你的教會W.A.R.M嗎？
文/余頌基
作者（中）和父親余國亮（右）在福遍中國教會李迪牧師的辦公室。
Jireh (middle) and father Glenn Yue (right) with Pastor Dick Lee at his office.
甚麼是教會？
提起「教會」，一般人通常會想到的是信徒聚集、團契、敬拜耶穌基督的那幢建築。「福遍中國教會」（Fort Bend Community Church，以下簡稱FBCC）的牧長和會眾，便是活出教會「追尋神心意，在本地和全地使萬民作基督門徒」宗旨的例子。
我的父親余國亮曾和FBCC的英文牧師李迪（Dick Lee）一起於2003年參加在蘇格蘭的格拉斯哥短宣，透過他的介紹，我來到這個教會。當時不知道，我會很快體驗教會如何在嚴峻情況下，供應了社區的需要。
跟很多人一樣，我每天都要從手機app上查看天氣預報。那天看到雪花的圖案，且預測2月15日週日的氣溫會在華氏32度時，的確有些驚訝。很快地，我接二連三收到電郵和緊急通知，說週日和週一的活動取消和商店提早打烊。我也收到許多因天氣而更改日程的通知和短訊，例如不要去上班，診所休業等等。
教會是寒天中的避難所
週一早上醒來，迎接我的是被一層薄雪和冰覆蓋著的美麗景色。在休士頓住了十年，終於見到白雪落在地上，沒有立即融化。查看電郵時，看到李迪牧師發給所有FBCC會友的通知，標題是〈FBCC為需要的人提供緊急庇護〉，內容說教會將即刻為需要溫暖住處的人敞開大門，直到他們能安全返家。
週一下午，我注意到公寓裡的電器用品和暖氣不動了，房間裡的溫度已從舒服的70度，驟降至略帶寒意的62度。我以為很快就會恢復供電，我就耐心待著，吃了晚飯，早些上床，週二早上醒來時又有電力又有暖氣了。那天晚上，蓋著幾層被子和毯子，我倒是睡得挺溫暖。不過隔天早上醒來，公寓裡涼森森的，看看溫度表，58度。意識到再這樣下去，我需要開始另做打算。
休士頓的情況不妙，許多住宅區停電，而且要到週末才可能恢復供電。我開始琢磨幾個有水有電、溫暖住處的選項。然而因為疫情，社交距離和隔離的規定使得情況更複雜。考量不同的方案後，我記起李牧師的電郵，說FBCC為那些受冰雪影響的人提供住所。聯絡上李牧師，他要我來教會，說會為我預備好一個房間。
教會一般的定義是敬拜耶穌基督和團契的家。我從未期待教會成為冰凍中的休士頓少數幾處有電、供暖，還有乾淨熱水和免費Wi-Fi的地方。一到FBCC，立刻受到暖暖的歡迎和同工的接待，他們帶我到我的房間，就是關明道（Samuel Kwan）牧師的辦公室。我首先注意到辦公室裡沿著牆擺了兩張沙發，一張茶几，書櫃上滿滿都是不同主題的書，看起來是出人意外的舒適，好像家裡的起居間。
FBCC陸續來了許多會友，都有著類似的故事，不是水管凍爆了而造成損壞，就是停電了沒暖氣。一家一家在各個辦公室和教室安頓下來，同工們為入住的人提供點心，盡最大努力讓大夥兒有家的感覺。在冰冷中醒來時，溫溫的點心嚐來竟如此美味，好像精緻美食般。
太陽漸漸西沉，該解決晚餐了。因為路況欠佳，Uber Eats和附近的送餐服務都叫不到，許多餐館也歇業。正在關牧師的辦公室裡坐著，一位同工敲敲門，要帶我看看廚房裡諸如微波爐、爐子、烤箱等器具。通往廚房的道上，我看到烤雞、點心，還有各式各樣的食物，都是一位匿名會友為這些留宿教會的人預備的。整個晚上，小組組員不斷給我發短訊，要知道我真的沒事。牧長們也聯繫我，確定我在這新的環境中還能適應。
作者與父親在福遍中國教會前合影。
Jireh and father Glenn Yue.
患難中的體會
這次的經驗讓我不再把像水、電、暖氣等的生活必需品視為理所當然。我也很感恩能有這個教會在困難的情況中，對社區敞開大門，提供庇護之處。省思大休士頓地區的居住狀況，和FBCC為會員所做的一切，讓我想到教會在困難處境中能做的事，歸納為W.A.R.M（溫暖）四項。
Willingness（甘心）：「如今就當辦成這事。既有願做的心，也當照你們所有的去辦成。」（哥林多後書8:11）神知道我們的能力、資源、時間都有限。祂向我們所要的只是願意的心。主耶穌要的是甘心順服祂的旨意，達成祂榮耀的目的。當我在暖暖的牧師辦公室安頓好了，計畫著接下來幾天要做的事，小組成員和教會會友不斷提供他們的資源，例如熱騰騰的飯食、毯子、熱水，還有禱告。在冰雪中，我的居住品質因此大大改善。小組成員提前佈署，並願意投入心力，為了確保我在教會的留宿環境盡可能跟在自己家中沒甚麼差別。
Available（供用）：「我們應當靠著耶穌，常常以頌讚為祭獻給神，這就是那承認主名之人嘴唇的果子。只是不可忘記行善和捐輸的事，因為這樣的祭是神所喜悅的。」（希伯來書13:15-16）提供自己的可用之處，是把別人的需要，而非自己的需要，看為優先。服事中，我們受召向神和他人提供自己可用之處，這是討神喜悅的一種敬拜方式。冰雪中，許多教會牧長的家也受影響，但他們無私地先服務社區需要。
Ready（準備）：「所以，你們也要預備，因為你們想不到的時候，人子就來了。」（馬太福音24:44）準備意味著預期社區會有需要，而能採取恰當的措施來濟助需要。週三早上醒來，新聞報導說鄰近社區還有許多人缺水、停電。牧長和同工預期社區仍有需要庇護所，便繼續清理教堂，準備著敞開門，容納更多人。
Mobilize（動員）：「耶穌走遍各城各鄉，在會堂裡教訓人，宣講天國的福音，又醫治各樣的病症。」（馬太福音9:35）FBCC和會友動員起來，參與密蘇里市（Missouri City）的各樣服務。每月的第三個週六，你可以看到戴著口罩和手套的會眾，參與教會舉辦的送餐行動，把餐盒送到經濟受困而無法採買食物的家庭。甚至在疫情間，小組準備了一籃一籃的食物，送給需要的家庭。
沒有人喜歡困境，因為造成了不便，改變了日常。感謝神，在這次休士頓地區的冰雪風暴中，教導我為能享用現代生活的奢侈，如電、熱水、暖氣、Wi-Fi等，而感恩。改變居住環境，一開始的確帶來不便。但我也因此能親身體驗教會和會友的溫暖。現在，我經歷也明白了一個「溫暖」（W.A.R.M.）教會的真義。
Is Your Church W.A.R.M?
Jireh Yue
What is the church? When people think of a church they usually think of a building where believers gather together and have fellowship to worship Jesus Christ. Fort Bend Community Church (FBCC) is an example of a church whose pastoral staff and church members embody the church’s mission statement which is to “pursue the heart of God by making disciples locally and globally to reach all people for Christ.” I was first introduced to FBCC through my father, Glenn Yue, who worked with FBCC English Pastor Dick Lee on a short-term missions trip in Glasgow, Scotland in 2003. Little did I know I would soon experience how this church meets the needs of its community during extreme circumstances.
Like many people I check my weather app daily on my cell phone, and to my surprise I saw the snowflakes graphic with a predicted temperature reading 32oF for the upcoming Sunday, February 15, 2021. Soon I began receiving many emails and alerts about early store closures and cancelled events that Sunday afternoon and on Monday. I also received many notices and text messages about schedule changes such as not going to work and health clinic closures due to the inclement weather.
I woke up Monday morning to a beautiful sight a thin cover of snow on the ground and ice covering the parking lot. Finally after living in Houston for more than 10 years, I can finally see pure white snow sticking to the ground and not melting away. As I was going through my email inbox, I received an email from Pastor Lee that was sent to all FBCC members entitled “Emergency Shelter at FBCC for those in Need.” The body of the email said that FBCC was immediately opening its doors for emergency use for people who needed a warm place to stay until they could return home safely.
Around Monday late afternoon, I noticed that all my electrical appliances and the heat in my apartment went out and that there was a substantial drop in my apartment temperature from a cozy 70oF to a brisk 62oF. I assumed the power would return back to normal in a bit, so my strategy was to be patient, eat dinner, go to bed early, and wake up Tuesday morning with electricity and heat. I stayed warm in bed by sleeping under a couple layers of comforters and blankets, and I woke up Tuesday morning to a frigid cold that permeated my apartment. I walked over to my thermostat and was surprised that it read 58oF. I realized I needed to start thinking of contingency plans if my living situation did not improve.
The news outlook for Houston was not promising with loss of power in many residential areas and electrical power not coming back until the end of the week. I thought through many options to find a living arrangement with electricity, warmth, and working water. Complicating these scenarios is that our society is still under social distancing regulations and quarantine due to the COVID virus. I considered many options, and I remembered that email from Pastor Lee stating that FBCC would be open for housing for anyone affected by the winter storm. I contacted Pastor Lee, and he told me to come by church they would have a room ready for me.
A church is usually defined as a house of worship and fellowship to Jesus Christ. I would never expect it be one of the few places in Houston with electricity, ambient heat, clean hot water, and free Wi-Fi in the midst of a freeze. When I arrived at FBCC, I was welcomed with warmth (literally) and hospitality from the church staff as they brought me to my room, which was Pastor Samuel Kwan’s office. The first thing I noticed in his office were two large couches along the wall, a coffee table, and bookshelves filled with a plethora of books on a wide variety of subjects. The office looked surprisingly comfortable, since it resembled a family living room.
FBCC started to fill up with church members, all with similar stories of having burst water pipes leading to extensive water damage and not having electrical power and heat. Families were settling inside different offices and classrooms at FBCC, and the church staff were doing their best to bring some semblance of home by offering warm pastries for everyone staying over. The warm snack tasted so delicious it was like receiving a gourmet meal after waking up to frigid temperatures.
As the sun started to set, the issue of dinner came to my mind. Uber Eats and other local delivery services could not deliver due to poor road conditions, let alone closed restaurants. However, when I was sitting in Pastor Kwan’s office, a church staff member knocked on my door to show me the kitchen amenities such as microwave, stove, and oven. On the way to the kitchen, I saw rotisserie chicken, snacks, and assortment of other foods delivered by an anonymous church member for everyone spending the night at FBCC. Throughout the evening, members from my small group texted me to make sure that I was all right. Pastoral staff members contacted me to make sure that I was getting accustomed to the new surroundings and doing well.
I have gained a new perspective in not taking for granted many living necessities such as water, electricity, and heat. Most importantly I was thankful to a church for being a place of refuge and for opening its doors to the community during very difficult living circumstances. As I reflected on the living situations throughout Houston, and what FBCC did for its members, it made me think of what a church can do during difficult situations, and it can be summarized by the acronym W.A.R.M.
Willingness: “Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.” (New International Version, II Corinthians 8:11). We all have limited abilities, resources, and time, and God knows that but all that He desires from us is a willing heart. The Lord wants a willing heart to obey His commands and to achieve his glorious purpose. As I got situated in the warm pastor’s office and was planning what to do over the next few days, members of my small group and FBCC were offering their resources such as warm cooked meals, blankets, hot water, and prayers to me. My housing situation was greatly improved by staying at FBCC during the winter storm, and my small group members were thinking ahead and willing to put in the effort to make sure that my living situation at the church was as close as to living at my actual home.
Available: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (New International Version, Hebrews 13:15-16). Being available means making the needs of others our first priority rather than serving our own needs first. When we are serving, we are called to be available to Him and others for it is a form of worship that is pleasing to God. Many of the pastoral staff’s homes were affected by the winter storm, yet they were unselfish and made themselves available to serve the needs of community affected by the frigid temperatures.
Ready: “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. “(New International Version, Matthew 24:44). Being ready means anticipating a need in the community and taking the appropriate action to accommodate that need. When I woke up Wednesday morning, the news report went out that the many in the nearby community still did not have power or clean water. The pastoral and church staff continued to clean and organize the church building to open its door to the community since they were anticipating a great need for shelter during this winter storm.
Mobilize: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.” (New International Version, Matthew 9:35). FBCC and its members mobilize and participate in many service projects throughout the Missouri City community. On the third Saturday of every month, you will see church members participate in the FBCC Food Fair by putting on masks and gloves and delivering boxes of food to families who don’t have the economic needs to afford groceries. Even during the pandemic, small groups arrange to have food baskets prepared and delivered to families needing these basic necessities.
Nobody really likes difficulties because it causes inconveniences to our lives and changes to our normal routine. I thank God for teaching me to appreciate and enjoy the modern luxury of electricity, hot water, heat, and Wi-Fi through the most recent winter storm in Houston. At first it was very inconvenient to alter my living circumstance, but I was able to experience firsthand the warmness of a church and its members. Now I have experienced and know the meaning of a W.A.R.M church.