0129-6868MCI MCI (P) ISSNISSN 0129-6868 (P)019/11/2017 057/11/2018
Vol 121 No 3 • MAR 2019
inside
this issue...
message.methodist.org.sg message.methodist.org.sg
CAC adopts central pooling Gratitude, love and trust
Missions The Methodist School of Cambodia celebrates 20 years
Kampong Kapor Methodist Church 125 years of God’s faithfulness
pages 4–5
page 9
pages 12–13
FROM THE ARCHIVES Joyce Foster was the Acting Editor of Methodist Message in 1970.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LENT
L
ent—or Lententide—extends over a 46-day period beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on the eve of Easter. The word Lent probably comes from the Anglo-Saxon lencten, meaning spring, and the German Lenz meaning the time when the days lengthen. The six Sundays in Lent are not actually a part of Lent, so the Lenten season itself is 40 days. Sundays, being weekly commemoration of the first Easter, have always been excluded from this fast season. The date of Ash Wednesday is determined by the date of Easter. The day before Ash Wednesday, called Shrove Tuesday (from shrift or confession) was a time for carnivals in the Middle Ages. Feasting took place: to have a last fling before the fast started and also to use up such food as was prohibited during Lent. The name “Ash Wednesday” comes from the medieval custom—continued in the Roman Catholic Church—of sprinkling ashes on the heads of penitents on this day. Originally these penitents appear to have been persons under church discipline who wished to be reconciled to the church before Easter. The ashes were a public acknowledgement of their penance.
Later the ceremony of the reconciliation of penitents fell into disuse and the practice arose of marking the heads of all the faithful with an ashen cross as a visible symbol of the penitential season which began on this day. Thus is became a general custom no longer confined to those under suspension or excommunication. Lent developed from two sources. The first was a period of fasting which preceded Easter in the early church. The second was the period of preparation prescribed for candidates for baptism. Since the early church was an “underground movement”, candidates were carefully screened and there was a long period of preparation. A fasting period of 40 days was required—the length of which was suggested by our Lord’s fasting on the way to the Mount of God. Eventually this period of preparation for baptism evolved into a general period of preparation for Easter to be observed by all Christians. The Lenten season, then, is a period to prepare for keeping Easter worthily. n This article was originally published in the February 1970 issue of Methodist Message.
Picture by Rahwik/Bigstock.com
COMING UP
METHODISTWALK 2019:
GET UP AND WALK Happy families and friends at the MethodistWalk 2017.
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” (John 5:8)
J
oin us for this important milestone in the calendar of our Methodist schools as they unite with our churches in the MethodistWalk 2019 on Sunday 30 March 2019. This edition of the biennial fund-raising walk is brought to you by the Methodist Schools’ Foundation (MSF), together with the 15 Methodist schools in Singapore. Walking together is a unifying means to affirm the special bond between the Methodist schools and churches in Singapore. In our community, we are thankful that our children spend valuable years living and experiencing the unique spirit and bond offered by the Methodist schools. The fund-raising walk aims to help address some of the financial needs of our schools and will go a long way to help fund and continue the work and programmes of the schools. How to help In these uncertain times, your generous giving will allow our Methodist schools to continue providing their students with enriching programmes. In addition, 100 per cent of the funds raised by each student for the MethodistWalk 2019 goes back to his or her school. As it is an Institution of a Public Character (IPC), all donations of $100 or more to
MSF will get a tax-exemption of 2.5 times of the donation. For this year’s Walk, we are thankful to God for the committed support of five sponsoring churches from TRAC District 1: Bedok Methodist Church, Barker Road Methodist Church, Christ Methodist Church, Christalite Methodist Church and Kampong Kapor Methodist Church. We are also very grateful for our volunteer marshals from the ETAC churches, who will be helping to guide our walkers on the day. As always, your prayers are appreciated for the event. We thank God for this great opportunity to connect yet again within the Methodist family, and to lift the needs of our schools and students to His Will. To God be the Glory! n To sign up: http://tinyurl.com/methodistwalk2019 To donate, or volunteer as a doctor or photographer: m arcia.vanderstraaten@ methodist.org.sg (Marcia Vanderstraaten) 6478-4808 Photos courtesy of the Methodist Schools’ Foundation
The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore. Published material does not necessarily reflect the official view of The Methodist Church. All Scripture quoted is based on the English Standard Version unless otherwise stated.
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BISHOP’S MESSAGE Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2016. He served as President of the Chinese Annual Conference for two quadrennial from 2008 to 2016.
METHODISM AND SOCIAL CONCERNS DURING LENT I
n Luke 10:27, it is recorded that an expert in the law asked Jesus how one might attain eternal life. Drawing on the Torah books of Deuteronomy and Leviticus, the expert in the law was able to find an answer for himself: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbour as yourself ”. This verse became the driving force for John Wesley’s Social Holiness movement. He held that just as every Christian pursues a holy relationship with God, they must also pursue the same holy character in relationships with others, by “loving their neighbour” and giving of themselves in service to society. Mark Mann, Director of the Point Loma Nazarene University Wesleyan Centre, said: “Wesley believed that all Christians are called to lives of holiness, by which he meant hearts filled to overflowing with love for God and neighbour.” John Wesley would never substitute social action for the commission to preach the gospel and lead others to the Lord. Consequently, wherever Methodism goes to plant churches, the twin ministries of evangelism and social concerns are always developed together. Jesus said, “You will always have the poor with you” (Matt 26:11). How true! There are indeed many poor and needy in our neighbourhoods.
Thus, every Methodist local church has an Outreach and Social Concerns Committee to develop its “love our neighbour” ministry. The Annual Conference also has a Board of Outreach and Social Concerns. The General Conference has the Methodist Welfare Services to work hand in hand with the local churches and the Annual Conferences to reach out and care for the poor and needy. This provides a platform for all our members to participate and contribute. During the season of Lent, or the 40 days before Easter, we enter a period of fasting, contemplation and quiet reflection to focus on our relationship with Jesus. We can feel even more deeply Jesus’ compassionate love for those who are disadvantaged and distressed. In the last few days of Holy Week, when we reprise God’s agape love for the world by sacrificing his only Son to die on the cross for us, we appreciate all the more the meaning of grace freely given. The Giving Methodist (TGM) is going into its second year, and members are becoming aware of the significance of TGM during Lent. Let us start caring for the disadvantaged, the poor and needy today, including those unknown to us. Remember what Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt 25:40). n Picture by smolaw/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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ONE MCS—CAC HIGHLIGHTS At the 43rd Chinese Annual Conference, the Conference approved the setting-up of central pooling for CAC. Under this new regime, Conference costs, including pastoral remuneration and approved fringe benefits, will be shared by all 17 CAC churches. Here, the Rev Simon Cheo, Pastor-in-Charge of Changi Methodist Church, one of the churches in the CAC family, shares his thoughts on the biblical context behind central pooling.
GENEROUS LOVE: GRATITUDE, LOVE, TRUST
The Chinese Annual Conference.
T
he Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) entered a new chapter of her history with the adoption of Central Pooling. Apart from the structural changes, how can CAC churches work together in this transformational journey? 2 Corinthians 8:8–15 (NIV) describes an appeal to help other churches, where Paul exhorted the Corinthian church to be generous towards the saints in Jerusalem. This was evidently important to Paul as we see this appeal highlighted in his other epistles too. For Paul, the act of giving generously was a ministry, a tangible gesture of gospel solidarity and of love, between the Jews and the Gentiles. From the Corinthian experience, we see three characteristics of generosity: gratitude, love and trust.
Gratitude Firstly, the starting point of generosity is gratitude, which happens in the heart. We can be generous because God is good. Paul wanted the Corinthian church to excel at giving. At the same time, he reminded them that generosity was not just about giving more, but about being grateful for the grace received through Jesus Christ. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). It is not about how much you give. Contrast this with the Macedonian believers, who were poor and could not give much. Yet, they had gratitude and “overflowing joy…[that] welled up in rich generosity” (2 Cor 8:2). In Mark 12:43–44, Jesus contrasted the poor widow giving her only two coins with the rich people flaunting their wealth by throwing their money into the temple
We observe two things about love in action: (i) Giving is voluntary. As an act of love, generous giving cannot be commanded. As the chief church planter, Paul could have “commanded” them to give, but he did not as it would then have become a tax. (ii) Love requires effort. The pledge to help Jerusalem was made during the previous year. It would amount to nothing unless the Corinthian church followed through and completed their act of giving. This is clear when Paul told them to “now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means” (2 Cor 8:11). The statement “now finish your work” is actually the central exhortation of the whole passage. Finish it. Complete it. Generous giving requires follow through if it is to be an act of love. Trust The third characteristic of generosity is trust. Generosity must be anchored upon trust in a God who is just and fair. We can give generously only when we are assured that the God we obey is trustworthy. When we give willingly out of what we have, the gift is acceptable (2 Cor 8:12). God is reasonable and does not expect us to give what we do not have. Paul went on to state his desire that there may be equality (2 Cor 8:13). The Corinthian church had an abundance, and the Jerusalem church was in need. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, Paul appealed to the richer church to do her part to bring about equality in the eyes of God. That is the economy of the Kingdom of God. Those who have more should help those in need. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) reinforces this Kingdom principle: “Each one should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” treasury. The widow who gave sacrificially was acknowledged as being more generous. No show, all heart and with all that she had. “People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7 NIV). When God looks at your heart, what will He find? Will He see gratitude for the grace of Jesus? Or will He find a “show” of our offerings? Will Christ find grateful hearts here in CAC? Love The second thing that about generosity is that it is “love in action”. By comparing their giving with the Macedonians’, Paul told the Corinthian church that he was “test[ing] the sincerity of their love” (2 Cor 8:8). In other words, if you are sincere and your love for God genuine, you will be generous.
Paul also reminded the Corinthian believers that “at the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need” (2 Cor 8:14). The rich Corinthian church might have wondered what they might need from those poor Jews. How would they supply the rich? In the economy of God’s Kingdom, our abundance may be temporal. God may well use the people to whom we give today to bless us in future. Beginning from the position of gratitude, let us follow through on our good intentions and make the effort to bless others concretely. Do not hold on too tightly to your resources. Steward them well and put love into action. Put your trust in the God who is fair and wants equality for all. Has God spoken to us about giving to a certain area? Finish that good work of generosity. Complete it. May God, who is trustworthy, faithful and just, grant us the grace to do that. n
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Annual Conference METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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CHURCH PROFILE
Infographic courtesy of Charis Methodist Church
WELFARE SERVICES By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team
BEING A SERVANT TO GOD AND THOSE IN NEED
P
salm 33:5 extols our God as a God of justice: “He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.”
Throughout Scripture, we read of God’s laws and provisions to protect and provide for the weak and vulnerable. As Christians who understand that everyone is made in the image of God, it is right and good to be concerned with speaking out for those in need. The voices of the vulnerable and the in-need are often forgotten and drowned out by the competing demands and noise of our work and personal lives. To galvanise Methodists to come together for deeds of mercy and to give generously in benefit of the poor, in-need, distressed and elderly sick, The Giving Methodist campaign is back for a second year. The hymn “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” declares: I will not boast in anything, No gifts, no power, no wisdom; But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer; But this I know with all my heart— His wounds have paid my ransom. The writer’s heartfelt realisation, “Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer,” echoes God’s great love for sinners like us. As we are justified by His gift of grace, let us make a commitment to give generously this Lent. May we be a servant to God and those in need, and in doing so, give all glory to His name! n
(left photo) MWS Senior Activity Centre – GreenTops @ Sims Place member Mdm Alice Tey volunteers to serve hot beverages during their tea break. (right photo) Nanyang Technological University staff help to clean MWS Nursing Home – Yew Tee during their Corporate Social Responsibility volunteer session.
The Giving Methodist Spearheaded by The Methodist Church in Singapore and MWS 6 March–13 April 2019 Give time Volunteering is a great opportunity to share your time and skills and bless those in need. You may also find your spiritual walk greatly enriched through the experience and discover a new purpose in life! • Choose from over 100 volunteering activities run by the Methodist churches and MWS. No experience or special skills are needed for most of the simple and flexible activities. • These activities include going for outings, exercising, helping to improve living spaces and more. Give a donation Did you know a donation of just $1 a day can bring positive change to the disadvantaged? Your generous and regular giving will help 11,000 beneficiaries across our 19 centres and programmes. Choose to give: • a regular donation from $1 a day ($30 monthly), or • a one-time donation of $365 or other amounts Give your voice Information and opinions shared on your social network can create a powerful impact. Why not share about social concerns and use your voice to spread awareness about The Giving Methodist campaign? Your voice matters and can do so much to help your family and friends know and care more about the less fortunate. • Share highlights of The Giving Methodist campaign with your network of friends and family. Share your favourite community blessing projects or volunteering activities both online and offline, and encourage your friends to join you! • Download images on thegivingmethodist.sg site, and share them on your social media (eg. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) accounts. • Pray for MWS and your church’s social concerns ministry. tgm@mws.sg TheGivingMethodist #thegivingmethodist #iamtgm Give Time, Give a Donation or Give Voice at thegivingmethodist.sg Photos courtesy of Methodist Welfare Services METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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YOU & YOUR FAMILY Benny Bong has been a family and marital therapist for more than 30 years, and is a certified work-life consultant. He was the first recipient of the AWARE Hero Award, received in 2011, and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO CARES
I
once participated in a radio interview during which the presenter and I focused on the topic of emotional and psychological abuse by spouses.
While some attention has been given to physical violence and laws exist to protect victims, there is so much more to be done for emotional and psychological abuse, which are not defined as acts of Family Violence under the Women’s Charter. This means that the community is largely powerless to intervene if someone uses abusive or disrespectful language and behaviour on another family member. Unlike physical violence that may leave visible scars, the impact of emotional and psychological abuse does not show up immediately and may go unnoticed. However, long-term abuse can lead to effects such as depression, mental breakdown and even suicide. The day after the radio interview, I received an email from a lady seeking help for her sister. She wrote of how her sister was emotionally abused by her husband on a daily basis. He called “her crazy and threaten[ed] to send her to a mental institution”. Moreover, he controlled all the finances, leaving her little to even feed herself. The fact that he had a mistress might have been a factor in his ill-treatment.
In my course of work, I have often heard such accounts. What is less common is when abuse victims have someone caring enough and willing to go out of their way to help. I use “less common” because many of us are told to mind our own business and not poke our noses into others’ affairs. We may also fear causing more harm than good through our intervention. All these leave the hurting parties feeling alone or even guilty about burdening others with their problems. The email reminded me that there is often someone out there who cares. There is someone who hears the neighbours’ nightly arguments. There is someone who notices the downcast looks and vacant expression on their colleague’s face. There is a teacher in school who observes the pupil withdrawing into themself. Thank God for people out there who care. May they grow in number and in courage to speak up. May those who hurt also be aware of their presence and support. Perhaps then, and only then, can we have a more humane society in which abuse of all forms cease. Will you be that someone to somebody? n
Picture by violetkaipa/Bigstock.com
MISSIONS Low Wee Teck is the Principal of the Methodist School of Cambodia (MSC). He is serving in Cambodia as a missionary with The Methodist Missions Society (MMS). His home church is Aldersgate Methodist Church.
20 YEARS OF GOD’S GOODNESS
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)
O
n 19 Oct 2018, the Methodist School of Cambodia (MSC) celebrated its 20th Anniversary.
MSC first started in 1996 with a class of 15 kindergarten children under the leadership of the late Rev Dr Clarence Lim, then MMS’s Director of Missions. Two years later, the school received its licence from the Cambodian government. God has blessed the school with continuing growth since our humble beginning. Over the years, hundreds of Cambodian children have benefitted from and received holistic education through MSC, and have gone on to bless society. Today, we have two campuses, 37 classes, 974 students (K–12) and 81 staff. MSC’s progress has also been made possible because of the commitment and zeal of the pioneering team of missionaries: Kevin Lowe, Claire Lowe, Annabella Lim, Susan Lim, Carol Loh and Tan Li Diang. Their example and servant leadership laid a strong foundation for the school. During the 20th Anniversary celebration, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung presented Honorary Awards to our missionaries Carol Loh, Tan Li Diang and Carol Ong. Special mention was made of Vimala Devi and Doris Chan, missionaries who taught and provided leadership in MSC for many years. As a testimony of their love and sacrifice, many of their ex-students paid tribute to the beloved teachers.
Bishop Dr Chong encouraged MSC staff to stay true to our calling in education, reminding us of God’s injunction in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” He shared about his personal encounters with teachers and pastors who believed in each child’s intrinsic value and the teacher’s immense influence in steering the course of a child’s life. Ms Sophan Bopha, an MSC alumna, shared how her life had been touched by her teachers. As a student, Bopha was a beneficiary of MMS’ Student Sponsorship Scheme (SSS) and served the school as head prefect. Her leadership skills were further honed through serving in the Girls’ Brigade. Today, she is studying at a local university while pursuing her dream of being a positive influence for Christ in the marketplace as an entrepreneur. Recognising the challenges that lie ahead, MSC seeks to be true to its founding mission to provide excellent education with sound biblical values. The demand for quality and accessible education is growing exponentially in Cambodia. While the country progresses, many children continue to be marginalised due to inequity. The SSS offers these children the opportunity of a good education in a safe environment. We are also thankful for the many donors from our Methodist churches in Singapore who are helping our children complete their high school education. If you sense God calling you to serve in MSC, do get in touch with us. We need teachers, administrators, engineers, healthcare workers and IT specialists. Be a part of our team to touch young lives and bring hope through education. n Photo courtesy of The Methodist Missions Society METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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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.
SUNDAY’S PALMS ARE WEDNESDAY’S ASHES L
ent begins with Ash Wednesday on 6 March 2019. Counting 40 days, excluding Sundays, Lent will end on 20 April. In biblical terms, the number 40 connotes completion or fullness. Lent is a penitential season. It is a time to reflect and prepare our hearts as we remember Jesus’ Passion, and a time to ponder the implications of the Passion narrative in daily living. It is more than “giving up something” during the season. Thus, Sundays are excluded because it is the Lord’s Day, which is more celebratory in tone.1 Ash Wednesday points us to our mortality. During an Ash Wednesday service, the words “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19) are spoken as ashes are drawn on the forehead. The ashes, as the hymn tells us, are from the palms kept from the previous year’s Palm (or Passion) Sunday.
The hymn, found in The Faith We Sing (#2138)—a supplement to The United Methodist Hymnal (1989)— seems to be specifically for Ash Wednesday. Its first stanza tells us to kneel and go back to the Lord to seek
His pardon. The second and third stanzas are words we can utter as a prayer of confession during Lent. This hymn may be used as a Lenten discipline. First, we go to the Lord with contrite hearts and seek His pardon. Second, we think about loving our neighbours and perhaps make a Lenten offering. For example, Methodist Welfare Services is offering an opportunity to serve the community through ad hoc or regular volunteering.2 Third, believing that God is gracious and full of compassion and mercy, we accept His grace and ask Him to restore us and give us new hearts. Not much is written about the author, Rae Whitney, an Episcopalian poet, but worth mentioning here is her approach to hymn writing as outlined in a lecture at College of St Mary in 2009: A text writer needs to have certain skills in verse writing, but also something to teach; she should have a knowledge of the Bible, and a living faith in God as revealed in Christ. A hymn should help others to worship in spirit and in truth, and encourage in them a love of God.3 n
Sunday’s Palms are Wednesday’s Ashes (The Faith We Sing, #2138) Sunday’s palms are Wednesday’s ashes As another Lent begins; thus we kneel before our Maker In contrition for our sins. We have marred baptismal pledges, in rebellion gone astray; now, returning, seek forgiveness; grant us pardon God this day We have failed to love our neighbours, their offences to forgive, have not listened to their troubles, nor have cared just how they live, we are jealous, proud, impatient, loving over much our things; may the yielding of our failings be our Lenten offerings We are hasty to judge others, blind to proof of human need; and our lack of understanding demonstrates our inner greed; we have wasted earth’s resources; want and suffering we’ve ignored; come and cleanse us, then restore us; make new hearts within us, Lord.
aurence Hull Stookey, Calendar: Christ’s Time for the Church (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press), 79. L Visit https://www.giving.sg/search?type=volunteer to learn more. 3 Mary Wheeler Burnett, Hope, Joy, and Wonder: The Hymns of Rae E. Whitney (Master’s Thesis), https://dspace.sewanee.edu/handle/11005/292. 1 2
Words: Rae E. Whitney Music: BEACH SPRING (also used in UMH 581), Attr. to B. F. White Picture by Rahwik/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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HOME Grace Toh is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church (KKMC). A hunter-gatherer of information, she revels in both well-crafted turns of phrase as well as bad puns.
SINGAPORE’S FIRST “BABA MALAY” METHODIST CHURCH TURNS 125 “Y
a, Isa kaseh!” rang out in KKMC’s Sanctuary, which was packed to overflowing with a 970-strong congregation on 20 Jan 2019. Baba Malay was indeed an appropriate language in which to rejoice in Christ’s love on the occasion of KKMC’s 125th Anniversary.
Packed as the Sanctuary was, and spilling out into the adjoining Social Hall and KKMC Kindergarten area, with some perched precariously on toddler-size chairs. Yet, the swelling of united voices praising God in our various heart languages felt like a foretaste of heaven, which we were privileged to experience that day.
Multilingual ministry has been in the DNA of Methodist ministry in Singapore from its earliest years, with missionaries setting up ministries “in nearly all the local vernaculars”1 within three years of landing. After starting The English Church (later Wesley Methodist Church) in 1885, they followed up in quick succession with Tamil Methodist Church two years later, a Chinese congregation led by Dr Benjamin West (later Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church) in 1889, and the Baba Malay Methodist Church (now KKMC) in 1894.
Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung, our guest preacher, sprang a delightful surprise by starting his sermon in Bahasa Indonesia—in honour of KKMC’s Straits Chinese beginnings, as he shared his heritage of having been born in Indonesia, and his grandmother being a Nyonya.
KKMC continues this hereditary strand of multilingual ministry today, as Pastor-in-Charge the Rev Kenneth Huang notes: “[KKMC is] blessed to praise God in English, Baba Malay/Bahasa Indonesia, Mandarin, and Tamil—all under the same roof!” A special combined presentation during the 125th Anniversary Service saw our Nyonya sisters, in their delicately-coloured sarong kebayas, leading the singing of “Jesus Loves Me” in Baba Malay; followed by the English, Tamil and Mandarin ministries, and joined by the children’s Cherubim Choir and youths before the entire congregation chimed in.
Switching to Mandarin with consecutive English translation, the Bishop went on to list and thank God for Singapore’s centenarian Methodist churches, as testimonies of God’s faithfulness to His people. Bishop Dr Chong urged the KKMC family that as they remember God’s faithfulness over the past 125 years, to continue to grow in faith and bless the surrounding community with joy. Other highlights of the 125th Anniversary Service included: music by the newly-formed homegrown KKMC Music Ensemble; a responsive reading of a brief history of KKMC; dedication of a new vision statement and nearly 500 prayer cards; and a 270-degree panoramic photograph of the congregation wearing special 125th Anniversary T-shirts.
Cake-cutting during the 125th anniversary dinner.
The congregation at the 125th anniversary service.
The church was joined in celebration by leaders and guests from Trinity Annual Conference, to which KKMC belongs; the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference; former KKMC pastors; leaders of community partner organisations; KKMC Kindergarten and Kampong Kapor Community Services; and the Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade companies it sponsors.
Our members speak: Said Mr Ng Fook Kah, 86, who is one of KKMC’s Honorary Stewards: “It’s a privilege, and I’m humbled to be attending KKMC’s 125th Anniversary with the Mandarin Ministry.” Ensemble member Ms Cervone Seah, 16, shared: “I am thankful to have the opportunity to play with the ensemble, as it was a new experience for me to be able to serve God through the gift that He has blessed me with.”
A moment of silence was also observed in memory of the late Rev T. C. Nga, who had passed away the day before.
Mr Muthu, 41, a committee member in the Tamil Ministry, felt the lively worship of the Anniversary Service had touched his heart, and he was honoured to be building the kingdom of God together in KKMC.
The celebrations continued with an anniversary lunch, at which Mr Lyndon Gan, one of KKMC’s Lay Ministry Staff, was surprised with a 25-year Long Service Award. As is customary for KKMC’s anniversary celebrations, KKMC sponsored special meals for the residents of four institutions in India we support: St Luke’s Leprosarium Centre, Tamil Nadu; School and Centre for the Blind, Palayamkottai; Florence Swainson School for the Deaf, Palayamkottai; and Sharon Children’s Home, Salem. n A version of this article was first published in the February 2019 issue of KK Focus, KKMC’s church newsletter. Reprinted with permission.
Twelve-year-old Cherubim Choir singer, Ms Sue-Ann Ho, was awed that KKMC was “so old”, and found it “fun that all the people from different worship services can sing together in different languages”. Ms Rosie Oh, 81, who has served in KKMC’s Peranakan Ministry faithfully for more than 30 years, regularly hurrying over after service in her home church, also enjoyed singing together with the congregation of various ages and languages. Mr Hesley Stalin, 32, for whom this was his first experience of a combined service, found the congregation very friendly. “I don’t feel like I’m in Singapore,” he said. “I feel like I’m at home.” 1
uoted from “Our Church” under “About Us” section of The Methodist Church in Singapore Q website, http://www.methodist.org.sg/index.php/about-us/our-church, accessed 25 Jan 2019.
Photos courtesy of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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OPEN HOUSE Saturday 23 March 2019
ACS (International) Singapore is a distinctive international secondary school open to all Singaporeans & other nationalities, offering an allround 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).
Mr Rob Burrough Principal
Building Through Belief, this school of choice provides
Achievements Include
• Exceptional examination results, very strong value-added achievement and an all-round holistic education
• Students with perfect score of 45 points
• 50:50 mix of local and international teachers who uphold the dual Methodist ethos and ACS heritage • Small class sizes with overall studentteacher 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
Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice Principal
• 19 “Top in the World” awards in IGCSE examinations over each of the past eight 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 valueadded examination results for the IBDP with improved pathways to good universities • Successes at national level this year in Archery, Touch Rugby, Cycling, Swimming, Chinese Drama, Debating, Fencing, Football, Golf, String Orchestra, Taekwondo, Volleyball and Wushu
Mr Gavin Kinch Vice Principal
Dr Kristopher Achter Vice Principal
INFORMATION SESSIONS 9:00am
Principal’s Address
9:30am – 12:00pm
School tours & presentations by staff & students
Oldham Chapel, ACS (International) 61 Jalan Hitam Manis, Singapore 278475
For more information, please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admission@acsinternational.edu.sg
ACS (International) - Building Through Belief
HOME Jason Woo is Methodist Message’s Editorial Executive. When not working on the latest articles, he enjoys long jogs and cuddling up with his cats along with a good book.
STRIVING IN HIS PERFECTION
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his second part of Josephus Tan’s compelling testimony continues from the February 2019 issue of Methodist Message.
After being called to the Singapore Bar in 2009, Josephus Tan, who attends Fairfield Methodist Church, began to make a name for himself for his pro bono work. In 2013, he received a Pro Bono Ambassador award from the Law Society after clocking more than 1000 hours of pro bono work. News of his pro bono caseload was greeted with much scepticism as cynics questioned his motivation since such cases obviously did not help pay the bills. Such have been his mental and financial challenges as Josephus lives out his promise to God, made in a rundown little church in Southampton over a decade ago, to use his life as a testimony for Christ.
Josephus receiving the Pro Bono Ambassador Award by the Law Society of Singapore in 2013
Perhaps the biggest test came in 2017 when he agreed to defend the murderers of Annie Ee, an intellectuallychallenged young woman. As gruesome details emerged of how the couple, who had housed Ee, abused and killed her, Josephus had to weather criticism and anger from netizens, and also doubts from family and friends.
Once, a convicted murderer told Josephus he was a good man for being willing to defend him. The lawyer was quick to honour Christ by sharing how he worships Jesus. He then pointed the inmate to the Bible, which was available in prison, as the way to find out more about Jesus. In time, the inmate accepted Christ.
When asked how he could defend the perpetrators of such horrific crimes, Josephus pointed to how Jesus challenged those who were without sin to cast the first stone at the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3–11). He said, “If Jesus could unquestioningly extend His grace to sinners, who am I to do otherwise? My pupil-master, the late Subhas Anandan, once told me that no matter how heinous their crime, a defendant still deserves a proper defence.”
Josephus has scaled back on pro bono commitments in recent years. He now gives talks to youths in schools and other institutions in the hope of inspiring them with his story.
Whenever he visits former clients in prison, he is encouraged to see how his work among the downtrodden has led to Christ’s name being glorified. He hopes that his clients and those with whom he comes into contact can see Christ and experience His goodness through his actions.
Describing his Christian journey as staying in a personal relationship with God, he shares: “Continue to talk to God; keep the conversation going. Keep the faith even if you think God has forsaken you. Even if you feel that you are too deep in the gutter and no one is listening, trust me—God is. Open your heart to Him, and never give up.” n
Photo courtesy of Josephus Tan METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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METHODIST MESSAGE, JULY 2013
HOME The Rev Gabriel Liew is a Pastor at Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
SHARING THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WITH NON-CHRISTIANS
Archdiocesan Interreligious Christmas Celebration 2018.
W
e thank God for His blessings on the Church’s ministry of bridge building. Inter-faith relations are an integral part of Christ’s gospel of peace and reconciliation, and not an optional extra. On 26 Dec 2018, TRAC President the Rev Dr Gordon Wong, the Rev Ling Kin Yew and I attended an Inter-faith Christmas Celebration at the invitation of His Grace, Archbishop William Goh. The event was organised by the Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Interreligious Dialogue (ACCIRD) and held at the Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace. The Archbishop William Goh warmly welcomed everyone before sharing about the meaning of Christmas. The bonding over dinner was enhanced by a combined church choir’s performance of a few beautiful carols. The finale of the event was when we joined hands to sing “Let There Be Peace on Earth” together.
Reflecting on the occasion, the Rev Ling Kin Yew wrote: “What I enjoyed most that night was the singing of the combined choir, which comprised of not just adults but children. Truly, regardless of our beliefs and age, ‘we are the reason that He gave His life’… It was a unique and delightful Christmas celebration as we enjoyed our hosts’ kind hospitality and the friendship of the other religious leaders. It reminded me of the first Christmas when the heavenly host proclaimed, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men’ (Luke 2:14 KJV).” Please pray for God’s anointing as we continue to serve as Christ’s ambassadors in pursuit of peace and love in this world. n
Photo courtesy of VITA (Volunteers in the Archdiocese) METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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SOUNDINGS Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College and Theological and Research Advisor at the Ethos Institute for Public Christianity (http://ethosinstitute.sg).
FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE
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ne of the predilections of moderns like us—our habit of mind, if you will—is to put asunder the things that belong together and should be conjoined. A striking example is the modern tendency to drive a wedge between faith and good works, and between evangelism and social action. This divorce is seen acutely in some expressions of liberal Christianity that emphasise social activism at the expense of the preaching of the Gospel. It is also evident in some forms of evangelicalism that are long on personal piety and rather short on social engagement. However, when we turn to John Wesley and the movement he brought to life in 18th century England, we find a refreshingly different paradigm altogether—one that reflects more vividly the Christianity portrayed in the pages of the Acts of the Apostles. For Wesley, the Gospel is the good news that in Jesus Christ the Kingdom of God has come into our midst. God’s Kingdom is both earthly and heavenly, inward and
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.
outward, present and eschatological. To proclaim this Gospel, therefore, is to wed the liberating word to the witnessing deed. It is perhaps commonplace to find scholars and historians advancing the view that Methodism was originally a revival or a mission movement before it became a church. As a revival movement, its primary concern was of course the salvation of souls. John Wesley exemplified this in his life and ministry. In a journal entry dated 28 July 1757, Wesley declared solemnly: “I do indeed live by preaching.” And he tirelessly exhorted his lay preachers and class leaders to regard the salvation of souls as the main goal of their ministries. “You have nothing to do but save souls,” Wesley famously said. “Therefore, spend and be spent in this work… it is your business… to save as many souls as you can.” But Wesley’s holistic vision of Christian ministry meant that the material welfare of human beings—not just their eternal salvation—must also be the business of the church. Thus Wesley and the people called Methodists persistently and indefatigably reached out to the disenfranchised and forgotten people in their society—the poor, the sick and those in prison. Continued on page 22... Picture by pamela_d_mcadams/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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HOME Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message.
MAKING ROOM
Tay Li Ping (top right), Joseph Gan (top left) and their three sons.
“Y
ou don’t need a big house. You just need a big heart.”
So says foster mom Tia Li Li who, along with her husband Tan Hock Lye, has a full house. The couple, both in their early fifties, call an HDB maisonette home. Their four sons, aged 16 to 28, as well as their second son’s wife live with them. So do their two foster sons, aged five and nine. As Li Li says, “space can always be created.” This is just what 456 foster parents in Singapore1 have done: they have made room in their homes and hearts—some for several months and others a few years—for more than 500 children who need homes. These children have been abandoned, neglected or ill-treated by their biological families, or have parents unable to care for them because of health problems or imprisonment. And the need for more foster families is great. The Tans, who work together in a family business and attend Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church (MC), heard the call to foster after Vivienne Ng gave a sermon at their church. Vivienne, the chief psychologist at the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), a Wesley MC member, and also a foster parent, founded Home for Good (HFG), a Christian fostering support network, in 2013.
Before the Tan’s older foster child, John*, came to them, he was grieving and angry that he couldn’t be with his mother. He was also stressed out and fearful about living with a household of total strangers. After some time, he started to open up. Hock Lye has bonded with John through their shared love of football, and they play at a nearby soccer field every evening. On John’s birthday, they took him for his first experience of a soccer café. John’s much-older foster siblings also rallied around him, caring for him like extra foster parents. It is this setting of family, which at-risk children can call their own, that makes foster homes preferable to children’s homes. “Children need the experience of residing in a loving family in order to heal some of their past hurts, learn more appropriate ways of relating and behaving, and develop a mental model of what a healthy family might look like,” says HFG’s Vivienne. For Joseph Gan and Tay Li Ping, both 41, fostering has been a meaningful and practical way for them and their three sons (aged seven, 11 and 16) to reach out together in a sustained, regular manner to those in need. Their family attends Aldersgate MC, where Li Ping serves as a lay preacher. It is also where Joseph and Li Ping first heard
How you can help • Find out more about fostering: Home for Good, a Christian fostering support network, organises regular talks and tea sessions. http://www.homeforgood.sg fb.com/homeforgoodsg • Apply to be a foster parent: Apply directly through MSF, or through one of the MSF-appointed foster agencies such as Epworth Community Services, which is affiliated to Barker Road MC. There is a great need for those willing to foster younger children and infants, as well as older children above the age of 10. https://www.msf.gov.sg/fostering https://epworth.sg/ • Be a befriender: Register to offer respite care, help out in group activities for foster families, or take foster children and their families for various appointments. https://www.msf.gov.sg/Fostering/Pages/Volunteer-With Us.aspx
Tia Li Li (standing, third from right) and Tan Hock Lye (seated) with their family.
Vivienne share about fostering, which led to them attending an HFG tea session at which they heard the call to foster. “I imagined if my children were ever in a situation where they needed to be placed in a children’s home or a loving foster family—if I would want my children to be with a foster family, why shouldn’t I do the same for another child who is precious to our heavenly Father?” reasons Li Ping, a part-time student at Trinity Theological College. She and Joseph have made room in their HDB flat for Sam*, 10, who has been with them for three years, and James*, six, who came to live with them earlier this year. Their sons welcomed the new additions and were excited to have new playmates. However, Li Ping had to understand and manage Sam’s tears, anger and fearfulness, which stemmed from past traumas (which many foster children have). Their own three sons did not comprehend why Sam sometimes acted out, and she and Joseph had to be very intentional in teaching the children how to mend relationships.
Both foster families have found their churches to be great sources of support. Li Li’s church friends often give her two foster sons hugs, and their Sunday School teachers pray with and for them. A member from Aldersgate MC takes Sam out for lunch and to his enrichment class on a weekly basis. The Gans’ cell group has been a big extended family for them. “Their spiritual and emotional support,” says Li Ping, “has been invaluable.” Fostering is a learning journey for foster parents as well as their foster children. Li Li has learnt to trust God more (Proverbs 3:5 is her favourite verse) and to manifest the fruit of the Spirit, especially patience and self-control. Fostering has helped Li Ping with her own relationships with her husband and children, and also deepened her walk with God. “I came to realise that I, too, was broken—just as broken as my foster child. Only He gives me the strength I need to do His work, and He has been faithful in doing so.” John is the process of transitioning to living with his family again—the ultimate goal of fostering is to provide the children with a safe place until they can go home or are adopted. Li Li recalls when John once fell and hurt himself while playing. She was anxious, but Hock Lye told her, “It’s okay—children need to learn how to fall. We are here to teach them how to get up again.” n *not their real names
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S tatistics from 2009 to 2017 are available from https://www.msf.gov.sg/research-and-data/ Research-and-Statistics/Pages/Children-in-Care-Foster-Children-and-Foster-Parents.aspx.
Photos courtesy of Tia Li Li and Tay Li Ping METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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SOUNDINGS
FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE ...continued from page 19 In his ministry to the poor, Wesley sought to disabuse the public of certain false beliefs that had proven to be toxic. For example, Wesley denounced as “wickedly and devilishly false” the view—held by many in his day—that the poor were poor because they were lazy. But apart from demolishing false beliefs that led to prejudice and discrimination, Wesley also devised concrete schemes to rescue people from the quicksand of poverty. For example, he created a loan fund from his meagre capital to save those in debt from predatory and unscrupulous loan sharks. The modern scholars who accuse Wesley of promoting a form of pietistic individualism surely must have missed what he had to say about “social sin”. Although Wesley did not use this modern expression, the idea that it articulates was not alien to him. In his sermon entitled, “On Divine Providence”, Wesley described the phenomenon of social sin or structural evil as a “complicated wickedness” and a “complicated misery”. He lamented the social deadness, the greed and the utter disrespect for human life that were all too evident in his beloved England. But beyond speaking against injustices, Wesley also tried to alleviate the suffering of the poor by providing them a means to escape from the vicious cycle in which they were imprisoned. He did this by creating employment to return to the poor their dignity and autonomy, initiating cottage industries in activities such as cotton processing and knitting.
In all of these, Wesley showed us what it means to be a Christian—and what it means to be the church, that community of believers redeemed by grace. For Wesley, the Christian life is simply but irreducibly encapsulated in the phrase “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). True faith compels the believer to love his neighbour in concrete and humanising ways. Wesley would therefore agree wholeheartedly with the Reformer Martin Luther, who wrote: When it comes to faith, what a living, creative, active, powerful thing it is! It cannot do other than good at all times… A man who is not active in this way is a man without faith. n Picture by leolintang/Bigstock.com
LOOKING AHEAD THE GIVING METHODIST 6 Mar to 13 Apr 2019 https://bit.ly/2FqmE0S tgm@mws.sg
Scan here to see events online!
The Giving Methodist is an initiative to gather and galvanise Methodists to perform acts of love. It takes place during the season of Lent, a period of reflection for Christians—because giving is part of a life that exemplifies Christ. Come together as one Methodist family as we give of our voices, time and donations towards the last, the lost and the least amongst us. Organised by The Methodist Church in Singapore and Methodist Welfare Services.
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OUR DAILY BREAD MARCH 2019 BIBLE CONFERENCE: REBUILDING THE RUINS 6 Mar 2019 (Saturday), 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Bartley Christian Church, 4 How Sun Dr, S(538526) https://ourdailybread.org/bc-rebuildingruins/ Admission is free
Has God led you to be involved in rebuilding a broken life, prompted you to help a family in need, or called you to help a struggling ministry or church? Come and hear Bishop Emeritus Robert Solomon share from his study of the book of Nehemiah, and discover how you can trust God to lead and empower you to overcome setbacks in building His people, His church, and your own life. Programme Session 1: The Call (Nehemiah 1:4–11) Session 2: The Challenges (Nehemiah 4:1–23) Session 3: The Community (Nehemiah 9:38, 10:30–39) Organised by Our Daily Bread.
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COMMUNICATING CHRIST IN ASIAN CULTURES AND FAMILIES 9 Mar 2019 (Saturday), 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Faith Methodist Church L1 Sanctuary, 400 Commonwealth Dr, S(149604) zhihui.poh@tpmc.org.sg (Pastor Poh) https://tinyurl.com/harmony9mar
This seminar aims to deepen our understanding of the gospel in relation to the core Asian value of “harmony” and expand our view on approaches to sharing the gospel winsomely with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15–16) to people in Asian cultures and families. Organised by Trinity Annual Conference BoWE.
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THE PERSPECTIVES COURSE
16 Mar to 20 Jul 2019 (Saturdays), 2.00 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Wesley Methodist Church, 5 Fort Canning Road, S(179493) https://perspectivessingapore.org/next-course/ Early bird fees range from $150 to $250, with discounts available. Fees cover 15 classes and two course textbooks. Please refer to website for more details.
Experience 15 powerful lessons that have equipped thousands of everyday believers worldwide with a greater vision, hope and passion. In the Perspectives course, be prepared to discover how scripture, history, culture and strategy converge to reveal the unfolding of God’s redemptive purposes. The Lord is on a mission to bless the peoples of the earth, and you’re invited to join Him. Organised by Perspectives Course Singapore.
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METHODIST MESSAGE • MAR 2019
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THINK Cindy Ng-Tay is the Director of Professional Standards at Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), and a lifelong champion for those broken by distress in families. Her personal mission, which mirrors that of MWS, is to bring about interventions that will heal and help families break out of generational strongholds.
WHOEVER BRINGS BLESSING WILL BE ENRICHED, ONE WHO WATERS WILL HIMSELF BE WATERED AND
L
ate last year, an MWS family service centre conducted a groupwork session for mothers and children whose families struggle with violence and abuse, poverty and unemployment. Their social workers and counsellors had referred them in the hope that they would benefit from the groupwork curriculum and be equipped to overcome their adversities. I was invited to the final session as a guest of honour and to share some thoughts. After considering a few ideas, I settled on a message around “You are not alone”, thinking I would remind them that help is available in the community. On that day, I arrived early to find that the participants— six adults and 14 children—had already gathered. Laughter greeted me and I caught some of the light-hearted conversations in the room. As I approached the women to thank them for their presence, they plied me with accounts that spoke of the deep bonds they had formed with their caseworkers and fellow groupwork participants. These women had become fast friends and cheerleaders for each other in the marathon of life. One woman shared how other mothers often texted her to encourage her to hang on during difficult moments, even offering to care for her children if she needed help. The children were chatting about school, friends and the food provided—casual banter about simple things in life. As the closing session kicked off, the mothers were facilitated to speak words of affirmation to their children. Many of them had highly strained relationships with their
children because of the intense pain that they personally had to deal with daily. That day, however, all six expressed their love for their children and re-dedicated themselves to caring for and protecting them. In return, the children reached to embrace their mothers. I could not stop my tears from welling up. It then dawned on me that I had gotten it all wrong. In my mind, I had reduced the complexities of these families into a singular, linear narrative—that of “victims”—and put myself on a pedestal, as if being a social work professional suggests I have life “all sorted out”. These women and children are much more than victims. They are people capable of desiring and developing relationships with others like themselves, and willing to extend beyond themselves for others. Like me, like us, they are complex beings with both vulnerabilities and strengths. They are as complete an embodiment of humanity as any one of us is. Proverbs 11:25 reminds us: “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” As we give to those who are in need and struggling with life, we are often blessed in turn, by God, and many times over, by the very people we serve. During this season of Lent, as we mobilise Methodists to perform acts of love through The Giving Methodist campaign, my prayer is for us to relate to our beneficiaries as fellow sojourners in life, all deserving of God’s grace and mercy. I pray that even as we serve, we will “in humility count [those we serve] more significant than [ourselves]” (Phil 2:3). n Picture by paul shuang/Bigstock.com