Church Updates
Week of June 4th, 2023
Church Updates
In-Person Offerings will be taken the first Sunday of each month. This change will only impact the English congregation at this time. Based upon feedback received during the Open Forum, we will begin taking in-person offerings on the first Sunday of each month. The intent is to encourage and reinforce the giving relationship between us and the Lord as well as recognizing the importance of giving in the overall worship experience. Online giving will still be available at all times as well as the offering boxes at the rear of the Sanctuary.
Save the date: The 2023 All Church Picnic will be held on Saturday, June 17, from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The location will be at the Amador Valley Community Park, Pleasanton, CA. The tickets selling will be available this Sunday, during English IBF time in the Social Hall, after the Cantonese service in Room 101 and after the Mandarin service in the Fellowship Hall. Ticket Prices: $10.00/each for Adults & Seniors (over 18 years); $ 8.00/each for Youth (13 to 18 years old); $ 6.00/each for Children (5 to 12 years old); Free for 4 years and younger. Please note that tickets are LIMITED this time. If you need a ride or you can provide a ride to the picnic, a signup sheet is available on the bulletin board outside of the Sanctuary.
In preparation for the upcoming All Church Picnic and Summer Bible Camp, please clean out all food items from the church refrigerator no later than next Sunday, June 11th. Thank you for your cooperation!
CIBC will be hosting a Summer Bible Camp (SBC) from 6/19 to 6/23. The Summer Bible Camp is for elementary school kids from CI and Chinatown. Online registration is available at https://forms.gle/vwmDwvGYprrG1ikNA or on the church website. For the SBC toy drive, please drop off new toys and games for kids (1st to 5th grade) in the collection bin outside of Room 101. Note: NO used and violent toys, and games with inappropriate messages. We are looking for helpers for closing ceremony, video/photographer and an emcee. If interested, please fill out the staff recruitment form at the check-in table in Room 101 and drop off the form in the CE mail box. Either Deacon Patrick or Hazel will be there at the check-in table on Sundays, or please contact Brother Stephen Tan on the English side if you need further explanation. You can also email them at sbc.cibc.oakland@gmail.com
The 2023 All Church Camp will be held on a different date and location. This year's All Church Camp will be over the Labor Day weekend (Sept 1-4) and the new location will be at the Redwood Christian Park Camp near Santa Cruz. Please mark your calendars. Our camp theme for this year is “Rebuild”. Our theme is drawn from the book of Nehemiah, verse 2:17-18.
The English Worship Service will begin at 9:15am instead of 9:00am every Sunday. This change is being made to better align our schedules with all three congregations. Here is the new schedule:
-
English Adult & Youth Worship 9:15 AM – 10:35 AM
-
IBF 10:35 AM – 11:00 AM
-
Adult Sunday School 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (or 12:15 PM if needed)
-
Children, Middle and High School SS Ends at 12:15 PM
Parents: Please be sure to pick up your children promptly at 12:15 PM.
If anyone is in need of a ride to CIBC for Sunday Service, please contact Transportation Chairman Lawrence Mue at (925) 980-6713, or email him at larry.mue@gmail.com
The English Children and Youth Sunday Schools will be ending at 12:15pm instead of 12:00pm every Sunday. From now on, parents with children in grades 1st-5th should promptly pick up their children from their Sunday School classroom instead of room 313. (Grades: 4th & 5th - Room 312, 3rd - Room 311, 1st & 2nd - Room 315)
The 2023 FLOWER CALENDAR is available for signup. It is posted on the Church Ministry and Church News bulletin board on the hallway. If you wish to sign up, please use the flower envelopes placed on the wall next to the flower calendar, and designate your date(s) to commemorate someone or something.
The Chinese Youth Sunday school and worship service have restarted. Sunday school will be meeting in-person at 9:45am in Rm 320, and the worship will begin at 11:00am in the Amphitheater every Sunday.
Please note that the Children’s Church, Children Sunday School and Beginner’s Church will be combined under the joint leadership of the English Children and Chinese ministry teams. The purpose of uniting these activities is to provide an effective children’s ministry to the whole church during in-person worship services. The new arrangements are as follows:
1) English Beginner’s Church (3-5 years old) 9:15am -10:45am Room 202
2) Children’s Church (1st-5th grades) 9:35am -10:45am Room 313
· Note: The Children will participate with the Congregation in the Sanctuary from 9:15am to 9:35am.
· Between 10:45am and 11:00am, the children will be provided with snacks and have supervised free time.
They can be picked up by their parents during this time, or they can remain in the room until their
teachers escort them to their Sunday school class rooms at 11:00am.
3) Children Sunday School (1st-5th grades) 11:00am-12:15pm
· 1st-2nd Grade: Room 315
· 3rd Grade: Room 311
· 4th-5th Grade: Room 312
4) Cantonese Beginner’s Church (3-5 years old) 11:00am-12:15pm Room 202
· Note: Both English and Cantonese preschoolers are welcome to attend.
For further clarification or registration, please email children@cibc-oakland.org
The English Caring Ministry will continue to include Jeanette Fong. Brenda Teensma has replaced Junelle Chay in the English Caring Ministry Team. We have established a new email address: cibccaring@gmail.com , accessible by both Brenda and Jeanette. This new email will make it more convenient for you to communicate your prayer needs. You can continue to contact Jeanette Fong via the following personal email: jeanettefong@yahoo.com or at (510) 351-6251 (Home Phone).
The Cantonese Tuesday Bible Study class will be live streamed via Zoom from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM (NO in-person class at church) or from 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM every Tuesday. We are currently studying the book of Hosea. If you would like to join the class, please email Pastor Patrick Lai at pastorpatricklai@cibc-oakland.org to register. Here is the online Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81615076941?pwd=Q2tKaWtKYkJtTHdxU0k1YzhZY0JuQT09
The English Youth Fellowships will be meeting in person at CV First Baptist Church in Castro Valley. The address is: 18550 Redwood Road, Castro Valley, CA, 94546. Our regular meeting time will be from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM on most Friday nights.
The Chinese CPR (College Prep Review) ministry for high school students and New Creation Fellowship for middle school students will be meeting in person on most Saturdays, from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM.
English Sunday School (adult and youth): The English Sunday School (adult and youth) will be meeting at church every Sunday at 11:00AM.
Cantonese Adult Sunday School: The Cantonese Adult Sunday School will have In-Person Only class every Sunday, from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM.
Mandarin Adult Sunday School: Please note that the Mandarin Adult Sunday School will be meeting in-person every Sunday, from 9:30 AM to 10:45 AM, and it will also be live-streamed via Zoom at the same time. Please check the church website at www.cibc-oakland.org for more information.
Sunday Worship: This Sunday, 6/4, the English in-church worship service will begin at 9:15 AM and will also be live-streamed on Youtube at the same time. The Cantonese in-church worship service will begin at 11:00 AM and will also be live-streamed on Youtube. The Mandarin in-church worship service will begin at 11:00 AM and will also be live-streamed from church. Check the CIBC website at www.cibc-oakland.org for links. The parking lot is available to everyone on a first come first serve basis.
Please also note that it will be communion Sunday, so please prepare accordingly.
Online Giving: https://www.cibc-oakland.org/online-giving We can now accept separate donations for the Benevolent Fund and we’ve set it up to accept credit card donations for your convenience.The church will pay the credit card fee from the bank.
Offering and benevolent donation can also be sent by mail to the church at Chinese Independent Baptist Church Oakland, 280 8th Street, Oakland, CA 94607