The Christian life is often viewed in terms of a journey. So we see men and women of God in the Scriptures wandering through life along difficult terrain and struggling to make headway.
For many of us, the journey has been relatively stable in the past couple of years compared to others who are beset with different life experiences that are often not their own doing.
What do we learn from Holy Week this year? The media do not often give us many prospects nor offer hope. Rather, there are gloomy signs ahead with no clear pathway for many in our world today. This is going to hit most of us here too as nations including Thailand are faced with economic woes as a result of the worldwide pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Prices of most basic commodities are rising. It is safe to say that the way ahead is dark and murky.
When the world is presented with an onslaught of problems ranging from poverty, famine, climate change, Covid-19 pandemic, fake news, wars and civil wars, failures of governments – we find ourselves in a new normal – uncertainty and chaos. The ability to remain calm and take control seems fleeting and for many, this leaves us with a sense of panic about the future.
Certainly, such a scenario confronted the early disciples during the first Holy Week. Their world was to be thrown asunder with the trial and subsequent death of their companion, Jesus. Like them, we are now moving into familiar territory like the disciples – confusion.
In their state of confusion, unable to handle the stress of impending doom, the disciples had a “shut down” in the Garden of Gethsemane. Can we afford to do likewise to take refuge with a myriad of amusements as a means of an escape from reality?
Do we allow religion to be a form of escape from the world? We close our eyes to the world and escape into our virtual reality of religiosity. Or do we venture forth still amidst uncertainty and take on the challenge to be Jesus’ hands and feet in bringing HOPE to a world in chaos?
Let’s take hold of Scripture to walk forward into the unknown –
1. With darkness all over, God’s Spirit hovers over the waters of chaos and brought forth light and life (Genesis 1 and John 1). Do not allow the darkness to rob us of our sanity.
2. Through all of life’s difficulties, whether it is the Exodus, exile to strange lands, or unimaginable disasters, God’s love remains constant and unchanging. Sing his praises with the psalms and proclaim his strength against all odds.
3. Holy Week urges us forward into the darkness of Good Friday to emerge on the other side confidently with Christ as He took the first step into the unknown.
God does not ask us to go where He has not gone. The invitation is to step into the dark with Him ahead and by our side always.
As you journey through the Easter week may you feel that gentle invitation to take the next step, and the next one, and the next.
May your week be holy,
Chee

Good Friday Worship: Worship service commemorating the crucifixion.
10.00 am at Bangkok Christian Guest House

Please come wearing a mask
Please stay at home if unwell.
Our Sunday morning services (only) are available on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85269401114
Meeting ID: 852 6940 1114
Passcode: 249320

ALSO,
Evening Easter Worship  6.30 pm
at Bangkok Christian Guest House
(location details same as for Good Friday above) or
see our worship locations on our website: icbangkok.org

We will join together

in-Person
& on Zoom

 this Sunday –
Easter Sunday

17th April 2022

at 10.00 am

Christian Student Centre

&
on Zoom
see below how to log-on

Wherever you are in the world, you are welcome to join us online using the Zoom application in the same way as we have been doing since May 2021

  this is the link via your browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85269401114…
(tick “Always allow https://us02web…. to open Zoom”)
Or by using the Zoom App.
Meeting ID: 852 6940 1114
Passcode: 249320
Please also see notes below

Sermon for Easter Sunday

Pastor Chee’s brief :Humans have been on a quest to search for life all over – whether it is on the deepest ocean floor or way up high in space. All it takes is a single-cell life form, and we will be ecstatic to discover it. Searching for life seems to be a human preoccupation. Other times, humans would seek to prolong life as much as we could.
Bertrand Russell, once wrote – “The life of man is a long march through the night, surrounded by invisible foes, tortured by weariness and pain, towards a goal that few can hope to reach and where none can tarry long. One by one, as they march, our comrades vanish from our sight, seized by the silent orders of omnipotent death.” The words seem rather bleak and tragic.
If the human quest is life but the reality is that death surrounds us on all sides, I wonder if humans may as well just surrender to the inevitable.
I was staggered in the past week to see images of dead bodies strewn all over Bucha amidst the war in Ukraine. In the center or background, stood a church building tall and proud. I ask myself what the church’s message is this Easter.
When we invite people to church this Easter, what do we hope to communicate? Some churches may have Easter plays, special songs in praise of the resurrection of Jesus, a sermon to rouse the hearers, perhaps. But after Easter, what comes next?
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?” the words from the Gospel reading keep ringing in my ears. I want to invite you to Easter, not to any grand occasion of celebration. I want to invite you this Easter to seek the living every day.
Indeed, this is our task for all who follow Christ to seek out the living. It will surprise you that it is not hard to find.
Come join us this Easter on the quest for the living, indeed.

Blessings
Chee

Please scroll down below for important notices
information about Fellowship at ICB, Thursday Prayer meetings, and Outreach needs.

Scroll down, too, for news:
In-person Evening services have restarted on  Sundays. Worship starts at 6.30pm.
at BCGH (Bangkok Christian Guesthouse)

Special live music will be performed at our Morning Service NEXT WEEK on 24th April (the week after Easter Sunday). See more details below.        Not to be missed!!
Please pray
a) for those who have contracted Covid19, including those in our own congregation and their families.
b) for the refugee families and other displaced persons residing in Bangkok, for their safety and well-being as well as positive progress in securing permanent resettlement solutions to their plight.
c) for the people of Ukraine both in the country and refugees as well as those caught up in wars and conflicts in other countries, including in neighbouring Myanmar.
d) for the people in Yemen, Afghanistan, Mozambique and the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia and Somalia) who needlessly lack both food and medical supplies and are close to starvation. We pray that the recently agreed truce in fighting in both The Yemen and Ethiopia will transform into  permanent endings of hostilities in those countries.

VISIT our
ICB Sunday School Facebook Page!!
HERE
https://www.facebook.com/ICB-Christian-Education-106748784983710
(copy this URL into your browser)

conducted by our own music director, Hussien Domocmat.

Note: This is will be part of our ICB Morning Service on that day.

At our new Location
SCC Creative Space Coffee Shop
Student Christian Center
328/1 Phyathai Road

which is a very short walking distance from BTS Ratchatewi.
Click here for Google maps reference or follow the map at top of this newsletter.

Please remember the COVID Code:
All are advised to follow social distancing to keep others safe. A temperature check is required. We have members who have been infected lately and we do not wish others to be infected. If you are not feeling well, please stay at home and join us on Zoom. For safety precautions, the ICB Council has advised against any form of fellowship potlucks for the time being. Bottled water will be available.

If you plan to come in your own car:
It is best to enter Phayathai Road from the Patumwan intersection (at Discovery Center/MBK) and drive across Hua Chang (elephant head) Bridge. Immediately over the bridge, turn left into the SCC/CCT compound just before Evergreen Place and Asia Hotel.
There are limited parking spaces (free) in the compound but if full, you can park in the CCT Tower Building at the back of this same compound (there maybe a small charge p/hr)

Worship starts at 6.30pm.
Join in-person (only) at Bangkok Christian Guesthouse, off Convent Road (BTS Saladaeng / MRT Silom stations).

Please bring your friends

Below is a map of how to get to BCGH from BTS and MRT stations. Just a 5-8 min walk.
Short cut hint: from BTS concourse floor, enter Central Silom Complex and exit on the ground floor to Soi Saladaeng 2. Turn right and walk for 2 minutes. BCGH is on the left (before Convent Rd).
(From MRT, take lift from concourse up to skywalk level and walk to BTS station then left into Central Complex.)

Mary Santhi has recently taken on the role of ICB Fellowship Chair but she needs a committee to lead!
Mary cannot undertake the work alone and so she is inviting you to join her in one of the most important and joyful aspects of the church which is appreciated by everybody.
Please send an email to Mary and she will respond by telling you more: jmmsanthi@gmail.com

www.icbangkok.org/outreach/

Advancing the Work of Jesus!

International Church of Bangkok is a fully self-supporting church. We are not sponsored by any foreign church body and thus receive no outside financial assistance. In fact, we take joy to be a congregation who supports ministries all over Thailand!

We need over 5 million baht each year to cover expenses and keep our
ministry and the ICB community sustainable.

Your contributions to ICB may be tax-deductible under Thai tax rules.
For more information or to donate in US tax-deductible dollars, please contact the church office: office@icbangkok.org

Pray for my Church_______times per week.
Attend Worship_______times per month.
Give back to God the following in God’s tithe (10%) & offerings
Baht_______per week/month/year (please circle one)
Other Currency_______per week/month/year (please circle)
Serve God in ministry. I’m interested in (please circle):Christian Education
Outreach
Worship Prayer
Personnel & Property
Evangelism/Membership
Finance/Stewardship
Fellowship
Other ……….

Name______________
Date______________
Email/Telephone______________

Missed a sermon?
Want to hear one again?

If you missed any of the recent sermons or would like to hear one or more again, recordings are available from Rev. Chee himself. Please let him know which Sunday(s) you are interested in and he will send you the link.
Send an email to: minister@icbangkok.org

Office Phone Number (Mon-Thur) +66 (0)2-258-5821
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