Methodist Message: September 2021 by Methodist Message

THE METHODIST CHURCH IN SINGAPORE

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

Vo l 1 2 3 N o 9 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1

METHODIST SOCIAL PRINCIPLES:

The Sphere of Technology

Contents 1

Bishop’s Message

Opinion—Bible-based healing in tragic

Events—Coming Up

and trying times

Church life—ETAC Highlights

Reach out—Welfare Services

Church Profile

Reach Out—Missions

Church life—Introduction to MCS Social Principles

Hymns & Songs

News—TRAC VUCA Conference

25 Opinion—Soundings

News—National Day Thanksgiving Service 2021

26 Books—Colours

News—Fairfield Methodist Schools’ 135th Founder’s Day

News—The D6 Family Conference

32 Opinion—THINK

Opinion—The digital world, addiction and your child

of the Kingdom

What does being a Methodist mean to you?

Events—Looking Ahead

In Memoriam

REV DR H. EDDIE FOX (1938–2021)

Methodist Message would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family of Rev Dr H. Eddie Fox, who passed away on 28 July 2021 at the age of 83. Rev Dr Fox, a seventh-generation Methodist, led World Methodist Evangelism for 25 years, during which the number of Methodists around the globe increased by about 1 million per year. He pioneered several new initiatives that were popular in United Methodist Church (UMC) congregations, and helped American churches connect with Wesleyans around the world. For a more detailed obituary, please scan Photo courtesy of Mike DuBose

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

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

BISHOP’S MESSAGE Bishop Dr Gordon Wong was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2020. He served as President of the Trinity Annual Conference from 2013–2020.

Darkness is my closest friend “You have taken from me friend and neighbour—darkness is my closest friend.”

A Jewish translation (Tanakh) renders the same phrase

(Ps 88:18 NIV)

are in the dark are friends who are out of sight in the

as “my companions are out of my sight”. Friends who sense of not being near me. Perhaps they avoid me

here aren’t sufficient details in Psalm 88 to know

because they don’t enjoy being with someone who

the specific nature of the suffering the psalmist

doesn’t smile or say anything. Or they have given up

was enduring when he put his feelings to paper

on me because they can’t understand why I just don’t

(or parchment). Was it a back-stabbing colleague or

snap out of my depressive moods.

boss? Was it cruel treatment from foreign invaders or betrayal by a friend or family member? Was it anguish

Whatever the exact nature of the darkness in Psalm

caused by a physical ailment or an attack on his

88, what is clear is that God understands. The inclusion

mental wellness?

of Psalm 88 in Holy Scripture is one way in which God helps us understand that sometimes “it is okay to not

Whatever it was, many identify with the pain expressed

always feel okay”.

in the psalm, not least its final phrase: “darkness is my closest friend”. Kathryn Green-McCreight is a

The God of the Bible understands. Lord, help us

pastor who often feels exactly like this. She suffers

understand also. AMEN.

from protracted bouts of mental illness, and she has used this final phrase of Psalm 88 as the title of her book : Darkness Is My Only Companion. 1 That final phrase in the Hebrew psalm is so terse and broken to be almost painful and incoherent. Perhaps that brokenness itself complements the anguished tone of Psalm 88. It also explains why translators interpret the broken phrase in different ways. “My companions are in darkness” (RSV) conveys the anguish we feel when our friends (or family) seem to be totally in the dark concerning the nature of our suffering. The sort of advice they offer (“Pray harder! Try harder! Just get up and do it!”) shows that they are in darkness and do not understand that “the sick individual cannot simply shrug it off or pull out of it”. 2

1 2

Kathryn Greene-McCreight, Darkness Is My Only Companion (Grand Rapids,MI: Baker, 2015). Ibid., 25.

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

Events ¢ Coming Up

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

Church Life ¢ ETAC Highlights Rev R Prabhu is the Pastor-in Charge of Ang Mo Kio Tamil Methodist Church.

Servants together Unity of the body of Jesus Christ “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Cor 12:27 NIV)

he world recognises the importance of coming together and corporations merge to try to make the most from the synergy of working together.

In chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians, Paul the apostle makes a similar call to the Corinthian church, where members were split in their allegiances to Paul, Apollos, Cephas and even Christ (vv.10–12). There was no lack of spiritual gifts in the Corinthian church but the fruit of the Holy Spirit was missing. Carnality caused disunity and growth was stunted.

We are co-workers for Christ (1 Cor 12:21–26) The problem with the Corinthian church was that they attached too much importance to some gifts and side-lined (minimised) others. Instead of contributing to the common good, some isolated themselves or tried to dominate over others on the basis of the gifts they possessed. Building the Church is a collective, not individual, work. Let us remind ourselves that spiritual gifts are not evidence of spirituality or signs of significance. They are given for God’s service and are to be used for His Kingdom alone. We are not all the same, but all are important. In God’s orchestra, everyone—whether seen or unseen, heard or unheard—can make a difference.

Our common ground is Christ (1 Cor 12:27)

We need to complement one another (1 Cor 12:28–31)

The word “body” is used 17 times in 1 Cor 12 to explain the nature and function of the Church. We not only belong to Christ but also belong to His body (v.1). All believers collectively form the body (v.12) and we are baptised into the body of Christ (v.13). There is therefore no place for individualism or independence.

As members of Christ’s body, we are interdependent and need each other. God has distributed gifts and responsibilities in such a way that no-one has a monopoly. We need to exercise our spiritual gifts and function “for the profit of all” (1 Cor 12:7).

We have one task—building His Church. It is a constructive, not destructive, work. There is a reality of functional differences based on the spiritual gifts given to individuals. But this should not pull us apart in different directions or separate us. Instead, the diversity should unite and bring the Church to a common ground for the common task of the glory of Christ, who is the head of the Church.

The formula for synergy is 1+1>2, and working together in unity produces better results. In the Church, members have their own roles and responsibilities. It is a complementary, not competitive, work. We, as Christ’s body, are to contribute to the cause of Christ. Complementing one another, we are to carry on His ministry in the world today.

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

Church Life ¢ Sembawang Tamil MC Mrs Susan Thomas and Mr Selvathurai are members of Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church (STMC). / Photos courtesy of STMC

Be disciples and make disciples for Christ

embawang Tamil Methodist Church (STMC) has

families also appreciated the food hampers distributed

a rich history of 87 years. The pioneering work

during the COVID-19 pandemic.

of the church, under the supervision of Rev J. A.

Subramaniam, commenced in 1928 at the Seletar Naval

The church faces a big challenge as the lease for its land

Base as a house church to minister to Indians residing

expires in about four years. We are getting together with

around the Naval Base and the Sembawang estate. From

our partner churches sharing the church premises to work

1948, worship services were held at a Tamil school at Jalan

with HDB to extend the lease for 30 years. We trust in

Kechil. In 1999, by the grace of God the church moved to

God as our provider as we pray and work to raise funds

a new building in its current location at Yishun Street 11.

required for the lease extension. Please do pray for us.

Our church vision, based on Matthew 28:19, is to “Be

STMC members are continuing to draw closer to the Lord

disciples and make disciples for Christ” while the theme

through prayer and growing in the Word of God. What

for 2021 is: “Love the Lord and obey His commands”.

God requires of His people and every tenet of right

The main aspects of the vision are for each believer to

living in the Bible is founded on the commandments:

grow in the spiritual disciplines and be a faithful disciple

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with

of Jesus, growing in God’s Word and prayer life as well

all your soul and with all your mind and with all your

as focusing on evangelism and outreach ministry to

strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour

residents in Yishun and nearby estates.

as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30–1 NIV).

Sharing the Gospel, social outreach and missions are key ministries. Church members regularly visit families in the neighbourhood and have developed strong relationships with them. The families warmly welcome us into their homes for times of sharing, prayer, and fellowship. The church also regularly blesses families in need with grocery supplies. The month of June 2021 was focused on evangelism. We held an evangelism seminar through Zoom where church members were challenged to make concerted efforts and plans to reach out to families and friends with the Gospel of Christ.

SEMBAWANG TAMIL METHODIST CHURCH (Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference) 3 Yishun Street 11 (Level 3) Singapore 768645 www.stmc.org.sg stmcsg@gmail.com

By God’s grace, the church has adopted a village of about

6257-0116

140 families in Myanmar. Over the last four years we have provided financial support for local missionaries to visit the village weekly to conduct Bible classes and provide meals for the children once a month. The

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

Please check our website for service timings.

Church Life ¢ Rev Dr Daniel K. S. Koh is a retired pastor who is currently re-engaged at Barker Road Methodist Church. He was formerly Chaplain at Trinity Theological College. He formerly served as Chairperson of MWS, where he currently still serves on its Board of Governance.

Introduction to the Methodist

Social Principles

t the General Conference of the Methodist Church in Singapore held in 2020, the delegates accepted the revised edition of the Methodist

Social Principles (MSP). The previous edition had been put together in the 1980s. Although that document incorporated certain issues that were generating concerns in Singapore at that time, like the paragraphs on the “Responsible Use of Power” and “In-Vitro Reproduction”, the bulk of the Social Principles was largely adapted from the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church (UMC) of the USA. Since the 1980s, UMC has revised its documents a number of times. Many of those social issues that preoccupied the minds of the American churches and the stands adopted by UMC have become too American-centric. The revised edition of the MSP of MCS is thus a local work written by Singaporean theologians, reflecting our local and Southeast Asian context contextual concerns and offering guidelines that Singaporean Methodists can understand and identify. The MSP’s main sections have been re-titled and

Section 1 of the MSP states the reasons for our interest in social issues: 1. Christian social responsibility is rooted in the teachings of the Bible and guided by Christian tradition. It is an integral part of the Gospel which the Church is expected to proclaim, preserve and practise. 2. The Methodist Church has a special interest in social concerns because of its desire to be obedient to Christ in bringing the whole of life with its activities, possessions, relationships and environment into conformity with the will of God. Such obedience is exemplified in the life and labour of John Wesley who ministered to the physical, intellectual, spiritual and social needs of the people to whom he preached the Gospel of salvation. 3. It is out of our gratitude for God’s love and in affirmation of our belief in the inestimable worth of each person and the integrity of God’s creation, that we renew our commitment to become faithful witnesses to the Gospel and to live a life of personal and social holiness.

arranged along the theological idea of “Orders of Creation” found mainly in the writings of Reformed theologians/ethicists. Those who read D. Bonhoeffer would notice that he uses “Divine Mandates” in his Ethics. However, we have opted instead for “Spheres”,

The revised edition of the MSP goes on to offer our theological basis for our interest in bringing our faith to bear on the social issues of our time, before getting into the eight “Spheres” of concerns: •

The Sphere of the Family

cannot fit exactly to the classical “Orders” found

•

The Sphere of Economics

mainly in the works of Reformed scholars.

•

The Sphere of Politics

•

The Sphere of Community Life

We expanded some sections and added new subjects to

•

The Sphere of the Internet, Sciences and Technologies.

take into consideration issues and developments which

•

The Sphere of Social Well-being

were not covered or were not sufficiently covered in

•

The Sphere of Creation Care

the old edition. We have also deliberately replaced

•

The Sphere of the Church

which is a broad term because our Wesleyan work

the word “individual” with “person” in most places, an intentional move to avoid giving ideas of supporting individualism and the culture of entitlement rampant in the Euro-North American World. The new sections which we have added are the Spheres of the Internet; Sciences and Technologies; Creation Care; and the Church.

The revised MSP is an important document of MCS. It is included in our Book of Discipline. More Methodists should familiarise themselves with the teachings of this document and our churches should use it for studies and preaching. The whole document offers guidelines for Methodists to know our Wesleyan heritage and our official stand on some contentious issues which we have to deal with in our daily living.

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

News ¢ Text and photos courtesy of TRAC WSCS

Power in the VUCA World TRAC WSCS Conference

olatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA)! What an apt description of the past 18 months, during which COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill. Amidst this chaos, the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS) organised a women’s conference entitled “Power in the VUCA World”. It reflects what many of us desire—namely, to live in God’s power in these uncertain times. Started in 2017, the annual VUCA conference was scheduled to take place in April 2020. As many have experienced during this pandemic, our human plans were overruled. God had a better idea. After a delay of more than a year, the conference was held online on 24 July 2021, with 516 participants, including some from the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and even as far afield as England and Australia. God’s Word was heard by more people than could have been possible in a physical conference. The speakers were appointed and anointed by God, with messages that reinforced the theme of the conference. In the weeks leading up to the conference, many prayer sessions were held. We committed the speakers to our Heavenly Father and prayed that He would take control of every aspect of the proceedings, including good Internet connectivity and smooth running of the online event. VUCA 2021 began with an introduction and opening prayer by Neo Lay Tin, TRAC WSCS President. A worship team from Bedok Methodist Church led us in worship to prepare our hearts for the opening sermon by TRAC President Rev Stanley Chua. He spoke on “Not by Might nor by Power, but by My Spirit” (Zech 4:6).

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

TRAC President Rev Stanley Chua

How appropriate it was that the Rev Chua set the scene with a reminder that what is not possible by human effort alone becomes possible by the power of God’s Spirit. When we rely only on our own resources, we are weak and helpless. With examples from the Bible and Methodist history, the Rev Chua highlighted

The BMC worship team

that those who depend on God for His power will accomplish the impossible. Ordinary people are turned into extraordinary ones when we fully trust in Him.

Lucy Lim

One such “ordinary” person was our first speaker, Lucy Lim. Despite a poor prognosis for her health, she continues to fulfil God’s calling in her life, intentionally living with joy and for the glory of God. She has written two books on her journey, the second of which was also the title of her talk : “When It’s Beyond Me”. She shared about her initial difficulty of “letting go” of family. Faced with recurring cancer and still undergoing treatment, she learnt to have a high view of God. She leant to dance with the Lord, who leads and guides. God could have healed her, but instead led her to a deepened faith, allowing her to live each day seeking to accomplish His plans for her. She epitomises the meaning of “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21).

Julie Ong

Another battle-scarred speaker was Julie Ong. She revealed her life experiences in her talk “Light Beyond a Difficult Journey”. In her testimony, she recounted one anguish after another. She endured broken relationships and abandonment. Last year, she was one of the early cases of COVID-19 and in the week of the conference, she fell and sustained a hairline fracture on her cheekbone. It was heart-breaking to listen to her struggling to articulate the pain she had experienced. Julie came to trust God through her trials and learnt to forgive. Through all these ongoing ordeals, she testified of the reality of God’s love and the peace He gives. Neither Lucy nor Julie concluded with a miraculous resolution of their difficult circumstances. Instead, they exemplified what God means when He says: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9).

Connecting to the conference from New Zealand where she serves as a missionary, Bunty Bunce spoke on “Is There Somebody Out There?” Her message from Romans 15:13 encouraged us to have hope even though the pandemic may have shaken our faith. These uncertain circumstances should not take away our hope. God is bigger than our circumstances! From His vantage point, He sees and knows all. He is in control. She challenged us with the questions: When did you last let God comfort you? Have you shared your anxiety with Him? God is waiting to use each of us to comfort others.

Bunty Bunce

The last speaker was Ashley Low, who shared her testimony of her long journey with her cancer-stricken husband. She joined the conference from her hotel in Melbourne where she was quarantined after arrival from Singapore. Ashley described the desperate ways in which she had tried to help her husband, including trying to get him struck by lightning as recommended by a medium. In spite of acts of ignorance, God mercifully preserved her husband. Through repeated recurrences of the disease, God revealed Himself to them. Dancing with God through these storms of life, both Ashley and her husband found blessing and mercy through suffering.

Ashley Low

Jenni Ho-Huan

After a short lunch break and a game of deciphering emoji, the conference continued at 1pm. Rev Jenni Ho-Huan, an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, spoke on “The God-shaped W.I.F.E.” Once again, we were reminded that if we rely on our own abilities, or are too fearful and complacent, we shut out God’s power. We need to let go of trying to rule our own hearts. Instead, choose to trust God and the Prince of Peace will rule in our hearts.

Even though the ladies had been online for more than four hours, some stayed back to be ministered to in breakout rooms by each of the speakers. What better way to end than in an extended period of prayer to our God of power and might? We are thankful for the encouraging feedback received. More than a hundred comments affirmed God’s faithfulness, peace and power as their main “take-aways”. Indeed, that was our objective—always to put God in the spotlight. It is our prayer that the conference inspired participants to place all their trust in God alone in navigating the VUCA world. Arising from many requests after the conference, portions of the conference will be presented again in a Christmas event later this year. Details will be made available in October. The organising committee of VUCA 2021 is thankful to the Lord for the unity and wisdom He gave to us and for the smooth running of the online event. To Him be all the glory. METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

ACS (International) Admissions Seminars for 2022 ACS (International) Singapore is a distinctive international secondary school open to all Singaporeans & other nationalities, offering an allround English-based education for students aged 12 to 18 years leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). Senior Leadership Team

Pre PSLE Seminars 17 September, 2pm

1 October, 2pm

RSVP admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg

Post PSLE Seminars 24 November, 2pm & 4pm Mr Gavin Kinch Principal

Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice-Principal

25 November, 9am & 2pm 26 November, 9am & 2pm 27 November, 9am

Mr Christopher Hayward Vice-Principal

Dr Kristopher Achter Vice-Principal

RSVP admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg Seminars will be held on Campus with school tours where possible. Virtual seminars and tours will be organized instead if there are social gathering restrictions.

Attendance is limited and by reservations only. Venue: Oldham Chapel, ACS (International) 61 Jalan Hitam Manis, Singapore 278475

For earlier appointments, please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg

News ¢ Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message. / All photos are screenshots of the live-streamed service on YouTube. Watch the recording at https://youtu.be/t3TAo-AR0wY

National Day Thanksgiving Service 2021

Bishop Titus Chung delivering the sermon

Bishop Dr Gordon Wong leading intercessory prayers

or the second year running—like many annual church events since early 2020—the National Day Thanksgiving Service of the National Council of Christian Churches (NCCS) was conducted with a limited live congregation and streamed online. The event, held at St Andrew’s Cathedral on the evening of 19 Aug 2021, had been planned before the latest easing of restrictions on religious gatherings. Anglican Bishop Rt Rev Titus Chung, the NCCS President, delivered the sermon, “And to God what is God’s”. It was based on Mark 12:13–17, when the Pharisees and Herodians tried to trap Jesus by asking: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” Jesus responded: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Bishop Chung reminded the congregation that the state has received its authority from God, and it will one day be held to account by God. We are thus to subject ourselves to the state’s authority because it has been put there by God. As citizens, we should have the mindset of positively engaging the world and working together with all parties—including the authorities—to build a peaceful and harmonious society for everyone, believers and nonbelievers alike, and seek the common good of the land. “A case in point is the constructive conversation between NCCS and MCCY [the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth] in helping the churches and the state better manage the COVID-19 crisis. Another example is the ongoing dialogue between NCCS and MHA [the Ministry of Home Affairs] in addressing religious radicalism and engaging religious harmony in our city-state,” he explained.

The St Andrew’s Cathedral worship team led by Rev Christopher Chan

The NCCS executive committee (ExCo) led in intercessory prayers for Singapore. Among other things, intercession was made for God’s help during this pandemic, for the nation’s leadership and for churches to be able to meet together again without restrictions soon. There was also thanksgiving for our nation as it celebrated its 56th birthday, and for the safety and freedom of worship we enjoy. The COVID-19 pandemic loomed large over the service, apparent in how the NCCS ExCo members leading the service had to mask up when they were not speaking. The pulpit and microphone also had to be cleaned between speakers. Even so, as the St Andrew’s Cathedral worship team reminded everyone in their pre-recorded opening song, our God is faithful and we have never walked alone.

During the service, the NCCS book, Homosexuality, the Bible and the Church, edited by Rev Dr Keith Lai, Rev Terry Kee and Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian was launched. This collection of essays examines the topic of samesex attraction from the perspective of biblical scholarship, theology, pastoral practice, science and the law. NCCS hopes that this book will help Christians understand what Scripture and the Church teach about homosexuality, so that they can wisely and better navigate the issues. To order, go to https://nccs.org.sg/

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

News ¢ Text and photos courtesy of Fairfield Methodist Schools (Primary and Secondary).

he Fairfield Methodist Schools (Primary and Secondary) celebrated 133 years of its founding on 4 Aug this year.

Usually, the schools celebrate Founder’s Day with Founder’s Day services in the respective schools and then the celebratory dinner in the evening. But this year, due to

the

COVID-19

pandemic,

instead

hosting the dinner, the Fairfield Methodist Schools Alumni Association commemorated this special day with a live stream on its Facebook page in the evening. The genesis of the idea of celebrating in this way came from the foreword penned Bishop Dr Gordon Wong bringing greetings

by one of its former principals, Mrs Tang Poh Kim, in the Fairfield Song Book that had been distributed to students to mark the

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Alumni and current students recording part of the live stream in the studio

The production team on the ground

school’s centenary in 1988. She wrote that “among its

Fairsians. An all-time favourite of the nation, “Home”,

many traditions, Fairfield is known as a singing school—a

originally sung by Fairfield Primary alumni Kit Chan,

school that delights in singing, be it singing the praises

was also sung by current students, teachers and

of the Lord, singing National songs or singing pop songs”.

parents.

The

The production also included special appearances by

committee members of the Alumni, Cho Pei Lin,

Fairfield

Musical

Journey

was

produced

former Principal Mrs Tang Poh Kim, Bishop Dr Gordon

Sharon Liat, Hannah Tan and Joel Tan (with the help

Wong of The Methodist Church in Singapore and

of our alumni Dale Cheong’s production company, High

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, all of whom gave

Notes). The aim was to have a programme that would

the Fairfield Community their well wishes.

reach out to Fairsians of all generations—from those who had studied in Fairfield Girls’ School at Neil Road

As a whole, 2021 has been a difficult year. Although

to those who had studied or are currently studying at

we were not able to gather together physically, our live

the Fairfield Methodist Schools at Dover Road. This

stream allowed us to reach an audience beyond that of

was the motivation behind showcasing songs from the

schools, its stakeholders and the Alumni Association.

billboard charts from different generations, performed

Alumni of all generations enjoyed the evening, using

by alumni over the years.

the live stream as a virtual gathering to catch up with classmates and friends, and learn more about the rich

Besides

songs

from

different

generations,

the

history of our school.

programme also highlighted milestones of the school’s history—from her founding, to the war years and the relocation to Dover Road—charting God’s faithfulness in the school’s last 133 years. The production featured our alumni Selena Tan from Dream Academy belting out “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, a song that won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1939. This song is in the Fairfield Songbook and has been taught in all music classes from Neil Road to Dover Road. Alumni from different generations presented popular campfire songs such as “Top of the World” and “Hokey Pokey”, which brought back fond memories to all

The production team

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

| 11

News ¢ Dr Morgan Zhou is the Chairperson of the TRAC Board of Children Ministry and the Children Ministry Coordinator at Fairfield Methodist Church. / Screenshots courtesy of the D6 Family Conference

NEXT: Next Steps, Next Level & Next Generation THE D6 FAMILY CONFERENCE

he D6 Family Conference was held online on 30 and 31 July 2021 with the theme “NEXT: Next Steps, Next Level & Next Generation”, dedicated to equipping the Church, leaders, ministers, volunteers, families, grandparents and parents with practical next steps and next level strategies for discipling the next generation.

COVID-19 pandemic by forming new habits of intentionality such as finding daily teachable moments and connecting across generations through worship, studying Scripture and creating heart-to-heart conversations.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deut 6:4–7) The D6 Family ministry movement, which was started by Randall House, 1 is premised on applying the principles of Deuteronomy 6 (hence D6) and urges the church and home to work together to implement generational discipleship within the churches, homes and families and to pass on a spiritual legacy for future generations. The D6 movement has been active in Singapore since 2016. The D6 Family Conference is led by The Bible Society of Singapore and supported by the Board of Children Ministry (Trinity Annual Conference of The Methodist Church in Singapore), Faith Methodist Church and The Evangelical Alliance of Singapore. The 2021 conference planning committee was co-chaired by Dr Cheah Fung Fong (TRAC Vice-President) and Ps Eric Chan, and assisted by committee members Rev Carrie Chan, Rev David Chee, Ps Simon Say, Ps Elaine Kwok, Christina Ong, Carol Loi, Anne Soh, Jason Goh, Joyder Ng, Sarah Chok and Celestine Tan. The conference began with energetic greetings to more than 400 participants led by Christina Ong, an opening prayer by Rev Reuben Ng, Pastor-in-Charge of Faith Methodist Church, and an uplifting time of worship led by Elvin and Esther Foong, founders of The Treasure Box SG. This was followed by an opening welcome message by Dr Ron Hunter Jr., co-founder of D6, during which he exhorted participants to do church and home differently during this

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

Dr Ron Hunter Jr. sharing how the COVID-19 pandemic offers families incredible opportunities for connecting and practicing Deuteronomy 6 in their homes.

Tim Goodyear, COO, HomePointe and Discipleship Pastor of Valley View Bible Church, led in the first plenary session: “Creating a Culture of Intentional Families”. He challenged participants to redefine their views on “parenting success” and to recognise that their primary parenting purpose is for their children to have a heart oriented towards glorifying God. He then reminded us of the command to act as God’s agents of authority in the lives of our children by means of instruction and discipline. If we only influence our children to strive for “better” lives instead of living for God’s glory and purpose, then we are turning them away from God. After a short tea-break, the conference participants returned for the first Panel Session, a Worldview Conversation with Jason Wong and Jillian Lee, and moderated by Ps Eric Chan. Jason shared that a Christian worldview protects us from a sick culture and prepares us to shape culture; he encouraged us to not only ground our philosophy in Christ but to know how to respond to the arguments of other worldviews by offering better arguments. Jillian talked about integrating faith and life at home and in church, and the need to renew our minds, reclaim conversations, recover space and time for solitude, as well as to remain in community.

Jillian Lee advocating for a wraparound community to equip the next generation with a faith for all of life

The second day began with worship led by Samat Jaimon and family before an opening welcome message by Rev Ezekiel Tan, General Secretary of The Bible Society of Singapore. Tim Goodyear continued with the second plenary session: “Creating a Culture of Intentional Marriages”. He spoke of how most believers are called to worship God through the intimacy of marriage and the blessing of children, and to show Christ by reflecting the marriage between God and His people, raise believers by inspiring and nurturing next generation faith, and to be Jesus to attract and point our neighbours and the next generation to Christ.

Both afternoons of the conference were reserved for parallel breakout sessions: •

“Confident Parenting and Family Discipleship in an Age of Unprecedented Digitalisation” by Chong Ee Jay

•

“Marriage and Communication” by Ps Simon Say

•

“Biblical Sexuality: Building a home as the safest space for conversations on God’s design for love, sex and gender” by Carol Loi and Nicole Soh

•

“Raising Missional Families by Job and Anne Tan

•

“Family Faith Journey” by Ps Elaine Kwok and Dorcas Li

•

“The Joy of Grandparenting: A Vision for the Generations” by Dr Andrew Goh

•

“Next Steps in Your Family Ministry Pursuit” by Ps Matthew Ling

•

“How to Raise Mentally Tough Children in this New Normal” by Edgar Tham

From the numerous testimonies and positive feedback received, we give praise and thanks to God for enabling the 2021 D6 Family Conference to Peter Tan and Dr Daniel Fung providing practical handles to build authenticity in relationships

guide participants to communicate better, especially to the NEXT generation, and to be equipped with

The second panel session, “Raising Resilient Kids in a PostPandemic World” by A/Prof Daniel Fung and Peter Tan, was moderated by Dr Cheah Fung Fong. Daniel shared that faith in God is foundational to allowing for perseverance in trials, which would ultimately lead to the strengthening of the child. Relationships are also crucial to developing resilient children; parents must enable children to learn competence and empower them to develop responsibility. From Proverbs 22:6 (“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it”), Peter highlighted the importance of influencing children’s spiritual development by filling the vessel; feeding the body, soul and spirit; focusing on friendships and family; and having faith in God. He also extracted findings from scientific research to underscore the need to establish systems and structures to build resilience.

practical strategies for effective family discipleship and ministry in these uncertain times.

2022 D6 Family Conference:

RECALIBRATE @ www.d6family.sg .

www.randellhouse.com

Opinion ¢ Dr Daniel Fung is the CEO of the Institute of Mental Health and the President of the International Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions. He worships at Pentecost Methodist Church.

The digital world, addiction and your child Q: Hi, Dr Fung, can you please tell us about Internet addiction from a psychiatrist’s point of view, and also from a Christian perspective? A: We are now living in a digitally enabled world that has greatly affected the way we work, play and worship. This pandemic has made us pivot to online platforms so much that we might say we are “addicted” to technology for work and everything else. Many socially acceptable behaviours such as shopping, watching movies or even eating durians can, in extreme situations, be misconstrued as addictions. “Addiction” has become a pejorative term to describe any behaviour that is seen as excessive and unnecessary to some. But to the shopaholic, the movie buff or the durian lover, these are merely jealous folks who don’t know what they are missing. However, we would not say the same for someone who chain-smokes, drinks in excess every day or enjoys “chasing the dragon” with heroin. So how do we differentiate an addiction from other social behaviours? For anything to qualify as a medical condition, some basic tenets must be met—it must first be harmful to the individual and cause some dysfunction. Next, it should cause cravings for the addictive behaviour that can be triggered by some cues; for example, at a party when people are smoking and drinking, these addictive behaviours can be aroused. It subsequently requires an increasing dose to get the same good feeling associated with it. This is described as tolerance. As the addiction develops, it will make other interests diminish and one may become disinterested and no longer enjoy what one used to. Finally, there will be loss of control resulting in all kinds of problems such as school failure, job loss, family breakup, etc.

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Q: Do addictions only occur with harmful substances like alcohol and drugs of abuse? A: Let us first understand the mechanism of addictions that is linked to a brain chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is released when an enjoyable activity occurs in what is termed as the “reward system” in our brains. This dopamine-related activity links pleasurable experiences to an internal motivation to re-experience the behaviour. This will create the cravings to release more dopamine until the brain is saturated with it, and what used to be triggers for release of dopamine may not produce the same amount. This means higher doses of the behaviour are needed to satisfy the need for dopamine, which leads to tolerance. This mechanism is believed to be the underlying cause of addictive behaviours, whether it is to drugs and alcohol or other social behaviours like shopping or sex. Q: Wait a minute. Didn’t you just say that shopping, movie watching and eating durians couldn’t be addictions? A: Based on the mechanisms associated with dopamine, they can become addictions if they fulfil some of those elements of dysfunction, cravings, tolerance disinterest in other activities and loss of control. In fact, compulsive buying disorder is described in the scientific literature. But addiction as a disorder must be problematic. Normal shopping, movie-watching and durian-eating are part of the human experience, but they should not become the centre of everything. In other words, a good principle for most social behaviours is for the Christian to be in the world but not of the world (John 15:19).

Q: What about Internet addiction? A: By the same token, use of computers is fairly ubiquitous. Like television did several decades before when it first arrived, all technology offers new benefits as well as problems. In the 1980s, computer addiction was described using most of the five behaviours I explained earlier. There was even a book by Margaret Shotton describing the lives of 106 individuals spending in ordinate amounts of time with the computer.1 Later, video gaming in the form of game machines in video arcades became all the rage and, in Singapore, the government placed a ban on such gaming, citing worries and concerns by parents. With the widespread advent of Internet usage from the 1990s, the same concerns about addictions arose. Like compulsive buying disorder, addiction to Internet gaming is being considered for American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) which is a classification system used by psychiatrists. It uses the tenets that I have mentioned in which the person is preoccupied with gaming, experiences withdrawal when the game is taken away and needs to increase gaming to satisfy the urge with an inability to stop. Other activities become less important, and this may affect school, jobs or relationships. Q: What can we do about this? We can’t ban the use of the Internet! A: We are all now living in the digital world with more digital natives than digital migrants. The young person and video gaming is part of this world. A parent needs to determine when a child should be introduced to computers and the Internet, and how to monitor the responsible use of it. A local study in Singapore also showed that addiction to games is inversely proportional to adult supervision. This means that in some youths, gaming can become addictive if there is not sufficient parental monitoring and involvement. Train the child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Prov 22:6). Q: What should Christian parents do? A: The age-old idiom that “prevention is better than cure” is an important first principle. For addictions, it is also very scientific since it is overindulging in a particular activity, like playing video games non-stop, can create that dopamine saturation which leads to addiction. If there was supervised monitoring by responsible adults—especially parents—this behaviour would not have occurred in the first place. Parents should decide when children get hold of computers, including mobile phones. These are not just phones but extremely powerful devices that work as miniaturise computers that can become addiction enablers.

An OECD study from 2018 showed that many developed nations have increasingly had their children exposed to inappropriate sexual and aggressive content online. Other studies have shown that without training, children can fall prey to these negative influences. My advice to parents is to keep a close eye on your children and make yourself a digitally literate migrant. Learn about gaming and understand terms like MMOG, RPG and FPS. Only when you understand the technology can you learn to use it positively in beneficial games that can train memory, organisation and even social skills. The technology is not the enemy; it is how it can be used or abused. Q: What can I do if my child is already addicted? Is it too late? A: No, but some intervention will be needed. Because of each individual’s unique family and social situation, a variety of treatments may be needed that are catered to the child, such as individual counselling, group support and family therapy. The most important aspect of treatment is to identify the internal motivation of the individual to change and appeal to the rational thinking of the young person. Behavioural strategies in terms of rewards and punishments can be additional measures. A well-known psychological intervention called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been shown to have good short-term gains. The focus of CBT is to help the young person understand that their thinking (or cognitions) dictate how they feel and what behaviours will occur. Some of the problematic thinking revolves around over-valuing the benefits of gaming such as the rewards within the game and the online character (or avatar). At the same time, the youth may develop maladaptive rules for playing the games such as playing for long periods and not keeping regular hours. This will often lead to becoming over-reliant on the game and success within the game as a source for self-esteem and social acceptance. CBT attempts to help the young person increase their awareness of their problematic behaviour, work through these issues and find healthy alternatives. Family and social settings would also need to be helped to create a supportive environment. But this will take time and effort. There is no instant solution and in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world, we need to make an effort to help our children and adolescents find harmony. This cannot be done by surrogate parents such as teachers or coaches. Parents must step in and spend time understanding their children and their needs for love. They need to hold their children’s hands when they are young, walk with them as they reach the cusp of adulthood and share with them the love of their heavenly Father. Margaret Shotton, Computer Addiction? A Study of Computer Dependency (London: Taylor & Francis, 1989).

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Opinion ¢ Rev Chan Mei Ming is a pastor at Faith Methodist Church, where she oversees the Enlarge Pillar comprising Missions, Witness & Evangelism, Outreach & Social Concerns, and Chaplaincy Ministries.

Bible-based healing in tragic and trying times

hen tragedy strikes, or when we have to live with broken lives or broken dreams, it can be hard to move forward, stay motivated or want to go on. We may have lost someone close to us or someone we love. We may find ourselves feeling all alone and afraid, or struggling emotionally to deal with difficult circumstances. We may face an uncertain future wondering how long things will be like this and whether life will ever get better. All of us go through trying times. And perhaps none are more silently and deeply vulnerable than the younger ones in our midst. By God’s grace, we can, as concerned adults, be better equipped to help them process the effects of trauma, their emotional and spiritual pain, so that through it all, they come to experience God’s love for them. This journey would include, at the appropriate time, helping them process why they are feeling what they are feeling.

WHY THEY ARE FEELING WHAT THEY ARE FEELING When we experience bad things, our hearts and minds can be wounded. It’s important to take care of heart wounds so that inner healing can take place. One way a heart wound can be healed is through telling someone about what happened and how it felt. God is the One who heals, but time and again He uses people in the process. We learn to listen well to them by gently asking three “listening questions”: 1. “Can you remember what happened?” This helps to build rapport, and to establish facts and timeline. 2. “How do/did you feel?” Healing takes place at the level of emotions. Enabling them to name their feelings helps them give clarity to what may otherwise be vague emotions. A possible activity is to provide a list of words that describe feelings they may have and encourage them to circle those they have experienced because of this tragic or intensely trying event. There are no wrong feelings! Help them understand that feelings are a natural response to things that happen in our lives. It is normal to have difficult feelings when difficult things happen to us. 3. “What was the hardest part for you?” Each person is different. We need to know the answer to this from them individually. This can also help to clarify which feeling is the strongest for them right now. It can also help to discover what the young person does when he/she feels this way. 16

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Another activity is to help them to name their losses by thinking about how a tragic or intensely trying event has interrupted their life, such as in their plans and fears for the future, not knowing when this “life-on-hold” feeling is going to end or what the “new normal” will bring (as in this coronavirus pandemic). There may be, in other tragic or trying situations, the death of a loved one or friend, relational loss because of a broken relationship, seeming death of an academic dream because of disappointing examination results, or deeper things like personal welfare and safety. After they have indicated what they have lost, encourage them to write down how each loss made them feel or to draw a face showing that feeling(s).

Pointing To A Bible Spotlight Jesus understands feelings. In John 11:1–44, Jesus cried with Mary and Martha, who must have had many feelings like sadness, loneliness, anger, regret, hopelessness, fear and maybe others.

WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THESE FEELINGS Having experienced such losses, the feelings they have named are connected to the grief they are feeling because of those losses. Loss always leads to grief. Grief is normal and healthy as it helps us deal with the loss we feel. It is the emotional response we feel when we have lost someone or something that means a lot to us. We can facilitate their grieving process by helping them understand the grief journey as a “street” with “bus stops” along the way. Bus stop one: denial and anger. Our first response to losing something or someone important to us is often to not believe it is happening. Along with doubting that it’s true, we can feel angry about the loss and try to find someone or something to blame so we can aim our anger there. Sometimes, we feel it’s easier and safer to express anger than to express sorrow. Bus stop two: no hope. Eventually, our denial and anger begin to fade and we face the reality of the loss. We feel hopeless, as if nothing will ever be good again. Some people show this stage by crying, withdrawing, or being depressed. They may not feel like taking care of themselves, doing schoolwork or their usual activities. They may resort to numbing the pain with activities that harm themselves.

Bus stop three: new beginnings. We come to a place of resolution recognising that things will never be the same, but we learn we can live with the loss. We can talk about our loss without the sharp pain that we felt when the loss was new. We accept that we can’t get those people or things back, and we can accept this “new normal’ in the face of the loss(es). We even begin to dream again, to plan, to step forward to map our goals, no matter how small the step. Grief Street Bypass. Sometimes people want to skip the “stops” and try to take a bypass directly to “new beginnings”. They don’t allow themselves the time or space to be sad or angry about their loss. There may be people in their life that tell them that to “just get over it”. Or sometimes, they hear in church that they must “praise God for everything all the time”. The Bypass is not healthy. Going through the stages of grief is important so we can deal honestly with our loss. Riding the bus. The grief journey is often not direct. Many times, when we think about what we have lost, we find our feelings going back to a stage we thought we had already passed. We might go back to denial and anger (bus stop one) and/or to feeling no hope (bus stop two). Over time, we are able to move forward again, and one day to stay in “new beginnings”.

POINTING TO A BIBLE SPOTLIGHT David grieved with his men about their losses, but found his solace and strength in God.

HOW THEY CAN LIVE FORWARD The Lord Jesus knows all the pains they are carrying. It’s important for them to be able to bring these pains to Him so He can bring healing to their wounded hearts. We enable their journey of wound bearing and pain bearing to Jesus. Step one: Write down their worst pain(s). Pray with each person asking God to show him/her the most painful things buried deep in their heart. Encourage him/her to write these down on a piece of paper or they might prefer to draw a picture of these things instead of using words. Give him/her time to do this and assure them no one will ever see what they have written. Step two: Bring their pains to the cross. Encourage him/her to talk to Jesus about the pains they have put on their piece of paper. Give him/her time to do this and when they are ready, encourage him/her to take their papers, to go and to put them at the foot of the cross in the small box provided. Step three: Burn the papers (optional, but recommended). When the paper(s) have been deposited, take them outside and read Isaiah 61:1 –3. Thereafter, burn the papers to show and explain the suffering each one has experienced has become like ashes. Pray with the person that they will experience Jesus healing their wounded or broken hearts.

HOW THEY CAN RELATE TO GOD IN TRAGIC AND TRYING TIMES Sometimes, living through tragic and trying times force us to evaluate what we believe about God and to decide what is really important in our lives.

(Psalm 13) We encourage them to hold fast to the Word of God. Teach them to remember important truths such as: 1. What if I’m afraid? “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps 27:1) 2. What if I think I’m all alone and God has left me? “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Josh 1:9) 3. What if someone said that I have no future, that I’m hopeless? “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jer 29:11 NIV)

Resources Hill, Harriet, Margaret Hill, Richard Bagge, and Pat Miersma. Healing the Wounds of Trauma. Philadelphia: American Bible Society, 2016. McCombs, Margi and James Covey. Unstuck: A Teen Guide for Living In Uncertain Times. Philadelphia: American Bible Society, 2020.

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

Honours 40 years of “heartwork” in volunteering.

n 30 July 2021, over a hundred invited guests witnessed the powerful performance of “The Prayer” by 18-year-old award-winning soprano soloist Lauren Yeo. Lauren’s performance was one of the highlights of the inaugural Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Empowering Life Awards (ELA) for volunteers, which was held over Zoom. The ELA recognises volunteers who have made significant contributions in serving and empowering the disadvantaged and distressed under the care of MWS. The Awards were launched in a special year, MWS’ 40th year of empowering life to the full. MWS was founded in 1981 by a group of young Methodists who were moved by the struggles and hardships that they saw in the community. Two years later, we served our first six elderly residents in the Methodist Home for the Aged Sick. Today, volunteers continue to serve actively in MWS, planting new seeds for generations to come.

MWS CEO Junie Foo giving her opening address

Mr Danny Goh and Mrs Lois Goh, recipients of the MWS Empowering Warmth Award

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

Mr David Wong, former MWS Chairperson (2011–15), was also honoured with the MWS Empowering Lifetime Award for his years of distinguished service to MWS. David is respected as a visionary and compassionate leader, and whose services to the community and MWS are deeply grounded in his Christian faith. Under his leadership, MWS services grew in breadth and depth.

Award-winning soprano soloist Lauren Yeo with her soulful rendition of “The Prayer”

Over 70 nominations from MWS’ network of 20 centres and programmes were received for 12 award categories. The awards are named Hope, Strength, Warmth and Positivity in recognition of the volunteers’ efforts in bringing these to the beneficiaries. One might be surprised that the average age of the seven individual award recipients was 74 years old and 20 award recipients were over 80 years old. It was heartening that our seniors have found a new purpose in volunteering, a strong demonstration that making a positive impact can be done at any age. More than 200 volunteers also received Long Service Awards, including five individuals who were recognised for 40 years of volunteering service!

Patron of MWS, Bishop Dr Gordon Wong of The Methodist Church in Singapore, as well as other sector leaders such as Mr Gerard Ee, Chairman of The Charity Council; Ms Melissa Kwee, CEO of National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre; and Mr Tan Kwang Cheak, CEO of Agency for Integrated Care also took time to grace the occasion. In addition, Bishop Dr Wong, Ms Kwee and Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Second Minister for Law, appeared in recorded messages to encourage and thank all volunteers for their services. Music performance by leading not-for-profit Singaporean arts company, The TENG Ensemble, and a tribute video by MWS Staff rounded up the programme for the day. As Junie Foo, CEO of MWS said in her opening address, “There’s an old African proverb that says, ‘If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ These challenging times are a stark reminder that we must go together, and certainly we hope to go far, for another 40 years, God willing.” As MWS continues to expand to meet the growing needs in the community, many more volunteers will be needed. Keen to get involved? Visit mws.sg to learn more. You can also watch a recording of the ELA on our MWS 40th Anniversary microsite at https://mws.sg/ mws-empowering-life-awards-2021/.

One such volunteer is 92-year-old Mrs June Cheong, founder of the Sunshine Group, who has been volunteering at MWS nursing homes for the last 40 years. She said, “I recall a resident who was highly critical and did not always get on well with others. But we continued to be patient with her, loved her as God had commanded us to, and showed her how to accept love from others. The MWS Bethany Nursing Home team was also very dedicated in their care for her. Twenty years on, this resident told us she wanted to get baptised. We were overjoyed! This really showed us that God’s love can overcome all obstacles.” Despite their advanced age and physical frailty, Sunshine Group never allowed anything to hinder their outreach. Even during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, they sent recorded videos to engage MWS nursing home residents.

Mrs June Cheong, recipient of MWS Empowering Long Service Award (40 Years)

Mr David Wong, former MWS Chairperson and recipient of MWS Empowering Lifetime Award

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METHODIST MESSAGE, JULY 2013

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

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

r Yan Yuelong was working as a cook in a hawker centre and was badly affected when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020. But he did not give up or fall into despair. Instead, he made the difficult switch to work as a warehouse worker to support his family. His strength and resilience was however not developed overnight. In 2013, Mr Yan was struggling as a sole breadwinner for his family of seven, consisting of his wife, mother-in-law and four children. Although he worked long hours, the 44-year-old barely made enough as a cook to cover his family’s basic needs. Mr Yan’s financial situation worsened when his motherin-law was diagnosed with kidney failure. The severe stress he was under also affected his relationship with his wife and children. Desperate for help, his wife approached MWS Covenant

Family Service Centre (FSC) – Hougang. MWS FSC first helped the family with their pressing financial issues by applying for subsidies to cover the transportation costs of sending Mr Yan’s mother-in-law for dialysis treatments and medical appointments. The family was also given cash vouchers and placed on a food ration programme that provided milk and diapers for his younger children. Besides attending to the family’s immediate needs, the FSC also referred Mr Yan to the MWS Family Development Programme (FDP) that helped the family work towards financial stability and build assets to buffer against crises. Starting out with zero savings, Mr Yan committed to save $100 a month. For every dollar that he saved, MWS FDP matched it with $2. After being on FDP for two and a half years, the family eventually accumulated savings of more than $9,000 to use for emergencies and their children’s education. Recognising the family’s holistic needs, MWS FSC also enrolled the

couple in parent-child interaction therapy after observing that they had difficulties parenting their children. In line with MWS’ personcentred approach that recognises and taps on clients’ strengths, MWS Social Worker Ms Lynette Tan would encourage the couple whenever they applied the skills they had learnt on how they interact with their children. The couple has since grown more confident in managing and disciplining their children. Looking back on his journey today, Mr Yan is thankful and appreciative for the timely support he had received from MWS. His wife is also currently working part-time at a school and contributing financially. MWS’ holistic approach not only empowered him to face pressing financial issues then, it has also prepared him to manage the challenges during the current pandemic. “I am very grateful towards MWS for all the help extended to us during our time of need. I hope many more will be able to receive such support and know that they need not walk this journey alone.”

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Reach Out ¢ Missions Dr Christopher Cheah is a Methodist Missions Society (MMS) ExCo Member and a member of Fairfield Methodist Church. A retired medical doctor, he was Chairman of Singapore Centre for Global Missions and currently chairs the board of Pioneers in Asia, a mission agency sending missionaries to UPGs worldwide. He is married to Fung Fong and they have three adult children, one of whom is working in a country where MMS sends missionaries to. This article first appeared in Harvest Force 2021, issue 2.

Extending the scope to

reach the unreached

he Methodist Missions Society (MMS) Vision 2025 is to “Enlarge the Tent of God” among the world’s unreached people groups (UPG) so that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isa 11:9). The Lausanne Committee defined a people group in 1982 as “the largest group within which the Gospel can spread as a church planting movement without encountering barriers of understanding or acceptance”. The Joshua Project estimated that there are about 10,400 people groups (or 17,400 if country boundaries are considered) worldwide, with about 4,600 UPGs (or 7,400 if country boundaries are considered) today. We praise God for the seven field countries where MMS is currently involved. As it enlarges the tent going forward, MMS could first look at the UPGs in the seven field countries and see how they can be reached with the Gospel. Next, MMS could look at the UPGs in ASEAN countries as they are our closest neighbours. Finally, MMS could look at UPGs further afield in other Asian countries in South Asia and East Asia as the Lord leads.

UPGs in MMS field countries Table 1 provides a summary of the 988 UPGs in MMS’s seven field countries. Cambodia, Laos, Nepal and Thailand have large percentages of their population living among UPGs and should receive the greatest attention and resources. The Khmers remains the largest UPG in Cambodia with about 14 million, predominantly Buddhists. So are the 60 million Thais in Thailand, and the 3.5 million Laos in Laos. The picture is more diverse in Nepal with more than 275 UPGs waiting to be reached, especially among the Brahmins and Chhetris. Timor-Leste* has the least number of UPGs, presumably because it is considered a Roman Catholic country.

Table 1: UPGs in MMS Field Countries

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UPGs in other ASEAN countries Table 2 shows that the other ASEAN countries where MMS is not present have fewer UPGs (total of 406) as the churches there are older and more active in outreach and evangelism. The Philippines* also has fewer UPGs as it is also considered a Roman Catholic country. Apart from Brunei, all four other countries have a strong Methodist presence. While MMS does not need to send missionaries to these countries, it can partner the Methodist church there to reach the UPGs, especially in countries like Indonesia and Myanmar where the percentages of their population living among UPGs are higher.

Table 2: UPGs in the Other ASEAN Countries

UPGs in other Asian countries Beyond ASEAN, the picture is grimmer, as shown in Table 3. All six countries listed have large numbers of UPGs (total of 3,367) with more that 90 per cent of their population living among them. These are also big countries with huge populations. Again, MMS need not send missionaries there as most already have a Methodist presence, but can work with the Methodist church there to reach the UPGs.

Table 3: UPGs in Selected Asian Countries

The above 18 countries account for 4,761 or 65 per cent of all UPGs today. While they are closer to home, there are obviously UPGs in other countries that are equally in need of the Gospel. The harvest is truly plentiful. May we heed our Lord’s advice to ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into the harvest field! (Matt 9:37–38) *

https://joshuaproject.net. All following tables and statistics are taken from the same site.

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Opinion ¢ Soundings Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College and Theological and Research Advisor at the Ethos Institute for Public Christianity (http://ethosinstitute.sg).

In the shadow of the pandemic “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.

n a media release in December 2018, the Institute

On March 16 this year, the Straits Times reported that

of Mental Health reported that one in seven people

mental health professionals in Singapore have attended

in Singapore has experienced a mental disorder

to more cases in the past year amid the raging COVID-19

in their lifetime. 1 This situation is exacerbated by

pandemic. 2 This has prompted the National Council

the COVID -19 pandemic , especially with the recent

of Social Service to launch its national anti-stigma

resurgence of community cases following a lull for a

campaign, “Beyond the Label”, last year to raise public

few months.

awareness and help those affected. 3

The pandemic has, in many different ways, given

Although there is generally an increasing awareness

rise to stress and anxiety. Many are worried about

of mental health issues in Singapore, the Church

their health, the health of their loved ones and their

can arguably do much more not only to educate its

livelihood. Necessary measures that are meant to keep

members, but also to think of how best to minister

the population safe such as imposed limits on social

to and support the mentally ill and their families.

gatherings can result in isolation and loneliness, and

The Church’s ministry to its members struggling with

generate even more anxiety.

mental health should be multi-pronged because of the complexity of the phenomenon.

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For many Christians, dealing with depression, chronic

Now, beyond changing mindsets and attitudes and

anxiety and other forms of mental illness plunges them

exorcising prejudices and fears, the Church must

into a deep spiritual crisis. All sorts of questions will

also encourage its members to help in concrete and

invade their minds, some of which present formidable

tangible ways. These include practical acts such as

challenges to their faith.

accompanying the person with mental illness for his doctor appointments or raising funds to help defray the

Questions such as whether they are being punished by

cost of medical bills.

God for some past sins they might have committed. The answers they (and others) give to such questions could

The Church can also start special groups to support

either assure them of God’s unconditional love or drag

people affected by mental illness. These groups can

them into the abyss of guilt and despair.

create for them a safe space where they can freely share their stories in an environment of love and trust.

In helping its members to properly understand issues related to mental illness, the Church must provide

According to Amy Simpson, this ministry has a subtle

a robust theology of suffering based on Scripture

but profound impact because it “will alert people that

and tradition. In addition, the Church must help its

they are not alone within the body of Christ and that

members to appreciate the stigmatisation that people

the church is a safe place to be sick. This message can

with mental illness often suffer. Stigmatisation of the

have more healing than we might ever know”. 4

mentally ill is not just found in society—it is also found in the Church. In many cases, the stigmatisation is not

But most importantly, the Church must pray with

only confined to the person with mental illness; it often

and for people with mental health issues. Prayer can

extends to the members of their families as well.

bring comfort and peace because it ushers us into the presence of the God of love and grace.

Stigmatisation is a corrosive social evil that not only dehumanises its victim, but also the community that

“Prayer,” writes theologian Kathryn Greene-McCreight,

tolerates it. For a bit of our own humanity is eroded

who is struggling with mental illness herself, “will

when we fail to recognise and honour the dignity of a

bring health—even for the bent and broken mind of the

human being created in God’s image.

mentally ill”. 5

As I have written elsewhere, the Church must learn to welcome and value believers who are suffering from mental illness or disability as indispensable members of Christ’s Body (1 Cor 12:21–27). We must love them and minister to them because they are our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

This ministry, however, is never a one-way street.

2 Eliz Wang and Natalie Tan, “More needed help during Covid-19 pandemic, say mental health experts”, Straits Times, 16 March 2021.

Brothers and sisters with mental illness can and often do contribute to the life and ministry of the Church. God does bless the Church through the presence of its sick and disabled members.

Institute of Mental Health, “Latest nationwide study shows 1 in 7 people in Singapore has experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime”, 11 Dec 2018.

3 Rei Kurohi, “Mental health anti-stigma campaign back for 3rd year”, Straits Times, 25 Sep 2020.

Amy Simpson, Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2013), 195.

Kathryn Greene-McCreight, Darkness is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Brazos Press, 2015), 137.

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

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

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

WE ARE CALLED TO TELL THE STORY

We are called to tell the story, passing words of life along, then to blend your voice with others as you sing the sacred song. Christ be known in all our singing, filling all with songs of love,

ach of us has a story: one that defines who we are; where we come from; and how we relate to others. While some may be willing to share their stories, others dare not for reasons we may or may not understand.

We are called to teach the rhythm of the dance that never ends, then to move within the circle, hand in hand with strangers, friends. Christ be known in all our dancing, touching all with hands of love.

What strikes us are untold stories that we learn of only when something sudden and unexpected happens. Narratives are often related to people’s mental health, and we are hearing of such struggles more and more often. This is a concern that is calling us to be more sensitive and to pay closer attention to those around us who may need our ears.

We are called to set the table, blessing bread as Jesus blest, then to come with thirst and hunger, needing care like all the rest. Christ be known in all our sharing, feeding all with signs of love.

This month, we give tribute to our teachers. Also called the second parent of each child, they are essential in nurturing children, students— the future of our society. But along with these responsibilities that they shoulder with us, there is weight they carry on their own. What is the possibility of using God’s story to walk alongside the teachers to whom we entrust and our children? The hymn, “We Are Called to Tell the Story”, was originally written as “You are called to tell the story”. Originally written for an ordination service, this hymn summons the ordinand(s) to narrate and use God’s story to mould his own, as well as the congregation’s. God’s narrative are true stories about helplessness and hope, emptiness and grace, lament and mercy, harshness and compassion, sin and salvation. The hymn summarises God’s story with love—a love that becomes the premise and core of our way of life. This love is “embodied” by parents, teachers and the community at large. As the hymn ends, may we find words to encourage each other to sing, dance and move to the rhythm of God’s story, making it our own. Doing so, we make Christ known in our living, then our people and our children are formed and shaped to do the same. The music was set to a contemporary tune by Justin Chan, a Programme Executive at Methodist School of Music . 26

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

May the One whose love is broader than the measure of all space give us words to sing the story, move among us in this place. Christ be known in all our living, filling all with gifts of love.

Words: Ruth Duck Music: Justin Chan (MSM 2021) Words © 1992 GIA Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of GIA Publications, Inc. Any further reproduction requires permission from the publisher. For congregational reprint licensing, contact ONE LICENSE: http://www.onelicense.net The music was set to a contemporary tune by Justin Chan, Programme Executive at Methodist School of Music. Scan the QR code to listen.

People ¢ Sharon Koh* is one of the contributors to Colours of the Kingdom, the third book in the Good News for Bruised Reeds series, where this story originally appeared. Reproduced with permission. / Book visual courtesy of Graceworks

When race and faith collide Confrontations that wound The door slammed. Right in my face. I have never had someone do that to me before; this was the stuff of Hollywood dramas, but this drama was only just beginning. That was the response I encountered when my father asked me point-blank if I was seeing Pravin*. It marked the start of a downward spiral in my relationship with my father, two years of what my father called the “dark night of his soul”, and two years where the family walked this tightrope of keeping the various relationships in balance. My mother, who often disagreed with my father on many things, stood firmly together with him on this one issue. The whole episode caught me by surprise. This was the twenty-first century! I had always thought my parents were liberal-minded. Beyond that, I knew them to be God-fearing and devout Christians who took their faith seriously and exhorted us as their children to do likewise. Both my parents had served as deacons in church and were actively involved in lay ministries of different sorts. I held them in high regard, which is what made their reaction all the more shocking to me. I could not square their faith with much of what I was hearing from them, and I certainly could not square that with how I saw them treat Pravin, a fellow believer in Christ, never mind someone whom I had grown to love. I was also disappointed and deeply wounded to realise that racial prejudice could run so deep, it would cause a parent to be willing to sever a relationship with their own child simply because they could not accept a mixed-race relationship. *not their real names METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

| 27

When race and faith collide

Yes, it was as drastic as that. It is not profitable to recount everything that was said and done, but so as to provide a picture of the ugliness that occurred, I offer one example to illustrate the nature of comments that were being exchanged. In one of the many emotionally charged conversations I had with my parents, where we tried to hear each other out, my mother blurted out something so horrifyingly offensive that—if I am not mis-recollecting—I couldn’t help but yell, “You are racist! How can you call yourself a Christian with such racist views!” It was not a pretty sight and there were character assassinations of various sorts. And yet, these were in effect the thrust of the conversations that we had, when we even spoke to each other. Much of the time, especially with my father who is introverted like me, it was a silent war. And just like any other war, it was pointless and painful. During this time, I learnt through my siblings that it pained my parents when they saw Pravin and myself in church together. For that reason, we decided that it was best that we left the church and worshipped elsewhere. Home and church should be spaces where we find peace, comfort, unconditional love and acceptance, but for me, they had become sources of tension, judgement, fear and anxiety.

Comfort for the weary It is true that if we are one Body and one Family, when one member hurts, the rest hurt with it. We were all hurting—my parents, my siblings, Pravin, myself and our closest friends whom we trusted and shared this with. The hurt was as much from whatever offences we felt were being committed against self or the person we cared about, as well as the pain of seeing someone we cared about hurting. I felt both—I was hurt by how I was being treated by my parents, and how they were treating Pravin, but I was also pained to see them hurting. To some, it may seem as though it came down to making a “simple” decision about whether to end the relationship for the sake of keeping the family together, or to stick with the relationship and cause a rift in the family. The fact of the matter was that relationships were already broken, and the weight of all that brokenness was crushing. I believe that God was hurting too.

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

Both Pravin and I kept a lot of what we were going through private. For one, it was not something that could be easily or openly talked about. It was not easy because I did not have the words to convey what I was going through; I could not make sense of it, I could not rationalise what was right or wrong nor discern what was good and true. There was too much internal conflict and dissonance, too many layers of emotions that added to the confusion, too many treasured relationships entangled in this web, and it all seemed to just be one colossal mess. In addition, we wanted to be discreet about what was happening because we were embarrassed, considering that reputations were at stake. Perhaps we just did not know how to talk about this with empathy, kindness and grace. We were especially careful to keep this private from Pravin’s family who were non-believers. This would not only have been impossible for them, as parents, to stomach (which parent would want to see their child rejected for no other reason than their ethnicity!), but worse still, it would have smeared the name of Christ. Throughout this ordeal, we were grateful for our siblings and friends who rallied around us and provided companionship and encouragement. I appreciated that they largely abstained from putting any pressure on us to make a choice, one way or the other. No sides were taken. At any rate, it was not a war to be won, but a war we wanted to put an end to; reconciliation was what we were all hoping for. I believe that we were all jointly waiting on God to work the miracle of changing minds, healing hearts and restoring relationships. In the meantime, our siblings and friends journeyed alongside and walked with us through the valley. We were provided havens in the form of homes being opened up to us where we could freely “be a couple” and hang out in the company of friends, where we could laugh and have fun even in the midst of trouble, where we were given the space to vent and share our fears and frustrations when we needed to, where we were prayed over and prayed for, and so much more. We felt as though they were building a hedge around us, and we found safety and comfort within those spaces.

Conscientious waiting Pravin and I have been married for almost 13 years now. We were in a relationship for four years before we

Books ¢

got married—it took about two years before my parents began to slowly come around, another year before Pravin went to seek their blessings for us to get married, and one more year following that before my father walked me down the aisle. That was a day of rejoicing, and those who knew the backstory to our marriage rejoiced along with us, and marvelled at the miracle they were witnessing. Till today, it remains a mystery to me as to what caused my parents to turn around; we have not directly spoken about it. I only know that they had poured themselves into searching the Scriptures and praying through this crucible moment. The Word of God truly has the power to change the hearts of men. On my part, it was a lesson of waiting upon the Lord and learning to trust in the Father-heart of God. Through those torrid years, there were many moments of despair and desperation, of frustration and discouragement, of doubt, and also of anger. I often felt that my earthly parents were not coming through for me. While I knew that my Heavenly Father was there for me, it was hard to have faith that things would work out for good. I wanted it to work out for good right here and now, and not just in some eternal realm. I do not know what I would have done nor what would have happened if the situation with my parents did not change. I am only grateful that the Lord spared me from that, and my faith was never tested beyond what I could bear. Thirteen years on, our wedding verse rings as true as it has always done across the ages. “He is before all things and in Him all things hold together” (Col 1:17).

Good News for Bruised Reeds:

Colours of the Kingdom

his book presents true stories and reflections of Christians in Singapore about grappling with issues of ethnicity or nationality in the Church. We hear from individuals who have been on the receiving end of racism as well as inclusive hospitality, individuals who have been convicted by the Lord to repent of their prejudices, and church leaders who are working on intentionally creating inclusive spaces that celebrate ethnic and national diversity. Contributors also share theological, pastoral and practical approaches to this issue. The primary audience of this book is Christians, whether in leadership or not, for reflection, encouragement, and equipping on this topic. This is not a book to shame or blame local or majority ethnicity Christians, but a call out of love for the whole Church to reflect and work towards becoming a more united and inclusive gospel community reflecting the biblical vision of multi-cultural diversity. “It is likely that some racial prejudice lurks within every one of us, and we need the eyes and tears of others to help us see. This book provides us with the tears of those who have suffered racial prejudice, sometimes from blatant attacks, but more often from persons who unintentionally inflicted pain and offence. Let’s read, reflect and let God’s Spirit reduce the racial prejudice within us.” —Bishop Dr Gordon Wong

Good News for Bruised Reeds:

Colours of the Kingdom Edited by Nicole Ong, Ng Zhi-Wen, Ronald JJ Wong, Prarthini M. Selveindran, Jonathan Cho and Tan Soo-Inn. Published by Graceworks Pte Ltd (2021), 128 pages https://graceworks.com.sg/store/ category/pastoral-resources/good-newsfor-bruised-reeds-colours-of-the-kingdom/ $16 to $50 Enjoy 10 per cent off the price of Colours of the Kingdom with the promo code MMCOLOURS10 at the webstore’s checkout page (valid from 1–30 Sep 2021).

People ¢ Mrs Gnanamany Philip worships at Pasir Panjang Tamil Methodist Church. She is one of the advisors of the GC WSCS. She was also one of the chefs for Simply Good: Healthy Family Meals, a recipe book by GC WSCS. / Photo courtesy of Gnanamany Philip

What does being a Methodist mean to you? “I am determined to be a Bible Christian not almost but altogether.” This remains my goal in my Christian life. I grew up in Sembawang—Jalan Sembawang Kechil to be exact—where Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church stood before it shifted to Yishun. It was there in the Sunday School I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour. Since then, the Methodist Church has been the ground of my Christian foundation, where I have grown my roots in the knowledge of Christ. I love the Aldersgate season. Through the series of special talks and services conducted then, I have come to better understand the Wesleyan way of approaching God. The songs we sang at the services have brought much meaning to why and what I am doing as a child of God. It was during these meetings, many years ago, that I came to understand what holiness (scriptural and social) is and my role in building social holiness in the community that I am part of. Personal holiness starts in redemption by Christ and works towards transformation by the Holy Spirit, so that I can be shaped to look more and more like Jesus. And as God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and God’s special Mrs Gnanamany Philip with her husband, ETAC President Rev Philip Abraham

possession, we need to move as a community whose presence and practice influence and impact the family, neighbourhood, nation and the world. To me, being a Methodist is to be the salt of this earth and light to this world by demonstrating faith working by love. This is what I share in the various Bible study sessions that I conduct at Sunday School, with the youth and in WSCS. As a Christian community, we need to strengthen ourselves by standing firm in the word of God; we rally fellow athletes to complete the race by encouraging each other, comforting the injured, and cheering the weak and tired to continually walk steadily on the highway of holiness and the path of righteousness. With Jesus as our chief Shepherd, we strive to become not almost but altogether Christians.

Opinion ¢ THINK Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message. / Photos courtesy of Sheri Goh

Diary of a

“Oh no,” I said to my husband, my heart plummeting as I read the text from the teacher of my younger daughter, M, on Sunday, 1 Aug 2021. M’s kindergarten classmate had tested positive for COVID-19, and everyone in the class, as well as their teachers and non-teaching staff, was to be issued a quarantine order (QO). That classmate had last been at school the Wednesday prior. I tried to quiz M: “Were any of your classmates absent on Thursday and Friday? Do they sit at the same table as you?” Five-year-olds, however, make terrible witnesses. The Ministry of Health (MOH), we were told by M’s school, would be calling us. In the meantime, I shed many anxious tears. Was her classmate very ill? What would happen if M tested positive too? Would she and I (her primary caregiver) have to go to hospital or a community care facility? How about my parents and in-laws who had cared for her over the course of the past week? If she tested negative, could we quarantine at home, or would she (and I) be shipped off to a hotel? What on earth would I do to keep a five-year-old entertained in a hotel room for 10 days? The waiting game and the uncertainty were agonising. We were having dinner with my parents when we heard the news, and we prayed together before we bade goodbye. “Don’t worry,” my mom said, giving me a hug. “God will provide. Trust in Him.”

QO Day 1 I was added to a WhatsApp chat group of parents of M’s classmates. It was comforting to be in the (virtual) company of those equally as anxious. And there was so much hopefulness within the group! One of the moms drafted uplifting notes (that we all signed off on) to the children’s principal, their teachers and the family of the classmate who had tested positive.

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

It was late on Monday night that I finally received a text notification from MOH that M was to be under QO until noon on 11 August, or until we received a second negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, whichever was later. The same night, Certis Cisco called to inform us that since everyone in our abode (i.e. my husband, my helper and myself) were fully vaccinated, M was eligible for home quarantine. Praise God! However, we all had to sign a legally-binding undertaking to be quarantined with her. My parents had had the foresight to ask my 14-year-old, E, to stay with them when we learned of the case in M’s kindergarten. E had been very upset at the prospect of missing so many days of school. E’s school (a mission school) had told us that the Ministry of Education guidelines were that once M received a negative result on her PCR test, E would be able to return to school, much to her relief. She would however not be allowed to return home until M’s QO expired. In the meantime, the school made provisions to have schoolwork sent to her grandparents’ house and for her sit in on some of her lessons over Zoom.

Getting swabbed was not much fun

Days 2 to 3 The intercom rang at about 11 a.m. “Swabbing man is here!” announced the security guard. “I don’t want to get swabbed!” M wailed. I hugged her and assured her I would hold her for the duration of the procedure. The swabber was incredibly kind and gentle. He has kids of his own, so he knew how to talk M through the two swabs: the Antigen Rapid Test (ART), which produces instant results, and the PCR test, which needs to be taken back to the lab but produces a more accurate result. Surprisingly, M was very brave and did not cry when she was swabbed. We watched with bated breath as the fluid travelled up the ART test kit. Only one line appeared—which meant a negative for COVID-19. In the afternoon of the third day of QO, her PCR test results came back negative as well.

Days 4 to 10 After dinnertime on the fourth day, a Certis officer finally arrived to serve us our quarantine papers. Having been on the ground since 8 a.m., she looked exhausted. The recent rise in local cases had led to more people having to be quarantined, and the various agencies were working overtime to cope with the increased load. I had been fraught with anxiety since the previous weekend; it was only that night, after official confirmation that we could serve M’s quarantine with her at home, that I finally managed to get a decent night’s sleep. The next few days passed in a blur. My husband and I continued to work from home, while my helper took care of M. We ordered meals once a day, and my mother, who lives in the same building, brought us the other meal or it was cooked by my helper. M occupied herself reading, playing the piano, doing crafts and spending way too much time watching television or playing games on the iPad. Our family had planned to go on a staycation over the National Day weekend to celebrate my husband’s birthday. We had to cancel the hotel stay (for the third time due to various COVID-related government restrictions), much to the children’s disappointment. So, on National Day, I ordered a meal from my husband’s favourite Japanese restaurant. I also got a cake, and we blew out candles while video-calling his family and our elder daughter. On the morning of day 8, M was swabbed for her exit PCR. That afternoon, we were notified that she was negative for COVID-19. At noon on day 10, our freedom was restored when we were allowed to leave the house. Most importantly, all M’s classmates (other than the first case) also tested negative. M and I prayed every night during the QO period: that her classmate and family would not be too sick and would recover soon; that M would continue to test negative for COVID-19; and that God would watch over all of us in the family and keep us safe. And that we would “survive” 10 days of being trapped at home together! Home-baked cookies, bubble tea and chocolate were some of the goodies friends and family sent over

My husband’s sister made him a chicken rice cake for his birthday.

M occupied the 10 days with books, toys and too much device time

First World problems I am so grateful that, despite my initial anxieties, our quarantine experience turned out so painless. This was probably the most time I had spent at home with M since I was on maternity leave. We had air-conditioning, WiFi, Netflix, toys, books, games, food delivery services, and friends and family supplying us with comforting treats. There are so many people who were quarantined in far more difficult conditions, such as foreign workers in cramped dormitories, or large families in small flats. Thousands have been hospitalised, have been separated from their loved ones due to border controls, or had their finances decimated by the pandemic. When asked to write about my QO experience for Methodist Message, I was stumped. Did having to stay home for 10 days deserve to have an article being written about it? Once we knew M was free from COVID-19, it was just a matter of waiting out the quarantine. There was no earth-shattering Saul-on-the-Damascus-roadtype epiphany from this experience. Instead, what God has quietly assured me, time and again in my life, is that while He does not give me everything I want, He has always given me everything I need. However, like the Israelites whom God liberated from Egypt and whose every need He provided for in the wilderness, I constantly fret and complain, and forget how God has seen me through some truly terrible periods in my life. And like the Jews, who saw Jesus performing miracle after miracle but still doubted He was God, I still often fail to recognise His sovereign control over my circumstances. This time, I was reminded that my salvation must be worked out with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12); that my faith is not just a singular epiphany, but that it wavers and needs constant renewal; that like a silly wandering sheep, I frequently need to be shepherded back to the fold. And that I need to be stronger and more courageous, and not be afraid or discouraged, because my God will always be with me in all things (Josh 1:9).

METHODIST MESSAGE September 2021

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SEPT

Events ¢ Looking Ahead

Scan to see events online!

WEEK OF PRAYER AND SELF-DENIAL Week starting 12 Sep 2021. Closing service on 18 Sep 2021 at 2 p.m. via Zoom Register at: https://tinyurl.com/WPSD21 (ZOOM details to be provided separately)

The Week of Prayer and Self-Denial (WPSD) was started by WSCS women in the early 20th century. Fasting and praying are two of the spiritual disciplines that enable WSCS ladies to grow in Christ-likeness. Such an ageless goal remains relevant in 2021. During WPSD, ladies set aside funds to bless the poor and needy. Throughout the week starting 12 Sep 2021, meditations written by seven Methodist churches will be shared. The week culminates with a closing service via Zoom on 18 Sep.

SEPT - NOV

Organised by TRAC WSCS

EQUIP MODULE: NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY 21, 28 Sep / 5, 12, 19, 26 Oct / 2 Nov, 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. via Zoom Register at https://tinyurl.com/v7vb3z7r $100 per head. Fees waived for TTC alumni and matriculated students.

With accounts of the life and teaching of Jesus, the spread of the gospel, and issues faced by various New Testament (NT) writers that provide foundations for the life and theology of Christians and the Church throughout history, the importance of the NT cannot be overstated. This NT Survey course will provide an orientation of the various books of the NT by locating them in their social and historical contexts. Students will also be involved in discussions on the relevance of the NT in their daily lives, churches and the world today.

OCT

Organised by EQUIP

THE GIVING METHODIST 2021 Till 30 Oct 2021 tgm@mws.sg https://thegivingmethodist.sg

Every year, The Giving Methodist, spearheaded by The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) and Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), provides a platform to galvanise all Methodists for acts of love. Against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage every Methodist to “Persevere in Doing Good”. You may join the campaign in these three ways: • Give Time Be a Befriender to a child, a senior or a family in need, from a participating MWS centre or Methodist church ministry today! • Give A Donation Uplift those whose circumstances remain dire with a regular giving of $40 a month, or an one-time donation. • Give Voice Encourage someone to give or get involved. Pray for the last, lost and least.

2021

Organised by Methodist Welfare Services

BUILDING UP YOUR FAMILY: STEP BY STEP Last Thursday of every month till Dec 2021, 8 p.m. to 9.15 p.m. Online via Zoom https://tinyurl.com/FamLifeWebinar (Registrants will be emailed the Zoom link before the webinar)

Organised by the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) Board of Family Life (BOFL), the Family Life Webinars 2021 themed “Building Up Your Family: Step-by-Step” feature a series of talks by CAC pastors and experienced speakers covering the areas of: marriage; parenting children; parenting teens; fathering; and mothering. Organised by Chinese Annual Conference Board of Family Life