LUNAR NEW YEAR FESTIVAL 新年快乐

新年快乐 Happy New Year! It will be Chinese New Year on February 19th. It’s also the new year of Korea, Vietname, etc. There will be free traditional Chinese food (You are welcome to learn to make it and help preparing), fellowship and fun games. All are welcome! Agape Community Church 1 Executive Dr, South Burlington, VT05043

IT'S TIME TO HEAR THIS GOOD NEWS

Do you want any help? You can't accomplish everything by yourself. Your inner being is always looking for something. We don't start our life by ourselves, utimately all things are from a Higher Being.

The wonderful cosmos points to a creator. He creates, and gives them freely, though priceless for us. He also wants to help us through our lifes. Very often even you don't understand yourself, but He knows you and prepares your way for you.

This is the God you know. But He wants you to know Him more, because the more you know him, the more peace you have. It's real peace, not artificial. He came to us and He made it possible. And you will know Him when you see the things He does.

Welcome to be our company on this wonderful journey!

Agape Community Church

Office Address: 115 College Street, Burlington

Phone: 802-448-0655 John

Website: www.burlingtonagape.org

Are you a single Christian?

An exciting new singles group is now being formed just for Christians. After we leave school many of our friends get married and we lose fellowship and a trusted friend who shares our same values. This is an excellent opportunity to come and meet other Christian singles and make new friends. 

We will be doing hiking, biking, swimming, skiing, and if you like food we will be having a number of pot luck dinners. There is no cost to join the only requirements are that you must be single and a practicing Christian. "WE ALL NEED GOOD FELLOWSHIP." So come to our first planning meeting next Tuesday (August 5th) night at 7pm. All are invited. The planning meeting will be held at Agape Community Church Office of Burlington.

It is located at 115 College Street, Burlington, Vermont.
Call 802-448-0655 for information.

Relax!!!

Thank about all God's done in your life, while sitting under a tree.

Agape Community Church Singles Group Meeting

Would you like to have fellowship with Christian Singles around Burlington, Vermont? We are planning for a Christian Single group. And we will gather regularly, studying the Bible, fellowship, hiking, having dinner, or just having fun! The first meeting will be in Agape Community Church office, at 4pm, July 26. Welcome!

Address: 115 College Street, FL3, Burlington, VT

Christ Cleansed Our Conscience

Hebrews 9

“6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the a outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7 but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Notes:

If you read the last two verses again, you will see how great the grace Christ gives us is! He cleansed our conscience, which are defiled by sin, so that we can serve the living God with peace.

God gave his Law to Israel through Moses, and asked them to offer sacrifices to purify themselves, so that they can worship him. As you see in verse 6-7, the priests are only allowed to perform the divine worship in the outer tabernacle. And only the high priest is allowed to enter the second – “the Holy of Holies” once a year taking blood. “The Holy of Holies” is where the ark of covenant is.  This worship system is so limited because God is so holy that man could not access his presence. However, this limited worship system itself signifies there will be a perfect worship in the future. (Verse 8-10)

Christ entered the greater and better tabernacle, “not of this creation”, the right hand of God, the presence of God. This is much better than the “Holy of Holies”, which is a copy of the real tabernacle in heaven. Christ offered better sacrifice, his own blood, his blemish life, so that he cleansed our conscience and brought us to the presence of God. How much guilty we felt before, but Christ cleansed our conscience and gave us the eternal salvation.

“19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. “(Hebrews 10:19-25)

Let us hold fast to this great salvation with faith and hope, and stimulate one another to love and good deeds. 

The Redemption That Came by Christ Jesus

Romans 3:21-25

When I was preparing the sermon today, I think about a question. What’s the message I should preach if I only have 30 minutes? It’s the “the redemption that came by Christ Jesus”. For around 2000 years, many people studied the Bible and wrote many books about the Bible, we have to admit, to some degree, that we are confused by these books. Imagine we will go back to Jesus and Apostles’ time, and let us read from the books of Jesus’ disciples what the salvation is!

Experiencing the Love of Jesus Christ in Lent

Agape Community Church will open its morning QT from 6:30AM to 7:10AM from Mondays to Saturdays. Attendees will study the life of Jesus from John 13 to John 19.

The Lent is a period in which believers embody the meaning of the passion of Christ as depicted by authors of the Gospels and reflect the meaning in their life.

We are saved by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Let us follow his steps experiencing his sacrifice and experience the resurrection in us.

Matthew 4:1-11 Three Temptations

Why do we study the Bible? We study the word of God not for more knowledge, though you will have more knowledge. One of the purposes is to have the weapon to defeat the evil.

Why was Jesus tempted? To be an example for us.

Jesus is the Son of God, and it’s not necessary for him to suffer from this and this temptation. He doesn’t need to be baptized by John, neither tempted by the devil. But for us, he is tempted. He was hungry like us. (Hebrew 2:18) Right after John the Baptist baptized him and there was the voice from heaven, “This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased”. But for Son, there is temptation from Satan. For the people who are living under the power of Satan, it’s not necessary for Satan to tempt them. However, for the Son of God, who will live his life obeying God’s will, there is temptation from Satan.

Agape Community Church New Poster Released

The Gospel is about the Son of God Jesus Christ. Come and know Jesus!

Inauguration Service at Agape Community Church Office at 115 College Street

On Dec 22, Inauguration Service took place in Burlington Agape Community Church Office for the new found location, 3rd Floor, 115 College Street, Burlington.

The text of the message is from Ephesians 4:17-24 and the title is "to put off your old self and to put on the new self". Paul says "to put off your old self". It's the metaphor of garments. It is like the garments that we can put off. Because of the work of Christ, our old self died, we just need to put off that. Our life and our ministry will be renewed.

"It's a new space, and it's almost new year. However, more important than that is the word of God renews me and God gives me another beginning", the minister says, "I believe the mission will develop if I continually welcome the work of Spirit here."

All who are interested in studying the Bible are welcome!

You are Invited to A Warm Christmas Eve

Want to find more than dinner and shopping at Christmas Eve? You are invited to the Christmas Eve event in Agape Community Church on Third Floor of 115 College Street. We will look at the burning love of God the creator to us through the incarnation of His Son.

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him?”

December 6-8 NYC Christmas Retreat Concludes with Abundant Grace

From December 6th to December 8^th, Minister John went to NYC to attend the NYC Christmas Retreat hosted by Immanuel Bronx, which was a refreshing experience.

40 Ministers and Bible students from Immanuel Bronx, Philadelphia, Boston, New Haven, Burlington, Manchester and Jersey City and more joined the retreat. The theme was “The Birth of Jesus” and students were given the opportunity to study messages answering where, why, when and how Jesus came to this earth. Each message was prepared and delivered with lots of love and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The retreat featured several activities including an open-mic night, a gift-exchange, testimony time, prayer meeting and lots of opportunities to break-bread and converse.

The minister himself testified, “Even as Christians, we don’t think about why and how Jesus as Son of God came to the world. You can see the Gospel, the power of salvation when you look at his incarnation.”

Christmas Retreat in Burlington Agape Community Church will be planned around Christmas. All are welcome!

Welcome to Agape Thanksgiving Event on Wednesday Evening

There will Agape Thanksgiving Event on Wednesday Evening right before Thanksgiving. We welcome all people who like to gather together to remember the stories of thanks and share them. Let it be the evening full of thanks, grace and love! All are welcome! You can bring food as well your thanks stories.

Welcome to Daily Devotionals

Thank you! Daily Devotionals will come out next week.

New Poster and Flyer Being Used in Evangelism

New poster and flyer have been designed and are being used from October 25. We hope they will help us to witness the grace and life in Jesus Christ more effectively.

Reaching People in Different Ways in Evangelism

Agape Community Church is trying to reach people in different ways, which is making the evangelism more active and effective.

What impressed the minister is that it’s not easy to see people except in universities and in downtown, which makes the evangelism being limited. But now he found more ways to reach people.

Table in the Street and Universities

Agape Community Church has applied showing materials and doing evangelism by reserving a table in the main street of downtown once. Signs and flyers are being prepared for another one tomorrow. We will try to reserve table in the campus to do evangelism, too.



Flyers with Short Messages

The minister is making short messages to hand them out in evangelism, so people can read them even they have rejected the offer of Bible studies.

Posters

Posters are being made to be posted in the street and universities, which will inform more people.

Local gatherings

Residents here have many gatherings for different kind of people. We are following the events from local newspapers and are doing evangelism at the places where people gather.

Bible Study Programs

Bible Studies on Romans are being held in different places at fixed time, praying that people who are interested will come.

An Office in Downtown

We are praying for and looking for an office in downtown, and it will make the bible studies more convenient for people around.

We invite your prayers for the mission here – the minister can preach the good news of salvation and people here can seek and accept the salvation from God.

Invitation to retreat in Jersey City

Brothers and sisters in Agape Community Church are invited to attend the retreat held in Jersey City from Jersey City Ephesus Church on August 24 and 25.

It will be a wonderful time when you can have bible studies intensely, meet members from other cities and have joyful fellowship with each other. We will study the path of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph in the Genesis.

You are welcome to attend the retreat even you are not a member in Agape. Just send us email to office@burlingtonagape.org . Booking tickets from Megabus is a cheap way if you don’t want to drive there. (Just book the ticket to New York City)

Sunday Service and Fellowship with Grace

On July 7, two new comers from Burlington Emergency Shelter visited Agape Community Church to attend the Sunday service and had fellowship with the minister.

Valerie Brosseau and her husband are working in Burlington Emergency Shelter. The minister introduced himself and the church after service and they also gave their testimony and their opinions on spreading the Gospel.

As two Vermonters, they said that people here are easy to think about you are selling something, which reminds me of witnessing the Gospel only with love. We welcome anyone who wants to know the love of God to come.

Round-table Bible Study: Romans 1-8 Salvation and Justification

For you and I, nothing is more important than salvation.

In Romans 1-8, Paul writes about the justification and Sanctification. We are saved through the blood of Jesus Christ and after that we will live a life of victory with the help of Holy Spirit. However, most of us don’t know this deeply that our faith become weak and we are living a miserable life. We lose the function of salt and light of this world. We want to go back to Romans 1-8, study it with you and live it out with you.

We will study the Bible with the help of a textbook and a Q & A book. Welcome!