Eeditorial. AGAPE Anniversary

E

editorial —————————————————————————————

Tahun demi tahun

GII Azusa merayakan hari ulang tahunnya. Tidak terasa tahun ini GII Azusa telah berusia 23 tahun. Perayaan HUT yang ke-23 ini telah diramaikan dengan peperangan yang bergejolak di Timur Tengah, telah pula dikuatirkan dengan harga bahan bakar yang melambung ke langit. Karena hari ulang tahun GII Azusa jatuh pada bulan September, hal ini akan membuat perayaan Ulang Tahun Azusa tidak akan terlupakan. Karena sekitar lima tahun yang lalu.... pada tanggal 11 September, teroris telah menyerang Amerika. Setiap tahun Amerika menjadi kuatir setiap memasuki bulan September. Takut kalau-kalau teroris akan menyerang balik Amerika, sekaligus Amerika sendiri akan menangis mengenang hari dimana tragedi itu terjadi. Kita sebagai penghuni Negara Amerika ini juga seharusnya turut bersedih dan menyesali bahwa tragedi yang besar itu terjadi di bulan dimana seharusnya kita bergembira, karena di bulan September inilah GII Azusa dilahirkan. Memang hampir tidak ada wujud yang nyata yang kita bisa lakukan terhadap negara di mana kita tinggal, kecuali sebagai Anak Tuhan kita mendoakan supaya Negara Amerika yang terkenal sebagai tempat di mana kita bisa melakukan ibadah kita dengan leluasa tanpa larangan-larangan atau batasanbatasan dari pihak hukum ini diberkati dan dipeliharakan oleh Tuhan dan tetap dipakai oleh Tuhan sebagai negara pembawa damai dan penetralisir di tengah-tengah bangsabangsa yang jahat dan tidak percaya akan Tuhan. Tetapi sudahkah GII Azusa sungguh mendoakan Negara Amerika? Sudahkah kita yang tinggal di Amerika sini sungguh menjadi warga negara yang baik tanpa melanggar ataupun mempermainkan hukum? Sudahkah kita perduli akan keadaan sekitar kita? Bukankah kita sering mempunyai pikiran terhadap Tragedy yang terjadi ini bahwa itu bukan urusan kita, dan bahwa yang menjadi sasaran adalah orang-orang Amerika asli bukan kita orang-orang Asia? Bukankah kita juga sering memanfaatkan kelemahan-kelemahan hukum di negara ini untuk keuntungan pribadi kita? Kalau keberadaan kita sebagai Anak-Anak Tuhan atau Anak-Anak Terang tak bisa berfungsi sebagai mana kita harus berfungsi.... untuk apakah kita mendapat gelar Anak-Anak Terang? Bukankah Tuhan akan menilai kita gagal menjalankan fungsi kita sebagai Anak-Anak Terang dan gagal memberikan kesaksian yang baik dan mempermuliakan Nama Tuhan? Jikalau kita gagal menjadi Anak Tuhan yang Tuhan inginkan bahkan gagal pula memberikan sumbangsih kita sebagai Anak-Anak Terang pada Negara ini apakah artinya merayakan HUT yang ke-23 ini? Mungkin kita akan berdalih dengan mengatakan bahwa pekerjaan kita atau apa yang kita lakukan itu diberkati oleh Tuhan, buktinya GII bisa berdiri sampai usianya yang ke23? Tetapi hati-hatilah dan janganlah lupa di Alkitab cerita yang sama pernah dikatakan oleh Tuhan sendiri. Dimana pada hari hari terakhir kambing dan domba akan dipisahkan.. bukankah kambing-kambing itu berkata kepada Tuhan bahwa mereka sudah melakukan ini dan itu demi nama Tuhan? Tetapi apa yang Tuhan katakan? Bukankah Tuhan menyuruh mereka enyah dari hadapan Tuhan oleh karena Tuhan tidak mengenal mereka dan Tuhan memanggil mereka sebagai pembuat kejahatan? AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

1

Sekarang yang menjadi pertanyaan bagi diri kita masing-masing adalah; Siapakah kita ini di mata Tuhan? Apakah kita termasuk kategori kambing atau domba? Apakah yang kita lakukan di dalam dunia ini bahkan kita mungkin melakukannya demi nama Tuhan berkenan atau tidak di mata Tuhan? Rasanya jawabannya ada di dalam hati kita masing-masing. Kalau apa yang kita lakukan itu berkenan di mata Tuhan maka kita akan dipuji dan akan mendapatkan pahala. Akan tetapi jikalau apa yang kta lakukan tidak berkenan di hadapan Tuhan bahkan merupakan suatu yang menjijikkan di mata Tuhan maka sia-sialah kita merayakan HUT ke-23 ini, karena kita tidak lebih dari pada orang-orang fasik yang diciptakan Tuhan untuk Hari Penghakiman nanti! Seorang yang normal dan sehat adalah mau menerima dan melihat kenyataan apa adanya diri kita sendiri dan tidak membohongi diri kita sendiri hanya untuk mengelabui orang lain. Sampai di mana dan sebesar apa iman kepercayaan kita kepada Tuhan, cuma kita sendiri yang tahu. Kalau kita selama ini hidup sebagai orang Kristen dan melayani Tuhan bukan dengan cara yang benar dan diperkenankan Tuhan, sudah saatnyalah kita bertobat dan berbalik dari jalan kita yang salah dan jahat, sehingga pada saat kita merayakan HUT kita yang ke-23 ini bermanfaat besar dan yang pasti tahun-tahun yang akan datang kita pasti akan mengalami sendiri berkat dan anugerah dan pujian dari Tuhan yang sebenar-benar nya di dalam hidup kita, bukan pujian dari manusia atau berkat-berkat palsu yang mungkin pemberian dari si Jahat yang selama ini kita terima di dalam hidup kita.

Truth always hurts But we need the Truth in our Faith, Hope and Love SELAMAT ULANG TAHUN YANG KE-23, GII AZUSA. BIARLAH KEBERADAANMU DI DALAM DUNIA INI MEMPERMULIAKAN NAMA TUHAN !

redaksi 2

AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

AGAPE

Anniversary 2006

Penasehat Ev. Wilson Suwanto Daniel Loe Editor Debbie Mandaliba Evelyn Sunarko Janice Atmadja Merisa Halim Rachel Atmadja Ilustrator & Fotografer Buddy Yusuf Eva Leony Layout Alvin Sugianto Buddy Yusuf Eva Leony Rachel Atmadja Tjandra Afandi Kontributor Rev. Kristianto Hosea Ev. Wilson Suwanto Ev. Julia Suwanto Ny. Joy Simona Ny. Sinta Sandjaya Yesaya Adidjaja Fairlyn Soetojo Pency Kinnard Jessica Kawilarang Printing Semiwaty Oei E-mail Redaksi [email protected] Produksi GII Azusa 539 N. Sunset Ave. Azusa, CA 91702 Telp: (626) 812-0326 http://lax.gii-usa.org

Gereja Injili Indonesia Azusa 539 N. Sunset Ave, Azusa, CA 91702

LOKASI LAINNYA:

Jadwal kegiatan:

Gembala Sidang: Rev. Kristianto Hosea

Minggu Pk. 09.00 Sekolah Minggu Dewasa Pk. 10.30 Kebaktian Umum (IndonesiaN & English) Sekolah Minggu Anak-anak Pk. 16.00 Chinese Service (diterjemahkan ke bahasa Indonesia) Jumat Pk. 19.30 Kebaktian Doa (Indonesian & English) Bible Study Anak-anak Sabtu Pk. 18.30 youth fellowship (Indonesian & English)

GII San Jose

GII Seattle

600 W. Campbell Ave. Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 343-1314

(c/o First Christian Reformed Church)

14555 25th Ave. N.E. Shoreline, WA 98155 (425) 357-5928

GII Sacramento (c/o Chinese Grace Bible Church)

6656 Park Riviera Way Sacramento, CA 95831 (916) 692-3756

GII San Francisco 400 Brussels St. San Francisco, CA 94134 (415) 656-0886 AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

3

focus:

Is your faith growing up in church? 07 Have You Grown Complacent? Rachel Atmadja 09 What Do You Mean By That? Yesaya Adidjaja 12 The Exclusive Expose' Merissa Halim, Fairlyn Soetojo, Pency Kinnard 19 Arti & Tujuan Gereja Ev. Wilson Suwanto 22 Petunjuk Praktis Bergereja Ev. Wilson Suwanto

Anda punya usul, kritik, saran, atau apapun yang berhubungan dengan Agape atau GII Azusa? Silahkan mengirimnya ke [email protected] atau memberikannya kepada redaksi.

C

content —————————————————————————

05 Renungan: Jadilah Murid Kristus Yang Sejati (Pdt. Kristianto Hosea) 24 Pelayanan: Panggilan Menjadi Guru Sekolah Minggu (Ev. Julia Suwanto) 27 Parenting: Toddler Reading Time (Laura Bailet, Ph.D) 31 Sharing: Toddler & Library (Evelyn Sunarko) 33 Book Review: When Your Past Is Hurting Your Present (Janice Atmadja) 36 Cerpen: The Party Of Three (Daniel Loe) 41 Poem (Tante Mona) 42 Liputan: Bay Area Tour 2006 (Jessica Kawilarang) 45 Resep: Tekwan Palembang (Ny. Sinta Sandjaya) 46 Children's Corner 47 Humor

4

AGAPE

! e n i onl

e ape.html r ' e w web/ag t a h t .org/iec_ t e rg .gii-usa o f 't s @ lax n o D visit u

R

renungan ————————————————————————————

Jadilah Murid Kristus yang Sejati —————————— Pdt. Kristianto Hosea

D

i dalam rangka HUT ke-23 GII Azusa, hendaklah kita semuanya penuh pengucapan syukur kepada Tuhan Yesus Kristus, Gembala kita yang agung. Dimana Dia telah memimpin dan memberkati GII Azusa selama 23 tahun lamanya. Dan apakah yang harus kita lakukan untuk membalas segala cinta kasih Tuhan? Ada satu hal yang sangat penting bagi kita sebagai panggilan dan perintah Tuhan kepada kita yaitu jadilah murid Kristus yang sejati. Apakah kita adalah murid Kristus yang sejati? Dan bagaimana kita boleh menjadi murid Kristus yang sejati? Hanya satu cara yang sangat penting dan yang sangat sulit dilakukan yaitu perintah-Nya. Apakah perintahNya yang harus kita lakukan sehingga kita boleh menjadi murid Kristus yang sejati? Pertama, kita harus saling mengasihi; “Aku (Yesus Kristus) memberikan perintah baru kepada kamu yaitu supaya kamu saling mengasihi sama seperti Aku telah mengasihi kamu demikian pula kamu harus saling mengasihi” (Yohanes 13:34). Tuhan Yesus memberikan kepada kita satu kunci yang paling penting untuk boleh menjadi murid Kristus yang sejati yaitu “Harus saling mengasihi.” Bagaimanakah caranya supaya kita bisa saling mengasihi? Firman Tuhan memberikan kepada kita cara yang paling indah supaya kita dapat saling mengasihi yaitu ada dua cara yang sangat penting yang diberikan oleh Tuhan Yesus Kristus sendiri. a. Kasihilah Tuhan, Allahmu dengan segenap hatimu; “Jawab Yesus kepadanya: ‘Kasihilah Tuhan, Allahmu dengan segenap hatimu, dan dengan segenap jiwamu, dan dengan segenap akal budimu.’” (Matius 22:37). Pada dasarnya, cara supaya kita bisa AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

5

saling mengasihi adalah kita sendiri terlebih dahulu mengasihi Tuhan, Allah Bapa kita, dengan segenap hati kita. Akan tetapi, apakah kita sungguh mempunyai satu hati yang murni sewaktu kita mengasihi Tuhan Allah kita? Biarlah di dalam rangka HUT ke-23 GII Azusa, kita bersungguh-sungguh dengan segenap hati mengasihiNya. b. Kasihilah sesamamu seperti diri sendiri; “Dan hukum yang kedua, yang sama dengan itu, ialah: kasihilah sesamamu manusia seperti dirimu sendiri” (Matius 22:39). Pada dasarnya, bagaimana supaya kita boleh saling mengasihi adalah kita juga harus mengasihi sesama kita seperti mengasihi diri kita sendiri. Biarlah di dalam rangka HUT ke-23 GII Azusa ini, kita juga memulai mengasihi sesama kita seperti mengasihi diri kita sendiri. Demikianlah kita baru bisa saling mengasihi dan baru bisa menjadi murid Kristus yang sejati. Kedua, orang lain juga boleh menjadi murid Kristus; “Dengan demikian semua orang akan tahu, bahwa kamu adalah murid-muridKu, yaitu jikalau kamu saling mengasihi” (Yohanes 13:35). Jikalau kita sungguh-sungguh saling mengasihi di dalam rumah Tuhan, maka Tuhan dan orang dunia yang tidak percaya dapat melihat bahwa kita sungguh adalah murid Kristus yang sejati. Dan sewaktu mereka yang tidak percaya melihat kita saling mengasihi didalam rumah Tuhan, mereka pun ingin menjadi murid Kristus dan boleh berada di dalam rumah Tuhan bersama dengan kita menikmati kasih Tuhan yang sejati dan anugerah keselamatan Tuhan yang kekal.

S

ebagai akhir kata, di dalam rangka HUT ke-23 GII Azusa, biarlah kita tetap memelihara kesatuan dan saling mengasihi di dalam rumah Tuhan sehingga kita sungguh menjadi murid Kristus yang sejati, dan orang-orang yang tidak percaya pun boleh menjadi murid Kristus juga.

Kasihilah Tuhan, Allahmu, dengan segenap hatimu dan dengan segenap jiwamu dan dengan segenap akal budimu. Itulah hukum yang terutama dan yang pertama. Dan hukum yang kedua, yang sama dengan itu, ialah: Kasihilah sesamamu manusia seperti dirimu sendiri. (Mat. 22:37-39) 6


A

nother week, another Sunday is here.

She goes to church, like she does the Sunday before and the Sunday before that. Her mother wakes her up every Sunday morning so they can make it just in time for the church, but for some reason they are always late, and this morning was no exception. Slowly she woke up, took a shower, and looked into her closet to find something nice to wear. The ride to the church was short. Once again she made her way to the front rows of the sanct uary because all the backseats were taken. At first, she found it embarrassing to walk down the aisle and make her way to an empty seat, but overtime, she became used to it. She had tried to make her way through the side aisles, but it was harder to find seats that way. She sat through the sermon and gave her offering when the offering bag came her way. After several bites of food and a series of conversations; she and her family drove back home.


7

The weekdays also passed by in a similar fashion, except for the occasional variation now and then. Between school, friends, and family, it was hard to find time to spend alone with God. She knows that she needs to read her Bible regularly, but for some reason it was easier to sit down on the couch and watch the latest episode of her favorite show. She keeps telling herself that she will read the Bible later on at night, but when the time came, she always felt too sleepy and tired to open the Bible. The next day, the same exact thing happened again, until another weekend came her way. Bible Study is fun; she looks forward to seeing her friends at Bible Study. But once she left the church, all that desire just evaporates. A Sunday becomes just another Sunday, and every week the same routine repeats. Time will tell how much longer she could go on repeating the week over and over again. It is all too easy to listen to a sermon and forget about it an hour later. Week by week, she grows more numb to the Word of God than the week before. She calls herself a Christian, but she does not even get excited about hearing the Word of God anymore. Her friends describe her as a religious person, but she is not even sure what that meant. She once knew what it is like to follow in His foo tsteps, but somehow she grew stale. She still comes to church, but with each passing week, she asks,

why do I still come here? Does her question sound familiar to you?

8


��

��

� ��

Jesus gives us a stern

What does it mean to be a Christian?

�

If a person professes to be a

Christian, what does he mean by it? warning in Matthew 7:21-23 about being a Christian on the outside but never on the inside. he says he is a Christian He says:

If

because he believes in “Not everyone who says to me, God, what does he ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of mean by ‘believe’?

heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will Also, what does say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we he mean not prophesy in your name, and in your name by God? drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ To understand these verses in context, we need to look at the previous verses of Matthew 7. In verses 15-20, Jesus was warning His disciples about false prophets. During Jesus’ ministry, the disciples weren’t the only ones following Jesus. The Pharisees also traveled with Jesus, witnessed the miracles, heard His teaching but they were rebuked by Jesus for knowing the Law 9


9

but never come to repentance. The Pharisees were the epitome of wolves in sheep’s clothing. They were more concern of being righteous than receiving the righteousness that is of Jesus Christ. We can be living the same lives as the Pharisees today. We might profess to be a Christian, we attend church every week, we’re involved in ministry, and worst of all we know what the Pharisees did to deserve the rebuke from Jesus but we never have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

��

��

Being a Christian is about relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This relationship does not begin with us where we do good and God wants to be our friend because of it. It begins with God initiating the relation ship because we are apart from Him and He wants us to have fellowship with presence Him. It begins with the knowl on our own edge that God is righteous because of our sins. and we can never To begin that relationship, come to His we need the righteousness that holy is offered to us through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, when He died on the cross for our sins.

�� Once we acknowledged our sins and received Jesus as �� our Lord and Savior to begin the relationship with Him, what � � �� happens next? The moment we genuinely repent of our sins and �� receive Christ as our Lord and Savior, the sanctification process begins. � Sanctification means that God knows we need to be more like Him, so from

the moment we receive His Son, He begins changing us in all aspects of our lives. This is a lifelong process until we die to be with the Lord. Like a father who disciplines his child, we will receive disciplines from God to help us grow. A child might be stubborn and needs more spanking to help him/her grow, God, too, will discipline us. He disciplines everyone He accepts as a son. It is a sign of love.

10


So what’s the sign that we are a Christian, that we are in Christ? Jesus says that “by their fruit you will recognize them”. What does Jesus mean by fruit? The moment we receive Christ, we are “born again”. Not natural born, but born of the Spirit, so we are a new creation in Christ. Having been born again of the Spirit, the fruit that we bear is the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

� � � � � � � � �� :2 � �� 2 l � � � ue � m Sa � �� 1 22 � �� :8_ :2 : 5 5 ns ter 1 ians � � a : � � ces Rom Pe alat next: � eren -23_ 23_1 8_G � ref :15 22, :3<=x the exclusive expose'

To bear fruit of the spirit, we must grow spiritually. Like a seed needs to grow into a plant in order to bear fruits, we are to grow to bear fruit of the spirit. We grow by spending time with our Lord in prayer, reading the Bible, having fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and being involved in ministry. Again, these things are not done to earn our way to heaven, but they are done as a result of being saved.

le w 7 -18, h b i B the :10 _Jo t 3 6 Ma ans 12:5m Ro rews b He

n3

►

<=x arti & tujuan gereja x petunjuk praktis bergereja


11

Are IEC Azusa church members “complacent” Christians? Obviously, we have no time to interview or “test” the entire church congregation so, the Agape Team has decided to ask two sisters in Christ, Fairlyn and Pency, questions about their spirituality and how they think this church & themselves are doing after 23 years (more or less) of serving the Lord. A small introduction of our two participants: » Sister Fairlyn Soetojo was born into a Christian family and is brought up in the church. She has been coming to IEC Azusa for 9 years. » Sister Pency Kinnard is a new member to this church and she was recently brought to Christ by husband, Levi. By interviewing these specific two, we’ll be able to see answers regarding questions about the church, Christianity, etc. through two different points of views, an “old believer” and a new believer. 12

1. Q » Since when did you start going to Church? P » I started going to church about 2 and half years ago. I got saved a Sunday afternoon right after my very first visit to a Christian church. (meaning I accepted Jesus Christ into my life). F » Since birth. 2. Q » Have you been baptized? If yes, when? P » Yes, it was in 2003, a month after I got saved. F » Yes, when I was 17 years old. 3. Q » When you are baptized, do you think it means that you will surely be saved? P » No, Accepting Christ saves you, not baptism. F » No, because baptized by water doesn’t mean that you’re saved. Spiritual baptism does. 4. Q » Why did you decide to be baptized? P » My pastor in Savannah Georgia told me that baptism is an outward expression of my faith in Christ. F » Back then, I thought that as a Christian, I must be baptized as a proof that I’m a Christian.

5. Q » Do you consider yourself as a Christian? Why or why not? P » Yes, because I believe Jesus Christ saved me from my sins. F » Yes, I believe in God and have a relationship with Him. 6. Q » Do you consider yourself as a believer? If yes, what do you mean that by believer? P » Yes, John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” I am a “believer” of Jesus Christ. F » Yes, because I believe in Christ as my savior, and I’m very hard to obey Him every single day. 7. Q » Do you believe that you are saved and will go to Heaven? Why or why not? P » Yes, because Jesus Christ paid for my sins. F » Yes, because the Bible tells me so.

8. Q » What activities in the Church do you do? Do you think that you will get more involved later? P » I was in choir when I was going to a church in Savannah, Georgia. Now, I’m working on incorporating apologetics into the youth fellowship. We’re going to be watching Dr. Kent Hovind’s creation science videos this Saturday, Aug 4. F » I’m in the vocal group, a pianist and the leader in the Indonesian fellowship. Yes, I want to get more involved later. Because right now, I want to focus myself on the Indonesian Youth because that’s my responsibility as a leader, but if someday, there is someone that can replace my position, I would like to serve God in other sorts of duties also. 13

9. Q » Do you sometimes feel tired of serving the Lord? If yes, what do you do/ what is your reaction to this? P » No, choir was great! F » Honestly, I’m not tired of serving the Lord, but I’m tired of serving others. Yet, serving the Lord is to serve other people. I will pray to God so He will give me strength to just focus on Him not to other thing. And I have a close friend whom I can share all of my struggles with and I believe she won’t talk about my struggles to others. Because for me, sharing with a friend who is spiritually mature and whom I can fully trust, is another way to get support and advice besides praying. Remember that God also speaks through sermon, devotion, and through your friend too. :D (happy face) 10. Q » Have you sometimes denied yourself (sacrifice) when serving the Lord? Can you give an example? P » I would go to the Church on every Sunday rather than go out with my friends. So, I sacrifice my time with my friends for the Lord. F » Yes, very often. Usually, I have plans on Saturday, but I choose to go to church for the Saturday youth service. 11. Q » Why do you think we need to be at church instead of at home listening to the sermon? We can listen to a sermon at home too, right? P » Because it’s important to have fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ. We encourage one another to live for the Lord and to not get caught up in the world. F » To have a fellowship. 12. Q » Do you do your daily devotion/renungan? P » I don’t do it daily maybe two to four times a week. I work a lot, so I prefer listening to sermons or the audio bible while driving to or from work. But I do pray every morning. F » Yes. 13. Q » Do you believe God has a purpose for you? What do you think it is? P » Yes, to have fellowship with Him and to glorify Him. F » Yes, because I have read the book “The Purpose of Driven Life,” and Ko Edgar also spoke about that book a while ago in the fellowship; it is to worship Him and to serve Him. 14. Q » What is your biggest struggle in your Christian life at the moment? P » Trying to live a righteous life. There is even more pressure when you are a Christian because people are watching you constantly. And also having an answer to every question people ask about my reasons to choose Christ over all the other “religions.” There’s a lot of material I have to present to them. F » I think Christians are just humans and their old characters are still with them, but non-Christians expect you to be Holy all the time. It’s like everybody is watching you, especially in the work place. So I must be very careful in what I do. It’s the process to be more like God in character wise.

14


15. Q » What are you looking for in the Church you go to every week? P » I want to learn more about the Lord Jesus Christ, and how He wants us to live in the world. Mostly, I like the Saturday youth fellowship here in Azusa since the whole point of going to the Church is to have good bible teachings and fellowship. F » Looking for the sermon, the brothers and sisters in Christ, and the food. Haha … 16. Q » Have the pastor and other spiritual leaders in this Church help you fulfill your spiritual needs? What is your spiritual expectation and hope? P » Yes. My spiritual goal as a Christian is to produce the fruits of the Spirit, and mature spiritually so that I can lead others to the Lord. F » Yes. To become like Christ. 17. Q » Is there anything in this church that makes you uncomfortable? P » Haven’t found anything that really bugs me. F » No. 18. Q » Do you ever find it difficult to understand when a pastor or a teacher is giving a sermon about characters in the bible? P » No. If I don’t know a certain character that the Pastor is talking about, then I just continue to listen and find out more about that character! F » No. 19. Q » Have you ever questioned what the Pastor says? P » No. I prefer him preaching with bible verses so I can look it up later to make sure he’s teaching the bible and not something else. F » No. Once, there was this pastor that gave a sermon that was too extreme and not based from the Bible. 20. Q » How will you react if a Pastor rebukes you? P » I will reevaluate his comment and see if that is an area in my life that needs improving. F » First impression: (tersinggung karena disinggung...) 2nd step: think about it when I got home and see if I’m like what he said. And thirdly, if really I’m wrong, then I will correct myself. 21. Q » If your brothers or sisters in Christ are doing something against the Bible, what is your reaction? P » I will surely rebuke them, in a loving way of course. F » First, pray for him/her before talking to him/her face to face so that when I talk to him/her, s/he won’t feel rebuke. But if the situation is really bad, I leave it up to Ko Wilson or Ko Hosea. Haha…


15

22. Q » Does being a Christian mean that your life will go smoothly? No hardship, no stress, no worry, etc.? P » Of course not!!! F » No. Yet, a lot of hardship because I have to live a brand new life in Christ, which means the old habits have to be torn away (this is very hard..a lot of times bad habits come again..but I ask God’s forgiveness and move on because guilty feeling can make yourself down and don’t want to try again). 23. Q » If your prayers are not answered, how do you feel towards God? P » No, that’s never happened to me. If my prayers are not answered, I wouldn’t feel bad. I learned at my church in Savannah that God sometimes doesn’t answer my prayers immediately because He is waiting for His perfect timing. And, sometimes He doesn’t open the door I want to go through because He has another door opened for me. F » Back then, when my prayer was not answered, I became bitter about it. But now I learn to leave it up to God because He will give the best for me. 24. Q » Do you sometimes blame God or have you ever blamed God for the hardships in your life? P » No, I think the hardship in my life is from my own decisions. I think I produce hardships in my life by not doing God’s will but my own. For example, I’m in debt because of my own financial decisions. F » Back then, I usually ask ‘Why’ God let this or that happened in me. But now, the question is not ‘why’ instead it’s ‘what’ God wants me to do. If I this or that happen to me, what do You (God) want me to do with it? 25. Q » Do you think you can be saved by having good morals? As a Christian, what else do you think you need to be saved? P » No. You have to have Christ in order to be good enough for God. F » No. The most important for me is to maintain an intimate relationship with God. 26. Q » Should you become a Christian just because you want to go to Heaven? If not, why? P » No. It was because I wanted to know God intimately. F » Part of it, because I don’t like Hell especially because of the gnashing of teeth – “kertak gigi” (Matthew 8:12) that just been sermon in the Indonesian youth yesterday and the topic was ‘Eternal Punishment.’ 27. Q » Should a Christian be “perfect”? No mistakes or wrong doing, etc.? P » No, being a Christian doesn’t mean that you are perfect. I think Christians are more aware of sin and of what’s right and wrong according to the Bible. So in a way our iniquities are intensified because of our awareness to sin. F » Impossible. Christians are still human beings. We will be perfect later in Heaven.

16


… 28. Q » Does the Bible bore you? Why? P » No. There is so much truth in it, you can read the same passage at different times and find new meanings each time you read the passage. But then, sometimes when I read it everyday, I feel like I’m not reading it right because I can’t relate what I’m reading in the bible to my current situation in life. F » No. Because everyday, I got blessings from the Bible. Everyday I face problems and struggles, and every night I read the Bible, and from there, I always got rebuked. 29. Q » Have you or do you sometimes question the authority of God? Why? P » No. I haven’t found anything in the bible that sounds shaky. F » No. 30. Q » Do you sometimes take advantage of God’s blessing? If yes, how? P » No, I don’t. I’m extremely aware of God’s mercy and grace in my life. F » Sometimes. I waste most of my free time in watching movie/ TV drama.

Pency’s sharing is about faith and believing P » I just want to say that you don’t have to have blind faith to believe in Jesus Christ. You can bring your logical and practical thinking to the bible and see that it is in sync with science and the natural world. Go watch Dr. Kent Hovind’s Creation Science Videos and find out what I’m talking about!!! Fairlyn’s sharing is about her experience growing up in the church F » Hm… I think I got lot of blessings in this Church. Not only spiritual growth, but also in digging and expanding my talents. Perhaps people here know me as Church-pianist, but I want to once again mention about what make me still serving the Lord as a pianist until this moment. One of the reasons is because of my Mom. My parents insisted me to be a pianist at my Church in Indonesia when I was 13 year old. I was once screwed up very badly in the Sunday Service. I was so upset at myself and I wanted to quit serving the Lord. I told my Mom about that and she asked me why. I told her that I embarrassed by my performance at that Sunday service. I asked her: “Didn’t you feel ashamed at me too?”. But her response surprised me, she said: “Not at all. I am proud of you because you try your best to serve the Lord even though the outcome wasn’t good. But at least you have tried. Remember that God doesn’t see the result, He sees your heart and your willingness to serve Him. I feel ashamed if I have spent so much money on you to have piano lesson, but you don’t even serve the Lord with your talent. That’s I will feel like a loser.”


17

I believe my Mom forgot what she said to me, but her words are in my mind all the times. Every time I am lack of confidence, I remember that God doesn’t see the result. He sees my heart and motivation. So, it’s really helpful for me to always remember to leave the result up to God. Thanks, Mom for your wisdom! This reminds me that in all things I do, it has to glorify His name, not my name (so I can prevent to be self-centered or arrogant. Hey, you know what, as doctor always says: prevention is way better than treatment). To end my sharing, I want to encourage you to start serving the Lord if you haven’t. If you are looking for a job, you will get interview first and you have to have full list of experiences and requirements and skills. If you don’t meet the requirements and have no skills, most likely that you won’t be hired. If you meet all the requirements, you’ll get hired and the benefits are: health, vision, dental, and 401k after 90 days probation period. There is a job that doesn’t require your skills and experiences nor even need to get interview. The requirements are: humbleness and willingness. The benefits are: spiritual growth (Christ-like) and 100% Life Assurance in Heaven - effective right away. Job title: A Servant after God’s own heart. To apply: 1-800-4-CHRIST

We would like to give a huge thanks to these two devout and on-fire-for-the-Lord sisters who have participated in our interview. We have been truly blessed by your knowledge of God and your experiences. As our form of appreciation, Agape would like to treat you to free icecream after church (from the ice-cream truck)! Look for Janice Atmadja. Once again, God bless you and God bless you readers. May our passion for Christ be rekindled and our questions answered. Ask, seek, and knock. Jesus will be just outside the door of your heart.

18


��

��

adalah

persekutuan orang-orang percaya sepanjang zaman. Berdasarkan definisi ini, kita dapat menarik beberapa implikasi-->>

� � � � � � �

��. Organisasi terbatas hanya pada masa kini. Gereja mencakup masa lalu, masa kini, bahkan masa depan (perhatikan kata “sepanjang zaman).

��

�� Yang disebut gereja adalah “persekutuan,” bukan “lokasi” atau “alamat.”

��

��Perhatikan bahwa yang bersekutu adalah orang-orang percaya pada Yesus, bukan sembarang orang. Meskipun ada perkumpulan yang menamakan dirinya “gereja,” tetapi kalau mereka tidak percaya pada Yesus, mereka bukanlah gereja sejati.

�ebagai

persekutuan, gereja bersifat lokal dan universal. Gereja lokal adalah persekutuan orangorang percaya di sebuah tempat. AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

19

�� Dalam Roma 16:5, “salam juga kepada jemaat (gereja) di rumah mereka.” �ahkan Paulus menyebut persekutuan di rumah tangga sebagai gereja. Jadi yang terpenting bukanlah tempat tetapi persekutuan orang-orang percaya. Namun gereja tidak hanya terbatas pada persekutuan orang-orang percaya di sebuah tempat. Gereja mencakup persekutuan orang percaya di segala tempat. Maka gereja juga bersifat universal. Perhatikan Kisah 9:31, “selama beberapa waktu jemaat di seluruh Yudea, Galilea dan Samaria berada dalam keadaan damai. Jemaat itu dibangun dan hidup dalam takut akan Tuhan. Jumlahnya makin bertambah besar oleh pertolongan dan penghiburan Roh Kudus.” Ketika kita berdoa untuk gereja, kita tidak hanya berdoa untuk gereja lokal tetapi juga universal. Gereja lokal adalah bagian kecil dari seluruh Kerajaan Allah, dan itu sebabnya kita berdoa “KerajaanMu datanglah.” Keanggotaan kita di sebuah gereja seharusnya mendorong kita untuk berdoa bagi Kerajaan Allah secara luas. �� Gereja adalah persekutuan orang percaya untuk menyembah Allah. Paulus menasihatkan gereja di Kolose untuk menyanyikan mazmur dan pujian dengan ucapan syukur pada Allah (Kol. 3:16). ucapan syukur pada Allah (Kol. 3:16). Tuhan menetapkan kita sejak semula untuk memuji kemuliaanNya (Ef. 1:12). Kita harus melihat ibadah sebagai pelayanan kita kepada Tuhan. Ibadah bukanlah untuk melayani kita, tetapi Tuhan. Tentunya ada berkat 20


�� Tuhan mengalir bagi kita dalam ibadah. Namun Tuhanlah tujuan utama. �� Pelayanan Paulus kepada gereja di Kolose adalah untuk mengajar dan menasihati agar setiap orang menjadi matang (sempurna) di dalam Kristus (Kol. 1:28). Paulus juga menulis di Efesus bahwa Tuhan memberikan orangorang yang penuh karunia (talenta) untuk memperlengkapi orang percaya dalam pelayanan, untuk membangun tubuh Kristus sampai kita mencapai kesatuan dan kedewasaan penuh dalam Kristus (Ef. 4:12-13). �� Yesus memberikan amanat agung kepada kita untuk memberitakan Injil (Mat. 28:19). Selain itu, gereja juga perlu membantu saudara-saudara yang berkekurangan (Kis. 11:29; 2 Kor. 8:4; 1 Yoh. 3:17). Bahkan bagi mereka yang ada di luar Kekristenan, Tuhan memerintahkan kita untuk menjangkau mereka dengan kasihNya (Luk. 6:35-36). Tentu saja prioritas utama adalah penginjilan, bukan pelayanan sosial.

�etiga tujuan ini harus dipertahankan dengan seimbang. Melalaikan satu aspek akan mengurangi efektivitas gereja sebagai saksi Tuhan. Dengan bekerja sama sebagai sesama anggota tubuh Kristus, kita akan sanggup memenuhi panggilan Tuhan untuk melayaniNya, melayani saudara seiman, dan melayani dunia dengan baik. AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

21

F

focus

a, harcall Jason C

as

a.com

harcall

www.c

Christians, our desire for growth prompt us to search for a community, for support; it leads us to the Church. However, if our purpose in going to church is to look for God, why are there so many different “types” of churches? Isn’t God found in all churches? Might differences in denominations of churches have something to do with our true reasons for going to church? Let us reexamine our motivations.

petunjuk praktis

bergereja by Ev. Wilson Suwanto

Kita menemukan banyak alasan mengapa orang pergi ke gereja, antara lain: 1. Menyembah Tuhan 2. Mencari teman 3. Melewati hari Minggu 4. Menghapus rasa bersalah 5. Mengikuti teman atau keluarga Tentu saja, tidak semua alasan di atas benar. Hanya alasan no (1) yang sesuai Alkitab, dan alasan-alasan lainnya tidak sesuai dengan semangat Alkitab. Tentu saja, ketika orang pergi ke sebuah gereja, ia akan mendapatkan teman baru. Tetapi 22


persahabatan di dalam konteks gereja sangat berbeda dengan konteks dunia. Kalau seseorang bertujuan mencari teman, ia harus mengerti bahwa persahabatan ini bersifat Kristen, bukan duniawi. Persahabatan ini mencakup sisi rohani, bukan hanya sosial. Demikian pula dengan alasan no (3), yaitu: menghabiskan waktu. Memang lebih baik menghabiskan waktu di gereja daripada di tempat lain. Namun, kita bukan sekedar melewati hari, melainkan menggunakannya untuk menyembah

Tuhan. Orang dengan motivasi no (3) tidak bisa menikmati berkat Tuhan pada hari Sabat sebab ia tidak mengerti tujuan beribadah. Mereka dengan motivasi no (4) mempunyai pemikiran yang keliru. Hadir di gereja tidak bisa menebus kesalahan seseorang. Kita ditebus hanya oleh darah Yesus, dan kita ke gereja untuk bersyukur atas kasihNya. Orang yang hanya ingin menghapus rasa bersalah, hanya ingin membersihkan hatinya dari rasa bersalah, tetapi tidak mengisinya dengan ucapan syukur kepada Tuhan. Dengan kata lain, hatinya tetap kosong sekalipun ia sudah ke gereja. Dan, mereka yang ke gereja hanya untuk mengikut teman, keluarga, suami/ istri, juga tidak mendapat manfaat rohani. Ke gereja bukanlah untuk kebaikan keluarga/teman kita, itu juga untuk kebaikan kita. Ke gereja bukanlah untuk menyenangkan teman/atasan kita, tetapi untuk menikmati berkat firman Tuhan bagi diri kita. Jika kita kehilangan ini, kita kehilangan hal yang terpenting dalam hidup. GEREJA MANA? Beberapa orang tidak ke gereja karena mereka bingung harus memilih gereja yang mana. Memang ada ratusan aliran atau nama gereja yang bisa membuat orang bingung. Sebelum kita menjawab pertanyaan ”gereja yang mana,” kita perlu menelusuri sejarah gereja sehingga kita mengerti mengapa ada banyak aliran dalam gereja. Sepanjang ribuan tahun, gereja bersatu. Hanya ada sedikit gangguan terhadap kesatuan gereja, sehingga gereja menikmati masa damai dalam

jangka waktu yang panjang. Aliran baru mulai muncul ketika Martin Luther mencetuskan Reformasi Protestan tahun 1517. Luther tidak ingin membuat gereja baru, ia hanya ingin memperbarui gereja Katolik, namun ia ditolak dan dikucilkan oleh Vatikan. Tidak ada jalan lain, Luther harus memulai gereja baru (Protestan). Demikian pula, Gereja Anglikan di Inggris mempunyai perbedaan pandangan dengan Vatikan. Mereka bermaksud menyelesaikan dengan damai. Namun Vatikan dengan tegas mengucilkan Gereja Anglikan pada tahun 1570, maka sejak itu, Anglikan berdiri sendiri sebagai aliran baru. Di dalam gereja-gereja Protestan sendiri, ada begitu banyak aliran, seperti: Metodis, Baptis, Presbyterian, dsb. Memang perpecahan gereja pada zaman dulu disebabkan karena ajaran yang berbeda. Ini adalah alasan yang sah untuk berpecah. Ketika sebuah gereja sudah menyimpang dari Firman Tuhan, dan tidak ada jalan untuk mengembalikannya, maka perpecahan tidak terhindarkan, bahkan diharuskan. Tetapi pada zaman sekarang, banyak perpecahan gereja disebabkan oleh alasanalasan pribadi, seperti: tidak suka kepada pemimpin gereja, tidak suka kepada cara beribadah, dsb. Perpecahan seperti ini sangat destruktif dan harus dihindari. Selama ajaran sebuah gereja berada dalam jalur Alkitab dan moralitas dijunjung tinggi, tidak boleh ada perpecahan dengan alasan apapun. Bagi kita, gereja mana yang harus kita pergi? Sederhana; gereja yang memberitakan Alkitab tanpa kompromi, dan menjunjung moralitas KE HALAMAN 26 ► Kristen. Ketika sebuah


23

P

pelayanan ————————————————————————————

PANGGILAN MENJADI GURU SEKOLAH MINGGU SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER TRAINING MARCH 12, 2006 by: Ev. Julia Suwanto

Dalam 1 Timotius 4:16, Paulus menulis, “Awasilah dirimu dan awasilah ajaranmu. Bertekunlah dalam semuanya itu, karena dengan berbuat demikian engkau akan menyelamatkan dirimu dan semua orang yang mendengar engkau.” Dalam ayat ini, Paulus menasihatkan Timotius untuk mengawasi diri dan ajaran. Perhatikan bahwa “diri” disebutkan dahulu, baru kemudian “ajaran.”

MENGAPA? 24


►

Paulus hendak berkata bahwa hidup seorang pengajar harus menjadi cermin atau contoh bagi pengajarannya. Hidup seorang guru berbicara lebih jelas daripada sekedar katakatanya. Pengajaran seorang guru akan menjadi efektif jika itu didukung oleh teladan hidupnya. Joseph Butler, seorang Bishop dari Inggris, pernah berkata, “Takutlah lebih kepada dirimu daripada kepada dunia.”

Ketika seorang Kristen menjadi batu sandungan bagi orang lain, akibatnya akan jauh lebih besar daripada kalau seorang yang non-Kristen melakukan hal yang sama. Itu sebabnya teladan hidup seorang guru sangat penting. Tidak heran Paulus menomor-satukan “hidup” sebelum “ajaran.” Setelah itu, Paulus baru berbicara mengenai “mengawasi ajaran.” Yang dimaksudkan adalah isi pengajaran seorang guru. Memang pada zaman sekarang, penekanan lebih berat pada metode mengajar daripada isi. Padahal sebenarnya tekanan harus jatuh pada isi, daripada metode. Sebagai contoh, ada seorang guru yang mempersiapkan cerita dari Yohanes 2:1-10 tentang perkawinan di Kana. Sang guru tidak lagi membaca bagian Alkitab tersebut sebabnya sudah terlalu akrab dengan isinya. Ia banyak menghabiskan waktu untuk metode dan alat peraga. Padahal kalau ia kembali membaca bagian itu dan mempelajarinya, ia akan lebih mengerti dan bisa mempersiapkan alat peraga dan metode yang lebih efektif. Mengapa pengajaran yang kuat itu penting bagi anak-anak Sekolah Minggu? Ajaran yang solid adalah dasar bagi hidup kerohanian anak-anak. Membekali anak dengan ajaran yang kuat sama halnya dengan membekalinya dengan kemampuan untuk membedakan yang benar dan yang salah, yang asli dan yang palsu. Solid teaching will give the child a discerning ability. Sebagai contoh, ada seorang anak high school yang ditawarkan untuk mengikuti ajaran Jehovah Witness (Saksi Yehovah, red.). Meskipun ia belum tahu apa itu Jehovah Witness, pengajaran

Sekolah Minggu menolongnya untuk mengambil keputusan menolak ajaran/ tawaran tersebut. Betapa pentingnya ajaran Alkitab bagi anak-anak. Merangkum apa yang Paulus katakan: hidup seorang guru adalah fondasi, pengajaran adalah bangunan, dan metode mengajar adalah aksesoris. Berdasarkan pengertian ini, kita akan melihat bagaimana seorang guru Sekolah Minggu menjalankan peranannya di gereja. GURU SEKOLAH MINGGU Apa artinya menjadi guru Sekolah Minggu? Menjadi guru Sekolah Minggu adalah sebuah panggilan. Ini berarti: 1. Lebih dari sekedar “suka anak-anak.” 2. Lebih dari sekedar ”suka mengajar.” Definisi seorang guru Sekolah Minggu adalah seorang anak Tuhan yang mengalami kasih dan anugerah Tuhan yang menyelamatkan hidupnya, dan selalu ingin untuk terus belajar Firman Tuhan dan senantiasa rindu membawa anak-anak kenal Kristus secara pribadi melalui pengajaran/teaching. Seorang guru Sekolah Minggu mempunyai beberapa peranan yang penting: 1. Model Selain belajar dengan mendengar, anak belajar dengan melihat. Anak melihat kehidupan sang guru, kasihnya, kepeduliannya kepada mereka, dan semua ini akan membekas di hati anak. Kebenaran yang diajarkan kepada mereka akan menjadi nyata dalam tingkah-laku ang guru. Seperti ada pepatah: ”A picture is worth 1,000 words, an example is worth 1,000 pictures.”


25

2. Bible Student Sebelum bisa menjadi pengajar Alkitab (mengajarkan anak tentang Firman Tuhan), kita sebagai guru perlu lebih dulu menjadi murid Alkitab. Misalnya, untuk mengajar anak didiknya mencintai Alkitab dan menghafal ayat-ayat penting, sang guru harus terbiasa membaca dan menghafalnya. Dari situ, anak bukan hanya belajar menghafal, tetapi juga mencintai Alkitab. 3. Hamba Tuhan Dalam pelayanan, kesetiaan lebih penting daripada keberhasilan. Keberhasilan itu penting, tetapi kesetiaan adalah segala-galanya. Tuhan sendiri melihat hati kita lebih daripada keterampilan kita. Keberhasilan tergantung banyak faktor, tetapi kesetiaan bergantung pada satu faktor, yaitu tanggung jawab kita pada Tuhan. 4. Pendoa Syafaat Seorang guru Sekolah Minggu akan mendapat kekuatan untuk mengajar kalau ia adalah seorang yang berdoa. Bukan hanya ia mendoakan diri, tetapi juga anakanak yang diajarnya. Hanya Tuhan yang bisa memakai dia untuk mengubah hati anak-anak melalui Firman T u h a n . Memang ini juga bagian yang kurang ditekankan p a d a z a m a n kita, tetapi A l k i t a b

26


menyatakan bahwa hanya kuasa Tuhan yang sanggup membawa perubahan dalam hati orang-orang, termasuk anakanak. Seorang guru Sekolah Minggu hanya mengajar satu jam per minggu, dan selebihnya dari hidup anak berada di luar kontrol seorang guru. Itu sebabnya, seorang guru Sekoah Minggu perlu menyerahkan anak-anak tersebut dalam doa. Bila Anda terbeban untuk melayani sebagai guru Sekolah Minggu, silahkan hubungi Ev. Julia Suwanto untuk konsultasi dan keterangan lebih lanjut. [ES/TA] ► DARI HALAMAN 23

gereja memberitakan “injil yang lain” daripada Injil Kristus, kita tidak bisa berada dalam gereja demikian. Ketika sebuah gereja mendukung tindakan amoral/imoral seperti aborsi, pembunuhan, perzinahan, dsb, kita harus meninggalkan gereja demikian. Selama sebuah gereja setia kepada firman dan moralitas Kristen, setiap anggotanya harus setia beribadah dan melayani di gereja tersebut selama mereka bisa (kecuali mereka pindah ke luar kota, atau mengalami cacat fisik yang menghalangi mereka ke gereja). Hanya dalam persekutuan dengan Tuhan dan jemaatNya, iman Kristen kita bisa bertumbuh. Hanya dalam kehidupan bergereja, kita mendapatkan kekuatan untuk menjadi saksi Tuhan yang efektif dalam dunia ini. [JA/TA]

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/reading_toddler.html

��

Toddler Reading Time By: Laura Bailet, PhD Reviewed: April 2006

From Toys to Books Gabrielle takes a break from playing at her kitchen set and reaches into her basket of books. She roots around until she finds her current favorite by Richard Scarry, then delivers the book to her mother, who knows just what page to skip to. Gabrielle sits in her mom’s lap as the two of them examine the page - her mom names the orange juice, milk, and waffles and Gabrielle points to the pictures. Soon, Gabrielle slides off her mother’s lap and moves over to her stuffed animals. Her mom knows better than to try to finish the book. For Gabrielle and lots of other toddlers, these little bits of reading are just right. AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

27

Why Should I Read to My Toddler? Studies show that children with active exposure to language have social and educational advantages over their peers - and reading is one of the best exposures to language. Reading to your child lays the foundation for later independent reading. But before your child can read independently, he or she needs a set of skills called emergent literacy skills. These include: • having a large vocabulary of words and knowing how to use them • understanding that words are made up of smaller sounds (this is called phonemic awareness) • understanding that marks on a page represent letters and words • knowing the letters of the alphabet You don’t need games, flashcards, or special instruction to help your child gain these skills. You just need books, your child, and you. Reading to your child as often as possible is the best thing you can do to help him or her learn to read independently.

I’m Not a Baby Anymore! Reading aloud is also an important way to help your child make the transition from babyhood to toddlerhood. Between the ages of 1 and 3, your child will have triumphs and challenges. It can help for your child to hear stories about other kids and how they managed fears about what’s under the bed and tackled the challenge of using the potty. 28


Your child will make big leaps in vocabulary during this time, and will learn about letters, shapes, colors, weather, animals, seasons - all of which can be reinforced through books. Choose ones with many pictures your child can point to and name. But while eager to learn about the world and experience it, your toddler also needs a strong connection with you. Reading together regularly can strengthen that connection, helping your toddler feel safe and comfortable.

When and How to Read to Your Toddler Experts recommend you read to your child as often as you can and that you strive to have at least one scheduled reading time each day. Choosing regular times to read (especially before naps and bedtime) is a way to help your child learn to sit with a book and relax. But you can read anytime your child seems in the mood. If your toddler will let you, hold him or her in your lap when you read. It’s a great spot for: • helping your child feel safe, happy, and relaxed • giving undivided attention • showing new things • inviting participation You’ll find that your toddler has a mind of his or her own and wants to be independent and successful. Nurture these instincts by offering three or four books to choose from, praising your child’s

selection, letting your toddler help you turn pages, and asking for help as you find things on a page. Your child will love to finish sentences in books with repetitive phrasing or rhymes.

Here are some additional reading tips: • Read whatever books your toddler asks for, even if it’s the same book every night for weeks and weeks (and weeks and weeks). • Read slowly enough for your toddler to understand. • Read expressively, using different voices for different characters and raising or lowering your voice as appropriate. • Use puppets, finger plays (like the “Itsy Bitsy Spider”), or props while you read. • Encourage your toddler to clap or sing when you read rhythmic, sing-song books. • Talk about the illustrations with your child. Point to items and name them. Then ask your child to name them with you and offer enthusiastic praise as he or she does so. • Ask open-ended questions - “Why do you think the lion is going into the woods? What do you think will happen next?” This encourages your child to think about the story and to ask questions. • Substitute your child’s name for the name of a character in the book. • Have fun! Show your child that reading is enjoyable.

Busy Bodies, Busy Minds Trying to read to a toddler who just won’t sit still can be frustrating. It’s important to be patient and keep trying. Find a book or a few pages that capture his or her interest. If you can’t do that, don’t force the reading but be sure to try again later. Remember that toddlers love repetition - if your child seems uninterested in books, you may need to find a favorite and read it over and over again. Some busy toddlers like to stand up while you read to them. Others like to look at a page or two before moving on to something else. Keep the book out - he or she may want to return to it later, which you should encourage. Don’t worry if your child can’t sit still for an entire book - his or her attention span will start to get longer soon. You might want to keep reading even if your child moves around. Before bedtime, allow your child to touch and play with favorite toys while you read aloud. The sound of your voice will be a soothing reminder of your bedtime routine and that books are a part of it. You may find that your child sits still better while coloring or playing with a favorite toy while you read. Don’t assume that because your child isn’t looking at you or the book that he or she isn’t interested or listening.

You want your child to have positive associations with reading, so if you are feeling tense or your child is resisting, consider setting the book aside and returning to it later.

beyond board books. They are also beginning to understand the mechanics of reading and like books that are repetitive and easy to memorize so that they can “read” along.

If your child really doesn’t like to spend much time reading, remember that reading to your child is just one thing you can do to encourage emergent literacy. You also can limit TV, talk to your child throughout the day, sing songs together, play rhyming games, and make up your own stories together. Don’t forget to provide paper and crayons so your child can practice writing.

By now you will start to know what your child’s passions are - whether trains, trucks, or stuffed bears, find books about these things of interest. Children this age also like books about children, families, and animals.

Choosing Books for Toddlers Toddlers want to feel included and competent; choose books that your child can follow along with, especially those with repetitive text so he or she can fill in words. Maintain your toddler’s interest by choosing books with small amounts of text on the page and books about topics that you know are of interest. For younger toddlers (12 to 24 months) you’ll want sturdy board books with pictures (especially photos) of kids doing the things they do every day. Books about bedtime, baths, or mealtime are all good choices; so are books about saying hello or good-bye. Keep active hands busy with lift-the-flap pages and textures to feel. Toddlers from 24 to 36 months are beginning to be able to turn paper pages, so this is a good time to expand

30


Toddlers love to look at homemade books, scrapbooks, or photo albums full of people they know (try adding simple captions). Poetry and songbooks are good choices for this age group too. You may find that story time turns into sing-along time.

Books, Books, All Around Read-aloud time isn’t the only opportunity your child should have to spend time with books - toddlers love to choose and look at books on their own. Keep books in a basket on the floor or on a low shelf where your child can reach them easily and look at them independently. Keep some books in the car and always have a few handy in your bag for long waits at the doctor or lines at the post office. Take your child to the library or the bookstore and let him or her select books to read at home. Many libraries and bookstores have toddler story times that your child might enjoy. And let your child see you reading - he or she is sure to imitate you.

TODDLER & LIBRARY Reading to your toddler is a must. Everybody knows it. If you are against it, you are on the wrong side. Books can be one of our ways to teach our toddler about many things. They can be a tool to introduce not only the wonder of the world such as animals, but also the greatness of our God. Not only books, now we have motion films and musics to teach our toddler.

OUR ISSUE The issue for us as Christians is to choose what kind of books and films that we can give to our children, especially Christian ones. However, if you have limited budget like me, buying every single book that attracts you will be a big problem. Adding to the quotation is the price that can cost you $15 just for a 30 minute sing along CD.

Well, worry no more. Our Church Library comes to the rescue! Our library has many varieties of books, films, and music for toddlers. Having a toddler myself, I really thankful for it. My kid really enjoys the books and films from our library. Let me share with you several of his favorites.

Veggie Tales You will be surprised by our library collection on Veggie Tales. If your toddler always moves a lot, I guarantee that this one will make him/her sits nicely. Basically, this movie tries to introduce Christian story in an amusing way, full of colorful veggies and funny music. It tells not only stories from the Bible, but also stories about Christian living. And if you want to know how silly their Silly Songs are, go check them out! AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

31

The Beginner's Bible This film series is about popular stories in the Bible among kids such as Jonah, David and Goliath, Daniel, etc. They are presented using cartoon characters and beautiful colors and music. I do not know why, but every time my kid watches this, he simply freezes in front of the TV. I think it’s better for him to watch this kind of video compared to other films in Cartoon Network. It is an easy way to tell him about the bible story too.

The Series of Bible Story If you your kids like Alice in Wonderland, they will like this series too. Like the Beginner’s Bible film, these book series also contain bible stories, but in different form. The story will lead us to the inside of the story―if you know what I mean.

McGee and Me (Focus on Family) It’s entertainment with the excitement kids love and the biblical values parents applaud! Your kids will have so much fun, they won’t realize they’re learning valuable lessons about lying, honesty, jealousy, helping those in need and making choices that can shape their character.

32


Adventures in Odyssey (Focus on Family) This series are more for older toddler. It will take us to different worlds that will teach our kids about Christian way to live.

See You There Soon!!! If you have a toddler and never been in our church library, this is the time to have a new habit. Visiting our library does not need a big effort. It does not cost a single penny to use it. It is located next to the sanctuary and is open every week after the service. Believe me, your toddler will love its collections.

too rich in knowledge and wisdom that I can’t possibly do it justice by squeezing all of its truth into perhaps three measly pages." "This book is

A book review by Jan.

Sue Augustine is the author of 5-Minute Retreats for Women and With Wings, There Are No Barriers. She is an internationally known speaker and leader of dynamic workshops on issues such as stress survival, time effectiveness, and clutter management. She lives in Canada.

Most “self-help books”, as they are labeled (sometimes with a negative connotation), do nothing more than simply restating what may be to some of us, common knowledge. Although I can’t say that this book does not possess quite a number of cliché’s, there is one major difference that makes it unique to the rest: God’s involvement in the healing process of the individual. Healing from bitterness, a traumatic past, or simply a lifelong negative self-image requires strength that can only be given from above. Sue Augustine, the author of When Your Past is Hurting Your Present, wrote this book as a means to give hope to the hopeless, to uplift those in despair, and to show freedom through God for those who are imprisoned in their past. Sue Augustine is easy to understand and she uses encouraging words to teach us lessons about the reality of life. She herself was a victim of an abusive and alcoholic husband. Through her sharing of her own experiences the readers are brought closer to a more realistic solution. She assures you through her own life as an example, that God is the answer to all things. Whatever your past may be, however hurtful or AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

33

shameful it is, however bad your relationship was with someone, now is the time to “let go and to let God.” According to Sue Augustine, here are a few of the most common hindrances when it comes to letting go (excerpted and summarized from page 856-865): - Our memory keeps bringing it back to our mind. - We are conditioned to believe it’s just not that easy. We think if we’re serious about letting go, it might mean we’ll end up in therapy for years. - Letting go seems too simple of an answer. We are certain that if it’s going to be effective, clearing out the old must be a complex undertaking. - We feel we’ll be loosing control by letting go. In reality, the opposite is true – whatever you cannot release has control and power over you! Letting go is one of the major cornerstones of being liberated from your past. If you are ready to be set free, make a decision to release whatever is holding you back. Don’t hang on to anything that is not empowering you to move forward. In reality, you always have the option of choosing whether you will focus on a hurtful past or fill your mind with uplifting thoughts of the present and all its blessings. Your mind cannot focus on both negative and positive ideas at the same time. The Bible says, “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free (John 8:32)”. There are many things we need to experience true freedom. This book takes you through the process of healing with the help of Jesus Christ step by step. It is divided into three parts: 1. Relinquishing your past 2. Renewing your present 3. Rebuilding your future 34


Here are a couple steps to begin with in relinquishing your past. 1. Let go of past regrets. You are not your past. 2. Let go of…”should have, could have, and if only”. If we do, we’ll begin to live in the fantasy world of “if only”. 3. Let go of putting life on hold. Don’t wait for the “perfect” condition to change your lives. Take control of your life TODAY. 4. Let go of yearning for the “good old days”. We can become prisoners of our perception of a positive past. This can affect us just as much as a negative past. 5. Let go of believing it’s your lot in life to suffer. 6. Let go of the addiction to drama in your life! Chaos, confusion, and commotion can become a familiar and habitual way of life. 7. Let go of unproductive thoughts. Lord Halifax said, “A man may dwell so long on a thought that it may take him prisoner”. Here’s some good news! When you change your thoughts, you change your world! 8. Let go of unrealistic expectations. It doesn’t work to expect to go through life without struggles, adversity, loss, and hardships. It’s also unrealistic to expect the strength to go through those trials without God’s presence, assurance, and help. “In this godless world, you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world” (John 16:33) 9. Let go of setting impossible standards for yourself. We live in a world that promotes perfectionism and idealism. Especially for women, the soccer mom, the business mom, the stay-at-home mom. We must be all of this at once! Avoid comparing yourself to impossible

standards! You will only feel disappointment in yourselves and let down by your own performance. 10. Let go of feeling responsible for others’ reactions. You are responsible for yourself- to be the best person you can be with the tools you have available to you. 11. Let go of pessimistic associations. Your own negativity can bring you down, but “negaholic” people will keep you there. The Bible says to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). You can renew your mind by focusing on the hope that God gives by reading His promises over and over and committing them to memory. 12. Let go of wondering what other people think of you. Yes this is hard, but being controlled by the opinions of others is a sure way to miss all the unique plans God has for your future! 13. Let go of trying to change other people. When you can see that change would be beneficial in someone’s life, the best thing you can do is to be a positive example, role model, mentor, encourager, and effective influencer. Then accept others for who they are… learning, growing, and developing. 14. Let go of bitterness. “To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do” (Job 5:2). Bitterness always hurts you more than the person it’s aimed at. Usually the offender forgets the wrongdoing and goes on with life while you continue to seethe in your anguish, keeping the past alive. You really can start over. Indeed the best starting point, after forgiving others , is to forgive yourself. New beginnings and forgiving yourself are strongly linked. The reason to forgive ourselves is not because

we feel like it, or because we want to see ourselves as blameless, but because we limit what we can receive from God when we hold on to our past. In the Bible we are told, “This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:19-20) If you are having difficulties letting go, seek help! God is the God of new beginnings. You should also confide in a friend. When we admit our wrongs, first to ourselves, then to God, then to another person—this three step process can be a powerful, life transforming experience. The book then continues to dive more into the healing powers of forgiveness, forgiving others and yourselves, possessing resiliency-bouncing back after adversity, getting over our fears that keep us stuck (like the unknown), fear of accomplishment, fear of failure, fear of rejection, and many more. It discusses assertion as a positive means of communication and provides suggestions and guides into building a positive future. I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It is a whole different experience when a book is empowered by thousands of sharings by women. At first I was strongly in doubt of reading another “moving on yada-yada” book, but I only gained newfound courage and encouragement to be a more positive person. “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:17 “Forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 [JA/TA] AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

35

I

BUNYA MEMBERINYA NAMA YANG UNIQUE

DAN

”VANDETTA.”

MENYERAMKAN... ALASAN

IBUNYA

MEMBERIKAN NAMA VANDETTA BUKAN BERARTI DIA TIDAK MENGETAHUI APA ARTI VANDETTA TERSEBUT. IBUNYA MEMANG TAHU DENGAN JELAS APA ARTI DARI VANDETTA ITU DAN DENGAN SENGAJA IBUNYA MEMBERIKAN NAMA VANDETTA KEPADA

36


PUTRI

TUNGGALNYA

ITU.

Pada masa ibunya melahirkan Vandetta, setiap orang tua yang melahirkan anak berusaha mendapatkan nama yang unique dan tidak “ber-bau” Indonesia. Mereka ingin anak mereka menjadi lain dari pada yang lain, dan jika orang-orang melihat nama anak mereka, maka orang tidak akan menduga kalau anak mereka adalah orang Indonesia, mungkin orang akan mengira anak mereka adalah orang Eropa, Amerika bahkan mungkin orang British asli. Hal lain yang membuat Ibu Vandetta memberikan nama tersebut adalah karena ibunya sakit hati karena pada saat Vandetta dilahirkan, ayah kandungnya tidak berada di rumah sakit melainkan kemudian diketahui kalau ayah Vandetta sedang berbuat serong dengan sekretaris di kantornya. Karena itu ibunya memberikan nama Vandetta kepada anaknya, sebagai pembalasan dendam terhadap suaminya yang hidung belang tersebut. Sejak saat itu ibunya menceraikan suaminya dan tidak pernah menikah lagi. Tetapi.... percaya atau tidak percaya.... tahyul ataupun tidak tahyul, mungkin dikarenakan hawa dendam yang diwariskan oleh ibunya atau keadaan yang dimanfaatkan oleh si jahat (roh jahat, iblis, setan atau yang sejenisnya) untuk membuat manusia membenci Tuhan dan menyembah setan. Yang pasti kehidupan Vandetta di masa mendatang kelihatannya seperti banyak karang-karang hitam dan tanah gersang yang panas membara mewarnai hidupnya. Vandetta sendiri tidak suka dengan

namanya tersebut. Maka setelah dia di bangku SMP, dia menyingkat namanya menjadi V, dan menginginkan semua memanggilnya V. Vandetta atau V adalah seorang gadis yang cantik manis dan menawan hati. Setiap laki-laki pasti akan menyukainya dan setiap wanita kalau tidak berusaha menjadi kawan baik Vandetta pasti akan menjadi lawannya karena mereka cemburu setiap laki-laki selalu memuja dan memuji V. V tidak bisa melanjutkan sekolah atau pendidikannya seperti kemauannya ataupun keinginan ibunya, karena pada saat SMA tingkat terakhir V kedapatan hamil. V sendiri tidak mengetahuinya siapa yang menghamilinya karena hal itu terjadi di suatu pesta Prom, dimana V out of control setelah terlalu banyak menenggak minuman keras sehingga dia pass out. V berusaha menyembunyikan kehamilannya supaya dia paling sedikit bisa menamatkan SMA-nya. Lalu setelah ibunya mengetahui V hamil, ibunya bersikeras supaya kandungan itu digugurkan. Tapi V tidak tega dan tidak mau menggugurkan kandungannya. Ibunya marah dan mereka ribut besar.... sampai saat ini mereka tidak mau berdamai sama sekali. V kebingungan akan diapakan anak ini nantinya. Tetapi untunglah... adik lakilaki dari mamanya mau mengadopsi anaknya tersebut, sekaligus menampung V di rumah mereka. Paman V mengatakan dia dan istrinya tidak bermaksud mengambil anak V yang diberi nama Esa itu dari tangan V. Mereka hanya berusaha menyelamatkan V dari aib yang terjadi padanya.... jadi cuma secara hukum saja Esa anak dari paman V, tetapi secara AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

37

hidup cuma bertiga dengan kedua orang putrinya Esa dan Noella. V bertekad tidak akan menikah lagi seumur hidupnya... dan mereka bertiga seperti tiga sekawan... tidak ada seorang pun menyangka kalau mereka bertiga itu adalah ibu dan anak. Karena mereka semua begitu cantik, anggun dan menawan hati.... bagai bunga yang selalu mekar sepanjang hari dan tidak akan pernah layu..... mereka bagaikan “Party of Three” that cannot be separated. anak V. V adalah tetap gadis yang cantik dan menarik biarpun sudah mempunyai anak. Meski V tidak kuliah atau melanjutkan sekolahnya ke universitas, tapi V yang cerdas ini mengambil keterampilan-keterampilan khusus seperti tata buku, komputer dan bahasa Inggris, sehingga dengan mudahnya dia mendapatkan pekerjaan. Pada saat V sudah bisa mempunyai penghasilan yang cukup, dia membeli rumah sendiri dan hidup bersama dengan Esa. V jatuh cinta dengan kolega kerjanya yang orang kaya dan direktur suatu perusahaan... mereka menikah dan mempunyai anak putri lagi yang diberi nama Noella. Tampaknya mereka bahagia... tetapi.... suatu saat V mengetahui suaminya itu menyeleweng dan mempunyai istri muda. Seperti apa yang dilakukan oleh ibunya, V langsung mendepak suaminya. Kini V 38


Namun tidak ada jalan yang langeng dan selalu mulus buat V. Karena V menutup pintu hatinya terhadap pria, dia bergaul terlalu akrab dengan kolega dan kawan-kawan sejenisnya..... salah satu dari teman baiknya mulai membuat kehidupan V bertambah suram dan menyeramkan. V terjatuh pada obat-obatan yang telarang dan membahayakan. “The Party of Three” mulai retak... paman V melihat gelagat yang tidak baik ini dan berusaha menolong dan menyelamatkan V dari keganasan obat-obat bius ini. Beberapa kali V dimasukkan di pusat rehabilitasi, tapi di tengah-tengah pengobatan V kabur dan mencari teman-teman obat biusnya lagi. Sesekali V bertobat, tetapi gangguan dari pengikut-pengikut setan yang menyerupai pecandu obat bius ini menyeret V ke tempat yang lebih hebat lagi. Ibu V diberi tahu dan berusaha menyelamatkan cucunya dengan menyekolahkannya, dan berusaha menyelamatkan

dari obat bius ini. Tetapi sengketa yang tak terselesaikan antara ibu dan anak ini membuat V tidak bisa memaafkan ibunya. Tahun demi tahun berlalu... Esa sudah dewasa dan rupanya Esa bisa diselamatkan sehingga tidak mengikuti jejak ibunya. Suatu saat Esa mendatangi pamannya yang dikenal dan dipanggilnya sebagai papa, karena selama ini Paman V inilah yang menjadi figur ayah bagi Esa dan Noella.

kesempatan ini mendampingi Esa di dalam pernikahannya ini dan sekaligus memberikan kehormatan pada Esa dan pihak keluarga calon suami Esa. V tidak bereaksi sama sekali, meski paman V dan ibunya melihat air mata bergulir dari pelupuk mata V.

Hari pernikahan hampir tiba. Semua orang sibuk dengan kegiatannya masing-masing. Noella akan menjadi pengapit Esa. Paman dan bibinya V yang akan menjadi orang tua wali buat Esa. Semua rumah sudah didesain dengan indah dan cantiknya. “Pa.... Esa meMeski setelah pernikahan rencanakan ini Esa akan akan menidiboyong ke kah....” istana sua...YA TUHAN TOLONGLAH KEMBALIKAN Paman V meminya, tetaMAMA V KEPADA KAMI... mang mengepi tetap saja tahui bahwa rumah dari V sudah demana Esa wasa sudah akan keluar menamatpintu dihias kansarjananya dalam usia yang relatif dengan menarik dan menawan. Semua masih muda, dan calon Esa juga dikenal kamar dicat ulang dan dihiasi dengan sebagai seorang yang berpendidikan dan bunga-bunga. Cuma satu kamar yang dari keluarga terhormat, sehingga rencana dibiarkan dan tak disentuh, yaitu kamar pernikahan Esa pun tentu saja disetujui dimana V tergeletak tak berdaya. Noella serta direstui oleh neneknya. Sekarang mendatangi kamar mamanya dan menpaman dan mama V merasa sedih karena getuk pintunya.. tidak mungkin meminta V atau Vandetta ini mendampingi dan mengapit Esa di “Ma..... bukakan pintu Ma.... Noella ingin dalam pernikahannya, karena V yang berbicara...” drug addict ini sudah seperti homeless yang tidak merawat dirinya, kurus ker- Tak ada sahutan dari V. Diam dan seing dan tidak secantik dulu lagi. Mereka nyap. Noella mengetuk kembali pintu berusaha menyadarkan V, dan menceri- kamar tersebut dan dengan tangannya takan perihal Esa yang akan menikah.... yang putih dan mulus mengusap-usap dan menantang V untuk tidak membuang pintu kamar tersebut, seperti Noella AGAPE — Anniversary 2006

39

mengelus-elus peti mati mamanya dan menangis. “Ma.... kapan Mama akan sadar dan meninggalkan obat-obat jahanam tersebut? Ma.....betapa aku dan Esa rindu akan saatsaat dimana kita menjadi The Party of Three..... Ma.... apakah Mama tidak ingat akan hal itu? Apakah mama tidak sayang kepada Kak Esa dan Noella, Ma? Ma.... kembalilah kepada kami Ma...... restuilah pernikahan Kak Esa Ma...! Ma... mama.... Hu hu... hu.... ya Tuhan tolonglah kembalikan Mama V kepada kami Tuhan.. kami masih ingin Mama kami dan kami akan selalu mencintai Mama kami.. oh Tuhan.... hu ... hu... hu...! !” Karena tidak ada jawaban sama sekali.... dan setelah sekian lama Noella menunggu.. akhirnya Noella meninggalkan kamar mamanya. “Ma.... jagalah diri Mama baik-baik

yaa... Ma... sadarlah dan bangunlah Ma. Kami tahu Mama bisa dan Tuhan pasti akan menguatkan Mama kalau Mama mau bertobat Ma...” Lalu dengan perlahan-lahan Noella meninggalkan kamar mamanya. Walau dari luar kamar tidak ada reaksi dan jawaban, tetapi di dalam kamar V mendengarkan semua tangisan dan kata-kata Noella anak bungsunya. V menangis dan menangis... kenangan manis bersama kedua orang putrinya kembali terbayang dengan jelas di depan mata Vandetta. Betapa selama ini juga dia mengetahui apa yang terjadi di sekitarnya, tetapi selama ini obat-obat bius itu telah membuat segala-galanya menjadi samar-samar dan suram. “Tu..han... “ katanya dengan suara yang terpatah-patah “Kenapa... aku... begini...? Oh.... ampunilah....aakku....! Aku telah..... mengecewakan....anak-anakku...,malaikatmalaikatku.....! OH...OOOH.... HU... HU... HU.....HU HU HU.....! KUTUKAN APA YANG TELAH MENIMPA AKU....YA TUHAN.....BANGKITKANLAH..... AKU YA TUHAN.......PALING SEDIKIT BUAT ANAK–ANAKKU.... O OH OO HO HO.... TUHAN........ TOLONGLAH.......!!!” V atau Vandeta yang selama ini bagaikan bangkai terbaring di kamarnya tiba-tiba bisa tersentuh oleh emosi yang disulut oleh Noella anaknya yang tercinta.... Setelah menangis tersedu-sedu V pingsan.... tetapi sebelum V tidak sadarkan diri dia masih sempat merasakan ada api yang seolah-olah membara di hatinya

40


dan lidah-lidah api tersebut seolah-olah menjilat-jilat sekujur tubuhnya sehingga segenap tubuhnya dirasakannya seperti dimasukkan ke dapur api seperti emas yang sedang diuji kemurniannya di dapur api.

Apakah V sedang disembuhkan oleh Tuhan, ataukah V sedang ketagihan obat bius? Cuma Tuhan yang tahu...! Apakah V telah diselamatkan dari api dendam yang disulut oleh ibunya yang selama ini telah menyelimuti hidup V? Cuma Tuhan yang maha kuasa yang tahu semua itu. Dan cuma Tuhan yang maha kuasa pula yang bisa melakukan mujizat tersebut. Satu hal yang pasti semua masih mengharapkan V akan menjadi pendamping esa di hari pernikahannya. Dan satu hal yang tidak akan pernah pudar: cinta kasih seorang mama kepada anak-anaknya, meski itu mungkin tidak diucapkan secara kata-kata, tetapi hati kita sendiri yang mengetahui kebenarannya. Janganlah sekali-kali kita mewariskan dendam kepada anak-anak kita.


41

L

liputan ————————————————————————————

2006

Bay Area Tour ______________________ By: Jessica Kawilarang

“It was nice

to get out of the hot, humid weather that we were in!” explains Ari Arnaldi. Everyone could agree on that! The Bay area’s cool weather was definitely a welcome invitation to us (IEC’s English youth group) in our first “Bay Area Tour”, visiting the San Jose and San Francisco sister churches. Our goal was to have fellowship with the youth from our sister churches in order to gain greater unity and to also encourage them to join us in our annual Summer Camp. For almost all of us, it was the first time we saw and met with our sister churches. We also got a great tour of San Francisco to go with it. We arrived at Azusa in the morning of Friday, June 30th to find a large, white coach bus with jet-black tinted windows awaiting our departure. With 30 people filling every seat (young adults and a few parents), the seven-hour trip to San Jose was definitely not a quiet one. As some watched movies to pass the time, others played card games, talked to friends, took random pictures, or just played jokes on each other. On our way to San Jose, we were able to make a short stop at Solvang, the famous Dutch community. It was as if we stepped off into another country. Buildings were fashioned like they were in Amsterdam and all the individual shops and restaurants were overflowing with Dutch culture, minus the chain-restaurant Subway, which of course stood out as “foreign” to the entire community. With about an hour to spare, we broke into groups and enjoyed lunch and quick, light shopping. 42


“Look at the shirt I got!” exclaimed Jessica Kawilarang; on the front it read “I ‘heart’ Oma” (evident of the mixture of Dutch and Indonesian culture). “Oh! I got a mug that said “I ‘heart’ Oma” too… but for my Oma!” shared Melissa Tindage. Yet, back on the bus again, we grew weary and restless as more hours were to pass before we reached San Jose. By the time we did reach the community center (which our brothers and sisters from San Jose rented in order to hold all of us), we grew more excited at the fact that we could finally stretch out, but even more than that, we were eager to finally meet the San Jose and San Francisco youth (who drove down to San Jose too). After meeting many people, and for some, old friends from the past, and having a tasty Chinese dinner, which was all too familiar here in Azusa, we gathered together for worship, a short sermon by Pastor Billy, and a presentation of our 2006 Malibu Creek Summer Camp. Even from that short 2-hour fellowship, friendships between the youths already formed, and we found that they were just like us―easy-going, silly, and eager to live for God! However, as night set, we were to go on the bus once more for another hour ride into San Francisco’s Sheraton Hotel. The next morning, we woke up ecstatic to see and experience San Francisco with the help of Emily Hosea (the daughter of Pastor Steven Hosea) as

our tour guide for the day, starting with of course, China Town to get Dim Sum for brunch (better than any other in California!). For the rest of the morning, we walked around China Town, exploring little shops and, without any hesitance, stocked up on all the great food and desserts (what hit the jackpot were their egg custards). Next, we headed up to the symbol of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, where the weather soon turned chilly. But nevertheless, the red bridge, which was slightly covered on top with a layer of white clouds, still grasped our attention by its beauty. But not one minute extra was spent there before we decided it was time to visit one of the largest malls in the world―Union Square. Straight out of the bus, we immediately split up into groups to explore the “mall” (it is comprised of several blocks of buildings). There, you could find almost any store: plenty of designer stores, an 8-story Macy’s made of 3 buildings, several-stories high Levi Jeans store…etc. The bus gained a few pounds after that. After spending several hours rummaging around Union Square, in which most only saw a glimpse of because of its enormous size, we got


43

our taste buds running as we headed to the world-famous Ghirardelli Square, renowned for their chocolate and desserts. We were soon sugar-filled by all the ice cream and chocolate we consumed; but it was worth it. After a whole day out, it was time to take a break at the hotel to end the day. But of course, that didn’t happen. Many decided to stay up late to hang out with each other, talk and get to know people more, swim, and even work-out as a fellowship! The next Sunday morning, we woke up early, packed all out belongings, and loaded the bus in formal-wear (some which were bought the day before) to attend GII San Francisco. Once again, we were able to fellowship with our brothers and sisters and have a Sunday service. The people welcomed us warmly and we got a quick tour of their church building. But of course, no GII is complete without the delicious fellowship lunch served afterwards, in which we got to know each other better before leaving back to L.A. In all, this trip was not just a time of fun, but also a blessing for everyone. First, we were able to gain a stronger bond within our own fellowship since we spent 3 days straight together. People were able to open up and hang out with those they usually do not talk to that much; and coming back, we weren’t the entirely same youth group as before. But even more than gaining a stronger relationship within our fellowship, secondly, we were able to gain greater unity as a church family. Now, our “sister” churches are no longer “long-lost-relatives” with unknown faces to us, but truly family.

44


R

resep ——————————————————————————————

Tekwan Palembang ————————— by Ny. Sinta Sandjaya

Bahan tekwan:

- 1 cup white fish paste - 1/2 cup air - 1 btr putih telur - garam secukupnya - sagu secukupnya (1 pound)

Cara membuat tekwan:

- Didihkan air secukupnya untuk menggodok tekwan - Campurkan fish paste, air, putih telur, dan garam. - Tambahkan sagu secukupnya (sampai kira kira bisa dibentuk bulat) - Masukkan bulatan tadi di air mendidih sampai timbul, lalu angkat dan tiriskan.

Bahan kuah:

- 3 bj bawang merah - 3 bj bawang putih - 1 ons udang utuh (buang kulitnya, ambil daging dan otaknya) - 1 tbs ebi - 1 bengkuang (potong panjang sebesar tusuk gigi) - daun seledri, iris tipis-tipis - bawang goreng - jamur kuping (potong kecil-kecil) - suun - garam - cuka

Cara buat kuah:

- Bawang diulek atau blender - Daging udang dan otaknya dicincang atau blender kasar - Bawang, ebi dan udang ditumis - Tambahkan air secukupnya untuk kuah - Masukkan bengkuang, seledri, jamur kuping, dan suun - Beri garam dan cuka secukupnya. - Masukkan tekwan - Taburkan bawang goreng sebelum dimakan.

Selamat mencoba! PS. Resep pernah dicicipi dalam acara satu bulanan Joshua (putra Heru & Riya)


45

1. Jesus fed 4000 people

TRUE

FALSE

2.

Jesus traveled with 10 disciples TRUE FALSE

3. Naomi’s daughter-in-laws are Oprah and Ruth TRUE

FALSE

4. Metuselah died when he was 996. TRUE

FALSE

5. Zachary was blind until his son, John the Baptist, was born.

TRUE

FALSE

6. God rested at the sixth day of creation day. TRUE

FALSE

7. The Ten Commandments were given to Moses at Mount Sinai. TRUE

8.

FALSE

Saul changed his name into Paul as he became God’s follower. TRUE FALSE 46


5. False, he was mute || 6. False, He rested at the 7th day || 7. true || 8. true

By Debbie Mandaliba 1. True, open Matthew 15: 29-38 || 2. False, it’s 12 || 3. False, Orpah & Ruth || 4. False, 969

TRUE OR FALSE

H

humor —————————————————————

These jokes are taken from www.gcfl.net and jokes.christiansunite.com "A cheerful heart is good medicine..." (Proverbs 17:22a)

-The HelperA pastor is walking down the street one day when he notices a very small boy trying to press a doorbell on a house across the street. However, the boy is too small and the doorbell is too high for him to reach. After watching the boys‛ efforts for some time, the pastor moves closer to the boy‛s position. He steps smartly across the street, walks up behind the little fellow and, placing his hand kindly on the child‛s shoulder leans over and gives the doorbell a solid ring. Crouching down to the child‛s level, the pastor smiles benevolently and asks, “And now what, my little man?” To which the boy replies, “Now we run!”

-Between the pagesA little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascination, and looked at the old pages as he turned them. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible, and he picked it up. He looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages. “Momma, look what I found,” the boy called out. “What have you got there, dear?” his mother asked. With astonishment in the young boy‛s voice, he answered: “I think it‛s Adam‛s suit!” “What‛s wrong with that?” asked his mother. “We hadn‛t started eating yet.”


47

-Jesus' Father's NameA Sunday school teacher asked her class, “What was Jesus‛ mother‛s name?” One child answered, “Mary.” The teacher then asked, “Who knows what Jesus‛ father‛s name was?” A little kid said, “Verge.” Confused, the teacher asked, “Where did you get that?” The kid said, “Well, you know they are always talking about Verge n‛ Mary.” (Virgin Mary)

-Good News Bad NewsA man gets a telephone call from a doctor. The doctor says: “About this medical test I did on you, I have some good news and some bad news.” The man asks for the good news first: “The good news is that you have 24 hours to live,” says the doctor. The man, incredulously: “If that is the good news, then what is the bad news??” “I couldn‛t reach you yesterday.”

-God's Left HandedLittle Bobby was spending the weekend with his grandmother after a particularly trying week in kindergarten. His grandmother decided to take him to the park on Saturday morning. It had been snowing all night and everything was beautiful. His grandmother remarked...”doesn‛t it look like an artist painted this scenery? Did you know God painted this just for you?” Bobby said, “Yes, God did it and he did it left handed.” This confused his grandmother a bit, and she asked him “What makes you say God did this with his left hand?” “Well,” said Bobby, “we learned at Sunday School last week that Jesus sits on God‛s right hand!”

48


Eeditorial. AGAPE Anniversary

Recommend Documents