history and political movements and its ideas and theories I saw the powerful effect of a worldview that is devoid of a Creator.  

As we exited the theater we had a really unexpected surprise. We ran into Dr. Philip Johnson, author of "Darwin on Trial" and professor of law at Boalt Hall at UC Berkeley.  He was one of the pioneers in the movement against Darwinism and worked closely with Dr. William Dembski who was also in the movie.  It was a powerful moment as we got to be together and just share in the historic event of this movie coming out.  Pastor Ed Kang was there and we prayed together for the ID movement and the many people working hard within it and just the bringing down of the walls in academia. What a way to finish the movie. I was really thankful for all the people in the sciences who are working so hard and using the gift of their intellect to fight in the battle of worldviews and ideas. 

Clinton Village Visit

Last week some of us from Koinonia2 got together and visited Clinton Village Nursing Home in Oakland.  We went there for our annual Valentine's Day of Compassion and they asked us to come back.  We sang a few songs, one of the brothers did a gospel presentation with some rope and magic and we got to spend time with some really precious souls.  I think we were the most blessed as we got to share just a little bit of love.  How appropriate it was for us to be meditating on 1 Corinthians 13. 

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Baptism Sunday - 4/27 @ 4pm

I am very excited and thankful for all the brothers and sisters at our church who will be baptized this coming Sunday.  Baptism Sunday is a special time for us as a church as we get to hear and watch the video testimonies of how people came to know God and have a personal relationship with Him.  Some people come from very good homes and some from broken homes and some who grew up in church their whole lives and some who never stepped foot into a church before ours.  Truly the gospel message is for all people. 

Homegroup Bible Study - 4/25 @ 7pm

I know you're thinking, yeah right.  But really, we are going to have a homegroup Bible study this week.  And it will be the last one of the semester as we're going to have all Koinonia Bible studies on campus from May.  This week we're going to be going over Psalm 23.