Wednesday, 31 July 2013 13:33

My Memories of ACEM

Written by  Rev/ Wesley Lim
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About Rev. Dr. John Kao

In 1975 at fifteen, I first met Rev. John Kao in a youth Christian conference where he was my workshop speaker on Christian Living. I was impressed by his dynamic style of speaking (with humor).  At twenty-three, I was impacted by what he preached in one Sunday on serving God fulltime (using his own testimony).   At twenty-nine, Rev. Kao took me to lunch and I was introduced through his wisdom and guidance to study and serve God fulltime.

During my whole academic period Rev. Kao made it a point to ask me from time to time how I was doing in my studies and whether I was going to graduate on schedule!

 

As I reflect back in the years I served in TCCC the most impactful time would have been my beginning serving as an intern pastor in Children Ministry. Rev. Kao’s very first instructions to me was that I have total autonomy to serve in the Children Ministry, to work well with my deacons, to serve not just the children but their families, and to stand up for biblical principles. (NO COMPROMISE!)

 

In my first preaching assignment in Sunday service through a Cantonese interpreter, I was given a topic to prepare.  The week before the Sunday service in the pastoral staff meeting, Rev. Kao chaired the meeting and asked me how I was coming along in my sermon preparation. In my state of fear and trembling as a lowly pastoral intern with no experience in preaching, I responded to Rev. Kao, “I will do my best”.  He looked up from his notes and looked straight at me across the meeting table with those big, round, fierce looking eyes…and said, “You do better than that!”  (NO COMPLACENCY!)

On March 17, 2002 would be my greatest encouragement in ministry in the ordination that God bestowed on me through the church family of TCCC.  But I reserved my greatest gratitude to Rev. Kao for his exhortation to me which serve to be so empowering in my ministry with children.

About ACEM

What impresses me about ACEM would be the annual Missions Conference. The event itself only covers one or two weekends. But the planning and the coordinating starts at the beginning of each year. Now the ACEM family has grown double in number of churches, the planning and coordinating of the annual conference is one that is daunting. ACEM is blessed to have a great team of workers to undertake this daunting task every year. All team members make the annual Conference one that embraces the ACEM family of 12 churches along with all the committed and dedicated people who will be supported and send by the ACEM family to the various missions fields.

My fondest memory of ACEM was when I just started out as an intern in TCCC and I was asked to take part in the Missions Planning meetings. I thought to myself, “Wow… I better not fall asleep during the meeting!” The reason being that my fondest memory is sitting alongside in the committee consisting of Rev. John Kao, Rev. Sam Ng, Rev. Sam Chan and Deacon Daniel Chan.

My thanksgiving to ACEM for embracing my spiritual journey with people like Rev. Irene Cheung, Pastor Teresa Tong, Mrs. Rebecca Lee, Pastor Carolyn Li. Our ministry work does not cross paths too often but when there is ACEM work to be done I cannot be more blessed than to have worked with the faithful ones mentioned.

My greatest thanksgiving to ACEM would be my ordination in 2002. Aside from my gratitude to my parents and family and the TCCC family, I was so honored and humbled by the whole event which is one that was intentionally put together to glorify God with the “icing” on the cake by Rev. Kao’s message to further encouraged me in my ministry with children.

(Pastor of Toronto Chinese Community Church)

Last modified on Tuesday, 14 April 2020 11:32
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