Methodist Message: December 2021 by Methodist Message

THE METHODIST CHURCH IN SINGAPORE

ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 044/11/2021

Vo l 1 2 3 N o 1 2 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1

Christmas

for everyone

Contents 1

Bishop’s Message

Events—Coming Up

Church Life—ETAC Highlights

Church Life—Seletar Tamil Methodist Church

News—GC WSCS celebrates World Federation Day

News—Disciple Agency’s 30th Anniversary

News—Methodist School Foundation

News—World Space Week at our Methodist Preschools

Church Life—MCS celebrates Christmas for everyone

People—Mdm Lim Lam Neo

People—Dr Darryl Lim

People— Victor Ng

People— Charlie Chua

Reach Out—Welfare Services

Reach Out—Missions

Relationships—You & Your family

Hymns & Songs

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34 Opinion—Soundings 36 Books—A

Methodist Message

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What does being a Methodist mean to you?

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

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Communications Executive

@methodist.sg

Jason Woo

Proofreader Tan Sheng Ling

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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.

“Peace on earth, good-will to men” “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Let us join our hearts and hands with the angels in praying for, and working for, peace on earth for all peoples, in all countries, all homes, all offices, all religions, all churches.

(Luke 2:14 NIV)

Secondly, it remains obvious that peace on earth remains elusive. The global pandemic exacerbates the despair caused by continuing violence and abuse in our world. We identify with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow during a Christmas when the deadly American Civil War was claiming too many human lives. Longfellow wrote:

Here are two short comments on this familiar Christmas verse. The first concerns the more recent English translations of the verse. The NIV translators avoided the traditional translation “peace to mankind”, presumably in an effort to be gender neutral and sensitive. This is fine (other modern translations do the same e.g. ESV, NRSV) as long as readers do not misunderstand the angels as proclaiming peace only for those persons on whom God shows special favour. No, the angels are praying for peace on earth for all people, for humanity on whom God’s favour rests.

And in despair I bowed my head; “There is no peace on earth,” I said; “For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!” Whilst the cynic that lurks within us threatens to overcome us with despair, let us pray that the Christ Child of Christmas will be born anew in all of our hearts; that we may not only not lose hope, but instead strengthen our hope in God’s promise of, and our desire for, peace on earth for all humanity. So may we move, with Longfellow, beyond the despair caused by wars and pandemics, to receive and sing the hope of Christmas: Then rang the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor does he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail With peace on earth, good will to men.” May the Christ of Christmas, the Prince of Peace, grant us peace in the midst of this pandemic, and beyond. 1

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” (1864)

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

Events ¢ Coming Up TIVA IST FES S D O H T E T THE M PRESEN

ADVENT

L CHOIR

2021

My People : SPEAKER A L E Y C H UC S N A T S V M RE NT, PRESIDE TRAC

AY 21, SUND 0 2 C E D 12 ZOOM 5PM ON R: REGISTE 0 nt2 21 mfc-adve / m o c . l r u tiny

Erratum ¢ In the October issue of Methodist Message, we inadvertently left out the National Day Awards winners from Methodist Girls’ School. We apologise for the oversight and include them here:

The Commendation Medal Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) Mdm Foo Yin Ping Grace Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary) Ms Ho Wai Mun The Efficiency Medal Mr Edmund Wong Kok Wai

The Long Service Medal Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) Mdm Rita d/o Ramanathan Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary) Mr Ho Siew Mun Mdm Chua Gek Chun Elaine

Church Life ¢ ETAC Highlights Rev Albert Vijay Joseph is the Pastor-in-Charge of Tamil Methodist Church, Short Street.

CHRIST mas for everyone!

hristmas is one of the most popular festive seasons

the idea of being physically healed of diseases and to be

in the world. Christians celebrate it by remembering

delivered from enemies. In the spiritual sense, the enemies

the coming of the Messiah to save humanity. Others

are sin, Satan and death.

celebrate it for various other reasons like the holidays or the end of the year. Whatever their reasons for celebrating

Jesus conquered and defeated these enemies on the Cross,

might be, Christmas and the season brings great joy and

which was otherwise undefeatable by mankind. These

hope to everyone.

defeated foes still wag their tails to disturb and distract people from living a life of harmony and peace.

God the Father sent His only begotten Son into this world to save mankind—and therefore, Christmas is for everyone.

There is no doubt that Christmas will be different for the second continuous year, from what we once knew,

The joy of Christmas was given to the shepherds on the

because of the pandemic. Coming together as family

Christmas Day and the wise men on the Epiphany Day.

or as believers with lots of restrictions and distancing

It shows that a wide spectrum of people, from far and

guidelines have already curtailed celebrations and

near, were included in the celebration and good news that

activities during Christmas.

Christ is born. Today

unprecedented

time

with

unrelenting

Etymologically, the name “Jesus” or “Joshua (Yeshua)”

pandemic, people of all walks of life who are journeying

derives from Hebrew roots meaning “the Lord is salvation.”

through uncharted waters with fear and uncertainty need to hear the Good News that a Saviour is born, and He

The angel of the Lord told Joseph in Matthew 1:21: “She

brought salvation to all who come to Him.

[i.e. Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

In this Christmas and always, let us take Jesus, the Saviour, to those who are homeless, recently bereaved, lonely or

Jesus the Saviour came to save all of mankind from sin

struggling to make ends meet, away from their family,

and its consequences. Salvation is only through Jesus,

staying in dormitories, sleeping rough, the rejected and

the Saviour.

the neglected.

Sozo is the Greek word for salvation, yet its root meaning

CHRIST came for all. CHRIST is for all. CHRISTmas is for

goes beyond just the forgiveness of sins. According to

everyone!

Strong’s Concordance, it means to save—that is, to protect or deliver, heal, preserve and to make whole. It carries

Blessed CHRISTmas! METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

Church Life ¢ Seletar Tamil Methodist Church Justin John and Deborah David are members of Seletar Tamil Methodist Church (SELTMC) / Photo courtesy of SELTMC

Growing and serving together

SELTMC during the Zoom Bible Quiz that was held on National Day

eletar Tamil Methodist Church (SELTMC) celebrates its 86th anniversary this year. In 2005, the Lord blessed us with a place of worship, St George’s Chapel at Loyang Avenue, where we have been worshipping since then under the leadership of various pastors, and now shepherded by Rev James Nagulan.

In this time of anxiety and uncertainty, we stand together with Singapore to battle COVID-19 by encouraging members to practise safe distancing. To limit physical contact, we conduct online services. Despite the challenges, we are standing firm and committing ourselves fully to the Lord’s work by the grace of the Almighty. SELTMC values growing and serving together for the establishment of God’s word in this world. Although the pandemic has propelled us to use technology extensively, we continue to create multiple touchpoints with our various ministries and events. One such event that brought the entire congregation together over Zoom was the Online Bible Quiz, which was one of the church’s main programmes of the year. We thank God for the members who participated actively. Through technology, we were able to explore opportunities and be creative in uniting the congregation. However, we believe that this is a temporary measure and look forward to attending face-to-face church programmes and other Methodist events. Another ministry that SELTMC contributes towards is the Bedok Preaching Point ministry. We were able to reach out to some of the residents in the Bedok vicinity. Bethesda (Bedok-Tampines) Church (BBTC) has been gracious in opening up their doors for us to conduct this ministry freely on their premises. As SELTMC does not have a permanent place of worship, we have moved to various locations over the past 86 years. It is our desire to move into a place of our own in the eastern part of Singapore so that we are able to give more attention to our ministries and spread the Gospel to more who are living in the east. Much as we aspire for a permanent place of worship, we do acknowledge that the church is not just a building but it is a gathered people. Our mission therefore is •

to BUILD: every member having an abiding relationship with Jesus;

•

to EQUIP: members actively serving in a ministry, and raising new leaders;

•

to PROVIDE: providing pastoral care and being involved in connect groups; and

•

to be RECOGNISED: a lighthouse that creates avenues for worship and reaches out to those searching for spiritual connection in the east of Singapore.

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

News ¢ Teo Suet Eh and Deviki James are Vice Presidents of GC WSCS. / Image courtesy of GC WSCS

Living water, divine grace GC WSCS CELEBRATES WORLD FEDERATION DAY “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’” (John 4:10 NIV)

he General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (GCWSCS) of The Methodist Church in Singapore celebrated World Federation Day on 6 Nov 2021 with our sisters around the world in the World Federation of Methodist and United Church Women in East Asia Area. GCWSCS renewed their commitment towards the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6), “Clean Water and Sanitation”, as part of the integration of 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.

quench thirst, grace quenches our thirst for Jesus. As water preserves life, grace preserves our soul from pain and cleanses us from sin. Fresh springs refreshes a weary traveller; grace will refresh us for life’s journey. As water softens dried fruits, so grace softens hardened hearts. We need rain to bear plum juicy fruits; likewise, we need God’s grace to rain on us to bear good fruits. Grace is a river of life from a heavenly source that “flows down to earth by way of the cross”, and will draw us nearer to Jesus to experience happiness, holiness and humility.

The 17 SDGs, also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that by 2030, all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The SDGs are integrated so that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

“The message expressed God’s divine grace in the lifegiving and life-changing water,” said Mrs Doris Wong (Paya Lebar Methodist Church WSCS), one of the members who attended the session. Water is precious to sustain life, and grace to preserve the soul. The session was concluded with a prayer by all: “Lord, give us Your grace.”

GC WSCS Vice Presidents, Ms Teo Suet Erh and Ms Deviki James, introduced SDG-6 to the participants. The Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) WSCS presented ways on how to domestically conserve clean water with illustrations on to refresh, recycle and restore used water. Six young ladies from the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC) WSCS presented a skit, “Save Water Save Lives”, that portrayed a group of women at the well, reminding the participants that water is inseparable from life and that part of creation emerged from water. Water-saving practices start at home and we each have a part to play in conserving this precious resource. The spiritual theme that flowed was “Living Water, Divine Grace”, taken from John chapter 14, when Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well. In one of C. H. Spurgeon’s sermons on New Testament women, he described eight attributes of water and grace. Just as we need water to

FURTHER READING “The 17 Goals”, https://sdgs.un.org/goals Spurgeon. C. H. Morning and Evening. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2003. Spurgeon’s Sermons on New Testament Women, Book 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1994.

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

News ¢ Alvin Tay is a DA Exco member and DISCIPLE 30th Anniversary Task Force Chairman. He and his family worship at Wesley Methodist Church. / Photos courtesy of DISCIPLE

DISCIPLE

celebrates 30 years of God’s faithfulness

Beautiful roses sent to us from one of our early trainers, Mrs Wini Grizzle

Our Sacred Garden, our 30th anniversary book, being launched by Bishop Dr Gordon Wong

esus Christ commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt 28:19–20). DISCIPLE Bible Study was designed by Methodist pastors in the United States to help participants fulfil this Great Commission, first for them to become disciples of Jesus, and then to go on to make disciples for Christ. God has truly been with us throughout the past 30 years as He worked through His faithful servants to bring DISCIPLE from the US to Singapore in 1991, and from Singapore to the rest of Asia-Pacific, including East Malaysia, West Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia. On 4 Nov 2021, about 120 persons gathered at Faith Methodist Church and 300 from local and overseas churches joined us online to thank and praise God for His faithfulness for the last 30 years.

Life Transformation is the key focus of DISCIPLE

The anniversary service at Faith MC on 4 Nov 2021

“The hope of DISCIPLE Bible Study is that as we study the Bible, not only will be gain more knowledge about our faith, but more importantly, all of us might be transformed to be more and more like Christ, our Lord and Master. Merely reading and studying the Bible will not do us much good unless we are seeking not only to know Jesus but to have a personal relationship with him. This is the key to transformation in a Christian life.”

DISCIPLE and Christian Conferencing in Wesleyan Discipleship Rev Dr Edwin Tay, Principal of Trinity Theological College (TTC), then took the audience through Christian Conferencing, which is the means of grace that was critical in the expansion of early Methodism but which has become one of the most neglected of our spiritual disciplines. According to John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, “means of grace are ‘outward signs, words, actions ordained of God, and appointed for this end—to be the ordinary channels whereby he might convey to men preventing, justifying, or sanctifying grace’.”

“The word, ‘Disciple’, (Greek: mathetes) occurs at least 230 times in the Gospels and 28 times in Acts. Hence, we cannot escape the biblical teaching that to be a Christian is to be a disciple of Christ,” said Rev Stanley Chua, the President of Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC).

The key section on the means of grace begins with the following question: “Do you use all the means of grace yourself, and enforce the use of them on all persons?” This is followed by a list of the means of grade under the headings, “Instituted” and “Prudential”.

He said: “When discipleship is absent in a Christian life, Christians will tend to live lives that are fundamentally no different than that of non-Christians. As a result, they would be ineffective witnesses for Christ.

Christian conferencing is listed under Instituted means of grace, together with prayer (private and corporate); reading, hearing and meditating on Holy Scripture (what Wesley calls “searching the Scriptures”); the Lord’s Supper and Fasting.

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

“The implication is clear: These are practices which are commanded in Scripture and meant for all Christians. John Wesley thus expected all Methodists to practise Christian Conference regularly,” said Rev Tay. And the conferencing must be “a particular kind of conversation that is intentional”, “acknowledges the presence of God” and “ministers grace to one another. It actually aims at growing the life of God in the soul of men”. Rev Tay continued: “Christian conferencing is important because it is concerned with inward (‘the true state of our souls’) and outward holiness (‘words’ and ‘deeds’). But it is also difficult because it demands truthfulness and authenticity in conversation in the face of our human weakness and sinfulness. We would try to hide the true state of our soul.” Having gone through DISCIPLE in his teenage years, Rev Tay concluded that the kind of questions raised in DISCIPLE Bible Study would facilitate conversations on the state of the soul.

Forging Spiritual Friendships through DISCIPLE Rev Dr Goh Nai Lat, President of the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC), then spoke on forging spiritual friendships. “Following the Great Commission in Matthew 28, Christian believers must first self-identify as disciples of Jesus Christ before they can make disciples for Christ,” he said. In his understanding, “the difference between a believer and a disciple lies in this—to be a believer emphasises faith, while being a disciple lies in action. […] The intention of the DISCIPLE course is to marry the two— faith and action. From faith in ‘The Bible Teaching’ to the important action we must take in the ‘Marks of Discipleship’. And from ‘Our Human Condition’ to the act of mutual prayer and accountability,” said Rev Dr Goh. (“The Bible Teaching”, “Marks of Discipleship” and “Our Human Condition” are all key features of DISCIPLE 1.) According to Rev Dr Goh, DISCIPLE can help people to become disciples for Christ through the use of God-given means of grace and the forging of spiritual friendships. “John Wesley knew that people needed God’s grace, and was, at the same time, aware of the frailty of human nature—its resistance to grace, lack of discipline and the brokenness of the old self,” said Rev Dr Goh. “He thus introduced the framework for mutual accountability through the formation of classes, bands and societies. Basically, it is a small group which functions within a covenant, with everyone watching over one another in love. The small group is the essence of the Methodist movement, and the particular attention that John Wesley gave to the groups was the key to its success.” The Design Philosophy behind DISCIPLE is to use the means of grace in a covenant group to bring about renewal of life, he said.

Citing John 15:12–21, Rev Dr Goh said it reflects a picture of intimacy and companionship. “There are three levels of Disciples in the Early Church: Servant (First level); Children (Second level); and Friend (Third level). The disciples who laid down their lives for Jesus as Jesus laid down his life for his friends were known as friends of Jesus.” “To be a disciple of Christ, we need God’s grace, and God has already prepared the means through which we can receive his grace. As for the path of discipleship, we need companions—spiritual friendships that give us strength and satisfaction in our heavenward journey.”

DISCIPLE 30th anniversary book, logo and T-shirt In conjunction with the 30th Anniversary Thanksgiving Celebration, Disciple Agency also published a DISCIPLE Commemorative Book, Our Sacred Garden, which was launched by Bishop Dr Gordon Wong. The bilingual book contains Insights on Discipleship as well as articles on important aspects of Wesleyan Discipleship written by our Bishop, Presidents of the three Annual Conferences and Methodist lecturers from Trinity Theological College. The book also traces the 30-year journey of DISCIPLE in Singapore where we witnessed the amazing work of God and His walk with many faithful servants across time and space. Finally, the book also includes many inspiring testimonies of CAC, ETAC and TRAC members whose lives have been duly transformed through DISCIPLE. A logo design competition was organised for this special occasion, and with it a 30th Anniversary t-shirt, and the winning logo was created by Mr Wong Joon Kim from Toa Payoh Methodist Church. We remember, thank and glorify God for His goodness and faithfulness. Well wishes were received from our partners in Sarawak, West Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia and Taiwan. Bishop Richard Wilke, the founder of the DISCIPLE Bible Study, also sent us his recorded greetings from the United States, and Mrs Wini Grizzle, one of our early trainers, sent us a beautiful bouquet of 30 roses.

DISCIPLE 30TH ANNIVERSARY BOOK You may obtain a copy of the DISCIPLE 30th Anniversary Book by giving a love gift of $30 (or more) to Disciple Agency. The Book has been fully sponsored. So every single cent that you give will go towards the development of DISCIPLE in Singapore and the region, including the DISCIPLE digitalisation project. To order, go to https://tinyurl.com/DISCIPLE30thOrderForm or scan the QR code.

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

News ¢ Jill Tan is the Director of the Methodist Schools’ Foundation (MSF). / Photos courtesy of MSF

METHODIST SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

Moving forward, staying relevant

ACS(BR) Graduation Chapel at BRMC Sanctuary in 2019

he church–school partnership is a cornerstone for the work that the Methodist Schools’ Foundation (MSF) does. As the MSF aids the Methodist schools, it is done so in the spirit and with the support

of all the Methodist churches in Singapore, and serves as an extension of Christian service to touch the lives of children in these schools. For more than two decades, many hands have come together to do the work of God in this special ministry. Before 2021 came to a close, the MSF Board met up virtually for its

Geylang Methodist School (Primary)

year-end strategic meeting and refreshed its vision and mission. The Board is happy to share its new vision and mission as the Foundation goes forth to continue to bless the children in the Methodist schools. Vision: Standing in the gap for our Methodist schools to provide every student with an excellent education grounded in Christian values. Mission: Raising and growing funds in support of our Methodist schools and students to meet their educational and financial needs. The Board also met up with the principals of the Methodist schools, all of whom shared their immense appreciation and gratitude to the Foundation’s blessing towards the schools. Mrs Quek Li Gek, Principal of Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary) conveyed that “our heart continues to well up in gratefulness and thanksgiving for the way MSF has so generously supported PL (Sec) all these seven years when I was principal of the school. We were able to use the funds to make our school beautiful and special. Each year, the girls and parents reflect their own sentiments of joy and thanksgiving. Over the years, we saw an increase in the level

ACJC hockey pitch

of school pride, a rise in the level of school affect and girls doing better in their lives because they know that, even though their families are not great, the school cared for their lives and their futures.” She also thanked the Foundation for doing the work in enabling and empowering the girls, especially the disadvantaged ones, through the school. She added, “I know you may not be able to see the fruits of your labour so clearly from where you are. But the ripple effect is definitely felt in the girls now and the batches that follow hereafter. I keep telling the school that we must never take anything for granted.

Methodist Girls’ School

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

I have served with the government schools and other mission schools, and I have never seen this kind of outpouring of love and support from

the Church. Thank you for giving to the Lord in this special way—in terms of your service and love for His school and His people.” Despite a challenging year, Mr Arene Koh, Principal of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) said, “We are thankful for the never-ending support

METHODIST SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

from MSF. Thank you for always considering the needs of the Methodist Schools and supporting us in more ways than one. May we continue to look to God in the times ahead and further our plans in accordance to His

•

Incorporated in 1997 as the Methodist Schools’ Building Endowment Fund to help fund standard and non-standard facilities and teaching aids in Methodist Schools.

•

As of 31 July 2021, net assets were $22.4 million represented in a general fund and three endowment funds (which are restricted, with only the earnings disbursed):

plans and purposes.” The MSF is only able to stand in the gap for our Methodist schools with the help and blessing of all our supporters. Every two years, images of thousands of cheerful students in bright red, blue and yellow at the MethodistWalk grace our consciousness of the MSF. An event close to the hearts of the Methodist schools, the MethodistWalk is a walk for charity as well as a walk of unity in one-ness of Body with all 15 of our Methodist schools and represented by some Methodist churches. More significantly, the participation contributes to building stronger educational foundations for the more than 21,100 students in our schools today.

•

School Building Endowment Fund: for the building, repair and maintenance of school buildings, and to buy educational equipment and aids.

•

MSF–Chen Su Lan Financial Assistance Endowment Fund: to benefit needy students in specific Methodist schools.

•

MSF Financial Assistance Endowment Fund: for needy students from any Methodist school who require financial assistance.

The Walk also functions as an event for students from our Methodist schools to raise funds for their school for avenues such as upgrading of facilities and development of resources and rooms. But more importantly, extending beyond the physical upgrades of brick-and-mortar school buildings are the spirit, legacies and memories of the Walk that will endure in the hearts of our students. Chairperson of the MSF, Mrs Joni Ong, feels privileged to be serving alongside the Board, many of whom have given of their time and resources willingly and passionately for almost two decades! “Truly, one marvels at how God gathers such diverse individuals together, enthused them toward one mission and just showers His grace to bless the works of all our hands, every year without fail! Thankful.”

•

Total disbursed so far exceeds $11.5 million

•

Every dollar raised by each Methodist school for the MethodistWalk goes back to the respective schools.

•

MSF has renewed its IPC status under the MOE and all donations will enjoy 250 per cent tax relief.

•

To find out how you can support through giving and volunteering, please contact Ms Yveline Tan at 6478-4850, or email yveline.tan@ methodist.org.sg

As we look forward to 2022, the MSF would like to press on in His service and continue to submit ourselves to God as an instrument through which He provides for the students He calls into all our Methodist schools. We also continue to enhance the Church and school partnership in our interactions. The MSF is planning new activities in the near future such as the Fund-Raising Dinner, Annual Methodist Schools’ Musical Festival or a Golf Day, in which we welcome your participation. The MSF is privileged to have donations and offerings from Methodist churches throughout the years and call on the churches to continue to bless the schools. If you have other great ideas to contribute, or would like to offer partnership, sponsorship or volunteer service, do email foundation@methodist.org.sg. We’d love to hear from you!

www.methodist.org.sg/ministries/methodist-schools-foundation foundation@methodist.org.sg 6478-4850 METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

News ¢ Chan Yuey Sum is the Manager (Marketing and Promotion) at Methodist Preschool Services Pte Ltd. / Photos courtesy of Methodist Preschool Services Pte Ltd

WORLD SPACE WEEK 202 1 at our Methodist Preschools First-ever meet-and-greet session between a NASA astronaut and Singapore preschoolers

Students dressed in space suit for Zoom meet-and-greet

Sharing by NASA astronaut Nick Hague

orld Space Week 2021 will no doubt be well-remembered by over 250 K2 students of our five Methodist Preschools at Bedok , Faith, Foochow, Sengkang and Toa Payoh. They had the privileged opportunity to Zoom-

meet and interact with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut Nick Hague on 7 October 2021—a first-of-its-kind engagement between a NASA Astronaut and preschoolers in Singapore! Significantly, Nick Hague was the NASA astronaut who deployed Singapore’s nanosatellite into orbit from the International Space Station in 2019. The highly anticipated meet and greet session with NASA Astronaut Nick Hague via Zoom was a blast! He wowed our students with fascinating videos and photos captured inside and outside the International Space Station during his seven-month-long mission in 2019. He also told the children about his personal experiences of living and working in space, and shared interesting anecdotes of his childhood aspirations and journey to becoming an astronaut. He ended his talk with this encouragement for our students: “Whatever your dream is, dream really BIG, work really hard and don’t ever give up!” The highlight of the Zoom session was most definitely the Q&A session, during which Astronaut Nick interacted with our students by answering some of their burning questions. Our little inquisitive minds wanted to know: “Why do astronauts need to wear space suits?” “What do astronauts do if they get sick in space?” “How do astronauts shower in space?” and more! The 50-minute session was full of smiles, excited faces and most certainly inspired a sense of interest and wonder in our Methodist Preschoolers about the next frontier!

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

Celebration of World Space Week at MPSPL Methodist Preschools World Space Week, which is held annually from 4 to 10 October, is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contributions to the betterment of the human condition. In celebration of World Space Week and to prepare our preschoolers for the inaugural Zoom meet-and-greet session with NASA astronaut Nick Hague, our preschools conducted a myriad of unique space-themed learning programmes comprising engaging lessons and fun hands-on activities that fuelled discovery, inquiry and learning about space.

Methodist Preschool Space Buds Education Programme The exclusive conversation with NASA Astronaut Nick Hague is part of Methodist Preschool Space Buds Education Programme. It is developed in partnership between Methodist Preschool Services Pte Ltd (MPSPL) and Space Faculty Singapore Pte Ltd, which is part of Singapore Space and Technology Ltd. The one-ofa-kind Space Buds programme is specially designed to introduce preschoolers to all things space, and fire up our young minds to build lifelong interest and foundational knowledge in space, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) through a

Q&A session with Astronaut Nick

purposeful and intentional approach. Essentially, FUN meets PASSION in an environment that educates, spurs creativity and ignites passion for learning and appreciation for innovation. In addition to the prized opportunity to Zoom-meet and interact with an astronaut, the MPS Space Buds programme comprises a series of interesting lessons and hands-on activities to learn about space food, the solar system and the moon. Students

VISIT OUR FIVE METHODIST PRESCHOOLS TODAY! www.methodistpreschools.org enquiry@methodistpreschools.org @methodistpreschools

even get to sample space ice-cream to get a taste of dessert in space! Participants of our Space Buds programme can look forward to receiving a Certificate from Space Faculty upon completion of the programme. A pilot Space Buds programme was conducted for our K2 cohort in Faith Methodist Preschool in October 2021. With the successful pilot implementation of Space Buds, it will be introduced as a signature programme in the K2 curriculum of our group’s Methodist preschools from 2022, along with other innovative initiatives that are currently in the works. Through introducing riveting learning programmes such as this, we hope to inspire Methodist Preschoolers to stay passionate about learning and maximise their potential! Our commitment is always to nurture every student to be a person of Good Character, who is an Explorer, an Innovator

Every Child a person of Good Character who is an Explorer, an Innovator and an Entrepreneur.

and an Entrepreneur. METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

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News ¢

Oh come all ye faithful Methodist Churches celebrate Christmas How are our churches celebrating Christmas? Here are some of the events planned. ALDERSGATE METHODIST CHURCH

ANG MO KIO METHODIST CHURCH

Toysforyou (18 to 19 Dec 2021) To share the Christmas joy in our community, AMC will be distributing toys to the children of beneficiaries of our Love 202X initiative. Most of these beneficiaries are needy families in the Dover area. We will be asking for donations of new or near mint condition toys from our church members. These toys will be cleaned and packed by our volunteers. Children from these needy families will be invited to come to church either on 18 or 19 December 2021 to select the toys of their choice. “Light of the World” Christmas at APC (2 Dec 2021) Aldersgate Praise Centre (APC) is an afterschool care outreach arm of AMC. The “Light of the World” Christmas initiative will be held on 2 December 2021 and is organised by APC. This school holiday programme will be evangelistic in nature. All APC students will get to attend this programme. We have also received registration from children attending AMC’s Children’s Ministry and some students from the Christian Fellowship at Fairfield Methodist Primary School. Advent Reading Nights (28 Nov to 23 Dec 2021) We will set aside 30 minutes every night from 28 November to 23 December to do daily advent reading. Mandarin Evangelistic Service (18 Dec 2021) AMC will be holding a Christmas evangelistic service onsite on 18 December. The service will be conducted in Mandarin and we will be inviting three celebrities to share their testimony and the Gospel. Those who wish to attend the worship service must invite a non-believing family member or friend. “Love Came Down” Evangelistic Video Production (24 Dec 2021) This will be launched to all homes via livestream at 7:30pm on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day Combined English and Mandarin Service (25 Dec 2021) The service will be open to the Youth and Children as well.

Lighting of the Advent Candles (Devotion) Over the four Sundays of Advent, we will be sharing about the symbolism of the lighting of the Advent candles as well as a short devotion/prayer each week.

For more information and updates, go to

• • • •

1st Sunday of Advent (28 Nov) —Prophets’ Candle, symbolising hope 2nd Sunday of Advent (5 Dec) —Angel’s Candle, symbolising peace 3rd Sunday of Advent (12 Dec) —Shepherds’ Candle, symbolising joy 4th Sunday of Advent (19 Dec) —Christ Candle, symbolising love

Dance Presentation (Virtual) Our Dance Ministry will be doing a virtual dance presentation to the song “Somewhere In Your Silent Night” by Casting Crowns. This video will be produced by our Media & Creative Arts ministry (MCA) and will be livestreamed during our onsite Christmas service. Gift @ Christmas Through our annual Gift @Christmas Christmas tree donation drive, we aim to extend the message of Love during the Christmas festive season to the needy within Ang Mo Kio during the month of December 2021. AMKMC members and worshippers are invited to participate by blessing the needy within the AMK community via an online donation drive. Volunteers from the Witness & Evangelism ministry and AMKMC at large will distribute food gift hampers/gift vouchers. MCA will also produce a video that will help the recipients to connect with AMKMC. Love Our Neighbour outreach The Love-Our-Neighbour (LON) ministry is organising a gift pack distribution for the families of AMKMC’s tuition programme students. It will be an opportunity for them and other volunteers from AMKMC to reach out to the families and get to know them better. Volunteers will collect the gift packs from AMKMC on 4 Dec 2021, but they will set suitable visit times to visit the various blocks around Ang Mo Kio in the following weeks.

www.aldersgate.sg

www.amkmc.org.sg

@aldersgatemc

@amkmc

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

ANG MO KIO TAMIL METHODIST CHURCH

FAIRFIELD METHODIST CHURCH

The Fellowship of Indian Brothers (FIB) is a ministry initiative at AMK TMC whose objective is to share God’s love among migrant workers in Singapore by equipping them with valuable life skills and providing emotional support.

Fairfield MC is celebrating Christmas with our community with the FMC Christmas Lighthouse initiative. It aims to reach out to the disadvantaged families in the neighbourhood of Chinatown during the season of Christmas. Christmas carols and the gospel story will be shared. A meal and gifts will also be prepared for the families to bring the Christmas cheer to them.

FIB is planning a Christmas Joy Drive and Christmas Online Event on 19 Dec 2021. We plan to hand out food and gifts to migrant workers we know through our FIB ministry and their roommates. We also plan to conduct online games and special events such as an online drama, puppet show or magic show to name a few. We welcome volunteers who are interested in hosting online games or performing any special events.

We encourage past participants in Christmas Lighthouses and anyone who would like to be a blessing to the Chinatown/Pearl’s Hill community this Christmas to contact Fairfield MC. We are blessed to be a blessing! For more information and updates, go to fairfieldmc.org

FAITH METHODIST CHURCH FIB during a pre-COVID May Day event

For more information, reach out to the Ministry Coordinator at fibministry@amktmc.org

CAIRNHILL METHODIST CHURCH The “Bless a Gift Project” was started last year when we want our children in our Children Ministry to share the joy of Christmas with children from Sun Beam Place. We hope to bring smiles to the children in our community as we share a gift of their wish. This year we decided to bless the children from children’s homes, Sunbeam Place (Children’s Society) and Gracehaven (The Salvation Army). For these two homes, we need to raise 109 gifts. We launched the project this year during the Sunday School Children’s Day celebrations on Zoom. We asked the home to have the children write down their names and the present that they wish to receive (about $30). We will paired them with a child from our church to participate in this. We asked the children and their parent to 1) say a prayer for the child; 2) buy a gift of what the child wished for; and 3) write a card for the child. They can then bring the wrapped gift to church.

From 12 to 14 Dec 2021, the Small Group Ministry of Faith is organising the ONE CHRISTMAS event. The name of ONE CHRISTMAS is to remind the Christian community that there is only one Saviour, Jesus Christ and He is the reason for the season. The objective of this event is to send a message of hope to uplift the community surrounding our church amidst this challenging COVID-19 situation. We encourage all Small Group members to share a gift with someone in the community: taxi drivers; delivery riders; hawkers; shop owners; or even strangers and friends who might have strayed away from the journey of faith. Also, we will be visiting the nursing home and the special needs school within the vicinity of Faith MC with a special gift set. This is to show our appreciation of the exceptional work that they have been doing and to bring cheer to them during this challenging time. This event will end with an invitation to attend the evangelistic services on 25 Dec 2021 (at the church premises for the English service and at ACJC for the Mandarin service). The birth of this ONE CHRISTMAS event comes from the vision of the church: “Transforming Lives, Changing The World”.

Sometime in December, volunteers will bring the gifts to these two homes. We hope to bring the smiles to all the children in these to homes and that they too will feel loved and one day know the real meaning of Christmas. Since the launch of this project, we have raised 69 gifts raised. We still need more gifts! For more information and updates, go to For more information and updates, go to

www.faithmc.sg

www.cairnhillchurch.com

@faithmethodistchurch

or scan the QR code >>

or contact your Small Group leader

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

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Methodist Churches celebrate Christmas

HOLLAND VILLAGE METHODIST CHURCH For more information and updates, go to HVMC is celebrating Christmas over two services and we hope to finally, bring back live singing led by our worship leaders, accompanied by the band (following all safe management measures, of course). We will also be featuring a life testimony from Ms Julie Ong about her experiences of God’s grace amidst the Covid season and it will be wrapped up with a message by Rev Dr Lorna Khoo.

hvmc.sg @HollandVillageMC

KAMPONG KAPOR METHODIST CHURCH For more information and updates, go to Community Blessing Event on 11 Dec: KKMC members and friends will visit the households of those living in the HDB flats around KKMC (we have been doing this at least twice a year since 2014)

kkmc.org.sg @kampongkapormethodistchurch

Objectives of CBE (Dec 2021)

Objectives of P5L2F

•

Engage / follow up / re-connect with the residents whom we visited during CBE (April 2021).

•

Blessing the residents / community through the giving of food and household items.

•

Share the news about Project 5 Loaves and 2 Fishes.

•

Meeting needs and helping those who are potentially struggling in a small simple way.

•

Open up touch points to further connect and engage with residents and the community.

Project 5 Loaves and 2 Fishes on 18 Dec: a new initiative where KKMC members and friends donate non-perishable foods and/or household items and members of the community can drop by the church to collect them as needed (basically, it is a “foodbank”).

PAYA LEBAR METHODIST CHURCH For more information and updates, go to Paya Lebar MC’s outreach ministries are organising numerous activities to reach out to the neighbourhood around the church.

plmc.org @payalebarmethodistchurch

Outreach Ministry

Tentative Activities

Tentative Date

Blk 223A

Distribution of special Christmas meal and gifts

18 Dec 2021 (a.m.)

COME Ministry to Blocks 201 to 210. In partnership with Braddell Heights CCC.

Distribution of essential ration packs and NTUC vouchers

18 Dec 2021 (p.m.)

Friends of Jesus

Distribution of special Christmas food items and gifts

21 Dec 2021 (night)

Angel Tree Project. In partnership Prison Fellowship Singapore

Distribution of gift hampers, grocery vouchers, letters and videos from the family members of the incarcerated.

First three weeks with of Dec 2021

Hope Student Care Centre Migrant Workers (Shaw Dormitories)

Delivery of Christmas gifts and meals. Craft activity competition for the children.

10 Dec 2021

A Christmas event for migrant workers, which includes a special meal, gifts, blessing draw, Christmas story-telling and games.

19 Dec 2021 (evening)

St Luke’s Eldercare Centres /ECON Medicare Centre Anglican Family Centre

Zoom event with the three St Luke’s centres. Christmas food and gifts for elderly friends, caregivers and staff will be delivered to them prior to the event.

14 Dec 2021 (morning)

Delivery of Christmas dinner and gifts for the women, their children and the centre staff.

20 Dec 2021 (evening)

PENTECOST METHODIST CHURCH

TELOK AYER CHINESE METHODIST CHURCH

This Christmas, we desire for more of God’s presence, power, purpose and peace to be made manifest within the church and throughout the community around us.

This Christmas season, we will be holding a series of evangelistic services in four languages, on the theme of LOVE. We are reminded that no matter how great our troubles, God’s love is greater. This is also an opportunity for us to share God’s love with our pre-believing families and friends.

Building on last year’s Christmas initiative, Treasure Box 2 aims to share the true meaning of Christmas through the love of Christ by establishing relationships with the people God leads us to. Here are some ways you can get involved from 12 Dec 2021: Treasure Hunt: An exciting time of seeking God’s heart, being directed by the Holy Spirit to someone who fits the picture being reveals to us and ministering to them as the Spirit leads. Visit and Invite: If there is someone you have already managed to establish a connection with, invite them to share in the joy of Christmas! You can reach out to neighbours, familiar hawkers, shopkeepers, and those who know of us through FSC and other agency groups. Treasure Box: Here you will find great outreach suggestions such as to take someone out for a meal, or to a local attraction, inviting them over to your home, or for a photo booth session and of course to our Christmas service. Filled with activities and ideas to share God’s love, you will find everything you need in the Treasure Box; from conversation starters, ice breakers to creative arts. Young Adults Retreat: Feast on great food and God’s Word. Young adults are invited to the homes of those who are willing to host a Christmas celebration for the young adults in our church and the friends they are reach out to. Home but Not Alone: Youths are invited to attend a special Christmas programme that brings the joy of Christmas into their homes in creative ways that will warm even the coldest Christmas.

Members from all congregations may feel free to join the evangelistic services in other languages, depending on your language preference of the guests you are inviting. All onsite evangelistic services will also be livestreamed online. More details will be publicised in the coming weeks. Bahasa Indonesia Online Service: Christmas Celebration & Evangelistic Sunday Speaker : Date : Time : Venue :

Rev Yufrendy 12 Dec 2021 (Sunday) 1.30 p.m. Online

Mandarin Evangelistic Service Speaker : Bishop Emeritus Dr Chong Chin Chung Date : 25 Dec 2021 (Saturday) Time : 10 a.m. Venue : TA2

Hokkien Evangelistic Service English Evangelistic Service Speaker : Date : Time : Venue :

Dr Edward Keith Pousson 25 Dec 2021 (Saturday) 10 a.m. TACMC

Speaker : Date : Time : Venue :

Rev Dr Joshua Tan 25 Dec 2021 (Saturday) 2 p.m. TA2

For more information and updates, go to: www.tacmc.org.sg @tacmc.sg

TRAC BOARD OF SENIOR MINISTRY CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SERVICE “Letting God Take Care of Us” Speaker: Rev Dr Gordon Wong Date: 8 Dec 2021 (Wednesday), 2.30 p.m. Register online: tinyurl.com/BOSMWS-1208-Reg or WhatsApp Priscilla at 9220 8954

TRAC WSCS CHRISTMAS EVENT “Power of a Merry Heart” Speaker: Rev Wendy Tay

For more information and updates, go to pmc.org.sg

Date: 11 Dec 2021 (Saturday), 2.30 p.m. Register online: tinyurl.com/TRAC-WSCS-Christmas-Event

or register at https://pmc-tb2-2021/paperform.co anthonylim@pmc.org.sg or winston@pmc.org.sg 6584-0297 (Anthony or Winston)

Tel: 6100-WSCS (9727) Email: eventstracwscs@gmail.com

(These were correct at press time, but are subject to change depending on prevailing COVID-19 government restrictions. Please check the respective church websites for updates.)

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… Mr Christopher Hayward Vice-Principal

Dr Kristopher Achter 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

People ¢ Jason Woo is Communications Executive at MCS Comms. / Photos courtesy of Clare Ong

Mdm Lim attending a worship service on Zoom

Age is just a number Meeting a 93-year-old Zoomer “Zoomer” is a term that was coined in the past year or

Three decades since her baptism, Mdm Lim, who has been

so to describe young digital natives, who live and breathe

illiterate most of her life, has now learnt to recognise

social media and are adept at using communication

certain Chinese characters in her Bible! This newfound

technologies.

literacy has enabled Mdm Lim to follow better the Zoom sessions or online hymns she comes across.

It was thus especially heartwarming to meet a 93-yearold who is at ease with using Zoom for church services and

Mdm Lim has also attended her church Bible classes.

activities since on-site gatherings have been curtailed in

Before every Bible quiz, she diligently revised each

efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. Watching Mdm

chapter in the Bible with her tapes several times. Much

Lim Nam Yeo navigate her way on Zoom for her cell

to her delight, Mdm Lim got mostly perfect scores!

group meeting, with her children setting up the session for her in advance, I felt she could give some of the

Mdm Lim is grateful to her church pastors and ministry

whippersnappers amongst us a run for the money when

leaders who have been visiting her since her colon

it came to technology adoption.

cancer surgery last October. As Mdm Lim gets on in years, hearing loss has affected her being able to listen to her

Mdm Lim is a member of Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist

cherished tapes, even with when she wears hearing aids.

Church–City West. A practising Buddhist for much of her life, Mdm Lim was baptised in December 1991. Her

Mdm Lim is one of the many seniors whose participation

encounter with Christ was sparked by an invitation to

in church life has been upended by the COVID-19

a Christian fellowship meeting by a neighbour’s elderly

pandemic but have nevertheless taken things in stride.

mother, herself a staunch ex-Buddhist.

However, she badly misses her chats and meetups with friends in church and asks her children every Sunday

To help her, Mdm Lim’s son bought her a set of tapes of

during breakfast if they are going to church; they have to

the New Testament in Hokkien, to which she would listen

patiently remind her about the limits on gathering sizes

intently even while ironing clothes. She read along with

imposed because of COVID-19. We pray for God to keep

her Bible in Hokkien as she followed the audio tapes

Mdm Lim in good health and that she will be able to see

as well as listened to Hokkien tapes from her church’s

her friends again in church soon.

Women’s Fellowship. METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

| 17

People ¢ Dr Darryl Lim is a paediatrician in private practice who attends to children with acute emergencies at all hours of the day and night. He spent his formative years in the ACS family—from primary school to secondary school and junior college—and grew up attending Wesley MC. / Photo courtesy of Darryl Lim. Book visuals used with permission.

Home, truly Keeping kids safe during COVID-19 is a kampong effort

Darryl with his family

owards the end of Sep 2021, the government

realise it was God playing a part in connecting us—that

announced that the home recovery programme

evening with a medical colleague who was involved in

(HRP) would be the default mode of management

the telemedicine platform led me to being linked up

for children between the ages of five and 11 who

to a mutual doctor friend who was directly involved in

had been diagnosed with COVID-19. I thought about

HRP. We spent a frantic 20 minutes on the phone that

the plight of the many kids with COVID-19, trapped at

night, rapidly exchanging ideas on how a paediatrician

home on quarantine orders, waiting for more guidance

in private practice could reach out to all these families

on HRP, while others were waiting for medical staff to

stuck at home.

reach out to them. We worked out an idea to augment the HRP telemedicine As a paediatrician, I could not ignore the cry for help

workforce with paediatricians from the private sector to

from all their parents and, for days, I had been thinking

reach out to the kids on HRP via telemedicine consults.

of ways on how a lone paediatrician, who was not a

This helped to optimise the accessibility and speed at

part of the Ministry of Health (MOH) or the Singapore

which families could get in touch with a paediatrician

Armed Forces (SAF), could contribute to the national

in their time of need, so that kids could quickly be

effort to keep these sick kids safe at home. To me,

assessed to ensure that they would be safe at home

it was ironic that they were so close (on the small

while recovering from COVID-19. Those who were

island of Singapore) and yet so far (they were all on

unwell could be evacuated to hospital and admitted in

quarantine orders and could not leave their homes).

a timely manner.

Children’s Day is a reminder to me, as a paediatrician

A flurry of online meetings, conversations and emails

and a father, to celebrate the joys of childhood,

ensued, this time also involving my colleagues from

but this pandemic has severely affected “normal”

KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) and the

childhoods. So, on the evening of 1 Oct (which to

National University Hospital (NUH). 2 Originally, children

me is traditionally “Children’s Day”), 1 I felt I had to

had to be brought to and from these two hospitals for

do something. A chance conversation—in retrospect, I

physical examinations, which consumed a huge amount

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

of resources. A strategy was developed that involved

Sunday school, yet another verse came to mind: “Those

my team of paediatricians assessing the children via

who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They

telemedicine consults and only bringing to hospital the

will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not

ones who were at high risk of complications or those

grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isa 40:31).

who were unwell.

I felt re-energised whenever I mentally pictured eagles soaring in the sky. Moreover, feedback from grateful

Needless to say, that week was not only intense but

parents about the teams effort also kept all of us going,

fairly stressful as I had promised a workforce that as

despite the tiredness.

yet didn’t exist. How was I going to convince my fellow paediatricians to “sign up”? It was a purely volunteer

Reaching out to all these kids at home is really the

effort and I had not yet worked out what hours we

culmination of “one kampong” working together to

would be working nor what kind of protocols we were

keep them safe during their HRP journey. Our fellow

adopting! I turned to the Scriptures for reassurance

paediatricians in KKH and NUH are an integral part

and after all those years of memorising Bible verses

of the kampong for when we have to send kids to the

in Sunday School, a few promptly surfaced: “I can do

Children’s Emergency (CE) for further evaluation or for

all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil

admission when they are too unwell to be managed

4:13); and “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not

at home. Then there is the rest of the kampong—the

be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you

operations and admin staff who work tirelessly behind the

and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right

scenes to keep all of the gears and cogs turning smoothly.

hand” (Isa 41:10 NIV).

Looking out for kids during the pandemic Little miracles

Most of the kids we assess have mild symptoms and

The first miracle began the day after I reached out to

can be managed at home. My team of paediatricians

my colleagues scattered across Singapore. Steadily,

reaches out to them to firstly ensure they are not too

over next seven days, I had paediatricians volunteering

ill to be recovering at home. We despatch medication

until I had a team of 45! We started operations on 8

when needed and pulse oximeters if they have not

Oct and my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I

already been delivered. If the child has a chronic pre-

saw the long list of COVID-positive children given to us

existing medical condition like poorly controlled asthma

on day one.

that could be exacerbated by a COVID-19 infection, we get them in for a physical examination at CE.

But then next miracle happened—the team took the long name list in stride and we managed reach out

A few other symptoms we look out for are a persistent

to all the kids by the next day. This went on and on,

high fever, respiratory symptoms that are severe or

day and night, on weekdays and weekends. Every

prolonged, significant chest pain or persistently raised

day, I witnessed little miracles—the volunteer force of

heart rates. We send in a medical transport to evacuate

paediatricians, despite all our day jobs, managing to

these children to CE but there have been a few occasions

cope with the numbers handed to us, all while meeting

when we had to advise parents to call 995 for a quicker

our mandate of trying to reach out to families within

evacuation. We are also ever vigilant for multisystem

one to two days of getting the name list.

inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) that has recently cropped up locally. We advise parents to be

I wrote and frequently updated the standard operating

wary of symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease and

procedures (SOP) to keep pace with the countless issues

also watch out for it during our telemedicine consults.

we faced on a daily basis to overcome the problems encountered along the way. My team got used to my

While physical symptoms in most kids may be milder

midnight debriefs that came in the form of one- to two-

compared to those experienced by adults, mentally

page documents to keep them up to date. Moreover, I

and psychosocially, this pandemic has disrupted social

also had to maintain team morale and keep the team

norms for kids, especially the younger ones. It is

going in the right direction, as with time, fatigue was

difficult for kids who are self-isolating at home and

sure to set in. Whenever that happened, I turned to the

stuck in their rooms, and they also don’t get to enjoy

Scriptures for sustenance and again, thanks to years of

their usual evening meal with their families. Some of

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

| 19

METHODIST MESSAGE, JULY 2013

Home, truly

the older kids are mature enough to get stressed and

I thank God for bringing to mind MCS’s motto for the

worried about passing the infection to the caregiver in

quadrennium, to “love God by loving our neighbour”.

isolation with them, or even to the rest of the family.

When Bishop Dr Gordon Wong was consecrated as Bishop last December, he said in his sermon: “There are

Some younger children who have rarely left the house

many different ways God works with us in all things to

during the pandemic have much stranger anxiety. Others

bring about good in this world of groaning. In so doing,

who do not get to run around outdoors with other kids

we obey the greatest commandment in Scripture which

like they normally do after school miss their usual social

is to love God by loving our neighbour.”

circles and don’t get enough exercise. As such, we do need to be aware of the mental and psychological

I felt God speaking to me the night of 1 Oct—to find a

health of kids during this time.

way to “love our neighbours” by reaching out to all the kids who were isolated in their homes. Over the past 20

Looking out for parents during the pandemic

years, I extensively trained in Children’s Emergencies,

We have encountered some families with kids who have

with medical charities like Club Rainbow and Operation

special needs and I take my hat off to their parents for

Smile. All this training and experiences seemed to have

being able to cope with their child alone while self-

culminated in this huge community paediatric effort,

isolating in a room. For these kids, the home environment

the largest one I have ever embarked on.

led countless medical outreach programmes and worked

is familiar to them and would be preferable to sending them to a hospital or community isolation facility (CIF). Still, the mental stress can be substantial and as paediatricians, we fully empathise with them and while it may be a little more challenging to assess these kids, we do the best we can. I am also very fortunate to have on my team a few paediatricians familiar with kids who have special needs or developmental issues and they have been an invaluable resource to such families. After a month of operations, my team empathises with the mental stresses that parents have to go through while isolating with their kids. We try our best to spend a little time to give them some reassurance even after the medical assessment has been completed. Even though we are separated by a phone screen, many kilometres apart, the “human touch” (albeit virtually) is still very much of value to keep spirits up for parents and kids isolated in a room at home for an extended period of time.

Love God by loving our neighbour As an ACSian, I recall an ACS boy who had COVID-19 earlier this year, resulting in him and his classmates being isolated at home or in hotel rooms. I saw how an entire Christian community—their schoolmates and their parents, their teachers, old boys and more—rallied around to reach out to the affected kids confined at home. This inspired me to lead this effort to bring a kampong together—to medically support all the kids

Darryl worked with (coincidentally also Methodist) children’s author Emily Lim-Leh 3 (Barker Road MC) and illustrator Josef Lee (Foochow MC) to produce a free illustrated e-book, I Can Recover at Home! to help children and parents understand what the home recovery programme and telemedicine consultations will be like for them. It also includes answers to frequently asked questions, as well as links to useful websites for parents. Scan the QR code or download from https://mummumstheword. files.wordpress.com/2021/11/ i-can-recover-at-home-e-book.pdf

stuck at home. 1 Children’s Day was celebrated on 1 Oct in Singapore until 2012, when the Ministry of Education decided to move it to the first Friday of October. 2 These are the two hospitals that care for children who have been infected with COVID-19 who require hospital admission. 3 Emily shared her story in the December 2020 issue of Methodist Message at https://message.methodist.org.sg/finding-my-new-voice.

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

| 21

People ¢ Lianne Ong is a member of the Kampong Kampor Methodist Church (KKMC) Media and Comms Ministry. / Photos courtesy of Victor Ng

Cassettes, cinematics and Christ Communicating the gospel through media Victor Ng’s work has been about telling the story of Jesus’ love through large scale projects like the Jesus Film Project and staged productions like Celebrate Christmas in Singapore. But he says acts of service in community outreach efforts is just as important in telling the same story.

conversation with Victor Ng is likely to touch on many topics all at once. Serving in full time ministry for more than 30 years, his experiences have seen him travelling overseas for his work with Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) as the Asia representative for the Jesus Film project, and working tirelessly during the Christmas season on Orchard Road as one of the key leaders behind Celebrate Christmas in Singapore (CCIS), a largescale event in Singapore’s shopping belt that has aimed to put “the Christ in Christmas” every year since 2004.

“I grew quite fast. The following year was the Billy Graham crusade (in 1978) and I served as a nurture group leader, as a one-year-old Christian!”

With his home church, Kampong Kapor Methodist Church (KKMC), Victor participates in his cell group’s community outreach efforts to the neighbourhood.

“We recorded sermons on cassette and had a cassette library so that people could borrow the recordings and listen to them.”

“There’s a lady in her 70s who stays in the block opposite the coffeeshop near my church. Her mum is a cancer patient in her 90s. We help bring her mother for her hospital appointments, and facilitated a wheelchair donation to her. The lady was so touched that when she came to cell group for new believers, she said, ‘Because you came and visited my mom and did all these things, I am open to the gospel.’ And now she is in the baptism class!” Victor said.

His interest in the audio-visual field led him to joined a video production house that produced corporate, documentary and promotional videos. That was where he honed his video production skills. Little did he know that he would end up working with the same organisation that was instrumental to bringing him to Christ.

“Evangelism is about doing acts of love and meeting people’s needs. It opens doors. People need to see real acts, rather than just hearing us tell them that they need Jesus.”

Finding Jesus and his mission field

Many church services today are live-streamed on YouTube, a phenomenon made more widespread by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there was a time when sermons were recorded on cassette tapes. Victor’s first foray into the world of audio-visual equipment was with the now defunct Audio Cassette Ministry at KKMC.

In the course of his work, he came into contact with Campus Crusade through the Jesus Film Project and was challenged to join them as a staff in 1989, with KKMC giving their support. “I started full time ministry and was involved in media production. These were the days before PowerPoint, we were using multi-slide projectors then,” Victor said.

Victor Ng, 64, is a full time missionary and worships at KKMC. He became a Christian at the age of 21 in 1977, after enquiring about a campaign run by then Campus Crusade for Christ—“I Found It!” “Campus Crusade found me and I found Jesus,” Victor recalled. Things happened quickly after that. He was invited to a Methodist Youth Fellowship meeting, started attending service at KKMC and joined the youth group. 22

With Campus Crusade founder, Bill Bright, while in the US for dubbing training for the Jesus Film Project METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

His work took him into the international mission field, as he started travelling and formed partnerships in Asia. After a four-year stint at Good News production house in 2004, Victor returned to Campus Crusade and became the regional coordinator for the Jesus Film Project. “The Jesus Film Project is not just about one film. It’s an umbrella of resources and includes all the translated versions of the film, as well as children’s and women’s editions. The objective is to help countries share the gospel. To that end, we provide funding, equipment, and know-how.”

Putting Christ back into Christmas It is incidents like these that changed Victor’s outlook, and drives him to keep telling the story of Jesus in his work. In 2003, several like-minded Christians wanted to bring the message of the peace, hope and joy of Christmas back into an otherwise heavily-commercialised festive occasion. They came together to start CCIS, a large-scale staged production held at Orchard Road spanning several days each year. The event is run by a charity-status organisation which has been given a licence to run the event every year since 2004.

Coaching the foreign language voiceover talents for the Jesus Film Project

Winning the Crown Award for A Tale of Two Esthers, a film by Cru Asia Ltd

The first CCIS in 2004

What keeps him going Victor, who is married to Sally, says she complements him perfectly. “I’m not an extrovert. But my wife complements me in ministry, because she is the relational sort whereas I work behind the scenes. If she goes to the hawker centre, she can talk to total strangers, and they can pour out their stories and start crying.” Although he says it’s very hard to “move him” emotionally, Victor shares that some spiritual encounters stand out to him. One of these encounters took place in 2013 at a conference for pastors in Malacca, where he experienced a life-changing event. He had fallen and injured his leg. “Strangely, no one came to pray for me, even though there were so many around. I was in so much pain. The hotel called a cab to take me to a clinic. I was referred to a hospital and was X-rayed and given painkillers, and put on crutches.”

“We want to share the true meaning of Christmas, and this is done through songs, dances and skits,” Victor, who is part of the Executive Committee of CCIS, said. Initially CCIS faced a lot of opposition from the authorities. “We were all volunteers, doing this large-scale event for the first time. And it had never been done before. But after the first year, we got to know the authorities better and things got easier.” One of the most memorable incidents he recalls was when a couple had come to participate in the nativity wall painting. “We invited people to paint a little portion of the painting, that would culminate into a masterpiece. A couple who was in Singapore on holiday came to our control room in distress. While they were painting, someone had pickpocketed the man’s wallet. We took down his report, and referred him to the police. There wasn’t much we could do.”

At the night session of the conference, Victor sat behind so as not to inconvenience others with his crutches. “While waiting for everyone else to use the lift, a former colleague saw me, and prayed for me. That night, when I retired to bed, I decided not to take the medicine and told my wife that I would trust the Lord.”

The chaplain rostered that day prayed for them and directed them to the police post. To Victor’s surprise, within an hour the couple returned, and the man’s face had changed. He said, “Someone came to our hotel and returned the wallet! Nothing was missing!”

The next day, Victor woke up and heard the Holy Spirit speak to him. “‘Stand up and walk.’ I stood up without the crutches—the pain was gone, and I could even stand on the injured foot! I was healed in less than 24 hours.”

The pickpocket had heard the De Lanorelle Brothers performing Christmas carols as he was departing the scene. He had been so moved that he went to the couple’s hotel to return the wallet and apologise to them. METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

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Cassettes, cinematics and Christ

Since the pandemic, CCIS has had to go virtual and this year will be their second online concert. “COVID-19 has pushed us to explore new grounds, like digital platforms, and this has in fact enabled us to reach millions of people. Millions have watched the Chinese video and hundreds of thousands have watched the English video. Just like in the years before, God’s favour has been upon us. He continues to open doors beyond our imagination.” This year’s CCIS, the 18th edition, will premiere on YouTube at 8pm on 19 Dec 2021 with interactive activities happening concurrently on other platforms. More than 15 international and local guest performers have been confirmed so far.

Home for Christmas: THE GIFT https://fb.watch/93g4Dcfegq/

KKMC’s Chancel Choir at CCIS in 2005

You can help in this year’s CCIS by praying or making a donation. Visit the CCIS website for more details. We’re looking for new people to take the lead at CCIS as the core leadership behind CCIS are getting on in years. We know that whoever takes over must be called by God to do this. This is a task that requires the better part of a year, every year. It’s a big ask, but I’ve learned that serving God is not about doing what’s convenient, God sometimes calls us to do the inconvenient things. Are we willing to come out of our comfort zone? Are we willing to go the extra mile for Him? Pray that God will bring the right persons to join in this meaningful task.

People ¢ Jason Woo is Communications Executive at MCS Comms. / Photos courtesy of Charlie Chua

Fellowship with fellow believers at the Antioch Chapel’s Bible Study session on Wednesdays

Keeping his eyes on “When I was sentenced to my third term of imprisonment, the longest so far, I realised that time was slipping by and I might not see my parents alive again when I got released.” This revelation in 2010 jolted Charlie Chua, now 45, from his destructive downward spiral of a life torn apart by substance abuse and petty crimes since he was a teenager. Even though he silently resolved to renounce his old life, he had no idea how he could turn things around.

A troubled childhood and three jail terms Charlie, the younger of two sons, grew up in a warm household but has a father, who has a gambling addiction and was absent during his rebellious years, leaving his homemaker mother to make ends meet. Owing to his deteriorating school performance, partly due to his rebellious character, things went sideways for Charlie when he was demoted from the Express stream to Normal just as he was entering Secondary Three. On top of that, the school he was attending was closed. It was a tough struggle for Charlie to adjust to a new school and classmates, ending in his expulsion five months later.

Charlie (centre) being baptised on 29 Nov 2015

Jesus in drug addiction, which got him on the wrong side of the law six years later. This led to his first jail term. The first incarceration did little to change the trajectory of Charlie’s life. After release, he went straight back to his old life, only this time Charlie went all out with clubbing nightly and attending drug parties overseas frequently. By the early 2000s, Charlie was deeply mired in substance abuse and addiction to synthetic drugs. Once more the law caught up with him and Charlie was put behind bars for 18 months. This time, Charlie had the chance to undergo Christian counselling. Much of it fell on deaf ears, though, as Charlie would treat Bible reading as a cure for insomnia. Looking back , however, Charlie could see that seeds were planted in his heart.

Although Charlie found a place in another school, he was pretty much done with studying and got himself into bad company. He soon began traversing illegal snooker rooms and being involved in illegal gambling. After completing his N-Level examinations in 1992, Charlie moved out to live on his own. By then, he was knee-deep

Presenting the message of Jesus Christ through a skit for the villagers during Antioch Chapel’s first overseas mission trip to Sing Buri, Thailand, in June 2018

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

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MCS Careers ¢ Join our team

The MCS Communications Department is looking for a

DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGIST ative ideas, re c f o ts lo ave ingapore? h people, h S it in w s g n n a ti ti c s e hri conn odists and C th e Do you love M f o s e stori udience? a help to tell e to id t n w a a w r d an nt fo igital conte d te a re c d n an go digital? Can you pla e g a s s e M t dis help Metho to le b a u o Are y podcasts? d n a s o e id ate v )? Can you cre isation (SEO m ti p O e in ng ith Search E w r ia il m fa Are you

s u n i Jo

Check out details for this job opportunity at https://tinyurl.com/dmsatmcs or scan the QR code

ABOUT MCS

The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) is a connectional church comprising the General Conference, three Annual Conferences, local churches, and various agencies and organisations. The General Conference (GC) is the highest body of the MCS, responsible for legislation, policy, and the overseeing of its various agencies, including the programme agencies responsible for education, missions, and welfare services. www.methodist.org.sg 26

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

Keeping his eyes on Jesus

Christian counselling skills, Charlie managed to secure a place in the Christian Intensive Religious Counselling Program, during which he gave his life to Jesus when then-CEO of Prison Fellowship International, Rev Timothy Khoo, laid hands on him.

A new life, a new purpose

Charlie was recommended by Christian Counselling Services (CCS) for the Yellow Ribbon Awards in 2017 while serving as a volunteer in the Prison Ministry under CCS

Perhaps it was the counselling he received that made Charlie want to lead a normal life after getting out in 2005. He found gainful employment repairing mobile phones. But after just four years, Charlie was lured back to his old ways. At the same time, he had to grapple with a divorce. Charlie was arrested, this time for drug trafficking, and in 2010, thrown behind bars for the third time. The combined weight of his regret, guilt of letting his now aged parents down and fear of not seeing them alive again while serving his seven-year sentence sent Charlie into depression. He felt a deep sense of helplessness and hopelessness. It was then that Charlie had a life-changing encounter with God.

Meeting Christ behind bars In prison, the practice was to rotate inmates regularly through different cells with three to four individuals. One day, Charlie was assigned to a cell with three others. One of his cellmates read his Bible all the time and shared his insights with Charlie. They even discussed parts of God’s Word that they found hard to comprehend. Charlie wondered how this cellmate could keep his faith in such a difficult situation, especially when he himself had turned his back on Christianity during his second prison stay. As part of prison ministry, the inmates would attend worship services. Charlie shared an account of the service when he encountered God: “While I was praising and worshipping Him through singing, God filled my heart with joy that I cannot describe, not to mention the reverence of everyone falling on our knees to worship Him.” To Charlie’s amazement, he saw one of his other cellmates, a spiritual medium sporting numerous body piercings, falling to his knees. Convinced of Christ’s message of salvation and with a study Bible his elder brother sent him, Charlie’s desire to seek God and study His Word was ignited. To pick up

Now, six years after he got out in July 2015, Charlie credits God fully for walking with him through his toughest challenges, including the stigma of prison, and delivering him from sins of the flesh. He has now found his place in the body of Christ and worships and serves in Antioch Chapel as a translator during services. Looking back , Charlie has learned humility and always to cast his cares on Jesus. “There was a time when I was jogging and there was so much on my mind that I felt extremely overwhelmed from my job to my ongoing studies with ACTS Seminary,” said Charlie. “I then heard God telling me to not focus on myself and the situation I am in but instead to focus on Him and move forward. God revealed and showered His love into my heart and that made me break down in tears.” Even his decision to leave his job as a construction site coordinator to become a private hire driver seemed to be a door opened by God as Charlie was able to buy an old car from a relative, and thus not have to pay for a rented car. This would become a significant cost-saver as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. With so many livelihoods affected, paying car rental would have made his career switch untenable. Charlie is currently juggling a part-time course with ACTS Seminary with his driving gig. He hopes to graduate in two years and be involved in full-time ministry if it is the path that God has for him. Charlie said: “There are so many encounters of His gracious acts in prison [and after] that I could not possibly list them all. But when I look back at these encounters, I am thankful and amazed at how He drew me closer to Him. My journey with God is so fruitful that I know deep down within me, I can never be the same old me again.”

M o re i n fo r m a t i o n a b o u t

PRISON FELLOWSHIP SINGAPORE can be found in the November 2021 issue of Methodist Message, or at

https://pfs.org.sg >> METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

| 27

Reach Out ¢ Welfare Services By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team / Photos and visuals courtesy of the MWS

Leave a lasting impact

n June this year, one of the founders of Methodist

Welfare Services (MWS), Mr Peter Joe Chia, passed

on. MWS had the privilege of caring for him at MWS

with

Bethany Nursing Home – Choa Chu Kang in his last days.

the her

start journey

MWS

Family

Development Programme in 2016, Madam Ong was living in a one-room rental

The late Mr Chia and several like-minded men were

flat, struggling to find employment because of her low

moved to act on seeing the growing needs of the

educational qualifications, and coping with medical

sick and elderly in Singapore, and seeded the idea of

problems as well as caregiving duties. Under the

creating a charitable Methodist organisation to serve

programme’s debt and savings matching schemes,

the community. MWS was established in 1981 and later

Madam Ong’s situation not only stabilised but she began

welcomed six elderly sick at our first centre. We went

to thrive, secured a full-time job and have greater

on to serve hundreds of thousands of distressed families,

confidence about the future. In 2018, she applied to

the destitute, chronically sick and frail, socially isolated

purchase a three-room HDB flat. She is now self-reliant

seniors, disadvantaged children and at-risk youths,

and no longer requires assistance.

regardless of their race and religion, for the next 40 years. “I never imagined that I would be able to buy my own Pioneers, like the late Mr Peter Joe Chia, donors and

home, but now I am a flat-owner. I am really proud of

volunteers who responded to the cause and supported

myself and grateful to MWS,” shares Madam Ong.

the work of MWS have made and continue to leave a lasting impact on our beneficiaries’ lives. One such

Another example is Mr Hamid, who was admitted to

beneficiary who experienced a deep positive impact on

MWS Nursing Home – Yew Tee in April 2020. His severe

her life is Madam Ong MZ, 42, a single mother of three

medical issues led to weakness in the lower limbs, which

young daughters.

in turn caused problems with coordination and balance. Mr Hamid needed heavy assistance in performing daily living activities. To address his mobility issues, the MWS Allied Health team designed a rehabilitative programme for the highly motivated Mr Hamid. Today, not only is he able to move about independently or take public transport on his own, he has also successfully reintegrated into the community. His quality of life and dignity have been greatly improved. Your continual support empowers MWS to reach out to individuals like Madam Ong and Mr Hamid, who faced many complex issues but saw their lives changed when they received the help they needed. This Christmas, give generously to make a lasting impact on the lives of the beneficiaries we serve.

Mad

her daug am Ong with

hters

To donate or find out more, please visit

mws.sg/leave-a-lasting-impact/ or scan the QR code.

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

Reach Out ¢ Welfare Services By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team / Photo courtesy of MWS

MWS at 40 A long-time volunteer with MWS talks about the privilege of empowering a whole community to outreach to those in need.

This year, Methodist Welfare Services celebrates 40 years of empowering life to the full. This is one of a series of stories from people who felt empowered to empower others through MWS over the years. Get involved and join MWS in empowering lives. Learn more by visiting https://mws.sg/mws40th/

Seniors at the Methodist Home for the Aged Sick

1-year-old Veronica Poore vividly remembers what the early days were like. She was serving in the Social Concerns Ministry of her church, Tamil Methodist Church (Short Street), back in the 1980s, and was also the representative for the Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS) of the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC) and General Conference-WSCS. Through her work, she saw that there was a deep need and urgency for the three Annual Conferences to work together more closely to meet the needs of those financially less fortunate. When the opportunity arose for her to serve on the founding team of the Methodist Home for the Aged Sick, she stepped up. The Home was the first centre set up by the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS). “It was a brand-new idea then to run a home for the elderly, sick and disabled, and the destitute. Back then, the Committee had to handle everything— from processing applications, recruiting staff to fundraising. It was not easy! I remember we started with only a

$5,000 budget and we depended a lot on government funding, church and donations,” recalled Veronica. One of the key challenges she faced then was persuading ETAC churches to support a nursing home. “It was not in the culture of Indian families to send their elderly or the sick and disabled to welfare or nursing homes,” shared Veronica. Yet, there were many Tamilspeaking destitute who did not get much attention from other volunteers because of the language and culture barrier. Over time, through the ETAC local churches’ outreach, more and more women from ETAC churches began to volunteer. “Slowly, you could see them visiting and befriending nursing home residents, especially at MWS Bethany Nursing Home – Choa Chu Kang. I believe those early efforts have helped to expand the Tamil churches’ ministry in the community, which is a vibrant one today,” Veronica said. Although the Tamil church community in Singapore is small, ETAC made some major contributions to MWS.

“Mr Richard Tambyah was an inspiring leader. We also benefitted greatly from Miss Susan Verghese’s professional nursing experience as matron of the General Hospital,” she recalled. On reflection, Veronica felt that she had personally also gained much from her time with MWS. “The idea of beginning something like MWS in faith, and seeing it grow to what it is today has been wonderful, and my own faith has been strengthened as a result. Serving with MWS has helped me better understand the needs of the elderly and sick. More than welfare, MWS plays the role of being a ‘third place’—for church members who need help but want privacy from their own church, or for those who need help beyond what the church can do. It is very gracious of MWS to provide aid to all regardless of their religion or race, and to continue supporting and empowering even more of the Indian community,” Veronica shared. METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

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Reach Out ¢ Missions Joe Ling is our affiliate missionary serving in Nepal. He is from the Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference and has been with MMS since February 2019. / Photos courtesy of Joe Ling

Groan, hope and work

n the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Methodist Church in Nepal (MCN) celebrated the many blessed years of God’s faithfulness during the 13th Session of the

Nepal Annual Meeting. It demonstrated the resilience and perseverance of the Nepali people—that in adversity, they have found time and purpose to focus on the goodness, grace and love of our heavenly Father. The meeting was held on 4 Oct 2021 and presided over by Bishop Dr Gordon Wong.

Rev Pradip Kumar Limbu and his family

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Amazing Grace has prepared these few measures to allow families to have a meaningful and dignified farewell for their loved ones: A. Online Ticketing

Complimentary online ticketing system to allow visitors to reserve a visiting time slot and plan their visits, allowing families to keep within the regulated maximum number of persons at any one time with minimal coordination.

B. Online Memorial

allows friends to find updated information and offer their sympathies to bereaved families

C. Live Streaming

this option is available to enable friends and families to participate in the wake/vigil and funeral services online

D. Donations

families may appoint a PayNow account of a family member to receive donations. This will be posted on the online memorial.

Christian Funeral Packages • International Repatriation • Pre-Planning Seminars

Delegates of the 13th Session of the Methodist Church in Nepal

The pandemic has brought out the best in our MCN

projects is a testimony to God’s provision. The training

leaders and believers. They are now leveraging on digital

and equipping of leaders are on track with 13 members

platforms to ensure ministry continuity while waiting for

now attending theological courses. MCN has been

the opportunity when worship services and meetings can

actively serving the community through the COVID-19

be conducted physically in a safe manner. Platforms such

24-HR HOTLINES Crisis Relief initiative with 372 families receiving food

as Zoom and Facebook have brought them together to worship and conduct ministry events. They are adapting well to this new norm, undaunted by the need to optimise their personal devices for worship and ever willing to “Serving families for a decade and more...” enthusiastically embrace this new experience. As a result,

PAUL & DANIEL

and other essential aid. For all these, we give thanks

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The exhortation by Bishop Dr Gordon Wong based on Romans 8:22–28 was a timely reminder and

nly Annual one life, a fewhas brief years, encouragement to all of us. Bishop Dr Wong shared this is the second year that the Meeting been

Each with its burdens, hopes, and successfully conducted via Zoom. that fears; Creation groans (v. 22), we groan (v. 23) and the

Each with its days, I must fulﬁll, Spirit groans (v. 26). In the midst of our groans, we living for self or in His will; The 13th Session of the Annual Meeting was attended have hope (v. 24), And finally, God works with us to Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, by pastors, leaders and delegates from MCN’sdone seven create Only what’s for Christ willgood last.out of the many bad things that make our churches, five preaching points and eight outreach

- C.T. Studd world groan (v. 28). Our MCN leaders and members

points. The Singapore participants included: Bishop Dr

are reminded once again that our hope is in God and

Gordon Wong, the Presiding Bishop of MCN; Rev Derrick

working with Him, we can and will bring good to those

Lau, the Mission Superintendent; and Noel Tam, MMS

in need in our community.

Area Director for Nepal. MCN was also privileged to have in attendance Mr Issac Asirvathum and friends from our

The 13th Session of the Nepal Annual Meeting may have

partner church, Living Waters Methodist Church. The

adjourned, but the ministry continues with greater fervour

highlight of the Annual Meeting and commitment, knowing and believing that our God is nly was one the life, ordination a few brief years, withElect its burdens, and fears; of Rev Pradip Kumar Limbu as Each an Elder and Ps hopes, faithful and loves each one of us. I share this wonderful

Each with its days, fulﬁll, of God to our brothers and sisters in MCN: Dil Kumar Magar as a Deacon Elect. Two pastors were I must promise

living for self or in His will; Only one life, ‘twill soon be“For past, I know the plans I have for you,” Only what’s done for Christ will last.declares the Lord,

appointed as Members-On-Trial and 21 were provided with the Local Preachers Licence.

As the reports were presented, it was evident that God has been working in MCN during such a challenging time. The completion of three new church building

- C.T. Studd “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer 29:11 NIV)

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

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Relationships ¢ 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.

Identity:

Formation or discovery?

he topic of identity has recently come up repeatedly

wife are at the point where they are trying to determine

with clients I have been counselling.

the future they want and thereby express something of their personal identity.

A case that has made a strong impression on me involves a couple who have been married for almost six years. The

Identity is not only what we are forming but also what is

man had been sent to Singapore at a young age for his

shaped by past experiences, be they failures or successes.

education. He eventually graduated, started working and

Moreover, our identity is also influenced by others, their

married a Singaporean. Soon after, he was asked to go

expectations and values. So, who we are is not just what

home to assist his ailing father in the family business. The

our government-issued identity card shows; our identity

initial plan to stay a year or two stretched to four, until the

is constantly in a fluid state.

COVID-19 pandemic provided the push for them to return to Singapore. Now, however, the husband’s parents and

Sadly, few of us are content with who we are. We want

family business are putting pressure on the son to move

to be more capable, popular, admired, etc. We think

back to his home country.

ourselves not tall, slim or attractive enough. Selfimprovement books, seminars and image consultants,

The wife is averse to moving as she feels her life and

together with the cosmetic and aesthetics industry, feed

their marriage took a backseat in the years abroad. Her

on vain attempts to improve our image and our identity.

husband was immersed in the family business and the couple’s plans for where they would eventually live and

The reality, though, is that our identity has more to do with

even to start a family kept being put off. They had not

what is within us than on our external appearance, and

been able to find a resolution or even to talk about it. It

with what we do rather than what we have. One may have

has come to the point that the wife is considering divorce

millions in the bank but what they do with their money

so that she can have more control over her life.

determines if they are generous and compassionate.

Now what has this to do with identity you might ask?

More importantly, who we are also depends on Whose we are. As believers, we must remember that we are

In counselling the couple, I see how conflicted the man is

“owned” twice over—first by being created and then

about the role he should play. Should he be the dutiful son

bought with a price. Belonging to God means that what

(although he is not the only son and has three siblings)

I do with my life is dependent on what my Maker and

or prioritise his spousal role and marital responsibilities?

Owner wants of me.

Should he return to the land of his birth to live and work or stay in Singapore? Or, some may ask why the wife will

As we come to the close of another year and cast our eye

not build a new identity for herself around her husband

toward the next, let us reflect on a few questions: What

and his home country.

do you want your actions to say of who you are? Does who you are also point to Whose you are? How does our

The role the husband chooses at this juncture in his life

transient earthly identity prepare us for our permanent

will impact the identity he wants to embrace. Husband and

eternal identity?

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

Hymns & Songs ¢ Judith Laoyan-Mosomos is the Director for Worship and Church Music at the Methodist School of Music, and a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.

The Candle of Hope

The Methodist School of Music (MSM) equips and edifies both the individual and the church through music and the performing arts. Find out more at msmusic.edu.sg.

t has been almost two years since COVID-19 disrupted our lives. It has been a long wait for this virus to leave and let us be!

The act of waiting is not an easy task, and may cause anxiety and restlessness. However, waiting is part of life, and can foster patience—to think through what is going on and perhaps discern what is good, better or best, and be ready for when the waiting is over. There are four Sundays of Advent before we celebrate Christmas. But by the time we hit November, we begin to see Christmas decorations in the malls and even hear some carols played. The Christmas spirit comes rushing with a calendar of carolling, social gatherings, shopping, makan and other celebrative events. But this year, with COVID-19 restrictions, these Christmas activities have to be put on hold. We have no choice but to wait. Can we make space for Advent first? Can we put our carols on hold too and sing Advent hymns at least during the two Sundays of Advent? There are many beautiful Advent hymns that teach us the themes of waiting, anticipating, hope, patience, to watch and be ready, prepare, in light of waiting for Christ’s first coming (Christmas) and His second coming (the Parousia). If you observe the practice of lighting the Advent Candles and the Christ light, may I suggest this hymn by Rev Carolyn Winfrey Gillette?

The Candle of Hope A hymn for the lighting of the Advent candles

The candle of hope we light in this hour Proclaims that the Lord is coming in power. We wait for a future, now hidden from view, When Christ in his glory will make all things new. The candle of peace shines bright with God’s plan; The wolf will lie down and dwell with the lamb. Our guns and our weapons, our hatred and war, Will give way to gardens that heal and restore. The candle of joy reminds us to sing, For God is at work to do a new thing. The proud will be humbled; the lowly will rise. God’s kingdom is one of delight and surprise. The candle of love tells what we are worth:

On the first Sunday (of Advent), we sing the first stanza and light the candle of hope that reminds us that in our waiting for the uncertain future, we should not be afraid. Christ will make all things new. In waiting, there is hope.

An angel brought news of a child who would be

On the second Sunday, we light the candle of peace. The world faces the issues of racism, disagreement in political and economic ideologies, global warming and war. Do not fret! God’s peace will reign. On the third Sunday, we light the candle of joy. It reminds us of Mary who, when she learned of God’s favour, sang and remembered that the Lord will empower the lowly and humble the proud.

Tells out the good news that God has come near!

On the fourth Sunday, we light the candle of love. This stanza proclaims, “God so loved the world that he sent His only Son” for us, sinners! On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, we light the Christ candle that reminds us that Christ is the light of the world. It calls us to do our part to go out and tell the good news to the world. We sing knowing that the wait may take long, but in waiting, there is hope, joy, peace and love. There is a bright future ahead. The wait is worth it.

God loves us so much, God came to the earth! The one who would save us and set us all free. The Christ candle’s light that shines for us here God came, a poor baby, in one time and place, To show all creation the wealth of God’s grace.

Biblical references: Matthew 24:36–44, Mark 13:24–37; Isaiah 11:1–10; Luke 1:68–79; Isaiah 2:4; Luke 1:46b–55; John 3:16–17; Luke 1:26ª38; Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 2:1–20; John 1:1–14; Titus 3:4–7 Suggested tunes: LYONS (“O Worship the King”, UMH 73), HANOVER (“Ye Servants of God”, UMH 181) or CHU LEONG by Dr Lim Swee Hong (you may request a copy from the Methodist School of Music). Text: Copyright © 2015 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved. METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

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Opinion ¢ 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).

Christmas and COVID-19

“Soundings” is a series of essays that, like the waves of a sonogram, explore issues in society, culture and the church in light of the Gospel and Christian understanding.

he world this Christmas is looking to be pretty much

from the virus, the number of new cases remains high,

the same as it did last Christmas.

averaging around 4 million globally each week.

At this writing, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases

In Singapore, the number of COVID-19 cases continues

reported across the globe is over 225 million, and over

to climb despite the fact that more than 80 percent of

5.1 million have succumbed to the disease. Even with

its population has been vaccinated, and even as the

the drive in most countries to inoculate their population

government plans to treat the disease as endemic.

The pandemic, however, is not the only menace that is

This means that Christmas makes possible something

plaguing our world. 2021 has seen some of the wackiest

that COVID can’t.

weather conditions in recent history with hurricanes, floods, forest fires, and extreme temperatures reported

Christmas makes faith in the sovereign God world

in different parts of the world. In June, the World

possible. And Christmas has also made it possible for the

Meteorological Organisation reported that: “2021 is a

people who have learned to trust in God to put their

make-or-break year for climate action, with the window

hope in Him for a better future. This is not the future of

to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.”

our own making, but one that only the God who brought

this world into being can bring about. Both Christmas and COVID confront us with some inconvenient truths about the world in which we live. The

Christmas is therefore always both a reminder and a

world as it is, is not the world that its Creator intended

promise. Every time we celebrate Christmas, we are

it to be.

reminded that the eternal Son of God has come in human flesh, died on the cross and risen from the dead for the

In other words, Christmas and COVID make it undeniably

salvation of the world.

clear that ours is a fallen reality that is severely marred because of human rebellion and sin. Our earth, writes

Christmas also reminds us that the sovereign God who

Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, is “accursed

creates and saves has not abandoned the world. For His

ground”. Because of sin, it is “cast out of the glory of its

name is Emmanuel, the God who is with us (Matt 1:23).

created state, out of the unambiguous immediacy of its

He is present in human history, and He is mysteriously

speech and praise of the Creator into the ambiguity of

directing it to fulfil His unfathomable plan.

utter strangeness and enigma”. 2 But Christmas is also a promise. Every time we celebrate Under the divine curse, this fallen world is riddled with

Christmas, we do not only look back to Bethlehem

ambiguities and contradictions: life and death, beauty

and Calvary, but also to the New Jerusalem. Christmas

and ugliness, joy and sorrow, health and disease,

redirects or gaze towards that great and wonderful

community and alienation, peace and war.

Day when Christ will transform this sin-marred world plagued with wars and strife, pain and sorrow, cancer

Such is life outside Eden! Christmas and COVID therefore

and

testify in grave and unequivocal terms that this world of

beautiful.

coronaviruses

into

something

unimaginably

ours is in need of redemption. Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth”, for But Christmas tells us something else which COVID on its

the first heaven and the first earth had passed away

own doesn’t.

[…]. Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his

Christmas tells us that “God so loved the world that he

people, and God himself will be with them and be

gave his only Son” (John 3:16) to save fallen and sinful

their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

humanity and to renovate and restore the creation now

There will be no more death or mourning or crying

in ruins. Christmas therefore points us to the future of

or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

God’s creation, to the promised new heaven and new

(Rev 21:1, 3–4)

earth (Rev 21).

World Meteorological Organisation, “Warming stripes show that climate change is here and now”, WMO, Int. 21 June 2021, https://public.wmo.int/en/media/ news/warming-stripes-show-climate-change-here-and-now. 2 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Creation and Fall (New York: Touchstone, 1997), 134.

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

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Books ¢ Book visuals courtesy of Kallos

A Daughter’s Faith An Invitation to Journey with God

Daughter’s Faith is a 30-day devotional journal based on personal stories of a daughter in relationship with her Heavenly Father. Gleaning precious truths from her journey

with God from her teenage years to adulthood, Jiamin Choo-Fong shares intimately her experience of drawing nearer to God’s heart with confidence, comfort, and hope. The 30 devotions are portioned into these five parts: •

Knowing Who We Are In Your Eyes

•

Loving As You First Loved Us

•

Walking On Waters With You

•

Bearing Witness To Your Word

•

Dwelling In Your presence

In these pages, you will also find a safe and welcoming space to journal. Reflect on your journey with God, express your innermost thoughts, discover new insights, and be renewed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jiamin Choo-Fong is a mentor to young women, mission mobiliser, and life coach. Her passion is to journey with people and see them grow. She is also the author of Out of the Harbour, a book based on her journals when she sailed to 31 countries on board Doulos. A Daughter’s Faith is rightly titled as it captures for us the precious faith journey a daughter can have with her Heavenly Father. It’s unpretentious, honest, and approachable. It’s also littered with precious gems—beautiful insights into the nature of our Heavenly Father. One will certainly be drawn into a desire to walk more intimately with Him. I’m getting this for my own daughters! Rev Reuben Ng, Pastor-in-Charge, Faith Methodist Church.

A Daughter’s Faith: 30 Days Devotional Journal By Jiamin Choo-Fong Published by Kallos, Inc. (2021), 216 pages https://www.kallos.com.sg/product/a-daughters-faith $22.90 Enjoy 10 per cent off A Daughter’s Faith. Use promo code KALLOSMM10 at the webstore’s checkout page (valid from 1–31 Dec 2020). 36

METHODIST MESSAGE December 2021

People ¢ Joshua Gnanaruban is the Lay Leader of Seletar Tamil Methodist Church, and chairperson for media, communications and archives committee.

What does being a Methodist mean to you? Together with the Church, I have been growing in God’s Word through a systematic and chronological Sunday sermon series and leaders’ Bible study. I am thankful to be in a church with strong bond of fellowship. The active social concerns ministry has taught me to be compassionate and help the needy in the church and the community.

o me, being a Methodist is to grow in God’s Word, fellowship, discipline, and live an exemplary Christian life with social holiness.

The Bible is the fountain of heavenly wisdom (From John Wesley’s Notes to the New Testament)

Engaging the spiritual and physical needs of the people and empowering the gospel to others

Instilling discipline and sobriety

Not distinguished by theology but by lives lived (Wesleyan theology)

Growing in holiness in groups (Wesley’s Holy Club)

As a young lay leader, I practice discipline and sobriety, keeping an accountable life together with my fellow leaders and church friends. We encourage one another by using our Church accountability app where we upload our daily scripture readings and prayers. My wife, Priscillia, and I have been married for three years now, and we have a two-year-old daughter. As a young couple, it is sometimes difficult to balance family, work and ministry. Priscillia serves as a Sunday School Superintendent and I serve as lay leader of the church. Our hands are full but the joy of serving the Lord together keeps us going. My father was a pastor, and I personally grew in a very active ministry-oriented environment. I grew up watching my family in the ministry and I wish the same for my family. I pray that the words of Joshua 24:15 (NIV) will be true in our lives too: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”. We feel privileged to be part of a larger community in The Methodist Church in Singapore, where there is place for the whole family to grow and serve together as a family!

May the Christ of Christmas save us all from the sins that harm our world in these troubled times.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt 1:21 NIV)