The Chinese Outreach Ministry at Lutheran Church of the Cross was started in April 2005.
Currently, the Chinese speaking congregation includes about 30 families (including 12 children ages 1 to 18 years) from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Three families of 7 Chinese from mainland China (4 adults, 1 teenager, and 2 younger children) have been baptized into the Christian faith at LCC.
Eighty percent of the disciples in LCC’s Chinese-speaking congregation come from mainland China and speak Mandarin Chinese, which is the official language. The other 20% come from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Some also speak Cantonese Chinese, which is another common Chinese dialect.
To access the LCC's website in Chinese go to www.lccrockville.org/chinese
The Chinese worship service is conducted in Mandarin Chinese by Pastor Tich Luu on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Pastor Luu’s wife Michelle teaches a children’s Bible story hour after the Children’s Message in the worship service.
By May 2009, average attendance at the Chinese worship service is 40 people.
A committee of 7 Chinese Christians coordinates people to serve during worship as ushers, Bible readers, Sunday school teachers, interpreters, and pianist. They also coordinate lunch preparation for a fellowship time after the worship service.
Chinese Bible studies are offered on Sunday mornings from 10:00 to 11:15 a.m., and once a month on Saturday from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., followed by a potluck dinner. Sunday morning Bible studies focus on the basics of Christianity, (a "Christianity 101 course) for new Chinese immigrants.
The monthly gathering on Saturday is more fellowship-oriented.
A year-round English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) class on Sunday afternoons from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. is an important part of the Chinese Outreach program, because it provides a friendly environment for new Chinese immigrants and American teachers to build friendships while learning English.
Many LCC disciples volunteer as teachers for the classes that provide a wonderful opportunity for faith- and Gospel-sharing moments, as more than 600 Chinese immigrants who had not heard about God’s love in Jesus have attended the classes.
Classes are divided into Beginning Level I, Beginning Level II, Conversational Level, and U.S. Citizenship Exam Preparation.
Michelle and Pastor Tich Luu are also involved in teaching children Bible stories during the 6-week summer Camp China at LCC that reaches out each day to about 30 children ages 4 to 11. The camp also allows children to learn Chinese culture through language, dance, cooking, and singing.
Special events are held for LCC’s Chinese-speaking and English-speaking congregations to gather together during the year, including a celebration of Chinese New Year, a Chinese dumpling-making event, church picnic, and Thanksgiving dinner.
We also combine congregations in joint worship services several times a year, whenever there is a 5th Sunday in a month. The service is conducted in both English and Chinese. The joint services remind us that even though we usually worship separately because of language differences, we are still one church and one body in Christ.
Please keep our Chinese Outreach Ministry in your prayers.
We also welcome financial gifts from individuals or congregations. Perhaps your church supports a "Mission of the Month"? If so, we would love the opportunity to be your focus for a month or more. We have materials and information, including a 45-minute DVD of a Sunday worship service, that we would be happy to send you.
We also invite you to contact Pastor Tich Luu or call him at (301) 762-7565.
