Beautiful Lincoln

While we are preparing to move to Vancouver B.C., one of the most beautiful cities in the world, we by no means take for granted the natural beauty we find right here in Lincoln, NE. Trying to get some exercise to assist the recovery process, coming off the heels of my surgery, Tanya and I took a walk by Holmes Lake yesterday here in Lincoln.

Mission to Vancouver B.C.

Hi Friends,

Some of you have asked about ways to get involved with us as we transition to Grace Vancouver Church (GVC)  in Canada. We are seeking to raise $100k over the next 3-5 years to assist with our needed living expenses. To share a bit about our work, Vancouver B.C. is sometimes called "the east coast of Asia," the metro area boasting of an international community of 2.3 million people, with half as visible minorities. The city is open to new age as well as many eastern religions, but the largest growing category of religion identification is "none"; difficult social problems run alongside the advantages of living in such a beautiful harbor city. The Gospel of Christ's Kingdom is desperately needed. So joining the 100 people GVC and their ministry, and as a qualified church-planter in the Presbyterian Church in America, I (Mike) am raising funds again. Vancouver happens to be the most expensive place in North America to live, and Grace Vancouver Church, being a smaller church, is under-resourced at the moment.

Here are two weblinks for those who are interested in partnering with us: 

Direct Gift to "The Mission to Vancouver" OR
Set Up Account and Make Ongoing Pledge to "The Mission to Vancouver"

Blessings and thanks,

Mike, Tanya, Mia, Isaac and Calvin


In addition to the two online links, other funding options are as follows:

1. Mail your donation to:

Mission to North America
P.O. Box 890233
Charlotte, NC 28289-0233

* Please make your checks payable to Mission to North America

* In the memo line specify Michael Hsu (or Acct. #1452) of Grace Vancouver Church

2. Donate stock for Michael Hsu through Mission to North America.

           * For info, on how to give stock, please visit MNA’s website at     

              http://pcamna.org/giveStock.php for info. or contact MNA directly at 

              mnastock@pcanet.org or (678) 825-1253.

Fathers

Thankful for my father today, thankful to be a father and especially thankful for my heavenly Father, the Father of lights, from whom every good and perfect gift comes (James 1:17). I share a poignant excerpt about fatherhood from Margie Haack. Margie's father was killed in an accident when she was still unborn; her stepfather did not love her:

"There is a mysterious sense in which a man who becomes the father of a child - natural or surrogate, it doesn't matter - he participates in the shaping of that child's image of a God who claims to be Father of us all. It's mysterious because we waken in this world longing for the hands of a father that will not only lead us safely down dark paths past rabid skunks, but love us, tenderly enfold us. The ache may lie dormant for years or may never be spoken, and yet any child whose father has left or was never there, is familiar with those aches. Where do they come from - these desires for fathers who never leave?"

The Exact Place: A Memoir, p. 180

A Call to Vancouver B.C.

Last Thursday evening, Tanya and I announced to our congregation, Grace Chapel, a call we recently accepted to Grace Vancouver Church in BC Canada. This was a decision that took place after a six-month process of prayer, deliberation, wrestling with God, many tears, extensive interviews over the phone and through two trips we made to BC. Our elder board has walked with us through this entire process since mid-November.

Grace Vancouver Church was a church we were invited to help start, once we had finished seminary in 1998. We declined back in 1998 because we felt a strong sense of call to Lincoln and for me to work as a church-planting apprentice at Zion Church. Back in November of this last year, I received a call after so many years from the founding pastor of Grace Vancouver Church, John Smed, who had recruited us to Vancouver in 1998. John said that he had resigned as their founding pastor about 1.5 years ago and that GVC was still looking for his replacement.

GVC is the same age as Grace Chapel (started in 2000), but hasn’t grown nearly as much; there are about 100 people at the church who faithfully serve Christ in a region that is very much post-Christian and tends to be challenging ground to sow. Vancouver is a huge mission field boasting of an international community of nearly 50% minorities (25% of which comprise immigrant groups), with the Chinese being the most prominent minority group. This church itself is comprised of a high concentration of Asians, with many mixed-race couples like Tanya and myself.

On paper, the move doesn’t make a lot of sense as Vancouver BC is the most expensive place in North America to live (more expensive than New York City), and to realize this small church can provide the equivalent of about 80% of my current salary at Grace Chapel. But because the need as well as our call is so compelling at this point in our journey, I am returning to church-planting status with Mission to North America (the church-planting arm of the PCA), and hitting the trail raising funds again (like I did from 1998-2000 in order to start Grace Chapel). We will plan to move somewhere in the middle of August and be up to BC for the start of school for the kids after Labor Day. My last official day as Grace Chapel’s lead pastor will be July 1st.

These last 15 years have been a remarkable journey in Lincoln; we are very sad to leave. Still, we leave Grace Chapel in a great place with a strong, united and courageous elder board, a man in Ben Loos who is the right person at the right time to lead Grace Chapel for many years into the future, and a bonded, united and faithful membership. Grace Chapel is truly a remarkable place; we are very proud of our association with its membership these last 12+ years. Also, we are asking for people to pray for the transition, especially for our children as they are rooted, stable and loved in all areas of life (school, neighborhood, church, friendship networks throughout Lincoln), and we are uprooting them from all of it.

I will be posting a bit more about Vancouver once we get a little more traction and direction with our move as well as our fundraising efforts. Thanks for all your prayers and support.