What an awesome Sunday!  1) Worship, check: The glory of God filled our sanctuary during praise, Sam proclaimed the Word of God to focus on being the wingmen of Christ, and Charlene sang a convicting special praise song.  2) Going out for discipleship, check:  Then the ladies went out for Starbucks, while the fellas went for Mexican.  I ate a Super Burrito, which from far away, looked like my fourth child, and after eating all of it, I threw up in my mouth a little as I walked back into the Living Room… 3) Teachers’ Appreciation Dinner, check: Well-deserved recognition of all of our servants, EM and KM, who invest in our kiddos and students every week (Angela, Hyunjoo, Michelle Jung, Sam, Sarah, Garnet, James Kim, Charlene).  More to come next Sunday…

1) TNF: THIS THURSDAY @ 6 PM @ IKEA (848 South Barranca Avenue,Covina, 91723).  We’re gonna combine good, cheap food with shopping for curtains/furniture for the Living Room.  WE’LL MEET @ 6 PM, NOT 7 PM, so we have time to shop.

2) COORDINATORS’ MEETING: THIS SUNDAY @ 1 PM.  It’s been two months since we last met, and so much has happened!  PLEASE EMAIL ME AGENDA ITEMS YOU WANT TO DISCUSS BY FRIDAY.

3) HOLLYWOOD BOWL: THIS SUNDAY @ 7:30 PM @ 2301 North Highland Avenue, Hollywood, 90068.  Read this description, and acknowledge that nothing could be better: From The Sound of Music to Star Wars to Avatar, it’s a sweeping tribute to the amazing 75-year legacy of Twentieth Century Fox, with award-winning scores and scenes projected on the Bowl’s big screen.  THANK YOU, JANE, for organizing this!  There are only four tix left, so email Jane ASAP to reserve.

4) SCRIPTURE READING/OFFERING: Ordained Deacon Sung Kim

5) DEVOTIONS: Jeremiah 52-Lamentations 5:

³³ “So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.” (Jeremiah 52)

———————————————————–

¹⁹ “I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.

²⁰ I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

²¹ Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3)

Stay in focus… until we meet again!

The summer is over, and most of y’all students will be back in school within the next couple of weeks.  We can look back and praise God for so much: Samlene’s wedding, two sessions of SAT Prep, VBS, beach worship, Hualapai missions, Lina’s 3rd birthday, the transfer of leadership from Rev. Lee to Rev. Moon, the MORe retreat, and Survivor: Pismo Beach.  That’s a great summer, period.  Glory to the Lord.

School brings a busyness and worries, so it’s time to focus on the right priorities and take care of your spiritual walks.  For the rest of us who are working, the fall means nothing different from the summer, but we also need to focus on the right priorities.  As we do so, may the next season bring even more praise to the Almighty…

1) COMMUNITY GROUP: THIS FRIDAY @ 7 PM @ HYONROH’S (1725 E. Cortez St., West Covina, 91791).  Potluck, live “Cribs” episode of our former senior pastor’s house (where Hyonroh now lives), and study on how to share the Gospel with Jehovah’s Witnesses when they come right to your door…

2) PASTOR CHAE/PASTOR JUDY’S WEDDING: THIS SATURDAY @ 5 PM @ SARANG COMMUNITY CHURCH.  Pastor Chae was our guest speaker at our last Winter Retreat, and that was when he and Pastor Judy started their relationship.  I told him they owe us big time, and that traditionally, a brand new car is a way of saying thank you for hooking one up with his wife.  He didn’t laugh and said he’d email me the invitation.  Our treasure’s in heaven.  Let’s pray for and celebrate with them this weekend.

3) SAM PREACHING THIS SUNDAY: Lift up our brother, that through the Holy Spirit, he may deliver the Word of God both humbly and powerfully.  Also, that he won’t mess up the Lord’s Prayer, like I did today.

4) SUNDAY AFTERNOON POSSIBILITIES: Sung Lim invited us to play V-Ball @ their church this Sunday, but the Union elders might hold a teacher’s appreciation dinner for all the teachers of Pre-School, Elementary, and Youth Group (maybe SAT?).  Stay tuned…

5) HOLLYWOOD BOWL: SUNDAY, 9/5 @ 7:30 PM.  It’s gonna be awesome, as we listen to soundtracks from 20th Century Fox movies played live!  I think there are only a few spots left, so sign up with Jane and give her $15.  If you already signed up, bring the money by this Sunday.

6) SCRIPTURE READING/OFFERING: James Harty

7) DEVOTIONS: Jeremiah 46-51:

²⁰ In those days, at that time,”
declares the LORD,
“search will be made for Israel’s guilt,
but there will be none,
and for the sins of Judah,
but none will be found,
for I will forgive the remnant I spare. (Jeremiah 50)

Back to school/work with priorities in order, and your pastor will be praying for you…

This pic was from Santa Cruz in ’08, and amazingly, every single one of you look bad (that’s why I’m behind the camera, ahaha; I remember when this pic was uploaded on facebook, Carolyn commented that John looked gross, John shot back that Carolyn looked dirty, someone’s kissing Hyunjoo and she’s clearly not interested, and Wilson and Grace are a piece of work…).  Ahhh, maybe it’s because we suffered in Santa Cruz.  Last year we had it nice in Yosemite, and this year, we’ll relax on the beaches of Pismo.  After a summer of devoted service and a constant pouring into the lives of the VBS kids, Hualapai tribe, and our Youth, y’all get a well-deserved getaway.  Let’s just get away from everything else, except the Lord and each other:

1) MORe XI: Last week we experienced a glimpse of heaven, as we encountered God’s presence with one another in the deepest of prayer, exalted His holy name in unbridled praise, and experienced the fellowship of the Holy Spirit among all of our churches.  It’s important to remember that that is normal, the way it should be, not the empty life of constant preoccupation, eyes fixed on electronic screens, and weak spiritual lives.  Let’s raise our standard of faith, and seek the Lord with passion.

Thank you again to all who ministered to our Youth.  I’m so proud of you, and I see, even more than before, the potential you have to advance the kingdom of God when you give your all to Him.  Don’t hold back, and let nothing get in your way!

2) UPLOADED PICS: So grateful for Samlene (greatest married photographer combo ever), along with Garnet (aka, “The Professional”), and Hyunjoo (aka, “The Apprentice”)!  See our “Photos” section for uploaded pics of Hualapai Missions, MORe XI, Lina’s 3rd Birthday, and Union’s 30th Birthday/Rev. Lee’s Retirement Celebration.

3) COMMUNITY GROUP: THIS FRIDAY @ 7 PM @ SANG’S (1907 Delta Ave., Rosemead, 91770).  The Professor will lead a study on how to share the Gospel with Muslims, and we’ll feast together, as usual.  If y’all wanna swim before/after, bring a towel.  HYUNJOO is our newly designated drink girl for all time.

4) MORe GATHERING: THIS SATURDAY @ 5 PM @ SUNG LIM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (970 North Virgil Avenue, Los Angeles, 90029).  PROFESSOR, please let me know if this is NOT the correct address and time.  Otherwise, come with appetites for food and fellowship!

5) PISMO BEACH CAMPING: THIS SUNDAY TO NEXT WEDNESDAY (8/15-18).  Here’s what you need to know:

CAMPGROUND: Pismo State Beach, Northern Division, Oceano Campground

DEPARTURE/ARRIVAL: We’ll leave Sunday @ 1 PM and return Wednesday afternoon.  It takes about 4 hours to get there.

FACILITIES: Comfort Station, Fire Rings, Fishing, Hiking Trails, Restrooms, Showers, Water Sports

WEATHER: The forecast shows sunny, with highs of 65 and lows of 52

DRIVERS: Sang (7 total people), Sam (2 people, gear in church van), Grace (4+3 kids), Sarah (4), James (4), Cruz (4).  Please be ready to drive if called upon.

CAMPERS: Sang, Grace, Grace’s Mom (Han-Soo, Joon-Soo, Yun-Soo), Sarah Kwon, Ula, Michelle Won, Audrey, Jacob, David, Wilson, Sam, James Kim, Cruz

POSSIBLE: James Harty, Angela (Ayden), Jane (Dylan, Madeleine), Chris, Daniel (Dylan’s uncle), Garnet?

POSSIBLE PEOPLE: PLEASE LET ME KNOW TODAY IF YOU ARE GOING!

GROUP SUPPLIES (“The keys to camping are the right people and right equipment.” – Sang Lee):

SANG: Tent (4-man), gas grill, cooler

WILSON: 2 tent (5-man, 4-man), cooler, 2 propane lanterns (WILSON IS THE KEY!)

DAVID: Gas grill, cooler, 1-2 propane lanterns

AUSTIN: 2 tents (4-man, 3-man)

JAMES HARTY: 1 tent for family, electric lantern

JANE: Gas grill, cooler

HYONROH: Gas grill

JACOB: Soccer ball, football, volleyball net/balls, flag football gear, board/card games from church

IF ANYONE ELSE HAS TENTS OR ANY OF THE ABOVE EQUIPMENT, OR IF ABOVE PEOPLE HAVE MORE STUFF, PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP

PERSONAL SUPPLIES (1 bag of stuff + 1 sleeping bag + 1 backpack, or we’ll charge you, like @ the airport!): Bible, 1 large water bottles (Nalgene-type 1-liter), sleeping bag, lantern, flashlight/batteries, clothes for hot and cold weather, appropriate shoes (hiking/athletic as well as comfy shoes/sandals), sunblock, toiletries, swim suit, towel, girl products, medications you normally use

COST: $40 TO WON BY THIS SUNDAY!!!  (Discounted from $59 per person=$14 per person for campsite, $40 food, $5 supplies).  Bring a little extra for fast food on the way there and back, and please try to help out with gas with whoever you’re driving with.  $40 TO WON BY THIS SUNDAY!!!

ACTIVITIES: Swimming, short hikes, sports on the beach, bonfires, board/card games, kayaking (BRING $25 for 3-hours for one day; $50 for two days), ATV (BRING $60 for 2 hours on one day).  IF YOU WANT TO GO KAYAKING OR ATV (OR BOTH) FOR SURE, EMAIL/TEXT ME ASAP.  I’m planning to reserve kayaks, but not sure about ATV’s (depends on the number).  If I don’t reserve ATV’s, you can still go on your own if available.

ANYTHING I’M FORGETTING?  Send word!

SCRIPTURE READING/OFFERING: Garnet Kim

DEVOTIONS: Jeremiah 34-39: Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, each of them will turn from his wicked way; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin.” (36:3)

Remember that glimpse of heaven, and remember that anything less is not normal.  See you this weekend!

Who is the real Jesus?  What is the real Gospel?  Tomorrow, we’re off on our ELEVENTH Youth Retreat (!!!), and let’s pray that our students find the answers to those two most important questions in life.

What will God do there?  How will He demonstrate His power?  How will He transform lives?  I’m filled with anticipation, but we must go with great expectations and desperate prayers to back them up.  In our prayer meeting on Sunday, y’all shared the desire to see students learn the true Good News and get off the “rollercoaster faith.”  You also asked for a greater heart of prayer within the leaders.  I’m 100% sure those are being answered already, and we’ll hit the floor running when we get there…

1) MORe XI RETREAT: THIS TUESDAY TO FRIDAY @ CAMP CEDAR CREST (BIG BEAR).  Pray for the people: About 140 students; Daniel’s Praise Team; Pastor Joshua, Sarah and Professor coordinating; about 14 of our URC leading; the many sister churches bringing their Youth (please pray also for me, as I preach)… whether you’re going or staying at home, let’s approach this like a missions trip in the commitment to pray and call on the Holy Spirit.  If you are carpooling from church tomorrow, talk to Sarah or Professor about the meeting time.

IF YOU HAVEN’T PAID WON YET, YOU MUST BRING $70 TO ME IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU GET TO THE RETREAT.  Yes, it was $100, but Congress unanimously passed the Obama administration’s 2010 MORe Retreat Relief Initiative for URC Leaders and Staff, so it’s $70 (the lowest retreat fee ever)!  For those of you who already paid Won $100, you’ll get $30 back on Sunday.  WE HAVE TO PAY OUR SHARE WHEN WE GET THERE, SO DON’T FORGET YOUR FEE!  THANK YOU!!!

2) REV. LEE AND REV. MOON: As of yesterday, Rev. Lee is officially retired and off to Korea, and Rev. Moon is officially our new senior pastor.  The celebration was pretty grandiose, and we also got to celebrate our URC family ordinations: Deacon Sung Kim is now an Ordained Deacon (ahnsoo jipsahnim), while Sarah/David’s mom, Jacob’s mom, and Inee’s mom are now Ordained Deaconesses (kwonsahnims… you can call Sarah/David’s mom “Kwon” sahnim, ahahhahhhha (c’mon, you laughed a little)).

THANK YOU, BIG TIME, to our photographers (Garnet and Hyunjoo), and our videographer (Sam).  They logged a total of 12.9 miles of total walking within the sanctuary, trying to get the best shots.  There were a couple of points where Sam commandeered an indoor Good Year blimp to get the bird’s eye views.  All three were sweaty and exhausted afterward… praise God for your service.  Also, thank you to the fellas, who brought the church towels and Rev. Lee’s books, for all to enjoy.

3) JOINT WORSHIP SERVICE: THIS SUNDAY @ 11 AM @ OUR SANCTUARY.  We WILL NOT meet @ 9:30 AM, but please be there by 10:45 AM, so we can be an example to the Youth.  Youth Group will lead praise, and Pastor Joshua will preach, so let’s support them and receive their ministry.

4) PRAISE TEAM BIBLE STUDY: THIS SUNDAY @ 2 PM.  Youth Praise Team is welcome!

5) SURVIVOR PISMO BEACH: A WEEK FROM SUNDAY TO WEDNESDAY (8/15-18).  We’ll camp near the beach, grill over fires, kayak, swim, and play beach volleyball/football/soccer/basketball/motocross.

THREE “IF YOU’S”: A) IF YOU HAVEN’T SIGNED UP YET, LET ME KNOW BY THIS SUNDAY IF YOU’RE GOING; B) IF YOU HAVE TENTS/GAS GRILLS/LANTERNS/PROPANE TANKS/ANYTHING USEFUL, PLEASE BRING IT TO CHURCH THIS SUNDAY; C) IF YOU WANNA GO, PLEASE GIVE $40 TO WON THIS SUNDAY (kayaking will be an additional $25/3 hours, and ATV rides will be an additional $60/2 hours, both of which you can pay when you get there).

6) SCRIPTURE READING/OFFERING: Garnet will be a week from Sunday, and this Sunday will be a Youth Group student.

7) DEVOTIONS: Jeremiah 28-33:

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. ^[b] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Lord, at our retreat, may you raise up a new generation of Your faithful.  We pray that every single non-believer gives their life to Jesus as their Lord and Savior, so all of heaven can rejoice.  Let every believer understand the real Gospel, that you are all in all.  Your holy name be glorified.

     The mission of our brothers and sisters of Christ at Union Evangelical Church is to model and expand the kingdom of God throughout the World; to worship and restore the relationship that God allowed us to have for eternity. Last Sunday July 19th, our mission team left for Peach Springs, AZ to make disciples and believers of Christ Jesus. We were joined by our sister church from Atlanta, GA where we made, not only teammates but friends of God to help us on this mission.
My personal experience was one that I could never forget and that has taught me a lot. I had a lot of leadership experience on this mission and other non-significant responsibilities that has grown me into a mature responsible missionary. When we first got there, everyone was beat tired from the drive that our focus was not on God working through the team, but on ourselves. Us men, and boys at least were frustrated and were yelling at each other to hurry up or do this. All along the trip, there were minimal incidences of individuals – myself included – that couldn’t control our emotions and have taken out our anger on another. Lucky for me, people like Hyonroh and Sam were there to calm me down and keep my focus in tact.
     I remember I was outside before the adult service started on the second day and Hyonroh came out to tell us to go inside. Because of the pissed off mood that I was already in, caused by one of our team members that I did not get along with quite well, I immediately yelled back without thinking. However, gentle James teacher just pulled me aside and there we sat through an hour-long conversation just calming me down. Hyonroh was explaining to me the methods that he takes when he gets mad and just to do something else or cooperate and walk away when angered by another.
     Although there were instances of frustration that we must have overcome, there was also the blessing part of the mission that none of us can forget through our lifetime. The indian native kids were so hyperactive and fun to play with, our focus could not be taken away from them. People like Pastor Imus of Consuming Fire Church and the elders of our church family just gave praise to God. There was also Hong SMN and Hong JDSN that were great leaders of the mission trip and ran everything very neat and in an organized manner. Even the fellowship time we had the last night playing mafia, telling scary stories, and taking cool pictures with a photography expert named Josh was very glorifying. There were many things that I found out about the Church and things the Church has found out about me that can be a major blessing to the family!
     Overall this was my first real mission, other than Mongolia and single-day missions to Mexico, that I could take care of myself and try to be a real missionary helping out the team. I could say that at the least, I did many minor things to keep the flow going smoothly and that I was effective in making leaders and believers of the Holy Spirit to the Hualapai tribe. When the time passes by and next year comes along, or even opportunities like this opens up, I will definitely go on the mission trip again to enhance myself and become a more interactive-engaged missionary. It was a great time of fellowship, meeting new people from a different society I have never experienced before, and an awesome time serving the Lord through all the events that took place for this mission.

-Austin Lee

After 30 faithful and amazing years of leadership, our senior pastor, Rev. Chung Kuhn Lee, is entering into his final seven days at Union Evangelical Church.  Everything that we have as a church is built on the blood, sweat, and tears (and prayers) of our leader and his wife: the baptisms of newborn infants and 90-year-olds; the unity we have across generations and cultures (seen at our last Family Retreat); short-term missions to the Hualapai tribe and Mongolia; long-term missionaries who serve in Cameroon and India; a permanent Union Church founded in Tijuana; the Holy Spirit-filled revivals and weekly, faithful worship services; and, at the end of the day, a church that has lived out it’s mission: “Like Jesus, just like Jesus.”

Personally, he took me under his wing and hired me when I had almost no ministry experience, then trusted me for five years, with a great degree of freedom, with our English Ministry.   I remember thinking he didn’t understand the second generation and was out of touch when he made suggestions, but after I was proved wrong time and time again, I came to realize the depths of his spiritual wisdom, as well as his genuine connection with every person in our church.  At our denomination’s national conferences, I’ve seen the most prominent senior pastors quiet down with readiness to follow whenever he approached the mic.  What little I know of ministry, I have learned much of from Rev. Lee.  Most of all, he has had an impeccable character of integrity as he has served the Lord, and I’ve never once seen him compromise his holiness.  This Sunday we’ll have his retirement celebration, and for a man of God who has finished this leg of “the race,” let’s honor him and praise God.

1) RETIREMENT CELEBRATION: THIS SUNDAY @ 4 PM @ LARGE SANCTUARY.  About 500 people will come, and I pray every one of you is there.  Sam and James are our videographers, and Garnet is our photographer (need one backup photographer).  Pastor Joshua asked us to help with decorations, so let’s be available all afternoon that day.  I have been given the job of almighty parking lot director, and I’ll make sure no car crosses those double white lines that designate its space.

2) PRAY FOR REV. MOON’S FAMILY: Rev. Moon, his wife, and daughter Esther (son Timothy is in Korea) worshiped with us on their first Sunday at Union, and that’s a great sign.  At our staff meeting on Saturday, he was really personable, made sure much of the meeting was translated into English for me, and had a strong vision for our church.  Let’s give him our wholehearted support in prayer as he transitions into his new role.

3) HUALAPAI MESSAGE: “God is amazing!” was the one thought the Professor wanted to ingrain in us from the mission team’s experience with the Hualapai.  Thank you to all who sponsored them with prayers and out of your pockets.  Let’s remember how our God answers our prayers, and try to reach everyone we can with a sense of urgency for the lost.  Because of inspiration from the team, I shared the Gospel with a man when I took the kids to the park on Thursday, and this afternoon, invited my 90-year-old neighbor to come with us to church.  Thank you, missionaries, for what you did and brought back, and let’s fuel the fire.

4) CG: THIS FRIDAY @ 7 PM @ SAM/CHARLENE’S (Rosecrans, just W of Beach).  We get to visit the home of our newlyweds for the first time!  What?  It’s the same place Charlene’s been living at for the past year, and we’ve already been there multiple times?  OK, but there are two new items: a brand new couch and a brand new husband.  What awaits are a potluck, study on how to witness to an atheist/agnostic, and sitting on the brand new couch.

5) MORe STAFF/LEADERS’ FELLOWSHP: THIS SATURDAY FROM 11 AM-4 PM @ SANTA FE DAM.  You know the food will be good and the people will be fun, so carpool and save some money on the entrance fee…

6) LINA’S 3RD BIRTHDAY PARTY: THIS SATURDAY FROM 4-10 PM @ TAE/SARA’S.  The facebook tagline: “Come, eat, play, bounce!”  Taco Man will be there.  Please RSVP @

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=690576773&v=app_2344061033#!/event.php?eid=140771775949408&index=1

7) MORe RETREAT: A WEEK FROM TUESDAY (8/3-6).  Much preparation has gone into this event, which is always a huge blessing for our entire denomination.  Let’s put even more prayer into it (and please pray for me, as I’ll be speaking).  Between the support from the mother church and URC, staff/leaders will have to pay $100 out of the $170.

PLEASE BRING $100 THIS SUNDAY TO WON!!!

8 ) SCRIPTURE READING/OFFERING: James Kim

9) DEVOTIONS: Jeremiah 22-27:

³ “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴ I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD.

⁵ “The days are coming,” declares the LORD,
“when I will raise up to David ^[a] a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.

⁶ In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The LORD Our Righteousness.

————————————-

As Rev. Lee approaches his finish line, let’s keep “running the race in such a way as to win the prize.”

Inception was a great movie! Christopher Nolan presents an original idea that he is able to execute perfectly and make it follow the success of his other films. The movie is about a team of ‘dreamers’ that are able to step into other peoples dreams to extract whatever information is needed. Nolan takes this complex idea and flips it around to make it into something that you would have never imagined. The film also consists of top notch actors that makes the movie that much better. Leonardo DiCaprio, I mean do I even need to say how good this guy is? Joseph Gordon-Levitt also does an excellent job in the movie that probably earned him a HUGE break. And while I do not want to go down the list of actors and call out their accomplishments, they all did a great job! I feel that at this point in Nolan’s career, Christopher Nolan is no longer just a name. His name is a brand and it’s going to start calling out to some big time actors and big time movies. We can all probably expect some good things from him in the future.

rating- A-

A year ago, I was sent off by many of you to the Hualapai tribe for what would turn out to be an unforgettable mission.  Today, I was with many of you, sending off our missionaries to the same tribe.  Having been on both sides of our Hualapai mission now, I realize how important it is for the church at home and the church in the mission field to be partners in the Gospel.  At home, we must take on the role of senders, who build up, help prepare, and cover in prayer.  On the road, our missionaries must actively go with humility, love, and boldness.  You’re either an astronaut on the space shuttle to Mars, or back on Earth manning a station at mission control.  Everyone counts big time…

1) PRAY FOR HUALAPAI MISSIONARIES: TONIGHT – WEDNESDAY.  Our missionaries should have arrived a couple of hours ago, and they’re hopefully getting some rest for their big first day tomorrow.  Their days include team worship in the mornings, going door-to-door to share the Gospel/invite the Hualapai to the events, VBS in the afternoons, and adult ministry in the evenings.

THANK YOU to all who supported Hyonroh, Sam, Austin, and Josh (Eunice’s cousin) financially and in prayer.  Please remember who you sponsored (or pick one if you weren’t at service today), and pray for their requests continually until they return: Hyonroh (God would ultimately be honored, strengthening of Hualapai believers, new believers to meet Jesus, and humility/love to overcome frustrations); Sam (Humility/patience with the kiddos, healing in the adults, all of Union winning the spiritual battle together); Austin (Safety and health, cool weather, and making disciples); and Josh (Humility to know they’re not better than the Hualapai and that it’s God changing them, not the missionaries).

2) REVEREND MOON ARRIVING: THIS WEDNESDAY.  As many of you know, our senior pastor, Rev. Chung Kuhn Lee, will be retiring this summer, after three decades of amazing leadership.   Our future senior pastor, Rev. Moon, will be arriving this Wednesday, so please pray for safe travel and a smooth transition for both pastors.  Be ready to greet/welcome Rev. Moon this Sunday, and PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND REV. LEE’S RETIREMENT CELEBRATION ON SUNDAY, 8/1 @ 4 PM @ LARGE SANCTUARY!

3) TNF: THIS THURSDAY @ 7 PM @ BUFFALO WILD WINGS (on Workman, just E of Citrus)

4) MORe MEETING: NEXT SUNDAY @ 5:30 PM.  The final one, where everything needs to get finalized, so be there!

5) MORe PICNIC + LINA’S BIRTHDAY: A WEEK FROM SATURDAY (7/31).  MORe PICNIC is for all staff and leaders.  It’s from 11-4 @ Santa Fe Park and includes lunch.  Lina’s 3rd birthday party is @ 4 PM @ Tae/Sara’s and includes Taco Man (please RSVP @ their facebook event page).

6) SCRIPTURE READING/OFFERING: Andy Yi

7) DEVOTIONS: Jeremiah 16-21:

^17:7 “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

⁸ He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”

Church, let’s pray for the vision of Rev. Lim: A cross over every house in the Hualapai tribe.  Sam, Hyonroh, Austin, and Josh, we will pray for you every minute, so stop once in a while, and feel the prayers of your brothers and sisters lifting you up…

OK, y’all know I love Chicago (YEAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!  The Windy City, WOOOHOOO!!!!), but one thing we could NEVER have there is worship on the beach.  It’d either be snowing, raining, or super hot and humid, with a thousand mosquitoes.  Last Sunday’s worship at Huntington was simple and beautiful, and it’s good stuff to go straight into BBQ, swimming, and volleyball.  Seems like every weekend this summer is eventful, and this one is no exception:

1) COMMUNITY GROUP: THIS FRIDAY @ THE LIMS @ 7 PM.  We will finish our study on the problem of evil with the question, “If God is all-powerful, how can evil exist?”  Potluck feast before, fellowship afterward…

2) WORSHIP @ ENGLISH CHAPEL: THIS SUNDAY @ 9:30 AM.  Since I sit in front at worship, I never get to see the congregation during service.  My inside sources say that 1/3 of us are at service when it starts, and then everyone else suddenly appears in the seats after the prayer that closes praise time.  It’s a shame if the King doesn’t receive the full praise of our church, so let’s try to be early to service.  We’re back at Union at our usual time, so please join us for prayer @ 9:20.

3) JESUS LOVES THE HUALAPAI: THIS SUNDAY TO WEDNESDAY @ PEACH SPRINGS, ARIZONA.  This is our third mission trip with the Hualapai, and it’s been exponentially growing.  I can’t wait to hear what happens this year.  Sam, Hyonroh, and Austin are our three missionaries from URC, so please pray for them!  Last week, we signed up for Pay4/Pray4 a Missionary, pledging money to cover their fees and committing to be their partners in prayer.  If you haven’t done so, please sign up this Sunday and bring support money to Won.  We’ll commission them during our worship service, and there will be a sendoff with the entire team in the afternoon.

4) ORDAINED DEACON SUNG HOON KIM: Praise God for continuing to raise up one of our leaders, Deacon Kim!!!  He was elected to be an ordained deacon, and we’ll recognize God’s anointing this Sunday.

5) REVEREND MOON ARRIVING: As many of you know, our senior pastor, Rev. Chung Kuhn Lee, will be retiring this summer, after three decades of amazing leadership.   Our future senior pastor, Rev. Moon, will be arriving next Wednesday, so please pray for safe travel and a smooth transition for both pastors.

6) NEW PHOTO ALBUMS: THANK YOU to Charlene for taking some awesome pics and uploading them to our site.  Check out the Harty BBQ Party, SAT Prep, and Beach Worship in our “Photos” section…

7) WEB ARTICLES: Another THANK YOU to Webmaster James for uploading “The Lord’s Prayer” article on our site last week.  More content from the world around you coming…

8 ) SAVE THE DATES: MORe Retreat (8/3-6, Tue-Fri) and Pismo Beach Camping (8/15-18, Sun-Wed).

9) SCRIPTURE READING/OFFERING: Sarah Kwon

10) DEVOTIONS: Jeremiah 10-15:

⁵ Like a scarecrow in a melon patch,
their idols cannot speak;
they must be carried
because they cannot walk.
Do not fear them;
they can do no harm
nor can they do any good.”

Let’s pray for our missionaries and the Hualapai tribe each day this week…

I finally got around to posting. I found this last year when we were studying the format of prayer. It recounts a conversation between God and a woman who is praying the Lord’s Prayer. It reminded me how often we pray with only the words and not with our full heart, mind, body, and soul.

The Lord’s Prayer is in bold and God’s responses are in italics. Enjoy.

“Our Father which art in heaven …““Yes?” “Don’t interrupt me. I’m praying.” “But you called me.” “Called you? I didn’t call you. I’m praying. Our Father which art in heaven …” “There … you did it again.” “Did what?” “Called me. You said, Our Father which art in heaven. Here I am. What’s on your mind?” “But I didn’t mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord’s Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like getting a duty done.” “All right. Go on.” “Hallowed be thy name …” “Hold it! What do you mean by that?” “By what?” “By ‘hallowed be thy name’?” “It means … it means … good grief! I don’t know what it means. How should I know? It’s just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?” “It means honored … holy … wonderful.” “Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what ‘hallowed’ meant before. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” “Do you really mean that?” “Sure, why not?” “What are you doing about it?” “Doing? Nothing, I guess! I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there.” “Have I got control of you?” “Well … I go to church.” “That isn’t what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You’ve really got a problem there, you know. And then there’s the way you spend your money … all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?” “Stop picking on me! I’m just as good as some of the rest of those people at the church.” “Excuse me. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it … like you, for example.” “Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.” “So could I.” “I haven’t thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to … you know … be really free.” “Good … now we’re getting somewhere! We’ll work together, you and I. Some victories can truly be won. I’m proud of you.” “Look, Lord, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread.” “You need to cut out the bread. You’re overweight as it is.” “Hey, wait a minute! What is this … ‘Criticize me day?’ Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.” “Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know. That’s what I’m trying to get across to you. You called me, and here I am. It’s too late to stop now. Keep praying. I’m interested in the next part of your prayer … (pause). Well … go on!” “I’m scared to.” “Scared? Of what?” “I know what You’ll say.” “Try me and see.” “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” “What about Ann?” “See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why Lord, she’s told lies about me, spread stories about my family. She never paid back the debt she owes me. I’ve sworn to get even with her!” “But your prayer? What about your prayer?” “I didn’t mean it.” “Well, at least you’re honest. But it’s not much fun carrying that load of bitterness around inside, is it?” “No, but I’ll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans for that neighbor. She’ll wish she had never moved into this neighborhood.” “You won’t feel any better. You’ll feel worse. Revenge isn’t sweet. Think of how unhappy you already are. But I can change all that.” “You can? How?” “Forgive Ann. Then I’ll forgive you. Then the hate and sin will be Ann’s problem and not yours. You will have settled your heart.” “Oh, you’re right. You always are. And more than I want to take revenge on Ann, I want to be right with you. Ann, I want to be right with you … (pause) … (sigh). Alright! Alright! I forgive her! Help her to find the right road in life, Lord. She’s bound to be awfully miserable now that I think about it. Anybody who goes around doing the things she does to others has to be out of it. Someway, somehow, show her the right way.” “There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?” “Hmmmm … well, not bad. Not bad at all. In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don’t think I’ll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first time since I can remember. Maybe I won’t be so tired from now on because I’m not getting enough rest.” “You’re not through with your prayer. Go on.” “Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” “Good! Good! I’ll do that. Just don’t put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.” “What do you mean by that?” “Don’t turn on the TV when you know the laundry needs to be done and the house needs to be picked up. Also, about the time you spend having coffee with your friends … if you can’t influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should re-think the value of those friendships. Another thing, your neighbors and friends shouldn’t be your standard for “keeping up with.” And please don’t use me for an escape hatch.” “I don’t understand the last part.” “Sure you do. You’ve done it a lot of times. You get caught in a bad situation. You get into trouble and then you come running to me. “Lord, help me out of this mess, and I promise you I’ll never do it again.” You remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?” “Yes and I’m ashamed, Lord. I really am.” “Which bargain are you remembering?” “Well, there was the night that Bill was gone and the children and I were home alone. The wind was blowing so hard I thought the roof would go any minute and tornado warnings were out. I remember praying, ‘Oh God, if you spare us, I’ll never skip my devotions again.” “I protected you, but you didn’t keep your promise, did you?” “I’m sorry, Lord. I really am. Up until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord’s Prayer every day, then I could do what I liked. I didn’t expect anything to happen like it did.” “Go ahead and finish your prayer.” “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.” “Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?” “No, but I’d like to know. I now want to please you. I can see what a mess I’ve made of my life. And I can see how great it would be to really be one of your followers.” “You just answered the question.” “I did?” “Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you truly love me. And I see that happening between us. Now that some of these old sins are exposed and out of the way, well, there is no telling what we can do together.” “Lord, let’s see what we can make of me, okay?” “Yes, let’s see.”