acts2fellowship

Wow! What a weekend it has been! We just came back from our road trip up to the Bay Area for our annual Thanksgiving Retreat. The early birds who drove up on Thursday got to do a little sightseeing before the retreat.  We took a trip to San Francisco to see the famous Pier 39!  We checked out the lazy sea lions, the magic shop, Chocolate Heaven, and the crazy hat store.  Besides Jessica Y being attacked by some ruthless seagulls trying to steal her food, we got to slurp down some delicious clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls. It really hit the spot on a typical rainy day in SF.

Next we went to Battery Park to marvel at the Golden Gate bridge, the scenic view of the Bay Area and recount the historic site of the Sardines-in-the-dark game that Michael and James’ peers played during their undergrad years.

But what made this weekend really special was that our sister churches from all over the world attended this retreat.  Over 800+ people from Berkeley, Davis, Minnesota, Taiwan, Riverside, Austin, and San Diego all converged at Kofman Auditorium in Alameda High. We had a wonderful time of rocking praise, and through video sharings and testimonies, each ministry shared about what God has been doing in their respective groups. We are so blessed to be able to witness God’s abundant provision and faithfulness and have the chance to make connections with each of the sharings.

During the retreat Pastor Ed shared the story of Moses and how he avoided many perils as he floated down the Nile River and into the safe hands of Pharaoh’s daughter.  We also heard a message on the “strange sight” of the burning bush and how God revealed his heart to Moses and His calling and vision for Moses.

What was also very memorable from this weekend was the opportunity to fellowship with brothers and sisters from the other churches. The brothers and sisters in Berkeley opened up their homes to let us stay with them for the weekend. Thank you Koinonia Berkeley for your hospitality!

On Saturday night we had the ultimate Best of the Best competition across classes. We got into different groups based on our year in school to come up with group cheers, dances, and raps.

That pretty much sums up the weekend. So many of us “gotta give thanks” for all that we have experienced this past weekend.  Hope you guys can be thankful too this Thanksgiving season!