Christ Church serving Christ in Kowloon Tong The Fourth Sunday of Easter – April 26, 2015 Welcome Ascension Day Service and Dinner, 2015 A warm welcome to our service this morning! Please join us for light refreshments after the service. If you are new or visiting us, you are especially welcome. Please introduce yourself to us at the Welcome Table in the front of the church before or after the service. Ascension Day is one of the major festivals of the Church and, perhaps, the most neglected. There are various reasons for this. First, Ascension Day occurs on a Thursday, and so is during the week when people are working, and, secondly, it is rather lost in the celebrations for Easter and Pentecost. We welcome Christians of all backgrounds to receive Communion. If, however, you do not wish to receive Communion, we hope that you will still feel able to come forward to the altar rail to receive a blessing when we administer Communion. If you wish to be blessed in this way, rather than receiving Communion, please just bow your head and put your hands behind your back. Ascension Day is when we remember and celebrate the return of our Lord to heaven to take his place at the Father’s right hand. It is our Lord’s coronation as Lord and King. Ascension Day is 40 days after Easter, thus giving symmetry to our preparation for Easter during Lent and our celebration of our Lord’s rising from the dead after it. Our sermons leading up to Ascension will explain more about it. Sometimes you may want prayer for healing or some other need. If you do, please put your arms across your chest. We will then say a quiet prayer with you before giving you Communion or a Blessing. Ascension Day this year is on Thursday, May 14. We will have a service in Church at 6.00pm followed by our Ascension Day Dinner at 7.00pm in the CityU Chinese Restaurant on the 8th floor of the Amenities Building. Tickets cost $250 and are available from Winnie. A Message for Parents with Young Children Christ Church is a family Church that warmly welcomes families and children of all ages to our services. There is a Sunday School and Junior Church to which we invite all children over 4. We realize, however, that it can be difficult for parents with younger children, especially when they become restless. It can also be disturbing for other members of the congregation. We want to do all we can to help. The Trinity Room on the side of the Church is available for parents to take young children to if they need somewhere for them to calm down. The service is also relayed by video to the Trinity Room so parents will still be able to follow what is going on. We appreciate your understanding and co-operation! Bible Study Notes The Bible Study notes for May to August, 2015 are now available in the Church porch. Both types of notes cost HK$60. Many of our members find it helpful to use these Bible Study notes to help them read the Bible on a regular basis. If you would like to try this method of reading the Bible, please feel free to take a copy. There will be a return bus between the Church and the restaurant. Car-parking is also available at CityU at $20 for an hour. PLEASE GET YOUR TICKET FROM WINNIE TODAY! Installation of the New Dean of Holy Trinity The present Archdeacon of the Diocese of Eastern Kowloon, the Venerable Tang Hin Ling, is to become the new Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral, succeeding the Very Reverend Chan Hin Cheung, who has recently retired. The installation will take place on Trinity Sunday, which is on Sunday, May 31 at 4.00pm. This is a very special anniversary for Holy Trinity. In addition to celebrating the installation of the new Dean, it is the 125th Anniversary of Holy Trinity Church and the fifth anniversary of when Holy Trinity became a Cathedral. ALL are invited to a Dinner Reception at 7.00pm at Laguna Palace Chinese Restaurant, Laguna Mall, Hung Hom. The cost of the meal is HK$300 for adults and HK$200 for children under 12. Please let Ross know if you want to go! Vicar: The Reverend Ross Royden - telephone: 2338 4433 fax: 2338 8422 e-mail: [email protected] Today’s Services Rota Preacher: Celebrant: Organist: Servers: Communion Assistant: Lesson Readers: Intercessions: Offertory Procession: Sidespersons: Welcome Table: Flower Donor: Flower Arranger: +Garden Sponsor: Revd Canon Dr Eric Chong Revd Canon Dr Eric Chong Winnie Royden Jerry Wong, Ernest Cheong Daniel Cheung, Winnie Teoh Benjamin and Virginia Lam Rowena Chan Martin and Noreen White Paul Cheung, Patricia Ho, Paul Cannon Timothy Teoh Sandy Poon Elaine and Stephen Lau Ceci and Jones Lo Today’s Hymns 101 126 241 331(MP) 450(MP) 149 O worship the King, all glorious above The King of love, my shepherd is Lift up your hearts! In heavenly love abiding Love lifted me Ye servants of God, your master proclaim John 10:11-18 (page 872) Jesus tells his disciples that he is the Good Shepherd who looks after his sheep. He cares for them in a way that no-one else can. He is prepared to lay down his life for the sheep. The Post Communion Prayer Merciful Father, you gave your Son Jesus Christ to be the good shepherd, and in his love for us to lay down his life and rise again: keep us always under his protection, and give us grace to follow in his steps; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Readings for Next Sunday Old Testament: Epistle: Gospel: Acts 8:26-end (page 892) 1 John 4:7-end (page 991) John 15:1-8 (page 878) Collection Last Sunday Total for last week: $33,795.30 Thank you for your support! The Collect Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life: raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that we may seek those things which are above, where he reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. The First Reading CHRIST CHURCH IS A NO-PHONE ZONE! PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR MOBILE PHONE OR SMARTPHONE WHILE IN CHURCH! Please visit our web-site: www.christchurch.com.hk We are often asked for our address in Chinese. It is: Acts 4:5-12 (page 887) Peter and John have been taken prisoner after healing a lame man. They are questioned by the Jewish authorities. Peter tells them that the man has been healed by Jesus whom they crucified. Only through Jesus can anyone be saved. The Second Reading Please invite your friends and families to our services! 1 John 3:16-24 (page 990) John asks how anyone can claim to love God if they don’t also love their brothers and sisters. We should share what we have with those in need and so demonstrate the love of God. The Gospel Parish Administrator: Emily Chan - telephone: 2336 0848 fax: 2338 8422