When I was asked to give a short history of the Kalamazoo Chinese Christian Church on the happy occasion of the installation of Michael Wang as God's good shepherd here on May 21, 2000, it dawned on me that I am about the oldest member of the congregation. This is not an accomplishment at all, since if any one stays in once place long enough, he/she automatically becomes the unofficial historian. Other than that, I am really the least qualified to do the honor. After accepting the assignment, I started studying the Bible and praying earnestly on what to say about KCCC history. When it came to warnings from Israel's history, I Corinthian 10-11 says: "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of ages has come". The holy spirit urged me to just count God's blessing by looking at the footprints of KCCC. Reviewing the footprints, we all are amazed at what God has accomplished through many ministers and brothers and sister by their faith, obedience, and love of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Here are some chronological highlights of God's blessings to KCCC.

	1960-1970		Bible study groups among believers in family homes and at Western Michigan University.
	Dec. 7, 1984		The recognizable beginning of Kalamazoo Chinese Christian Fellowship. Pastor John Lin led Friday night worship services and Bible studies at Second Reformed Church. SRC accepted KCCF as one of her Outreach Ministries.
	Oct. 1988		KCCF started worships in Sunday afternoon at First Presbyterian Church, while continued Friday night Bible studies at SRC.
	Sept. 1991		Pastor Paul Shen became part-time co-worker of KCCF in Sunday worships and Bible studies.
	Sept. 1992		KCCF returned to SRC for Sunday worships and Friday night Bible studies and Pastor Shen became full time minister.
	Mar. 1994		The Lord blessed KCCF with a vision to start planning for a church building. KCCF Church Building Committee (CBC) was formed.
	Aug. 1995		CBC started partnership with Zion Church Builders.
	Oct. 1995		The Lord blessed KCCF in enabling the purchasing of the "Promised Land" at Parkview and highway 131.
	July 1997		Building site improvement started.
	Nov. 1997		The target of church building fund was reached--another blessing from our Lord.
	Mar. 8, 1998		Ground breaking celebration.
	May 1998		A new name, Kalamazoo Chinese Christian Church (KCCC), was adopted.
	Aug. 1998		Church building construction completed.
	Sept 7, 1998		Joint Sunday worship with SRC and farewell to brothers and sisters at SRC.
	Sept. 13, 1998		First Sunday worship at the new sanctuary at Parkview.
	Sept. 26, 1998		Church building dedication and thanksgiving to the Lord.

We cannot count all of God's blessings. What God has accomplished through brothers and sisters in a few families and among the students here in Kalamazoo has amazed many near and far. We can only give thanks and glory to God. God always accomplishes great thing through us if only we aspire to it through faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ and obedience to the Holy Spirit who lives in our heart.

We thank our former good shepherds, pastors John Lin and Paul Shen. We also give thanks to our sister churches and their pastors and brothers and sisters, to many seminary students at Calvin College and Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary, to many travelling ministers. They served the Lord with us when we needed the most. The footprints of KCCC are imprinted by God with the ministries and prayers of all these ministers and brothers and sisters.

Behind the significant events listed above are the God loving hearts of brothers and sisters. We are encouraged to know that brother Timothy Chen, who was one of the 1960-70 pioneers of KCCC, has completed seminary training and is now in transition from professional career to a full time servant of the Lord. Another brother, Chin-S Sun, has devoted his life to the Lord and is now studying at Baptist Seminary in Toranto. There are only two examples of obedient hearts among many.

In response to God's blessings, I encourage myself and all brothers and sisters in KCCC to take up the advice of apostle Paul as he instructed in Romans 12: 1-2, " Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacriefices, holy and pleasing to God - Do not confirm any longer to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind". As for our families, Cornelius, a centurian at Caesarea is our example, "He and his family were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly" (Act 10:2). Our next step then is unity in KCCC with pastor Wang and all brothers and sisters as stated in I Corin. 12:12, "the body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though its parts are many, they form on body, so it is with Christ". We can finally take up the great commission in Mathew 28:19, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations".

God's process of imprinting footprints of KCCC is continuing. Let's rejoy with Pastor Wang as he accepted God's calling and we accepted his response to God to be a good shepherd here. Let's pray regularly and be co-workers with Michael and Mary, in unity as one body with many members. In our daily life, we are making the history of KCCC. We need to pay attention to the warnings from the Israel's history and turn our hearts to God to be obedient servants of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Together, we all can be used by God to make footprints of KCCC, as we step forward into a new chapter of KCCC.

-- Geoffrey W. Peng