What: IGSM Sunday Large Group
Where: YWCA
When: Sun. March 14 at 2pm
We will be resuming our IGSM Sunday Large Group again this week at the usual place and time (YWCA at 2pm). Come join us as we talk about the Great Reversal that Christianity brings in our life. As usual, we will have a hearty meal after the bible study time.
What: IGSM Friday Bible Study
Where: 110 Barrows
Date/Time: Fri. Mar 12 at 6:30pm
We will be having an IGSM Friday Bible Study at 110 Barrows this week on Fri. 3/12 starting at 6:30pm. We will prepare for the upcoming IGSM Retreat this Friday. Come by and join us. As usual we will start with a scrumptious dinner.
We will be having a baptism this Sunday. A baptism is where a Christian makes a public profession of their faith. And this weekend, Samanthu Lu, one of our very own will be sharing how she became a Christian. So come join us for this memorable occasion.
Location: Willard Middle School (2425 Stuart Street, Berkeley, CA)
Date/Time: Sunday, March 7 at 11:30am
This time will be followed by lunch fellowship at the YWCA to celebrate the baptism. Don’t miss this special occasion.
Dr. Zhengrong Zhu serves as the General Advisor of the Beijing Haidian Church’s University Student Fellowship, the first official college Christian group in all of China, where he advises and trains student leaders in theology and ministry. Prior to that, Dr. Zhu started the Beijing Cedar Church with other university faculty members, serving as the Chairman and Elder, and helped to grow Cedar Church to 200 members. He was invited in 2005 to Washington D.C. by the U.S. Congress for the 53rd National Prayer Breakfast as an official guest from the Chinese house church movement.
Dr. Zhu was born in Jiangsu, China and received his B.S. in Chemistry from Nanjing University. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in Food Science and Nutrition in 1993. It was during this time that he became a Christian and was baptized at Amherst Chinese Christian Church. He furthered his Christian training at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a well-regarded Bible Institute. After completing his studies, he was a Senior Research Scientist at Viva Life Science in Costa Mesa, CA, where he published a research paper in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.
Dr. Zhu is married and has 2 children. In 1999, he returned to Beijing because of the great need for trained Christian ministers in China, giving up his U.S. green card, which he had held for over 10 years.
We are excited to have Dr. Zhu share from the Bible and his experiences at our Annual Retreat! Sign up for the retreat here.
This week, we will have a special event on Friday, February 19 at 6:30pm at 110 Barrows. It is our annual Spring Invitation, but this year, we will have a “special speaker” talking presenting a discussion titled “More Than a Face” that will uncover the truths about how the media has distorted the notion of beauty, and how it affects our self-image and everyday life. Hope you can join us as we discuss this interesting topic.
Location: 110 Barrows
Date/Time: Fri. Feb 19 at 6:30pm (starts with dinner)
Join us as we have our annual Gracepoint Valentine’s Day of Compassion. Every year instead of buying into the commercialization of Valentine’s Day, hundreds of us spread out into various different homeless shelters and elderly care facilities around the East Bay to share true love with those who are in most need. This year, IGSM will be going to the Rounseville Rehabilitation Center in Oakland, CA at 2pm. If you are interested, please come to 110 Barrows by 1:30pm on Sunday.
Come join us on Sunday at 2pm to our IGSM Sunday Gathering to study the bible. The gathering will end with a late lunch.
Haven’t seen snow? Longing to get out of the lab? Come join us as we head into the mountains to play in the snow.
Date: Saturday, Jan. 30
Where: Tahoe Vista at the North Tahoe Regional Park
Meeting time: 8am (wow so early)
We expect about a four hour drive to Lake Tahoe. We will eat lunch in the cars on the way up. When we get there we will sled and play in the snow. After we are all tired out and changed, we will take some pictures around the lake, then return back and grab dinner on the way back.
Please bring about $40 in cash ($30 will be collected to pay for gas, parking, and sled rentals; the remaining is for meals), snow clothing (jacket, pants, shoes, mittens, hat), and an extra change of clothes.
Let us know that you want to come by signing up. We’ll arrange the rides and let you know where to meet for pickups.
Friday Forum will be back at 110 Barrows this week (1/29) starting at 6:30pm with dinner.
As we look on the New Year, we are always looking for new ways to help our International Students know God. This year, we will start our very own IGSM Sunday Worship Service starting on Sunday, January 31. Come join us for this momentous occasion. More detail to be announced so check back frequently.
We will not have a Friday Forum on Friday Jan, 22. We will resume again on Friday, Jan 29.
We will continue to meet at the YWCA this Friday at 6:30pm for our Friday Forum. This week, we will continue the talking about prayer as we look at the story of the persistent woman in Luke 11:1-10. Afterwards, we will be going into San Francisco to go ice skating and enjoy some hot drinks. Hope you can join us.
International Graduate Student Ministry (IGSM) is an official graduate student group at UC Berkeley. IGSM started in the fall of 2003 with the vision to help all UC Berkeley graduate students from various countries (including students from the United States) find out the true meaning and purpose of their lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of us also attend Gracepoint Berkeley, where Pastor Ed and Kelly Kang lead the ministry.
