薪火相傳

Earlier this evening, I officially handed my duties of Eden Shepherd / Coordinator to Royce.
It was anti-climatic.  Uneventful.  And not as I had envisioned.   But alas.... my 8 year term is over.

Looking back in time.... I still remember emailing PAL that I wanted to start a Young Couple's prayer group back in 2008/2009, before Nn was even born.

I still have that email... where 29 days (not even 1 month) after Nn was born, PAL asked me to set up breakfast with the 4 other couples.  Slowly and surely... Joyce and I felt it was time to move away from Joseph Fellowship into a Young Couple fellowship.  We officially got permission to and was added to Heart of Christ Fellowship.  We were even on their email alias!!

Was digging through my emails.  I found that on January 15, 2010, I emailed Pansy telling her that Joyce/myself/Nn will be attending fellowship since she was preparing dinner.  I also have the email from Stella saying it's wonderful we're moving to HoC together!!

Then came that fateful day on January 16th - the annual SJCAC Vision and Prayer Summit.  That morning... I arrived a little early. PAL pulled me aside and said, "I want to start a new Young Couple Fellowship.  And you're the coordinator."  I don't think I was given a chance to decide.  It was an assignment.  I still have that same email to Pansy saying, "Sorry... we will not be coming tonight afterall."  To which she replied.....

"Henry and Joyce... I was thinking and praying for you while I was preparing for dinner.  I remember the testimony you shared about conceiving Nn.  Freely you have received and freely you must give.  May you bring blessings to those in your new fellowship." 

Thus started this new fellowship.  From coming up with the name.. to our Vision.. to our Mission Statement.   We had our struggles.  The first year was fine.  Then we all got pregnant around the same time.... and baby talk took over.  Of the original four families, one family decided to not have children.  And they felt left out....to a point where they left our church.  So we went from 4 families to 3.

Over the years... we had bouts and bouts of flus and colds, where we cancelled more than we met.  Regardless of the challenge, we always came up with a CNY program.  And never once, did I think of folding the fellowship.  Slowly and surely, we started having new families join.  To my disappointment, the new families were essentially from our Young Adult fellowship "graduating" to be a Young Couple.  How I long to have new life, new believers, new members.  That never happened.

And so.... 8 years.  A US President, at most, serves only 2 terms (8 years).  So it was time to move on.  I felt like I could so much more.  The kids are getting older and the parents are much freer. But alas... it was time.  It was time for new ideas.  A new direction.  A new vision.

I had 2 families in mind to pass the baton.  But it wasn't ME choosing my successor... it was the Lord.  And as He would have it... the baton fell on Roy and Joyce's lap.   On the night I had to pass the baton.... it wasn't even at all emotional.  The most emotional part came two weeks earlier when I told my Core Group that our service was coming to an end.  To which I summarized it by saying, "能和大家一起事奉是我的榮幸和驕傲!"

At that moment in time... I suddenly realized... that by giving up my title as Shepherd, I no longer had the official authority to look after the sheep.  And I suddenly felt that I was much more separated and alienated from them.  But alas... all good (or bad) things must come to an end.  And it's time to turn a new page....And I am 100% confident, that Royce will write an exciting new page for us!!