G R A C E C O V E N A N T C H U R C H May 2001 Volume 3, Issue 1

Journal Of Testimony

Summer Survival Kit: Making the Most Out of Your Summer

Inside this issue:

From the Staff It’s Chi Time! Top 10 At the Senior Citizen Center My Weekend Commute Summer Missions 2001 12 Reading List Until We Meet Again… 2 4 7 8 10 13 14 School’s out, the last of your finals are over, and it’s time to go home. You are definitely ready for the rest and relaxation to begin. As you happily be gin the enormous task of packing and clearing out your room before the dorm kicks you out, you reflect on the chal lenges and blessings that you experi enced over the past year. You’ve grown in many ways and as you look ahead to the summer, you’re a bit anxious, not knowing whether the time of growth will continue. The summer can be a very rich experience in a student Christian’s life, because there’s a lot more time to digest and apply all that’s been learned. I hope these practical suggestions will bring you to even higher heights, that you too may have amazing summer testimonies to share:

Preparation

. Before entering into one of the most difficult summers of her college life, one sister entered into a time of preparation through fasting and prayer. She made it her number one prayer request, as she met up with people to pray with. “Preparing for that summer gave me the right focus as I went into it. [Since home life can be so completely different from school life] I wasn’t so shocked when I got home and it was an easier transition to make. I really felt the power of prayer that summer, because I knew others back at school and GCC were praying for me.” In retrospect, that was her most bless ing summer.

Accountability

. For me, my first year of college was an awesome time of spiritual growth, and much of it was because there were so many brothers and sisters that encouraged and challenged me. As my summer break approached, I was concerned about the lack of this fellowship that I would miss at home. I knew that one way to find this same fellowship at home was to find an accountability partner. Although Cindy and I hadn’t been that close in high school, we ecame better friends (and even better

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Editor’s Note

After a brief hiatus—okay, well, not that brief—the Grace Covenant newsletter is back! We’re excited to present to you a new issue of the

Journal of Testimony

. We feel this is a good opportunity to re mind the reader of the purpose of this newsletter: to build up the body of believers through the encou r agement of personal testimonies. We hope that this will be a place where you can share about the ways our awesome God has been working in your life. The Pastoral Spotlight includes an exclusive interview with our very own Pastor Paul Chi. We visited our graduates at the Senior Citizen Center to create Around the Dinner Table; we hope you get as blessed by their responses as we were! Also included in this issue are some suggestions for those who will be going away for the summer, as well as an article that will convince you to spend your summer in Philly. Jenni Lee gives us a new perspective of commitment as she shares with us her weekly co m mute from NYC to Philly, and the grand finale is a farewell page to our graduates. May these reflections spur us on to love and good deeds, all for the glory of our amazing Lord! -

JOT

staff “Therefore encourage each other with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18

JOT

Staff Editorial: Esther Kim, Ji-Sun Yi Technical: Deborah Bae, Edward Choe If you would like to submit articles or join our staff, please contact Ji-Sun at [email protected]

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Summer Survival Kit… continued

became better friends (and even better now!) during our first year in college. We were on similar pages in our Christian walk, and when I found out that she would also be spending her summer break at home, I knew that God had found me a summer accountability partner. We met to share and pray weekly, where we prayed for each other and our campus fellowships and churches, as well as the incoming freshmen of our schools. One other summer, we went through a Bible study together. There were other older sisters who were my passion partners not so close to home, who would call and write to encourage me. One sister who was able to attend GCC during the summer even photocopied her Friday and Sunday sermon notes and faithfully mailed them to me throughout the summer! Those were the pre-GCC webpage days. Accountability has made my summers into times where I encountered God. They would have been diffi cult to get through without these passion and prayer partners. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

Involvement and fellowship.

Many told me that getting involved with ministries that were around them helped them have a productive summer as well. One sister shared how every summer, in the month of July, she serves as a camp counselor for high school students. “It’s a week-long retreat, and it really helps me to keep my focus as I minister to these kids.” One brother shared how just getting in volved at his home church allowed him to have a fruitful summer. “I attended the weekly Bible studies and that helped me to grow during the summer.” Another brother also pointed out how getting involved with a ministry close to where you are during your break helps you keep busy. “It’s easy to get lazy.” Summer is also a good time to build relationships, whether it’s with brothers and sisters you’re already close to or acquaintances you barely know. “You definitely shouldn’t isolate yourself; that’s so easy to do over the summer. Keep in touch with the brothers and sisters you’ve made at school and church, whether through email, letters or phone calls. It really encourages the both of you,” one brother shared.

Resources.

For those of you who are bookworms, maybe you look at your college break as time to catch up on your reading list, i.e., all the Christian books you’ve received as gifts. I hope you take ad vantage of our church’s book table as well as the pastors’ recommended summer reading list found in this issue. Also, the GCC webpage offers the summer sermons online through Real Audio. It’s nice to hear a familiar pastor’s voice, even though he may actually be many miles away. Unwinding is good after a tough semester or a grueling school year but we must learn to redeem our unwinding. Trust in God to give you the times of refreshing and renewal that this summer will bring. - Ji-Sun Yi

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Pastoral Spotlight: It’s Chi Time!

By: Esther Kim “If you could be any movie character, who would you be and why?” Imagine that you asked Pastor Paul Chi this question. What do you think would have been his response? Well, here was his response- “Rocky =) I’ve watched each Rocky movie at least ten times, but my eyes still get watery each time I see the underdog overcome all the odds. Isn’t it like the Gospel? That the hopeless is victorious in the end!” For this newsletter, I had the oppor tunity to interview Pastor Paul. My aim was to catch a glimpse of his heart and life. Furthermore, I wanted to see how God has been working in his life. Amidst the countless laughter throughout the interview, I could clearly see that his life was covered with the fingerprints of God. Here are the questions that drew light into the different areas of Pastor Paul’s life. Q:

How and when did you become a Christian?

A: I grew up in a church environment, but later realized that I was never a true Christian during that time. Entering the University of Illinois, I had the ambition of achieving these four titles - BS, CPA, BMW, and MRS (Mrs. Paul Chi). As a freshman, I was divided between my worldly group of friends and church friends. I realized that my church friends had a sense of peace that I lacked. Their life style revealed to me the emptiness of my heart. During a lock-in that year, a brother approached me and challenged me to choose the life of God or the life of the world. That night I chose the ways of

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Chi Time… continued

God and accepted Christ. On the way walking home after the lock-in, I asked myself- “Is this Budweiser or the Holy Spirit?” I was asking myself this question, because I had been out drinking with friends be fore deciding to go to the lock-in. However, as I see what God has done in my life, it is undeniable that it was the Holy Spirit working that night of September 28, 1990. Q:

What is your most embarrassing moment in your post-ministry experience?

A: My first week of ministry was at a youth group retreat. The retreat center had a huge rope course, which was forty feet above the ground through the trees. You use hiking harnesses and you move through the obstacle course. It was my first weekend with these kids, I wanted to make a good impre s sion. The one problem is that I am deathly afraid of heights. I was so afraid that my whole body was trembling. My shirt was drenched with sweat as if I had jumped into a swimming pool before I even be gan the rope course. All the kids went before me and when it was finally my turn, I shimmied my way through each stage at the rope course. The kids picked up on my fear and were laughing at me from be low. So much sweat was falling from my body that they kept joking how it seemed like it was raining… Q:

What called you to full-time ministry?

A: Since my freshmen year, I had contemplated about entering the ministry. However, I was told by many older brothers in the faith that I should not enter ministry unless I had an undeniable conviction that God was calling me towards this vocation. They told me that there would be times when things be come so overwhelming and difficult that I would want to quit. The undeniable conviction of following the will of God and that it is not a mistake would be the source of strength and endurance. Thus I stru g gled with the decision from my freshmen year through my senior year. It was during my senior year that my grandmother became very ill. The majority of my memories of her are of when she would be in our living room praying and reading her Bible, which was colorful like a rainbow because of the numerous times she had read through and highlighted the Bible. I remember sitting at her funeral, and as I sat in the pew, I felt like God was convicting me in my heart and asking me if I would be willing to invest and live for those things that are eternal: Him, His Word, and His people. As I quietly prayed, an undeniable conviction began to fill my heart that day which remains to this day, seven years later. There have been times when I’ve struggled and doubted my calling. I remember one day a few years ago struggling so much in youth group ministry, I drove home in tears and wondered if I had made a mistake. Late that night I remember sitting in front of my computer contemplating how I would write a resignation letter to the church that I was serving. But as I struggled and cried out to the Lord, the undeniable conviction came out that God knows what he is doing and that it is he who has called me to the ministry and that He would not fail me.

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Chi Time… continued

Q-

How have you been most blessed at GCC?

A- I’ve really enjoyed getting to meet up with people through the last couple of years. It’s such a bless ing to see God transforming people before my very eyes. Q-

How has God been challenging you lately?

A- Recently, I started the ordination process. In the process of writing papers, taking exams, and going to interviews, I realized how much I lack in His Word. Q-Here’s a random, lighter question-

If you could pick a fruit to describe yourself, what would you be and why?

A- I would be a kiwi. Rough on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside.  “These are a Few of My Favorite Things…” Food- sushi, steak, not broccoli Movies- Rocky 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Books- Desiring God - John Piper, No Wonder They Call Him the Savior - Max Lucado, The Imitation of Christ - Tho mas à Kempis Sports- basketball, tennis, football Verses- Matthew 13: 45-46, Psalm 27 Bible Character- Apostle Paul Song- “The Old Rugged Cross”, “Stranger to Your Holiness” (Steve Camp) Did you know… -During his late junior high and early high school years, he was a member of the chess club. He was the district champion. -As a senior at University of Illinois, our Pastor Paul had a semester of poetic enlightenment. One of his famous poems was entitled “A Place Called Special”. -Pastor Paul got “jiggy wit it” as a mem ber of Mustard Seed, the dance group min istry at Covenant Fellowship Church. -He traveled to Burundi and Kenya in 1992 for missions. In 1994, he was involved in inner-city missions in Chicago. His last missions trip was to Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Rwanda in 1996.

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Ed Choe’s Top 10 Reasons to Stay in Philly for the Summer

10. Pat’s and Geno’s – you can make fun of all the tourists who go there for ”authentic” cheese-steaks. 9.

W hen el se c a n you hop e t o c a t c h a r a r e 3- eyed mu t a nt f ish f r om t he Sc hyu l k il l ?

8 .

Tr ust me – you’ll miss t he rush of crossing t he st reet wit h Philly drivers on t he loose. 7. C’mon - you know t hat t he sound of pol ice car s, g unshot s, and ambul an c es ac t ual l y l ul l s you t o sl eep . 6. Where else can you walk into Beijing and think, “I could have gotten this for $3 at Kim’s!?”

5 .

Where else can you wai t f or f ood at Ki m’ s and t hi nk, “ Thi s would have been qui cker at Bei ji ng!?” 4. Rita’s Wooter-Ice! (it comes in churry, strawburry, and other assorted fla vors). 3. Plenty of time to visit New York City and admire how clean it is.

2.

Another fun-filled issue of JOT will be coming out… blessings guaranteed or your money back!

1. One word: GCC!

Around the Graduate Dinner Table

We asked the graduates the following question:

“What title or verse of a song describes how you’re feeling as you graduate?”

they said: Here’s what “Love so amazing, so divine: demands my soul, my life, my all.” (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Third Day) “All along you were beside me—even when I couldn’t tell” (I’m So Secure, Hillsongs) “Refine Me” (Jennifer Knapp) God’s not done with me yet! “And where He leads me, I will follow” (C.O.R., “I Believe in God) “All things are possible!” (Hillsongs) “Deep blue something” (Breakfast at Tiffany’s) “All along, You were beside me, even when I couldn’t tell, through the years, you show me more of You!!!” (I’m So Secure, Hillsongs) “My God, why would You shed Your blood so pure and undefiled? To make a sinful one like me Your chosen precious child?” (Alas and Did My Savior Bleed) “Lord, I long to see You glorified in everything I do" (Lord of All, Hillsongs) “Be Thou my Wisdom & Thou my true Word, I ever with Thee & Thou with me” (Be Thou My Vision, Mary Byrne & Eleanor Hull) “Come to the light, Come as you are, You can be the friend of God” (Come to the Light) "Cuz you're his cheeseburger. His precious cheeseburger. He'll be back for you" (His Cheeseburger, Veggietales) "Desperate for changing, Starving for truth, Closer to where I started, Chasing after you" (Hanging by a Moment, Lifehouse) "Cause blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe and blest are the hands that keep givin' but never receive. Blest is the heart that gets broken but keeps holdin' on for another day holdin' on for another day 'cause that's what it means to live by faith." (Live by Faith, Chris Rice) "He's changing me, my precious Jesus, I'm not the same person that I used to be. Sometimes it's slow going, but there is knowing, that someday perfect I will be." (He’s Changing Me) “Consider all that He has done, stand in awe and be amazed, and know that He will never change,be still...” (Be Still and Know, Steven Curtis Chapman)

Around the Graduate Dinner Table

“…But this Man of no reputation loves the weak with relentless affection…He was a Man of no reputation.” (A Man of No Reputation, Rick Elias) “This world has nothing for me, and this world has everything, All that I could want and nothing that I need.” (This World, Caedmon’s Call) “We will give ourselves no rest ‘til Your Kingdom comes on earth, God of Heaven on our knees we fall.” (Knocking on the Door of Heaven, Matt Redman) “Take my hand and walk where I lead, keep your eyes on me along.” (Take My Hand, The Kry) “Take me, mold me, use me, fill me. I give my life to the Potter’s hand.” (The Potter’s Hand, Hillsongs) “I am so tired of compromising, I am so tired of luke-warm living, So here I am with arms wide open…Set me on fire, Take this heart of mine, Place your love inside, I want to go against the grain, Set me on fire….” (Set me on Fire, One Day) “…the more I understand that I do not comprehend this love that’s coming from your hand.” (Who Am I?, Point of Grace) “Life ain’t no bed of roses.” (I Believe in You, Jean-Luc Lajoie, Pete Nelson and Yves Lajoie “Don’t Count the Days. Let the Days Count.” (Blessings, Alanis)

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.” Psalm 89:1-2

My Weekend Commute

by Jenni Lee

Friday

5:15pm…I shut down the computer, wish everyone a good weekend and grab my bags as I head towards the elevator. I step in as the doors close behind me and during the steady drop from the 25 th floor, different thoughts go through my mind…I hope I can make the 6:00pm bus tonight…I hope there’s no traffic on the Turnpike…. 5:49pm…the subway doors finally open and somehow I’ve managed to get ahead of the rush hour mass of commuters and I start dashing up the stairs…I take a quick peek at my watch. Phew, still on time for the 6pm…. 6:15pm…we leave the Lincoln tunnel behind and as the bus wraps around the bend, I gaze out the window to catch a glimpse of the Manhattan skyline…its beauty never fails to amaze me time and time again…. 7:45pm…the lights come on and I open my eyes to find the bus pulling into the station. My eyes squint to adjust themselves to the light, and as I step off the bus, I spot my parents waiting in the car….

Sunday

1:30pm…after church, I pull into the driveway, park the car and open the front door of the house. Immediately, I head towards the kitchen, hoping there’s something to eat. I’m ecstatic to find a couple of covered pots on the stove…Good, it’s still warm…. 3:00pm…it’s almost time to go to the bus station…I head to my room and start packing my bag. I look around, fold everything neatly as possible and try to find more room for things I’ve decided to take back…why do I always end up taking more things to NY than when I come home? 3:26pm…I decide to rummage through the refrigerator and the cupboard to do a little “grocery shopping”…ah, yes…I can never have enough ramen…and let me grab some apples too while I’m at it…. 3:55pm…I lug my bags downstairs and wait patiently by the foyer… “Sarah! Susie! Let’s go!!! (silence)…come on, who’s going to take me to the station this time?”…every week is a battle to get a ride to the bus station…we hop into the car, and as we back out of the driveway, many thoughts go through my mind…I hope there isn’t a long line…I hope I can get on the 5:00pm bus…I don’t want to get bumped off like last time…. … continued

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My Weekend Commute… continued

5:08pm…I hand my ticket to the driver and as I walk down the narrow aisle, my eyes scan the seats for an empty one…my hopes hang on the looks of passengers who gingerly turn their heads away as soon as they see the new people board the bus…I finally spot an empty seat…. 5:15pm… “excuse me, is this seat taken?” the person shakes her head, and I plop myself down being careful not to hit anyone’s head with my duffel bag…I settle in by pushing my chair back and tak ing a deep breath…. …This has been my weekend commute from New York to Philadelphia for four years now. I am so grateful to God for giving me the patience, desire and willingness to come down every weekend. There have been many times when I just did not want to step on that bus, but God has given me a heart for GCC and a love for my family group that has been growing steadily through the years. I have been asked the same question many times over, “Jenni, when are you going to move back home and stop commuting?”… “when are you going to settle down in one city?”…this has been a struggle for some time, but I have realized that as long as I am in the will of God, I am safe. That is all I need. I know that God has placed me in this situation for a reason. I strongly believe that there is a purpose for everything, and I can only pray that I will be faithful and remain committed to His plan for me. God is teaching me that if I am faithful in the small things, He will prepare me to be faithful in the greater things. I pray that I will continue to seek Him with a joyful heart, and that I will have the right attitude to know that He is always in control. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

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Summer Missions 2001

Peru Missions Team

Schedule: 06/18 Depart from Philadelphia to Lima 06/19-07/03 Ministry in Cusco / Urubamba 07/04-07/16 Ministry in Lima / Huarez 07/17-07/20 Ministry in Requena 07/21-07/24 Ministry in Naranjal / Victoria 07/25-07/29 Prayer ministry: Puinahua River 07/29-08/01 Ministry in Yarina Cocha 08/02 Debriefing 08/03 Return to Philadelphia

Lima (Peru’s Capital)-

Pray the Lord would open doors for the Gospel as our team ministers in uni versity classrooms, the inner city, outdoor crusades, as well as local churches.

Pucallpa and the Jungle Regions

– There are places deep in the jungles of Peru that have not heard the Gospel. Pray God would give the team a spiritual boldness and love for the people of these regions.

Cusco and the Andes Mountain Regions

– In Cusco, there are about 7,000 villages that do not have a lo cal Christian church. Pray the Lord would send workers into this area. Pray also that God would break the intense spiritual strongholds that have gripped the people of that region for generations.

Pastor Young Kim

Schedule: 5/28-6/11 Egypt 6/12-6/18 Jordan/Israel 6/19-6/23 Burundi 6/24-6/28 Rwanda 6/29-7/11 Kenya 7/12-7/13 Gabon 7/14-7/18 Kosovo

Please pray for the following things: Safety

- Please pray for the safety of Pastor Young and the other pastors going on the missions trip, as they will be visit ing war-torn countries around the world.

Family -

Annette is expecting the birth of another child around the same time the missions team will be leaving. Please pray that Annette would have a quick recovery and the birth would be free of complications. Please also pray for God’s protection over their family.

Hearts

- Please pray for the hearts of the people they will be ministering to, as well as the hearts of the pastors.

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Pastor Paul Liu’s Recommended Summer Reading List

Disciplines of a Godly Man

, by R. Kent Hughes. Here’s a good book for brothers to read and discuss together. It’s very practical and a good starting point for honest sharing and application. Hughes ca p tures the heart of it when he says, “We never get anywhere in life without discipline…None of us can claim an innate spiritual advantage. In reality, we are all equally disadvantaged. None of us naturally seeks after God, none is inherently righteous, none instinctively does good (cf. Romans 3:9 -18). There fore, as children of grace our spiritual discipline is everything—everything!”

The Pleasures of God

, by John Piper. Few writers are able to capture the real spirit of theology like John Piper. Theology should instruct and inspire and this book does both well. This book has been i n strumental for me because it’s taught me that the difficult aspects of God are not areas to be feared or neglected but to be embraced and sought after. If you’ve felt intimidated by the sheer magnitude of what it means to know God, then this is a good place to start. Piper says, “One way to see the glory of God is to see His joy.” And when this happens, you can’t help but begin to love the things God loves.

Old Testament Theology

, by Paul R. House. If you’re prone to run away from clunky theology text books, don’t fear this one. It can be a very useful companion to your daily bible reading. This is not systematic theology but biblical theology. It lets you study a book at a time and discover what the bible teaches progressively. When you think theology like this, you usually develop a deeper knowledge of scripture (because you’re watching it unfold and seeing how it is so intricately tied together) and a greater confidence in God (because you see His work in the context of brokenness—grace is always somewhat shocking if you really think about it). House is very readable and I’ve found the chapters very helpful in my own reflection.

Recommendations from the Other Pastors

Pastor Paul Chi:

The Imitation of Christ

by Thomas à Kempis,

Future Grace

by John Piper,

Bruchko

by Bruce Olson

Pastor David Alas:

Evangelism Out of the Box

by Rick Richardson,

Philosophy of Religion

by C. Stephen Evans,

Rediscover ing the Church

by Bill and Lynne Hybels,

In His Steps

by Charles Sheldon

Pastor Young Kim:

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So Long, Farewell...

Praise God for His love and faithfulness to each of us! It’s sad to think how many of you will soon be going your separate ways, but it’s wonderful to know that each of our steps are deter mined by the Lord. It’s exciting to know that we can all continue to experience Him in Philly and beyond! I feel like my life is richer and more blessed after having been able to meet these partners in Christ. Abide in Him, and let’s hope to see one another further along the way and at the finish line!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

To all the graduates, may you carry this verse in your heart and experience God in your daily lives as you journey into the next chapter of life.

“He won’t let you go, the moment that you say, ‘Come and live in me, take me all the way.’ What He said is true, He will never leave you. He’s always by your side, oh it’s true. He won’t let you go, though the seasons change… He won’t let you go, He’s forever by your side… He won’t let you go, His love will never change. Let Him hold you close, closer everyday.”

Through every season of life, God’s unfailing love for you will never change. It’s a love that won’t let you go. Even though you feel distant or cannot see God’s plan at the moment, re member that Jesus is forever by your side every step of the way. He’ll guide you, as He al ways has. So, follow the Lord with all your heart through every road and corner of life with out any fear, holding onto the love that holds onto you! My only other word of advice: find a church soon and be connected to your brothers and sisters in Christ there! Congratulations and praise God for His enablement for you in completing the 1, 2, 3 and 4+ years of studying and hard work. May your desire in becoming saltier and brighter increase in passion and by expression.

Page 1 Thanks for being so encouraging and caring; good luck everyone!! I thank God for such wonderful brothers and sisters I've found in Christ; you have helped me, encouraged me, and blessed me in countless ways! I pray that wherever God leads you in the future, He will continue to bless you in all that you do so that in turn you can continue to be a blessing to others, as you have been to me =) I pray you will receive power from the Holy Spirit and be witnesses for His glory. I am so blessed to have gotten the chance to know many of you over the past year, and al though I wish you could remain longer with us, I pray that God would sustain you in new places and new situations by His power. May all who come behind us find us faithful.

(Acts 4:13)

Thank you so much for being such a great source of encouragement, wisdom, friendship and fun -- this freshmen year wouldn't have been the same without all of you. I've been so blessed by seeing the passion and devotion you have for Jesus and the love you've shown to others. Keep seeking Him fervently and trusting Him faithfully wherever He may lead you! I just want to thank you all for your advice, leadership, friendship, and encouragement! May God continue to bless you and use you no matter where you go or what you do! We'll miss you!! Love in Christ... I thank God for your presence in the first two years of my college life. We will miss all of you guys! Wherever you guys are going...take us with you!!...I mean...God and our prayers will always be with you. Farewell!

“Never shall I forget the time I spent with you. Please continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours.” (Beethoven)

Grace Covenant Church P.O. Box 144 Ridley Park, PA 19078 www.gracecovenant.net