This year BAC celebrates her 40th anniversary!  When I looked back on my twenty-six years of serving in BAC, I saw that God has always been gracious to the church and the brothers and sisters who are part of it. From a small worship hall that could only accommodate a few dozen people 40 years ago, to two buildings that can accommodate more than 800 people today, we have truly experienced God's countless grace!  We will be able to accommodate even more congregants after the Annex is rebuilt.  In the past eighteen months of the pandemic, BAC has continued to expand regardless. The grace of God is indeed sufficient for us.  With our mighty God, a harsh environment will never become a threat to BAC.  This is because our vision and direction, and the expansion of all ministries are driven by God's will and leadership, not out of any human plan. This is what we have experienced in the past.

          At the beginning of the year, we formed a committee to organize the celebration of our 40th anniversary.  We were hoping that the pandemic would be brought under control before the end of the year and in-person celebrations could be held.  After the first meeting, it was recommended that a celebration which included worship and a dinner be held in November.  Committee members began collecting information on venues that can be rented for worship, and restaurants that could accommodate large groups of people.  Sadly the pandemic has been unpredictable, and the church has decided to postpone the celebration until after next spring, pending a post-pandemic recovery.   Let us all pray that the pandemic will be brought under control as soon as possible and will no longer affect the daily life and church life of our brothers and sisters.

         Last week, we started a new worship service for the Cantonese congregation in the MPR called Re:Fresh. Thank God, nearly seventy people attended the first worship service.  May this worship be used by God greatly!  Last week was the second week for the English worship to meet in-person, more than one hundred people attended.  I hope that more brothers and sisters will feel it safe and comfortable to return to BAC to worship together.

         The demolition of the Annex will begin once the permit is received which we expect to happen soon. Therefore, starting in October, the Mandarin congregation will meet in the MPR (2nd floor of the main building) on Sunday for in-person worship.  The start time will change to 9:30 am. During this transitional period, our main building will be packed with people on Sundays.  I hope that brothers and sisters will be accommodating and patient with each other.  May these beautiful and exciting prospects of BAC help us look less resentfully on all these light and momentary troubles! 

            二零二一年是本宣家立會四十週年紀念。當我回顧在本宣家事奉的二十六年裡面，看見神無時無刻的，恩待著教會和眾弟兄姊妹。從四十年前可以容納幾十人的小小會堂，一直擴展到今天可以容納八百多人的兩個會堂，實在經歷了神無數的恩典。當附堂重建後，便可以容納更多會眾。在疫情這十八多個月裡面，本宣家仍然繼續不斷擴展。神的恩典的確足夠我們使用。環境的惡劣，在神的大能下，從來不會成為本宣家的威脅，因為本宣家的一切異象方向，和所有事工的擴展，都是出於神的心意和帶領，而不是出於人的計劃。這是我們在過去的日子所經歷到的。

          本年年初，我們成立了本宣家四十週年慶祝籌備委員會，盼望疫情在年底前可以受到控制，可以舉行慶祝活動。經首次會議後，建議於十一月舉行敬拜及晚膳等慶祝項目。委員會成員亦已開始搜集可以租用作敬拜用的會場，與及可容納多人的酒家等資料。但可惜近日疫情反覆，教會決定將慶祝活動，延遲到明年春季後舉行。當然，我們仍要視乎到時疫情的情況。讓我們祈求疫情早日受控，不再影響弟兄姊妹日常與及教會的生活。

          上星期粵語部在MPR開始了一個新的崇拜，名為Re:Fresh。感謝神，第一次的崇拜聚會，已有近七十人參加，求主大大使用。而英文堂實體崇拜開始後第二週，便已超過一百人參加。盼望更多弟兄姊妹放心回到本宣家參加實體敬拜。當附堂收到政府許可證後，便會立刻進行拆除工程。所以，從十月開始，國語部實體崇拜亦會回復週日舉行。時間則會改在早上九時三十分，在主堂二樓MPR舉行。在這段過渡時期，主堂必然會有擠迫情況，盼望弟兄姊妹互相遷就及體諒。讓我們的眼目仰望著本宣家美麗的前景，而輕看今天至暫至輕的一些不方便。

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