Genesis: Family Matters

SEPTEMBER 2015 • 1

IFGF Pinole Monthly Newsletter

September 2015

Family MattersInterview with Martin Chandrawinata

Devotional by Melanie Thio

Leaders Speak Up

02 • GENESIS NEWSLETTER

“Pa, he did ‘something something’ to me” one of my son would report in a

distressed voice to me. “But he did ‘something else something else’ to me first”,

the other one would contend. And the sibling rivalry would continue its course

until the all-wise-father-judge would impose a certain punishment to make

sure a lesson is learned and no more nonsense of the type would ever

happened again. Wishful thinking. Another day, and yet another skirmish.

Such is a life in a family. Or, at least in mine. In a family, each individual

is uniquely, fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator. This

uniqueness is an indication of the grand creativity of our Maker.

From

Pastor’s

Desk

Shown on Front Cover: GENESIS Design TeamKaren Liong, Jessica Sanjaya, Catherine Santoso, Catherine Gunarso

At the same time, it presents a challenge for us. Mix this

uniqueness and the sinfully degraded human characters and

what you get are disagreements, misunderstandings, gossips,

and miscommunications.

Bring this challenge into a family of God, i.e. the

church, and what you have is one mighty giant

challenge! Is there hope for a peaceful existence for

those who choose to be members of this family?

More important than peaceful existence, how do we even carry out

God’s plan to save humanity in the midst of this potential breakdown of

relationship because of our own uniqueness, and more often, selfishness.

Nothing is impossible to God. The Bible even points out that this seemingly

‘craziness’ might even have a Godly purpose in it. Let’s dig the Word of

God to learn how Jesus wants His church, and the members in it conduct

their daily life to eventually accomplish His purpose on earth.

Growing together with you in the family,

Pastor


Hi, Martin! How are you doing? I heard you got a new job. How is it different from the last one?Doing great! Yes, I got a new job. For my last job, I

worked for a high profile project for 8 years building

Bay Bridge (Eastern Span Replacement). I really

liked it. My supervisor was very nice, I got an office

and I could go to the field if I wanted to, basically

very minimal supervision so I was responsible for my

tasks, I delivered and my supervisor trusted me.

The new job is kind of the same thing, except this

one is a water project, installing recycled water pipe

project for the city of Dublin and service district so

we dig up holes on the street, residential, commercial,

put in the pipes and put the road back in.

So do you work remotely? Is it more flexible?I don’t have an office and I work remotely in the field

so it is more flexible. Since I am the only the only

inspector, I’ve got to monitor 3 crews under me every

day. If they have any questions or problems, I have to

run around helping them. I have to do daily reporting

at the end of the day but when I get home I want

to spend time with my kids so I have to continue to

work after they go to bed. My supervisors are very

good about it though. If I don’t get the report on the

day it is due, I can get it to them the next day.

I totally enjoy it. It made me understand about God’s

blessings. When I worked for the Bay Bridge, the

commute was very close, now it is pretty long. But I

work with all kind of laborers, and their commute are

all pretty far away, places where nobody knows where

they are. And they are thankful. They said working here

is better than Mexico. The weather here is not as hot as

in Mexico and at least they pay them much better. So

when they say that, I am amazed and thankful that I

don’t need to work under the sun. I can work under the

shade and see how they are doing and go whenever

I want to. The laborers said “how can I get a job like

you?” When a person said that to you, I am reminded

again how God has been blessing me so much.

This is Our Church

Martin ChandrawinataConstruction Inspector / Care Group Coach / Care Group: Family


prayer meeting at 10PM at night but then my work the

next day would be unproductive because I got tired.

So I came on Friday for Care Groups and just usually

communicate through WhatsApp to see how they are

doing and how the preparations for Care Groups are.

That’s the only thing I can do, I tried to go there every

Care Group (usually with Chelsea), but even then, I

cannot stay until late, usually I need to leave around

9.30 - 10 PM even though the Care Group is still going.

I want to show these young people that they need

to serve God even though their life is busy. I want

to serve and to show an example to them and at

the same time I don’t want myself to quit. When

you are involved in ministry, you feel like you are

needed and you feel the need to serve the Lord. If

not, life would be very easy and easily enough you

will skip Care Group, Sunday Service, and suddenly

after months you don’t go to church anymore.

Before we have kids, Wenny (my wife) and I used to

read the Bible together every night. But now with

the kids, sometimes we sleep at different times,

and even for myself, I find it hard to read the Bible

everyday. The point is, life will get increasingly

busy and we need to decide to serve God first.

I have seen a lot of changes in your life since we were together in a prayer group many years ago. Now you have a wife and two kids, how do these blessings and the dynamics of the season of life affect your work and ministry? This has been a very exciting life, I have seen my

daughter, Chelsea grown up to almost 4 years old

and starts talking now. My one-year-old son, Peter

just started walking two months ago. They are very

cute and I enjoy spending time with them. When I am

working, and the laborers left, I immediately go home,

I don’t want to spend another hour working in the

cafe because I want to spend my time with them.

So yeah, I spend time with them and put them to

bed at 10 pm, before we go to bed we always play

together, sometimes we read books and also pray. It

is funny how Peter now can fold his hands together

when we pray. I have been busy now not because

of work but because of the kids. But this is good

enough life and I enjoy my time with them.

What kind of ministry are you most active on these days?I am only active in one ministry now. I feel like I am

spreading thin of my time. I am coaching the leaders

in Pleasant Hill with Wilhan. I used to come to their

Martin and his bundle of joy.


What compelled you to serve specifically in Pleasant Hill Care Group? A lot of people in our church came from DVC (Diablo

Valley College, Pleasant Hill), but actually the least of

people that I talk to at church come from there. The huge

age gap makes it hard, they are 18-19 years old and I am

twice their age. So, I think the best way for me to make

the connection is to come and join their Care Group.

At that time, there was also a need for people who

can mentor them, so Pastor asked me if I wanted to

do that, and I said yes. If I had to choose, Berkeley

would be an easier option for me but the need at

the moment was Pleasant Hill and I am fine with

that. It will be nice if somebody could also help now

that Wilhan went back to Indonesia for good.

Is there something specific you would like to see happening in the church in the Fall semester, coming from you as an active worker in the church?

When I first came here back in ‘98, we used to have

camping or activity we do together as a church, but

recently we haven’t done it except for Retreats and

Welcoming Party. Maybe we need some activities to

gather new students together, something like camping

or day activity, perhaps barbeque, so we can get more

bonding and relationship building among church members.

I want to show this young people that they need to serve God even though their life is busy.

When you serve the Lord, serve until you finish, finish strong, and by serving, you can keep your faith going.

Martin is a Construction Inspector by day,Care Group Coach by night, and a full-time husband and daddy of two. He may have built the Bay Bridge, but it does not stop him from traveling to Pleasant Hill to build relationships with college students in Pleasant Hill.

So, in addition to mentor the Pleasant Hill, do you also go to Family Care Group?Yes, I go to Family Care Group, but I just come as a visitor.

What would be your message to everyone reading Genesis?Genesis has pretty fun articles, by reading the interviews,

we get to know people in the church. My message would

be, when you serve the Lord, serve until you finish, finish

strong, and by serving, you can keep your faith going.

I was serving in Transportation ministry before, there

were times when I didn’t feel like going to church at

all but because of the people that I had to pick up,

I needed to go to church. And you learn a lot too,

you build your skills, the church is just like a training

ground. You can apply these skills in your real life,

when you work, or when you have a family later on.


Our pastor and leaders that they

abide in Him.

Our church that it will be filled with

a passion for His name and an

evangelistic heart.

Our Care Group gatherings.

Let’s pray that Jesus will be the

center of each Care Group and

relationship where our brothers and

sisters in Christ will be built up.

Our new friends who are new to

the States or just transferred. Pray

that they may find a new family in

Christ through this church.

Our friends who are looking for a

job.

Healing and comfort for nation of

Nepal, especially for the victims of

earthquakes.

Did I catch your attention? But really,

are you free? Not physically in terms

of war or bondage. But check your

heart. Do you feel free or is there a

‘deep dark secret’ you’re hiding?

More than a decade ago I committed

two terrible sins towards family

members. So dark, degrading, and

humiliating that it became my

personal dark secret. The only being

I could confess to is God. Therefore, I

had a huge problem with James 5:16

who pretty much tells us to confess

our sins to one another, so we can

pray for each other and be healed.

It was almost like a checklist, one I

could never check.

Think logically now, James. I can’t

even tell this to my closest friends,

now you want me to tell who!?

I would research the Bible for an

exception or for a verse saying “It’s

cool, no need to do it”. I would ask

different churches, mentors, and

pastors. Desperate because this is a

secret I want to die with. I don’t want

anyone to know! And I want that

to be acceptable! But the truth is, I

was covering up my eyes with denial.

I was seeking for an answer that

matched my heart, not God’s heart.

And every time I was ‘on-fire’ or

pumped up. Or whenever I cried

tears and laughed joyfully to God. A

whisper tells me, “Who do you think

you are? You call yourself a child of

God. Melanie, do you not remember

that deep dark sin? You’re a joke..

you’re a pathetic joke.”

But this was a year of breakthrough.

So I prepared myself for battle and

risked a broken relationship full of

embarrassment and hatred.

And on one anointed day, I sat down

and confessed to my family what I

did to them many years ago.

And the devil shut up. And victory

was mine. And there was no hatred

but there was healing. There wasn’t

tears of sadness but tears of

reconciliation.

And after 12 years,

I am finally free.

by Melanie Thio

Care Group: Faith

Devotional

Deep Dark Secret:Are You Free?

LET’S PRAY FOR SEPTEMBER

with Joan Wirolinggo


by Melanie Thio | Care Group: Legend

What Do You Want To See This Coming Semester?

More unity, built through praying together(i.e. everyone comes to the combined prayer meeting).

I want to have more time bonding with the toddlers!

I hope that IFGF Pinole can continue and expand their ministry to the local community as well as other areas to help others grow spiritually stronger as well as know God more.

Leaders Speak Up:

BOB SUTEDJA, LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE

JESSICA SANJAYA, CG KING LEAD

KAREN GUINADI, CG HOPER LEAD

I dream that our church will finally have its own building to worship in! Waiting for God’s timing.

I hope that as our IFGF Pinole family expands in quantity, we will also increase in the quality of our relationship with God and with each other. That this will attract others to be curious about who our God is and many people will come to know Jesus!

I hope IFGF Pinole can have bigger prayer ministry and more community service activities.

ADI JULIANLOO, SOUTH BAY MINISTRY LEAD

NITA LIE, IFGF PINOLE SECRETARY

NATHALIA JO, CARE GROUP COACH


IFGF Pinole MORNING SERVICE EVERY 10 AM

ALEX CLARK ROOM

880 TENNENT AVENUE

PINOLE, CA

AFTERNOON SERVICE EVERY 2:15 PM

2885 PINOLE VALLEY ROAD

PINOLE, CA

CARE GROUPS

PRAYER GROUPS

PASTORAL TEAM SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

MINISTRIES

CG FAITH

SAN FRANCISCO

Melanie 925.586.7770

Jason 925.305.1278

CG KING

SAN FRANCISCO

Jessica 415.758.8645

Benny 510.367.0664

CG WARRIORS

PINOLE

Maxwell 510.374.2686

Chris 510.837.7867

FAITH (Every Thursday)

Melanie 925.586.7770

KING (Every Monday)

Vincent 925.356.1375

HEROES (Every Thursday)

Alus 408.904.8001

Nicky 650.417.8228

LEGENDS (Every Thursday)

Shirley 415.990.8178

Evelin 925.289.6785

WARRIORS (Every Friday)

Jeffri 510.499.5966

FAVOR- HOPER (Every Thursday)

Melvin 510.708.0540

Documentation - Eric Timotius

Genesis Newsletter - Irene Chandra

Men’s Ministry - Christian Liong

Multimedia - Melanie Thio

Praise & Worship - Adi Julianloo

Prayer & Intercession - Joan Wirolinggo

Refreshments - Nathalia Prasetyo Jo

Revelation Videos - Jessica Tjahjady

Sound System - Glorio Yulianto

Sunday School - Jen Hendric

Transportation - Leonardo Saerang

Ushers - Renaldi

Website - Yosia Urip

Women’s Ministry -

Karen Liong & Elissa Irma

SUGI HENDRIC Senior Pastor

JEFFRI HALIM Associate Pastor,

Biblical Teaching

CG LEGENDS

BERKELEY (SISTERS)

Irene 510.612.3394 (Freshmen)

Clarissa 510.541.2076 (Transfers)

CG HEROES

BERKELEY (BROTHERS)

Glorio 925.222.8675

CG FAMILY

PINOLE

Julietha 510.323.5747

CG FAVOR

PLEASANT HILL

Dana 925.690.7561

Kevin Go 925.639.5865

CG HOPER

PLEASANT HILL

Nathaniel 925.888.9420

Andrew 925.888.9421

CG FRONTIER

SOUTH BAY

Adi 415.463.9010

[email protected]

IFGFPINOLE.ORG

(925) 609 4343

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William Jatmatama

Andrew Hansel

Fabiola Deria Pradona

Elissa Irma

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sep 4 & 18

Sep 11

Sep 12

Care Group Gathering

Prepare & Share-a-Meal

with Ps. Sugi

Corporate Prayer

Nita Lie

Marshall Pudjiadi

Jesslyn Lukman

Steven Walentino

Benny Girsang

Evan Hartono

Fioren Lay

Genesis: Family Matters

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Transcript of Genesis: Family Matters