牧者心聲
你在這裡做甚麼?

劉雪芬牧師
2022 年 7 月 23 日 / 24 日


Click here for English

按此到 Youtube 收聽


最近參加了執事同工生活營,其中有一個很有意思的小組活動,內容分三部分:

(一)透過圖片提供的線索認出教會某個角落,然後全組人一起去拍照認證。我們發覺,若平時不留意,真的不容易尋找這些角落;

(二)透過新舊堂點的珍貴相片,猜出所在地方,並回顧自己在其中的經歷。有些地點是康澤裝修前使用、但已不復存在的房間;也有些是雲華時期的場地,當時因為地方不夠用,連胡欽牧師和蕭壽華牧師的宿舍單位也挪用作主日學課室;

(三)最後是最令人感動的環節——組員分享在北宣家成長的點滴。有人分享自己早年留學回港,適逢那時北宣有海外迎新計劃,歡迎回港的信徒來北宣聚會,並因此成立了好幾個類似背景的青年團契,組員之後在其中事奉、成長。另外亦有組員分享在北宣與舊教會的退休牧師喜相逢,原來牧師來了北宣擔任義務牧者。而我自己是雲華時期受浸的,當時講台後面是窄長的浸池,兩邊的進出口一邊是連接廚房的小房間,這房間主日作嬰兒室,我曾在其中事奉,而當時參加的青年團契也曾在此聚會,所以我感受特別深刻;而浸池另一邊連接既是副堂又是圖書館的地方,這裡前身是同工辦公室。浸池平時堆滿雜物,中間僅靠一條長長的木板連接兩邊出口,走在其中有飛簷走壁的感覺。

看到這些地方,我便想起過去所得的牧養,許多造就過自己的人和事都浮現腦海。例如在參加青年團時,孔桂芳牧師給我很多自我成長方面的幫助;蕭牧師曾開導仍是神學生的我,助我如何面對活出真我與教牧見證榜樣的掙扎;執事們在議事時謙卑和忠心的服事樹立了很好的榜樣 ⋯⋯ 今天北宣家承載著的,是過去幾輩牧者和屬靈領袖們的忠心服事和耕耘,現在是新一輩起來接棒的時候了,你預備好了沒有?

我想起列王紀上十九 9-18,耶和華兩次詢問以利亞:「你在這裡做甚麼?」然後神鼓勵安慰他,又吩咐他去膏以利沙接續他作先知。我感謝神帶領我過去在北宣家蒙受眾多牧者和長執的培育,所以十分支持新一輩起來接棒。你在北宣家接受過怎樣的栽培呢?你願意神怎樣使用你,叫你繼續在北宣家幫助其他人成長?

(生活營之後,我們起了一個意念,就是參照當中的三個環節,製作 70 週年堂慶的活動套裝,供各團組於 8 月開始借用。)





Pastor's Sharing

What Are You Doing Here?

Rev Ellice Lau

At a day retreat for deacons and fellow pastors I attended recently, there was a very meaningful group activity, which included three parts:

1. Identifying a certain corner of the church with clues from pictures provided and then the entire group went and take a picture to verify the place. We found that if we had not paid special attention, these places could be really hard to find.

2. Identifying locations from precious photographs of the old and new church premises before recounting our experiences at NPAC. Some of the places were there before the Main Church was renovated but they no longer exist now. Some others were venues at Winner House. Due to the shortage of space at that time, even the quarters of Rev Hu Qin and Rev Gordon Siu were used as classrooms for Sunday School.

3. The last part was the most touching. Participants shared their growth stories at NPAC. One participant was among the returnees from overseas studies and came to know about NPAC's initiative that welcomed believers returning to Hong Kong to attend meetings at NPAC. Several young adult fellowships with similar backgrounds were also set up, where members served and grew. Another participant shared about the pleasant surprise of meeting a pastor of the former church he attended at NPAC, who became a voluntary pastor here. As for me, I was baptized during the time at Winner. At that time, there was a long, narrow baptismal pool right behind the podium. One of the two pool entrances was a small room connected to the kitchen, which also served as a nursery room on Sunday. I had served there. The young adult fellowship I attended also met there and so I feel deeply for the place. The other entrance to the baptismal pool was connected to the Side Hall-cum-Library, which used to be the pastoral offices. In ordinary times, the pool would be filled with miscellaneous items with a wooden plank in the middle connecting the two exits. Walking on the plank felt like parkour.

The sight of these places reminded me of the pastoring I received, and a host of people and events that had built me up came back to mind. One of them was Rev Hung Kwai Fong who, in the young adult fellowship I attended, offered me much help in personal growth. Rev Siu illuminated me when I was a seminarian, helping me to resolve the struggle between living out one’s true self and becoming a role model of witnessing as a pastor. The deacons who were humble and faithful in deliberations also set good examples…. The NPAC family today carries with it the fruit of the faithful service and hard work of generations of pastors and spiritual leaders. It is now time for a new generation to take up the baton. Are you ready for it?

I was reminded of 1 Kings 19:9-18 in which the LORD asked Elijah twice: "What are you doing here?" After that, God encouraged and comforted him, and asked him to anoint Elisha to succeed him as prophet. I am grateful to God for His guidance whereby I have received the nurturing from pastors, deacons and leaders of the NPAC family. I therefore greatly support the new generation to take the helm. What nurturing have you received at the NPAC family? In what ways are you willing to let God use you so as to continue to help others in the NPAC family to grow?

(After the day retreat, we came up with the idea of making an activity kit for NPAC's 70th Anniversary with reference to the three-part activity above. It will be available on loan to fellowships and small groups from August.)






                                                                                              返回頁首