高雲漢
感謝天父，城北華基廿五週年堂慶，值得感恩慶賀的事甚多，其中特別要感恩是神賞賜「新的應許地」！
在舊約時代，應許地是耶和華神指定應許的地方，是神子民憑信心蒙神帶領、流奶與蜜的地方；更是經過掙扎而得安息、蒙教導而得豐盛生命，向萬國萬民作見證的地方。在新約時代，主基督設立教會，作為神兒女「新的應許地」。城北華基的弟兄姊妹也同樣經歷神的恩典，憑信心順服神的帶領，領受應許的美地。
回想當年我和高師母懇切禱告，求神賞賜合適的地點預備植堂，一般人的想法是去華人聚居的唐人街，神指定的應許地卻不是這樣。一天我們來到央街與樂倫區地鐵站出口，在一間小小西國教會參加崇拜，想不到後來就借用這間弟兄會開始了華基教會。
1975年1月12日舉行首次崇拜，附近甚少華人家庭，主卻吸引許多青年學生在主日下午從南從北坐地鐵來聚會。因為加拿大移民政策改變，學生成為移民，信主人數遽增。這些天時、地利、人和的美好條件，不是人的揀選，都是主基督親自帶領「新的應許地」。
蒙主恩典，華基教會不斷增長，許多青年獻身事主。1979年6月開始有兩個聚會點，主日上午在士嘉堡有愛正堂，許多元老家庭都來這裡聚會；下午樂倫堂仍留在原址，多為青年學生。我便同時牧養兩間教會。
1982年夏天，陳琛儀牧師神學畢業，立即在愛正堂事奉，後來有同工加入，便調往樂倫堂服侍。陳牧師察覺這間青年教會增長緩慢，當地華人甚少，他便專心尋求更適合聚會的地方，求神賜「新的應許地」。1985年10月，陳牧師帶領樂倫堂正式向北遷移，在央街北區借用中學舉行首次崇拜，改名城北堂。1987年黃少明牧師加入教牧團隊，帶領執事繼續尋求主的心意，擴展神國。
那時華基聯會剛成立，領袖有強烈感動要到灣景與七號公路植堂，雖然當時烈治民巿一帶很少華人，神卻給陳琛儀牧師異象、信心與勇氣，1989年3月毅然把城北堂搬到灣景與梅麥大道（Bayview & MajorMac）的中學聚會，並在附近購地建堂，真是神奇妙的帶領。
誰能預料，當404高速公路開發後，烈治民山成為新發展的黃金地段，華人都喜歡移居這裡，渴慕福音，人數倍增，更先後於1997年及2008年有第二及第三期擴堂，這是主基督帶領和賞賜城北堂「新的應許地」，使我們在多方面大大蒙福。
神的子民在新的應許地，應該緊記舊約選民的失敗教訓，他們把蒙福的機會變成遭難的結果。相信我們華基教會一定會靠主活出基督，榮耀主名：
一． 必須靠主活出基督的大生命：堅守主道，靈命豐盛。
二． 必須靠主順服基督的大誡命：愛神愛人，相愛合一。
三． 必須靠主推動基督的大使命：培訓門徒，廣傳福音。
藉此感恩堂慶，我們深思反省，感謝主恩奇妙帶領；又再接再厲，直奔標竿，福澤歸人，榮耀歸神！
（作者為華基聯會創會及顧問牧師）
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John Kao
As we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of RHCCC, we are grateful to the Lord for His wonderful blessings, especially His gift of the ‘New Promised Land’!
In the days of the Old Testament, the Promised Land was a place prepared by God for His people. By faith, they were led to this land of milk and honey. By obedience to God, they found rest and abundance in Him. In the days of the New Testament, Jesus Christ established the church, which became the ‘New Promised Land’ for the children of God. Likewise, the brothers and sisters of RHCCC shared the same experience. Through faith and obedience, they have been blessed with the New Promised Land.
Many years ago, my wife and I prayed earnestly for a site where we could plant a church. Many suggested that we should go to Chinatown, where the majority of Chinese people resided, but God had other plans. One day, we attended the worship service of a small Caucasian church near the Yonge and Lawrence. We never thought that one day we would use this borrowed facility and plant an ACEM church.
On Jan. 12, 1975, we held our first worship service in this neighbourhood, where not too many Chinese families resided. The Lord, however, brought to this church many people by subway from north and south of the city. Due to a change of immigration policy, many visa students became immigrants and accepted Christ here. The combined factors of time, location and people helped the growth of this church, which was not because of human work, but because our Lord Jesus Christ had led us to this ‘New Promise Land’.
By God’s grace, many young adults committed their lives to serving God. In June 1979, our church had two meeting places and I looked after both congregations. The Agincourt congregation, mostly founding members of the church, held their worship service in the Scarborough site whereas the Lawrence congregation, mostly young students, stayed in the Yonge and Lawrence location.
After Pastor Sam Chan graduated from the Tyndale Theological Seminary in the summer of 1982, he was appointed to pastor the Lawrence congregation. Due to the slow growth of this young church, Pastor Sam looked for another place of worship and prayed for a ‘New Promised Land’. Under his leadership, the Lawrence congregation moved north to Lewis Beattie Secondary School at Yonge and Drewry in Oct. 1985, and was named the Yonge North Church. In 1987, Pastor Simon Wong joined the pastoral team and the Church Board continued to seek God’s will in expanding His Kingdom.
In those days, only a handful of Chinese families lived in Richmond Hill, but God gave vision, faith and courage to Pastor Sam. He led the congregation to hold their worship service at the Bayview Secondary School and the Lord wondrously provided a parcel of land for church building in this area.
Who would have thought that with the opening of Highway 404, Richmond Hill would turn into a popular residential area for Chinese families? Many came to accept Christ at the new location. In order to meet the needs of the growing congregation, Phase II and Phase III church expansion projects were carried out in 1997 and 2008. These are all wonderful blessings of the ‘New Promised Land’!
God’s people must never forget the lessons of the Israelites in the days of the Old Testament. Sadly, God’s chosen people turned their blessings into sorrowful experiences. I trust that ACEM churches will instead seek to trust God and glorify His name:
1. Live a life of purpose: Stand firm in truth and grow in Spirit.
2. Obey His Great Commandment: Love God and love one another.
3. Carry out the Great Commission: Train disciples and spread the gospel.
At this time of thanksgiving and celebration, let us reflect on God’s grace and guidance.
We are blessed to be a blessing and let us glorify His name!
Rev. Dr. John Kao is the Founding Pastor and Adviser of Association of Chinese Evangelical Ministries (Canada).
