"Reasons for Thanks Are Overflowing!"
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November 22, 2015 |
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Celebrating Thanksgiving Sunday, let's give thanks to God who has given us abundant fruit and hear about the testimonies of the church workers who express their gratitude to God.
"With Joy Given from Volunteering, I Feel Happier on Sunday!"
Deacon Youngkyu Choi age 50, Manmin Volunteer Group, South Korea
In September 2003, I received grace from the believers who were volunteering for traffic control around the church. Subsequently, I joined the Manmin Volunteer Group. I helped improve traffic flow around the church by controlling both the members' vehicles and other people's as well. I also helped the members enter the sanctuary safely. Then I came to feel happier on Sunday.
I am in charge of construction site safety management in my construction company. At times I was assigned to areas outside of Seoul, but I came to Seoul on weekends because I wanted to keep volunteering. When I cherished my duty as a volunteer, God poured down great blessings upon me.
My son Brother Sunghyuk Choi is majoring in taekwondo in college and has won many medals in competitions. He is a small group leader and volunteers for the Members' Safety Team in church. My daughter Sister Hyunji Choi is a member of Beautiful Aroma Dance Team, and my wife, Senior Deaconess Eunha Lee, is a sub-district leader.
I once fractured my finger while working on a construction site, but it was healed by Dr. Jaerock Lee's prayer. I give all thanks and glory to God who gives me the joy of volunteering, and blessed all my family members to live in hope for Heaven.
"I Feel the Shepherd's Heart Working as a Sunday School Teacher"
Senior Deaconess Younhwa Yim (third from right), age 47, Teacher of Students' Sunday School, South Korea
From the very first day I was guided to the church by an acquaintance, I received a lot of grace. Not long after that I was healed of a sinus infection. Because I like young students and children, I have been working as a teacher for Students' Sunday School for more than ten years.
As I love and care for them, they feel happy and become renewed more. Seeing their growth, my faith and love also grow up together with them. I feel rewarded and happy when I see some students, who used to be rebellious teenagers or fight with others, grow up well and work volunteering for the church. It reminded me of the heart of the shepherd; I thought he might feel the same or more when we are renewed.
During the Bible study time, I tried to be honest and genuine. Then my students opened their hearts and talked to me as if I were their mother. I am aware that this duty is related to their lives, and I feel so grateful to give them some help.
Before going to church, I used to be physically weak and selfish, and lacked self-respect. But through Senior Pastor's teaching, I became healthy and came to be able to share love with others. I give all thanks and glory to God of love who gave me this happiness.
"I Am Happy to Serve Other Souls through Prayer"
Senior Deaconess Chunhyun Ju, age 56, Prayer Devotees' Association, South Korea
When I first attended Friday All-night Service of our church, I met the living God through the Word. Since then, I longed to become a prayer devotee. Our church's Prayer Devotees' Association is the only group in the church that prays outside of Daniel Prayer Meeting for national evangelism, the world mission, and others for the kingdom of God for more than six hours a day.
I feel rewarded and joyful when I think I have piled up prayer for souls around the world. In the prayer devotees' prayer meeting, I pray for Dr. Jaerock Lee's ministry, the world mission, and sanctuary construction. Then, I pray for various prayer titles of other church members one by one with calling their names. When I heard that they received their answers, I felt that my duty is so precious.
We help sick people pray in the Divine Healing Meeting of Manmin Prayer Center. While praying with them, I earnestly hope for them to be healed and pray with the handkerchief on which Senior Pastor had prayed (Acts 19:11-12). Many are moved by the Holy Spirit and thoroughly repent of their sins. I give all thanks and glory to God who gave me this precious duty and strengthens me to perform this duty of a prayer devotee.
"The Lord's Love Is Engraved as I Prepare for Holy Communion"
Senior Deaconess Ssangnyeo Ko, age 76, Holy Communion Preparation Team, South Korea
I have been working with the Holy Communion Preparation Team for 20 years. Our preparation of wine starts one year before the next celebration of Holy Communion. We buy good grapes in August, we clean them one by one with dry towels and then make the wine.
We put wine in pots and separate them according to use: the Holy Communion for Easter Sunday, Feast of Harvest Sunday, and Thanksgiving Sunday. On the Friday right before the Holy Communion service our preparation team members filter out sediment and clean the cups. We then send the wine, cups, and containers to the local sanctuaries. On the morning of Holy Communion, we cut bread and put the pieces in the containers. After the Holy Communion, we collect all the containers and cups and clean them. And we secure them again. Although we have many things to do, we feel joyful and strengthened because we can work to prepare for the celebration of Holy Communion in this precious church.
In August 2015, a few days before Manmin Summer Retreat, I could not walk well because of pain in my right leg. I attended the retreat with a limp. From the beginning of the retreat, in the Arrival Service, God gave me a lot of grace and I shed a lot of tears of thanks. And my leg became normal and I came to walk well again. Hallelujah!
I give all thanks and glory to God who blessed me to be able to volunteer with joy and stay healthy.
"I Will Be the Lord's Bride Who Gives Out Fragrance like Beautiful Flowers"
Deaconess Jinhee Park, age 51, Flower Arrangement Team, third from right in first line, South Korea
In 2002, I happened to listen to Dr. Lee's message in a car I was riding in, and I was greatly moved. I searched for Manmin Central Church on the Internet and found the way to the church. From the very beginning of the worship service until the end, I shed lots of tears and received a lot of grace.
Then, I registered in the church. Four years ago, I started to work as a member of Flower Arrangement Team. In addition to the flowers on the altar every week, the team arranges flowers in the Main Sanctuary, the second sanctuary, the Newcomers Reception Room, and other places in the church when the church has events like the Church Anniversary and the Christmas events.
I joined the team because I liked flowers, but it was not just about sitting and elegantly arranging flowers as I had imagined. I had to move heavy objects like flower pots and the oasis. I came to appreciate the efforts and hard work of the members who had been working for ten or twenty years.
As I started working as a member of Flower Arrangement Team, I received blessings in spirit and body. When I prepared for flowers that expressed the Lord's love and heavenly beauty, I became filled with hope for Heaven, and love and faith increased.
In May 2015, my left underarm and thigh broke out in a rash and it caused great pain as though a knife cut off the skin. It was diagnosed as shingles in a medical check-up. On June 5, I received Senior Pastor's prayer and shook hands with him with faith. Joy came upon me and I was assured that I had been healed. And I was really healed of shingles. Hallelujah!
Moreover, my fruit store had many customers, so that I opened a second location in God's blessing. I give all thanks and glory to God who always gives me good things.
"Singing in the Choir, I Offer up My Thanks to God"
Deacon Kyocheol Jin, age 48, Shalom Choir, South Korea
I was born into a Christian family, and I joined a choir because I liked to sing. But I realized the true meaning of praise after I was guided to Manmin by my brother in March 1997.
I felt the love of the Lord through Dr. Jaerock Lee's sermon "The Message of the Cross", and I joined Shalom Choir in November 1997. It was not until then that I could sing with thankful tears. I put my heart in the lyrics and praised God with inspiration and my heart.
Moreover, God gave me many reasons to give thanks for. I couldn't help but sing praises to Him. In November 2003, I hurt my tarsal bone while playing soccer. I received Senior Pastor's prayer for the sick recorded on the Automated Response System (822-830-5320). My ankle was swollen and the skin turned black. The X-ray scan showed comminuted fracture of lateral malleolus. The doctor told me that it should be fixed with screws or metal pins and I should receive rehab treatment. I was diagnosed with a 12-week-treatment plan. But I received Dr. Lee's prayer with faith. Nine days later I came to walk normally. Then I got an X-ray scan whose result showed that the fracture parts were perfectly rejoined. Hallelujah!
My second daughter Haneul was also healed of severe atopic dermatitis by Dr. Lee's prayer. When my wife, Senior Deaconess Sungra Tahk, was suffering serious pain caused by mammary abscess, she received Dr. Lee's prayer. At the moment of prayer, she felt cool over her whole body and she was healed. I give all thanks and glory to God who healed us and blessed us with the amazingly powerful works.
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Manmin News 
