二○二一年十二月十一日／十二日
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你在冬令營
周曉暉牧師
你打算以怎樣的心境參與冬令營？答案或要視乎你正在人生哪個階段。
少年人參加冬令營，大抵是因為家長替自己報了名，要不然就是因為有朋輩相伴。少年人哪！我鼓勵你，今次不如試試留心上帝如何透過冬令營讓你發現多一點——從與友為伴，轉以耶穌作伴；從少年群體為家，開始感知北宣也是你的家。
至於大學生，家長大概已無法勉強你參加冬令營吧？但希望你看到，能與教會那麼多不同年紀的人一起聽道和分享，其實機會不多。畢竟大家多是與同輩一起過教會生活，甚少會與年長過自己的人談論信仰和分享經歷。但說不定上帝會使用這次與你相遇的人，刺激你思想生命，令你對真理有更深邃的體會。願你踏出多一步，試試和一個不是青年的人談談信仰。
人生多愁煩，正值青年的你，想必是多少感到無力和無奈。就讓冬令營成為你安靜的時刻吧！不妨問問上主：神啊，祢給我的一生，該是一個怎樣的人生？我邀請你稍稍開啟你的心靈，參與冬令營，讓聖言停留在心中多一會。就算是片言隻字，若是上帝使用，也必成為引領你一生的聖召。
成年的你，是否仍對冬令營有期待呢？上主的聖言歷久常新，聖靈的工作就是奇妙。只要你肯在上主面前謙卑下來，你將會發現，有些你與祂對話的片段，會從封塵的回憶中找回：那可能是久違的驚喜、未完成的立願、尚待實現的應許。請抓緊這機會，讓靈命再次復甦！
各年齡群中，也許兒童和長者會是最單純、最能樂在營會中的。兒童在遊戲中學習聖經，與主日學同學一起跑跑跳跳，必會對信仰和教會產生更深的歸屬感。至於各位長者，只管享受在營會之中吧！可行的話，多與其他年紀的弟兄姊妹交流，這些分享準能豐富彼此對信仰的理解，也能讓你領略到如何守望北宣家的人。
我第一次參加的北宣冬令營，是由麥希真牧師和楊慶球牧師主講的第二屆。營會中聽到的聖言，仍有點滴存留至今。到了第四屆冬令營，上主的呼召臨到我，頓使年輕的我覓得一生的路向。往後的冬令營，總能復興和更新我的靈命。而營會也給我與北宣家人相處的機會，在這大教會裡，這實屬可貴。
我十分期待今屆冬令營。你呢？
願每一位北宣家人都在靈裡滿載而歸！那將是每位辛勞安排冬令營的事奉者的最大滿足。
Pastor's Sharing You@WinterCamp
Rev Arnold Chow
What would you have in mind when you attend this year's winter camp? The answer really depends on your stage of life.
Many teenagers attend the winter camp probably because their parents enroll them, or because they have friends to accompany them. Young people! I encourage you that this time round, try to pay attention to what more God wants you to discover through the winter camp – from having friends as your companions to having Jesus as your companion; from calling the youth community home to realizing NPAC is also your home.
For university students, your parents probably cannot force you to join the winter camp. But I hope you will see that it really is a rare chance to be able to listen to sermons and share with brothers and sisters of various ages in the church. After all, our church life has mostly been spent with our peers and seldom would we talk about faith and share experiences with those who are older than ourselves. And who knows, God may use the people you meet this time to inspire you to think about life and get a deeper understanding about the truth. Why not take an extra step and try to discuss faith with someone who is not young?
Life is often worrisome. A young person as you are, you probably more or less feel powerless and helpless. Let the winter camp be a time for you to calm down! Maybe you can ask the Lord: My God, what should this life You give me be like? I invite you to open up your heart and attend the retreat. Let the word of God stay a bit longer in your heart. Even a word or a sentence can become God's guide for your whole life if God uses that.
For adults like you, do you still have expectations for the winter camp? The Lord's holy word is everlasting. The work of the Spirit is wondrous. As long as you humble your spirit before the Lord, you will recall dialogues between you and the Lord from memories of old: Those can be forgotten surprises, unfulfilled pledges, or promises yet to be fulfilled. Please grasp this opportunity to let your spiritual life revive!
Among different age groups, perhaps children and the elderly are the simplest of all. They are most likely to enjoy the camp. Children can learn the Bible through games, run and jump around with their Sunday School classmates, and through that they would surely develop a greater sense of belonging to faith and the church. And seniors, just enjoy being at the camp! If possible, talk more with brothers and sisters of other ages. Sharing can enrich each other's understanding of faith. It also helps you learn how to keep watch over the NPAC family.
My first attendance at NPAC winter camp was its second, with Rev Dr Hay Chun Maak and Rev Dr Jason Yeung being the preachers. Some of the biblical messages from that camp still ring in my ears even today. At the fourth winter camp, the Lord's calling came to me. It let the young me find the direction of my life. Subsequent winter camps could always revive and renew my spiritual life. The camps also gave me opportunities to meet others in the NPAC family. For a large church, this is truly valuable.
I very much look forward to this year's winter camp. How about you?
May every member of the NPAC family find the camp spiritually rewarding! That will be the greatest satisfaction of all those who toil to make arrangements for the winter camp.
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