THE METHODIST CHURCH IN SINGAPORE
ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 027/11/2020
Vo l 1 2 3 N o 4 A P R I L 2 0 2 1
SACRIFICE
Contents
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Church life Methodists in the world Christian living
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Bishop’s Message
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Coming Up
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Church Profile—Faith Methodist Church
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One MCS—TRAC Highlights
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One MCS—The Rev Stanley Chua (TRAC)
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Home—Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home
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Home—The ACS135 Thanksgiving Service
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Home—Our ACS Milestones
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Home—Wesley MC celebrates 136 years
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News—ETAC WSCS Young Women Forum
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News—TRAC WSCS silent retreat
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News—TRAC BOSM workshop
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Welfare Services
22 Missions
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You & Your Family
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Hymns & Songs
26 Soundings 28 News 29
Looking Ahead
30 THINK
EDITORIAL BOARD
The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore. Published material does not necessarily reflect the official view of The Methodist Church.
Adviser and Publisher Dr Anthony Goh Chairperson Council on Communications
Editor Sheri Goh
Sub-editor
All Scripture quoted is based on the English Standard Version unless otherwise stated. 70 Barker Road #06-04 Singapore 309936 6478-4793 | 6478-4763 message.methodist.org.sg | www.methodist.org.sg newmm@methodist.org.sg
Tan Chiu Ai
fb.com/Methodist.SG
Communications Executive
@methodist.sg
Jason Woo
Proofreader Tan Sheng Ling
Design & Production by Londonbob Design Printed by Adred Creation Print Pte Ltd
Have something to say or share? Email us at newmm@methodist.org.sg
BISHOP’S MESSAGE Bishop Dr Gordon Wong was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2020. He served as President of the Trinity Annual Conference from 2013–2020.
Sacrifices that do good “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
And if saying “thank you” seems too little, the writer immediately suggests another example a sacrifice that God would love to receive.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices
“Do not forget to do good
God is pleased.”
and to share with others,
(Hebrews 13:15-16 NIV)
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for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
ood Friday commemorates the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
The book we call Hebrews compares the death of Jesus to the ancient Jewish ritual of an animal sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ sacrifice, however, was so much more effective in the sense that it removed the necessity for the annually repeated rite of animal sacrifices (Heb 10:10– 18). But does that mean we no longer need to offer sacrifices?
Every Lent and Easter season, we help each other to “not forget to do good” by running our “The Giving Methodist” campaign. If you haven’t remembered yet, you may go to
https://thegivingmethodist.sg/ Let us thank God by offering sacrifices that do good.
The biblical writer says “No! We should still ‘continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise’.” (Heb 13:15 NIV). This is the Greek phrase that is translated in the Older Testament as sacrifices of thanksgiving. In other words, our response to the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday should be to express our thanks and gratitude to God.
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Church profile ¢ Faith Methodist Church By the Faith Methodist Church Communications & Media Ministry / Photos courtesy of Faith MC
FAITH in Action Visit faithmc.sg to find out more about our church!
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aith Methodist Church (Faith) turns 55 this year. Since its humble beginnings in the ’60s, Faith has always sought to uphold its vision of “transforming lives, changing the world” through practical acts of love and service to others. Its robust outreach and evangelistic programmes include Adopt-a-Block (AAB), G.O.L.D. (God of Love Delivery) food delivery initiative, and Alpha sessions that target Seekers and pre-believers. In recent years, our focus has expanded to include media outreach, with one avenue being the livestream of our church services on special occasions. Since 2017, the church had explored this aspect of online outreach to serve the needs of members who were overseas or unable to come to church physically due to family commitments or health reasons. Our first livestream took place at the Wesleyan Covenant Holy Communion Service on 31 Dec 2017. Subsequently, the church also livestreamed its combined services on Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday and Christmas. Over time, the livestreams were enhanced, thanks to the equipment and expertise of the staff and volunteers which God provided to the church.
Connecting the Church in COVID In Feb 2020, Faith organised a session to share our experience in conducting livestream services. Topics that were covered included media equipment and camera angles, the technology behind a livestream, broadcast messaging, as well as copyright and licensing matters. 81 participants from 51 churches attended the session and more details can be found in the April 2020 issue of Methodist Message. This sharing proved very timely as the world grappled with the pandemic, and churches in Singapore came to a standstill when the shutters closed in March 2020, following the restrictions by the local authorities. Within a short time, Faith rallied as many resources as possible in order to keep members connected to
church life. Personal phone calls, planned visitations and pastoral care measures were put in place to support the drastic lifestyle change, particularly for older folk with little to no access to technology and online devices.
Going online In addition to personal pastoral care, one of Faith’s priorities was the continuation of our Sunday Service for the congregation, this time via livestream. The transition to church online was not a novel concept as Faith had already been livestreaming some services pre-COVID-19. It was a matter of adapting to the changing restrictions imposed by the local authorities, and gathering the necessary tools, equipment and people to continue church life online. There were many challenges encountered with the weekly livestreams but with God’s grace, we were able to pivot quickly each time the restrictions changed, ensuring that we provided the best online experience to the congregation. Looking back, we are thankful to God for the leadership at Faith in supporting the development of the church’s media capabilities long before COVID-19 struck. Without their foresight, the Communications & Media ministry could not have accomplished what it had over the last year, while working together with the other ministries.
Moving forward Today, Faith continues to livestream its 11.15 a.m. Service on YouTube every Sunday, and manages the livestream from a dedicated media control room. The volunteers operate the five onsite cameras, doing their best to “channel” the heartbeat of the church and the presence of God, into people’s homes. By the grace of God, Faith is forging a path ahead in its online efforts and invites you to pray for the church in such times. All glory to God for His provision and strength! 1
https://message.methodist.org.sg/the-power-of-media-in-a-church METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
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One MCS ¢ TRAC Highlights The Rev Irene Thung is the Director of the TRAC Board of Seniors Ministry. / Photos courtesy of TRAC BOSM
T R AC
y r t s i n i M s r o i n B o a rd o f S e
u. will sustain yo , I am HE who HE am I s ir ha ay you.” old age and gr and I will rescue u yo n ai st “Even to your su rry you; I will u and I will ca I have made yo (I s 46 :4 N IV ) green.” stay fresh and ill w ey th e, ag d bear fruit in ol “They will still 92 :1 4 N IV ) (P s
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rmed with God’s promises for seniors, the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) Board of Seniors Ministry (BOSM) kickstarted 2021 with a leaders’ Planning Retreat on 15 and 16 Jan.
BOSM chair Mrs Choo Lai Eng led the leaders in a team-bonding game using LEGO Serious Play. BOSM Director the Rev Irene Thung shared the vision of BOSM and deliberated on activities that are of relevance to seniors, encompassing the spiritual, physical, emotional and social aspects of life. The retreat ended off with a list of activities planned for the year. The new quadrennium’s first worship service on 6 Jan 2021 over Zoom drew 108 participants. The Rev Irene Thung shared on the topic “When God Speaks”.
THE APPOINTED BOSM MEMBERS ARE: Director: The Rev Irene Thung Chairman: Mrs Choo Lai Eng Secretary: Mr Patrick Teo
On 20 Jan, the first prayer service was held. Over Zoom, 104 seniors heard the message by the Rev Anthony Lee, who spoke on “The Prayer of Faith”. Our first on-site worship service was held on 3 Feb 2021 at Faith Methodist Church with 100 worshippers. The BOSM members and GYM Coordinators were dedicated at the service by the TRAC President, the Rev Stanley Chua.
TRAC BOSM leaders at the Planning Retreat
Treasurer: Ms Melissa Goh Members: Mr Reginald Lim Mr Peter Lim Mr Cheok Cheng Leong Ms Shirley Koo Ms Mah Koon Sin Ms Wong Kaeyan Mr Teo Khoon Seng The Rev David Ho The Rev Chia Chin Nam The Rev Joshua Loo
TRAC BOSM service on 3 Feb 2021
We thank God for 108 seniors who attended the Prayer Service over Zoom on 24 Feb. The Rev Irene Thung spoke on “Authority in the Name of Jesus”.
Cheng, assisted by Dr Joy Teo. It was indeed a very interactive session, with many questions raised during the Q & A segment.
To address our seniors’ concerns on COVID-19 vaccinations, we hosted a talk by Prof Ooi Eng Eong on 31 Jan. Prof Ooi led the research team for Singapore’s COVID-19 vaccine development effort in partnership with San Diego-based Arcturus Therapeutics. He and his family worship at Wesley Methodist Church. We are thankful for an overwhelming 586 participants. The talk was facilitated by Dr Lenard
A TRAC Seniors Ministry Facebook account was initiated to reach out to seniors.
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METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
Moving forward, BOSM seeks to look to its vision and continue organising programs for our seniors to equip them spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially so that they can continue to serve God in their senior years. To God be the glory!
One MCS ¢ Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message. / Photos courtesy of the Rev Stanley Chua
Meet the Annual Conference Presidents: The Rev Stanley Chua (TRAC)
A shepherd of shepherds
The Rev Chua receiving his company’s Best Commando Trainee Award in 1981
The Rev Chua’s wife, Khim, and his sons, Samuel and Silas, with the Rev Chua at Asbury Theological Seminary
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hepherding a single church is already a major undertaking—how does one shepherd 21 of them? This is the challenge for the Rev Stanley Chua, who was elected the President of the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) at its 45th session last November. TRAC is the connection of Singapore’s Methodist churches where English is the main language; it has more than 28,600 members registered as of Nov 2020.
It was seven years later when his then-boss invited him to attend a “Life in the Spirit” course at Wesley Methodist Church (MC). He recalled: “I remember that it was during the fourth week [of the seven-week course] that I was asked if I wished to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. At that time, I hadn’t a clue what it meant—I obliged because I was just trying to be polite!” He knelt on the floor, with his boss beside him and another brother laying hands on his head and praying for him, but initially felt nothing.
The Rev Chua is, in some ways, a reluctant President. When asked how he felt about being elected to head TRAC for the 2021–24 quadrennium, his response was: “I can only say, ‘Not my will, but Yours be done [O Lord].’” A career soldier-turned-businessmanturned pastor, the path God led him on to becoming a pastor and where he is today has been one with unexpected twist and turns.
“Suddenly, I experienced a warm sensation come over me and a tremendous peace that flooded my entire being. The next thing I knew, I was speaking in another language. In that instant, whatever doubts I had about God were removed. And since then, I have never looked back. I re-dedicated my life to God and not long after, I got baptised and began to serve the Lord actively.”
The call to serve Strangely warmed When the Rev Chua was 14 years old, a classmate invited him to a Youth for Christ meeting, and later to his church. No-one at the church took it upon themself to get to know him better, and he stopped attending after three months.
At Wesley MC, he served actively with the Methodist Adult Fellowship as vice president and president, and as a worship leader for many years. He was then a full-time soldier, having signed on as a regular with the Military Security Department after serving as a commando during his National Service.
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A shepherd of shepherds
In the late 1980s, after becoming more involved in church ministry, he had an intuition that God was calling him into full-time ministry—but it was a call that he initially resisted. Thinking he could serve God as a tentmaker, he ventured into the food manufacturing industry with a dream of employing ex-prisoners and using his business profits to fund missions work.
as my wife,” the Rev Chua said. “When I shared with her the Lord’s call for me to be a pastor, there was no hesitation on her part. She supported me all the way; in particular, during the four years I was studying at Trinity Theological College. God couldn’t have provided me with a more supportive, understanding and loving wife.”
A supportive Church But God had other plans for the Rev Chua. Through Proverbs 11:30—“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (NKJV)—God persisted in his irresistible call for the Rev Chua to join pastoral ministry, which he did in 1992.
A supportive family The Rev Chua met his wife, Khim, formerly from Paya Lebar MC, in 1987 when their respective small groups from their two churches were concurrently having retreats at Fraser’s Hill in Malaysia. They were married in 1991 and served together at Wesley MC’s Methodist Adult Fellowship for many years. Khim was a flight attendant but stopped working when their first child, Samuel, was born in 2000. Five years later, Silas was born, and both boys attended AngloChinese School (ACS) Junior and ACS Barker Road. “I am truly grateful to our Lord for giving Khim to me
In his 23 years of pastoral ministry, the Rev Chua has served at Wesley MC and Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church (AMKMC). One of the most difficult times in his ministry occurred when he was a newly-appointed assistant pastor at Wesley MC in 1997, and the first funeral he had to conduct was for an eight-month-old baby who had died of a brain tumour. “It brought back memories of when my youngest sister died of a tragic car accident when she was 12 years old,” he recalled. “It affected me deeply because I felt it was unfair for young people to die early. It also triggered memories of my own guilt for having not treasured my sister until she was gone from our lives. “But what I have learnt is that death is no respecter of age; we must never take our loved ones for granted because we never know when death will come knocking at our doors. While we have our loved ones with us, we must make the best of every opportunity to treasure them.”
The renovated AMKMC building in 2012
The Rev Chua conducting Holy Communion at AMKMC in 2005 Dedicating the Wesley Youth Centre in 2018 6
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METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
In 2003, he was appointed to AMKMC. While admittedly relatively inexperienced, he was appointed Pastorin-Charge (PIC) the following year. Although it was a steep learning curve, AMKMC’s loving and supportive congregation helped him grow as a pastor. “I am forever indebted to AMKMC,” he said. In 2008, the AMK Methodist churches—AMK Chinese MC, AMK Tamil MC and AMKMC—got together to build a new shared church building for their burgeoning congregations. By God’s grace, the three churches raised the $19m needed for a new building, which was completed by 2012. The Rev Chua left AMKMC in 2014 to pursue further studies at Asbury Theological seminary in the US. When he returned in 2016, he was appointed back to Wesley MC as PIC. It was something unexpected and a task for which he felt totally inadequate, as Wesley is the largest and oldest Methodist church in Singapore. But being a man under authority, he surrendered his will to God and submitted to his President’s appointment. “Pastoring Wesley was indeed challenging, but I thank God again for the loving and supportive leadership and congregation there.”
Shepherding shepherds The biggest challenges facing TRAC in this quadrennium, he says, are similar for most of the Methodist churches:
The Rev Chua being installed by Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung in Nov 2020
how to do ministry with our greying populations; how to reach out to our youths and keep them in our churches; and how to do ministry post-COVID-19. As TRAC President, the Rev Chua sees his role as that of “chief shepherd”. He is waiting on God to give him direction for the Conference and is spending time with the pastors and the lay leaders of various churches to get to know them better. He is also planning sessions with the Conference leaders and pastors to have them listen to God for His will and direction for TRAC for this quadrennium. He said: “Prayerfully, by the end of this year, I will be able to present at our AC session what I discerned from these sessions and the feedback received from our leaders and pastors.”
How can we pray for TRAC? The Rev Chua says:
“Pray, pray and pray for us that we will be faithful to our call as pastors and be good shepherds for God’s people.”
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2022 Admissions Now Open ACS (International) Singapore is a distinctive international secondary school open to all Singaporeans & other nationalities, offering an all-round English-based education for students aged 12 to 18 years leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).
61 Jalan Hitam Manis, Singapore 278475
Building Through Belief, this school of choice provides
• Exceptional examination results, very strong value-added achievement and an allround holistic education • 50:50 mix of local and international teachers who uphold the dual Methodist ethos and ACS heritage • Small class sizes with overall student-teacher ratio of 8.7 : 1 • 40 different CCAs – 16 Sporting, 12 Visual and Performing Arts, 12 Special Interest Groups • Over 25 overseas trips per year • Over 200 formal student leadership positions • Scholarships for 4 Singaporeans to undertake the IBDP
Achievements include
Mr Gavin Kinch Principal
Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice-Principal
• Students with perfect score of 45 points in IBDP • 20 “Top in the World” awards in IGCSE examinations over each of the past nine years • Students accepted to Oxford and Cambridge universities for the past eight years • Admissions to top universities in the UK, the US, Australia and Singapore • PSLE and Singapore GCE ‘O’ Level students achieve outstanding value-added examination results for the IBDP with improved pathways to good universities • Successes at national level in Athletics, Touch Rugby, Debating, Orchestra, Volleyball, Taekwondo, Ice Hockey, Fencing, Swimming, Artistic Swimming, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Wushu.
What the parents say… Dr Kristopher Achter Vice-Principal
Mr Chia Choong Kiat Acting Vice-Principal
For more information Please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg
“ACS (International) ignites students' passion to learn through building strong relationships with deeply devoted and highly experienced teachers and excellent pedagogic and sporting infrastructure. The school has achieved a fine blend of academic rigour and holistic learning. The emphasis on CCAs and community service as well as the ample opportunities for student leadership makes ACS (International) a 'cut above' and the preferred choice for our children.” Larisa and Shivinder Singh “Sending our daughter to ACS (International) was the best decision we made. She used to be shy and introverted and has now become a confident, caring and motivated student leader.” Debra and Samuel Koh “We deeply appreciate the contribution ACS (International) has made towards making our son confident, capable and thoughtful. The school has provided an environment of personal care, support and encouragement to nurture him into a compassionate young man. We are also very proud of his academic, leadership, co-curricular and public speaking skill development.” Anju Uppal “We like the holistic learning environment of ACS (International). Apart from academics, the school gives the students plenty of learning opportunities outside the walls of the classroom through service trips in continents as far as Africa, school projects and events, CCAs, student leadership roles and more. Our children thoroughly enjoy the IB programme, the holistic environment of the school, and are very proud to be students of ACS (International). The school has helped our children to grow and mature in so many ways, whilst equipping them with the necessary skills needed for their university studies and future endeavours. We are very glad to have sent both of our children to ACS (International).” Steven and Pau Kim Kan
Home ¢ Annabel Lye is a Chaplain at Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home. / Photos courtesy of CSLMCH
Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home
Building lives
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The dedicated staff of CSLMCH
hen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home (CSLMCH) was set up in 1968. Originally located in a house in Changi, it was established by the Chen Su Lan Trust by Wesley Methodist Church.
Donors, volunteers and staff have played very important roles in the Home from the very beginning. Their giving in the form of time, effort and finance have been important in sustaining the work in the residential children’s home for the past 52 years. We deeply appreciate the numerous generous contributions received over the years and would like to share the encouraging stories of three residents who spent years in the Home.
Karin and Raymond Siblings Karin and Raymond came to us when Raymond was still a young boy. He was able to excel in his studies since his early years, thanks to the support and affirmation given to all our children through our Education Department of four full-time staff. He is now doing his national service and was recently awarded the Sword of Honour as an officer in SAF. After his national service, he will be studying in a local university.
Raja during his CSLMCH childcare days
At Karin’s wedding in Jan 2021, she shared her gratitude to the staff of the Home in making it possible for her to get through the difficult years of her childhood. She was especially grateful that we brought her into the faith with the partnership of Trinity Methodist Church. Karin during her wedding in Jan 2021
Raja did well enough for his O-level examinations in 2020 to qualify for polytechnic
Raja Raja came to us when he was five years old. In the morning, he went upstairs to attend the childcare in the Home and in the evening, we cared for him as he lived in our Home. In the face of adversity, Raja prevailed. In 2020 he performed well enough in his O-level examinations to qualify for polytechnic. He was featured in the newspapers and interviewed on television as one of the students who overcame difficulties in their lives to do well in the national examinations.1 1
Raymond and Karin when they were young
Raymond is now serving his national service
Friends, you along with us have made a difference in many children’s lives—they are now building for themselves healthy new bridges into their futures by the grace of God. All of you, along with the staff, have had the privilege to witness with gratitude and humility the fruit from the labour of giving and the labour of love. May all of us continue to bask and to be protected under the wings of God’s grace and mercy as we build into the children’s lives.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/inspired-teachers-classmates-and-social-workers-o-level-students-pull-through-face
We seek your prayers and support for the work of Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home and would deeply appreciate your giving to the Home via the website Giving.sg by scanning the QR code here.
Home ¢ Joy-marie Toh (MGS ’89, ACJC ’91) is the 2nd Vice-President, ACSOBA, and the Executive Producer of the ACS 135 Thanksgiving Service / Photos courtesy of ACSOBA; screenshots courtesy of Klaus Tan (ACS [I] ’18)
Guest of honour and ACS Old Boy Bishop Dr Gordon Wong delivered the sermon and led “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
Mr Richard Seow, Chairman of the ACSBOG, welcoming ACSians to the ACS135 Thanksgiving Service
135 years on,
the best is yet to be The ACS135 Thanksgiving Service
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March is a day deeply etched into the hearts of ACSians— what those from the Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) family of schools call themselves. It’s a reminder of God’s continued
blessings upon our school and causes us to reflect upon the tenacity and vision of our founder, Bishop William Fitzjames Oldham. ACS Founder’s Day is an institution of its own; the schools celebrate with much pomp and ceremony, and alumni look forward to reliving school days with friends and former teachers. This 135th Founder’s Day was meant to be a grand endeavour.
Bishop William Fitzjames Oldham
Echoing the celebration held in the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2011, 10,000 ACSians were poised to congregate at the stadium to commemorate yet another milestone year. Unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions did not permit that plan to go ahead. The path of least resistance would of course have been for us to blame the pandemic for the disruption and then hope for a better
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age. But that’s not the ACS nor the ACSOBA way. ACSians find a METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
way—or make one.
Which is exactly what the ACSOBA did. We gathered in a
A decade ago, I had the privilege
different way, shaped by global events, but in a fashion
to work with the late Mr Earnest
that was no less meaningful.
Lau, former ACS Principal, chief editor
of
The
ACS
Story
and
On 1 March 2021, the ACS family congregated virtually at the
archivist at The Methodist Church
ACS135 Thanksgiving Service. Produced by the ACSOBA, the
in Singapore, on a comprehensive
service was telecast twice that day. The first telecast was at
summary of our ACS history through
8.30 a.m. to the eight ACS schools and their 11,000 students
the decades to commemorate our
and 2,000 staff. The the second telecast was livestreamed at
125th
6.15 p.m. on YouTube via the acs135.com website and made
an even deeper appreciation of
available for replay. Close to 5,000 alumni across the
the ACS I thought I knew. And yet, no words will ever
world have since watched the service.
adequately capture the ACSpirit that can only be felt by
Anniversary. It
gave
me
those who have lived it. We were honoured to have Bishop Dr Gordon Wong as the guest of honour. He not only delivered the devotion—“One
Affectionately known as the Mr Chips of ACS, Mr Earnest
Hope, One Heart, One ACS”—but also led in the much-
Lau influenced the lives of thousands of ACSians. Many
loved hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”. It was heart-
older ACSians associate him with the stirring and
warming to hear him share about his own experience at
nostalgic “40 Years On” that he taught and sang with
ACS, its impact on shaping his life and the gift of hope that
gusto when he first joined ACS as a teacher in the mid-
we have been abundantly given.
1950s, whilst others from the 1977–83 era remember his charismatic leadership when he was principal.
Highlights of the Service included a virtual tour of the ONE ACS Heritage Centre, special greetings hosted by
The rich and storied history of ACS has since been captured
Singapore’s Number One ACS Fan, Kim Huat (as portrayed
by the ONE ACS Heritage Gallery, a gift from the ACSOBA
by mrbrown), a drone video of all the seven schools
to the ACS family of schools, which presents highlights of
campuses entitled “On the Wings of Bishop Oldham’s
the history of the ACS family in a contemporary manner.
Dreams”, “The Best Is Yet To Be”, a visual odyssey of
It also showcases original artefacts from Bishop Oldham’s
the ACS journey from 70 Amoy Street to our most recent
personal collection and memorabilia from all the ACS
campus, ACS Jakarta, and the ACS135 Virtual Choir
units. The gallery also provides tablets that contain special
consisting of (over) 135 singers. We were also blessed
features, videos, interviews and archived photographs,
with the angelic renditions of “To God Be The Glory” and
as well as The ACS Story in a digital format. The gallery
“Be Thou My Vision” by members of the ACJC Alumni Choir
was officially opened by Mr Cecil Vivian Wong, Class of
and recollections by ACS alumni.
’39 and President of ACSOBA (1958–61) on 27 July 2019 in celebration of the ACSOBA’s 105th anniversary.
In celebrating our 135th anniversary, it should be clear that the Anglo-Chinese School is a work in progress, and
On a personal note, it has been an honour of a lifetime
that our motto of “The Best is Yet to Be” rings true time
to serve, and continue to serve, the ACSOBA. It is only
and again—that change and improvement have been a
through the efforts of committed alumni that we are
constant theme, although its stated ideals have remained
able to carry on the traditions of ACS from generation
as strong as ever. There was no “master plan” for the
to generation. Our buildings will crumble, the leadership
founding of ACS unless giving an education to as many
of our nation and schools will change, but what must
who could benefit from it qualifies as one, and the school
continue to endure is our commitment to God’s work
developed as a private Christian institution in response to
through the ACSOBA and the ACSpirit.
the educational requirements of Singapore society. (From left to right) Singapore’s Number One ACS Fan, Kim Huat (aka mrbrown) hosting the special greetings; Opening Hymn, “To God Be The Glory”, by the ACJC Alumni Choir at the Shaw Pool; ACS135 Virtual Choir leading in the ACS Anthem. All levels in each of the seven ACS schools were represented and alumni from around the globe participated METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
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135 years on, the best is yet to be
The original ACS at Amoy Street
ACS at Coleman Street
ACS (Independent)
ACS (Barker Road) and ACS (Primary)
Our ACS milestones Mr Earnest Lau was the principal of ACS from 1977–83. This article originally appeared in the ACS 125 Commemorative Magazine.
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n 1886, the immediate initiative came from Chinese businessmen who asked the Rev William F. Oldham to teach their sons. In fact, Mrs Marie Oldham, in a magazine article published in 1907, said that “there ought not to be any discrimination between evangelistic and educational work; each can be as educational or as evangelistic as the one in charge chooses to make it”. At that time, the school provided instruction in English in the morning and Chinese in the afternoon, and that was how it came to be called by its present name. The first 13 scholars studied at 70 Amoy Street, but the enrolment rapidly outgrew the shop house, forcing the first removal of the school to a new purpose-built school house adjoining the Methodist Church which the Rev Oldham had built at Coleman Street at the junction of Armenian Street. Here the ACS was to stay for many years until redevelopment in the 1950s obliged the School to rebuild. An important educational philosophy introduced by Oldham strove not to confine his scholars’ learning simply to the Standards but sought to spread it over a larger area, “that it may be useful to them in all their after life”. Education should cultivate the man and transcend the making of a livelihood. With well-qualified missionaries with college degrees, it was possible to offer
preparation for the Queen’s Scholarship, and introduce the Cambridge Junior and Senior examinations by the turn of the century. In the 1910s, an ambitious educational innovation was introduced by the Rev J. S. Nagle, whose mission was the transformation of the ACS into the Anglo-Chinese College, a job for which Bishop Oldham specially selected him. Although the project itself failed to materialise, the preparatory arrangements begun by the Rev Nagle encouraged him to raise the quality of teaching staff through foreign recruitment, thus providing the School with an unprecedented intellectual edge. It was also under the Rev Nagle’s leadership that the Old Boys’ Association was set up in 1914. The 1920s and 30s saw another milestone reached when some of the most prized and enduring traditions of ACS were introduced. The Principal from 1929–47, Mr T. W. Hinch, who is widely considered the tradition builder of ACS, played a central role in cultivating a distinctive School tradition that lay the foundation of what we now call the “ACS Spirit”. These traditions included the ACS Anthem written by H. M. Hoisington, which bonded and continues to bond ACSians together, the ACS Crest and Shield designed and
created by Dr Yap Pheng Geck, and the House system to encourage sports and healthy rivalry among students during annual Athletics championships. The Houses were named after Bishops Thoburn and Oldham, the Rev Goh Hood Keng, Mr Tan Kah Kee and Mr Cheong Koon Seng, all of whom showed great passion for ACS. The House system, which all our ACS schools observe, has since expanded to include houses named after Dr Lee Seng Gee, Dr Shaw Vee Meng and Tan Sri Tan Chin Tuan. The Pacific War years and the Occupation forced the closure of the School until after the war. The immediate post-war period saw a burst of activity, including a massive building programme that transformed the Barker campus into a fully equipped secondary school with its iconic clock tower, a sentinel of Bukit Timah. Together with this was the expansion of the Primary/ Junior Schools both at Coleman Street where the original buildings were torn down and rebuilt to cater for a much enhanced enrolment, and Barker Road where the boys were taught in classes which had been temporarily occupied by the Secondary classes. In 1950, Post School Certificate Classes, later known as Pre-University classes, were set up and the first batch of female students were enrolled in ACS.
ACJC
ACS Jakarta
ACS (International)
ACS (Junior)
Two years later, Mr Thio Chan Bee, an Old Boy, became the School’s first Asian Principal. On 7 Jan 1955, ACS became the first Methodist school to have a Board of Governors. With the formation of the BOG, the Old Boys were able to provide even better service to the school as the Board, as it still does, comprises representatives from the Methodist Church, the ACSOBA and the ACS family. The attainment of self-government and political independence of the 1950s and ’60s were a powerful force which raised educational horizons and made desirable significant new facilities. The first of the famous ACS Fun-O-Ramas was held on the Barker Road campus in 1956 to raise funds for the Pre-University block (“Lee Hall”) which was fully equipped with science laboratories and a library. Another breakthrough was the design and building of the Sports Complex and gymnasium and the first Olympic-sized school swimming pool in Singapore. In the half century since the 1970s, educational expansion and upgrading saw even more dynamic changes to the School. ACS embraced the trend of introducing Junior College education and it established our Anglo-Chinese Junior College in 1977. ACJC also had the first full-sized football field and 400m running track that an ACS unit ever enjoyed. The 1980s were yet another memorable period, with the building and
resuscitation of Oldham Hall in 1985 to house both foreign scholars and ACS students. In addition, the Junior School moved out to a refurbished school building at Peck Hay Road with more space and facilities. On a grander scale was the transformation of Anglo-Chinese Secondary School to ACS (Independent) in 1988. The school was first located at Barker Road, then in January 1992, made its move to its new campus at Dover Road with outstanding facilities and boarding school. The site was officially opened by Dr Richard Hu, Minister of Finance of Singapore, on 1 March 1993. ACS (Independent) was recognised as an IB World School in 2005 and was the first national school in Singapore to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Two years later, in January 1994, ACS (Barker Road) was established as a full government-aided secondary school. The purpose of ACS (Barker Road) was to provide the feeder pupils from the two ACS primary schools with an additional option to continue with an ACS secondary education. ACS ended the 20th century with a massive construction programme—this time, the complete rebuilding of the Barker Road campus to provide the new Barker Road Secondary and Primary School with an associated auditorium and performance theatres that set new standards in school architecture, appropriately winning a prestigious award for innovation and excellence. The completely new Oldham Hall stands as yet another feather in the cap of ACS.
In welcoming the exciting opportunities and challenges of the 21st century, we are reminded of William Oldham’s vision of an education that transcends mere preparation to earn a livelihood. Rather, it should broaden the mind and nourish the soul, thus enabling one to live a full life. At the dawn of the 21st century, the ACS Family welcomed its sixth member, ACS (International), which opened its doors on 3 Jan 2005 to a multinational cohort of students. To reinforce the unity of the ACS Family, the ONE ACS initiative was launched in 2006 to reevaluate the mission and core values of our rapidly growing family. In 2007, STB-ACS (International) Jakarta became the first Anglo-Chinese School outside Singapore. The newer members to the ACS family promise to be further innovations in the history of “Our ACS Forever”. To accommodate the further growth of our student population, Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) moved to its current premises at Winstedt Road in Dec 2008. The ACS family looks to the future of our school with great anticipation for many more years to come. In welcoming the exciting opportunities and challenges of the 21st century, we are reminded of William Oldham’s vision of an education that transcends mere preparation to earn a livelihood. Rather, it should broaden the mind and nourish the soul, thus enabling one to live a full life.
News ¢ Yeo Su Chen is a writer for Wesley TIDINGS. / Photos courtesy of Wesley MC. This article originally appeared in the March 2021 issue of Wesley TIDINGS.
Bishop Dr Gordon Wong preaches at the anniversary service
The opening prayer and welcome by Pastor-in-Charge the Rev Raymond Fong
136 years of blessings through thick and thin
W
esley Methodist Church (MC) celebrated its
church that has overcome challenging circumstances;
136th anniversary with a special Sunday
and a compassionate and relevant church that has been
Combined Worship Service on 21 Feb 2021. The
helping our community with many acts of kindness.
service was a milestone in Wesley MC’s history as it was the first time the respective services from both the Hall
The montage also reminded us that while Wesley may have
and Sanctuary were integrated on site, and streamed
started from very humble beginnings, it has emerged as a
online to those who worshipped at home.
church that is a light on the hill, which has brought together a large faith community in Singapore over the years.
With the church having gone through a challenging year in 2020 since the COVID-19 pandemic started, the 136th
The service commenced with an opening prayer and
anniversary has given Wesleyans even more reason to
welcome by Pastor-in-Charge the Rev Raymond Fong.
come together to celebrate this joyous occasion on this God-appointed day.
Thanking the Lord for seeing us through another year, Pastor Raymond was also “humbled by another
Heritage and Unity
anniversary” of Wesley MC. Like the opening song, “You
Before the service commenced, everyone was treated to
Are the Everlasting God”, we were reminded of the Lord
a photo montage that gave us a glimpse into how far we
lifting us like eagles.
have come together as a church since its days of yore. Both on-site and online worshippers were invited to For many Wesleyans, the montage presentation brought
exchange greetings with those around them through safe
to mind Wesley’s heritage as the first Methodist church
distancing peace gestures or with their friends by sending
in Singapore.
a simple text message of shalom.
For over a century, Wesley has been an obedient church
Pastor Clement Ong then prayed for the church to be
that disciples many; a faithful church that brings the
“in unity in love”, which was followed by prayers led by
gospel to many in our midst and the region; a resilient
LCEC Chairperson, Philip Oh. As Philip thanked God for His
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METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
provision of “abundant resources” over the years, he
“This is the picture of Christian faith presented to us
remembered that Wesleyans could only be a blessing to
in Psalm 131—a relationship of dependence and trust
the least, lost and last because of the Lord Himself.
as that of a weaned child, resting on his mother. The wise Christians neither do too little nor too much,”
A canorous rendition of the hymn, “In My Life Lord Be
said Bishop Dr Wong. Rest entails “a deliberate and
Glorified”, accompanied by the orchestra, was put up by
determined effort to compose and give rest” to one’s
the Wesley Combined Service Choir in English, Chinese
soul. “This is the secret to contentment and peace: trust.
and Tagalog.
Put your hope in the Lord. The secret to a soul at rest is learning to hope in the Lord.”
The three languages this beautiful hymn was sung in underscored the different communities that our church
Bishop Dr Wong’s sermon encouraged us “to rest and to
ministers to. The rendition reminded us that no matter
be composed in God” and to have a balanced attitude
the languages we speak, where we come from, we are all
in all aspects of our life by applying the spiritual
in His Church. Wesley MC belongs to God Himself.
perspective of a weaned child depicted in Psalm 131. Bishop Dr Wong highlighted the distinct differences
Another beautiful performance was put up by the
between “healthy aspiration” and “harmful ambition”.
Sunbeams Children’s Choir. Their youthful enthusiasm to
He encouraged us to have the wisdom and insight to
lift Jesus high was unmistakeable.
know when we “have gone too far” (a quote from a traditional Irish blessing).
Dedication and Service The church staff is the cornerstone of our daily church
The message of a weaned child was a strong reminder for
activities and ministries, and it was befitting to dedicate
Wesleyans to rest and trust in the Lord in a year when we
over 90 of Wesley’s staff members on this special occasion.
embark, as a church, to rest, reflect and renew in God.
While it would have been previously impossible to get a
With the conclusion of the uplifting sermon and prayers,
glimpse of all the faces of the Wesley staff at a physical
the
service, the online service this year made it possible for
closed with the hymn of dedication, “By My Spirit”. It
us to be able to take a closer look at all the staff dedicated
emblematises the grace Wesley MC has received from the
at this service on Zoom.
Lord to come so far, through thick and thin.
Pastor Raymond thanked the Wesley full-time staff for their
As the hymn of dedication, which was composed by the
“readiness to serve, commitment to be faithful and the
Rev Melvin Huang and Leong Wai Meng, goes: “By My
sacrifices made that are sometimes unknown but only to
Spirit, says the Lord, not by strength or might; This mighty
God”. Although “the past year has been very challenging”,
mountain will be removed.”
Wesley
136th
Anniversary
Combined
Service
Pastor Raymond said the church is “thankful for the team of dedicated staff who have served tirelessly, adapted
“As we work with Jesus hand in hand.”
creatively and persevered joyfully in serving God”.
Message of Rest and Hope The highlight of this year’s anniversary service was the sermon delivered by Bishop Dr Gordon Wong. On behalf of our 45 sister churches, Bishop Dr Wong extended greetings and well wishes to Wesley on its anniversary. In line with our church theme for this year, Bishop spoke on Psalm 131. Psalm 131 is deemed by some as one “which takes a few seconds to read but a life time to learn. Its wisdom is most appreciated by those who are at their twilight years”. The psalmist here speaks of a humble heart, a weaned child who rests in God and ceases over-striving and pursuing.
The dedication of Wesley’s invaluable staff members
METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
| 15
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t some point in time, grief touches every one of us. It is a time when we all need special help, A comfort and guidance. But God has not left us helpless and hopeless because
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News ¢ Mrs Ryna Raaj is a member of Tamil Methodist Church Short Street / Photos courtesy of ETAC WSCS
Zoom screenshot from the online ETAC WSCS Young Women Forum
ETAC WSCS Young Women Forum 2021
T
he ETAC WSCS Young Women Forum was held on 27 Feb 2021 via Zoom. It was attended by women between the ages of 26 and 35 from the various ETAC churches and facilitated by women who have been serving in WSCS ministries over the years. The objectives of the session were two-fold. Mrs Kalaimathi Nagulan, President of ETAC WSCS, elaborated: “Firstly, to network with young women and hear their opinions on church and women ministry. Secondly, to share and raise their awareness about the ministries of the WSCS and areas they could potentially be involved in.” In planning the event, five young women worked with members of ETAC WSCS to craft the programme, conduct ice-breakers, register participants and serve as cofacilitators. These roles served to give these young women an opportunity to work with the WSCS and to spur them to join future programmes. The session began with a series of ice-breakers for the women to get to know each other. This was followed by Mrs Tamilkodi Arthur sharing a brief history of the WSCS, particularly its roots in and heart for serving the community and church. Mrs Kalaimathi Nagulan shared that the current membership of women in the ETAC WSCS stands at 44
per cent of the overall ETAC membership. There is thus much potential for more women to come on board WSCS to serve. Over the years, WSCS women have been serving faithfully through four pillars of ministry: Discipleship & Nurture; Witness & Evangelism; Outreach & Social Concerns;, and Missions. The Young Women Forum was also a platform for sharing by Miss Darshana Daniel (Tamil Methodist Church, Short Street) and Miss Deborah David (Seletar Tamil Methodist Church) about their experience at the Asian Young Women Leadership Development Programme. The session then moved into breakout rooms with WSCS ladies as facilitators. Facilitators led a discussion on how WSCS can remain relevant to young women at various stages of life. There was recognition that women today juggle various commitments at work, home and church. The young women raised the need for the WSCS to cater to various groups of women including singles, newly-weds and young mothers. The groups expressed a common goal on how the community can grow and serve in Christ through regular bible study, prayer and sharing of testimonies. Many also expressed interest in the ministries of the WSCS. It is hoped that in this process of building bridges that more women will come to know Christ and make Him known.
METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
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News ¢ Angela Goh is the TRAC WSCS D&N coordinator. / Photos courtesy of TRAC WSCS
TRAC WSCS ladies at the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Another group at Lakeside
Be still A
fter nearly a year without physical meetings, 99 TRAC WSCS ladies gathered for a morning of silence and solitude. No, we did not contravene any COVID-19 safety regulations—the ladies met in 15 groups of at most eight persons over two weekends in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Jurong Lake Gardens and East Coast Park. Zoom-fatigued, we relished the time spent with the Lord and with each other. The fact that it was just before the busy Chinese New Year period made the time of quietness all the more precious. The example of our Lord going to places of solitude while on earth to commune with His Father motivated us to do likewise. The spiritual discipline of silence is something many ladies found difficult. However, we prayed that the Holy Spirit would guide us as we put aside all distractions and anxiety. We gathered in anticipation of God coming to meet us in that place in our hearts. Despite the Circuit Breaker being an opportunity to pause and reflect, many have felt more stressed and frazzled as home became a place for work and home-based learning. With spouse and children at home, finding time to be still became more difficult. Thus, a morning alone with the Lord led many to join this WSCS event. Each group had a facilitator who introduced Lectio Divina and gave practical tips on how to remove distractions. For
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METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
A group at East Coast Park
the next hour and a half, we each found a quiet spot to worship and mediate on God’s Word by ourselves. Suggested passages for meditation on the theme of stillness were: Psalm 46, Psalm 62, Exodus 14:10–31, Zechariah 2:10– 13 and Habakkuk 2:18–20. Ladies were encouraged to write devotions on passages on which they had reflected. The final hour was spent sharing with the group lessons learnt in the silence. This sharing proved to be encouraging and uplifting. Common themes in the sharing were revived attention to listening to God and seeing His creation right before our eyes. Participants came from 16 Methodist churches. Not only did we have a wonderful time communing with God, we also had the opportunity to make new friends from sister churches. Many devotions have been collected and will be compiled to be shared with our sisters in all TRAC churches on WSCS Sunday in May. Included will be drawings and sketches, poems and prayers, revealing the talents among our ladies. We thank God for the time of rest and renewal. We praise Him for sisters who hunger and thirst for a deeper relationship with the Lord. All glory to Him!
News ¢ The Rev Irene Thung is the Director of TRAC Board of Seniors Ministry (BOSM). / Photos courtesy of TRAC BOSM
Handling anxiety
A TRAC BOSM class
Class participants
I
n December 2020, the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) Board of Seniors Ministry (BOSM) organised a class to help our seniors handle anxiety. The eight sessions were based on the LifeGuide Bible studies on anxiety by Skip McDonald.
After completing the class, participants realised the Bible is the only and best guide for all life’s problems. Meditation classes and medication are quick fixes, but nothing beats resting in our God with simple faith. Regardless of how we feel, the sovereign God is with us and will give us His peace and strength.
S OM E PA RT I C I PA N TS ’ R E F L EC T I O N S “When I saw the word ‘anxiety’, I thought a professor from the Institute of Mental Health would cover meditation techniques or medication. To my surprise, I found Pastor Irene conducting the class. I was awed by her teaching. She shared countless testimonies without reservation, especially when covering the topic of ‘forgiveness’. I have been edified and encouraged by her sharing and teaching, and share with others whenever I have the opportunity
“This course showed me how I can find comfort and rely on God in times of anxiety, both for mental and physical health. The course contents led me to understand that I need to do my part to commit the keys of understanding God’s help and reassurances to live a Godblessed, anxiety-free lifestyle. In short, this course is compact, easy and helpful for guiding us to walk closer with God for His comfort and hope in our
“I learned that God loves me so much that whatever anxiety I have, I should not take things into my own hands but to commit it immediately to God in prayer, be still and wait upon Him. I enjoyed Pastor Irene’s class very much. She is very encouraging and transparent, sharing her personal testimonies and miracles, which always uplifted me. So, whenever I am anxious, I remember her sharing and teaching. I am then able to experience peace that God is in control and He will deal with my
to do so.”
times of need!”
situation in His time.”
Wong Chow Ling
Jenny Tan
(Trinity Methodist Church [MC])
(Aldersgate MC)
(Toa Payoh MC)
“I thank God for giving me the time and strength to go through this study. I am grateful to Pastor Irene for her openness in ingesting her past and present testimonies to make the study so lively, applicable and transforming with all the tips for how to take hold of God’s Word
“It’s a very good recap for me, especially for Psalm 23. I am also very much inspired and encouraged by Pastor Irene’s teaching and testimonies shared
“My take home from each lesson is akin to having a booster jab of encouragement from the truths hidden in the Bible. I appreciate the sharing of authentic, real life experiences and fine examples of how decisions were arrived at after prayer and waiting on God and applications of
Lim Gek Ee
to deal with different life situations.”
during lessons.” Melissa Goh (Living Hope MC)
principles in God’s Word.”
Rosalind Hia
Ng Tik Tiu
(Living Waters MC)
(St Andrew’s Cathedral)
METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
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Welfare Services ¢ By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team / Photo and visuals courtesy of MWS
2021 invites you to be a friend to someone in need
E
very year, The Giving Methodist, spearheaded by The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) and Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), provides a platform to galvanise all Methodists for acts of love. Against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s theme encourages every Methodist to “Persevere in Doing Good”. As part of the Methodist family, we have the opportunity to do good by giving generously especially during the current circumstances. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9). Let us answer the call to do good by rallying our family and friends to reach deep into our hearts and extend warmth and friendship to someone in need during these tough times. We invite you to join MWS’s Persevere in Doing Good campaign by befriending those who are disadvantaged and distressed for a period of six to 12 months. MWS will connect you with distressed families and individuals, socially isolated seniors, and disadvantaged children in need of meaningful, longerterm friendship, advice and emotional support in their lives. Go to https://thegivingmethodist.sg/ or scan the QR code to sign up as a befriender or find out more about The Giving Methodist.
JOIN THE GIVING METHODIST CAMPAIGN IN THESE THREE WAYS: GIVE TIME Volunteer your time to be a befriender and walk alongside our beneficiaries who need help. You can offer some companionship to someone in need. Journey with a befriendee from a participating MWS centre or Methodist church ministry today!
GIVE A DONATION Uplift those whose circumstances remain dire with a regular giving of $40 a month, or a one-time donation. Your giving could potentially impact the lives of more than 8,000 we serve through our MWS centres and programmes.
GIVE VOICE Lend your voice to the disadvantaged and distressed by spreading the word about The Giving Methodist on your social media channels or group chats. Do get others involved too! For further enquiries on The Giving Methodist, please email
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METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
tgm@mws.sg .
A friend in need is a friend indeed
A
bout 18 years ago, Mr Yong Teck Kin was involved in a car accident, which left him with a debilitating neck injury. As he could not afford the high cost of proper medical treatment back then, Mr Yong suffers from pain in his back and hands today, and is unable to stand for too long.
Jimmy Chua (right) has been journeying with Mr Yong Teck Kin to help him stay debt-free and build savings
After the accident, he opened a hawker stall, but the long hours and weak demand soon forced him to give up the business. Since then, Mr Yong, a loving father of three school-going children, has been unable to hold a full-time job, often relying on part-time odd jobs that pay a meagre $150 per month to feed his family. Although his wife works as a sales assistant, the couple’s combined household income was hardly enough for the family of five to make ends meet. Home is a one-room flat crammed with the family’s belongings, with barely enough space to move about. Making matters worse is the fact that Mr Yong’s eldest son is not Singaporean, and the school fees cost $1,000 every month. With school fees and utilities bills mounting, and Mr Yong soon found himself in debt. Left with no choice, he borrowed $7,000 from his personal line of credit to pay off the items. When he could not make the repayments, he spiralled deeper into debt and despair.
A call from God to help the needy Mr Jimmy Chua, the Outreach and Social Concerns (OSC) Chairperson of Hakka Methodist Church, is familiar with the MWS Family Development Programme (FDP), a debt clearance and savings matching initiative by
Methodist Welfare Services (MWS). Under the scheme, MWS matches $2 for every $1 cleared by families on their own, so as to help them get out of debt more quickly. So when he befriended Mr Yong in 2018, the church volunteer’s first priority was to help the former hawker clear his debts through MWS FDP. Through monthly visits, Jimmy, a financial consultant by trade, imparted financial literacy skills to Mr Yong and helped to process administrative matters related to the scheme. Jimmy’s perseverance paid off, and Mr Yong was able to settle all his outstanding payments within 18 months. “He was very diligent in submitting his bills and was always very apologetic whenever he misplaced one. His determination to get out of debt made me want to journey with this family. “Mr Yong’s struggles remind me of those I experienced when I was younger. This is why I persevere in walking with him even during this pandemic to see that the family is well taken care of,”shared Jimmy, who also managed to provide the family with dry rations and NTUC Fairprice vouchers to meet their daily needs. Today, Mr Yong has begun saving. His eldest son was recently accepted into a course at the Institute of Technical Education. With Jimmy’s help, Mr Yong was able to tap on his savings to pay for the school fees. Jimmy also stepped in when he realised that Mr Yong’s two younger children were struggling in school. Today, the children are provided free tuition that helps them to do better in school. As a faithful Methodist, Jimmy gives thanks to God for being able to serve as a volunteer to the vulnerable in the community. “When I was given this job, I wanted to do it well and do it right. I hope that more Methodists are able to rise up and reach out to the needy. As God calls us to care for one another in the Scriptures, I feel that giving our time, our voice and our money to those in need is our act of worship unto God,” he shared.
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Missions ¢ David Chan is the MMS Country Director of Timor-Leste and the Principal of St Paul Methodist School (Timor-Leste). / Photos courtesy of David Chan
By His grace, grow in L.O.V.E.
G
rowing in love is expected of those who have experienced the grace of God in their life. The students of St Paul Methodist School (SPMS) have
not been an exception, for the grace of God has abounded upon each of them in many ways, especially amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. As love should be shown not only with words but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18), the school embarked on SPMS L.O.V.E. Projects 2020, in the hope of growing the students in Leadership, Obedience, Vision and Excellence.
Growing in Leadership: Dignity Project SPMS’ Dignity Project was conducted in partnership with Liman Hamutuk, a rehabilitation centre for the disabled started by a Brazilian missionary Pastor Branca. The project saw the students planning and running three days of activities for participants who are wheelchairbound, with Down’s Syndrome, are mute or have other disabilities. Choosing suitable activities to involve these individuals required the students to be sensitive to their needs and abilities.
This is L .O.V.E.! To LEAD is to serve the needs of people.
Growing in Obedience: Garden Project The Garden Project took the students to a farm about a 20-minute drive away from the school. Under the hot afternoon sun, the students were put to work on the farmland. For three days, they pulled out weeds, tilled the ground and planted kangkong seeds and dragon fruit seeds. The toughest job of all was erecting stone structures to grow the dragon fruit. Listening to and following the instructions of the four resident farmers in preparing the ground and not being able to enjoy the “fruit” of their labour taught the students to persevere in obedience in doing good to others.
This is L. O .V.E.! To OBEY is to do good to others without expecting any return.
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Growing in Vision: Compassion Pack Project With donations from friends of SPMS, the school gave out 430 compassion packs of basic necessities, namely rice, oil, biscuits, milk, sugar, flour and noodles to needy families living in Hera (where SPMS is located) and in Lebutum (a mountain village in Metinaro). The students spent four days delivering the compassion packs to families identified by Pastor Branca as being in need of food security, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As for the 20 families known to be very lonely due to lack of family support, the students not only delivered the packs but also spent time fellowshipping with them, praying for them and helping clean their homes. The visits to these families opened the students’ eyes to see what God sees and their hearts to feel what God feels.
This is L.O. V .E.! To have VISION is have a heart of compassion for the world without vision.
Growing in Excellence: Kitchen Project An elderly couple living near the school has been cooking their meals in a dilapidated kitchen. They have no one to help and no means to have it repaired or rebuilt. Knowing about the couple’s plight, the older students took up the challenge to bless the couple with a new kitchen. Under the supervision of a local builder, they built the kitchen from scratch, starting with the foundation and finishing with a zinc roof. Within three days, not only did they manage to build the kitchen, they also painted the house and fixed a broken door for the couple. The project taught the students to give their best, even if it is only for one couple, for they are doing it for God.
This is L.O.V. E .! To be EXCELLENT is to give your best to the least and the last.
I covet your prayers for SPMS that by God’s grace, every student will Grow in
L.O.V.E. and, in so doing, they will be a purpose-driven generation, committed
MS video of SP Watch the at jects 2020 L .O.V.E . Pro
yurl.com/ in t / :/ s p t t h rojectfinal SPMSlovep
to loving God passionately and to loving people practically so as to make a difference in Timor-Leste and beyond.
METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
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You & Your Family ¢ Benny Bong has been a family and marital therapist for more than 30 years, and is a certified work-life consultant. He was the first recipient of the AWARE Hero Award, received in 2011, and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
Sacrificing well
A
s I reflect on the topic of sacrifice, especially in the
On the other hand, there are times when people sacrifice
context of family relationships, let me begin with a
everything for other family members. While putting others
simple definition. Sacrifice is giving up something to
before self is usually perceived as good, I have also seen
gain something else. What is sacrificed may be tangible, like
individuals who put up with abusive spouses just to keep
giving up your seat on the train for an elderly passenger. Or
the family together. I have seen women sacrificing their
it could be intangible and the gain could be unpredictable,
careers, friends, their parents and siblings, and even their
such as giving up playing computer games in order to study
personal identity on the altar of another’s demands and
for upcoming tests in the hope of getting better grades.
self-interests.
Motives for a sacrifice can be varied and unclear to others,
There are also parents who are overly indulgent and
and sometimes even to the individual. There is also a
placate their demanding children for fear of losing their
related notion that the value of a sacrifice is greater if it is
children’s goodwill, only to nurture individuals who are
selfless than if it is for personal gain. Perhaps this is why
never satisfied. Then there are those who dig deep into
we are told not to let our left hand know what our right
their savings repeatedly to bail out their siblings from one
hand is doing (Matt 6:1–4).
gambling debt to another. Such sacrifices, although starting out as well-intentioned, produce no good end.
Sometimes, the sacrifice and its related costs is not being obvious to the person making it. For example, a professional
We should, however, be thankful to God for His example
pursuing success, who works long hours every day, may be
of what it means to sacrifice well. God Himself paid the
sacrificing opportunities to build close family relationships.
ultimate sacrifice for the ultimate end—our salvation. He
They may at times be aware of giving up personal interests
knew the exact cost and was fully ready to pay the exact
like meeting friends or golfing. But at other times, they may
price. However, we will never be able to fully repay such
be oblivious to the fact that that they are sacrificing time with
a sacrifice. But we may, in following Him, be willing to
their family or neglecting to look after their best interests.
sacrifice for others’ sakes; to give without thought of our own gain. And to have the wisdom to give well—to give
Not all sacrifices produce good effects for everyone.
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and not to hurt ourselves or others in the process.
Hymns & Songs ¢ Justin Chan is a Programme Executive at Methodist School of Music, Worship and Music department. As a reformed rock musician, he believes hymns and heavy metal can co-exist for the glory of God.
T
he “Memories” feature of Facebook allows users to revisit posts from yesteryear. Some treasured memories get retriggered, allowing us to relive the associated significant moments. This is somewhat like the liturgical calendar, which revisits significant moments in salvation history. In the season of Easter, Jesus’ sacrifice—His death and resurrection—comes into focus. However, like our memory that gets hazy after a while, the longer our Christian walk, the more we may take for granted of the some finer details of what it meant for Jesus to be the sacrificial lamb of God. This is where songs can help fill in those details to foster longterm “liturgical memory”. If we were to ask the questions “What did Jesus do on the cross? Why is His sacrifice important?” we can find some answers in Phil Wickham’s “This Is Amazing Grace”. What is particularly refreshing for a modern praise & worship song is that Wickham and his co-writers balance soteriological anthropocentricity (the narrative of God saving us by the blood of Christ) by magnifying God’s power and majesty throughout creation history. In the verses, the God in Genesis who created the stars, spoke the world into existence and brought order out of chaos is the same God who sought to make sons and daughters of the Kingdom through the incarnation of His son. The chorus then rallies us together to marvel in praise and wonder, “This is amazing grace!” The bridge then invites us to sing the song of the angels in Revelation 5:11–12 (NIV), “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’” What an amazing future to behold!
This is Amazing Grace This is Amazing Grace Who breaks the power of sin and darkness Whose love is mighty and so much stronger The King of Glory the King above all kings Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder And leaves us breathless in awe and wonder The King of Glory the King above all kings This is amazing grace This is unfailing love That You would take my place That You would bear my cross You laid down Your life That I would be set free Oh Jesus I sing for all that You’ve done for me Who brings our chaos back into order Who makes the orphan a son and daughter The King of Glory the King of Glory Who rules the nations with truth and justice Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance The King of Glory the King above all kings Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
In this one song, we have so much material to foster our longterm liturgical memory. We remember what our wonderful God has done in all phases of history: the past, present and future. May continue dwelling with deep introspection from our time in Lent to sing with wonder, as Wickham puts it, “Jesus, I sing for all that You’ve done for me.”
Music and lyrics: Phil Wickham, 2012
© 2012 Phil Wickham Music, Seems Like Music, Sing My Songs, WC Music Corp., Bethel Music Publishing
METHODIST MESSAGE April 2021
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Soundings ¢ Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College and Theological and Research Advisor at the Ethos Institute for Public Christianity (http://ethosinstitute.sg).
Unselfing
F
or many, the prominent biblical theme and practice
We find, in the Old Testament, numerous accounts of
of sacrifice first appeared in the Bible in Genesis 4,
the sacrifices offered by God’s people, ranging from the
which records the sacrifices of Cain and Abel. But,
sacrifices of Noah (Gen 8:20) and Abraham (Gen 12:7–
as some scholars have rightly pointed out, the earliest
8, 13; 4:18; 22:13) to the elaborate sacrificial system
hints of sacrifice precede this account and is found in the
described in Leviticus. These sacrifices culminate in the
previous chapter where God provided Adam and Eve with
ultimate sacrifice offered by the incarnate Son of God,
coats of skin after the Fall (3:21).
Jesus Christ, when he died for sinful humanity on the cross of Calvary.
Registration at our Columbarium Office (Level 5) Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm (Closed on Public Holidays). Tel: 6479 8122 HP: 9670 9935 or Fax: 6479 6960 Email: veronicalowjmc@yahoo.com.sg
The New Testament (NT) also uses the language and
Jesus demands this same self-surrender from those who
metaphor of sacrifice to describe the Christian life.
would follow him. “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Writing to the Christians in Rome, the apostle Paul exhorts
For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever
his readers to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy
loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt 16:24–25).
and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1). Christians are required to offer nothing less
For the Christian, unselfing is part of that on-going process
than their very lives to God in response to the unmerited
called sanctification, the transformation actualised by
grace of salvation they have received in Christ.
the indwelling Spirit of God. It is a spiritual process that cannot be accomplished by our own efforts or strength.
It is in this profound sense that the NT presents the Christian life as a sacrificial life. The Christian worships
This is because fallen human beings are “curved in”
God by offering everything that he or she is and does
on themselves (homo incurvatus in se), to use an
to him. This is made clear in Paul’s exhortation to the
expression by Augustine. Because of our sinful nature,
Colossian Christians: “And whatever you do, in word or
we are hardwired to be instinctively self-serving.
deed, do everything in the name of Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col 3:17).
The fallen culture also exemplifies the incurvatus in se insofar as it promotes self-sovereignty as the greatest
To be sure, in the Christian tradition, spiritual disciplines
good, and champions self-determination and self-
such as prayer and praise are often described as spiritual
promotion at the expense of the welfare of others.
sacrifices. Thus, for example, in Psalm 141:2, David uses the analogy of incense used in the sacrificial ritual of
The Christian life travels in the opposite direction, from
Israel to describe the prayer he offers to Yahweh.
the “I” but outward towards the “Thou”. It is characterised by unselfing—by that self-forgetting and self-giving love
The NT stresses all these spiritual activities must be
called agape.
undergirded by a life that is totally surrendered to God. The Christian always seeks to honour God and is The
renown
British
philosopher
and
novelist
Iris
Murdoch has, in another context, coined a clumsy but
concerned for the wellbeing and good of his neighbour (1 Cor 10:24).
arresting word that helpfully describes this kind of selfabandonment: unselfing. 1 Unselfing is a transformative process in which the Christian acknowledges that he is not the centre of the universe, and that he is created and redeemed in order to serve God and neighbour. The relentless first-person singular, the “I”, which has hitherto been so loud and demanding, now falls silent. Attention is now directed at the “Thou”. We see this self-surrender, this unselfing, very evidently in Jesus Christ, the example of self-forgetting obedience par excellence. In the Garden of Gethsemane, before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus prayed: “Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine be done” (Luke 22:42).
1 Iris Murdoch, The Sovereignty of the Good (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1970).
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News ¢ Melody Lim a member of Wesley Methodist Church, where she serves in the Ministry of the Hearing Impaired, in the cradle roll ministry and as a small group leader.
What does being a Methodist mean to you?
A
lthough I’m a first-generation Christian, when I was a child, my uncle told me many stories from the Bible, and my younger sister
shared the songs she had learnt from her Christian kindergarten. By God’s grace, I dated a Methodist and joined him in his church’s youth ministry during our dating days. We got married, and now we have two daughters attending a Methodist school. I feel that the Methodist blood has been within me always—I feel the spiritual closeness between fellow sisters and brothers in Christ, especially in times of need, when everyone rallies together to cover one another with prayer. I felt the call to serve in the Ministry of the Hearing Impaired to be God’s tool in reaching out to the hearing impaired to spread His Word. I volunteer in my girls’ school to the best of my ability because it’s indeed by His miracle that my girls are able to receive a Methodist education. God has shown me in so many ways how loving and giving He is even though I am unworthy. As a recipient of His everlasting love, how could I not go forth and serve Him with all that I have? Every time God is the centre of what I do, my heart is strangely warmed and filled with joy. Being a Methodist, to me, means being a part of His family. To God be the Glory, always and forever.
APRIL
Looking Ahead ¢
Scan to see events online!
RUNNING THE LAST LAP (TRAC SENIORS MINISTRY) 17 Apr 2021 (Saturday), 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Live online via ZOOM Register at https://tinyurl.com/5rvuakrd (ZOOM links will be sent later) priscillalow@trac-mcs.org.sg 9220-8954 (Priscilla Low)
Discover how we can run the last lap of our lives on earth and how we can help our loved ones care for us with speakers Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon and Ms Chee Wai Yee. Talk 1 by Bishop Emeritus Robert Solomon Our earthly lives will one day come to an end. As we grow older, the runway is getting shorter and we often sense it. How then do. we prepare for the end? How do we run the last lap of our lives on earth? We are encouraged to keep our eyes on Jesus, and live with faith, hope and love. We can run the last lap, knowing that we will enter into a reality in Christ that is beyond our imagination.
Talk 2 by Ms Chee Wai Yee We need a lot of support when we are living with an advance illness. Doctors are not the only people to care for us and make decisions for us. Advance care planning is the process of planning for your future health and personal care before you face any difficult medical situations. In this one-hour interactive talk, you will learn the different types of care for your future needs, how to select the right person to communicate with the healthcare team and take a further step in achieving peace of mind for you and your family members.
MAY—JUNE
Organised by TRAC Board of Seniors Ministry
LIFE TRAINING: A SUICIDE PREVENTION WORKSHOP 25 May 2021 (Tuesday), 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. / 29 May 2021 (Saturday), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. / 26 June 2021 (Saturday), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. / 29 June 2021 (Tuesday), 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. via ZOOM Attendance is free. Registration is required. Register at https://www.bible.org.sg/life 6304-5286 (Joyder Ng)
Calling out all church and ministry leaders, volunteers, befrienders and everyone who is keen on becoming a community carer to someone with suicide ideation. This is a four-hour workshop that helps participants identify potential suicide cases and introduces the basic principles of suicide identification and prevention via the LIFE Care Model (LIFE).
APRIL
Organised by Sower Institute for Biblical Discipleship
HOW TO OVERCOME AND OUTLAST PORN (HOP) 13 Apr 2021 (Tuesday), 8 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. Via ZOOM Register at https://www.cru.org/sg/en/train-and-grow/courses-and-events /outlast-and-overcome-porn-apr21.html (ZOOM links will be sent later) Admission is free
Feeling tossed around by your failures in your fight against porn? Feeling beaten and battered, on the verge of giving up hope of ever overcoming porn? Discouraged that you are always taking three steps forward and two steps back? Join Josh Lam to HOP (How to Overcome & Outlast Porn) out of porn and your addictions in this upcoming webinar on “Breaking the Addiction Code” as he interviews Alvin Cheong. Alvin will share with you the origins of your addictions, what makes you susceptible to them and ways to outsmart them.
JULY
Organised by Cru Singapore
D6 FAMILY CONFERENCE 2021 30 to 31 July 2021 (Friday and Saturday) Faith Methodist Church, 400 Commonwealth Drive, S(149604) d6family.sg (Registration opens Jan 2021) fb.com/d6familysg family.min@bible.org.sg 6304-5286
D6 is based on the principles of Deuteronomy 6 and it urges the church and home to work together to implement generational discipleship within the churches, homes and families. The objective of D6 Conference is for the attendees to understand how they can best apply the principles of Deuteronomy 6 in their lives in order to pass on a spiritual legacy for future generations. The D6 Conference 2021 is a place where parents, pastors, church and ministry leaders can look to be equipped with practical next steps and strategies in discipling the next generation. Organised by Sower Institute for Biblical Discipleship
THINK ¢ Dennis Tan firmly believes that the Church can do more to care for creation. He one of the founders of Creation Care SG, an initiative that aims to equip fellow believers to care for creation by transforming their lives and churches. He worships at Sengkang MC.
Loving God by having less
“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to
Jesus started that work on the cross through a sacrifice—are
dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all
we willing to make those sacrifices for His ministry too?
things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Col 1:19-20)
T
Being a responsible steward of God’s resources requires us to give up many things that we are accustomed to. For instance, John Wesley tells us in his sermon on the use of money that we are to “save all we can” and reject indulgent lifestyles. Caring for creation also involves consuming
he story of Lent and the need for creation care are
less—food, clothing, materials—to reduce our impact on the
intricately intertwined. When God first created the
environment. By doing so, we minimise the clutter in our
world, He entrusted Adam and Eve with the stewardship
lives distracting us from God, and we can also give more to
of creation and to rule over the multitudes (Gen 2:15). Just
God’s ministry.
as they were created in God’s image, they were to rule as our King rules over all: justly, joyfully, compassionately and,
Believe me when I say that I don’t find it easy to make
most importantly, lovingly.
these choices. Every day, I struggle with giving up the little conveniences—washing one less cup by using disposables,
However, with the Fall came the breaking of our relationships
enjoying the car instead of public transport, not having to
both with God and the rest of creation. Our stewardship over
look silly balancing my groceries in my hands when I forget
creation has become a dictatorship. Humans have significantly
my reusable bag. But at those moments, I remember that
damaged God’s earth, abandoning His will for us to care for it.
when the devil offered Jesus a shortcut to the kingdoms of
And what is sin, if not going against God’s will?
the world, He didn’t take it (Matt 4:8–10). The Christian life is not straightforward. The road to Calvary was certainly not
Yet, just as we praise Jesus for His sacrifice that cleansed our
convenient.
sins and restored our relationship with God, so too should we praise Him for reconciling to Himself all things on earth and
And I think we can all rejoice that Jesus did not take the easy
in heaven (Col 1:20). As we remember Jesus’ sacrifice this
road. Instead, He made the ultimate sacrifice for the world
Lent, we remember His sacrifice for the whole of creation.
that He loves. When we make these sacrifices in our lives
When we start to right our relationship with the rest of God’s
to restore our relationship with the rest of creation, let us
creation, we are advancing Jesus’ ministry of reconciliation.
remember who we do it for: our loving Creator.
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