6/2 Announcements

1. *WELCOME TO HOSANNA! – *If you are a new or returning visitor, please be ushered to the gym after-service to a seat with a welcoming plate sheet, and let our Welcoming Team serve you a meal and a cup of water – free at no cost! Our church lunch is always free for all. It is our joy to serve you! *Today’s menu is delicious Korean mixed vegetable rice bowl (seng-ya-chae-bi-bim-bap [생야채비빔밥])! Stay with us after-service to break bread. Fill-out a yellow newcomer’s contact card so that we can keep in touch. We welcome you into this family of Christ’s loving arms and remain here for you as His body to grow and flourish together!
2. *AFTER-WORSHIP SERVICE PRAYER & REFLECTION TIME – After our LORD’s Day Sunday worship service every week, this chapel will remain open for an extended time of reflection and prayer. Let us continue nurturing an environment and atmosphere to help each other walk farther with Jesus, minister to those hurting and broken, as well as cultivate spiritual conversations that edify and turn our hearts towards God’s glory in Christ through His Word. Feel free to stay in the chapel after-service for reflection and prayer.
3. *BE EARLY AND ON-TIME FOR WORSHIP SERVICE! – We want to remind everyone with kindness, gentleness, and conviction from the holy Spirit how important it is to come early to resurrection Sunday worship service. It makes a world of a difference to reflect and pray 10-15 minutes prior to the start of corporate worship than hurriedly walking-in at 11:10am or later. Like good soil, we need to be prepared to receive the seed of God’s Word weekly – that takes time to cultivate. Proper cultivation time is difficult to do if we are late, in a hurry, or treat worship like an afterthought. Let us do our best to arrive 10:45am to 10:55am. Give yourself and the LORD plenty of time. Pickup a bulletin, pen, and giving envelope. Grab some tea or coffee in the office. Greet someone with the peace of Christ. Move forward and leave the rear seats vacant. Silence your cell phones and other distractions. Ensure you have a Bible. Let us honor this Day of Rest created for us!
4. *UPDATES from Bethany Korean Presbyterian Church –
   • *We are continuing our prayers for the youth ministry and the search for a new youth minister. While the search for the youth minister is in progress, any further questions about the youth ministry can be directed to Deaconess Kris Lee, Director of youth ministry.
   • *TODAY, there is a VBS volunteers meeting for training and prayer at 1:00pm, here in Ezra Chapel.
5. *PRAY FOR NEW STAFF SEARCH PROCESS – We are continuing our prayers for the new staff search and encourage all, with God’s calling, to apply for one or multiple roles with the instructions on the homepage of our website (hosannapc.org). Or, if you know anyone who may be interested, please share the information with them. Until the staff roles are filled, there is no deadline for applications. Let us continue our prayers for the Lord’s good and faithful choice servants!
6. *PASTOR CHESTER’S NEW APPOINTMENT in the TEXAS PRESBYTERY – We are joyful to announce that Pastor Chester has been appointed a Presbytery Ordination Mentor (POM) by the Texas Presbytery leadership for ordination candidates of pastoral ministry in ECO. For the next term, he will serve as the ordination mentor to Will Zhao, who is currently serving as the Director of Worship and Media Communications, alongside church planter in residence, at Highland Park Chinese Church in Dallas, TX. This new appointment solidifies before the Presbytery of Texas and before the LORD that Hosanna is a recognized, growing, and model congregation of integrity where future pastors can learn, be challenged, and be mentored to grow into pastoral work. Let us pray for our Pastor, the future mentees, and the continued growth of the Lord’s church to train and raise more laborers for His harvest! Congratulations, Hosanna!
7. *TODAY, COLLEGE HOMECOMING & 2024 GRADUATES WELCOMING – TASTE OF HOSANNA! – Today, we welcome home all our distance college students and also welcome the incoming 2024 senior graduates a first-time visit with us to the TASTE OF HOSANNA! *At 10am, we already had an assortment of bagels, juice, and coffee in the Corner conference room to get to know the new graduates and welcome home our distance college students. *After-lunch at 1:00pm, we will have bubble tea for an extended time of fellowship. *Please join us at 1pm, make yourself available, enjoy the food/desserts, and above all bless and welcome the new graduates to taste Hosanna as their flourishing next step with Jesus!
8. *THIS THURSDAY through SUNDAY (6/6-6/9) “SCUBA: Diving into friendship with God” VBS! – Vacation Bible School is here! Jointly with Bethany Korean Church, starting this Thursday through Sunday, the “SCUBA” VBS will begin. Pray for the many children coming to scuba dive into friendship with God. *As announced, at 1:00pm today here in Ezra Chapel, there is a volunteers meeting for training and prayer.
9. *THIS FRIDAY (6/7) AGAPE life group, 6:30pm @ location TBA – We invite all young adults to this Friday’s gathering. RSVP to Deacon Hana or assistant shepherd Jake in the group chat. Thank you in advance to all those opening their homes for ministry. Pray for our AGAPE ministry of college, postgraduates, and newlyweds, gathering every Friday evening at 6:30pm at various homes, and our shepherds Deacon Hana Lee and assistant shepherd Jake Jeong, as they guide this precious family.
10. *THIS SATURDAY (6/8) JOSHUA life group, 4:00pm @ Ezra Chapel – We invite all our adults and families to this Saturday’s gathering. Childcare ministry will be provided. Pray for our shepherds, Elder Joung Park and assistant shepherd Elder Heather Lee, as they guide this precious family.
11. *THIS SATURDAY to SUNDAY (6/8-6/9) KITCHEN MINISTRY! – It’s time again to assist the Bethany Korean Kitchen team for the Sunday breaking bread ministry with food preparations on Saturday (starting 9:30am) and dishwashing on Sunday (starting 12:40pm). Sign-up with Elder Heather.
12. *NEXT SUNDAY (6/9) WORSHIP EQUIPMENT CLEAN-UP DAY! – Immediately after-worship next Sunday, the Praise Team & Media Team will be doing a thorough cleaning of the worship equipment area in the front of the chapel, the closets, and resetting all the wiring. *If you can help and serve, please stay and assist them in this labor of love. 
13. *KINGDOM EXPANSION PRAYER – We are moving to pray for a wider vision of God’s Kingdom to expand through the global prayer guide for the persecuted church and persecuted Christians worldwide from The Voice of the Martyrs organization. Today, we are praying for our persecuted Mexican brothers and sisters in Christ residing in Latin America.

 
**Prayer Topic: Persecuted Christians in Mexico (Latin America)
 
     Specific areas within Mexico have a high concentration of indigenous minority groups. These minority communities, which maintain a separate identity and language, are systematically oppressed by local authorities. Christians among them are persecuted by Marxist and animist groups as well as village leaders. Tribal leaders persecute Christians in defense of their indigenous culture in several rural areas, and the federal government allows this. These communities are remotely located and difficult to reach. Despite persecution, the number of Christians has continued to grow in these areas.
     Many people in rural Mexico practice Christo-paganism, a syncretistic blend of ancient pagan practices and Roman Catholicism. There is a strong Marxist (atheistic communist) movement in some southern areas, especially in the state of Chiapas. Both syncretistic Christo-pagan village leaders and armed Marxist (atheistic communist) rebels persecute Christians.
     Christian converts are rejected by their community and are often forced from their homes and villages in some rural areas. Large groups of Christians have at times been driven from their homes in the south. Converts and faithful witnesses for Christ lose their jobs, inheritances and land. Those who remain in their communities are marginalized, partly because they will not participate in pagan celebrations that feature drunkenness and debauchery. There is little access to Bibles in these isolated communities, and few are available in the indigenous languages.
 
*The Scripture for today is:
 
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (GALATIANS 5:19-21)
 
And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? (ISAIAH 8:19)
 
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (JAMES 1:12)
 
 
Prayer by Pastor Chester:
 
Our Father, we lift up to You our Mexican brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ in Latin America. We pray for the indigenous minority groups across Mexico in small rural villages – Lord, break their worship of superstition and syncretism with Roman Catholicism. Lord, open their eyes to the false practices and beliefs they hold, especially among the village leaders. Send Your workers to proclaim the true gospel of Your grace in Jesus Christ alone in these hard-to-reach places. Raise up local tribal leaders to lead their villages to faith in You. For the faithful minority that follow Your Son, help them stand strong against the pagan celebrations of drunkenness and debauchery. Restore unto them a home, jobs, and inheritance of land they lost in order to follow You. Help them remain faithful to the gospel, and speak boldly against the spirit of drunkenness, drugs, gangs, immorality, and sorcery. Let them only inquire of You and Your eternal Word! As they meet in homes and small places of gathering, hear their worship, be glorified in their praises, and sustain their passion and love for Your Son that grows stronger with persecution. We pray especially for the children and vulnerable youth of Mexico – Lord, have mercy and protect them from the evil one. Fill us with a greater burden to pray for Mexico. Make us Your house of prayer for all nations. We do not take for granted today Your grace and freedom in gathering to worship You. Lord, we long for the same in Mexico. In the risen Lord and Savior of the Mexican people, Jesus Christ’s name we pray, Amen.