by Rev. Andy Yong
Covenant BP Mission, Tacoma, WA
the Missions Banner, October/November 2026

During the summer, I placed greater emphasis on spending time with my family and ministering to the children. At the end of July, our church held a picnic in the church backyard. I delivered a sermon titled “Walk Worthy of the Calling,” based on Ephesians 4:1–6, emphasizing the unity and calling of believers as members of the body of Christ. Following the worship service, we sang hymns, shared delicious Korean dishes, and enjoyed various team games and fellowship activities. It was a joyful time of fellowship, with a great turnout. All of our church members and several regular attendees participated. I was especially grateful for the way the congregation took the initiative to prepare and organize most of the event. Their willingness to serve contributed greatly to the fellowship and success of the gathering. At the same time, I hope to see even greater voluntary participation from the congregation in future gatherings, particularly in activities that have a clear spiritual purpose and help strengthen our fellowship as a church. Furthermore, I hope that the congregation will participate even more actively in gatherings that have a clear spiritual purpose. After all, the ultimate goal of every church event is the sanctification of our souls in the Lord.

On the Monday following my return from Synod, I led the children of our church on a three-day retreat to the Pacific coast. The retreat was designed to provide focused spiritual instruction and fellowship for the children. My teaching centered on the biblical framework of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and New Creation. In addition to teaching of Scripture and catechism, we learned and sang hymns and other Christian songs together. Two fathers accompanied me and assisted with meals, transportation, logistics, and various activities throughout the retreat.

Their help was greatly appreciated and allowed me to focus on teaching and praying. I was thankful for their assistance. I trust that the Lord also blessed their heart during the retreat. 

The retreat reminded me of the importance of intentional ministry to the younger generation and of the need for more opportunities like this in the future. I hope that, as the Lord continues to build our congregation, we will be able to develop more regular and meaningful ministries for children and families.