By Pastor Tang Long Kin 

We have just celebrated our 12 th anniversary in October, 2020. As we looked back the past 12 years, we were all filled with thanksgiving in our heart to God for His love and protection and providence in all that we have. God has indeed blessed us beyond what we can dare hope for, both in FCC and in our own family.

As I ponder on it I ask these questions: What are there for us beyond 12 years? Are we just going to add another year to it and next year we celebrate 13 th anniversary? What should we be after 12 years? 

12 years has great significance in our lives; both physiologically and socially. Our bodies began to change and start to develop sexually for reproduction. Socially, our community began to recognize us as coming of age. In most societies we mark this age with a special ceremony. Twelve years is indeed a milestone in our life.

Upon reaching 12 years old, we are required by law to apply for an identity card. When we got our ID card we feel with pride in our heart that we are now somebody. We have an identity that states our name and address and date of birth and other personal information. We feel proud because we are somebody now. But our parents and community also expect more from us. We are expected to be more responsible in many areas. We are also expected to behave with more maturity. In school, 12 th year is
the final year in primary school. After that we are promoted to lower secondary school. It is another milestone in our life. 

As a member of FCC, I am also feeling with pride in my heart as we celebrated our anniversary. I can’t help but to sense that God is also telling us now He expects more responsibilities from us. We are no longer babies anymore. We have reached a certain stage of maturity. Our Heavenly Father has been taking care and providing for us for the past 12 years while we were infants and then as little children.
Now we are growing into adulthood. We are expected to carry more responsibilities. We are expected to behave in a more matured ways both towards each other within the FCC family and also towards others in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father. We are no longer to be fed with spiritual milk but we have to learn to feed on more solid diet. We are no longer expected to be fed but to learn to prepare a more substantial meal for ourselves and our family members who are still young.

As in any growing family, there are babies, children and adults in it. FCC is also growing and must continue to grow. The more matured ones must now take on more responsibilities in growing the family. They must get themselves organized to provide spiritual food for the younger ones. Just as God commanded Adam & Eve to go forth and multiply, Jesus commanded His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. We must do likewise to bring in spiritual babies and nurture them to maturity. 

We are growing into maturity and more are expected from us. We must rise up to take on this responsibility. We will not just add another year to next year’s celebration but to show our commitments to grow to maturity as we step into a new era.