News ¢ By the Rev Egmedio Equila, BRMC Filipino Ministry Pastor; Chung Chee Kit, BRMC Mandarin Ministry Chairperson; Bernice Lim, BRMC Creative Arts Ministry Chairperson; and Yvonne Foo, Coordinator, TeamBRMC @ CCIS / Photos courtesy of TeamBRMC @ CCIS
Our Filipino tambourine dancers filmed at Wesley Park outside the BRMC Sanctuary
Home for Christmas A cosy celebration with the CCIS Family
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n 2006, the Rev Oh Beng Khee, one of the founders of Celebrate Christmas in Singapore (CCIS), invited Mrs Irene Tan GP, then Barker Road Methodist Church (BRMC) Lay Leader and Chairperson of Creative Arts Ministry (CAM), to partner CCIS in their Christmas outreach at Orchard Road. Believing in CCIS’ vision and mission, Irene promptly coordinated a team of dancers to perform at CCIS that year. In the 13 years since then, CAM has coordinated a TeamBRMC to participate in almost every CCIS. (We took a break in 2009 for our evangelistic Christmas concert, and in 2011 for BRMC’s 55th anniversary concert and Global Day of Prayer.) We have witnessed several prodigal sons and daughters from the audience telling us they were touched by our performances and wanted to return to God and the Church. Some church friends had also thanked us for bringing love, joy, peace and hope to their pre-believer family members who watched our CCIS performances at designated stages along Orchard Road. Through the years, CAM has collaborated with our Filipino, Glowing Years and Mandarin Ministries, as well as Sunday School youths and young adults, to present TeamBRMC’s Christmas offerings in songs, skits and dances. Our CAM dancers also supported Canadian singer Sheila Ann Smith when she sang at CCIS at the Wisma Atria stage. Our ministry leaders have shared the heartfelt enthusiasm of their members who looked forward to participating in CCIS performances every year. The many weeks of practices helped to bring their members closer together, build joyous community and renew their commitment to God.
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METHODIST MESSAGE FEBRUARY 2021
The CAM dancers used the powerful tools of flags in their proclamation dance
