When God Turns Back Time: Lessons from Hezekiah’s Healing

Scriptures: 2 Kings 20:1-11 | Isaiah 38:9-20 | 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 | Philippians 4:6-7

“¹ In those days Hezekiah was sick and dying. Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order; for you will die, and not live.’”

² Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying, ³ “Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

⁴ Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying, ⁵ “Turn back, and tell Hezekiah the prince of my people, ‘Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day, you will go up to Yahweh’s house. ⁶ I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.”’”

⁷ Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.”

They took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

⁸ Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I will go up to Yahweh’s house the third day?”

⁹ Isaiah said, “This will be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do the thing that he has spoken: should the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”

¹⁰ Hezekiah answered, “It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.”

¹¹ Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.

The story of King Hezekiah’s sickness and healing is more than a historical account—it is a living testimony of prayer, repentance, and God’s mercy.

When Isaiah first told Hezekiah, “Set your house in order, for you shall die,” it was both a practical and spiritual call. Practically, it meant to arrange succession, settle debts, and reconcile relationships. Spiritually, it was a reminder to be ready to meet God at any moment.

But Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed. He poured out his heart: “Remember how I have walked before you faithfully.” With tears streaming down his face, he prayed an honest, raw, tearful prayer. And God listened. Psalm 34:7 assures us: “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears.”

God’s answer was immediate: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you.” On the third day, Hezekiah would rise and return to the temple. The “third day” points us to decisive restoration, echoing Hosea 6:2 and anticipating the resurrection hope in Christ.

God added fifteen years to Hezekiah’s life—not only for him but for the sake of Jerusalem, giving time for repentance and fulfilling His covenant promise to David. This reminds us that one person’s prayer, one person’s repentance, can shape the destiny of a whole community.

The healing came through both divine word and practical means: Isaiah instructed the use of a cake of figs on the infection. God often works through both supernatural power and ordinary remedies.

When Hezekiah asked for a confirming sign, God gave him something astounding: the sundial’s shadow moved backward ten steps. Time itself seemed to reverse, a supernatural sign of God’s mercy. The death sentence was lifted; life was restored.

In Isaiah 38, Hezekiah’s song reflects his inner journey:

“⁹ The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and had recovered of his sickness:

¹⁰ I said, “In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol.^[a]
    I am deprived of the residue of my years.”
¹¹ I said, “I won’t see Yah,
    Yah in the land of the living.
    I will see man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
¹² My dwelling is removed,
    and is carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent.
I have rolled up my life like a weaver.
    He will cut me off from the loom.
    From day even to night you will make an end of me.
¹³ I waited patiently until morning.
    He breaks all my bones like a lion.
    From day even to night you will make an end of me.
¹⁴ I chattered like a swallow or a crane.
    I moaned like a dove.
    My eyes weaken looking upward.
    Lord, I am oppressed.
    Be my security.”
¹⁵ What will I say?
    He has both spoken to me, and himself has done it.
    I will walk carefully all my years because of the anguish of my soul.
¹⁶ Lord, men live by these things;
    and my spirit finds life in all of them.
    You restore me, and cause me to live.
¹⁷ Behold, for peace I had great anguish,
    but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption;
    for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
¹⁸ For Sheol^[b] can’t praise you.
    Death can’t celebrate you.
Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.
¹⁹ The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do today.
    The father shall make known your truth to the children.
²⁰ Yahweh will save me.
    Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in Yahweh’s house.”

• Despair: “My dwelling is pulled up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent.”
• Reflection: “Surely it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness.” Through suffering, he was humbled, drawn closer to God, and granted deeper wisdom.
• Renewal: “We will sing to the Lord all the days of our lives.” His healing led to a vow of lifelong worship and communal celebration.

This story invites us to connect with our own journeys. Just as Hezekiah turned his face to the wall in prayer, we are called to turn to God with honesty and tears. Just as God restored Hezekiah, He can bring renewal to our lives and our communities.

The New Testament shines light on this story:

• 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 reminds us that though our bodies may waste away, God is renewing us inwardly, preparing eternal glory.

“Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward person is decaying, yet our inward person is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory, while we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

• Philippians 4:6–7 echoes Hezekiah’s desperate prayer: in every situation, by prayer and thanksgiving, we find peace that guards our hearts in Christ Jesus.

“In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.”

The God who heard Hezekiah’s prayer and turned back time is the same God who hears us today. He is the God of second chances, the God who heals, the God who restores.

Summary: Lessons from Hezekiah’s Healing

• Set your house in order – Practical & Spiritual readiness (2 Kings 20:1)
• Turn to the wall – Honest, tearful prayer moves God’s heart (vv. 2-3)
• God hears & heals – ‘I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears’ (vv. 4-5)
• Third day restoration – Echo of resurrection hope (Hosea 6:2)
• Fifteen more years – God ties personal healing to national rescue (v. 6)
• Healing through both divine word & practical means (V. 7)
• A sign from God – Sundial shadow reversed, time turned back (vv. 8-11)
• Hezekiah’s song – From despair to thanksgiving (Isaiah 38:9-20)
• NT light – Renewed inwardly (2 Cor. 4:16-18), peace in prayer (Phil. 4:6-7)

Key Truth: The God who heard Hezekiah’s tears is the same God who hears us today.

A Testimony of Healing and Gratitude

by Rev. Dr. Stephen Moon

Dear friends in Christ,

I want to share my heart with you and give glory to God for what has been done in my life over the past three months. It began with something as small as gum infections, but quickly spread to my eyes, ears, sinuses, and even across the skin of most of my body. My immunity was almost down to zero when the symptoms started. I found myself fighting with four different medications, struggling through sleepless nights, and wondering if I would ever recover.

During this time, I drew blood several times to check my vitals, and my family doctor grew increasingly worried. There was even concern that I might actually be showing symptoms of leukemia. I will never forget the day my wife, Grace, cried at the doctor’s office when she heard the possibility that I might have to face such a diagnosis. In those weeks, I lost nearly 10 pounds through July and August, as my body grew weaker and my spirit more burdened. By the grace of God, I have since regained my strength and restored the weight I lost—a living reminder of renewal.

In the middle of that valley, when I was exhausted in body and spirit, your prayers became a lifeline. Pastors and friends in our presbytery reached out with love and encouragement, and I cannot thank you enough. Every message, every whispered prayer, every word of support reminded me that I was not walking this path alone.

Through this trial, the Lord gently taught me to let go of the thousands of stresses and worries I had been carrying. Instead, my eyes were opened to one central truth: that life and healing are in God’s hands. I began to see more clearly than ever that my hope rests not in medicine alone, but in the Lord who is both Shepherd and Healer.

By God’s mercy, I have been restored. God has heard our prayers and lifted me from the brink. Today, I can say with the psalmist: “I cried out to You for help, and You healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead” (Psalm 30:2–3).

I am overflowing with gratitude—for renewed health, for the chance to continue serving, and especially for the loving community of pastors and friends who surrounded me with such faithful care. Truly, I have experienced God’s healing power through your prayers.

I also want to offer a word of encouragement to my fellow pastors: please take time to relax and allow yourselves a good sabbatical break. Maintaining your health is vital for serving God and others without interruption. Do not wait until crisis forces you to stop—make space now to be renewed, so your ministry may flourish with strength and joy.

Thank you, my dear brothers and sisters, for standing with me in this storm. May my testimony be a reminder that even in our darkest moments, the Lord still listens, still heals, and still brings us into new life.

With heartfelt gratitude and joy,

Stephen

Intercultural Mosaics: Spotlight for DCC’s Capital Campaign

Shaping a Thriving, Transformational Community

For ten years, Intercultural Mosaics has been more than a ministry—it is a Spirit-led movement and a leading example of radical hospitality. Our mission is simple yet profound: to nurture transformed lives that radiate hope, renew neighborhoods, and embody God’s reconciling love. Through worship and discipleship, intercultural friendships, and holistic community care, Mosaics has become a spiritual ecosystem. Here, diverse generations and cultures grow together in faith.

Resilience, Recovery, and Renewal

• Before 2020: We welcomed over 1,500 unique participants, with 3–7 new guests joining each week.
• 2020–2022: Fully online during the pandemic, reaching more than 1,000 people with steady weekly engagement of 75–100.
• Since 2023: Mosaics has re-emerged as a vibrant hybrid community, gathering in Davis and Sacramento homes, at Phoenix Hall on the DCC campus, and globally online.
• Today: 300+ active members representing more than 30 cultures, witnessing together to God’s transforming grace.

Expanding Reach

• 6,395 events since inception, welcoming 3,226 participants.
• A digital presence including 49,734 website subscribers and 315 active Facebook members.
• Over 200 new participants in 2024–25—a clear sign of sustained spiritual curiosity and growth.

Caring for Our Neighbors

In April 2025 we launched the Mosaics Food Security Initiative, offering meals and free bicycle repair for unhoused and under-resourced neighbors. Building on this success—and with pending Synod support—we are preparing the Mosaics Yolo Compassion Initiative, a whole-person care project offering nourishment, emotional healing, and practical pathways to wellness.

Partnering for Impact

Looking ahead, we face significant financial challenges. Several grants that have sustained our work are expected to diminish in the coming years. Our annual budget of $100,000 requires an additional $20,000–$30,000 to maintain and expand our ministry.

Currently, about 40% of our budget comes from Facebook fundraisers, major donors, and the faithful giving of Mosaics participants and supporters. The remaining 60% comes from grants and partner churches within our presbytery.

Davis Community Church, as our cherished partner and sponsoring congregation, has the opportunity to help shape the next chapter of Intercultural Mosaics through your upcoming capital campaign. Your generosity will empower these ministries to thrive—bringing hope, transformation, and lasting impact to lives and communities for generations to come.

Looking to the Next Decade

As we celebrate a decade of God’s faithfulness, we envision the next ten years as a season of deeper healing, stronger friendships, and transformative discipleship across cultures and generations. Your support will help us bring this vision to life.

Voices of Transformation

Behind these numbers are real people whose lives have been transformed—here are their stories.

A Place of Belonging and Support

“When I was a new mother, Davis Mosaics connected me and my kids with a diverse, caring community. We experienced languages, cultures, and food from around the world.” – Amy Corona

Learning, Friendship, and Hope

“Mosaics allowed me to study French, Spanish, and American Sign Language, and to teach German. Sharing dinner with new friends helped me feel part of a community. You go home happier, smarter, and less alone.” – Honna Steissberg

Faith in Action

“Grace and Stephen Moon have given to me and to the community the highest gift of love— selfless service and dedication. I feel blessed to be part of such a beautiful network of friends and families where everyone is welcomed.” – Amber Weber

Transformation and New Life

“They say find the ‘friendly face in the crowd,’ but I found more than that. My life was changed, and I will forever be grateful. Davis Mosaics felt like home from day one.” – Rocio Corona

Cross-Cultural Community

“As a Malian, I came to Davis with different cultures and beliefs. Mosaics helped me interact with people and see the beauty of cultural difference. Kindness is the best way of communication between humans. Mosaics is family.” – Aïssata Sow

Spiritual Growth and Fellowship

“I began attending Mosaics Bible Study in 2016. Since then, I have gained a deeper understanding of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ. Having no family of my own, I have always felt welcomed by Pastor Stephen and his wife Grace as part of the Intercultural Mosaics family.” – Robert Richardson

A Treasured Community Resource

“They have truly created a beautiful environment where people of all walks of life come, learn, laugh, play music, and feel accepted. Mosaics has become one of the most treasured resources in our city.” – Stephanie Thayer

Through stories like these, Intercultural Mosaics shows that it is not merely a program—it is a lifeline of learning, fellowship, and hope. With your partnership, this ministry will continue to grow, bringing together people from around the world to experience love, belonging, and transformation.

Together, let us invest in a future where God’s reconciling love reaches every neighbor and every nation—starting right here in Davis.

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” — Isaiah 43:19

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” — Acts 2:42–47

Discover Intercultural Mosaics this Fall 2025!

Come be part of a lively season of learning, community, and cultural exchange from September 27 – December 13, 2025. We’ll gather in person every Saturday in Davis, and also connect online through bi-weekly Friday Zoom sessions—all designed to bring people together through language, art, food, and friendship.

🌍 Saturday In-Person Gatherings: Phoenix Hall, 2nd Floor, Davis Community Church

• 3:00 PM – Beginning Korean (Stephen)
• 3:00 PM – Tai Chi (Daniel & Norio)
• 4:00 PM – Intermediate Korean (Stephen)
• 4:00 PM – Beginning Spanish (Viviana)
• 5:00 PM – Beginning French (Seth)
• 5:00 PM – Beginning Japanese (Norio)
• 6:00 PM – Intercultural Dinner Fellowship (Grace & Lira)
• 7:00 PM – English Learners Group (Linda & Chad) – DCC Library
• 7:00 PM – Beginning Mandarin Chinese (Kaussar)
• 7:00 PM – Water & Acrylic Painting (Zhannur)
• 8:00 PM – Mosaics Cultural Exchange (fun activities celebrating global cultures!)

💻 Bi-Weekly Friday Zoom Classes: https://zoom.us/j/589676463 | Every 2nd & 4th Friday

• 4:00 PM – Advanced Korean (Stephen)
• 5:00 PM – Intermediate Conversational Chinese (Sam)
• 6:00 PM – Bible Study & Meditation (Stephen)
• 7:00 PM – Beginning Mandarin Chinese (Jane)

For more information, visit www.nextg.org or contact Dr. Stephen Moon at 916-217-5470 | catalyst@nextg.org.

“Third Culture, Third Place”: A Prophetic Call to the Church of Tomorrow

By Rev. Dr. Stephen Moon
Intercultural Mosaics

“You are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.” — Ephesians 2:19

In a world shaped by migration, multicultural identity, and social fragmentation, the Church is being summoned by the Spirit into a new kind of faithfulness. In North Central California and across the globe, God is calling us into unfamiliar spaces—in-between cultures and beyond traditional sanctuaries—to rediscover what it truly means to be a people of hope and hospitality.

Two transformative ideas help guide this journey: Third Culture and Third Place. Though sociological in origin, they point directly to a deeply biblical vision of intercultural belonging and redemptive presence—and they may just be the keys to our church’s renewal.

Third Culture: Living in the In-Between

A “Third Culture” individual is someone shaped by multiple cultural contexts, never fully belonging to any single one. These are the children of immigrants, missionaries, military families, refugees, international students, and others raised in hybrid worlds. In our diverse presbytery, many of our youth and adults already live this reality.

They are not rootless. They are richly rooted—just not in one soil.

The Bible is full of such people:

• Abraham left everything familiar to dwell in a land that was not his own. (Hebrews 11:8–10)

• Jesus, the incarnate Word, entered our world as the ultimate Third Culture person—divine and human, Jewish and global. (John 1:14)

• The early Church broke boundaries of race, gender, and class, forming a new culture defined by Christ—not ethnicity. (Galatians 3:28)

In our presbytery, God is raising up people who carry this sacred gift of hybridity—not as a threat, but as a bridge of reconciliation.

Third Place: Becoming Spaces of Grace

Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third place” to describe neutral spaces outside home and work—coffee shops, parks, libraries—where community and conversation thrive. In the digital age, these are often online forums or neighborhood pop-ups.

What if the Church itself became the third place our world is searching for?

This was the heart of the early Christian movement. Acts 2 describes believers gathering daily—not only for worship, but for shared meals, radical generosity, and joyful community. Their homes and lives became sacred spaces where strangers became family. (Acts 2:42–47)

Jesus often met people in third places—a Samaritan woman at a well, a tax collector at his table, a rich ruler on the road. He taught us that God’s love is not confined to temples. It breaks out into streets, riversides, and village squares.

Today, our churches are being challenged to move from institution to incarnation—from programs to presence. Third places are where people feel safe, seen, and sent. The church must become that kind of place again.

The Convergence: Where Third Culture Meets Third Place

When third culture individuals find third places within our churches, transformation happens.

These spaces become sanctuaries of belonging and laboratories for mission. No longer just programs or pews, they become homes for the spiritually homeless, bridges for the culturally displaced, and greenhouses for Kingdom dreams.

Imagine:

• A downtown church hosting monthly dinners where immigrants, artists, retirees, and college students share stories.
• A suburban congregation turning their fellowship hall into a coworking café for hybrid workers and young parents.
• A rural church offering a bilingual Bible study led by a third culture youth.

This is not abstract theory. This is what many of our new worshiping communities, intercultural fellowships, and grassroots ministries in NCCP are already doing. And it is only the beginning.

A Word to the Presbytery

To my fellow pastors, elders, and members across North Central California:

We are living through a divine disruption.

The Spirit is stirring us to leave comfort for calling. To build churches not around tradition, but around transformation. And to see our diversity not as a challenge to manage, but as a Gospel to embody.

As Presbyterians, we value structure and history. But we are also Reformers—called to be Ecclesia semper reformanda—the Church always reforming.

Let us reform toward hospitality, hybridity, and holy presence.

Let us raise up leaders who can speak in many languages—not just of tongue, but of culture and heart.

Let us create third places where third culture people flourish—and in doing so, rediscover the church Jesus envisioned.

Closing Words of Hope

“Now the dwelling of God is with humanity, and He will live with them.” (Revelation 21:3)

This is the future we are invited to build: a church that looks more like heaven, where every culture brings its gifts and every story finds its place.

May we say yes.

Explore Intercultural Mosaics this Summer 2025!

Join us for a vibrant season of virtual classes and community gatherings from June 21 to September 20, 2025 — all from the comfort of your home on Zoom!

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/589676463

Bi-Weekly Friday Zoom Sessions

(Every 2nd and 4th Friday)

• 4:00 PM – Advanced Korean with Stephen

• 5:00 PM – Intermediate Conversational Chinese with Sam

• 7:00 PM – Beginning Chinese with Jane

• 8:00 PM – Bible Study & Meditation Group with Stephen

Weekly Saturday Zoom Sessions

• 4:00 PM – Beginning Spanish with Viviana (starting July 12)

• 5:00 PM – Beginning French with Seth

• 6:00 PM – Beginning Japanese with Norio & Mutsumi

• 7:00 PM – English Learners Group with Linda & Chad

Note: No Zoom sessions on July 5 and August 30, 2025.

For more information about Mosaics Intercultural Classes & Activities, please visit www.nextg.org or contact Dr. Stephen Moon at 916-217-5470 or catalyst@nextg.org.

We look forward to learning and growing with you this summer!

“Whole and Radiant: Rediscovering the Balance Our Church Needs”

By Rev. Dr. Stephen Moon

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In a world that constantly pushes us to take sides—to choose either tradition or innovation, justice or holiness, action or contemplation—the gospel invites us into something far richer: wholeness.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) today finds itself at a historic crossroads. Many of our inherited churches—often white, Euro-American, and shaped by centuries of faithfulness—are aging, shrinking, or searching for renewed vitality. At the same time, a beautiful movement is stirring across the denomination: new immigrant fellowships, artistic worshiping communities, racial justice collectives, and hybrid models of church are emerging like spring shoots after winter.

These two movements—seemingly opposite—are not competitors. They are, in fact, complementary energies that, when embraced together, can restore vibrancy and vision to the Body of Christ.

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☯️ Yin and Yan: A Biblical Dance of Difference

Borrowing from ancient Eastern wisdom, we might call these dynamics Yin and Yan:

• Yin: gentle, intuitive, emotionally rich, rooted in silence and symbol, often found in new worshiping communities, immigrant churches, artistic expressions, and those attuned to the Spirit’s inner movements.
• Yan: structured, action-oriented, intellectually firm, expressed in systems, order, polity, proclamation—often visible in legacy congregations, committees, and governance bodies.

We see both energies in Scripture:

• Mary and Martha (Luke 10): one listens in stillness, the other serves with urgency. Jesus praises the stillness—not to diminish service, but to affirm spiritual balance.
• Elijah meets God not in fire or wind, but in the gentle whisper (1 Kings 19).
• Jesus teaches with authority (Yan) but also withdraws to pray alone (Yin). He flips tables in righteous anger—then weeps over Jerusalem.

The Bible reveals that divine power is expressed not through dominance, but through paradox: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise… the weak to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)

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🔄 The False Choice—and the Better Way

Too often, churches try to conform everyone into one mold. But what if the future of the PC(USA) is not about one “winning” over the other?

What if God is inviting us into a holy synthesis—where the best of both streams can heal the division, energize the weary, and bless the generations to come?

• Imagine if an immigrant congregation’s contemplative prayer and prophetic art were honored alongside a white legacy church’s budget acumen and polity experience.
• What if an older church hosted a New Worshiping Community in its space—not to supervise them, but to co-create a future church that neither could become alone?

Yin communities bring emotional honesty, community-based leadership, and a deep sense of hospitality. Yan communities bring governance wisdom, stability, and long-standing commitment to mission structures. Together, they form the ligaments of the Body of Christ, holding us in tension—but also in love (Ephesians 4:16).

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🌱 A Call to Wholeness

Dear leaders, elders, and members of inherited churches: this moment is not the end of your story. It is the beginning of a larger one. You are not losing a church—you are gaining a spiritual family made of many tongues, many gifts, and many textures.

Dear siblings in emerging, minority, and intercultural communities: you are not second-tier ministries. You are prophetic voices. You are the moonlight to the sun. The whisper to the shout. The art that teaches the heart.

Now is the time for mutual invitation—not token partnership or assimilation—but real shared leadership, real co-discipleship, and real co-mission.

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🙌 Practical Steps Toward Yin-Yan Synergy

• Shared Leadership Models – Elevate immigrant or artistic leaders into presbytery commissions and congregational leadership.
• Mutual Spiritual Formation – Hold retreats where silence and proclamation are both honored.
• Co-Mission Projects – Collaborate on projects like food justice, mental health, or youth formation.
• Cross-Cultural Pulpit Exchanges – Invite one another to speak and lead in each other’s spaces.

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🌄 One Body, Made Radiant

Let us not fear the unfamiliar, but embrace the mystery. Let us not grasp at control, but open our hands. Let us become a people of Yin and Yan—gentle and bold, wise and curious, structured and spontaneous.

The church of tomorrow is already emerging. Will we recognize her? Will we honor her gifts? Will we walk toward one another—not as guests, but as family?

Let us become, through the Spirit, a church that is whole and radiant.

Mosaics Sushi Night: Celebrating Graduated Students & Father’s Day

You’re invited to a special evening of Japanese flavors, cultural celebration, and community joy as we honor our recent graduates and amazing fathers!

 Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
 Time:
• 5:00 PM – Refreshments & Mingling
• 6:00 PM – Japanese Dinner Fellowship
• 7:00 PM – Karaoke Fun 
 Location: 2nd Floor, Phoenix Hall, Davis Community Church (DCC), 412 C Street, Davis, CA

 Culinary Highlights by Our Talented Chefs:

• Sushi Chéf Norio – Handcrafting Chirashi Sushi, Sushi Rolls, and Temaki (hand rolls)

• Main Chéf Grace – Serving Japanese Yaki Soba, Mixed Tempuras, Hawaiian-style Poke, Vegetable Salad, Wakame Salad, Miso Soup, and an array of Japanese side dishes & desserts

• Sous-chéf Lira and the kitchen crew – Assisting with preparation and presentation

 Helpers & Volunteers:
All helpers are kindly asked to arrive by 3:00 PM for setting up, decorating, and food prep.

 Suggested Donation: $10 or more to help cover the cost of fresh sashimi and ingredients

 Contact:
Dr. Stephen Moon
 916-217-5470
 catalyst@nextg.org

Bring your friends and family, and join us for an unforgettable evening of food, fellowship, and fun!  #mosaics #sushinight

 Please Note: There will be no Intercultural Classes on this day.

“New Wine Needs New Wineskins”
Isaiah 43:18–19 | Luke 5:37–38 | Acts 1:1-5

Let me take you back to a dusty road in ancient Galilee.

Jesus had just finished healing people, teaching, and challenging the religious elite. Then He said something curious—something that puzzled some and changed others:

“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.” — Luke 5:37–38 (also in Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22)

At first glance, it sounds like a lesson about winemaking. But it was far deeper than that.

What’s This About?

Back in Jesus’ time, people stored wine in pouches made of animal skin. New wine was still fermenting—it would expand and stretch. If you put that bubbling new wine into a stiff, old wineskin, it would tear and spill everything.

Jesus was saying:
“What I’m doing is new, alive, and powerful. It can’t fit into old, rigid (conservative) ways.”

He was challenging the religious leaders—who were stuck in tradition—and inviting people to open their hearts to something fresh.

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So What Are the “New Wineskins”?

• The new wine represents God doing something new—bringing life, hope, and freedom through Jesus.
• The new wineskins are people and communities willing to grow, change, and stretch to carry that new thing forward.

This isn’t about being conservative or progressive. It’s about being ready—ready to be reshaped so God can work through us.

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A New Heart for a New Move of God

When God does something new, He often starts by reshaping the heart.

That’s why this verse from the Old Testament is so powerful:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” — Ezekiel 36:26

That’s what God does.
He softens our hearts.
He takes away cold, rigid (conservative) thinking and replaces it with love, compassion, and openness.

Because you can’t carry the new things of God with an old, hardened heart.

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Not About Politics or Labels

Let’s clear something up:
“New wineskins” is not a conservative idea. It’s not a progressive idea. It’s a Kingdom idea.

Jesus used it to teach about:

• Transformation
• Renewal
• And the incompatibility of God’s fresh movement with stale structures

This idea stretches both sides. It challenges:

• The church that resists change because “we’ve always done it this way”
• And the church that chases trends but forgets the power of the Holy Spirit

Whether you lean traditional or modern, the question is the same:
Are you willing to become new so God can move through you?

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Why This Matters Right Now

Let’s be honest. Many churches today are struggling.

• Worship feels like a routine, not a revival.
• Meetings drag on, but don’t lead to change.
• The next generation is tuning out.
• Technology feels overwhelming.
• We keep repeating: “This is how we’ve always done it.”

That’s the sound of an old wineskin mindset—rigid, fearful of change, and stuck in the past.

The latest data shows that our denomination, PCUSA, is losing huge membership every year and may drop below 1 million members by end of 2025.

But God is not done. God is doing something new!
He is still pouring out new wine—new people, new energy, new ideas, new callings.

The question is:
Can we hold it? Or will we miss it?

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Jesus Told His Followers to Wait

Even after rising from the dead, Jesus didn’t send His disciples out right away. He told them:

“Do not leave Jerusalem. Wait for the gift my Father promised… In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” — Acts 1:4–5

Why wait?

Because they weren’t ready.

They needed new hearts, new strength, and God’s power through the Holy Spirit.

They had to become new wineskins.

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Two People God Reshaped

Moses: From Confident to Called

Moses grew up in Egypt’s palace—powerful and educated. But when he tried to help his people his own way, it backfired. He fled into the desert.

There, in 40 years of silence and struggle, God reshaped him. By the time God called him through the burning bush, Moses had become humble, teachable—ready. He became a new wineskin.

Paul: From Religious to Relational

Paul (then Saul) was passionate—but dangerously rigid (conservative). He believed he was doing God’s will by persecuting Christians.

But on the road to Damascus, Jesus stopped him.
Blinded and broken, Paul spent days in the dark. And when the scales fell from his eyes, he saw everything differently.

He had become a new wineskin.
And God used him to spread the gospel around the world.

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The Bottom Line

God is not looking for perfect people.
God is looking for people who are willing to be new wineskins.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” — Isaiah 43:18–19

God is doing a new thing in this generation.

The only question is: Will you make room for it? Are you ready to receive the Holy Spirit?

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Your Invitation: Close your eyes . . .

If your heart feels dry… If your church feels stuck… If you long for more…

Let God give you a new heart.
Let God fill you with His Spirit.
Let God make you a new wineskin—ready for new wine.

New wine is being poured. Will you receive it? Let’s pray, follow this prayer after me:

Dear Lord,
I’m tired of the old and empty.
Make my heart new.
Fill me with Your Spirit.
Shape me to receive what You’re doing now.
I’m ready for new wine.
Use me, Lord.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Dear Friends and Supporters of Mosaics,

As Easter reminds us of renewal and hope, we at Intercultural Mosaics—a vibrant ministry proudly sponsored by Davis Community Church—are stepping boldly into a new season of growth and transformation.

With your help, Mosaics has become a safe, creative, and welcoming space where people of all cultures and generations gather in faith, friendship, and purpose. And now, more than ever, we need your partnership to keep that vision alive and expanding.

Our Spring Fundraiser runs through April 30, 2025, and we’re inviting you to be part of something powerful. Our goal is to raise $5,000—a modest amount with mighty potential to shape lives. Whether it’s $5 or $500, your gift will help us:

• Launch innovative hybrid gatherings that unite people online and in-person

• Host cultural nights and fellowship events that promote inclusion and understanding

• Mentor the next generation of diverse, Spirit-led leaders

• Extend radical hospitality to those longing for connection

• Support the Mosaics Food Security Initiative, providing meals and essentials for individuals and families in need

Every dollar counts—and every heart behind it matters even more.

Here is where to donate:

FaceBook Donation Page: https://www.facebook.com/donate/560670133180286/

If you share our vision and wish to contribute to the growth of our ministries throughout 2025, consider making a tax-deductible love-offering. Simply write your check(s) payable to “Davis Community Church” with a note specifying “Intercultural Mosaics.” Mail your donation to:

Brett Kersten, Minister of Finance, Davis Community Church (c/o Intercultural Mosaics), 412 C Street, Davis, CA 95616

You may also click following “Give Now” button or scan QR Code to give your love-offerings instantly.

Thank you for believing in this ministry and walking this journey with us. Together, we can continue to build a beautiful mosaic of hope, healing, and unity.

With deep gratitude and Easter joy,

Dr. Stephen & Grace Moon