Member Spotlight: Yoon Kim
Hey Church Family! My name is Yoon and I have been attending APCC for almost 3 years. I always look forward to serving in the Children’s Ministry, Welcome Team, and Ablaze! I am a full-time college student and mother to an adorable 8-month-old goldendoodle named Dooley. We enjoy long walks on the beach, rolling around in the snow, and stargazing.
In Sunday's sermon, Tim helped me to recalibrate and reexamine my heart. As a student, it’s easy to get lost in assignments and exams, finding your identity and worth in letter grades and GPA’s. I hope to continuously ask myself “What does it look like to seek the kingdom of God first?” and “How different would my reaction be to times of blessings and hardships when I treasure God and His kingdom?”. God always seems to know how to grab my attention, and in His faithfulness and grace He shows me how to best glorify Him. Matthew 6:19-21 is a sobering passage that puts into perspective all the things I naïvely treasure in this pandemic. Simply put, nothing compares to the cross!
Black History Month: Honoring Bishop Daniel A. Payne
Today we want to honor Bishop Daniel A. Payne. Bishop Payne was born February 24, 1811 to London and Martha Payne, free blacks in Charleston, South Carolina during the height of slavery. Sadly Bishop Payne was too familiar with the loss of loved ones: his father died when he was four years old and his mother died when he was nine. In 1847 Daniel Payne wed Julia A. Farris, a widow from Washington, D.C. and a year later his wife died giving birth to their daughter who died nine months later.
Bishop Payne gave his life to educating himself broadly from learning reading and writing to Latin, Greek and Hebrew. At the age of fifteen he turned his interest to spiritual matter and eventually surrendered his life to Jesus at the age of eighteen. Daniel Alexander Payne's lifelong mission to improve the educational condition of his people came after a prayer when he heard a voice say, "I have set thee apart to educate thyself in order that thou mayest be an educator of thy people."
Bishop Payne did not take the pastorate lightly and understood how serious the responsibility and call of the minister was: "...the work of the gospel minister stops not here: a flock of rich souls is committed to his care, and it now becomes his duty to train them for usefulness and for heaven."
Excerpts from "The Faithful Preacher" by Thabiti Anyabwile
Books
Bridging The Diversity Gap by Alvin Sanders
The Gospel For Life: The Gospel & Racial Reconciliation by Russell Moore
Family Spotlight: The Gibbs Family
From Left to Right: Greg, Joshua (23), Wendy, Kaylie (18)
Hello church family! We are the Gibbs and we have been attending APCC since May 2016. We learned about APCC through a church planting seminar at McLean Bible Church. We are incredibly thankful that God led us to serve alongside so many wonderful people. Our son, Joshua, currently lives in Rockville, MD and is recently engaged. Kaylie is currently a Senior at Langley High School and will be attending college in North Carolina in the fall. One favorite hobby of ours is dining out. It's the one thing we can all agree on!
This past Sunday, we were blessed and challenged through Tim Lo's message on "Buried Treasure and Unimaginable Riches" based on Matthew 13:44. It was a great reminder that Jesus is the ultimate treasure and that lasting comfort, security, and satisfaction can only be found in Him! With respect to being good stewards of our God-given time, talents, and resources, we are convicted and led to intentionally surrender our schedules to the Lord. God gives each of us 24 hours per day. We are asking ourselves, "How much of that time is directed by Him and how much is spent in direct fellowship with Him?"
Black History Month: Honoring Phillis Wheatley
Today we want to honor Phillis Wheatley.
Phillis Wheatley was born around 1753 in Gambia, Africa. She was captured by slave traders, brought to America, and sold to the Wheatley family in Boston, Massachusetts. She was given the name Phillis after the name of the slave ship that she endured to America.
After sixteen months with the Wheatley family, Wheatley was able “to read the Bible, Greek and Latin classics, and British literature” (National Women’s History Museum, 2015). At the age of fourteen, Wheatley began to write poetry. Her first poem was published in 1767. In 1773, Wheatley published her work – the first book written by a black woman in America – Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. Her poetry was greatly influenced by her faith and her African heritage.
In 1778, she married freed man John Peters from Boston, MA. They had three children, though none survived. Wheatley died from complications of childbirth in 1784. Her work was widely read and cherished.
On Being Brought from Africa to America
'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
"Their colour is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/phillis-wheatley
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45465/on-being-brought-from-africa-to-america
Books
Letters To A Birmingham Jail by Bryan Loritts
Right Color, Wrong Culture by Bryan Loritts
Articles
The Bible and Race
Sermons/Talks
A Time To Speak (Memphis, Tn)
Lunar New Year
A Brief History
Lunar New Year is a holiday period that marks the beginning of the lunar year. It’s celebrated as a major holiday in China, Korea, Vietnam, and other countries with large Chinese populations. According to legend, the holiday started because there was a dragon that destroyed crops and ate people on New Years Eve. In order to scare away the dragon, people marked their doorways with red scrolls and set off firecrackers to make noise. Since then, Lunar New Year has become a way to start the year by bringing in good luck and fortune. Many traditions symbolize this through food and decorations. Different cultures have their own unique traditions, for example hanging a 福 fortune in your home upside down so that fortune will “arrive” or eating mango because in Vietnamese it sounds similar to ”wealth“. One tradition that every child looks forward to is receiving red or white envelopes of cash from their elders aftering giving a New Year greeting. Another tradition common across cultures is huge family reunion meals with extended family, often requiring travel and days of advanced preparation. This year is the Year of the Ox, the legend of the zodiac... well that’s a story for another day.
How do APCC Members celebrate Lunar New Year?
We surveyed members of our church about their culture
and asked them what Lunar New Year traditions they grew up with
“What kind of foods did you eat for Lunar New Year?”
“Traditional Korean foods such as rice cake soup, galbi, Korean pancakes and lots of kimchi!”,
“Chicken, rice cakes, steamed fish, BBQ pork, fried skin pork, long life noodles, so delicious!”，
“Dumplings, sweet rice balls, spring rolls”
“I remember a whole array of Chinese and Filipino dishes!”
“Banh Chung (square steamed sticky rice cake with pork filling), ginger chicken, Nem Chua – Sour Meat Pie, Canh Kho Qua Don Thit – Bittermelon Stuffed With Meat”
“Banh Tet, braised pork belly, lots of fruits mainly including soursop, coconut papaya, mango, because their name together sounds like “wishing for just enough to spend”
“Pigs feet with a red sauce, radish cakes (law bak goh), leen goh, dish that looks like it has a bunch of hair in it (fat choy), deep fried sesame ball”
“Hot pot, dumplings, nian gao”
What does this mean to us as Christians?
Growing up in Christian homes, our parents drew a clear line between the cultural traditions and the spirituality of Lunar New Year that’s influenced by Buddhism and Taoism. To most, Lunar New Year wasn’t about deities or luck or fortune. It was a way to spend time with extended family, celebrate culture without believing in the superstitions, and thank God for all that he has done and will do. It showed how a community celebrates together, for example going to a church in Chinatown with dragon dances and firecrackers going off.
Some of us didn’t grow up in Christian households but knew that these superstitions were merely that. Sometimes it felt like obligation to follow them but now it fuels a thankfulness that the gospel is not a list of do’s and don’ts in order to receive God’s blessing. The holiday helps us acknowledge that our blessings are not ours alone; they didn’t come from just our parents and ancestors as we were taught growing up, but from the ultimate giver, God.
You might wonder what aspects of Lunar New Year are congruent with a gospel-centered life? While the emphasis on doing things to receive prosperity and good health contradicts our belief that worldly blessings come from God and can’t be earned (nor are they the ultimate goal), there are also qualities that we take away. We gain greater appreciation for how God has uniquely created not just individuals, but also groups through richness of culture. Desiring unity, respecting the elderly, appreciating the work of those who came before us, blessing the younger generation, and valuing fellowship in community are all opportunities for us to show love towards God’s family. But instead of family bound by blood, we are adopted into a family bound by God’s grace through Christ’s sacrifice.
Family Spotlight: The Adachi Family
We are the Adachi family – Kenji and Christine, Charis (18), Alana (15), and Derek (12). We were called to Fairfax, VA almost 18 years ago and Kenji has been full time pastoring ever since. APCC was only a dream which God turned into a reality and an answer to prayer over 5 years ago. Christine has been living her calling as a stay-at-home mom, and Charis will transition into a new rhythm of life as she heads for college in the fall.
In resetting for the new year, Greg’s sermon on prayer included our beloved Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. One of the verses that was highlighted was “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done”. A point to ponder on was asking ourselves in whose kingdom are we living in and seeking, God’s or ours? In John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Living in God’s kingdom means dealing with matters of the heart. As a wife and mother, I (Christine) so often wrestle with the tension of taking matters into my own hands and leaving the Holy Spirit out, especially when I feel in control. When circumstances arise where I feel out of control, I often leave the Holy Spirit out too and succumb to worry or act in frustration. It is during these crossroads that I have the opportunity each time to press the reset button and pray, “Lord, help me to live in Your kingdom and not in mine!” As parents, we model to our children in which kingdom we are truly seeking and living in. To God be the glory!
Black History Month: Honoring Dr. Francis James Grimke
Today we want to honor Dr. Francis James Grimke. Dr. Grimke was born on October 10, 1850 to a slave mother, Nancy Weston, and her owner, Henry Grimke in Charleston, SC. On December 19, 1878 Francis married Charlotte Forten. The couple had one daughter in June 1880, Theodora Cornelia, but died in infancy.
Francis joined the Confederate Army to avoid being re-enslaved; he served as an officer's valet for two years. Dr. Grimke pursued education after the Emancipation: he was the valedictorian in the class of 1870 at Lincoln University, in 1872 moved to Washington, DC to study Law at Howard University, and left Howard in 1874 to pursue a theological education at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Dr. Grimke served as pastor of 15th Street Presbyterian Church for his entire six decades of Christian ministry; declining offers to teach at Biddle University and the presidency of Howard University, choosing instead a life of shepherding God's people.
A journal entry from Dr. Grimke in 1936: Without the Holy Scriptures and what they reveal, there is no hope for humanity. To build on anything else is to build on the sand.
Excerpts from "The Faithful Preacher" by Thabiti Anyabwile
Resources for you to take the next step
Books
Right Color, Wrong Culture by Bryan Loritts
The Elusive Dream by Korie Edwards
Sermons/Talks
I Can’t Breathe by Charlie Dates
Podcasts
How Racial Trauma Works
Family Spotlight: The Elwood Family
Jack & Joan Elwood have been married for almost 42 years and have four adult married children and 9 grandchildren. They have served as missionaries in Taiwan, pastored four churches, and have led two different mission agencies. Jack currently serves the Executive Director of Heal Africa USA – which ministers in eastern Congo in Africa. Joan works as an Academic Advisor at George Mason University. They enjoy travel, Chinese food, and hanging out with their grandchildren.
This past week, Pastor Kenji talked about Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” Both Joan and I have come from families that have believed and obeyed that verse and have also taught it to our children, who are now teaching it to their children. Keeping Jesus at the center of our family is where we start. III John 4 say “I have no greater joy than hear that my children are walking in the truth.” As a parent and a grandparent, I can affirm that this is indeed true. Teach it, model it, and pray it into the lives of your children and grandchildren. There is no greater joy!
Black History Month: Honoring Lemuel Haynes
As a church we desire to honor all peoples, all cultures, all ethnicities, and all history: with February being Black History Month (an entire month to celebrate the richness of Black History and Culture). Every Wednesday we will honor a person and/or family from the African American community. We will also provide a few resources for you to learn from, and to help you engage in Black History Month on your own.
Today we want to honor Lemuel Haynes. Mr. Haynes was born on July 18, 1753 in West Hartford, Connecticut. In 1783, Haynes met and married Elizebath Babbit, a white school teacher and the couple bore ten children.
At the age of 21, Mr. Haynes volunteered as a Minuteman and two years later joined the Continental Army, thus becoming part of the American Revolution. In 1784, Mr. Lemuel Haynes became the first African-American ordained by any religious body in America. It was said that "Haynes was a determined, self-taught student who poured over the Scriptures until he could repeat from memory most of text dealing with the doctrines of grace."
Lemuel Haynes pastoral career spanned forty years. Despite "his evident prowess as a preacher," he was never offered the pastorate of the church in Torrington, Connecticut due to racial prejudice and resentment among some churches in the area. In 1788, Mr. Haynes was called to pastor an all-white congregation in Rutland, Vermont -- where he pastored faithful for thirty years.
Reference
"The Faithful Preacher" by Thabiti Anyabwile
Resources for you to take the next step
Book
Divided By Faith by Michel Emerson and Christian Smith
Articles
9 Things You Should Know About Black History Month
Sermons/Talks
MLK50 TGC Conference (Charlie Dates, Jackie Hill Perry, Eric Mason, Matt Chandler, Mika Edmondson)
Podcasts
Family Spotlight: The Jestakom Family
Left to right: Teddy, Juliette (1m), Theodore (2), Lynlee (3), Tiphanie
Hey APCC! We're the Jestakoms, a family of five residing in the great county of Fairfax. We love playing Mario Party, visiting farms, and having a hot cup of coffee! As we've recently added a new kid to the family, one thing Tiph and I now share is the plight of being outnumbered. As our family grows, so do the tiny moments of despair–the bigger grocery bill, dents in our sleep, and the reality that we've officially joined the minivan club. These tiny despairs have now become a reminder of how difficult it is as a parent to provide a place of joy for our kids, especially when each meal at home starts to feel like the kitchen scene from Home Alone.
"The mission of Christmas is to redeem a people to a particular place." Dixon's words last Sunday are timely, since the world that Scripture paints is a place not of holiday feels and Amazon deals, but one where "everlasting joy shall be upon their heads" (Isa. 35:10). God's referring to his people, and like Israel, it's my job, our job as parents to create a place where joy for our children is rooted in the mission of Christmas, that is, in who Jesus is, and what he's done for us. The joy then for our children this Christmas is to remind them that the place that God has provided us is one of peace, one where no pandemic, failed toy, or a shared room can take away. 2020 has left much to be desired, but praise God he's provided a place of joy found only in Jesus. It's to that end we'll celebrate the mission of Christmas this year!
Family Spotlight: The Grace Family
We are the Grace Family – Jack and Debbie, Rachel (20), David (19), Sarah (17) and Jack (14). We have been attending APCC since November 2016 and have enjoyed serving in Set Up, Hospitality and Children’s Ministry. Our kids have loved the youth group and we are part of equip groups within the Fairfax Connect Group led by the Los and Fungs.
In his message last week on Peace, Kenji referred to the book of Isaiah, chapter 11 and its illustration of the lion laying down with the lamb. He explained that, like those very different animals, we can and should have peace with those who are not like us and who we may not even like. We need to seek Christ and the peace He brings and look to Him for the ability to cope with conflict.
Parenting certainly brings its share of conflict resolution among children who are each unique. We need to encourage our kids to celebrate their differences, even when their tendency is to be annoyed by them. They (and we!) need to try to enjoy those ‘unique-nesses’ and learn from them, and to look for similarities and common ground. We need to pray for and with our kids, knowing that God often puts difficult people around us to help us grow – and sometimes that comes in the form of a sibling! He is faithful to provide His peace, especially at this time of year, and in the midst of a pandemic.
Family Spotlight: The Vizcaino Family
Introducing Jesse, Emily, Joshua, Zachary, and Lucas Vizcaino! I don’t know about you, but adjusting to life during a pandemic has been an ongoing effort in our home. While it has been a blessing to have the family togetherness, it has also been a continuous adjustment for us to figure out our roles and dynamics in working as a team to parent our three boys while everyone is home 24-7.
I've been learning that sometimes in my striving to look and be that perfect Pinterest mom and wife, I bulldoze through everyone’s opinions because “mom knows best.” I have to trust that the Lord is leading my husband and I choose to actively submit to him. Sometimes this means giving him the space to be the husband/father he wants to be, whether that means setting the tone with our disciplining style or deciding that bedtime is a great time for a game of tickle hide and seek with the boys. Other times, that means encouraging him and helping him grow as a leader in our home. For Jesse, it has been learning to show love and understanding in a tangible manner. Recently, this has been through reprioritizing things in his life so that he can be more engaged in the boys' interests and to share some of the physical and emotional workload. This past week's sermon was a great reminder that good parenting starts with first focusing on our marriage.
Family Spotlight: The Coleman Family
We are the Colemans and we are excited to share with you a bit about our family, and what God has been doing. My name is Sean Coleman and I'm married to my wonderful wife Jen for what will be 10 years in the spring. We have 3 little ones: Sophia (Age 7), Elijah (Age 3) and Joy (Age 2).
When it comes to parenting and family life, we realize how impressionable our little ones are. They are taking cues from us and we are called to reflect God as both Father AND King. He is the One who loves in all circumstances, and the One who is in control in all circumstances. Our heavenly father is both, and when we fail to do that, His mercies are new everyday. We are grateful that God has granted us grace as parents and the opportunity to show grace to our kids.
Family Spotlight: The Quintal Family
Hello! We are the Quintals. For those of you that don’t know us Israel and I (Sarah) have 4 children, Oliver (5), Ezra (4), Silas (2), Maya (9 months). We moved to NOVA a little over a year ago from Memphis, TN. Israel is an entrepreneur in the tech industry. I’m a teacher but currently doing the stay at home mom thing for this stage in our lives. We have loved living in this super diverse pocket of the country and getting to know all the lovely people at APCC. On the weekends you will find us either watching movies, hiking, or finding a fun restaurant to eat at (I’m sure the waiters and other patrons love our chaotic presence).
Kenji’s sermon was from 1 Peter 3. The part that really stuck with me was from 1 Peter 3:8 on brotherly love. That type of love is choosing to love even when we don’t want to. I’ve been there many times with my children. Where does a 5 year old learn to roll his eyes?! Seriously! However, no matter how much attitude or disobedience almost all parents choose to be unified and love that child. As believers we are called to do the same in our church body because we are all part of God’s family. So, remember that no matter if there is hurt or disunity with anyone in the church we are called to reconcile and be united to that person! What a display of God’s glory that could be?!
Family Spotlight: The Fung Family
Hi everyone! We are Kenneth, Sarah, Olive (2), and Holden (9 mo) Fung. During these past few months, weekdays and weekends have melded together and have flown by. The sermon this past Sunday was a continuation of the sermon series, Living As Exiles, from 1 Peter 4:12-19. What stood out to us was the importance of consistently reminding ourselves of our identity in Christ.
As we have continued in our parenting journey, we've learned that our main goal is not simply to produce well behaved, smart, and confident believers. Instead, it is to teach our kids to live for the glory of God. It is to know that our purpose is so much more than accomplishments, relationships, and financial security. Our purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him in everything that we do.
Family Spotlight: Meet the Lavoie Family
John, Rachel, Samuel (5), & Sadie (2) have been attending APCC since the Fall of 2016 when they moved back into the area. John and Rachel lead a connect group on Thursday nights and are exceedingly grateful for their patient co-leader Jeff Lau and for the ability to mute the mic as they holler at Samuel 397 times to stay in his room and go to sleep. Our takeaway from the passage in 1 Peter 2 this past Sunday was the example of Christ living out the Kingdom code of ethics—even in the face of unjust suffering. In summary, the key quality of Kingdom ethics is: death to self. YAY! SIGN ME UP!
But seriously – when we start from a place of “How can I die to myself for the betterment of this child?” instead of thinking “What has this child done to deserve my love?” it turns the tables on how we approach our kids when they are ungrateful, dishonest, or belligerent. Imagine if Jesus asked himself “What have they done to deserve my love?” while hauling his cross to Calvary. Instead he came down to earth and willingly walked to a death we earned for Him. He didn’t sin, He didn’t talk back, He didn’t threaten, He “entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:23b) As parents, we too can entrust ourselves and our children to the One who judges justly. We won’t do it perfectly but that doesn’t excuse us from the task of modeling Christ-centered love and discipline for our kids. Except for maybe at bedtime. All bets are off at bedtime.
Family Spotlight: Meet the Abella Family
Pete, Jess, Emily Joy (5 yrs old) and Giuseppe (2 yrs old) have attended APCC since the Summer of 2016. Pete and Jess enjoy co-leading a Connect Group with the McBride's and Jess loves serving as the Children's Ministry Director. They wanted to share their thoughts on Kenji's sermon about Honoring the Government from 1 Peter 2:11-17. Kenji reminded us that no matter what party is leading our country - God is our King and He is in control. Please be praying for the up coming election as well as for our current leaders to be sensitive to God's will when making decisions.
Submission to authority can be difficult for all of us including our kids. Teaching them to obey is a challenge and we parents may be reluctant to discipline because it's hard. In his book, Shepherding a Child's Heart, Tedd Tripp teaches parents to discipline for disobedience and defiance. He sees discipline as a rescue mission. When our child disobeys, he is in danger of God's wrath. It's our job to discipline them in order to bring them to a place of safety, blessing, and a right relationship with God. Discipline is hard, but when done correctly, "it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" Hebrews 12:11.
Our church's response to racial injustices
Over the past few weeks, we’ve had some great conversations around race, justice, and what our role is as the church. Here’s a guide for staying engaged as we move into the future.
At APCC, our mission is:
To be a church for all peoples, united in Christ for the flourishing of our community, our city, and the nations. When any part of our community is hurting, particularly the black community, we hurt too. We believe that holistic, Christ-honoring discipleship is for our heads, hands, and heart.
HEAD
Some reading recommendations from our pastoral staff:
Oneness Embraced / Tony Evans
One Blood / John Perkins
Beyond Colorblind / Sarah Shin
White Awake / Daniel Hill
The Next Evangelicalism / Soong Chan Rah
Prophetic Lament / Soong Chan Rah
Divided by Faith / Emerson and Smith
The Color of Compromise / Jemar Tisby
Woke Church / Eric Mason
Letter from a Birmingham Jail / MLK
Narrative of a Life of Frederick Douglas / Frederick Douglas
Let Justice Roll Down / John Perkins
HANDS
Some ways to serve in our Community (talk to Sydney Thom or email office@allpeoples.cc):
Donations of books, games, and non-perishable food to EVES
Mentor a student at EVES
Volunteer at Hanley Shelter
Ways to serve through APCC ministries:
Join the APCC Benevolence Team // contact Jack Elwood
Join the APCC Sports Ministry // contact Josh Chen or Tyler Tolrud
Join the ELL Ministry // contact Matt & Linda Ahn
HEART
Pray for comfort, peace, healing, and strength for our black brothers & sisters.
Pray for God to reveal any hidden sins in our own hearts, and that He would help us repent and turn back to Him.
Pray for our local & national leaders, that they would lead wisely and boldly.
Pray for law enforcement, for their safety & for boldness in speaking out against injustice.
Pray that God would teach us how to love others the way He has loved us.