Today is Sunday, June 29th, and there’s breakfast. I chose the Singapore-style fried turnip cake. It’s not a store-bought instant product; the turnip cake was made by Sister J herself, rich and fragrant in taste.
Sunday breakfast at the new church has been going on for half a year now, ever since we moved here at the end of last year—yes, half a year, a length of time that can turn strangers into acquaintances. Some say the breakfast service isn’t just to encourage everyone to come to church early, but also to prepare for the Alpha course—first getting familiar with the kitchen equipment and safety, so that by the time the Thursday evening Alpha Gospel course starts in July, everyone will be more comfortable in the kitchen and preparing dinner will be a breeze.
I still remember the week before last, during the Matariki Māori New Year holiday. On Friday evening (June 20th), the Adult Fellowship held a fundraiser sale and hot pot gathering in the back hall. I happily picked up three treasures: a can of milk powder, a bottle of perfume, and a backpack. Although there weren’t many people, the fundraiser raised as much as 1300 New Zealand dollars.
When dinner started, over a dozen hot pots were bubbling away, with four or five people gathered around each one. Lamb slices were cooked one by one, and there were prawns—large prawns, small prawns, sweet prawns, lobster… Everyone instantly felt closer.
Then on Saturday morning, June 21st, it was the Evergreen Fellowship’s birthday party. No cake, no candle-blowing; instead, everyone took turns sharing how they came to believe in the Lord. At noon, we cooked dumplings and fried New Year cakes in the kitchen, feeling as close as family celebrating a festival, eating together while counting our blessings…
In our own church, tasting these flavors, interwoven with people’s stories, allows us to experience God’s grace even more. Every little bit is to be cherished.
