0129-6868MCI MCI (P) ISSNISSN 0129-6868 (P)019/11/2017 057/11/2018
Vol 121 No 10 • OCT 2019
inside
this issue...
message.methodist.org.sg message.methodist.org.sg
Bishop’s message The Church and mental health
Covenant Community MC Celebrating 25 years
MCS focus Church counselling
page 3
pages 12–13
pages 15–16
NEWS Elena Yeo is currently a pastoral ministry staff at Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church, serving in the children and youth ministry.
GOOD FUN, GOOD GAMES AND UNITY IN THE MIDST OF DIVERSITY
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he Harmony Games, an ecumenical event, is organised each year by a different religious group, and this year, the cycle went a complete round back to the National Council of Churches (NCCS). This year’s Games was held on 24 August at Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church (TA CMC)—a Chinese Annual Conference church that has just celebrated its 130th anniversary. TA CMC was gazetted as a national monument in 1989, which made it an appropriate location for an event of such significance and value. A total of 31 groups registered for this year’s Harmony Games— these included Muslim students from Islamic studies at Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamiah, Catholic students from CHIJ St Theresa’s Convent, as well as Christian students from Trinity Theological College. There were young students, along with senior members of our local community from groups such as the Singapore Taoist Federation, the Sri Mariamman Temple as well as the Singapore Khalsa Association. Even while most participants arrived donned in their own organisation’s garb, as each of them changed into the Harmony
Guest of honour, Ms Grace Fu, poses with participants at TA CMC.
Participants of the Explorers Race strategising their next move while at the Thian Hock Keng Temple.
Games T-shirt, the place eventually transformed into a sea of blue. An act as simple as wearing the blue event shirts caused everyone to view themselves as fellow Games participants and teammates for the day, rather than associating each other with the separate organisations they were originally from. The first main event was the Explorers Race, in which participants in mixed groups visited various religious sites such as the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, and the Al-Abrar Mosque. When participants reassembled back Continued on page 10...
COMING UP
MGS OPEN HOUSE
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f you are Primary Six girl planning for 2020 Secondary One admission, Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) invites you to its Open House on Sat 19 Oct 2019! Learn more about the MGS brand of education and its special programmes to develop “every girl in a Christian environment in order that she may Master, Grow and Serve in every phase of her life”. At our Open House, you will tour our school campus, visit the MGS Heritage Centre, chat with the teachers and students at our Subject Discovery booths, and experience a showcase of the performing arts, micro-lessons and science laboratory practical sessions. n
Event visual courtesy of Methodist Girls’ School
19 OCTOBER 2019 SATURDAY 8.30AM TO 2.30PM WE ARE AT 11 BLACKMORE DRIVE S(599986). DO CONSIDER TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT BUS SERVICES 66, 67, 74, 77, 151, 154, 157, 170, 171, 174, 852, 961 & 970 OR DOWNTOWN LINE DT6 KING ALBERT PARK STATION .
19 Oct 2019 (Sat), 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Methodist Girls’ School, 11 Blackmore Drive, S(599986) More information can be found at www.mgs.moe.edu.sg Register at www.tiny.cc/mgsopenhouse2019
“One MCS—Identity & Destiny”, the series of articles by the Structural Review Task Force, will return next month.
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 from 2008 to 2016.
THE CHURCH AND MENTAL HEALTH J
esus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” (Mt 9:12 NIV)
Whenever we don’t feel well in any part of our body, it is very normal for us to seek the help of a doctor. In the same way, if we suspect that there may be a psychological or mental health issue, then the right thing to do is to seek the attention of a specialist or psychologist or counsellor. Whenever anyone has a need and turns to the pastor for counselling or consultation or prayer, it is a good thing to recognise the need, and the pastor should accede to the request. Illness may be caused by genes, poor lifestyle choices, unbalanced diets, bad habits, or polluted or unhygienic living conditions. If you are physically ill, have a virus or an infection, or experience weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, dizziness, pain, itchiness, deafness, insomnia and so on, you would naturally seek and accept treatment and hope for healing. When I was pastoring a church, my members sometimes fell ill. They sought help from specialists, and sometimes had to undergo surgeries. After a period of rest and recuperation, sometimes followed by therapy, their health would return to normal, thanks to the Lord! However, when the problem concerns mental health or psychological wellness, many are unwilling to recognise their condition or seek treatment. They often hide their condition from others due to their fear of stigmatisation at home, at work, or even in church. Some Christians blame such conditions on sin or spiritual attack and evil spirits, and view such afflicted Christians who need such treatment as abnormal or odd. Those who are unwell often suffer in silence and feel rejected. While Wesley spoke of the body as a machine, he never compared humankind to a machine. Even in the midst
of his busyness, John Wesley did not forget those who were sick and needed healing—physically, mentally or spiritually. To him, sickness was not a sin and the patient should not avoid the company of others, but he must seek the doctor when he is ill. Didn’t Jesus say that those who are ill need the doctor? (Mt 9:12). Wesley published a book on healing, entitled Primitive Physic, to help the members of the church recover their health. Though many of his methods would be dismissed today as unscientific, they illustrated a “concern for holistic health and healing”. He also wrote an entire sermon on “nervous disorders”, where he detailed his thoughts on causes and treatment. Very often, the patient also needs to change his attitude and lifestyle, both of which are critical factors to his becoming well again. Wesley emphasised the motivation and need for man to work with God together for his own healing. I have also seen those troubled by evil spirits and was involved in an exorcism. Today, medical science has advanced tremendously and is able to more accurately determine the treatment required by the patient. Every ailment is a sign of a health condition, whether physical, mental or spiritual, and requires appropriate attention and treatment. We need not be too ready to believe what has not been verified or proven by science or medicine. In God’s eyes, we are His precious holy children, whom He loves. God accepts all who draw close to Him; the Church must too. For when these members suffer, so do we as part of the same body. Thus, let us with an even heart, look upon those who are ill with patience and kindness, as they are part of our spiritual family, our brothers and sisters. They need to receive treatment from the doctors. They also need the prayers and care from their church, to be accepted and respected. Let us be their refuge and support in their time of need. n Picture by wutzkoh/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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CHURCH PROFILE Mrs Susila Stephenson has been a member of Jurong Tamil Methodist Church since 1990, and has served as church secretary, treasurer and lay leader.
JURONG TAMIL METHODIST CHURCH:
SEEDING GOD’S WORD IN JURONG Sharing meals and celebrating together as a church family.
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urong Tamil Methodist Church (JTMC) would like to praise and give thanks to God for leading the church over the past four decades. Its seeds were planted in 1975 when the late Rev Prabudass Roberts of Tamil Methodist Church at Short Street initiated an outreach point in Jurong. In response, Mr and Mrs JCD Pandian held weekly worship services and prayer meetings at their residence. They were further supported by a few families from Pasir Panjang Tamil Methodist Church who resided in Jurong. These families actively established this ministry by reaching out to the Indian community in the neighbourhood, such as with Sunday school and vacation Bible school for the children. The women in the ministry gathered in their homes to pray and read the Bible with female nonbelievers in the neighbourhood. In 1977, the outreach point was officially constituted with 35 members. In February of the same year, the Jurong Christian Church (JCC) opened their sanctuary, on a rental basis, to JTMC for their Sunday services.
Mr Pandian was appointed as the supply pastor as he continued to work closely with the church’s members to reach out to the neighbourhood. By 1979, JTMC’s membership grew to 53, and continued to increase over the years as the church actively strengthened their outreach ministries. The Rev D Premkumar was appointed as the church’s first full-time pastor in 1981. The Lord also called a youth, the Rev Philip Abraham, to full-time ministry. This was a blessing for the church that prepared many of its youths and Sunday school students to serve as the church’s leaders, choir members and musicians. In 1991, JTMC moved to worship in the hall of Fairfield Methodist Secondary School. Although JTMC’s Sunday services have had to change location many times, we have never forgotten the place that our church was birthed as our members continue to actively reach out to the Indian community in Jurong. In Feb 2017, the present Counsel and Pastors of JCC warmly welcomed JTMC to worship in the multi-purpose hall. The pioneer members rejoiced to be able to celebrate the church’s 40th
anniversary at the very place where they had started their journey. The re-location has also increased membership, as more newcomers have since joined the worship service. n JTMC Pastors past and present 1977–1981 : the late Rev John Pandian 1981–1990 : the Rev D Premkumar 1990–1996 : the late Rev Dr J Daniel 1996–1999 : the Rev Moody Nehemiah 2000 Jan–April : the Rev Philip Abraham 2000–2003 : the Rev James Nagulan 2004–2007 : the Rev Ebinezar Mohan 2007–2009 : the Rev Dr.Vinson Samuel 2010–2012 : Ps T Jeevanantham 2013–2014 : the Rev Isaac Raju 2014–2016 : the Rev Philip Abraham and Ps T Jeevanantham 2017–2018 : the Rev Isaac Raju 2019–present : the Rev R Prabhu and Ps Shadrak Stephen Jurong Tamil Methodist Church (Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference) 2 Tah Ching Road #03-02 S(618744) Sunday worship service: 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Sunday school: 2.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. Youth service: 2.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. Bible Study 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. every Wednesday rprabhu_sg@yahoo.com / stephenshadrak@yahoo.com.sg 9836-2284 (the Rev R Prabhu) / 9816-3130 (Ps Stephen Shadrak) Photos courtesy of Jurong Tamil Methodist Church
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.
THE DESIRE FOR REVIVAL
Happy campers at the ETAC Camp at Batam, Indonesia.
ETAC Camp 2019 eld from 19 to 22 June 2019 at Batam, Indonesia, the camp saw a record number of Conference members gather to await a blessing of revival from within our churches.
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I would like to thank God for those four fruitful days of learning, as our guest speaker, the Rev Isaac Sikha, gave thought-provoking and inspiring theme-talks and workshop sessions that focused on ETAC’s quadrennial theme, “Renew, Revive, Reorganise and Rebuild”. The warm spirit of comradeship helped us to build friendships across the eight churches and exchange ideas to grow our ministries. It is our prayer that the seeds of spiritual fervour, sown during the Camp, will grow to maturity and bear fruit within ETAC for the glory of God. A Conference seeking revival A Conference-wide three-day revival meeting was held from 11 to 13 July 2019 to inspire participants by the Word and fully restore them to God’s favour, so that they might be used for His glory. Revival is a Biblical concept, seen as a season of divine intervention in the life of the Church. We read of national revival under the reigns of kings Asa, Hezekiah and Josiah. In Psalms, the word “revive”, a term for personal and corporate revival, appears frequently. In Acts, we see the sweeping work of the Holy Spirit and with it the promise: “Repent and I will bless you.”
Freddy Joseph (standing, extreme right) speaks at the revival meeting.
Spiritually hungry believers will find encouragement when they pray for revival. When these believers have a deep longing for repentance, God-sent renewal and reforms will sweep through our churches and bring conversions of sinners in their wake. Freddy Joseph, an evangelist from India who was the invited speaker, spoke powerfully and inspiringly over the three days of the Conference on the theme “Reorganise”. He called for the Church to have a sustainable vision and the faith that God will renew us when we love and trust Him, and submit to His leading. Revival first begins within the person; then by corporate body, flanked by prayer and repentance; and lastly, evangelism. Above all, we have to revere the supreme splendour of God who is on the throne, and not lose sight of His authority. Revival is not to be by our own efforts. The attendance for each evening increased, showing the hunger for spiritual renewal in our lives. I believe that God is prepared to bless us with a spiritual awakening to renew and recognise His will for the Conference. n Photos courtesy of Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference. METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 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.
YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE
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ne of my roles in my job as counsellor is to be a clinical supervisor for counselling interns. As counsellors in training, they are given less complex cases to stretch their counselling “wings” by practising, under supervision but on real-life cases, the skills and techniques they have learnt in the classroom. These interns soon learn is that counselling can be rather challenging. It has been said that counselling is not about providing solutions, but helping the client find solutions for themselves. Yet sometimes clients are looking for solutions where none can be found. They then turn to the counsellor and implore, “What should I do now?” One of the interns had an elderly lady pour her heart out him. Her life was a long and sad tale of sacrifice—first to a man who had shown her little affection, then to her children whom she raised almost single-handedly due her husband’s poor health, and who now seldom visited her. Alone in a nursing home in her twilight years, she confided to the intern that she felt as if she had nothing to look forward to. Desperate to help her, my fledging counsellor asked this lady the “miracle question”, a technique from a model of
counselling that seeks to work towards solutions by first determining what changes are desired. He asked the lady, if a miracle occurred in her life that changed her present circumstances, what would it be? She answered quickly, as if she had considered it before: “That I will die in my sleep.” This unexpected answer left my intern, with his head full of fancy theory and heart filled with good intentions, speechless. So I suggested that, rather than looking at this lady’s life as being sad and unfulfilled, she had lived it the best way she knew how. It was a life of service, duty and sacrifice. In today’s world, these may be outdated ideals. We are told that we only live once, so we should live the good life. But not all of us get what we want. And for some of us, the happiness of others is more important to us than our own. When a life of suffering is imposed upon someone, that is not sacrifice, but oppression. But others who, like this lady, have experienced years of dignity and personal fulfilment in sacrifice—their years of quiet service will see their reward, perhaps not in this life, but in the next. n Picture by Fahroni/Bigstock.com
WELFARE SERVICES By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team
HARNESSING THE TALENTS AND ABILITIES OF SENIORS
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eventy-two-year-old retiree Ms Julie Goh lives alone, but she is not lonely because she is part of the community at MWS Senior Activity Centre – Golden Lily@Pasir Ris. Officially opened on 24 Aug 2019, the Senior Activity Centre serves as a community space for seniors living in Pasir Ris to experience active ageing. Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung dedicated the centre to God and its service to the community. Pastor-in-Charge the Rev Dr Jonathan Seet, and leaders of Pentecost Methodist Church, the centre’s partner church, were also at the opening. Living just above the centre, Julie has found that being an active member and regular volunteer has helped her make friends with her neighbours. An avid cook, she often prepares a larger portion of dishes or buys extra groceries and fruit to share with residents in her block. She is passionate about healthy living and conducts cooking demonstrations at the centre regularly to share healthy, easy-to-prepare recipes. Julie helps a wheelchair-bound neighbour by bringing her to the market or offering to buy food for her. She also accompanies seniors who are less mobile to their medical appointments. Sharing and caring for others has given her much joy and purpose.
Empowering seniors to take charge of their well-being Julie exemplifies the community spirit that the MWS Senior Activity Centres are striving to develop among seniors. Our centres will be moving to an asset-based approach, in which seniors are encouraged to be “co-creators and contributors”, instead of mere recipients of services. Our Senior Activity Centres will be tapping on our seniors to peer-lead and participate in the planning and running of activities. A group of seniors has been appointed to form the Council of Seniors. We have started profiling seniors in our centres to identify and harness their strengths and abilities. They are then encouraged to reach out to their own communities to establish befriending and mutual help networks. “We believe that through the asset-based approach, our seniors will have a greater sense of ownership over their well-being, and also experience a better quality of life and social connection,” said MWS Group Executive Director Ms Junie Foo. n
To find out more about how you or your church could be involved in volunteering activities at MWS centres, please visit www.mws.sg or email volunteer@mws.sg. To support our efforts to help the poor, lonely and in-need, please donate at give.mws.sg. Photo courtesy of Methodist Welfare Services METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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This Christmas, let’s celebrate Singapore’s Bicentennial in a special way by sharing the spirit of giving at Christmas At The Fort. This wondrous four day, multi-sensory experience will transform Fort Canning through a fusion of music, history, marketplace, culinary delights and digital technology into a seamless tapestry of sight and sound.
19 | 20 | 21 | 22 Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
December 2019 • 4 -10pm
Fort Canning Park Brought to you by Wesley Methodist Church, in partnership with The RICE company limited and supported by National Parks Board (NParks). Enquiries: catf@wesleymc.org
MISSIONS Evelyn Kong has been a member of Aldersgate Methodist Church for 18 years, where she currently leads a cell group of young adults. Outside church, she serves the community as a senior staff nurse.
NOT A MITE WOULD I WITHHOLD
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n May 2018, I stayed at Sundermeier Home (SH) during a medical mission trip to Timor-Leste. After the house-parents Uncle Joseph and Aunty Grace (MMS missionaries) shared about their sabbatical plans for 2019, God prompted me to return to bridge the gap. With the blessings of my parents, my new boss and my church’s mission committee, I left for Timor-Leste on 2 Feb 2019. This was my fifth and longest trip there, and it was also my first Chinese New Year away from my family. I spent a fruitful 12 weeks in Timor-Leste as a MITE participant—11 weeks in SH and one week in Hera at St Paul Methodist School standing in for David (MMS missionary) while he was away in Singapore. Relief-teaching was an eye-opening experience. I had a fruitful time of bonding with Jessie, Joy, Isaiah and the schoolchildren. I even had the chance to sit in my first microlet. Though at times the experience was tiring and trying, the Lord’s protection and grace granted me strength and joy to serve and love these younger brothers and sisters. In SH, together with Rudy (MMS missionary), I oversaw the running of the hostel, and the physical wellbeing, study, spiritual nurturing and discipline of the hostelites, as well as ensuring that the beloved house dogs and cats (Ash, Husky, Melody and Jaspar) were fed! Every week, Rudy and I drove an hour and 15 minutes to Dili to get groceries. I always enjoyed the car rides as I got to see the beautiful greenery, sea and sky of Timor-Leste. At SH, Papa Joe and Mama Grace—as they were affectionately called— had set a schedule of duties and activities for all hostelites. Each of them was rostered for dish washing, area cleaning and gardening. Some senior ones helped with cooking, and leading worship and devotion. A typical day started at 6 a.m. After worship and breakfast, I prepared lunch before giving English and Mathematics lessons to the Year 1s. Two Year 2s assisted me to translate to their local dialect, Tetum. After the Year 2s and 3s returned from school, they rested for a while before a period of study, then took turns to complete their chores. At 7 p.m., there was group prayer before dinner, and the day was rounded off at 8 p.m. with a short group worship and devotion, then more study time. There was an extended time of prayer and praise every Friday evening. Lights out was at 10.30 p.m. With no official lessons on the weekend, the hostelites completed their general cleaning duties in the morning and had a games session in the afternoon. On Sundays, we went to a nearby church for service, after which we would have our own hostel service at 11 a.m. with a team of the hostelites leading worship, and Rudy or I giving the messages. The hostelites were allowed free time during the evening on weekends, during which they would watch movies or relax with a guitar at the front porch.
Evelyn (middle of front row, in jeans) with the hotelites of Sundermeier Home.
During the farewell cum appreciation session on the night before I left, the sadness of leaving this special place hit me. I was touched by the sincere words of one of the leaders who came up to share. He had changed for the better over the three months and I was glad to have contributed to this change. n About MITE MITE (Missions Internship Training & Exposure) is a programme designed to send believers out to the mission fields for a period of one to six months. A MITE participant will serve, learn and grow, and experience the work and life of a missionary in the field. It may be a perfect opportunity to discern God’s call. www.mms.org.sg/mite mms@methodist.org.sg Please pray: • for each youth to personally encounter God and develop a deep relationship with Him during the course of 3 years. • that the hostelites will read and understand God’s Word, which will impact their words, actions and thoughts. • that they remember what they have learnt and gained in SH, and be grateful, and that they will be a blessing to their families and communities. Photo courtesy of Evelyn Kong METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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NEWS
GOOD FUN, GOOD GAMES AND UNITY IN THE MIDST OF DIVERSITY ... continued from page 1 at the church, they excitedly discussed what they had learnt about each site, such as how to perform the Taoist way of greeting that they had learnt at Yu Huang Gong, while wearing the flower garlands they had woven together at the Sri Mariamman Temple. The second main event, the Explorers Board Game, was held at TA CMC and conducted by students from the Boys’ Brigade in Singapore. In this modified version of Monopoly, participants took turns rolling the dice while “collecting” religious sites on the game board. Part of the gameplay involved old, familiar game components where kuti kuti was used as the in-game currency, and mini-games, such as five stones and the “eraser game” were played, allowing senior participants to relive their childhood days. Participants unanimously enjoyed the event. A first-time Games attendee, a student from Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamiah, felt that it was a good opportunity to have different religions come together.
Ms Grace Fu, the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, was the guest of honour. Students from CHIJ St Theresa’s Convent weaving garlands at the Sri Mariamman She toured the church while Temple. church leaders who shared with her about the church’s heritage. She also met up with the religious leaders present. As everyone gathered in the church sanctuary at the end of the day, Bishop Terry Kee, chairman of NCCS, delivered a short message. He said, “We do not have to be the same [to] be friends. We can be different and still work together for the common good. […] We are different but we are all Singaporeans, all human beings, all good friends.” As everyone, young and old, recited the declaration of religious harmony in one voice, I felt comforted in the realisation that harmony across different faiths and creeds is possible. And the prominent presence of the younger generation that day assured me that, surely, harmony can also be a future reality. “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Ps 133:1) n
Photos courtesy of National Council of Churches Singapore
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.
MAKE ME A CAPTIVE, LORD W
e are now in the season of Kingdomtide. The season begins on the last Sunday of August and ends on the last Sunday of November (which is designated as Christ the King Sunday). During this season we declare the values and glory of the kingdom of God.1 The values that the kingdom of God teaches include humility and servanthood, which are conveyed in the hymn “Make Me a Captive, Lord”. It was originally titled “Christian Freedom” with the heading “Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 3:1”.2 In this Scripture text, Paul saw himself as a prisoner of Christ, which to him was an opportunity to evangelise. “Being a prisoner of Christ is to attain perfect freedom,” writes Young. This paradox is articulated in the hymn through a series of paradoxes: captive–free; render–conqueror; sink–stand; enslave–reign; power– serve; my own–thine. The author of the hymn, George Matheson (1842–1906) had been blind since he was 20. He depended much on his sisters for his research, reading and writing. His handicap might have “imprisoned” him, but it did not stop him from pursuing his passion for ministry. He became an assistant pastor at 25 and a pastor three years after.3 Singing through stanzas 1 and 2, one can sense Matheson’s complete reliance on the Lord for strength. Stanza 3 teaches us that power, which comes from the Lord Himself, calls for a willingness to serve. Stanza 4 points us to Isaiah 55:8–9—a reminder that our ways are not God’s ways, and thus we need to continue to seek the Lord until we find ourselves in complete surrender to him. n
https://methodist.org.sg/index.php/about-us/beliefs/seasons-of-the-church?id=67 Carlton Young, ed. Companion to The United Methodist Hymnal (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1992), 478. 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Matheson
Make Me a Captive, Lord (UMH 421) Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free. Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conqueror be. I sink in life’s alarms when by myself I stand; imprison me within thine arms, and strong shall be my hand. My heart is weak and poor until its master find; it has no spring of action sure, it varies with the wind. It cannot freely move till thou hast wrought its chain; enslave it with thy matchless love, and deathless it shall reign. My power is faint and low till I have learned to serve; it lacks the needed fire to glow, it lacks the breeze to nerve. It cannot drive the world until itself be driven; its flag can only be unfurled when thou shalt breathe from heaven. My will is not my own till thou hast made it thine; if it would reach a monarch’s throne, it must its crown resign. It only stands unbent amid the clashing strife, when on thy bosom it has leant, and found in thee its life.
1 2
Words: George Matheson, 1842–1906 Music: George J. Elvey, 1816–1893 Picture by Ztranger/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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HOME Sammi Si-Hoe is a member of Covenant Community Methodist Church.
COVENANT COMMUNITY MC CELEBRATES 25 YEARS!
Anniversary Sunday combined service at MGS’s M. E. Lau Hall.
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n July 2019, Covenant Community Methodist Church (CCMC) began to mark the milestone of its 25th anniversary by embarking on a Community Clay Covenant Project, which serves as a reminder that God is our Potter and we are clay formed by His hands. This project was a physical manifestation of the community life at CCMC where people across the generations come and find a place to worship God, to discover Jesus and fellowship with one another in the love of the Holy Spirit. Young and old came together at the school canteen after Sunday worship services to make clay tablets depicting what CCMC means to them. These tablets were subsequently glazed, fired and assembled to make a mural that was installed in front of the church office a week ahead of the Combined Anniversary Service on the 8 Sep 2019. Today, CCMC has about 900 baptised and confirmed members worshipping across three English services and one Korean service on Sundays. Children attend the concurrent Covenant Kids’ Ministry, and youths gather for their One Community Youth Worship Service. During weekdays, the church continues to be a hive of activity, with ukulele classes, women’s and men’s fellowship meetings, Disciple Bible study classes, as well as Korean, Japanese and Chinese Bible study classes, Alpha runs and prayer meetings. Annual church camps in June are a time
for bonding and year-end Vacation Bible School camps a opportunity for community outreach. Most CCMC activities are conducted on the premises of Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) at 11 Blackmore Drive. We are a church located within the school. The outline of the façade of MGS stands prominently within the seal that is the logo of CCMC, representing the partnership that the church has had with the school for service and ministry to students, teachers and alumnae of MGS. CCMC was envisioned before the relocation of MGS to Blackmore Drive from its former site at Mount Sophia in 1992. Mrs Anna Tham, who was then principal of MGS, had decided to have a chapel within the premises of the new school building. It was to be a place of solace, for girls to gather in prayer, to be in the presence of God and even for MGS alumnae to return to and get married in! Upon hearing of the proposed chapel at the new premise of MGS, the Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, who was then chaplain of MGS and also pastor-in-charge of Barker Road Methodist Church (BRMC), mooted the idea to Mrs Tham of starting a church within the school, to which she readily agreed. Within a year of MGS moving to their present location, the Rev Ngoei, together with the Rev Lawrence T. C. Chua
Ukelele class at CCMC.
The Clay Project in progress.
Complete 540-tile mural from CCMC Community Clay Project, currently displayed outside the church office.
from BRMC, and the Rev Kang Ho Soon and the Rev Noel Goh from Wesley Methodist Church (WMC), met at the annual TRAC Pastor’s Retreat in Phuket in April 1993. They decided it was time to start ground level planning for a Preaching Point at MGS.
1994, when he left for studies overseas. The Rev Goh then assumed the responsibility of the MGS Preaching Point and was given the honour of being the “midwife” when, on the 11 Sep 1994, the Preaching Point became a Local Conference—the 16th church to enter the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC)—and was renamed Covenant Community Methodist Church.
An official proposal was made to MGS on 28 Apr 1993, and by 16 Sep 1993, the four pastors met again and decided that the Rev Chua would be chairperson, with BRMC responsible for the finance of the Preaching Point and the liaison with MGS. The Rev Goh would be co-chairperson, with WMC tasked with providing administrative support and publicity. The inaugural service at the Preaching Point of MGS was held on the 10 Oct 1993 at the MGS Chapel. Guests included a strong presence from MGS, BRMC, WMC as well as The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS), such as Mrs Margaret Goh (then chairperson of the MGS Management Board), Mrs Tham (then principal of MGS), Miss Kon Mei Lin (then vice-principal of MGS), Mrs Fang Ai Lian (then president of the MGS Alumnae Association), the Rev Dr Isaac Lim (then TRAC president) and Mr G. D. Balakrishnan (then TRAC vice-president). Over the next year, the Rev Chua spent much time shouldering the responsibility of establishing the Preaching Point and heading the working committee until July
The Rev Ngoei, who had first mooted the idea of the preaching point to Mrs Tham, became the first pastor-incharge of CCMC on 1 Jan 1995. He believed then that this church would be God’s mission to MGS and those in the vicinity of Upper Bukit Timah Road. Today, this vision continues with the present pastor-in-charge of CCMC, the Rev Malcolm T. H. Tan, who believes in emphasising the CCMC motto: “To know God deeply and to make Him known widely”. The Rev Tan, along with the LCEC, which is under the leadership of BG (Ret) David Koh, believes that CCMC is to be a Great Commission church, a soul-winning church, a disciple-making church and a church in service to the larger community. Together as a church, we celebrate and give thanks to God for the birth and growth of CCMC over the last 25 years, and pray for many more years of glorious service to the glory of God! n
Photos courtesy of Covenant Community Methodist Church METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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SECONDARY ONE 2020 Admissions Now Open ACS (International) Singapore is a distinctive international secondary school open to all Singaporeans & other nationalities, offering an all-round English-based education for students aged 12 to 18 years leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).
Post-PSLE Information Sessions 21 November 2019 2pm & 4pm
22 November 2019 10am & 1pm
23 November 2019 10am & 12noon
61 Jalan Hitam Manis, Singapore 278475
Building Through Belief, this school of choice provides
• Exceptional examination results, very strong value-added achievement and an all-round holistic education • 50:50 mix of local and international teachers who uphold the dual Methodist ethos and ACS heritage • Small class sizes with overall student-teacher ratio of 8.7 : 1 • 40 different CCAs – 16 Sporting, 12 Visual and Performing Arts, 12 Special Interest Groups • Over 25 overseas trips per year • Over 200 formal student leadership positions • Scholarships for 4 Singaporeans to undertake the IBDP
Achievements include
• Students with perfect score of 45 points in IBDP • 20 “Top in the World” awards in IGCSE examinations over each of the past nine years • Students accepted to Oxford and Cambridge universities for the past eight years • Admissions to top universities in the UK, the US, Australia and Singapore • PSLE and Singapore GCE ‘O’ Level students achieve outstanding value-added examination results for the IBDP with improved pathways to good universities • Successes at national level this year in Archery, Touch Rugby, Cycling, Swimming, Chinese Drama, Debating, Fencing, Football, Golf, String Orchestra, Taekwondo, Volleyball and Wushu
What the parents say…
Mr Rob Burrough Principal
Mr Gavin Kinch Vice Principal
Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice Principal
Dr Kristopher Achter Vice Principal
For more information Please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admission@acsinternational.edu.sg
“ACS (International) ignites students' passion to learn through building strong relationships with deeply devoted and highly experienced teachers and excellent pedagogic and sporting infrastructure. The school has achieved a fine blend of academic rigour and holistic learning. The emphasis on CCAs and community service as well as the ample opportunities for student leadership makes ACS (International) a 'cut above' and the preferred choice for our children.” Larisa and Shivinder Singh “Sending our daughter to ACS (International) was the best decision we made. She used to be shy and introverted and has now become a confident, caring and motivated student leader.” Debra and Samuel Koh “We deeply appreciate the contribution ACS (International) has made towards making our son confident, capable and thoughtful. The school has provided an environment of personal care, support and encouragement to nurture him into a compassionate young man. We are also very proud of his academic, leadership, co-curricular and public speaking skill development.” Anju Uppal “We like the holistic learning environment of ACS (International). Apart from academics, the school gives the students plenty of learning opportunities outside the walls of the classroom through service trips in continents as far as Africa, school projects and events, CCAs, student leadership roles and more. Our children thoroughly enjoy the IB programme, the holistic environment of the school, and are very proud to be students of ACS (International). The school has helped our children to grow and mature in so many ways, whilst equipping them with the necessary skills needed for their university studies and future endeavours. We are very glad to have sent both of our children to ACS (International).” Steven and Pau Kim Kan
MCS FOCUS—CHURCH COUNSELLING Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message.
HELP! I NEED SOMEBODY
O
ne day while in primary school, I came home to find my mother in tears. A family friend, Tim1, had been so overwhelmed by his struggle with depression that he had taken a fatal overdose. Tim had been studying at a top university in the UK. Earlier, while still in Singapore, a leader in the church he and his family attended had told Tim to throw away his medication as a step of faith that God would heal him of his depression. More than 20 years have passed since Tim’s death but he has stuck in my mind. It was the first time that I, as a child, realised that people could experience so much hurt and feel so hopeless that ending their lives could become an option. And that the Church would not always respond in a way that could help them. Where is the Church when it hurts? Philip Yancey, when asked to summarise his book Where is God When It Hurts?, replied: “I guess I’d have to answer with another question: ‘Where is the Church when it hurts?’ If Christians respond with healing and comfort, as they often do on the front lines of suffering, people won’t be
wondering where God is when it hurts. They’ll know where God is: in God’s people. We are the ones commissioned to make visible the presence of God in the world.”2 Tony Ting, the Centre Supervisor of Wesley Counselling Services (WCS), wants the Church to be there when it hurts. This has kept him serving as a counsellor for 40 years—the last two decades have been with WCS. WCS was started in 1991 as the counselling ministry of Wesley Methodist Church (MC). Tony leads a team of two full-time counsellors, one-part time counsellor and 30 trained lay counsellors. Together, they handle 260 cases annually. WCS provides free counselling for all, be they from Wesley MC or elsewhere, and even non-Christians. It helps individuals with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, addictions, or those going through personal or career challenges, or are struggling with sexuality issues. It supports couples, families and children, as well as offers psychological testing and personal development workshops.
Picture by TeroVesalainen/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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MCS FOCUS—CHURCH COUNSELLING In today’s high-pressure society, Tony believes that there is a critical need for all churches, if they have the resources, to offer counselling services. After all, the counselling ministry can complement, supplement and support what the pastors and other church ministries are doing. No shame in asking for help In Singapore, one in seven people has experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime. The most prevalent are major depressive disorder, alcohol abuse and obsessivecompulsive disorder. Many go unreported as only about three in four people choose to seek help,3 perhaps believing that seeking help is a sign of weakness, that it might tarnish their reputations or that others might think less of them. Tony has noticed that the stigma appears to have lessened over the years and more people are now more ready to ask for help. Tony highlights some descriptions of mental turmoil in the Bible. David was “downcast” and cried out to God repeatedly in the Psalms. Educated speculation is that Saul, described as tormented by an evil spirit (1 Sam 16), might have suffered from some form of paranoia, schizophrenia, depression or bipolar disorder. Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7–9) that he pleaded for God to remove. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah was so fearful, exhausted and depressed that he asked God to let him die. In Tony’s opinion, these descriptions “tell us that when we go through difficult times, we are sometimes at a loss. It is good to be able to turn to people who are used by God to minister to us.” As such, the Bible’s “one another” passages make sense to him: “To accept or submit to one another, to bear one another’s burdens, to encourage, to comfort, to support… The ‘one another’ passages seem to lend support to what we are doing in the counselling ministry.” Tony recognises that many, if not all, helping professionals are themselves “wounded healers”. Having gone through difficult times, they are motivated to help others. He also
ot his real name. N https://www.facebook.com/PhilipYancey/photos /a.430130023698153/2671761262868340 3 https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/more-peoplesingapore-have-experienced-mental-disorder-their-lifetimestudy-finds 1 2
believes that there is strong correlation between suffering and success: “If we face suffering head-on and find ways of coping, we build up resilience to deal with our challenges. We can then be poised to help other people… The Church needs to offer an alternative perspective [on suffering].” n
Challenges faced by WCS clients
30%
Personal
1%
Spiritual
18% Family
1%
Others
50% Marital
If you need help, please call Wesley Counselling Services 6837-9214 (office hours) Faith Methodist Church Counselling 6250-6787 (office hours) Barker Road Methodist Church Counselling 6250-6787 (office hours) Samaritans of Singapore 1800-221-4444 (24 hours) Singapore Association for Mental Health 1800-283-7019 (office hours) Institute of Mental Health’s Mobile Crisis Service 6389-2222 (24 hours) If you or someone you know is at immediate risk, call 995 (24 hours). “I felt God’s love shown to me [through my counsellor at WCS]. I learnt how to deal with my depression in a rational way, and also to understand myself better.” “It would have been impossible for me to deal with the temptations and challenges I face [when dealing with sex addiction] alone. But God gave me a loving wife, an understanding counsellor and supportive friends.” “I could speak freely in an environment of safety and confidentiality, to someone who would listen, without judging, to all my woes, thoughts, feelings and emotions. I am grateful that my counsellor was a Christian, and could understand my spiritual struggles while encouraging me in the Word and through prayer.” “My spouse and I are grateful for the premarital counselling sessions we had at WCS. Although we already knew each other a dozen years, having the experience [of counselling] together shed light on the unmapped corners of our relationship.” Statistics courtesy of Wesley Counselling Centre
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 CALL TO COMPANIONSHIP
O
ne of Paul’s injunctions concerning the responsibility of Christians towards one another—familiar to many Christians, I am sure—is found in Galatians 6:2, where he writes: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” However, familiarity with this command is one thing; applying it effectually to our common life as members of Christ’s body is quite another matter! This is especially the case when it comes to members of our community who are plagued with poor mental health. What is even more disconcerting is the fact that the Church is often not only guilty of neglecting such persons, but also complicit in their stigmatisation and marginalisation.
Reflecting on this phenomenon, Amy Simpson observes that churches and their pastors are sometimes “looking to enjoy ministering only to people they most identify with”.1 She adds, “even though the church does not exist for our comfort, many people opt for the easiest solution: tolerating only what they’re comfortable with”.2 It is probably not an exaggeration to say that the only thing that is worse than suffering from mental illness is to endure the stigmatisation that often accompanies it. Stigmatisation robs its victims of not only their dignity, but also their humanity. As John Swinton puts it: “The lives of people with mental health problems have been problematised, caricatured, and stigmatised to such an extent that the fact that they are real persons who are fully human in every respect is frequently forgotten.”3 The Church must never be a place where discriminatory and dehumanising attitudes toward people with mental health conditions are allowed to prevail. Instead, as the community of broken people who are recipients of the transforming love of God in Christ, the Church should extend this love to all of its members, especially the weakest among them (1 Cor 12:22). People with poor mental health need, above all, a community that will love and support them unconditionally, a community to which they feel they genuinely belong and are accepted. They need sustaining relationships. Special efforts must be made by members of the community to embrace them and to show them that they are remembered, valued and loved. This is because mental illness often affects the social functioning of the people afflicted by it, making it difficult for them to sustain a social network (especially with people who are not their immediate caregivers).
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.
Exceptional forbearance is needed in journeying with people with mental illness because of the episodic nature of the condition. As Kathyrn Greene–McCreight notes: “Friendship is very important for those with poor mental health, but it is very hard to be a true friend to someone in such a condition.”4 The people who reach out to them and care for them are often required to make many adjustments. This calls for extraordinary patience, not just on the part of their caregivers, but also on the part of the whole community. But, as a redemptive community that is itself the sacrament of God’s saving and healing grace, the Church must demonstrate the patient love that the Holy Spirit has made possible. The Pauline injunction to bear each other’s burdens must be undergirded by this uncommon and generous love (agape) that reflects God’s very own love for us.5 To do this, however, there must be a paradigmatic shift in the way in which the Church approaches people with mental health issues. It must avoid what Amy Simpson has called the “antibiotic-like expectations for mental health treatment”. She explains: “When churches have antibiotic-like expectations for mental health treatment, they communicate, ‘go get treated, then you come back and you can be a growing Christian with us’.” In addition, the Church must never pretend to have all the answers. Instead, she should, by the grace of God, strive to be a hospitable community where the mentally ill feel that they are welcomed, not ostracised; loved, not shunned; and valued, not stigmatised. n my Simpson, Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the A Church’s Mission (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2013), 152. 2 Ibid, 155. 3 John Swinton, Resurrecting the Person: Friendship and the Care of People with Mental Health Problems (Nashville, TN: Aningdon, 2000), 123. 4 Kathyrn Greene–McCreight, Darkness is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos, 2015), 33. 5 Simpson, 114. 1
Picture by Ying-Ple Pasaneeya/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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NATIONAL DAY AWARDS 2019
CONGRATULATIONS! Methodist Message congratulates the following who have received the 2019 National Day Awards: Churches Aldersgate Methodist Church Ms Audrey Tan Yuet Ling
Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) The Commendation Medal
Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church Mr Desmond Chong Eng Soon Mr Francis Tan Chih Siang Mr Tan Chin Heng Mr Ngiam Heng Sim Mr Lionel Kiew Yong Thye
The Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal
Charis Methodist Church Mr Seow Whei Jie
Schools Mdm Tang Pui Fun Mdm Chan Mui Tuan Mdm Premawathi d/o Kanasan
The Commendation Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Mr Richard Seow Yung Liang, PBM Mr Ferdinand Quek Swan Jet
The Public Service Star The Commendation Medal
Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) The Commendation Medal
Mr Lim Yuen Tuck
The Commendation Medal
Covenant Community Methodist Church
Fairfield Methodist School (Primary)
Prof Tjio Hans The Long Service Medal Mr Lim Boon Chin The Long Service Medal (Military)
Mdm Joni Low Suat Ting Mr Elfian Abdul Hadi Mdm Ching Yuk Ling
Faith Methodist Church
Geylang Methodist School (Secondary)
Mrs Christina Tay-Seah Boon Ee The Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Ms Pancy Thong-Tan Geok Lan The Efficiency Medal
Mr Johney Joseph Mr Micheal Koh Kim Hua
Living Waters Methodist Church Assoc Prof Terence Sim Mong Cheng Mr Toh Yung Cheong
The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal
Trinity Methodist Church Miss Evelyn Lim Sing Ee Mr George Satkunasingam s/o Sathiasingam
The Public Service Medal The Long Service Medal
The Public Service Star The Efficiency Medal The Long Service Medal The Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal
Methodist Girls’ School Mr Liu Heok Hing Mrs Chitra Thirumaran Mdm Ong Chen Moi Mrs Tan Seot Cheng Mrs Catherine Cheong
The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal
St. Francis Methodist School Ms Serene Wee Kheng Lian The Public Administration Medal (Gold)
Listings of recipients and awards were as provided by the churches, schools and agencies. n
Picture by firewings/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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Covenant
Marriage Retreat 2019
14 & 15 November (7 pm - 10 pm) & 16 November (9 am - 4.30 pm)
Covenant Marriage Retreat is a powerful experience for married couples. The teaching includes an understanding of covenant as God views it and practical tools that couples can begin to use immediately. The experience makes good marriages stronger and gives hope and help to those who are struggling in their marriage relationship. Join us at Faith Methodist Church for this dynamic practical retreat for married couples and engaged couples. You will come to understand God’s heart for your marriage and the power of a covenant commitment! Register here: https://tinyurl.com/faithcmr Course fees (per couple) $120 (Early bird) by 14 September $160 after 14 September Closing Date: 31 October 2019 Confirmation is upon receipt of payment. Complimentary children’s programme (aged 4 to 10 years) on 16 November 2019.
Pastor Craig Hill and his wife, Jan, live near Denver, Colorado, USA. Craig and Jan give senior leadership to Family Foundations International (FFI). FFI is a non-profit Christian ministry through which lifechanging seminars are conducted in many nations of the world. Craig has written several books, including his best seller, The Ancient Paths. Through his past experience in business, missions, counselling and pastoral ministry, God has given Craig unique insight into marriage, family, financial and interpersonal relationships. This has resulted in his ability to identify for many people, root causes of relational conflict, compulsive habits, low self-esteem, workaholism, lack of financial provision and other undesirable life patterns, which are repeated from one generation to the next. By interweaving personal stories with biblical truths, God has anointed Craig to pierce through the veil of the mind to minister to the depths of the heart, resulting in real life change for many.
Brought to you by
For more information, please contact Alison Lim at alison010114@gmail.com
Flyer_Marriage Conference_LandscapeA5_FA.indd 1
19/9/19 12:13 PM
Registration at our Columbarium Office (Level 5) Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm (Closed on Public Holidays). Tel: 6479 8122 HP: 9670 9935 or Fax: 6479 6960 Email: veronicalowjmc@yahoo.com.sg
NEWS The Rev Dr Lim Teck Peng is the Associate Dean of Trinity Thelogical College and a member of the ATESEA Theological Union (ATU) Senate. He is an ordained Baptist minister and worships with his family at Queenstown Baptist Church.
LOCALISING THE GOSPEL:
AN IMPORTANT ENDEAVOUR
O
n 29 Aug 2019, Trinity Theological College (TTC) held its induction service for the Lee Huai Kwang Chair of Religious Education, the fifth endowed professorial chair of the college. The Rev Dr Lim Teck Peng, Associate Dean of the College, was appointed to the chair, the first time a lecturer teaching predominantly in Chinese has held an endowed professorial chair at TTC. With this appointment, TTC reaffirms the importance of Christian scholarship and her long-term commitment to the growing ministry of the Chinese-speaking churches in this part of the world. The Rev Dr Lim’s inaugural lecture revolved around Christian religious education, language and national language policy. The first part of the lecture began with Acts 2. Recalling how the descent of the Holy Spirit led to the apostles preaching the Gospel in various local or vernacular languages, the Rev Dr Lim expounded how such vernacularisation of the Gospel at the inaugural moment of the Church throws light on the significance of vernacular language or mother tongue in Christian religious education. At the personal level, the vernacularisation of the Gospel implies that Christians should strive to help others to know the Gospel in his or her heart language, and to encounter Christ therein. In Church history, such vernacularisation of the Gospel has been the conviction of many Christian teachers over the centuries. Their endeavours created the unique space of encounter in which people heard the Gospel in a heartfelt and liberating manner. Shifting the attention from the first-century Jerusalem to the twenty-first century Singapore, the second part of the lecture focused on the social dimension of language and its implication for both the nation and the Church. Quoting Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who said, “Knowing MTL (mother tongue language) helps to centre us as an Asian society and retain our Asian roots and values,” Rev Dr Lim highlighted how Singapore’s bilingual policy enables it to be a member of modern states while retaining her Asian identity.
The Rev Dr Lim Teck Peng gives his inaugural lecture after his appointment to the Lee Huai Kwang Chair of Religious Education.
Singapore’s bilingual policy has added significance for Christians in the light of Acts 2. The Church therefore needs to think fundamentally and to discern her role, situated between the state and individuals, in matters concerning the maintenance of mother tongue. Despite ongoing debate among the academicians over the effectiveness of Singapore’s bilingual policy, the Church, through a biblical lens, should engage bilingualism in such a way than brings blessings to both the church members and the public. The English-speaking churches, for example, may want to engage the bilingual policy by finding ways to intentionally encourage children of different ethnic backgrounds to appreciate their own and others’ mother tongues. Citing the idea of “MTL fortnight” in schools as an example, the Rev Dr Lim pointed out that there are members of many ethnic groups in the church, and not just Chinese and Tamil-speaking ones. It is therefore meaningful and significant if the Church can find ways to remember and celebrate the stories of encounter between different ethnic groups and the Gospel. As a Christian community that places great emphasis on cross-cultural missions, sorting out the relationship between the Gospel and mother tongue, and that between the Church and the national language policy, is thus no trivial matter. To sort out these matters, there is no better place to start than one’s own turf. The third and final part of the lecture focused on the plausibility of mother tongue-based religious education in Singapore where MTL is the second language. The lecture was brought to a close by the prayer that “the recipients of this Chair will be found faithful in the eyes of God and His people as teacher and servant.” n Photo courtesy of Trinity Theological College METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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BOOK REVIEW Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message.
GOOD NEWS FOR BRUISED REEDS VOL II:
MENTAL HEALTH & THE GOSPEL COMMUNITY
M
ental Health & the Gospel Community, the second in the Good News for Bruised Reeds series, continues Graceworks’ effort to “[open] up conversations among those who are struggling, those who care for them, and those in the gospel community who want to be better Christ lights to this community”. The first volume, reviewed in the September 2018 issue of Methodist Message, gave encouragement to those who struggle with same-sex attraction, and challenged the Church and community to provide them a safe space. This book highlights that about one in seven Singaporeans experiences a mental disorder in their lifetime. This means that among the Church, thousands are statistically likely to be suffering, and often silently, as a large proportion may not seek help. The word “stigma” is used often throughout the book by its contributors, who have courageously come out to share personal experiences of suffering from mental illnesses or who have walked with those who have. The writers relate how employment prospects have been affected, how they have lost
friends, as well as how they have been reprimanded and told to “snap out of it”, to “change their perspective” or to pray away their ailments. These comments, shared one contributor, are “heart-breaking. They have loaded me with more guilt and confusion, rather than helping me overcome depression.” Stigma perpetuates a sense of shame, making it harder for sufferers to seek help, sometimes leading to fatal outcomes. The writers advocate “a balance of science and faith” in supporting those with mental illness— “Medicines work because they function based on the laws of science that the Lord has put in place to run the universe”. One contributor, a medical doctor who suffers from depression, likens the need for medication for mental disorders to that for diabetes or hypertension.
Good News for Bruised Reeds Volume II: Mental Health & the Gospel Community Edited by Jonathan Cho, Joanna Hor, Ng Zhi-Wen, Nicole Ong, Bernice Tan, Ronald JJ Wong Published by Graceworks (2019), 196 pages https://graceworks.com.sg $ 20 (free shipping within Singapore) Enjoy 10% off the price of Mental Health & the Gospel Community by using the promo code MENTALHEALTH10 at the webstore’s checkout page (valid from 1–30 Oct 2019).
The book underscores the need for the Church to show grace to those struggling with mental illness. “Comfort,” says one contributor, “is never wrong. There is always a place for words of care, support, encouragement, reminders of God’s love. […] Gently, with words of love, walk with [those who suffer] back to the light.” n
Book cover visual courtesy of Graceworks Pte Ltd
LOOKING AHEAD TRAC SENIORS MINISTRY WORSHIP SERVICES
16 Oct, 13 Nov, 11 Dec 2019 (Wednesdays), 2.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Faith Methodist Church, Worship Hall, Level 4, 400 Commonwealth Dr, S(149604) 6478-4754 (Priscilla) priscillalow@trac-mcs.org.sg
Scan here to see events online!
TRAC Seniors Ministry welcomes you to their monthly Seniors Ministry Worship Services. Join us for a time of worship, fellowship and food, and catch up with other seniors and retirees from various TRAC churches.
oct
16
Organised by Trinity Annual Conference.
THE INTERNET AGE AND THE PLASTIC SELF: RESHAPING PERSONAL IDENTITY THROUGH CHRISTIAN PRACTICE 24 Oct 2019 (Thursday), 7.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. Bible House, Level 4, Morrison-Liang Seminar Rooms 1 and 2, 7 Armenian Street, S(179932) ethosinstitute.sg/annuallecture2019 Admission is free.
The IT revolution has created a fragmented, plastic self, but the self can be reshaped through the Christian practice of worship. If properly carried out, the practice of worship will facilitate the reintegration of the self, and enable it to find its true identity within the worshipping community. To understand the process of reshaping, this lecture will explore some postmodern philosophers’ accounts of practice, which will then set the context for a Christian response to the challenges posed by the Internet.
oct
24
Organised by ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity.
MFC ADVENT 2019: A SEASON OF SONGS
1 Dec 2019 (Sunday), 5.00 p.m. and 8 Dec 2019 (Sunday), 5.00 p.m. Christ Methodist Church, 597 East Coast Road, S(429082) (1 Dec) Barker Road Methodist Church, 48 Barker Road, S(309917) (8 Dec) http://msmusic.edu.sg/events/a-season-of-songs msm@msmusic.edu.sg Admission is free.
This musical worship presentation narrates the Christmas story in the gospel of Luke. Through choral anthems, carols and congregational song, the service highlights the four songs: “Magnificat” (Song of Mary), “Nunc Dimittis” (Song of Simeon), “Benedictus” (Song of Zechariah) and “Gloria” (Song of the Angels) and the common thread that runs through them.
dec
Organised by the Methodist School of Music.
1
Do you have a Christmas community event coming up at your church and wish to publicise it further? Let Methodist Message be the platform to let more know about your outreach efforts. Send us details of your upcoming Christmas events and we will put it up on this page for an even wider reach! Please email your event information to newmm@methodist.org.sg or get in touch with us at 6478-4763 (Jason).
Picture by SylaK/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2019
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THINK Dr George Khoo is a family physician his late fifties and a non-ruling elder at Zion Bishan Bible-Presbyterian Church. George is married to Mabel, and they have two adult children and four lovely granddaughters. Dr Khoo’s full story can be found in Mental Health & The Gospel Community (Good News for Bruised Reeds Vol II), which is reviewed on page 22.
AN ELDER’S DEPRESSION STORY
W
e were on holiday as an extended family. It was just weeks before our only daughter’s wedding and days after I had started on antidepressants. We were playing Taboo, a game we had enjoyed countless times before, but I just could not concentrate. I was not sure if it was the medication or the depression, but I felt moody and lousy. It was awful.
the truth is that I was dangerously close to living a gospel of works, not grace.”1 Many born-again Christians claim to live under grace, but the way we conduct our affairs and our impatience with others seem to indicate otherwise. This tendency to strive often leads to overwork and is a recipe for burnout and depression. In contrast, one of the key ways God shows us grace is through His provision of rest. Instead of working myself to exhaustion, I now take regular breaks to maintain my mental health. Observing the weekly Sabbath intentionally as a time of rest from work and for worship has also been fundamental. I remember: “God needs no day off. But I am not God, and I do.”2
The previous year or so had been rough. It was not just the amount of work that had driven me to depression. Rather, it was challenging relational issues that affected me the most and slowly generated negativism in my spirit. I was also struggling to cope with “losing” my precious daughter once she got married. The combination of all these led me to feeling upset, tired, irritable and angry almost daily. I teared easily. Incessant negative, even suicidal, thoughts occupied my mind. I could not sleep well despite being so tired most days. I kept waking up at 4 a.m., which compounded my frustration, hopelessness, guilt, sense of worthlessness and exhaustion. After being in denial for a while, I realised that carrying on without seeking help was unfair to my loved ones. I plucked up the courage to see a psychiatrist and started on medication. Apart from medication, I also learnt to rely on the grace that God provides to sustain me. Christopher Ash reminded me not to pay lip-service to grace: “Despite being a dedicated gospel-hearted Christian who preached grace,
The stigma associated with mental illness is still very real in Singapore. That is why I have chosen to be open about my own situation in the hope that I can encourage others, especially believers, to do likewise. Many people need to understand that mental health patients whose condition is well controlled with medication can function as well, if not better than “normal” people. It is my hope that the Church, as the bride of Christ, will be a community that supports and helps those struggling with mental health rather than isolating them even more. n hristopher Ash, Zeal without Burnout (New Malden: The Good Book C Company, 2016), 43. 2 Ash, 61. 1
Picture by Supawat B./Bigstock.com