10. Manna issue 91 - Building Altars In The Pandemic 疫情中建立祭壇
London Members—London, UK 英國倫敦信徒
INTRODUCTION 介紹
Building an altar at home is to
offer daily sacrifices of praise, thanksgiving, and devotion to our Lord.
This comprises more than just the physical action of praying and reading the Bible.
It is about genuinely seeking to align our heart with God’s, to know Him better.
We can learn from David's example, a man after God’s own heart,
who did God’s will
(Acts 13:22; 1 Sam 13:14).
It is a constant learning process to pursue after God’s heart,
and requires regular introspection to identify areas we need to improve.
在家裡建造祭壇，就是
每天獻上讚美、感謝和對主禱告的祭物。
這不僅僅包括祈禱和讀經的身體行動。
這是有關真正尋求，調整我們的心與神的心相符合，更深入地認識祂。
我們可以學習大衛的榜樣，一個合神心意的人，
他遵行神的旨意
（徒 13：22；撒上 13：14）。
尋求神的心意，是一個不斷學習的過程，
並且需要定期反省，以找出我們需要改進的區域。
We give thanks to God that
despite the inability to have physical gatherings during the lockdown,
the church in London has organized various online activities to build up our altars.
These online activities include
midweek services, youth fellowships, daily Bible studies, and weekly choir sessions.
我們感謝神，
儘管封城期間，無法進行實體聚會，
倫敦教會舉行了各種網路活動，來建立我們的祭壇。
這些網路活動包括，
週間聚會、青年團契、每日查經和每週詩班練習。
In this article, the London brethren share their experiences.
本文，倫敦弟兄分享他的經驗
AN ALTAR OF FELLOWSHIP 團契的祭壇
Aveline Shek
“For where two or three are gathered together in My name,
I am there in the midst of them.”
(Mt 18:20)
20因為無論在那裡，有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，那裡就有我在他們中間。
(太 18：20)
Thank God for this opportunity to share about His grace. 感謝神有此機會分享祂的恩典
God has truly guided me into my first year of university
and has spiritually fed and nourished me
despite the extended physical church closure during the pandemic.
Having applied to study in London,
I had greatly looked forward to worshipping
and having fellowship with the church youths there.
I had even chosen my accommodation to be within walking distance from the church.
儘管疫情期間，延長了實體教會關閉的時間，
神真的引導我進入大學的第一年，
並在靈性上餵養和滋補我。
申請到倫敦留學後，
我非常期待去聚會，
並與那裡的教會青年團契。
我甚至選擇了離教堂步行距離之內的住處。
However, God’s ways are higher than my ways, and His thoughts than my thoughts
(Isa 55:9).
I did not foresee that these fellowships would be brought right to my fingertips.
The first UK lockdown began in March 2020,
before I was due to start at university.
Around the end of April, one church sister from my home church in Edinburgh,
studying in London, invited me to join their twice-monthly online Saturday youth fellowships.
These fellowships are well-attended.
Around twenty youths join each session
to hear preachers and brethren share wide-ranging topics,
from our basic beliefs, awareness in servitude,
and fasting prayer to spiritual cultivation at home.
Through these sessions, God provided me with an opportunity
to build an altar of fellowship with the church youths in London
even before I had moved there.
然而，神的道路高過我的道路，神的意念高過我的意念
（賽 55：9）。
我沒有預見到，這些團契聯合會觸手可及。
英國的第一次封城始於 2020 年 3 月，
在我大學開學之前。
四月底左右，我愛丁堡家鄉教會的一位姊妹，
祂在倫敦請書，邀請我加入他們每月兩次的網路週六青年團契。
這些青年團契有很多人參與。
每次約有二十名青年參加，
聆聽傳道弟兄姐妹分享廣泛的話題，
從我們的基本信條，服事主的意識覺醒，
還有禁食祈禱，及在家靈修。
甚至在我搬到那里之前，
透過這些課程，神就給我預備一個機會，
與倫敦教會青年建立一個團契的祭壇。
Through WhatsApp chats and Zoom,
I have genuinely felt the love, spiritual support,
and warm welcome of these London brethren.
Reflecting on the time since I joined these fellowships,
it is clear that being active in the numerous online activities,
regardless of the physical environment,
was invaluable in establishing my personal altar.
As God spoke to me through these brethren in Bible studies, fellowships and services,
I grew to trust that
it was worth putting aside schoolwork, entertainment, and socializing
to set my eyes on things above
during this period of transition and uncertainty.
通過 WhatsApp 聊天和 Zoom 網路會議軟體，
我真正感受到了疼愛，屬靈的幫助，
並這些倫敦弟兄姐妹的熱烈歡迎。
回想我加入這些團契以來的時間，
很明顯，活躍於很多的網路團契活動中，
無論外在實體環境如何，
於建立起我個人祭壇的方面，是無價的。
在這些查經，彼此團契和聚會時，
神通過弟兄姐妹對我說話，
我逐漸信靠，
在這個過渡不確定的時期，
把功課、娛樂和社交放在一邊，
定睛在天上的事情，是值得的。
May all glory be given to God! Amen. 願一切榮耀歸予神！阿們。
AN ALTAR OF PERSONAL FAITH 個人信仰的祭壇
Caleb Chan
The pandemic has been a difficult and uncertain period for many of us.
Having attended Sabbath services at church all through my life
and being used to the weekly in-person fellowships,
the experience of having Sabbath worship at home was initially a struggle.
I missed that familiar warm feeling of church gatherings.
對我們許多人來說，新冠疫情是一段艱難不確定的時期。
我一生都在會堂參加安息日聚會，
並且很習慣每週一次的面對面交流，
在家裡安息日聚會的體驗，一開始很難適應。
我懷念會堂聚集，那種熟悉溫暖的感覺。
I soon realized that this weird, uneasy feeling was because my faith was reliant on others.
My altar of faith was to please men rather than God.
If such was my faith, how could it stand when faced with tribulation?
How can my faith stand when those around me begin to stumble in their faith?
In last summer’s national student spiritual convocation,
we studied the parables of Jesus.
From the parable of the ten virgins,
we learned how the foolish virgins did not prepare enough oil for themselves.
Consequently, they endangered their salvation, highlighting the importance of taking our faith seriously.
We cannot rely on other people’s faith when the Lord comes again.
This message of taking our faith seriously has resonated with me throughout the pandemic.
我很快意識到，這種奇怪、不安的感覺，是因為我的信仰很依賴別人。
我的信仰祭壇，是為了取悅人，而不是要蒙神喜悅。
如果這種情況就是我的信心，若是要面對苦難時，怎麼可能站立得住呢？
若是那些我周圍的人信仰開始跌倒，我的信仰要如何站立呢？
去年夏天全國學生靈恩會的時候，
我們研習了耶穌的比喻。
從十個童女的比喻中，
我們了解到，愚拙的童女是怎樣沒有為自己準備足夠的燈油。
因此，他們危及了自已的救恩，強調認真對待自已信仰的重要性。
當主再來時，我們不能依賴別人的信心。
認真對待自已信仰的這個信息，在整個疫情期間，引起了我的共鳴。
I thank God for the church's arrangements
in organizing the various online fellowships, Bible studies,
religious education lessons, and convocations during this period.
These activities helped me understand
the need to focus my worship on God
rather than it being an outward expression towards men.
感謝神，在此期間有教會的安排，
舉辨各種網路團契、查經、
宗教教育課程，和各種聚會。
這些活動幫助我明白，
有需要聚焦自已好好敬拜神，
而不是別人面前的外在表現。
So Samuel said:
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.”
(1 Sam 15:22)
22撒母耳說：
耶和華喜悅燔祭和平安祭，
豈如喜悅人聽從他的話呢？
聽命勝於獻祭；
順從勝於公羊的脂油。
(撒上 15：22)
Is our altar built on obedience and faith towards God?
Or do we only worship God in the presence of other people?
May we always be willing to build our altars towards God
and not towards ourselves and others.
我們的祭壇，是否建立在對神的順服和信心之上？
還是我們只在別人面前敬拜神？
願我們永遠願意為神建造祭壇
而不是為自己和別人建造祭壇。
AN ALTAR OF SINCERE WORSHIP 虔誠敬拜的祭壇
Charmian Chong
London choir members 倫敦詩班祭壇
The announcement of a national lockdown in March 2020
brought our joyful weekly choir practices at church to an abrupt halt,
and we had to move to online choir sessions.
Directing choir members via Zoom is vastly different
from the experience of hearing a whole choir praising God in church.
The process was challenging and a steep learning curve,
often a test of our patience with technology.
Roughly twelve to fifteen choir members join the virtual choir practice each week.
A typical session involves teaching the choir how to sing
and express the lyrics of a four-part hymn,
but only the leader’s microphone is switched on
to prevent latency and feedback issues.
It is challenging to sing together without being able to hear the other choir members’ voices.
Yet, the blessings, teachings, and joy received
through sharing our reflections on the hymns far outweigh any difficulties.
2020 年 3 月宣布了全國封城，
使我們每週快樂的教會詩班活動，突然停止，
我們不得不轉換成網路詩班練習課。
通過 Zoom 會議軟體來指揮詩班成員，
與教會聆聽整個詩班讚美神的感受，有很大不同。
這個過程充滿挑戰，學習曲線很陡峭，
常常考驗我們使用科技的耐心。
每周大約有 12 到 15 名成員加入網路詩班練習。
一個典型的課程，包括教詩班如何唱詩，
並以讚美詩四部合唱的方式來表達歌詞，
但只有指揮者的麥克風開啟，
以防止網路延遲和回聲噪音問題。
一起唱詩，卻無法聽到其他詩班成員的歌聲，真是一項挑戰。
然而，通過分享我們對讚美詩的反思，
所得到的祝福、教導和喜悅，遠遠超過任何困難。
Give to the LORD the glory due His name,
Bring an offering, and come before Him.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!
(1 Chr 16:29)
29要將耶和華的名所當得的榮耀歸給他，
拿供物來奉到他面前；
當以聖潔的(的或作為)妝飾敬拜耶和華。
(志上 16：29)
When learning a hymn
called Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness,
composed by a church sister in the States,
we reflected on the above verse.
We asked ourselves:
do I genuinely bring the same heart of reverence
and worship before God at home,
although I am not physically at church?
I realized it is easy for my attitude to become lax
when listening to sermons in the casual surroundings of my living room.
However, God sees our heart, and He is worthy of the best.
The hymn continues to remind me that
whether we are streaming Sabbath services online within the confines of our home
or whether we are in the church building,
God deserves that we bring our hearts fully before Him in true worship.
學習一首讚美詩的時候，
曲名是，以聖潔榮美敬拜主，
由美國教會的姊妹作曲，
我們反思了上面的經文。
我們反問自己：
我是否真的帶著同樣的敬畏之心，
在家中敬拜神，
雖然我不在會堂裡？
我意識到，我在客廳隨意的環境中，聽講道的時候，
自已的態度很容易變得鬆懈。
在我客廳的隨意環境中聽佈道時。
然而，神是看我們內心的，祂配得上最好的。
這首讚美詩持續提醒我，
無論我們是否限制在家，參加網路安息日直播聚會，
還是我們身處會堂建築裡，
神值得我們全心全意，到祂面前真實敬拜。
DAILY BIBLE STUDY: GOD FILLED MY VOID 每日查經：神填補了我的空虛
Chris Yau
Hallelujah, in the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I testify.
哈利路亞，奉主耶穌基督聖名，作見証。
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
(Eph 1:3)
3願頌讚歸與我們主耶穌基督的父神！
他在基督裡曾賜給我們天上各樣屬靈的福氣：
(弗 1：3)
The arrival of the first lockdown in 2020
enabled me to truly reflect on my faith
and how God continues to lead me in His amazing ways.
One example of His guidance is through Bible study.
2020 年第一次封城的到來，
讓我真正反省自己的信仰，
以及神如何繼續以祂奇妙的方式帶領我。
祂帶導的一個例子，是通過查經。
Not long after the lockdown began,
church youths in London decided to organize an informal daily Bible study.
Since its initiation, together,
we have studied most of the New Testament and part of the Old Testament.
We encouraged one another to continue learning God’s word and to have fellowship,
regardless of the circumstances.
But personally, this small and regular affair
has had a far more profound impact on me than just learning.
封城開始後不久，
倫敦教會青年決定組織一次非正式的每日查經。
自成立以來，我們大家一起，
已經研習了大部分的新約和部分的舊約。
我們互相勉勵，要繼續學習神的話語，彼此團契，
無論情況如何。
但就個人而言，這件小習慣的事情，
對我有很深遠的影響，不單止學習而已。
On reflection, my situation is different from that of the other youths;
I am no longer based in London, having relocated back home to Limerick, Republic of Ireland.
Here, I do not have many friends or close peers,
nor are there any local church youths.
Hence, I spent much of my time independently,
which could have been detrimental to my faith if it had persisted.
But God saw my need for companionship.
Through these Bible studies,
London church started to re-involve me in various fellowships and servitude.
These include leading fellowships,
helping with the national student spiritual convocation,
and assisting with the audio-visual support for online sessions and sermons,
delivered via Zoom and StreamYard.
God indeed works in mysterious ways;
by allowing me to serve,
He has delivered me from loneliness and emotional isolation.
We can consider it a double blessing!
回想起來，我的處境與其他年輕人不同；
我已經搬回到愛爾蘭的利默里克家鄉，不再住在倫敦。
在這裡，我沒有很多朋友或親近年紀相仿的友人，
也沒有任何當地的教會青年。
因此，我大部分時間都是獨自度過，
如果情況一直持續下去，就可能會危及我的信仰。
但神看到了我有同伴的需求。
因為有這些查經活動，
倫敦教會開始讓我重新參與各種團契和服事工作。
這些工作包括帶領團契活動，
幫助全國學生靈恩會，
並提供視聽支援，協助網路課程和講道，
通過 Zoom 和 StreamYard 會議軟體網路播放。
神確實以神秘的方式工作；
因為允許我的服事，
祂使我擺脫了孤獨和情感孤立。
我們可以視為，這是雙重祝福！
I am reminded that small, casual, spiritual gatherings can never be overlooked.
The Lord Jesus says:
“where two or three are gathered together in My name,
I am there in the midst of them”
(Mt 18:20),
and from there, Jesus blesses us even more.
I also give thanks to my peers
who still consider me as one of their own in all forms of activities;
unknowingly, they have helped me,
and I pray that God will continue to bless every one of us.
我回想起，永遠不能忽視小型、隨意的屬靈聚會。
主耶穌說：
“20因為無論在那裡，有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，那裡就有我在他們中間。”
（太 18：20），
從那裡開始，耶穌甚至更加祝福我們。
我也感謝年紀相仿的友人，
在各式各樣的活動中，他們仍把我視作自己的一員；
在不知不覺中，他們幫助了我，
我禱告祈求，神會繼續祝福我們每一個人。
May all glory be to our heavenly Father! Amen.
願一切榮耀歸予天父！阿們。
TEAM FLY 全體倫敦青年團契(網路團契)
Gaius Zhou
Fellowship for London Youths (FLY) 倫敦青年團契 (FLY 飛翔)
So he built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD,
and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
(Gen 26:25)
25以撒就在那裡築了一座壇，求告耶和華的名，
並且支搭帳棚；他的僕人便在那裡挖了一口井。
(創 26：25)
When I think of building altars,
I think of the patriarchs from the Book of Genesis.
They showed us that,
wherever they went, building altars was vital to their lives.
They needed altars to worship and to overcome problems;
they were blessed in their actions because they remembered they had this great God.
當我思想建造祭壇的主題時，
我想起了《創世紀》中的先祖。
他們向我們展示，
無論他們走到哪裡，建造祭壇對他們的生活至關重要。
他們需要祭壇敬拜神和解決問題；
他們的行動受到祝福，因為他們記得自已擁有偉大的真神。
Likewise, during my studies,
the midweek fellowship for London youths (FLY) was an altar for me.
These sessions consisted of students and working youths gathering
for fellowships, Bible studies, and prayers.
Sometimes I felt reluctant to attend;
I had little time to spare and would rather spend it on my studies.
However, I knew that, ultimately, God is in control.
It is He who gives me wisdom, strength, and the chance to study,
so I should not neglect this altar.
Fellowships allowed me to pray over my issues,
ask God for guidance in my studies,
and be encouraged by how biblical characters relied on God to overcome problems.
Thus, I believe God will help all the students
who face the same stresses and difficulties as I did.
同樣，在我學習期間，
周中的倫敦青年團契（FLY）對我來說是一座祭壇。
這些課程由學生和社青聚集組成，
一起團契、查經和禱告。
有時我會不想參加；
我只有少少的空閒時間，想要把時間用在學習上。
然而，我知道，最終，神在掌權。
是祂賜給我智慧、力量和學習的機會，
所以我不應該輕忽這個祭壇。
團契讓我為自已的問題祈禱，
求大神帶領我學習，
並且因為聖經人物怎麼依靠神來克服問題，而受到鼓舞。
因此，我相信神會幫助所有的學生，
他們面臨著和我一樣的壓力和困難。
Although the pandemic resulted in youths
being unable to gather and have fellowship at church,
it showed the importance of continuing to build our altars.
In the absence of services and fellowships,
it could be easy to neglect this and spend more time on studies, work, or leisure.
Therefore, as a youth fellowship coordinator,
I knew it was important to keep the FLY schedule active
so that the youths could still have that midweek opportunity
to gain God's blessings and help during this unstable period.
儘管疫情導致年輕人，
無法在會堂裡聚會和團契，
疫情卻顯示了，繼續建造自已祭壇的重要性。
由於沒有聚會和團契的情境下，
很容易忽視這一點，就把更多的時間花在學習、工作或休閒上。
因此，作為青年團契聯絡人員，
我知道，要保持倫敦青年團契 FLY 的課程表能定期進行，是很重要的
這樣年輕人仍然可以有那周中的機會，
在這個動盪的時期中，獲得神的祝福和幫助。
Despite the move to online being technically challenging
—finding the right platform and weekday to host FLY,
while addressing audio and connectivity issues
—by God’s grace, the fellowship has been up and running smoothly on Zoom
since the lockdown began.
Also, FLY being online meant that it could cater to youths
who previously could not attend
because they lived too far away to commute.
We truly thank God for guiding the youths.
May we all be encouraged to build our altars.
儘管轉向網路平台，技術上有些挑戰性
—尋出合適的平台和平日時間來舉辦倫敦青年團契 FLY，
同時要處理音訊連接問題，
—自封鎖開始以來，靠著神的恩典，
Zoom 會議軟體上的團契活動已經順利啟動運行。
所以，倫敦青年團契 FLY 開通網路，代表了它可以幫助一些年輕人，
他們以前不能參加聚會，
因為他們住得太遠，而無法通勤。
我們真的感謝神引導年輕人。
願我們都得到感動，能建造自已的祭壇。
May all glory and praise be unto God! Amen.
願一榮耀頌讚歸予神！阿們。
COMFORT THROUGH HYMNS 讚美詩的感動
Ivone Bailes
Bow the knee,
Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.
And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,
In the presence of the King,
Bow the knee.[1]
屈膝下跪，
舉目望天，信靠掌管永生的唯一真神。
當你不明白祂計劃的目的時，
在那君王面前，
屈膝下跪。[1]
Hallelujah, in the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I testify.
哈利路亞，奉主耶穌基督的聖名，作見証。
I am a senior nursing assistant and have been in my current position for six years.
I work at one of London’s busiest hospitals and,
since the initial wave of the pandemic,
work has been hectic and stressful.
Often I have been so tired that I would come home,
have a shower, and go straight to bed.
I have been exposed to the coronavirus daily,
and I worried about my safety and that of my immediate family.
So every morning and every night,
I would pray to God for protection and that He would keep me safe.
In October 2020, I received news from my mother that
my nephew was hospitalized because of his asthma.
I did not think much about it
because he was in his early forties and healthy.
However, days later, she told me that he had died from COVID-19;
I was deeply shocked and upset by the news.
None of us knew he had the virus.
My family and I mourned for him.
It was out of our hands.
我是一名資深醫護助理，在目前的職位已經工作了六年。
我在倫敦最繁忙的醫院之一工作，
自疫情的第一波爆發以來，
工作一直非常忙亂，壓力很大。
我常常超級累，只要一回到家，
洗個澡，就直接上床睡覺。
我每天都接觸到新冠病毒，
很擔心自已和直系親屬的人身安全。
所以每天早晚，
我會祈求神的保護，祂會保守我的安全。
2020 年 10 月，我收到媽媽的消息說，
我侄子因為氣喘而去住院。
我沒有多想，
因為他才四十歲出頭，身體很健康。
然而，幾天之後，她告訴我，他已經死於新冠病毒；
我對這個消息深感震驚和不安。
我們沒有人知道，他感染了病毒。
我和家人都為他哀悼。
這件事情已經不在我們的掌控之中了。
Weeks later, I was devastated to learn that my mother,
who lives in Brazil, had contracted the disease.
My mother is seventy-six years old and has multiple health issues,
including diabetes and high blood pressure,
putting her in the high-risk category.
When she was hospitalized,
my family and I believed she was going to die.
We feared the worst.
I was confused, and I remembered asking God,
“Why? Why my mother?
Why is this happening?”
I felt desperate and lost;
I did not know what to do.
It was like I was going out of my mind.
幾週後，我很震驚得知我的母親，
她住在巴西，已經感染了這個疾病。
我母親今年七十六歲，有多種健康問題，
包括糖尿病和高血壓，
她是屬於高風險族群。
她住院時，
我和家人都相信她會死。
我們作了最壞的打算。
我很困惑，我記得求問神，
“為什麼？ 為什麼是我的媽媽？
為什麼會這樣？”
我感到絕望失落；
我不知道該怎麼辦。
就像我快瘋了一樣。
However, while I was trying to come to terms with the situation,
I felt the Spirit of God surrounding me.
A feeling of peace and calm came over me.
I heard Him speak to me through the hymn above,
which we sang in choir:
“When the path grows dim,
and our questions have no answers, turn to Him.”
然而，當我試圖接受這種情況的時候，
我感覺神的靈圍繞著我。
一種平安和冷靜的感覺湧入我心。
我聽到，祂以上面的讚美詩對我說話，
我們在合唱團中演唱：
“當道路昏暗時，
我們的問題沒有答案，尋求祂。”
I also thought of Psalm 23:4: 我也想到詩篇 23 章 4 節：
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
4我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷，
也不怕遭害，
因為你與我同在；
你的杖，你的竿，都安慰我。
It was like God spoke to me directly
and was comforting me with this hymn and His word.
I needed to pray, and I knew that I did not have to pray alone
—I have my brothers- and sisters-in-Christ to pray with me.
I sent a message to the choir WhatsApp group asking them to pray for my mother.
I also told my family that the members of the church were praying for them and my mother.
God is so amazing; He heard our prayers, and my mother survived.
During this experience,
I felt overwhelmed by the love of my brothers- and sisters-in-Christ.
就像神直接對我說話，
用這首讚美詩和祂的話語，安慰我。
我需要禱告，我知道自已不必獨自祈禱，
—我有基督裡的兄弟姐妹陪我一起禱告。
我給詩班 WhatsApp 群組發送一條信息，請求他們為我母親禱告。
我還告訴家人，教會信徒正為他們和我母親祈禱。
神真的很奇妙； 祂垂聽到了我們的禱告，我母親活了下來。
在這次體驗中，
我對基督裡兄弟姐妹的疼愛，大受感動。
My mother was discharged from the hospital,
and she has now fully recovered.
I continue to share with her about the church
and how the brethren are praying for our family.
I am so thankful to Jesus for His grace and blessings.
At times I was so busy at work,
I did not spend a lot of time praying.
It was only during this moment of desperation that
I remembered that I needed to pray to God.
As I shared my heart with my brothers and sisters online,
asking for intercession, praying, and singing,
I received much relief from my crazy work life.
To be able to spend time with God and the brethren through online services kept me going.
I thank God that I can pray at home with my brothers and sisters.
This is my altar.
I hope that in this difficult time,
others will find comfort and hope through this testimony.
母親出院了，
而她現在已經完全康復。
我繼續與她分享教會的事，
以及弟兄姐妹如何為我們家人禱告。
我很感謝耶穌的恩典和祝福。
有時我工作很忙，
我沒有花很多時間禱告。
就只在這樣絕望的時刻，
我記得要向神祈禱。
當我在網路上，與我的兄弟姐妹分享自已的心聲時，
請求代禱、禱告和歌詩，
我從瘋狂的工作生活中，得到大大的放鬆。
能夠通過線路聚會，與神和弟兄姐妹共度時光，讓我能繼續前進。
很感謝神，讓我可以在家里和兄弟姐妹一起禱告。
這就是我的祭壇。
我期盼在這個艱難的時刻，
其他人能通過這則見證，得到安慰和希望。
All glory be to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
願一切榮耀歸予救主耶穌基督。
SEEK GOD IN GOOD AND BAD TIMES 不論好壞尋求神
Joanne Jones
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits.
(Ps 103:1–2)
1我的心哪，你要稱頌耶和華！
凡在我裡面的，也要稱頌他的聖名！
2我的心哪，你要稱頌耶和華！
不可忘記他的一切恩惠！
(詩 103：1-3)
Lockdown came as a blessing to me as it took away the need to leave the house.
I could stay at home and not be exposed to further distress
due to a skin condition called eczema.
I had a terrible flare-up while on holiday in 2019
and developed an angry rash on my chest,
precipitated by hearing the news of my mother’s death
and that my step-father had suffered a heart attack.
My sister and I arrived in Trinidad with the devastating task of arranging my mother’s funeral
and visiting my step-father in hospital.
(He, too, passed away soon after—eight days after my mother.)
The rash on my chest itched and felt sore,
but I managed to contain it until I returned to the UK.
封城對我來說是一種祝福，因為它拿走了離開家的要求。
我可以呆在家里，而不會受到進一步的困擾，
由於我有一種濕疹的皮膚病。
我 2019 年去度假時，突然嚴重爆發，
並在我的胸前皮疹發炎，
突如其來，聽到了我母親去世的消息，
我的繼父心臟病發作。
我和姐姐帶著傷心欲絕的心情，安排母親葬禮的工作，來到千里達
並在醫院探望我的繼父。
（他也很快就去世了—比我母親晚了八天。）
我胸口的疹子又癢又痛，
但我設法忍住它，直到我回到英國。
As I tried to come to terms with the situation and return to my daily routine,
my skin condition worsened, and the rash began to spread.
It was painful to move, and the itchiness was worse at night,
so I suffered broken sleep.
When the pandemic sent us into lockdown,
I was no longer forced to get out of bed, get dressed,
and travel on the London Underground to my placement.
I could stay at home and wear clothes that did not irritate my skin.
當我試圖接受這種情況, 並恢復我日常生活的時候，
我的皮膚狀況惡化了，皮膚疹子開始蔓延。
移動起來就感到很痛，晚上時就更癢，
所以我遭受了失眠的困擾。
當疫情迫使我們陷入封城時，
我不再被迫起床，穿好衣服，
並去搭乘倫敦地鐵，前往工作。
我可以呆在家裡，穿不會刺激皮膚的衣服。
The rash was no longer limited to my chest area
but covered my whole body, from my scalp to my feet.
Only my face was unaffected.
I scratched and picked at my skin.
I took pictures of my legs, chest, arms, and feet
—anywhere the eczema had attacked my skin.
I felt I had to make a record of it,
as confirmation of what was happening to me.
I hated and despised the way it looked and felt.
It was making my life a misery.
But there was God.
Despite the physical torment I felt in my body,
I could feel God’s presence willing and encouraging me to pray.
I did pray, but my prayers were very short
—it was hard to concentrate because my skin would itch even during prayer.
皮疹不再局限長在我的胸部區域，
而遍佈了我的整個身體，從頭皮到腳。
只有我的臉不受影響。
我會在皮膚抓癢輕拍。
我拍了腿、胸部、手臂和腳的照片
—任何皮膚有濕疹的地方。
我覺得，自已要把它記錄下來，
作為發生在我身上事情的證據。
我恨惡鄙視疹子的外觀和感受。
它讓我的生活變得很慘。
但是有神在。
儘管身體上，我感覺肉體受到折磨，
我感覺到神同在的旨意，並鼓勵我要禱告。
我真的有禱緻，但我的禱告時間很短，
—因為我的皮膚會發癢，所以很難集中注意力，即使在祈禱的時候。
While I was glad not having to go to church
and face members in my current state,
I missed the opportunity to pray with others,
and at times it felt lonely.
I had a desire to draw closer to God,
but I struggled to fast and pray.
I was still grieving over the deaths of my mother and step-father.
雖然我很高興，可以不用去教堂
並用我目前的狀態去面對信徒，
但很想念和別人一起禱告的機會，
有時會感到孤獨。
我會渴望要更親近神，
但我很掙扎作到禁食禱告。
我為了母親和繼父的去世，仍然很悲痛。
Yet, thank God for the opportunity to join the evening Bible studies
organized by the London youths,
which helped me maintain some contact with members
and be reminded of God’s faithfulness to His children.
I was able to take to heart the teachings learned from the Bible characters we studied
and how those that trusted in God obtained peace
and blessings despite the trials they endured.
I compare my attitude to theirs.
Do I seek God only when in need?
Or do I seek Him also in times of peace?
As my condition improves,
I am relearning the necessity of prayer and building my altar at home.
I press on to know God’s heart through His word
and to remember to give thanks in all things.
然而，感謝神，有機會參加由倫敦社青團契的晚間查經，
查經有助我與信徒保持一些聯繫，
並且記得神對他子女的信實。
我能夠記住從聖經人物那裡學習的教導，
儘管他們要經歷試驗，
那些信靠神的人，是如何獲得了平安和祝福。
我比較自已和他們的的態度。
我只有在需要的時候 才會尋求神嗎？
還是我在平安的時期，也會尋求祂呢？
隨著我的病情好轉，
我正在重新學到，禱告的必要性，及在家裡建造祭壇。
我繼續努力經由神的話語，來了解神的心意，
並記得凡事謝恩。
All glory be to God! Amen.
一切榮耀歸予神！阿們。
AN ALTAR OF THE HEART 心的祭壇
Nicholas Tam
[T]hat Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith
(Eph 3:17a)
17使基督因你們的信，住在你們心裡，
(弗 3：17a)
Thank God for the opportunity to bear testimony for Him.
感謝神的機會為祂作見証。
In 2019, as I became more involved in London church work,
and as I learned and grew in the company of fellow brothers and sisters,
I was, in a sense, establishing my altar of worship and servitude in church.
This engendered quiet confidence within me that
I was, slowly but surely, building a genuine faith in God.
2019年，隨著我更多參與倫敦教會的聖工，
隨著我在兄弟姐妹的陪伴下，學習成長，
從某種意義上來說，我在教會裡，建立了自已敬拜和服事的祭壇。
這形成了我內心平靜的信心，
雖緩慢但堅定，我正在建立對神真正的信仰。
Then, of course, the coronavirus arrived in the UK,
and soon enough, I was confined to my not-so-big flatshare in central London,
having to attend services and conduct all church work remotely.
Inevitably, the lack of in-person interaction caught up with me.
Praying, singing, and listening to one another in person
—all these things I had taken for granted.
I realized that while my altar was indeed being built,
a big part of it was founded on other people.
然後，當然冠狀病毒來到英國，
很快的，我就被限制在倫敦市中心，不太大的合租公寓裡，
必須遠程參加聚會，並進行所有教?會聖工。
不可避免地，缺乏面對面的互動難住我了。
要親身禱告、唱詩和彼此聆聽，
—所有這些我認為理所當然的事情。
我意識到，雖然我的祭壇確實有建造，
其中很大一部分，是建立在別人身上的。
Therefore, thank God that the lockdown has given me a lot more time to ruminate.
More importantly, it allowed me to move the altar that
I had built up in church into my own home
by learning how to do everything at home that I had done in church.
This included observing the Sabbath in full,
as I would have done in person,
as well as giving all due reverence and attention to God
when attending various services and fellowships.
因此，感謝神，封城給了我更多的時間去思考。
更重要的是，它讓我可以搬移祭壇，
以前我在教會建立的祭壇，可以搬進自己的家，
學習如何在家裡，進行我在教會的所有事情。
這包括全程遵守安息日，
就像我親自執行的那樣，
當參加各種聚會和團契時，
同時會給予神應有的敬畏和專心。
I also learned to transform this physical altar into a spiritual one that dwells in my heart.
The lockdown has reminded me that,
as much as we serve and offer at the physical altar,
what God ultimately desires is nothing less than a genuine and willing heart to seek Him.
I am now learning how to maintain this altar independently and strengthen it with sharings from others
(virtually, of course)
and with the word of God through constant self-cultivation and self-reflection.
我也學會了，轉變物質的祭，成為內住心中的屬靈祭壇。
封城提醒了我，
只要我們盡可能，在物質祭壇上服事和獻祭，
神最終所想要的，不過是一個真誠樂尋求祂的心。
現今我正在學習，如何自已維持這個祭壇，並以別人的見証分享來強化個人祭壇，
（當然是虛擬的）
並用神的話語，來不斷的自我靈修養和反省，。
May all glory be given to His name! Amen.
願一切榮耀歸予祂的聖名！阿們。
CONCLUSION 結論
Building an altar to God is a privilege;
it is not for God’s good but our good.
God has invited us to establish His throne in our hearts.
When we pray, read the Bible, and seek His face,
we increase our knowledge of Him and strengthen our relationship with Him.
Building altars is an act of thanksgiving,
acknowledging that in all circumstances,
such as a global pandemic, war, illness, fear, doubt, or failure,
we get to turn our hope to Him.
This pandemic has shown us that
building altars is not limited to our time physically inside the church building
but should also be done in our own homes.
為神建造祭壇是一種特權；
這不是為了神的利益，而是為了我們的好處。
神已邀請我們，在自已心中建立祂的寶座。
當我們禱告、讀經、尋求見祂的時候，
我們增加對神的認識，加強自已與神的關係。
建造祭壇是一種感恩的行為，
承認無論在任何情況下，
例如全球疫情、戰爭、疾病、恐懼、懷疑或失敗，
我們可以有盼望轉向神。
這次疫情已經向我們表明，
建造祭壇不僅限於，我們身處實體會堂的時間，
而且也應該包括在自己的家進行。
We give thanks to God that
His word has revealed to us the areas in which we need to align our hearts to Him fully.
This pandemic is indeed God’s blessing in disguise
—we must not return to how things were before
and allow our altars to deteriorate and crumble.
We should all the more continue to build our altars at home
and, ultimately, in our hearts when church reopens.
我們感謝神，
耐的話語已經向我們表明了，我們需要有哪些方面，要讓自已與祂同心。
這場疫情確實是神變相的祝福，
—我們不能回到事情過去的樣子，
讓我們的祭壇逐漸毀壞而崩潰。
我們更應該繼續在家裡建造自已的祭壇，
最終在我們心中 ，可以有會堂重新開放，。
The common theme from the London members’ sharings is uncertainty.
We may not know what is happening
or understand our situation at any given moment,
but we find that God reveals and continues to reveal His purpose for each of us.
Our circumstances may change,
but God never changes.
These experiences have taught us more about God,
but there is so much more to learn;
building our altar is an ongoing process.
God is faithful, and it is up to us to strive to know Him more fully.
倫敦信徒分享的共同主題，是不確定性。
我們可能不知道會發生什麼事，
或是在任何特定時刻，能了解自已的情況，
但我們發現，神啟示，會繼續顯露祂給我們每個人的旨意。
我們的環境可能會改變，
但神永遠不會改變。
這些經驗教會了我們更多關於神的事，
但是還有很多東西需要學習；
建造自已的祭壇，是一個持續不斷的過程。
神是信實的，我們有責任努力更加完全認識祂。
May we all continue to build altars with the correct heart
and seek to know God in all His holiness and glory.
Amen.
願我們都能以正確的心態，繼續築壇，
並尋求認識神所有的聖潔榮耀。
阿們。
[1] Taken from Bow The Knee by Chris Machen and Mike Harland, arrangement by Tom Fettke, 1997.
[1] 讚美詩取自原作者 Chrismachen 和 Mike Harland 的《Bow The Knee 屈膝下跪》，Tom Fettke 編曲，1997。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
歡迎主內同靈來信加入翻譯
