牧者心聲

若沒有把北宣看作屬靈的家，堂慶或許意義不大；但若真的視這裡為家，堂慶就與你息息相關。因為堂慶正述說著一個我們所屬的教會、神又藉這教會在我們生命中間動工的故事。

教會堂慶從不只是紀念創立的日子、堂址的啟用或歷史線上的一個標記；堂慶也讓我們有機會停下來，記念神歷年來始終不變的信實。我們歡慶的不單是信仰群體的存續，更是神的恩典——祂保守、引導，並叫祂的子民不住成長。每一次堂慶都提醒我們：我們身處在神一直親自書寫的宏大故事中，就是神持續在北宣家、並藉著北宣家在地上作工的故事。

我們個人與神同行的歷程，從來不是孤單一人。信心需要經過操練，也要經過考驗，並在信仰群體中越發成熟。回望過去，北宣家正是我靈命中許多重要里程碑所在之地。同樣地，你聽過的道、參加的查經與主日學、出席的聚會、唱過的詩歌、獻上的禱告、流下的眼淚、體會的喜樂、建立了的關係，以及你生命經歷的蛻變，這全都已編織進北宣家那不斷延展的故事裡。

當我們歡慶堂慶，正好成為反思和重整焦點的契機。在繁重事工、生活張力與歲月推移中，這促使我們停下來自問：「我們是誰？我們為甚麼在這裡？」這不單是為了追憶往事，更讓我們有機會重新以福音為中心——就是定準在主耶穌基督永不改變的好消息上。當我們回頭看，我們再次得著提醒：教會真正的故事，從來不在於我們成就了甚麼，而是在於神藉基督已成就的作為，並且今天仍憑祂恩典持續在動工。堂慶幫助我們因著屬神子民的身分，和被召參與神宣教的使命，重新校正心靈、辨明優次，及檢視事工重點。

這正是北宣堂慶與我們息息相關之處，既慶祝過去的歷程，也頌揚信實的主伴隨祂的教會和屬祂的人走到今天。當我們為過去感恩、重新聚焦於福音，並再次委身於神的宣教使命中，就承接那美好的屬靈傳統，並邁向神呼召我們要擁抱的未來。我們同心歡慶神帶領我們走過的歷程，也歡慶祂領我們這一家正步入之境。

在北宣家邁向第七十五個年頭之際，願三一上帝幫助我們，繼續成長為一個以基督為中心、由福音形塑的群體，願一切榮耀都歸於祂的聖名。阿們！

  If we do not see NPAC as our spiritual home, its anniversary may hold little significance for us. But if we do, then the celebration becomes deeply personal. It tells the story of a church to which we belong and through which God has been at work in our lives.

  A church anniversary is never just a celebration of a building, a founding date, or a dot on a historical timeline. It is an opportunity to pause and remember God's faithfulness through the years. We celebrate not merely the longevity of a congregation, but the grace of God that has sustained, guided, and grown His people. Each anniversary reminds us that we are part of a story much larger than ourselves, a story of God's continuing work in and through His church.

  Our individual journeys with God do not unfold in isolation. Faith is nurtured and tested, and it matures within a community of believers. Looking back, I can see how NPAC has been the setting for many of the most significant milestones in my spiritual life. In the same way, the sermons you have heard, the Bible study sessions or Sunday School classes you have participated in, the meetings you have attended, the songs you have sung, the prayers you have offered, the tears you have shed, the joy you have felt, the relationships you have established, and the transformation you have experienced are all woven into the unfolding story of this church.

  A church anniversary also provides an important opportunity for reflection and realignment. Amid the demands of ministry, the pressures of daily life, and the passage of time, it compels us to pause and ask, "Who are we, and why are we here?" More than a time for reminiscing, it is an opportunity to recenter ourselves on the gospel–the unchanging good news of Jesus Christ. As we look back with gratitude, we are reminded that the true story of the church is not about what we have accomplished, but about what God has done through Christ and continues to do by His grace. So, an anniversary helps us realign our hearts, priorities, and ministries with our identity as God's people and our calling to participate in His mission.

  That is why our church anniversary matters to us. It is not simply a celebration of NPAC's history but of God's faithfulness in His church and our lives. As we give thanks for the past, recenter ourselves on the gospel, and renew our commitment to God's mission, we honor the legacy we have inherited and embrace the future to which God is calling us. Together, we celebrate not only where God has brought us but also where He is leading us as a church family.

  As the NPAC family enters its 75^th year, may the Triune God help us to continue to grow as a Christ-centered and gospel-shaped community, for His glory! Amen!