Young Families Kinship

We are a fellowship ministry group of Chinese Grace Bible Church, serving couples and families of young children. We are committed to growing and working out our faith in the context of our marriages,parenthood, and our families. All are welcome to join us!

The moms meet every 2nd Friday at 7:30 p.m. For more info, contact Tracy Louie.
The dads meet every 3rd Friday evening. For more info, contact Wayne Lee.
Every quarter, we have social events that include the entire family, such as BBQs, holiday parties, moms’ night out, etc. All are welcome!

Testimonies

My husband (Wayne) and I first came to Chinese Grace Bible Church back in 2001, right before we got engaged. We immediately looked for a small group or fellowship that we could join to get to know others, get plugged in, and grow. We joined the Young Adults Career Kinship, or YACK, which was the young adult fellowship at the time, and also helped to start Career Adults in Transition, or CAT. From CAT, came the Young Couples Kinship, and once everyone started having kids, we eventually turned into the Young Families Kinship.

No man is an island, and I have learned that God gives us the Body of Christ as a context for our faith journey and spiritual growth. Yes, in the past I have tried to go it alone in my faith walk, but without the Body, I realize that I limit God in what He can do in my life, and as a result, my faith is stunted.

I feel that I am in a unique community because many of us are transplants here in Sacramento. Many of us did not grow up here. We came as “outsiders” due to work or school. Many of us are far from our families. And a unique thing happened. As we spent time together and shared our lives and encouraged each other in our faith journeys, we grew closer together and actually became each other’s families. During holidays, we would host each other in our own homes if some could not travel far for the holidays. We celebrated each birthday together. Mourned together over losses and tragedies. We have seen each other through marriages, births, deaths, and everything in between. When we lost Dylan Yee, it was like one of our own children was painfully ripped from us. When we lost Wayne Cheng, it was like our very own brother suddenly left us behind without any goodbye. It is during these times that I am reminded how intertwined we are as a Body. When one part hurts, the entire body is crying too.

For me personally, this group has seen me through my struggles with my family of origin, my days in therapy, my eldest son’s autism diagnosis, and everything in between. This group has allowed me to learn so many lessons on how to have faith in ministry—how to entrust God with what HE wants to do among us, and to just watch and wait, while continuing to be faithful with what He’s given me for the moment. It has given me plenty of opportunities (and challenges!) on learning what it’s like to be a servant-leader. Humility. Diligence. Accountability. Faith. Grace.

I am so grateful for this faith community God has placed me in; it truly is the context which God uses to challenge me, grow me, amaze me, and bless me. I know the Holy Spirit is moving among these hearts. I am so humbled to be able to experience a taste of His love and His faithfulness through these brothers and sisters.

– Ruth Lee

When my husband and I moved to Sacramento 13 years ago, we knew nobody. After we came to Chinese Grace Bible Church, we eventually got to know the brothers and sisters in our Young Families Kinship. We were welcomed in and began building friendships. Through this group, we learned how to grow our marriage through various studies such as “Love and Respect.” The ladies experienced the excitement and the nervousness of being pregnant at the same time with our firstborns. We shared the physical tiredness, frustration, and struggles of taking care of newborn babies. We gave encouragement and support to each other when we didn’t know what to do with various situations and phases, the “terrible twos”, then three or four… Now our oldest kids are in school.

As we watch our children grow up together, we know they will continue to learn about Jesus together in Sunday school and in Vacation Bible School. Through all this, we hope they will build lifelong friendships together and experience spiritual growth. We hope they will be blessed with precious relationships just as we have, as adults, within this Kinship.

When I look back at our time with this Kinship group, I see that God has been present every step of the way. He has placed these brothers and sisters in our lives, and through them, we have received His love, encouragement, inspiration, growth, and much much more.

Recently, in the middle of a sudden tragedy, my life was turned upside down. Yet God’s love is like a radiant light from heaven above, piercing through the thick clouds, and straight into me. He brought brothers and sisters-in-Christ to surround me, lift my spirit, cheer me up, and carry me through. As soon as I found out Wayne collapsed, the sisters in our Kinship were the very first ones I contacted. As the event unfolded, they were along side of me providing support, comfort, and prayers. At my darkest and weakest moment, the sisters in the Kinship were the extension of God. Because the tragedy happened when we were out of town, I was on the phone with them a lot—it did not matter what time of the day it was. When I could not sleep in the middle of the night, I would call them. They would listen to my cries, my agony, or even my silence. Their prayer for my family and me truly carried us through the process. Without it, I would not have been able to get all the burial things done so efficiently afterwards. The brothers in the Kinship came down to Southern California to take me and my family back home. Then so many brothers and sisters from the Young Families Kinship and the church all helped out with the celebration of life in Sacramento. I did not have to do anything myself. Even though I do not have any family in Sacramento, the church is like a family to me. Though the road ahead is going to be tough, I know I am not alone. Nobody should walk this life alone. I praise the Lord for giving me a Kinship that I can call my family in Christ.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: if either of them falls down, one can help. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

– Tiffanie Sun