"God's Grace Engraved Deep in Heart" - 2013 Thanksgiving Sunday and Holy Communion
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December 1, 2013 |
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In celebration of Thanksgiving Sunday, the altar was decorated with fruits, vegetables, and grains, which symbolize Manmin members who have been changed through the five-fold gospel and become the fruit of New Jerusalem (Photo 1). Dr. Jaerock Lee presided the Holy Communion after preaching the message in Sunday Evening Service (Photo 2). The church members gave thanks for the love of the cross eating bread and drinking grape juice which represent the Son of Man's flesh and blood respectively (Photo 3).
On November 17, 2013, Manmin Central Church offered up Thanksgiving Service during the Sunday Morning Service. Thanksgiving Sunday is a feast celebrated giving thanks to God who blessed believers to harvest abundant fruit according to what they have done and planted with faith (Exodus 23:16).
During the Sunday Morning Service, Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee preached the message entitled "Grace" based on Matthew 7:11. He said, "We give all thanks and glory to the God of love who has protected and blessed us. I hope that by imprinting the grace given to you in 2013 deep in your hearts, all of you will become fruit of spirit and whole spirit."
During the Sunday Evening Service, he delivered the message "Tears" taken from John 6:53-55. He stated, "In order to glorify God without forgetting His grace until the abundant fruit is borne, we should shed tears of repentance, thanksgiving, and love for God and the Lord."
After the message, Holy Communion was held. The church's Holy Communion Committee offer up vowed prayer beginning a week before the Holy Communion Ceremony is held. Additionally, they prepare holy vessels for the ceremony and prepare themselves by purifying their bodies and hearts. By August each year, they prepare grape juice for Easter, the Feast of Harvest, and Thanksgiving.
Senior Deaconess Okhee Kim, having served as the member of Holy Communion Committee for more than ten years stated, "We prepare the ceremony with a prayerful heart hoping that while breaking bread and drinking grape juice the church members will receive strength to live in the Word, achieve the heart of spirit, and become the source of the church's strength. In particular, I was given a chance to financially support the grape juice, which caused me to be filled with grace and emotion all the more."
The Holy Communion service was broadcast via GCN TV, which enabled all branch church members in and out of Korea as well as Manmin Central Church to participate together in the ceremony and engrave the Lord's grace and love. Sister Mahima Rai in Nepal took part in it through GCN TV and said, "I prepared for it with fasting and prayer. I shed tears of thanksgiving keeping the love of God and the Lord in my heart while breaking bread. I also give thanks to the shepherd who taught me the truth so that I can realize such love. In 2013, I was able to discover myself according to the truth more than any other year and I made up my mind to become perfect and follow the Lord."
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Manmin News 
