Methodist Message: November 2020

THE METHODIST CHURCH IN SINGAPORE

ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 027/11/2020

Vo l 1 2 2 N o 1 1 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 0

BIG ISSUES

THAT METHODISTS ARE FACING

Contents

3

Church life Methodists in the world Christian living

18 22

a wa y o you have ur help! D yo s d e e n dia?

Message digital me Methodist aper or in p n o — w dra photos? s? Can you you take with word riting? Do w e k li u yo esign? Do Can you d r NTEERS! s / any othe G FOR VOLU IN ews / poem K vi O re LO ok E lp R bo te WE’ rs: to he events, wri roofreade help cover it articles P ed to : Writers: to rs ents they o it ev b-ed photos of ributions Su contribute to : article cont rs e anything h p / otogra graphics layouts Ph mics / info co aw check out dr tors: to ed Illustra have attend iring sp ight be in better else that m ake MM a at might m th rs he ot or any these skills, If you have t us! read, contac rg.sg

method n ew m m @

ist.o

1

Bishop’s Message

2

Coming Up—One Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength

3

One MCS—Passing on a godly legacy

4

Church Profile—Seletar Tamil Methodist Church

5

One MCS—ETAC Highlights

6

Home—COVID-19 and missions

8

News—TRAC WSCS has a new president

9

News—Methodist Preschools

10

Home—Monica Lim

13

Home—The Rev Benjamin Lee

15

Home—The Stephen Family

16

Home—St Francis Methodist School’s 60th anniversary

18

Home—Creation Care SG

19

Welfare Services

20 Missions

22

You & Your Family

23

Hymns & Songs

24 Soundings 26

TRAC Bible Matters

28

Home—What does being a Methodist mean to you?

29

Looking Ahead

30 THINK

EDITORIAL BOARD

The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore.

Published material does not necessarily reflect the official view of The Methodist Church.

Adviser and Publisher Dr Anthony Goh Chairperson Council on Communications

Editor Sheri Goh

Sub-editor

All Scripture quoted is based on the English Standard Version unless otherwise stated.

70 Barker Road #06-04 Singapore 309936 6478-4793 | 6478-4763 message.methodist.org.sg | www.methodist.org.sg newmm@methodist.org.sg

Tan Chiu Ai

fb.com/Methodist.SG

Communications Executive

@methodist.sg

Jason Woo

Proofreader Tan Sheng Ling

Design & Production by Londonbob Design Printed by Adred Creation Print Pte Ltd

Have something to say or share? Email us at newmm@methodist.org.sg

BISHOP’S MESSAGE Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2016.

He served as President of the Chinese Annual Conference from 2008 to 2016.

Big issues that Methodists are facing

W

e are only 20 years into the 21st century, and we are already feeling the immense impact of new technologies and inventions.

We live in a world that is beyond the imagination of John Wesley, who lived in the 18th century. In his book, The Radical Wesley, Howard A. Snyder records how, as Wesley led the reformation of the Church in England, he realised the need for breakthroughs in the traditional and conservative methods of church shepherding. Snyder wrote, “John Wesley saw that new wine must be put into new wineskins. So the story of Wesley’s life and ministry is the story of meeting and adapting structures to serve the burgeoning revival movement.”

The Methodist Church will need to continually examine and renew its structures as well as its strategies on preaching the gospel. The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) will hold fast to the absolute authority of the Bible; at the same time, she will adopt a dynamic and heartening approach in meeting the challenges of the fast-changing society.

Revising the Social Principles Led by Christian ethics scholar, the Rev Dr Daniel Koh, a small team has carefully prepared a revised edition of “Social Principles” for our deliberations.

This is to enable the Church to respond appropriately to society’s new normal. For example, under “God’s gift of sex” in the section, “The Sphere of the Family”, besides reaffirming the Bible’s stand on matters of man-woman relationships, marriage and family, the team offers new suggestions on how pastoral care can be carried out in these areas.

It also provides guidelines on how the Church can respond to issues related to new developments in the way the internet is being used. The plethora of content being created each day means that members must be well advised on how not to infringe on others’ intellectual property rights, and how to discern fake news. The team has also made some new suggestions on how the Church may play her role in society, with particular reference to Christian virtues, and how believers can continue to live out the commandments and great commission of Jesus.

Interacting with other religious communities How do we express the social holiness of Methodism to love our neighbours, in Singapore, one of the most multi-ethnic and multi-religious countries in the world? We begin by showing respect for the religious beliefs of others’, in line with the government policy as stated in the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA).

It does not contradict what is declared in the Constitution: a person has the right to profess and practise his religion, and to propagate it. It is in the spirit of loving our neighbours who are of different faiths that we participate in the events organised by the IRO (Inter-Religious Organisation) and the non-religious get-together programmes of other religions. When local conferences of the Methodist Church conduct baptisms of converts, we need to be especially sensitive to the feelings of their original religious communities. We must conscientiously avoid any unnecessary actions which may be deemed offensive by non-Christians.

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

|1

Big issues that Methodists are facing

Re-visiting Methodist Connectionalism Methodist Connectionalism is a key understanding of what it means to be a Church in Methodism, and it is also our distinguishing feature. Although pastors are assigned by their respective Annual Conference to local churches, all of them belong to MCS, as do all members. Pastors are ordained as Methodist Elders by the Bishop, who is elected at the General Conference. In theory and practice, therefore, all Methodist Elders who fulfil the conditions in The Book of Discipline are eligible for election as Bishop of MCS, regardless of the Annual Conference that they are from.

Singapore is a city-state, and our 46 local churches are located within an hour’s drive of each other. It is therefore not difficult for pastors from different annual conferences to cooperate with each other or to share resources. As such, we have tried very hard all these few years to realise the mindset of One Methodist Church in Singapore (One MCS). Its purpose is to help the Church keep step with the changing times and face the challenges as one.

Shepherding God’s church: Small group ministry The “discipleship movement” gives a major impetus to the shepherding of Methodist local churches. In his days, John Wesley set up societies, classes and

Coming Up ¢

bands into which believers were organised, and in which they could build up their spiritual life.

Members were committed to attend such meetings regularly. These provided the context for believers to study their faith and build its foundation, share the challenges and struggles in their Christian life, and support and pray for each other. It was through such close conversations that there was mutual accountability.

In the context of today’s society, there is an even greater need for such small groups within the church, which are divided into open cells and close cells.

Believers today are challenged by many new social values and norms, and the COVID-19 pandemic has also gravely impacted believers’ families, jobs and even church life. These challenges are expected to persist for the foreseeable future.

These are some of the issues that MCS faces and which we are to be concerned about and respond to. Our challenge has always been to bear witness to God’s unchanging truth in a world where situations and man’s thinking and attitudes keep changing. Let us remember the Bible’s words of encouragement: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2).

One Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength Join us for our first ever MCS 135 Youth Conference, “One Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength” (1HSMS), where Methodist youths and friends will unite to love and serve God in worship and celebration.

10 Dec 2020 (Thursday), 10 a.m. (online) Heart to Heart with Bishop and Annual Conference Presidents 10 Dec 2020 (Thursday), 2 p.m. (online) Youth Matters with the Rev Bernard Chao

Sign up at http://bit.ly/1HSMS_talks 11 Dec 2020 (Friday), 7:30 p.m. (live and online) 1HSMS Night of Worship—One Heart Soul Mind Strength

Sign up at http://bit.ly/1HSMS_NOW 2

|

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

Limited to 70 registrants for the live event.

Live-stream link for online viewing will be provided later.

One MCS ¢ David Ang is eagerly anticipating a movement by God amongst the fathers and households of the Methodist family. He worships at Kum Yan Methodist Church. He was one of the organisers of “Passing on a Godly Legacy”, a One MCS online event for Methodist fathers that was held on 17 Oct 2020.

David Ang (extreme left) with his family

Passing on a godly legacy

T

he best thing any father can do is to build a lasting legacy. Many choose a legacy of wealth, or intelligence, or even fond memories. However, for a man departing his earthly life, there is nothing more assuring than knowing that those he leaves behind have Christ in their hearts and lives. This is the best gift from a father to his children.

The 17 Oct 2020 event was organised with this as a foundational starting point, and encapsulated in two words—“godly legacy”. In conjunction with celebrating the 135th year of Methodism in Singapore, it was a grand opportunity to bring together the fathers from the three Annual Conferences. We are thankful for Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung’s clarion call to gather Christian fathers to rise and take up the mantle of godly fatherhood in their homes.

My personal fatherhood journey has been intriguing but rewarding. I recall one Friday evening in August 2008, I had returned from a week-long business trip.

That evening, as I was catching up with my family, I mentioned that I had to attend an LCEC meeting the next day. In an instant, I could see the disappointment in 10-year-old Emmanuel’s face. He turned to me and said, “Daddy, why do you abandon us again?” Those words went sharper than the sharpest knife into my heart.

I could hardly sleep that night but knew that God was saying something to me through my son. From that point, I made some huge decisions to recalibrate my

life, including leaving the senior corporate job I had held for the past decade.

Ten years down the road, I can say that besides my decisions to accept Christ and to marry Amy, I have made no other better choice. The family is much bonded, with a strong marital relationship and very close relationships between my children and me.

I have not looked back since and have been an advocate for the critical role of fathering. Heading the Dads for Life movement of the then-Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, and being part of the founding core team of Elijah7000 were opportunities to serve that have greatly blessed and changed me.

When the heart of the father is turned towards his wife and children, fuelled by God’s grace, there will be familial blessings and strength, and the home prospers. The richness of family which fathers can build is beyond anything the world can offer. Strong families grow thriving communities, which lead to strong nationhood. Indeed, society’s bedrock is the family.

In parallel, godly fatherhood is a natural agent for discipleship and evangelism. Home is our first church and children our first disciples. This is generational evangelism. I am praying for a Spirit-led movement in The Methodist Church where the fathers are on fire for the Lord and their families, and thus building and passing on a godly legacy.

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

|3

Church Profile ¢

Seletar Tamil Methodist Church

Deborah David is a member of Seletar Tamil Methodist Church (SELTMC) / Photos courtesy of SELTMC

Come, let us rebuild St George’s Chapel, where SELTMC currently worships

Palm Sunday service in April 2019

S

eletar Tamil Methodist Church (SELTMC) has a rich 85-year history. Our forefathers—the Rev Subramanian, the Rev S. M. Thevathasam, and the Rev Pakianathan—were fervent and resilient in building a church to minister to the Indians living in the vicinity of Seletar Airbase. Their tireless efforts and prayers resulted in SELTMC’s continued existence through the years.

Although the church does not have a permanent place of worship, God has been gracious in providing various locations for the congregation to gather for services. They have met at Seletar Airbase, Abundant Grace Presbyterian Church, Syrian Orthodox Church, Salem Chapel and St George’s Chapel.

SELETAR TAMIL METHODIST CHURCH (Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference) 63 Cranwell Road, S(509851) https://seletartmc.sg 9180-9052 (The Rev Saravanakumar, Pastor-in-charge)

SELTMC aspires to involve all its members in building the Lord’s Kingdom. Thus, the church’s theme for the year is, “Come, Let Us Rebuild“. The church’s vision is “To grow in His Word and to preach the Good News of God’s Kingdom that transforms lives”. These are vital pillars for the church. We are encouraged to grow in the Word to enjoy an intimate relationship with our Saviour. Next, as Christ’s ambassadors, we are tasked to preach the Good News to the lost so that they too could taste God’s sweetness. Lastly, Christ’s Great Commission compels us to be determined in transforming lives by making disciples.

On-site services have resumed!

In the past year, the church has focused on evangelism. For example, in December, SELTMC collaborated with its Bedok preaching point to share the joy of Jesus’ birth with 65 non-Christian families. The households were blessed with words of encouragement and welfare packs. The families were also invited to the Carol Service organised by SELTMC and its preaching point. We continue to minister to these families and bring them towards Christ.

Service 3: 5.00 p.m. to 5.45 p.m..

Amidst the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Lord has remained faithful and enabled us to grow in unity. For instance, when members could not gather in church for the weekly prayers, they met virtually via Zoom for prayer. Furthermore, the different ministries, such as the Sunday School ministry, Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) and the Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS), conducted their respective programmes over Zoom.

Using virtual applications for church events was novel to the members, but they have grown familiar with them and actively participate in the events.

SELTMC has witnessed myriad challenges over the years, but our Refuge, the Lord Almighty, has never failed to carry us through each tumultuous period. God is SELTMC’s head, and we earnestly seek His will for growing the church He has graciously blessed us with.

4

|

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

Registration is required due to MCCY limits.

Please call the Rev Saravanakumar to register.

Sunday Services Service 1: 8.00 a.m. to 8.45 a.m.

Service 2: 9.15 a.m. to 10.00 a.m.

Bible Study (via Zoom) Wednesdays, 8.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Prayer (via Zoom) Fridays, 8.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Zoom link will be provided.

Please contact the Rev Saravanakumar for details.

One MCS ¢

ETAC Highlights

The Rev James Nagulan was elected President of Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC) in 2016 for the quadrennium.

He is also Pastor-in-Charge of Tamil Methodist Church (Short Street) and Seletar Tamil Methodist Church.

Mother’s Day poem-writing competition

C

hurches were closed due to COVID-19 control restrictions, and so, instead of their regular Mother’s Day celebration, ETAC WSCS organised a poem-writing competition. The theme was “motherhood”, and entries were received in both English and Tamil.

Women penned their poems in the three categories: 1. Motherhood in general, or about their own mother 2. Expectant mothers or young mothers with children below five years old 3. Reflections on a Biblical character We received an overwhelming response of 47 entries. The following is the winning entry in the English category:

Loving Mothers (By Ryna Raaj, Short Street TMC) Note from the writer: There are all kinds of mothers. Single mothers struggling to make ends meet, rationing food one day at a time.

Working mothers, who may be seen to have forsaken their children emotionally or physically. Yet these kids yearn for their attention, not the latest gadget or toy. But the children are not away that their mum is busy, out working, so they can have a better life.

There are also grandmothers who do not speak a word of English. Yet they have had to help their grandchildren navigate home-based learning during the circuit breaker period.

“Loving Mothers” does not just describe mothers—it is also a call to action for families to value mothers, and not just on Mother’s Day.

This poem can be read in 5 ways. Try it!

Measure of time, life spent caring for her family.

Surely mothers are not appreciated enough.

But at the end of the day, she sits, devoid of any.

How could that be when from within her, sprang life?

Say her children, All mothers are cruel.

It is impossible!

Her grandchildren won’t get their way.

The world will change.

Yes. Through nurture as water and warmth is to a seed.

A life that comes from her womb, Even a plant becomes a sturdy tree.

Did it mean something?

No. Through sacrifice and grit, she carries on When day to day she leaves the child, Still, a mother’s instinct weighs heavily on her mind.

She ignores the screams of her child for attention?

We are in no position to believe Yet, we understand that love dwells within her.

Beauty exists within us.

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

|5

Home ¢ Col (Ret) Quek Koh Eng is the Field & Church Engagement Director in MMS, and the MMS Area Director for Thailand and Vietnam. He is a member of Charis Methodist Church.

This is an abridged version of the talk that he gave during the Methodist Missions Society’s virtual Missionary Retreat.

COVID-19 and missions

I

t is folly at this early stage to discuss such subject as complex as the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on missions while events are still unfolding, and the reactions by governments, churches and missions are still evolving. However, because a tiny virus has become the vehicle by which a great shaking has been delivered to our world, it still warrants a thoughtful examination and prayer-filled response.

Socio-economic impact and implications The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted the gaps in the world’s economic and social systems and structures. Many have lost their jobs and many have been forced into starvation and deep poverty. There is also a significant increase in the number of people struggling with mental health issues due to job losses, economic crises, struggles to cope with lockdown, domestic abuse, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, panic and depression—all these require compassionate and effective responses. The Church needs to be where people who are suffering can find love, care, support and acceptance.

Over time, a global economic recession is expected to unfold into a full-blown financial crisis. The World Bank suggests things will get worse before they get better. In the meantime, countries, societies and organisations will need to invest in new capabilities and capacities in order to rapidly adapt, anticipate change, manage risks and implement solutions to build a better normal.

Impact and implications on mission agencies, organisations and churches Firstly, as church members suffered job losses and incomes, the churches’ incomes from tithings and offerings reciprocally declined and there were less funds available for missions.

At the same time, austerity measures will be put in place to cope with many uncertainties in the horizon. Hence, the support for cross-cultural missions may be affected, but we hope in God’s grace that it will not be drastic.

6

|

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

Secondly, global geopolitics and ensuing economics have affected global missions. Seasons of global conflict and economic upheaval have caused countries to look inwardly rather than globally, and there are more difficulties with obtaining visas and travelling outside of the country. The Church’s capacity to send missionaries to other nations has been greatly reduced.

However, within weeks of COVID-19 causing quarantines and lockdowns, we saw accelerated changes in training.

Churches and organisations had no choice but to move quickly into the digital age. Findings indicate that during lockdown, more people watched and listened to online religious services, and missionary trainers are appreciating the breadth of digital technologies available to support and enhance training. Correspondingly, more people have turned to faith in the midst of uncertainty and despair.

The Methodist Missions Society (MMS) will continue to enhance itself using reliable, secure technology and digital means to do mission work. Innovation should be another area that needs to be reinforced using audio technology and smartphones to evangelise to people groups that rely more on hearing of their own language than reading.

Impact on church life COVID-19 will by no means be the end of the Church.

Christianity has endured countless plagues and pandemics, survived fire and flood, economic and natural disasters and systematic persecution, and has become stronger through them. History showed that when missionaries have been forced out of a nation or region, the indigenous church grows under persecution or hardship. This is true when the gospel seeds have been planted and intentional training and equipping were actively implemented.

Matthew 24:14 is a promise to encourage believers to endure the hardship that was to come and Acts 1:8, Jesus declaring what God will do, not what we should do. The

The “new normal” at St Paul Methodist School in Timor-Leste, where the missionaries have to take temperature of their students before school every day

urgency of human needs due to COVID-19 and its effects gives a platform for believers to demonstrate the relevance of the gospel in every aspect of life, and the desire of God to bring healing and wholeness to every aspect of human activity.

How mission agencies, organisations and churches should respond to the COVID-19 crisis No one knows how long the COVID-19 pandemic is going to last—what is certain is that there is no return to normalcy.

And when we discuss new ways to do cross-cultural ministry, there are no one-size-fits-all solution. However, there are certain fundamental cross-cultural principles that we need to maintain and continue to reinforce: The Church is the body of Christ, made of people and not buildings. Churches that are growing healthily are those that focus on small groups ministry and discipleship where transformation of lives take place and disciples are made most effectively. Our emphasis must therefore be to enhance small-group ministry, and discipleship training and equipping.

MMS has established proper structure and institutions that are operationally effective and self-reliant over 29 years in most of our seven mission fields. Intentional training and leadership development have been the hallmark in equipping the indigenous leadership so that they can stand on their own in time to come. Even during this COVID season, the MMS mandate of church-planting and community development are still being effectively executed by the indigenous leadership supported by our missionaries.

MMS needs to adopt a holistic approach that should not just be during a season of global pandemic and economic crisis, but rightly belongs at the heart of mission. Mission work should minister the gospel to the whole person and community, and manifest God’s heart for the vulnerable (the poor; widows; orphans; and refugees), the spiritual gift of hospitality and Christianity’s foundational values of generosity and compassion.

Outreach and Evangelism mission must continue to be empowered, such as through the countless digital outreach resources that are available for churches and Christians who want to share their faith, such as inspiring stories, songs or films. Such resources when tailored to the local context can be more effective. This is where our Methodist churches and MMS can work together to enhance God’s mandate and fulfilled the Great Commandment.

Integrated mission also includes the powerful combination of the church-planting movement with community development that helps to uplift the livelihoods and transform the lives of those in indigenous communities.

A senior pastor from the Sri Lankan Evangelism Alliance lamented that “COVID-19 is teaching [indigenous churches] that the more dependent they are, the more they are going to suffer”. We need to help the indigenous churches and the communities they are in to first consider what they have available within their communities and to provide solution to communal problems and needs without too much dependence on outside resourcing, and build their financial capabilities and capacities to be selfreliant and self-sustainable.

Conclusion While COVID-19 presented an unprecedented challenge, it has spotlighted numerous gaps in society and opened up many inroads for evangelism, outreach, care and comfort of the people. In addition, it has forced a rethink in the way churches can maintain viable communication and discipleship, and the care and nurture of its members. From a missions perspective, the work is cut out for us to drive a holistic, sustainable approach to nurture self-sufficient churches and communities in the field.

The Rev Leslie Lim, MMS missionary pastor to Vietnam, connecting with his congregation via Zoom

News ¢ Text and photos courtesy of TRAC WSCS

TRAC WSCS has a new president

T

he biennial election of office bearers at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) Women's Society of Christian Service (WSCS) is usually held at an overseas location. The pandemic changed all norms, resulting in a virtual AGM that was conducted via Zoom on 10 Oct 2020. TRAC President, Bishop-Elect Dr Gordon Wong spoke at the start of the AGM and also at the installation service of elected officers at Pentecost Methodist Church. Speaking on Ephesians 3:14–21 and John 4, he reminded us that Christ must remain the focus of all our activities as we serve in love and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

150 participants attended this 45th AGM. It was not all business during the seven-hour meeting, as there were fun segments and fellowship in breakout rooms, as well as delicious coffee delivered by Ark Coffee.

Neo Lay Tin, who has been elected as TRAC WSCS President from 2020–22

A highlight of the AGM was the election of a new TRAC WSCS president, Neo Lay Tin, who was Bedok Methodist Church’s local WSCS president (2010–14) and chairperson of its Family Life ministry (2015–19). She was the former Executive Director of Children’s Cancer Foundation and serves on the board of the Parkinson Society Singapore. The ladies look forward to working alongside Lay Tin in the 2020–22 term.

Lay Tin succeeds Choo Lai Eng, who has completed her two terms as president. The ladies give thanks to the Lord for Lai Eng who, with boundless energy, initiated many programmes in TRAC WSCS over the past four years.

8

|

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

News ¢ By the Council on Education / Photos courtesy of the Council on Education

Methodist Preschools

A combined stake in the future of the Church—off to a good start!

Children from Kampong Kapor Methodist Church with their artwork

A town hall event for Foochow Methodist Church Kindergarten earlier this year

P

reschool education has traditionally been seen as a strength of the Church. Over the years, while commercial ones could shift their operations to the latest neighbourhood centres, the church kindergartens stayed put. Thus, as demographics changed over time, half of our church kindergartens have had to close after struggling for years with falling enrolment and substantial financial losses. In his speech to the pastors, management committee members, principals and staff who had gathered online for the annual Methodist Preschools Long Service Award ceremony, Bishop Dr Chong noted that, “We (the Church) were satisfied that we were providing low-cost kindergartens or preschool education to the community and neglected to have a holistic strategy to develop our teachers and upgrade our teaching resources.”

On 30 July 2020, The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) approved the setting up of a new agency to be called the Methodist Preschool Services Pte Ltd (MPSPL), which was then successfully incorporated on 4 Sep 2020. It will work with the local churches to take over the preschool businesses under one umbrella. Coming together as one will facilitate the integration of best practices in curriculum and administration, the introduction of unique learning experiences, as well as joint staff development. Kwok Wan Yee, Education Secretary, said, “With many centres under one umbrella, we can look forward to working closer together, drawing on one another’s strengths and being more courageous regarding innovations. We can also expect economies of scale and the harmonising of HR policy and practices, and build our brand on the Methodist heritage of excellence in education.”

Bishop Dr Chong conveyed that the Church must affirm that preschools are an important social responsibility of ours.

Secondly, preschools serve as “a very important bridgehead as the Church faces the spread of new movements and new doctrines that will affect future generations”. He reminded all that in order to establish steadfast values according to biblical truth, it is necessary to have proper and balanced teaching, beginning with the preschools. Thirdly, we are all urged to work towards “church to church, or preschool to preschool collaboration… We must have a kingdom mind-set, where we seek one another’s good, combine our resources to run together, for we have a combined stake in the future of the Church.” With that, the children in our Methodist preschools are “off to a good start!”

Henry Tan, Chairman of MPSPL, expressed, “We are so grateful that the leadership of MCS is fully behind the consolidating of Methodist preschools as we share common branding and curriculum. We hope to be able to provide a holistic education based on Christian values that helps to nurture our students’ potential.”

A town hall event for Foochow Methodist Church Kindergarten earlier this year

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

|9

Home ¢ Monica Lim runs a copywriting agency and a blog on kids and education. She is the author of The Good, the Bad and the PSLE, and has co-authored 14 children’s books with her daughter, Lesley-Anne, some of which have garnered awards. She is a member of Christ Methodist Church. / Photos courtesy of Monica Lim

Art pandemic

2

020 has been a strange year, to say the least. Shortly after I turned 50 in January, COVID-19 hit. Even though the impact on my business has been manageable, new jobs have been slow in coming in. As a result, I was left with a lot of free time—time to fret and stare at the ceiling, wondering if things were going to get worse before they got better.

Then my daughter suggested I take up art again. I don’t have art training but I dabbled in it mostly during my undergraduate days. Since then, I’d barely touched it, except for a few pieces in the 1990s. In May 2020, I decided to draw building sketches of the Spain family holiday we had taken in 2019, using markers. What started out as an activity to pass time quickly evolved into a whirlwind adventure in art that consumed me.

Monica Lim

One month after I picked up a marker, I started selling art for charity. At first, the hardest part was not the work, but parting with the drawings. I asked God, “Remove my attachment to the drawings and let my heart for the needy be bigger.” And remarkably, He did. By mid-July, I had sold 21 art pieces and raised almost $2,500.

和散那治丧服务

Hosanna Bereavement Services Your one-stop bereavement and funeral-related services

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

Hosanna Bereavement Services Pte Ltd

(A Subsidiary of the Methodist Co-operative Society Ltd)

Block 4 Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Industrial Park #01-1333 Singapore 319056 Tel: 6259-4560 Fax: 6259-4095 Email: hosannab@singnet.com.sg Web: www.hosannabereavement.com.sg

24-Hour Helpline:

Contact Ricky Guok @ 6352-7797

Monica’s first pet portrait commission Peggy (another pet portrait)

Sagrada Familia (one of the early Spain project drawings using markers)

Monica is selling her artwork and taking commissions for pet portraits. 80 per cent of

I also found my skills improving exponentially. I ventured into drawing animals, something which had previously been difficult for me, and found to my amazement that I now had a knack for it. I remember drawing a dog and telling God, “I’ve never drawn tongues or teeth—that looks impossible!” I just copied the reference photo as best as I could, stepped back and was shocked to discover that it looked realistic. No one was more excited than I was! I’m convinced God’s hand was guiding mine.

After successfully drawing ONE dog and ONE cat, I recklessly decided to offer pet portrait services to fund-raise. I guess I assumed God would come through for me.

“God, I offer my service, and you bring the customers, ok?”

I got my first commission almost right away, from a complete stranger. She didn’t want a cat or a dog, but two rabbits. “God, I’ve never drawn rabbits!” I prayed.

“Someone’s paying good money for this. You’ve gotta help me.” (Yes, I was trying to emotionally blackmail God.) And God, being gracious, acquiesced.

the price of each work will go to one of these four charities (the buyer’s choice): TWC2; HealthServe; Willing Hearts; or YWAM. The remaining will cover the cost of materials and postage.

For more information, go to artpandemic.blogspot.com fb.com/monartpandemic

After that, I received more commissions, and even as I struggled with some of them, they all miraculously turned out well each time. To date, over $4,800 has been raised for charity. People tell me my art is a gift and I agree—it is not a talent, but a present.

I’m finding this art journey incredibly fulfilling, and I believe that because I dedicated the gift to God to bless others, He’s blessing me in ways that I cannot fathom.

I don’t know where this is headed but wherever God leads, I’m ready.

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

| 11

ACS (International) Admissions Seminars for 2021 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).

School Senior Management Team

Post PSLE Seminar for Locals 26 November, 1pm & 3pm 27 November, 10am, 1pm & 3pm 28 November, 9:30am & 11:30am RSVP admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg Seminars will be held on Campus with School Tour

Mr Rob Burrough Principal

Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice Principal

Attendance is limited and by reservations only Venue: Oldham Chapel, ACS (International) 61 Jalan Hitam Manis, Singapore 278475 Please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg

Mr Gavin Kinch Vice Principal

Dr Kristopher Achter Vice Principal

Home ¢ By the MCS Communications Team / Photos courtesy of the Rev Benjamin Lee

J-WALK for SCGM

F

rom 1 Sep to 10 Oct 2020, the Rev Benjamin Lee from Wesley Methodist Church completed a 10km daily jog or walk (otherwise known as J-WALK), to raise funds for the Singapore Centre for Global Missions (SCGM) in his private capacity. By embarking on this 40-day personal endeavour, the Rev Ben’s target was one of the fund-raising campaigns to help raise $40K for SCGM’s 40th Anniversary.

The Rev Benjamin Lee walking 10km every day for 40 days, either alone, or with friends or family, to raise funds for SCGM

Throughout this J-WALK, the Rev Ben’s greatest motivation was his commitment as a Council member to the SCGM staff. Seeing the faith each of them has for the Lord’s work inspired him to press on.

His J-WALKs brought him many interesting observations and reflections. An early morning J-WALK had him wondering if the people around his estate, still fast asleep, truly had rest in Christ. A jog around a reservoir brought Matthew 7:24 to his mind, when seeing the same man run past him thrice led him to wonder “how we are running our lives and if we have the right destination in mind”. From learning to contemplate and enjoy being silent before the Lord in the midst of busyness, to appreciating the fellowship when people join him in the J-WALKs, it has helped him realise how important it is to cultivate time with the Lord and to journey with one another in our lives.

Just as God’s Word and presence sustains him, the Rev Ben’s wife supported and nourished him with food to help keep him in good health. She also provided wise advice—while the Rev Ben initially had not wanted to put a plaster on a blister that had formed during his J-WALK, it helped the blister to heal and for him to keep up his daily target. In the Rev Ben’s words, “real men listen to their wise wives”!

After the 40 days of daily 10km walks, the Rev Ben reflected on his journey: “Some days, what beats down is the sun; on other days, pours down is the rain—but on all days it is the Son who sustains. The sustaining grace of the Lord has been so evident to me through the 40 days, whether in strengthening my knees, or in providing loved ones and friends to J-WALK with me, or just having people send me encouraging words.

“Likewise, in the work of missions, because it is the Lord who has promised that He Himself will build the Church, it is ultimately He who will provide the sustaining grace to all who are persevering, and we can all hope and find strength and renewal in that.”

SCGM is a centre established by local pastors and missions leaders in Singapore for promoting world missions. Since 1980, we have been serving local churches in developing missions policies, training programmes and organising national level missions surveys, missions consultations and training seminars.

https://www.scgm.org.sg fb.com/SporeCGM From 1 Sep 2020 to 9 Feb 2021, in celebration of its 40th anniversary, SCGM will be raising $400k through various campaigns so that it can continue to support the ministerial work it does in Singapore, such as through urban missions, contextual missions, creation care and strategic thought leadership. For more information, go to:

https://www.scgm.org.sg/campaign

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

| 13

14

METHODIST MESSAGE, JULY 2013

Home ¢ By the MCS Communications Team / Photos courtesy of Joel and Ian Stephen

Blessed to serve

F

athers have always played a big part in impacting and influencing their children’s lives.

During the school break in May, Ian Jeriah Stephen, a Primary 5 student from Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) wondered why his father, Joel Stephen, was leaving home past midnight and only returning a couple of hours later. Ian later found out that his father had been helping his uncle, a pastor who runs a charity to deliver free meals to Muslim migrant workers before their fast during Ramadhan, and was inspired to help out.

Ian’s response was not an impulsive one—in the past, he had met many migrant workers through his church. He realised that they had left their families to come and work in Singapore so that they could provide a better life for those back home. He understood the hardships and struggles they faced, especially during the COVID-19 circuit breaker period.

(from left) Ian Jeriah Stephen with his father, Joel, mother and brother

The tiredness and lack of sleep from having to set off at 1.30 a.m. for a few nights did not stop Ian from volunteering. In fact, it made him realise how comfortable own life is in Singapore and he was glad to play a part in blessing these migrant workers.

He was also heartened to see so many others, from different walks of life, also coming forward to help deliver meals.

Because of Joel’s encouragement and reminder “to never forget about those that are needy and downtrodden in society as the heart of our Heavenly Father goes out to them”, Ian has made it a point to give to the needy and help his parents in their volunteer work, especially for the migrant workers.

Modelling after his own father who went at great lengths to care for others, Joel hopes to keep Ian and his other son, Ivan, grounded with the same values and principles just as he had been taught, “that we are most Christ-like when we truly see those around us with the compassion and concern that Christ would have for them and do what we can to extend a helping hand”.

He said, “Today, it’s so easy for them to get caught up with the busyness and the distractions of modern life and lose sight of what’s most important, a life lived with and for God. I’ve endeavoured to keep them grounded in their faith and to always value the love and togetherness of family. I know that out of this, the seeds of a life of purpose, centred around God, will bear fruit.”

A grateful migrant worker receiving the packed meals

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

| 15

Home ¢ Text and photos courtesy of St Francis Methodist School

God’s handiwork: St Francis Methodist School’s 60th anniversary “ F o r w e a r e G o d ’s h a n d i w o r k , c r e a t e d i n C h r i s t J e s u s t o d o g o o d w o r k s , w h i c h G o d p r e p a r e d i n a d v a n ce f o r u s t o d o . ” Eph 2:10 NIV

T

his year, St Francis Methodist School (SFMS) celebrates 60 purpose-driven years with an overarching theme that epitomises the school’s purpose and values: God’s handiwork, created to do good works.

We launched a year-long celebration to mark this significant milestone. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the events and activities have to be conducted virtually or scaled down.

The beginning A special video montage to encourage the migrant workers in Singapore

SFMS was founded in 1960 by the honourable Mrs Harriet Doraisamy. She started the school, then known as St Francis Girls’ School, to help 27 students prepare for their national examinations.

“The training of a good citizen does not only involve academic education. Most important of all is the instilling, in the hearts and minds of pupils, their concern for the well-being of their fellowman. I feel the school is the place where this spirit can be embedded.”

Founder Mrs Harriet Doraisamy and a student

—Mrs Harriet Doraisamy

In line with Mrs Doraisamy’s vision, the students actively served the interests of the community through outreach activities, such as visiting orphanages and helping in fund-raising events.

Year 11 students from the IBDP collected donated items to bless 2 nursing homes and a children’s home

16

|

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

A studentorganised activity for the residents of an old folks’ home

When Mrs Doraisamy retired in 1995, she handed the school over to The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS).

The school was renamed St Francis Methodist School and became co-educational. SFMS moved to its present location at Upper Bukit Timah Road in 2001.

Giving back SFMS has been continuing our founder’s spirit of giving and John Wesley’s belief in the importance of character building. This is even more so as our 60th anniversary we celebrated our 60th anniversary this year.

With the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affecting lives and morale, SFMS rallied to encourage and express our gratitude to frontline healthcare workers and the school’s service providers through beautiful handmade cards with heartfelt messages of hope and appreciation. We also cheered our migrant friends in Singapore on with a video montage of prayers and words of encouragement.

When everyone returned to school for classes, the Student Service Learning (SSL) team and our pioneer cohort of Year 11 students from the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) collaborated in a donation drive to bless two nursing homes and a children’s home.

All played a part in ensuring the success of this drive— parents generously contributed food and daily necessities, students and staff helped pack the items, and students also coloured Bible verses and folded wishing stars to boost the recipients’ morale.

Founded in 1960, St Francis Methodist School (SFMS) is an established local private school, offering

primary,

secondary

and

pre-tertiary

education in Singapore. SFMS offers a Singapore approach to learning in an international school environment, and is the first choice for pursuing the

Cambridge

Immersion

Primary

Programme,

Programme,

English

Singapore-Cambridge

GCE ‘O’ Level, Cambridge IGCSE, Upper Secondary Australian Matriculation Programme (AUSMAT), Western

Australian

Certificate

of

Education

(WACE) and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). SFMS provides students with opportunities to grow holistically and achieve

Giving thanks

their aspirations. Guided by the Word of God,

We are thankful to God for His many blessings. Wonderful stories of God’s blessings have been compiled into a fourpart series, with each part recounting the milestones that have shaped the school as well as showcasing stories from staff members and alumni. To commemorate our 60th anniversary, each student and staff member received a limited edition 60th Anniversary EZ-Link card.

SFMS empowers individuals to fulfil their purpose

We are also thankful for our school pioneers and leaders.

Under their capable leadership, the school flourished and is today, a vibrant international learning community with over 20 nationalities.

of doing good works.

492 Upper Bukit Timah Road, S(678095) 6760-0889 www.sfms.edu.sg enquiry@sfms.edu.sg fb.com/sfms.singapore @sfms_sg

We praise God that we can fulfil our purpose of doing good works, and by His grace, to continue doing so as SFMS progresses beyond 60. To God be all the glory!

St Francis Methodist School’s present location at 492 Upper Bukit Timah Road

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

| 17

Home ¢ By the MCS Communications Team / Photos courtesy of Dennis Tan, Liaw Ann Shin and Vinnie Chua

Methodist youths and creation care “It’s okay, God will give us a new Earth anyway.”

Is this a mindset that we fall into when faced with environmental issues?

Fortunately, we have members of our community like Dennis Tan, Liaw Ann Shin and Vinnie Chua, whose mission is to advocate for creation care.

Brought together by mutual friends and a shared passion for nature, this group of university students came together with fellow Christians to form Creation Care SG. They hope that more Christians will see caring for God’s world as a central part of our faith, and for unified efforts to make churches more sustainable.

Liaw Ann Shin

The seeds of their efforts have already begun to sprout. Back in July, Dennis, who attends Sengkang Methodist Church (MC), had the idea to create a devotional about creation care. With the help of many Methodists, lay and clerical, this resulted in the Seasons of Creation devotional. 1 Within their own churches, Dennis, Shin and Vinnie have also seen efforts cut down on waste such as recycling paper bulletins and reducing plastic use.

Still, there is a long way to go for local creation care ministries. Creation Care SG realises that while church leaders have begun to realise the

Dennis Tan

importance of creation care, and some church have taken some steps towards sustainability, most of their members don’t really know what creation care is about, or what their churches have done. The group hopes that more pastors will share the biblical perspective of environmental issues, as caring for God’s world is one of the Methodist Social Principles.

They also hope for more corporate prayer for the environment; reducing waste at church events, and ultimately to move beyond individual churches’ efforts by recognising that creation care is the duty of every Christian.

As young adults on a mission, they are keeping faith that God will provide avenues for them to further their cause, both in job prospects as well as within church. “I think that we have to remember that creation care is something that God has called all Christians to do and that he will help us

Vinnie Chua

Follow

Creation Care SG at

fb.com/creationcare.sg

in our journey to achieve this,” says Vinnie, who is from Bukit Panjang MC. Adding on, Shin, from Faith MC, reminds us: “Keep exploring and be open to various opportunities and even when prospects look bad, trust that wherever God places us, He can use us mightily to be a blessing to society.”

@creationcare.sg

18

|

1 Download Seasons of Creation at https://methodist.org.sg/index.php/what-s-happening/610season-of-creation-devotionals

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

Welfare Services ¢ By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team / Visuals courtesy of Methodist Welfare Services

Easing the Burden of

T

COVID-19

he COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone hard, especially the vulnerable in our community who are already facing challenging circumstances.

When Joey Loh, a social worker from Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), first visited her in Feb 2020, Mdm H was already in dire straits. Married with four young children, she was then in the process of divorcing her abusive husband.

He was an absent father who was hardly around and only supported the family by way of paying the children’s school fees. On her logistics assistant’s salary, she was barely making ends meet.

File photo of counselling in action

The COVID-19 effect When the COVID-19 pandemic surfaced, Mdm H’s company changed her working hours from 8.30 a.m.–6.15 p.m. to 6.30 a.m.–4 p.m., in line with safety measures. This meant that she could no longer send her children to preschool and primary school before she started work. Her divorce had just been finalised, and without caregiving support from her exhusband, she was left with no choice but to leave her job.

Things got worse when the circuit breaker period started in Apr 2020. With the children cooped up at home with not much to do, they became more demanding, causing Mdm H to reach her breaking point.

“I was close to committing suicide, but Joey picked me up and helped me,” she revealed.

The social worker had told her: “If you were to commit suicide, your kids would lose you. Their father isn’t going to take care of them. How would your kids survive without you?”

A Welcome Relief To help Mdm H tide through the tough time, Joey helped her apply for funds under the Donate to Bless campaign, which MWS had established to provide financial assistance of $1,350 each to 1,000 affected families. To date, the campaign has raised more than $1.5 million and received applications for financial assistance from over 800 families.

“I received $1,350, which I used to pay bills and settle a loan payment with my aunt. I had borrowed from her earlier and I’m now paying her back monthly.

“I was really glad to have the money as my kids can finally enjoy the food they want. I normally make plain rice with kicap (a type of soy sauce), but when I used some of the money to buy some prawns, they were so happy,” shared Mdm H, her voice cracking with emotion.

Things are looking up for Mdm H now, as she has moved into a rental flat with her children and no longer has to put up with domestic violence and embarrassment. Her children have returned to school, and are gainfully occupied.

She has also been applying for jobs in the logistics industry, and is looking forward to the day when she can have an income to support the family.

To support MWS’ other fundraising initiatives, please visit mws.sg/give or scan the QR code.

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

| 19

Missions ¢ Grace Chung serves as MMS Church Engagement Manager. She chaired the Task Force that planned and conducted the Virtual Missionaries’ Retreat 2020. / Photo courtesy of MMS

RESTing in the Lord!

Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matt 11:28

E

very two years, the Methodist Missions Society (MMS) invites all our missionaries and their families to our Missionaries’ Retreat, normally held in a hotel in West Malaysia. With COVID-19 travel restrictions travel, we had to leverage on technology to continue to have our 2020 Retreat, albeit in the virtual realm.

There were challenges in bringing 57 participants—our missionaries from our seven mission fields and our home staff—together in a virtual environment, as well deciding on a timing of the retreat that worked for everyone. But none of these challenges deterred us from having our first virtual Missionaries’ Retreat from 25 to 26 Sep 2020. We believe in the faithfulness of God and His promises, that all things will become good when we focus on His plans, and not ours.

After much deliberation, our team and our personnel committee (PC) established our theme for this retreat: “Refresh, Engage, Share, Touch.” The retreat’s objective was to uplift our missionaries spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. In these challenging times, it is imperative that we care for the holistic well-being of our missionaries and their families.

To achieve this, the planned programme included sharing by our guest speaker Mr Daniel Wong, the Minister-atLarge of OMF, on the topics of missionary self-care in areas including re-entry, engagement, strengthening relationships and transformation. Retreat participants were then provided with updates on the proposed amendments to the personnel policy for missionaries. These sessions were discussed in breakout sessions, facilitated by MMS

Registration at our Columbarium Office (Level 5) Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm (Closed on Public Holidays).

20

|

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

Tel: 6479 8122 HP: 9670 9935 or Fax: 6479 6960 Email: veronicalowjmc@yahoo.com.sg

Participants at the MMS Missionaries’ Retreat

leadership and PC members. Mr Alvin Tan, Chairman of MMS, shared about MMS Strategic Overview and Col (Ret) Quek Koh Eng, MMS Field and Church Engagement Director, shared on Post COVID-19 Relevancy—the Implications of COVID-19. 1

Our missionaries shared that they were greatly blessed by the experience.

•

It was not all serious work as our missionaries had a great and fun time with specially-chosen online games. They also had virtual meals together with their breakout group members. A segment on our missionary kids was also part of the programme. Fellowshipping and engaging our Home staff and PC members were also well-received.

“The retreat was a wonderful time of sharing, learning and fellowship. I learnt about our missionary kids too! And importantly, about praying for one another and our mission fields.”

•

“My expectations were more than met, and I could experience the presence of the Holy Spirit as we shared and prayed together for MMS.”

To end the retreat, we had a Closing and Affirmation Service to affirm our Timor-Leste missionary, Rasanya Gnasegaran, as an MMS missionary as she had completed her internship. Throughout the two days, we were privileged to have Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung, BishopElect Dr Gordon Wong, the President of the Chinese Annual Conference, the Rev Dr Gregory Goh Nai Lat, and the President of the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference, the Rev James Nagulan, to encourage, inspire and pray for our missionaries and mission fields.

This has been a momentous retreat—the first time one to be conducted in a virtual environment. The theme and objectives set were met in a wonderful and exuberant atmosphere. The organising task force has been blessed by the success of the retreat, and we give thanks to our Almighty God for the privilege to serve not just our missionaries, but also our Lord. We have been humbled

by His faithfulness.

Please pray for: •

God’s protection over all our missionaries, national pastors, leaders, as well as their families in MMS mission fields as they share the love of God and ensure ministry continuity in their respective churches as they fulfil the Great Commission.

•

Members and friends to continue to provide financial support to the MMS General Fund, which will enable MMS to meet our ministry needs in our mission fields.

1

An abridged version of Col (Ret) Quek’s sharing can be found on page 6.

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

| 21

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.

Lest we forget Connection, compassion, constants “Lest we forget”

is often associated with remembrance ceremonies of the Great Wars. It is an appeal to the living not to repeat the mistakes that led to such tragic waste of lives. An estimated 40 million lives were lost in World War One. Unfortunately, humankind soon forgot any lessons learnt—40 years later, another 60 million died in World War Two. This phrase came to mind during the current post-circuit breaker phase. During the circuit breaker, our lives and routines were severely disrupted. Many had to work from home or lost their jobs entirely. Our children did home-based learning and could not play outdoors. Social gatherings were severely restricted and entertainment venues shut.

With the disruption came unexpected benefits, including relationships. Family-centred activities increased, with some trying their hand at baking and cooking together.

A downside was when tempers flared as family members had a bit too much of each other. Even as there were curbs on face-to-face contact, family and friends found ways to stay connected. When we were not able to gather physically to worship God, many more spiritual-related “gatherings” occurred, albeit online. It was as if we remembered to value relationships and connections.

As the circuit breaker restrictions are slowly being eased, it appears that life is returning to how it was pre-COVID-19.

The focus now seems to be on making up for lost time and opportunities, and on opening up the economy safely.

22

|

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

In our haste to resume “normal” life, let us not forget what we have learnt nor the things we have come to appreciate.

So here is my attempt to remind ourselves lest we forget.

Firstly, the importance of social connection. The lack of social contact not only makes us feel isolated; it can trigger depressive feelings and moods. With social interaction being restricted to limit possible transmission of COVID-19, many have come to treasure times when we can visit family and friends. Even though the urge for connection may be met through phone calls or online chats, these do not come close to the face-to-face encounters.

Secondly, the surprise of compassion. News reports of acts of compassion, sometimes by complete strangers, never cease to encourage me. I am heartened to read about the selfless dedication shown by the carers, healthcare professionals and essential service providers who went above and beyond the call of duty while taking considerable personal risk. It would seem that in giving, the giver receives too—be it the joy or the satisfaction of helping a fellow human being. It is through such acts of compassion we rediscover our humanity.

Lastly, the reminder of constants. Jobs may come and go and health may wane, but there are constants in life we all cling to for hope. They may be our belief in humankind, the wealth of care of family, or our faith in the Almighty.

What is the constant that you are reminded of during these difficult times? What is the constant that you cling to? And what precious lessons do you want to hang on to?

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.

In Your Kingdom Lord

I

n response to the issue of racism and protests in North America, Lim Swee Hong, who is a member of Wesley Methodist Church and was a lecturer at Trinity Theological

College from 2006–10, wrote this song to “remind us about the essence of our faith at a time when society privileges the ‘well-to-do’—particularly those who are in the majority, and have access to power, wealth and fame”. 1 Although it was written in the context of North America, where Swee Hong is based, the issue is germane to Asia as well.

Embracing those who are different from us is a fundamental teaching from our Lord. Swee Hong explains further: “We as God’s people need to be aware and return to living out the teaching of our Lord about loving God with our heart, mind, soul and strength and loving our neighbours (which I define as those who are different from us). This is the way in which our worship becomes acceptable to God; only then can we experience God’s kingdom breaking into this world.” 2

IN YOUR KINGDOM LORD In your kingdom Lord there is justice and peace. in your kingdom Lord there is love.

In your kingdom Lord one need not be rich, to be welcomed to your feast

The song describes God’s kingdom as a place where there is

Chorus:

justice and peace, love and unity. But it raises doubt whether

Can your kingdom really be present in our time Where hate and fear prevail?

Can your kingdom really be where evil has no place And everyone feels safe.

this kingdom is one that we can experience in our present time. The second stanza alludes to Isaiah 11:6 with the imagery of the wolf feasting with the lamb. This is a familiar verse but needs us to grasp its implication to our daily living.

The wolf and lamb imagery is followed by the phrase, “In your kingdom Lord, love is the seal to all who call you Lord”.

Putting these two together—unless we who love the Lord live the seal we carry, there will be no feasting of the wolf and the lamb.

In your kingdom Lord the wolf and the lamb shall feast together as friends.

In your kingdom Lord Love is the seal that marks all who call you Lord.

The song concludes with a prayer for strength that we might

Coda:

have hope. The prayer in the song hopes for the kingdom of

May your kingdom come O God. Strengthen your people with hope May your kingdom come O God. Justice and peace to prevail.

God to come soon!

This is an appropriate song to include in our Advent repertoire.

Advent is a season of waiting. We know that. But what do we do while we wait?

Words and Music Lim Swee Hong

Email to writer, 5 Sep 2020. The third line of the song was originally “one need not be white”. To suit the Asian context, the phrase was changed to “one need not be privileged”. However, the word privileged has three syllables to one note and creates an awkward inflection. “One need not be rich” was the better choice.

1

2

Ibid.

Scan the QR codes to listen to the hymn

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)

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

I

n The Future of Evangelical Christianity, Donald Bloesch expressed his anxiety over the perceptible theological immaturity of the evangelical Church.

“Modern evangelicalism”, he writes, “is confronted with the embarrassing fact that its special emphases reveal considerable theological immaturity and even theological heterodoxy rather than dynamic vibrant orthodoxy”. 1

Evangelical Christians have prided themselves as the heirs of the 16th century Reformers in that they uphold Holy Scriptures as the authoritative Word of God. However, their general disregard for Christian tradition and the individualistic ethos they seem to have imbibed have made this belief in Scripture’s absolute authority in faith and conduct a dangerous liability.

The noted theologian and scholar of Reformation theology, Timothy George, identifies the trenchant individualism of modern culture as its cause—“many Evangelicals interpret their own conversion as the supreme act of individualism, a private response detached, if not divorced, from the corporate community of faith”. 2

Without the guidance of tradition, evangelical Christians have in their possession an authoritative text (Scripture) but without an authoritative interpreter. In a culture of postmodern individualism and subjectivism, where there is no objective truth, and where we create our own meanings, the Bible is often interpreted and applied in idiosyncratic and harmful ways when the guiding light of tradition is ignored.

In disregarding tradition, evangelical Christians have simply failed to acknowledge the fact that the Church has been reading Scripture, as well as appropriating and applying its teaching throughout her history. They seem to think, rather naively (or perhaps even arrogantly), that this rich history of interpretation and theological reflection has nothing to teach them about how the Bible should be read and understood.

Some writers have laid the blame for the current malaise in contemporary evangelical Christianity at the door of the 16th century Reformers. This, however, betrays a somewhat caricatured understanding of the Reformers.

To be sure, Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin emphasised the supreme and unrivalled authority of Scripture in their famous assertion sola scriptura (Scripture alone). However, although the Reformers insisted on the primary authority of the Bible, they also revered the secondary authority of Christian tradition.

In Luther’s Large Catechism, we find these words: “Here you find the whole essence of God, his will and his work beautifully portrayed in few but comprehensive words. In them all our wisdom consists—a wisdom which transcends all human wisdom.”

The Reformer is not here describing the Bible, but the Apostles’ Creed. He boldly adds that “the Creed brings us full mercy, sanctified us and makes us acceptable to God.” In the same way, John Wesley, who claimed to be homo unius libri (“man of one book”), read voraciously across the traditions—especially the writings of the early Church Fathers—and drew extensively from them. As Albert Outler has observed, while Wesley affirmed the Protestant principle of sola scriptura he interpreted sola to mean “primarily” rather than “solely”.

In a book that deserves more serious attention than it has received, the Methodist theologian William Abraham perceptively states that: The Church possesses not just a canon of books in its bible, but also a canon of doctrine, a canon of saints, a canon of Fathers, a canon of theologians, a canon of liturgy, a canon of bishops, a canon of councils, a canon of ecclesiastical regulations, a canon of icons, and the like.

It is this body of tradition, in all its richness and diversity, that should guide the Church in every age in her reading of the Bible.

Properly understood, Christian tradition may be said to be the result of the work of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth whose role is to guide the Church into all truth (John 16:13). This is the same Spirit who inspired the writers and texts of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16–17).

Thus, while evangelical Christians must continue to uphold the supreme authority of Scripture, and diligently read it as the Word of God, they must never ignore the voice of tradition. For to fail to come under the tutelage of the Church’s rich theological and spiritual traditions is to become susceptible to the seductions of the tempers of our time and the spirit of the age (zeitgeist).

Donald Blesch, The Future of Evangelical Christianity: A Call for Unity Amid Diversity (Colorado Springs, CO: Helmers and Howard, 1988), 9.

1

Timothy George, “An Evangelical Reflection on Scripture and Tradition,” in Your Word is Truth: A Project of Evangelicals and Catholics Together, eds. Charles Colson and Richard Neuhaus (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2002), 13.

2

3 Martin Luther, Luther’s Large Catechism, trans. J. N. Lenker (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1967), chapters 165, 167.

4 John Wesley, “A Plain Account of Christian Perfection,” in The Works of Rev. John Wesley, Vol. XI, ed. Thomas Jackson (London: Wesleyan Methodist Book Room, 1829–31. Reprinted Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1978), 373.

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

| 25

TRAC Bible Matters ¢ The Rev Clarence Lee has been a TRAC pastor since 2010. He is currently pastoring at Rangsit Methodist Church in Thailand under the Methodist Missions Society.

Should all disciples handle poisonous snakes?

W

hen I came across this question, my first thought was not how to answer it, but: “Why the question?” For those living in Singapore, snake-handling may be far removed from any association with the Christian faith.

This, however, is not the case in the Appalachian region of the United States. Snake-handling has been a practice in some churches there since the early 20th Century and is still prevalent today. This practice was popularised throughout southeast USA by George Went Hensley (1880– 1955), a Church of God Holiness Movement pastor who travelled the region to promote it.

Hensley required snake handling as evidence of salvation. He argued that if believers really had the Holy Spirit within them, they should be able to handle rattlesnakes and other venomous snakes. They should also be able to drink poison and suffer no harm whatsoever. He based his teaching on Mark 16:17—18: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

26

|

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

Verse 18 seems to suggest that all disciples should be able to handle poisonous snakes without being harmed—is this correct?

First, how reliable are these verses?

Many of our Bibles have a statement at the end of Mark 16:8 to the effect that Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include Mark 16:9—20. What does this mean?

In brief, the New Testament is not derived from “autograph copies”— i.e. the original document written by the author—since they are lost to us. Rather, the New Testament is put together from manuscripts—i.e. handwritten copies of the original— of which more than 5000 exist, dating from about AD 135 (or earlier) to AD 1200 at the latest. 1 They show remarkable agreement in general.

Naturally, the earlier the date of the manuscript, the more reliable it would be its accuracy, since it is closer to the time of the actual events. Yet we are told in our Bibles that the earliest manuscripts do not include verses 9 to 20!

New Testament scholar James R. Edwards asserts: “The two oldest and most important manuscripts of the Bible, codex Vaticanus (B) and codex Sinaiticus (‫)א‬, omit 16:9—20, as do several early translations or versions, including the Old Latin, the Sinaitic

Syriac manuscript, about one hundred Armenian manuscripts, and the two oldest Georgian manuscripts.” 2 Even early Church Fathers like Clement of Alexandria and Origen do not show any awareness of the existence of the longer ending, and Eusebius and Jerome attest that verses 9 to 20 were absent from the majority of Greek copies of Mark known to them. 3 Moreover, the non-sequitur nature of its contents, coupled with its obvious knowledge of subject matter in the other three Gospels 4 (which were dated later than Mark), all cause scholars to conclude that this “longer ending” of Mark must have been inserted later (perhaps by the early Church) to smoothen out what seemed to them an inadequate or lost ending. 5 Nevertheless, this does not necessarily render its contents inauthentic. We just need to be aware that it was most probably not written

by Mark himself.

Second, do we really have an instruction here to pick up snakes?

The verb “will pick up” in verse 18 (ἀροῦσιν) is an indicative verb, not an imperative one. The same verb is used in Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:11, when the devil tempted Jesus to throw himself off the highest point in the temple by saying that, as the Scriptures promised, God would command His angels to “lift

you up” (ἀροῦσιν). This suggests a “lifting/picking up” that may come in response to a previous action, rather than an instruction to actively do something.

Verse 17 supports this drift by clearly saying: “And these signs will accompany those who believe…”

We can therefore safely say that the actions, which follow this line, are those that come by way of accompaniment, rather than an action to be initiated.

As such, what circumstances could the author(s) of this verse possibly be thinking of, when they wrote about Christians picking up snakes in response, and not being harmed in the process? Scholars believe that it is most probably the incident in Acts 28, where Paul and other prisoners landed in Malta, following a shipwreck. The islanders treated them kindly and built a fire to keep them warm. When a viper emerged from the firewood and fastened itself on Paul’s hand, the islanders thought Paul must be so evil that he could not escape death, even though saved from the shipwreck. But seeing that Paul suffered no ill-effects whatsoever, they concluded that he must be a god, which probably facilitated his witness to them.

The author very likely had this incident in mind, since these verses appear in an ending that was later included in Mark’s Gospel. If this was indeed the author’s reference, we can once again confirm that the actions in verses 17—18 are more of responses to situations that occur, rather than initiatives to prove a position, or a feature to be made a regular in the life of the Church.

Third, what is the biblical stance towards snakes in general?

The Bible has at least 53 verses referring to snakes or the like. 6 Most

of these verses speak of snakes in a negative light. For example, they are described as dangerous to both animals and humans, 7 as poisonous 8 and creatures we hope to render harmless one day. 9 They are used to refer to Israel’s enemies, 10 to things harmful, 11 to the ungodly 12 and to Satan. 13 Only a handful of verses see the creature used to convey something positive. In John 3:14—15, for example, it is used for comparison to Christ’s crucifixion and the salvation it gives. John’s reference for these verses was Numbers 21:7—9, where Moses, under the Lord’s instruction, made a bronze snake and set it on a pole, so that those bitten by fiery serpents would look at it and live.

Nevertheless, this bronze snake that “saved” does not erase the fact that the people’s affliction came by way of snakes in the first place. And interestingly, Moses’ bronze image later became an idol that Hezekiah had to destroy, as people were making offerings to it. 14 We see, therefore, that by and large, the biblical witness takes a rather grim outlook on the creature, and is certainly not a source that promotes an active handling of snakes. The snake is, in general, a harmful creature, which God may also use to mete out judgment.

Allow me to highlight one verse in particular. 1 Corinthians 10:9 says: “We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.” Clearly, we are not to “test” Christ (or “the Lord” in some manuscripts). New Testament scholar Leon Morris says that “testing” here has the idea of “seeing how far one can go” with God. Some people have tested God’s limits in this way, Paul tells us, and were consequently killed by snakes.

Reading this verse, I recall that many of the snake-handling preachers of our time died after being bitten by poisonous snakes. George Went Hensley himself died from the bite of a snake he brought to a Sunday Service. Jamie Coots, another famous snake-handling preacher, also died this way. And so did many others.

Were these not a consequence of their “testing” God? In conclusion, it is quite clear that the Bible does not instruct us to handle poisonous snakes. On a practical note, I am rather thankful. There are many snakes within the vicinity of our church here at Rangsit in Pathum Thani, Thailand, and it would not be difficult to find one for Sunday Service. But I think my members would protest! They are more than familiar with the harm and potential danger snakes can pose to their children and the community.

The views expressed in this article are personal and may not reflect the official position of The Methodist Church in Singapore. This version of the article has been edited for brevity. A full version of the article can be found at http://www.tracmcs.org.sg/index.php/resources/biblematters?layout=edit&id=264

1 Edwards, J. R., The Gospel according to Mark, (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), p. 497. / 2Ibid. / 3 Ibid. /4For instance, John 20:1–8 (the story of Mary Magdalene), Luke 24:13–35 (the story of the Emmaus road), and Matthew 28:18–20 (the Great Commission). / 5Cole, R. A., Mark: An Introduction and Commentary—Vol. 2, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989), p. 342. / 6 Manser, M. H. Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009). / 7Ge 49:17. See also Ge 3:15; Ex 4:3; 7:9-13; Pr 23:32; Ecc 10:8,11; Isa 30:6; Ac 28:3-6. / 8Isa 14:29.

See also Dt 8:15; 32:33; Job 20:14,16; Rev 9:19. / 9 Isa 11:8. / 7 Isa 27:1; Jer 46:22; 51:34. / 10 Mt 7:9-10 pp; Lk 11:11. / 11Ps 58:4-5 See also Ps 140:3; Mt 3:7; 12:34; 23:33; Ro 3:13. / 12Rev 12:9 See also Ge 3:1-13; 2Co 11:3; Rev 20:2. / 13 2 Kgs 18:4. / 14Morris, L ., 1 Corinthians: an introduction and commentary—Vol. 7. (Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 1985), 141.

METHODIST MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2020

| 27

Home ¢ Christopher Chow is a member of Barker Road Methodist Church. He is the chairperson of the Prison Ministry and Epworth Community Services. / Photo courtesy of Christopher Chow

What does being a

Methodist mean to you?

Christopher Chow with his wife, Cynthia

A

s I have never gone through any structured instruction on Methodism, it is sometimes a challenge for me to provide an explanation of its core tenets and practices. Rather, my understanding of Methodism was developed through the actions of my fellow Methodists around me.

When I was in Anglo-Chinese School (ACS), those in the ACS family, my teachers, classmates and peers in the Boys’ Brigade showed me through their actions what God’s love is and how this mighty educational institution was established by the faithfulness of an impoverished preacher who answered God’s call. When I was in the army, my commanding officer inspired me to invest my energies to care for those who had been incarcerated, something which I am still motivated to do today. In church, I was blessed by pastors such as the Rev Dr Malcolm Tan and the Rev Dr Chiu Ming Li, who reminded me through their actions whilst the big picture is important in Christian leadership, we are to never forget to love and care for the individual, for the God we serve is as concerned for the humble sparrow as much as he is for mighty nations.

For me, being a Methodist is about not only knowing His Word but living it as well. It is to “preach the gospel at all times; use words if necessary”.

NOVEMBER

Looking Ahead ¢

Scan to see events online!

PRAY FOR THE 45th SESSION OF THE ANNUAL CONFERENCES 6 to 7 Nov 2020 (ETAC); 16 to19 Nov 2020 (CAC); 23 to 26 Nov 2020 (TRAC)

Pray for the election of the presidents and God’s guidance as the clergy and lay delegates gather to discuss future plans as a conference and share about their ministries. Pray also for the logistics and preparation of meetings, including all technical details and measures required. Representatives from General Conference councils and Methodist-linked organisations will also be sharing about their ministries.

NOVEMBER

Organised by Annual Conference offices. For more info, please contact your respective Annual Conference office.

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON MENTAL HEALTH 14 Nov 2020 (Saturday), 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. via ZOOM 9220-8954 (Priscilla Low) priscillalow@trac-mcs.org.sg

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic extend beyond physical pain, the area of mental health has been the centre of many discussions as people around the world grapple with having to cope alone while being under lockdown or facing stress over lost livelihoods and lives of loved ones. The speaker, Dr Jared Ng, a consultant at the Institute of Mental Health, Singapore will share his experiences of understanding and coming to terms with the impact that the current health crisis may have on our elderly.

JANUARY

Organised by TRAC Seniors Ministry, supported by Agency for Integrated Care

COMPANIONS IN CHRIST LEADERS’ TRAINING 2021 14 Jan (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.); 15 Jan (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) 2021 TBC $140 (includes 2 light breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 love feast, leader’s guide and training materials) https://disciple.methodist.org.sg Register at https://disciple.methodist.org.sg/index.php/en/component/rsform/form/12-companions-in-christleaders-training (closing date 24 Dec 2020) fb.com/Disciple.Singapore disciple@methodist.org.sg 6765-5301

The Companions in Christ (CIC) series offer a powerfully transforming small group experience that builds spiritual practices within congregations, helping participants be more fully open to God and to one another.

CIC encompasses 28 weeks of Scripture reading of regular sessions beginning with a reading followed by five daily exercises that help illuminate the theme and prepare for the small group meeting.

• Learn classic spiritual practices, and develop new daily patterns • Deepen relationship with God and with the group • Help build spiritual companions in Christ, support each other and take a spiritual journey Organised by Disciple Agency

MCS WHATSAPP BROADCAST GROUP In this unpredictable and spiritually challenging time, MCS will send updates, information and prayers when you sign up with our latest Whatsapp Broadcast Group!

Here’s how.

First, please save +65 6478-4786 in your phone contacts as “MCS”. (Please note that you will not be able to receive broadcast messages without saving the number.) Then complete the form found here: https://tinyurl.com/mcswhatsapp, and you are done! :)

THINK ¢ Carol Loi is the International Director of Generations of Virtue, a ministry that is committed to teaching sexual wholeness and integrity, and equipping families to transform culture.

Raising a resilient

generation in a complex world

I

was raised in a Christian home and studied at a Methodist primary school. When I was about 14 years old, I dropped out of church. Over the next 20 years, I was an atheist.

I started to consider going back to church when expecting my younger daughter. I felt it was getting hard to be a parent in an increasingly complex world and believed I needed an anchor to raise my children.

So I explored going to back to my Christian roots.

About nine months after going back to church, I was baptised. It took another three years of prayers and humility before my husband decided to do the same.

Over the next decade, my children grew up in church, assimilated to youth groups smoothly and decided to be baptised. As a family, we make efforts to grow spiritually together—we attended prayer meetings and conferences together, went on family retreats and prayed and served together.

I am now the International Director of Generations of Virtue, a ministry that is committed to transforming culture for the glory of God, one family at a time. I am also a Colson Fellow, commissioned by the Colson Center for Christian Worldview to equip fellow Christians in forming a true and coherent understanding of the world so as to deal effectively with the controversies of this cultural moment. I run a social enterprise providing digital literacy education, leadership and family life education as well as mental toughness training.

Because of my “wilderness” experience, I can relate to those who have doubts and drift away from church. I have three key learning points: 1. It is important to provide a safe space for youth to raise questions and discover Truth for themselves.

This can help them to build their own faith and convictions. Ideally this should start in the home.

This means having the humility to say “I don’t know, but let’s find out together” when they raise questions that stump us.

2. Confidence in raising the next generation involves continuous learning and application of the learning.

This could mean using apologetics to reach the hearts and minds of youth. It could also involve intentional discipleship through journeying with youth, creating opportunities for them to connect faith and life, and to wrestle with the complex issues that they face so that they can have confidence and clarity to be effective ambassadors of Christ.

3. Praying for and with our children is the most foundational aspect of being a good steward of the lives that God has given us the privilege to train up the way that they should go. Simple acts like praying a blessing for our children as they leave home for school each morning, and praying a blessing for them before they go to bed can be great connection time with our family and God.

Be part of the movement to raise a resilient generation Contact me at carol@generationsofvirtue.org for Generations of Virtue’s latest learning opportunities. You can also follow the ministry in Telegram at https://t.me/GOVasia , as well as Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GenerationsOfVirtueAsia