[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Alfresco Di...

Tonight is not only the long-awaited New Student Welcome Night 2 but it is the first ever Homegroup RED alfresco dinner! Actually, it's the first dinner with everyone back from summer break, so it's kind of momentous in its own right.

Here's the plan:
Meet @ 5:30pm @ Durant Square and people can get whatever food they've a hankering for.
Then we'll walk over to the lawn in front of Sproul Hall and dine. Then we can go to NSWN2 together.

Invite all your friends!

Be there or be...a chair.

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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/29/2008 10:50:00 AM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] A Chinese (...

I'm starting my 9th (non-consecutive) year at Cal, and call me a nerd, but I still get excited at the beginning of every semester when I get new classes, notebooks, pens, classmates, books, and professors! I love that feeling of wonder...What will I learn? Will I find my academic passion?

This semester is no different. I'm especially excited because I'm taking Chinese 1A! During my time in Taiwan, I encouraged my students to practice their English and not fear making mistakes by demonstrating my own limited and fumbling Chinese. I've always loved languages, but have had this mental block towards learning Chinese. But this summer in Taiwan, I was able to get over it, and I was determined to sign up for Chinese 1A.

So, on Wednesday morning, with a spring in my step I walked into 247 Dwinelle, ready to bust out some "zao!" I walked in and forgot that 9am classes with undergrads can sometimes feel like a zombie movie. Not everyone's a morning person, I remembered. I found a seat and then heard, "Emily!"

I turned to find John Ng, proud HG Red sophomore. Surprise! I was so happy to see him, but I realized from his perspective, he must have been filled with some combination of shock and confusion (and somewhere deep down, some joy too!). I put myself in his shoes and thought that it would have been strange, slightly surreal even, if I popped into a class sophomore year only to find that Pastor Manny was in my class (though I think the age gap is greater (only slightly...ahem ahem!) between John and myself).

Nevertheless, I'm still excited to learn Chinese, and now, I'll be learning it with John (and a couple of other folks from Koinonia and Kairos)! At least I'll be motivated to go to class every day knowing that John will know when I miss, and vice versa!

I love school!

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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/28/2008 11:00:00 AM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] New Student...

In just a few hours, our long-awaited, long-standing tradition New Student Welcome Night will commence! The preparations began weeks ago, and finally the day is here. Though technically sponsored by the three college fellowships Koinonia, Acts2Fellowship, and Kairos, it's really an effort of the entire church in action. We have hundreds of Gracepoint volunteers from San Francisco, our Berkeley Praxis, and Element grilling meat, packing bentos, moving chairs, setting up fancy lights, sound and audio-visual setup, and so much more. It takes each person to make the music, hilarity ("The Skit"), the (free) food, the welcoming energy and atmosphere, and otherwise memory-making moments a reality!

I remember my freshman year NSWN. I had a pretty rough summer after high school, so I hadn't done much laughing, but that night, I almost hurt myself laughing so much! I remembered thinking that the skit was so funny and yet...not thaaaat exaggerated. I'm not kidding when I say that coming to NSWN was a turning point in my life. Whoa, really? Yes, really. Finding a church and taking my Christian identity seriously was not on my list of things to do. In fact, I was kind of ready to take a break from it all and just forget about God. I was pretty disillusioned with religion. But meeting (young) people who were taking God seriously really made me pause and think about what role God had been playing in my life during all the years of going to church. I'm not saying that after NSWN my life was transformed - that process is still happening! But I definitely wonder what my college years would have been like had I not crossed paths with Jeannie Lee on my first day on the Berkeley campus, come to New Sudent Welcome Night, and eventually come to our college group and our church!

Anyway, my stroll down Memory Lane is done, and I've returned to 2008! It's been great fun meeting new friends and getting back in touch with old ones. I'm excited for the coming year, and hope that many people can consider the message of tonight - that college is an exciting, precious, unique time in your life...one that can really set the direction for the rest of your life, so maybe this God and Christianity stuff is worth checking out!

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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/27/2008 12:32:00 PM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Koinonia We...

Hello - in case you haven't noticed, the main Koinonia site has been revamped. All the Welcome Week activities are there as well!

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Posted By Joe Hwang to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/26/2008 04:53:00 PM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Gracepoint ...

Praise the Lord that there was just so much that happened at Gracepoint Fellowship Church this summer that an evening of Gracepoint Monthly simply would not suffice!

So, we'll be having a Gracepoint Monthly Extended on Saturday, August 30th, from 9am-6pm @ GGBTS! (If you haven't signed up yet, you can click on the above link.) A day filled with testimonies, videos, and updates on how we've experienced God through mission trips, special events, new ministries, and more? You wouldn't want to miss it, so sign up today!



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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/23/2008 02:28:00 PM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Koinonia Be...

A wee bit sad that summer's over? Never fear, Welcome Week is here! As thousands of new students arrive on the Berkeley Campus, Koinonia @ Berkeley is hosting lots of different activities. These are great events you can invite your new friends to and introduce them to Koinonia. You can also come and meet new friends here. Of course, the highlights are the TWO New Student Welcome Nights (Wed & Fri) co-sponsored by Koinonia, Acts2Fellowship (both Blue & Gold) and Kairos! Check out any or all of these events!



Got questions? Other than the question everyone is asking - "Uh...what's 'kakigori'?"*
Feel free to ask q's via comment and there shall be a response.



*Kakigori: Japanese word for the dessert commonly known as "shaved ice."



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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/23/2008 02:09:00 PM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Emily's Par...

I don't know how many of you faithful readers remember, but I lost two state quarters a while back, and had joyfully posted about finding a Wyoming quarter. I ended the post on a hopeful search for a long-lost Idaho quarter. Though few and far between, I am happy to report that today, the 23rd of August, 2008, I found an Idaho quarter in my pocket! I'm all caught up and thus, the modern day parable of the lost coin comes to an end.

Again, I know that finding one of these quarters does not even compare to the joy of the woman who lost her silver coin, a tenth of her livelihood, but I definitely identify (on a small scale) with the joy of finding something that was lost.

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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/23/2008 01:41:00 PM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Song Recomm...

While I was in Taiwan, I learned three new (to me) songs from our Gracepoint Hsinchu praise team, and I wanted to share one of them with you. I have four songs currently on repeat, one of which is "God With Us," which I forgot I loved so much that I posted about it too!

The song for today is "Here In My Life" which is on Hillsong's "Saviour King" album. It reminds me of how amazing salvation is, and that God indeed rescued me - where would I be without Him? It fills me with gratitude and brings me back to the proper position of total trust and dependence on Him.

Our dear friend Esther started the song off, so I think of her every time I hear it, which is a good way to remember to pray for my friends over there in Taiwan! The song has a similar feel, both musically and thematically, as "Where the Love Lasts Forever," which is also on that album. What with "You Are My Strength" (one of the other three favorite new-to-me songs I just learned - Pastor Jonathan from Waypoint loved this song long before I even knew of it!), "Saviour King" and "Hosanna" all being on the album as well, this one is a pretty good album overall!

Anyway, here are the lyrics:

(The lines are broken kind of funny because they follow the phrasing in the song. Just in case those kinds of things bother you.)

I have never walked on water
Felt the waves beneath my feet but
At your Word Lord, I'll receive Your
Faith to walk on oceans deep

And I remember how You found me
In that very same place
All my failing surely would've drowned me
But You made a way

You are my freedom
Jesus you're the reason
I'm kneeling again at Your throne
Where would I be without You
Here in my life, here in my life?

You have said that all the heavens
Sing for joy at one who finds
The way to freedom, truth of Jesus
Bought from death into His life

And I remember how You saw me
Through the eyes of Your grace
And though the cost was Your beloved for me
Still you made a way!

You are my freedom
Jesus you're the reason
I'm kneeling again at Your throne
Where would I be without You
Here in my life, here in my life?

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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/22/2008 03:44:00 PM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Vote for yo...

Another poll for you all - this time from the Gracepoint Berkeley Worship Band. You can vote on your favorite song(s). I already did, and so did Chris...that's all I saw from RED, but go ahead and put your votes in - maybe we'll sing your favorites more often! Yeah!

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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/20/2008 05:48:00 PM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Take the Pa...

Since while I was gone, there weren't that many updates to our beloved RED blog, I wanted to make sure you all get caught up on some polling opportunities! Be sure to vote on Pastor Ed Kang's poll before the poll closes! You can vote on the types of posts you'd like to see.

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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/20/2008 05:43:00 PM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Hitting the...

I came back from Taiwan on Sunday night, and though I was only gone for a little less than three weeks, it seems like it's been a lot longer!

It was a wonderful time of meeting many new students from NTHU and spending time with Cynthia, Eugene, and the other members of our Gracepoint Hsinchu team. There were many memorable moments, and Josh and I served as the song and dance comedy duo to encourage our team whenever necessary. (Some people also found my Chinese pretty comical, though I'm determined to learn Chinese!)

Anyway, a lot has happened back home in Gracepoint Berkeley, as things are in full swing for the arrival of all the new students in less than 3 days!!! There is so much to do, whether with publications, skits, music, finding a prop, putting stamps on a postcard, organizing Welcome Week activities, etc. I'm pretty jet lagged but am excited to get involved with whatever needs to be done. I hope that we all can experience firsthand the church in action during this time!

(And I'll be updating our blog more regularly, since I've returned!)

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Posted By emmeline to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/20/2008 05:07:00 PM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] A Camping T...

Praise God for Homegroup RED's first (and hopefully not last) camping trip!  It was a special few days spent in God's creation and fellowshipping together.  

Some of the highlights of the trip were singing songs around the campfire Friday night over Evergood sausages and banana boats; rafting at the beautiful Faucherie Lake (with the water fights, verse recitation at the upper falls, and people dunking their leaders); Chris Park imitating Sieun during a random "guess who" game; playing King-Kong Shower (and the unforgettable "Separate!" move by Candice and Avy); the Kai-Bai-Bo Royalty Tournament (we have pictures of people bowing down to each other); and that one breathtaking hour of stargazing on top of the rock next to our campsite.  

With shooting stars galore and the Milky Way hanging overhead, I was overwhelmed with the reality of how great God is, how small we are, and how amazing it is that He still loves us and is so mindful of us.   

I'm so thankful for the wonderful time of bonding we had, the fact that no one got hurt, and the chance to soak in God's beauty and greatness. 

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Posted By Ray to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/10/2008 09:33:00 AM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] newstudentw...

Hey - the NSWN site is up at: www.newstudentwelcomenight.com

Check it out! Tell your friends about it!

Here's the trailer to get you excited....

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Posted By Joe Hwang to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/08/2008 12:44:00 AM

[Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.]] Running the...

Stephen Suh, the director of Koinonia Berkeley ran the marathon this past weekend. Yes, you read that right, the marathon. The 26.2 mile long marathon. The marathon that most people (including me) cannot even begin to imagine running.

He started in February by running a half mile every day for a couple weeks. That's it. And every week after that, he upped it a little bit more. He withstood all the doubters, and kept at it for months, and ended up with a great time, 4 hours and 37 minutes (about 10 min/mile). Our good friend John at Homegroup 8 was there supporting him, and he wrote about it here.

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Posted By Joe Hwang to Gracepoint Fellowship Church :: Koinonia Berkeley HG 7 [R.E.D.] at 8/05/2008 05:15:00 PM