THE MAGAZINE OF FAITH METHODIST CHURCH | JANUARY 2021
MCI(P) 035/02/2019
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THE BRIGADE MINISTRIES
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A NEW NORM FOR MISSIONS
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YOUNG SCIENTISTS AT WORK
CONTENTS THE MAGAZINE OF FAITH METHODIST CHURCH
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JANUARY 2021
01 02
Editor’s Note Farewell Message from Pastor Raymond
DEEPER IN CHRIST
04 06 07
Private & Public Worship Part I Welcome To Faith Congratulations!
SPECIAL FEATURE
08 10 16 20 22
One Package Livestream Christmas Day Service Baptism And Membership Service Meet Jeshua Kok Meet Jeannie Pang
HEARTBEAT
24 28 30 31 32 34 36 38 44 46 48 50 51
Between The Now And What Is To Come The Word Of God: A Foundation For Spiritual Growth The Alpha Marriage Course Faith @ Home The World Needs A Father Kairos Online: A New Experience Missions Amidst COVID-19 The Lord Of The Harvest Small Group Members Training Young Scientist Children’s Day Outreach Growing Deeper In God Through Community From Creation To Salvation: A Night To Remember Filipino Ministry: 26th Anniversary Celebration
PEOPLE OF FAITH
52 53 54
Faith Kindergarten: Raising Funds For A Good Cause Faith Kindergarten: Little Explorers Helping Those In Need
SPOTTED AT FAITH
58 59 60 61 62
FAITH 54th Anniversary Service Witness & Evangelism “Hope in the Storm” Live Chat Conversation Night Of Worship LCEC Dedication Service Mandarin Ministry Service Recording
MARKETPLACE
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Jesus: Our Rock Of Refuge And Strength
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54 EDITORIAL Pastor-in-Charge Rev Raymond Fong Editors Glynisia Yeo Audrey Mok Sub-Editor Rachel Tham Contributing Pastors Rev Eddie Ho
Writers / Contributors Anna Ng Ara Teo Chen Kah Min Cheryl Chen Cindy Ho Doris Chan Esther Ong Fann Ng Goh Zhimin Henry Tan
Jean Hong Jimaia Wong Lionel Chan Lionel Lau Patrick Pang Tammy Ang Tenny Peng Vanessa Liew Vincent Lim Wee Chor Keong Wong May Lin
Photographers Joash Lee Poh Haikun Cho Jungmin Richmond Tan
Mark Tse Jimmy Png Reuben Loh Nathaniel Yeo Daniel Lie
For contributions, please send them to faithlink@faithmc.sg.
Faithlink is published three times a year by Faith Methodist Church (Singapore) for internal circulation to the congregation of Faith Methodist Church and their friends. Views expressed in Faithlink are the contributors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of the Church and the Editorial Board. Copyright © 2021 by Faith Methodist Church All right reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
EDITOR’S NOTE
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FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS f there is one group of people I want to highlight in this issue, it would be the Sunday Service production team of Faith Methodist Church, which comprises volunteers and staff from both the Communications ministry and Worship & Music ministry. When COVID-19 forced the entire world into lockdown, back here in Singapore, our church quickly moved into “crisis support mode” in order to maintain some semblance of church life, albeit online. The church service was live-streamed on our Youtube channel; which began with sermon recordings and pre-recorded worship sets back in April 2020 during the Circuit Breaker.
As restrictions eased, other church volunteers returned to support the different aspects of our church service, from multi-cam operations to projection and audio needs. Together, they contributed to our church’s weekly livestream production. By December 2020, Faith was regularly conducting both online and onsite (physical) services in English and Mandarin at different times and venues. The role of media is an extension of the ministry life of Faith; it does not replace the physical gathering of the body of Christ. What you see online every Sunday is no mean feat because production work involves a lot of time, preparation, energy, skill, and commitment. The Sunday Service team is responsible for “transporting” church life into the homes (and screens!) of individuals and families. Every. Single. Week. And they have done a stellar job the last few months! Faith, the people in this team are your fellow church members who have risen to the occasion in 2020. Some of them attend the same Small Groups as you! Let’s continue to pray for God’s anointing and protection upon them as they pave the way to bring the gospel into the lives of those who need to hear the Good News. In Christ,
Glynisia Yeo Editor
@FaithMethodistChurch
@faithmcsg
FaithMC News
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FAREWELL MESSAGE FROM PASTOR RAYMOND
Dea r Faith Fa mily I will miss you so dearly as I start my pastoral appointment at Wesley Methodist Church from 1 January 2021. Thank you for the journey we have taken the past six years. It’s been a delight to serve the Lord with you, and I count it such a privilege to have served as Pastor-in-Charge the last three years. I will always remember you for your sacrificial giving, your generosity of care and love for one another, and the excellence and commitment you give to serve our good and faithful God.
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I am thankful to God for the wonderful team of pastors we have, our staff who serve tirelessly, and leaders who are passionate and committed. Let’s press on for the glory of His kingdom, that the least, last and lost, especially in the community around Faith, may experience His love, know His truth and encounter His hope through us as His salt and light. I pray you will always love each other deeply, and never give up meeting and
encouraging each other to grow in maturity as intentional disciples of Christ. May we always be found faithful to run our race well and persevere to the end. May the Lord’s shalom be with you and your family.
With His love,
Pastor Ray
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DEEPER IN CHRIST
PRIVATE & PUBLIC WORSHIP PART I Is One Better Than The Other? By Rev Eddie Ho The year 2020 has been a very challenging year for many of us—schools were interrupted, work was disrupted, and livelihoods were abruptly affected. In times like these, spiritual solace was very much needed for the soul. Yet, at one point during the pandemic, places of worship were ordered to close (for good reasons). But thank God for technology, because of which many churches were able to adapt and go online.
The Online Church Today in 2021, churches are still partially closed; but by now, many of us are getting used to watching a church Service that is live-streamed, and perhaps even persuaded that online service is the future of “doing church” post-COVID-19.
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Indeed, there are many good things about online worship services: 1. It is not limited by TIME. If you miss the scheduled time of the “live” broadcast, you can replay the entire service anytime at your own convenience. 2. It is not limited by SPACE. You do not have to trouble yourself to physically travel to church, you can access the service wherever you are at your own convenience. 3. It is not even limited by OPTION. Not only can you go to church any time wherever you are, you can choose to go to a church anywhere in the world at your own convenience. In other words, you can customise your own private
worship according to your own liking. It is a win-win, you get to connect with God and be ministered at your own convenience. After all, it was Jesus who told us to go into our own closet to pray and worship (Matthew 6:6). So, why bother congregating physically to worship inperson when opportunity allows? Surely private worship is better than public worship, right? Not quite. Let me share three reasons why I believe private worship (online or on your own) cannot replace public (physical gathering of the community) worship. 1. Worship is not just about you When the Samaritan woman debated with Jesus at the well on which mountain was the proper place for worship, Jesus replied her that “the
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hour is coming when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him” (John 4:23).
us one-on-one as individuals, but Jesus says “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20).
In other words, it doesn’t matter where we worship as long as we do it in spirit and truth. This sounds like a biblical mandate for online worship. But in reality, you and I know it is very hard to be in the spirit at online services.
Christ is the head (Col. 1:18), you are His body (1 Cor. 12:27). Note that ‘you’ is not singular, but plural. This plural ‘you’ is also known as the Church. The Church is not a building but the Body of Christ. When we go to church, we are not attending ‘church,’ we don’t go to be served, we go to serve the Body of Christ.
We can get distracted easily – at the swipe or touch of the finger, we could toggle between pages when we are bored with the song, prayer or sermon, and we could even multitask while attending service. This is because the online interface is primarily designed to be transactional and user-centric – we google for information, we youtube for entertainment, we spotify for music, we deliveroo for food and we amazon for goods… we are consumers of online services. But a worship service is not a transaction where we are the client. Yes, we reap benefit from worship – we get fed and ministered worshiping online, but ‘we’ are not the main thing. God is. Worship flows from us to God, not the other way around. In worship, we are not consumers but contributors. 2. Worship is about God and His Church In online worship, we presume God is present to
That’s why online Service alone will not do: It is passive, it is one-way, and it tends to be individualistic; there is no sense of community or Church. 3. Rehearsal for the Ultimate On one hand, Jesus tells us to go to our closet; but on the other hand, he tells us to gather in his name. So, how do we make sense of both private and public worship? Revelation 5:13 gives us a glimpse of what to expect in the future: Every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” My friends, this is the ultimate worship service! So, in one sense, what we do now on
earth in our lifetime is but a rehearsal in preparation for that ultimate worship in eternity. My private worship in my closet is the spiritual discipline that I practise every day for the combined practice each week, which in turn are the “dress rehearsals” I attend in my lifetime preparing for the ultimate worship in eternity. I need to do both because it is not about me alone. What I practise on my own needs to apply and sync with the bigger Body. So, brothers and sisters in Christ, do not be content with private worship, it is not the ultimate. Yearn for the combined practices as well. Don’t miss the “rehearsals” as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another and all the more as we see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:25). We are all working towards the Ultimate Worship Service in eternity, where we will be joining the rest for the Body of Christ (past, present and future) for the ultimate endless worship. Hallelujah, Amen!
Catch Part 2 of Pastor Eddie’s article in the next issue of Faithlink!
Rev Eddie Ho oversees the Outreach & Social Concerns, FaithCARE and Family Life ministries at Faith. He is married to Elaine and they have one son.
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WELCOME TO FAITH & CONGRATULATIONS!
WELCOME TO FAITH! Rev Reuben Ng Pastor-in-Charge (as of 1 January 2021) Rev Reuben responded to the call of God for full-time ministry in 2002. En route to becoming a Pastor in the Methodist Church, he spent two years in Rhema Bible Training Centre Singapore, before entering into Trinity Theological College for three years. As a seeker of God’s face and a lover of His presence, he is a firm believer that what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:10 – for the Kingdom and will of Heaven to be upon earth – is possible and available, and therefore endeavours to be a channel for that to occur. His only desire for his reputation is that he be known as an “unschooled and ordinary” man who “had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). He and his wife, Angela, have two daughters, Faith and Eliza.
Rev Chan Mei Ming Assistant Pastor Rev Chan Mei Ming brings with her some 18 years in the pastoral ministry. Prior to being appointed to Faith Methodist Church, she was serving in Ang Mo Mio Methodist Church. She was also previously part of Leng Kwang Baptist Church, and International Baptist Church. Rev Chan is the oldest daughter among four siblings, with two brothers and a sister.
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Congratulations to Rev Dr Gordon Wong, Bishop of the 12th Quadrennium of The Methodist Church in Singapore! The Rev Dr Wong was elected from 46 candidates at the Church’s 12th Session of General Conference, held online for the first time on 7 September 2020. The Rev Dr Wong began pastoral ministry in 1986 and served as the President of the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) for 8 years from 2013 to 2020 till he was consecrated as Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in December 2020. Bishop Dr Gordon Wong has been married to Lai Foon for 32 years, and they have two children, Deborah (30) and Jeremy (26). He was the Bishop William F Oldham Professor of Old Testament at Trinity Theological College where he taught Old Testament, Hebrew and Homiletics for 17 years. He holds a BA (Honours) from the London School of Theology and a PhD from the University of Cambridge. His publications include a book on the relevance of Christian faith (God Makes Sense), Old Testament commentaries on the books of Daniel (Faithful to the End), Habakkuk (God,
Why?), Isaiah (The Road to Peace: Pastoral Reflections on Isaiah 1-12), Ruth (The Power of Love) and an academic monograph entitled Foolish Leaders and the Will of YHWH: Editorial Effects in Isaiah 19. He tries to keep fit by playing golf weekly with his 98-year-old dad!
Congratulations to Rev Stanley Chua on his appointment as the new TRAC President of the Methodist Church in Singapore! Rev Stanley Chua has been a pastor of The Methodist Church in Singapore for the past 23 years and has served in various positions in both the General and Annual Conferences of the Methodist Church in Singapore. FAITHLINK . JANUARY 2021
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SPECIAL FEATURE
ONE PACKAGE LIVESTREAM By Cheryl Chen
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions, many of Faith’s corporate outreach events were cancelled. For the Worship & Music (W&M) ministry, we had already recorded Christmas carols that could be used by our Small Groups (SG) and church members. Yet we felt that there was a need to further support our members in their year-end outreach efforts. This was how the “One Package” idea was conceived. The music lineup contained Christmas carols, both secular and Christian, that were sung and played by our own
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singers and musicians. In between songs were two short sermons by our PIC, Rev Raymond Fong. This “package” would be livestreamed on a specified date and SGs were encouraged to organize “watch parties” and reach out to their ONE person during our 12 Days to Christmas initiative.
The Recording Process In the span of little over a month, the Christmas One Package took form. Thanks to our volunteers, from both the W&M and Communications
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ministries, who went above and beyond, we managed to set up, rehearse, record and tear down in two weeks! The work was not over though. After the recording on site (Charis Hall), next came post-production for both the audio and video segments. Our teams worked tirelessly to perfect the final recording, resulting in a production that far surpassed all our expectations!
Unveiling the Video! On Sunday, 13 December 2020, the video was livestreamed via our church’s
YouTube channel. It received 164 views during its first screening. As of 28 December 2020, the video has garnered over 1.9k views! Many have left encouraging comments on how they have been blessed by this special outreach video and how it had provided a good opportunity to share the gospel with their loved ones. On behalf of the volunteers and staff team, we are truly grateful for this opportunity that God has given to us to bless our church community. To God be all the glory!
Cheryl is the Assistant Pastoral Team Member for Worship & Music.
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SPECIAL FEATURE
y a D s a m t C hris Service 2020 R E B M E C E 25 D
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ONE MISSION SMALL GROUP CONFERENCE
ONE MISSION SMALL GROUP CONFERENCE 22-23 January 2021 Faith Methodist Church OUR PLENARY SESSIONS Discovering & Embracing My One Mission What is the ‘one mission’ that God has purposed for you and your small group? Discover your unique mission as a group, starting with your own personal journey to the center of your soul and discover what you need to wholly embrace your role in Christ’s Great Commission. Happenings Here At Faith You’ve heard it said that God has done great things through our church family. Now hear the tales, quests and journeys of those who have partnered Him in the Great Commission, transforming lives and changing the world.
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From small groups to mission workers, from local outreach to overseas missions, listen to their stories. Then, receive God’s invitation to join Him in various opportunities to serve in the harvest field.
OUR BREAKOUT SESSIONS Buddying Youths for Jesus Learn how to reach out to pre-believing youths through creative activities that build relationships and introduce Christian values and principles. Get to know the different approaches to youth outreach and get practical handles to work with youths both locally and overseas.
Building A Home Away From Home: Outreach At My Doorstep As Tanglin Halt residents move out in 2021, we expect an influx of migrant workers in our community who are in the construction industry. This session prepares you and your small group to understand and be equipped for this upcoming ministry opportunity. Christ Across Cultures: Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally Culture can affect our understanding and reception of the gospel. Some theologies emphasise the forgiveness of sins, but people in many other nations seek honour or spiritual power. Come and learn how the Bible speaks to cultures of guilt, shame and fear, and how we can be culturally sensitive and relevant as we bring the gospel across cultures. Do it the Science Way! Learn how to design Biblebased, science-inspired outreach programmes to engage children in your local outreach or mission trip. Pick up easy science activities that help you convey biblical truths in a creative and
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educational way. Children’s outreach will never be the same again! Harvest as Lifestyle in My Small Group “Harvest” is one of the purposes of a Faith small group. Hear the stories of small groups who have been intentionally incorporating this into their group life, and learn how you can do so too. Putting The Power Back in Empowerment What is the difference between humanitarian and mission trips? How can we bring transformative development to local communities? Even though we may have good intentions, sometimes we can dis-enable people instead of empowering them. This interactive session is a brief introduction to a biblical approach to community transformation. Loving Your Neighbours You see them sometimes unlocking their gates next to your house, hear them singing while taking a shower, and smell the burning incense or cigarette smoke coming into your house. They can be so near and yet so far- living next to you for many years and
yet knowing next to nothing about them. Nevertheless, God loves them too and chose to place your home near them. This session seeks to provide you with practical ideas on how to love your neighbours of varied nationality, race, religion and language so that they too may know and experience the love of Christ. The Gospel Made Simple and Easy God uses ordinary people like us to share the love of Jesus Christ. You do not need to be a pastor, a Bible teacher, or a seasoned evangelist. Just be yourself, a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. This session will equip you to share the Gospel in the simplest way possible, so that whenever and wherever an opportunity arises, you are ready to be a witness with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Breakout Sessions (Mandarin)
地当可在圣灵的带领下为耶稣 做见证。 分组学习班 2 ：：分享个人见 证： 耶稣的故事，由我开始！ 您不需要是一位专业的作家， 不需要会讲故事，也不需要性 格外向也可以有效地分享你的 见证。这个学习班将帮助你掌 握实际的技巧，让你学会如何 与他人分享你个人的故事，让 听者了解上帝的信实。您将学 习如何构建并分享个人见证， 好让你能够用不到五分钟，以 友好、无威胁的方式把自己的 故事融入与未信者的交谈中。 MANDARIN SESSIONS Our Mandarin-speaking congregation will have separate plenary and breakout sessions. Registration opens till 10 January 2021! For more details, visit our church website at http:// faithmc.sg/omsgc or click the QR code below:
分组学习班 1 ：分享福音，简 单轻松！ 上帝用像你我等普通人来分享 耶稣基督的爱。您不需要是牧 师、圣经学者或传教士。祂用 的就是你，主耶稣的门徒。这 个学习班将教导您怎么用简易 的方式分享福音，让您随时随
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ONE MISSION SMALL GROUP CONFERENCE
OUR SPEAKER PROFILES Ms Jiamin Choo:
Mr Chan Siew Leong
Rev Peter Koh Rev Peter Koh is a pastor at Faith Methodist Church (Small Groups).
Ms Anna Tan: Buddying Youths for Jesus Anna is a professional trainer at Stillwaters Services Pte Ltd and the ministry chairperson of our CYF (Community.Youth.Family) Ministry. She believes every youth is fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God and dearly loved by Him, and passionately works towards helping every youth come to know, trust and find hope in the Father.
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Building A Home Away From Home: Outreach At My Doorstep Mr Chan is currently serving as Senior Ministry Staff for Pastoral Care and Outreach in Fairfield Methodist Church. He worked in a secular company as an Administrative and Finance Manager before pursuing his theological studies. He graduated with a Bachelor in Divinity at Trinity Theological College in 1991 and has since joined Fairfield as a pastoral staff member. He has been involved with the Migrant Workers Ministry since 2007 among Chinese, Bangladeshis and Indian nationals. He is also active in cross cultural church planting ministry in some parts of South Asia and Africa. He is married to Mdm Choong Lai Pheng and they have 3 adult children.
Christ Across Cultures: Communicating Christ Cross Culturally Jiamin is one of Faith’s local mission workers. She serves as Missions Coordinator with Operation Mobilisation (OM), where she leads the work in engaging both churches and individuals for missions. Her passion is to journey with young people, encouraging them to draw nearer to God and to His heart for the nations. She also serves as a contributing writer to Kallos, Singapore’s first Christian magazine for young women, where she pens the devotional column. She has served on board OM’s ship Doulos and wrote Out of the Harbour, based on her missions journey in over 30 countries.
Ms Pearly Sim: Do it the Science Way Pearly is Faith’s pastoral team member who oversees the Children’s Ministry. She also plans and develops children’s outreach programmes for the community. As a qualified and trained teacher, she loves bringing out the best in every child, but the thing that gives her the greatest joy now is to shape the hearts and minds of children in Christ Jesus!
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Ms Esther Ong:
Ms Ruth Lew: Putting The Power Back in Empowerment Ruth is trained and worked as a social worker for a couple of years in a public hospital in Singapore. She felt led by God to do Mercy Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Singapore in 2013 where she felt God calling her to serve Him full-time. Since then, she serves in the mercy ministries in YWAM Singapore, reaching out to individuals with the hope of seeing communities transformed and developed. She also went to YWAM Lakeside, Montana to do a Community Development School (CDS) in 2015. Since 2014, she had the privilege to staff various schools (DTS & CDS) in Singapore and beyond. She is also part of community development training school and seminars in the region. She has a heart to journey with people, helping them to reach their God-given potential and to discover their calling and purpose in life.
Loving Your Neighbours Esther served as a member of Faith’s Pastoral Team for over 20 years and was an overseas Mission worker in two Asian countries for about three years. She is now one of Faith’s local mission workers with Interserve Singapore. Together with a team, she conducts trainings for churches and individuals who are interested and engaged in reaching out to a specific people group in Singapore. She can speak Indonesian fluently, which she claims is better than her Mandarin.
Rev Cheng Kim Leong 郑金隆牧师简介
郑牧师毕业于新加坡理工学院土 木工程系，曾在建屋发展局任职 四年， 拥有新加坡上帝学院上 帝学学士学位和百欧拉基督教大 学 (Biola University) 跨文化宣 教人类学 (MA in Inter Cultural Studies) 硕士学位。郑牧师有逾 八年教牧体验，也曾在宣教机构 参与推广及教育宣教四年。1999 年，郑牧师举家前往柬埔寨一年 宣教。后来，郑牧师夫妇加入新 加坡威克理夫圣经翻译会，主要 的工作是在华文教会中推广及教 育有关差传及圣经未得之民的急 需，并于2013年出任总干事一 职。其后，在上帝的带领下，他 们加入新加坡青年使命团，期盼 被上帝使用成为与华语教会之间 的桥梁，关注万国万民并将使命 传承下一代。郑牧师与妻子陈惠 玉以及四成年之子目前参加圣公 会诸圣堂华文崇拜。
Dr Wilson Lau: The Gospel Made Simple & Easy Wilson is an engineer by training, and has a Master of Arts degree in Christian Ministry, Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry. He now serves as Field Executive with Cru Singapore, and is particularly involved in training new Cru staff and discipling students in their campus ministry. Together with his wife Pauline Lau, they are Faith’s local missioners and have been serving in Cru for some 40 years. In Faith, he is a Team Leader in our Small Group Ministry.
Mrs Janice Poh 李昭娥姐妹 Janice 任职新加坡管理学院副
讲师一职。过去20年来，她活跃于 亲友布道事工，后成为现在的华语 事工。在华语主日崇拜中，她负责 带领敬拜，也是祷告事工的祷告勇 士。Janice和她的团队带领了许多 教会里弟兄姐妹的父母亲信主。
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FEATURE
BAPTISM AND MEMBERSHIP SERVICE (NOV 2020)
On Saturday, 21 November 2020, Faith held its first Baptism & Membership Service on livestream. Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, guests were unable to attend the event in the church. As such, only the candidates were present in church as they went through the ritual of baptism and/or membership. With the livestream, family and friends were able to watch their loved ones being baptised and/or received into membership, and celebrate this milestone together. We rejoice with the 49 children and adults who were baptised and/or received into membership! May you continue to grow in your walk with the Lord!
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FEATURE
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A. INFANT/CHILD BAPTISM 1. Elijah Lim Yi Zhe — S/O Lim Kian Leong & Tan Li Xian Alyssa 2. Elliot Lim Yi Jie — S/O Lim Kian Leong & Tan Li Xian Alyssa 3. Tai Rui Jie Josiah — S/O Tai King Wei Jayden & Tan Zi Ling Amanda 4. Abigail Dorcas Tan — D/O Tan Jit Hao Andy & Sandra Esther Tang 5. Kaitlyn May Tan — D/O Tan Li Hsien Melissa Anne 6. Lai Yi Zhe Lucas — S/O Lai Wee Liang & Mah Yi Ling 7. Lai Yi Jing Logan — S/O Lai Wee Liang & Mah Yi Ling 8. Lai Yi Han Leah — D/O Lai Wee Liang & Mah Yi Ling 9. Lai Yi Kai Lewis — S/O Lai Wee Liang & Mah Yi Ling 10. Teoh Zi Yu — D/O Teoh Ka Loon & Goh Jee Chian Bernnie 11. Oh Chun Qi Celestte — D/O Oh Cheng Hock & Oh-Kwan Calise 12. Thaddeus Cheng Tai Xi — S/O Cheng Liyan Phil & Goh Qiu Qun Fione 13. Elliot Siauw — S/O Samuel Siauw Wei Hau & Sha Sing Mei
B. ADULT BAPTISM AND MEMBERSHIP 1. Seah Jui Khiang Freddy 2. Lai Wee Liang 3. Cynthia Yao Yuee 4. Andrew Ling Kwan Yuen 5. Chew Teng Leong 6. Marie Lim Jia Min 7. Ng Shu Yan 8. Liew Peng Peng 9. Cheng Kei Teng Joey 10. Chan Yong Ern Melinda 11. Tan Wei Peng Brian C. ADULT BAPTISM 1. Tan Eu Jin Eugene 2. Tan Li Tian Gina 3. Tan Choon Nam 4. Lim Cheng Siah 5. Wong Chow Ngee 6. Sandra Ho Peng Lhuan 7. Ng Keng Peng Steven 8. Chaslyn Yan Guo Ling 9. Yap Sheong Weng Jamie D. REMEMBRANCE OF BAPTISM 1 Heng Sze Hui Sabrina 2. Lim Victoria E. CONFIRMATION 1. Lim Victoria
F. MEMBERSHIP 1. Mah Yi Ling 2. Ee Lye Weng Peter 3. Victor Ong Khai Sheong 4. Tran Ngoc Anh G. TRANSFER FROM OTHER CHURCHES 1. Samuel Siauw – Shalom Baptist Church 2. Sha Sing Mei – Shalom Baptist Church 3. Michelle Goh Bee Hong – Woodlands Evangelical Free Church H. TRANSFER FROM OTHER METHODIST CHURCHES 1. Ng Lee Leng Joanna – Grace Methodist Church 2. Abigail Yap Ruen Yin – Toa Payoh Methodist Church 3. Tan Kar Tin Amy – Barker Road Methodist Church 4. Seit Stella Oi Ping – Wesley Methodist Church 5. Jonathan Edward – Tamil Methodist Church, Shah Alam, Malaysia 6. Mah Peng Sih – Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church 7. Ng Peng Kee – Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church
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FEATURE: BRIGADE MINISTRIES
MEET JESHUA KOK The New Boys’ Brigade Captain At Hillgrove Secondary School. By Lionel Lau
A Journey Into The Boys’ Brigade “The Boys’ Brigade is the Church to the World” – This encapsulates the vision of 27-year-old Jeshua Kok, the new Captain of the 25th COY Boys’ Brigade (BB) at Hillgrove Secondary School. Talking to him, one gets the sense that the BB’s mission runs through his veins. Jeshua started his BB journey in Primary 3 through to secondary school, when he took a break to make time for nursing studies in Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He now works as an emergency department nurse at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. Incidentally, during his studies, Jeshua led a group of boys in The TackleBox (TTB) Youth Ministry at Faith, thus getting to know the Faith-sponsored JANUARY 2021 . FAITHLINK
25 Boys’ Brigade’s leadership. His leadership role in TTB and passion for youth sparked a deep interest to join the 25th BB to mentor the Boys. Jeshua then joined the 25th and, through training and time spent with the Company, rose up the ranks to become an Officer. He was eventually appointed Captain in January 2020. th
Why The Boys’ Brigade? Jeshua firmly sees the BB as a mission field, not for proselytising, but for developing friendships, building character, and the Boys’ spiritual growth – in a Christian environment, with Christian values. The BB does not always place emphasis on leaders or high achievers, but also rewards Boys for growth and improvement on previous underachievement, or despite
low confidence. Through four to five years of activities such as kayaking, camping, marching drills, music (including the BB’s signature bagpipes!), and Bible study, leaders, helpers, and Boys are brought closer together to become a family for life, beyond just school and home. It is a band of brothers who are genuinely interested in you and your growth and development. In this way, the BB does outreach through Christian community and the inculcation of Christian values, as opposed to direct evangelism.
Jeshua As Captain Jeshua may have only been appointed Captain in 2020, yet is no stranger to the role. He rattles off a long list of qualities expected of a Captain: a growing Christian
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with a loving heart for the Boys, committed to character development and winning their souls; an outgoing personality to manage the BB’s activities and people; and in dealing with situations and stakeholders, decisiveness and sensitivity. As Captain, Jeshua’s responsibilities include managing the BB’s many stakeholders. School leaders need assurance that BB Helpers and Officers uphold the highest standards of integrity, and can always be accountable for the Boys’ development and safety, acting as academic, leadership, and spiritual role models for the Boys. In church, the Captain is also accountable to the Company’s chaplain (presently Rev Peter Koh), and the BB Headquarters
for running the Company in accordance with the highest standards. But Jeshua has an even bigger vision for the 25th COY.
What’s In Store For The 25th COY? Jeshua’s vision for the 25th COY is to see the Boys grounded in the Christian faith and in church even after they have left the school, particularly Faith Methodist Church. This vision also extends to the Boys and Girls of Faith’s Brigade Ministries at Hillgrove Secondary School. Jeshua spends time working with Rev Peter Koh, the BB’s Chaplain, and Faith’s Community.Youth. Fellowship to create opportunities for the Boys and Girls to get involved in the activities and life of the church. He also actively
recruits young men to the BB, such as Justin See (exHillgrovian), and hopes that more will volunteer their time to invest in the lives of the approximately 100 Boys and Girls in Hillgrove Secondary’s BB and GB.
Play A Part! If you have a heart for youth, and want to serve with the 25th BB COY, contact Jeshua at jeshuakok@gmail.com! If you would like to support the programmes of the Boys’ Brigade in Singapore, visit their website at www.bb.org.sg.
Lionel is a volunteer writer on the Faith Communications team. Thirty years a student, twenty years an educator, and a lifetime of learning... from the Master Teacher.
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FEATURE: BRIGADE MINISTRIES
MEET JEANNIE PANG The New Girls’ Brigade Captain At Hillgrove Secondary School By Lionel Lau
A Journey Into The Girls’ Brigade And Leadership Faithlink met with Jeannie Pang, the new Captain of the 62nd COY Girls’ Brigade (GB) of Hillgrove Secondary School, via video conference. Jeannie took over the mantle from her mentor, Mrs Cecilia Chong, a member of Faith Methodist Church, in January 2020.
in Secondary One, rising the ranks to Staff Sergeant by her graduation from Hillgrove Secondary, after which she continued volunteering as a Senior. Over time, she became an Officer and now, 62nd COY Captain.
When pressed further, Jeannie describes her expectations of her successor as being “a God-fearing, committed leader who will lead and mentor the girls” – clearly summarizing the qualities that the previous Captain Cecilia saw in Jeannie.
A graduate in Child Psychology from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and Psychology from Nanyang Technological University, Jeannie works as an Allied Educator in Pei Hwa Primary School. She is wife to Joseph and mother to threemonth-old Jemimah, and the family worships at Fishermen of Christ Church. Jeannie’s serendipitous entry into the Faith-sponsored 62nd COY Girls’ Brigade was, in her words, “part of God’s will.” Netball and badminton were her first choices as cocurricular activities (CCAs). However, a GB Senior, Cecilia Chong, persuaded her to join GB (Seniors are ex-GB Girls who return to volunteer after graduating from the school). Jeannie thus joined the GB
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structured leadership training programmes that shaped eventual GB Officers, and the devotions conducted by the seniors, not forgetting the many sports, social, arts, music, and other activities that the leaders organised.
Leadership Qualities Jeannie’s modesty about her abilities reflects the values of humility and service the GB teaches its Girls. When asked about her leadership qualities, Jeannie credits her successes to her seniors’ sacrifices of time and energy to organise programmes for the Girls. She describes the
This gifted young lady wears many hats as GB Captain. She leads and mentors a team of young cadet officers, coordinates the running of the 62nd COY GB at Hillgrove Secondary, and is liaison for the GB Headquarters. She also manages the Company’s interaction with the school, navigating the sensitivities of running a Christian-affiliated CCA in a secular school. To this end, Jeannie and her Officers share the GB’s Christian message within the secular school environment by modelling Christian values during the many activities they plan for the Girls.
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Why Join The Girls’ Brigade? Jeannie speaks from personal experience about the GB growing shy and quiet girls into confident, caring leaders who help others around them. GB Girls are balanced in their physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual development, as the GB and its Officers draw out their potential through character-building programmes, activities, and lessons.
Future Goals The year 2020 had Jeannie and her team spend a lot of effort converting the GB’s activities into online programmes. They conducted online devotions, studies of Bible characters, and lessons on family relationships, mental health, and good habits for home-based learning. In 2021, they hope to resume more physical activities. Regardless, it is certain that the Girls will have a good time learning life skills and Christian values.
Play A Part! If you have a heart for youth, and want to serve with the 62nd GB COY, contact Jeannie at jean_pang0292@hotmail.com! If you would like to support the programmes of the Girls’ Brigade in Singapore, visit their website at www.gb.org.sg. Lionel is a volunteer writer on the Faith Communications team. Thirty years a student, twenty years an educator, and a lifetime of learning... from the Master Teacher.
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HEARTBEAT : DISCIPLESHIP & NURTURE
BETWEEN THE NOW AND WHAT IS TO COME How can we prepare ourselves for the second coming of Christ? By Tammy Ang
For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Hebrews 13:14 (NLT)
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A longing is a strong, persistent desire, especially for something unattainable or distant. What do you long for? Owing to the severe dysfunction in my family, I experienced a turbulent upbringing while growing up. Since then, I have always longed for a place to call my home and belong to; a place to rest and find solace. By God’s grace, my dream came true. I had the opportunity to purchase my first home in 2020 when my previous flat had to be vacated due to redevelopment under the HDB enbloc scheme. So by the time you read this, I would have settled into my new home by then.
LONGING FOR HEAVEN I am sure many home owners can relate to the excitement and anticipation of the “in between nowhere” feeling: The sense of wanting to leave the old place behind, and looking forward to move into the new house. While waiting to move, I experienced a sense of unsettledness and restlessness. Yet on the other hand, I could not wait to see the finished outcome of my unit and begin living in it; I longed for the day I could finally move in!
In the same vein, I yearn for Heaven; for this world to end and for the peace and beauty promised in the Bible. In a sense, this experience parallels our current state as children of God.
IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF THIS WORLD Perhaps we do not even see anything wrong with the world. The phrase, “It is what it is”, has become somewhat familiar on the political front recently. The world may be breaking down and we see the decay going on around us, and still, many of us feel happy and contented. The apprehension over the idea of heaven causes some reluctance or hesitancy for us to even consider it. We are after all, creatures of comfort and habits.
We live in this theological tension of “the already-not yet” state, where God’s kingdom has been inaugurated, but the fullness of it is For those who yet to come. sense the In John 14:1-3, Jesus tells His disciples that He is heaviness of this preparing a place for those world and are who love Him. We have a new home waiting for us looking forward but we are unable to move in yet. There is anticipation to return home and excitement, but also to our Father, has restlessness and a sense of unsettledness over our our restlessness current earthly home. Many of us cannot wait to move compelled us to into our eternal home in prepare for the Heaven. eternal kingdom Do you long for heaven? How many of us truly long to return of God? to the wonderful home that our Abba Father has been preparing for us?
Or do we throw our hands in the air due to despair?
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HEARTBEAT : DISCIPLESHIP & NURTURE
The pandemic has exposed many of our weaknesses, forcing many to confront the dark recesses within their hearts during the Circuit Breaker and beyond. Stripped of what we used to rely on, who are we, really? Do we really embrace our identity as the children of God, citizens of Heaven?
BEING PREPARED FOR THE END TIMES In the final instalment of our church’s Word in Season journey, we will be reading the Book of Daniel, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and the Book of Revelation, informing us of the end times that are to come. The prophecies and symbols may be hard to understand, but one thing is for sure: God’s Kingdom is coming and it will be a day of judgment. This is a certainty. We know this from other prophetic books that we have read in the past seasons as well. The question is, what do we do about it?
LOVING GOD, MAKING DISCIPLES In Matthew 24:36-25:46, after an exhortation to the disciples to be prepared for His return,
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Jesus tells four parables on why and how to be prepared. Each parable highlights different aspects of the preparedness: Responsibility (24:45–51), Readiness (25:1– 13), Productivity (25:14–30), and Accountability (25:31–46). It reminds me of the two “GCs” that our pastors have been patiently teaching us about: • The Great Commandment (Matt. 22:36-40): To love God and others with our whole being; • The Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20): To go and make disciples. Intentional discipleship, the recurring theme in the past year, aims to help all of us prepare for the first GC, the Great Commandment, and to mobilise us for the second GC, the Great Commission. While I often think I am ready to meet the Lord; I wonder if I am truly ready. The Parable of the Ten Virgins struck me particularly as it teaches the necessity to be in watchful preparation for the sudden, unexpected return of our Lord. This preparation cannot be last minute; we must be spiritually ready to meet Jesus should He return now.
PURSUING PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP How intentional is our personal discipleship? How ready are we in our attitude, speech, and behaviour? I pray not to be like the five foolish virgins, rejected at the door because I was late, scrambling for oil rather than collecting it beforehand as I wait, no matter how long the wait might be. A commentator suggests: “Live as though Jesus is coming back today; plan as though He is not coming back for a hundred years.”
Here are some suggestions to make our discipleship journey intentional in preparation for the Lord’s coming:
• Get into a Small Group if you are not already in one • Find an accountability partner or join an accountability group (or a 3-2-1 group) • Get familiarised with the Word. Know the heart of God • Serve: Individually or together with your Small Group • Go out and make disciples
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There are many ways to be intentional. Be creative! Just don’t wait until the last minute. I remind myself that I am but a sojourner and should not make myself too comfortable with what this world offers. As I settle down happily in my new home, Revelation 21:1-4 continues to be the vision of the eternal home I will long for.
I pray that we will catch hold of the urgency to prepare ourselves so that we will be ready to join Him in the Heavenly Banquet when He returns.. Tammy Ang is a Pastoral Team Member for Discipleship & Nurture. She has an affinity for cats and a weird love for rain!
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” - Rev 21:1-4 (ESV)
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HEARTBEAT : DISCIPLESHIP & NURTURE
THE WORD OF GOD: A FOUNDATION FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH Going back to the Word of God is vital as we pursue intentional discipleship. By Tenny Pang
Like any follower of Christ, I have faced many struggles in my personal discipleship journey; choosing to love the world, to hear my own voice or the voice of the world, and not loving my neighbour or hearing the cry of the needy. Yet, through it all, God never gave up on me. Through this article, I want to encourage all of us by highlighting some areas we should look out for, that can be turned into opportunities for spiritual growth. At the same time, it will allow the Holy Spirit to work in us as we embark on our journey of intentional discipleship.
GROWING IN GODLY LIVING In 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV), we read what living a godly life is about. It is through the Holy Spirit’s power that we can know what God’s glory and goodness is, and so live like Christ and be able to escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
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Verses 5 to 8 continue to tell us how to grow: For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to selfcontrol, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, to grow in the godly life mentioned in verses 3 and 4, we need to intentionally desire to possess these seven underlined qualities in increasing measure so as to be effective in knowing Jesus. But how do we understand this in practical ways?
by himself, he is not a good person. If there is anything to gain, he would want to have it all for himself. I agree with him totally. By myself, I am also like him, not a good person. So, when friends shared Christ with me in university, I accepted Jesus by faith but I was still not a “good” person. The only difference was that because I had accepted Christ by faith, I had the Holy Spirit dwelling inside me since then. Because of that, I started to desire God’s goodness, the first quality. When I saw my Christian friend being nice to other people, I desired to be like her. When I saw Christian families at peace with one another, I desired that goodness. But those are only some examples of goodness, where can I know what God’s goodness is all about?
DEVELOPING CHRISTLIKE QUALITIES
I found it through knowledge, the second quality.
A Small Group member once shared his thoughts: That
Knowledge of God is revealed by the Holy Spirit as I make
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effort to read and hear God’s Word, and also through my relationship with Him, reflecting on His Word in situations I go through.
HINDRANCES TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH As I sought more knowledge, the first danger surfaced: I began to rely on my human wisdom and reasoning, which was influenced by the world, to understand God’s Word. I then realised I needed selfcontrol, the third quality, to prevent myself from overriding what the Holy Spirit was revealing to me. Then came the second danger: I started to think that since I had read the Bible many times and had heard many sermons already, that it was enough. But that is not true. I needed perseverance, the fourth quality, to continually seek knowledge of God; of His glory and goodness. I did not know how much of my understanding of God’s goodness was influenced by my human wisdom till I interacted with others or went through a trial. Godliness, the fifth quality measured by the Fruit of the Spirit of love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, seemed to be lacking. Herein lies the third and most subtle danger: My misunderstanding of what the fruit of the Spirit is according to God’s standard.
If I remain stubborn and insist that I have already fully understood and am bearing a certain character of the fruit (e.g. love) when clearly it is not by God’s standard, choosing to put the blame totally on the other person or the situation could short-change my own spiritual growth.
SEEKING GOD’S WORD CONTINUALLY I started to see that my own understanding was flawed. There was a need to re-read God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to transform my mind and work in me from knowledge, to an increase in godliness. Only then will there be a breakthrough or a spiritual growth. Mutual affection, the sixth quality, seems easy to possess because when someone is nice to me or has not done me any wrong, I will quite naturally treat that person with the same affection, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, right? Unfortunately, a fourth danger lies here: Withholding mutual affection from someone because of my personal gain, biasness, pride and prejudice, or simply because I am in a position of power over that person. If I do that, I have to start from the bottom by seeking God’s Word on mutual affection and allowing the Holy Spirit to grow in me a sincere care for others. Finally, when this care for others can be extended to those
who are unkind to me, I would have added love, the seventh and final quality, to my faith. Yes, love according to God’s standard is high and sacrificial as can be seen in 1 Corinthians.
A LIFELONG JOURNEY IN INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIP Intentional Discipleship is a life-long journey because there will always be another level of growth needed as we persevere in our spiritual walk. Many times, I despair thinking I have fallen backwards. But through this revelation, God encouraged me that going a few steps back, to return to rereading God’s Word to correct a wrong understanding, and allowing the Holy Spirit to grow the right quality in me, is actually His way of growing me spiritually. Like the prodigal son, it is when I have realised my lack, that I choose to go back to my Father, and be restored. Likewise, let us all persevere in our journey of intentional discipleship and make every effort to allow the Holy Spirit to help us grow. When we do so, we can look forward to God’s promised reward in 2 Peter:10b-11 (NIV), “For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Thanks be to God!
Tenny Pang is a Pastoral Team Member for Discipleship & Nurture at Faith Methodist Church. FAITHLINK . JANUARY 2021
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HEARTBEAT : FAMILY LIFE
THE ALPHA MARRIAGE COURSE This first run of the Alpha Marriage course at Faith saw ten couples embarking on this journey together. By Wee Chor Keong
“May our marriage be all that You have intended: a blessing to us, a light to the people around and a testimony to a watching world.” This was the closing line of our prayer when we began each Alpha Marriage session. All the couples also lit candles together as a symbol of bringing light into our marriages. Our marriage can be such a powerful blessing, which is no wonder why the devil is so bent on attacking it. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,” (John 10:10). This verse is a good reminder about why we need to carefully safeguard the sanctity of our marriage and to be a good steward of this gift.
The Alpha Marriage Course For any couple, their marriage relationship profoundly impacts every area of their lives. Yet not enough of us have invested in learning about it. It is almost like trying to fly a plane while attempting to figure it out for yourself at the same time! JANUARY 2021 . FAITHLINK
The Alpha Marriage course aims to fill this gap. It is a seven-week programme drawn from Christian principles, but presented in a format that can appeal to pre-believers as well. The topics discussed are: 1) Strengthening Connection 2) The Art of Communication 3) Resolving Conflict 4) The Power of Forgiveness 5) The Impact of Family 6) Good Sex 7) Love in Action The group watches a video together but the key element is the private discussion time for each couple. In the midst of our hectic schedules, it is so precious to have this time to listen deeply to each other and to reflect on the state of our marriages.
Strengthening Marriage Relationships Even though every session is facilitated virtually during this season, couples are still given plenty of suggestions and encouragement to create a date-night experience in the comfort of their own home. This may be a new initiative at Faith but we have heard many testimonies of how marriages have been strengthened or even healed through this. The programme has also been used to reach out to pre-believing couples because of its highquality content. Our prayer is that more couples at Faith will have a chance to experience the Alpha Marriage course and to be blessed by it, and that their marriages can indeed be a light to the people around and a testimony to a watching world! Chor Keong is the Vice Chairman of the Family Life Committee at Faith.
If you are interested to find out more about the Alpha Marriage experience, email Wendy Voon at wendyvoon@faithmc.sg or call the church office during office hours.
HEARTBEAT : FAMILY LIFE
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FAITH @ HOME By Wong May Lin
As part of our Family Life Chat Sessions, the Family Life ministry invited Elvin and Esther Foong from The Treasure Box SG as the main speakers for the “Faith @ Home” online event. This took place over two Saturdays in October 2020. During this online gathering, participants gained a better understanding of their biblical roles in nurturing their children, and the unique parent-church partnership in a child’s spiritual formation.
Making Time for Family Devotion One homework given by the trainers was to have family discussions on “What is God’s vision for your family”. This was a great start to kick off many more faith conversations at home. Participants shared that being consistent was one of the most challenging obstacles in having their family devotions. This certainly fortified the importance of us creating a family routine and culture of having family devotions on a regular basis. We also learnt the basic principles of leading a family
devotion time using the 4R method (Read, Reflect, Respond, Reinforce). The content ideas for family devotions include: • Favourite verses • Favourite praise and worship songs • Teachable moments • Personal experiences • Sermons and podcasts • Personal devotions • Curriculum and resources
Practicing Faith At Home Most of us were inspired to begin or continue our Faith at Home journey, equipped with practical ideas and a greater conviction to establish our homes as the primary place where faith is nurtured. The song, by Brent Henderson, “Have We Taught Our Children Well,” was a timely reminder for us to reflect what kind of godly legacy we are passing on to our children:
Have we taught our children well, is our life a show and tell, can they see the love of Jesus in our eyes? And when another page has turned, do you think they will have learned, to show the love of Jesus with their lives? Have we taught our children well? Here are some quotes from participants on what they enjoyed most about the “Faith@Home” session:
“Insights on how to do devotion” “Sharing of experiences” “Presentation is simple, dynamic and relatable” “Showing examples on how to apply the 4R methodology” “Fun and interesting” May Lin is a member of the Family Life Committee at Faith.
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HEARTBEAT : FAMILY LIFE
THE WORLD NEEDS A FATHER By Lionel Chan
C
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CM
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Owing to the explosive growth in divorce rates across the world, the growing phenomenon of overworked fathers and migrant workers, the current generation can rightly be called the “where-is-myfather generation”? Before we exclude our family and ourselves from the above dilemma, it is important to stress that fatherlessness does not only happen in families with physically absent fathers. Children can still suffer the effects of fatherlessness which include health and emotional
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problems, with permissive fathers or “remote” fathers. It is with these challenges in mind, that the founder, Cassie Carsten, started ‘The World Needs a Father (TWNAF)’ movement in 2011. The primary goal of this movement is to restore fathers to their God-given role as servant-leaders of their families through a practical training course and a supporting network of likeminded fathers and trainers. In 2020, 15 fathers from Faith Methodist Church attended the training of trainers for
TWNAF. In 2021, the Family Life Ministry seeks to equip more fathers with the biblical foundation of parenthood to take up their God-given role as servant-leaders of their families.
Fathers, we look forward to your participation in this movement to bring heaven home to improve the health and well-being of children and family! Lionel is a member of the Family Life Committee at Faith.
Check out our spiritual resources online to equip yourself and learn how to reach out to others during this challenging season.
T O P ICS
• • • • •
Family Life Small Groups Prayer Spiritual Disciplines Emotional & Mental Well-Being • One Mission Opportunities
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HEARTBEAT : MISSIONS
KAIROS ONLINE: A NEW EXPERIENCE Faith’s first ever Kairos course conducted on Zoom. Contributed by Goh Zhimin and Henry Tan, compiled by Jimaia Wong
Faith Methodist Church is continuing in ONE MISSION this year. For the Missions Ministry, even though physical trips may not be possible right now, we believe that we can continue to equip our members to become global Christians who are more aware of God’s heartbeat for the nations. This is the first time Faith conducted the Kairos course online. Thankfully, we had a team of faithful facilitators from Faith who were willing to give the experience a try and to adapt their teaching and facilitating in an entirely different format. Find out more in the report below, and hear from one of our participants, Goh Zhimin, and the Kairos Course facilitator, Henry Tan.
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Engaging Hearts And Minds Online Despite the pandemic, I am thankful that I am still able to gather via Zoom to learn more about God’s plan to bless all peoples and nations through the Kairos course. Despite not being able to meet physically, this did not stop facilitators and participants from engaging in meaningful activities, sharing very powerful testimonies and also insights with each other. Prior to attending this course, I thought I already had clear ideas of what missions is all about, but this course has provided me with new revelations and fresh perspectives of how missions is seen through the Old and New Testaments, historical Christian
movements, and even today through globalization, where the mission field is now on our doorstep! This course has definitely brought me closer to God’s heartbeat for the peoples and nations. Goh Zhimin serves in the Worship Ministry at Faith and has been going for regular Acts 1:8 trips to Shwepyithar, Myanmar since she was a youth.
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Trusting God Despite Online Challenges The September 2020 Kairos Course was conducted over nine weekly online sessions on Zoom, to comply with the COVID-19 Circuit Breaker requirements in Singapore. A significant advantage of this was that it could accommodate and draw larger numbers of participants with wider sharing, and from more diverse churches. In total, there were 42 registrants from seven churches, and 12 facilitators from four churches. We even welcomed participants from as far as the USA and Australia despite the time differences. Although face-to-face contact would have been better, especially for some of the activities in the Kairos curriculum, Kairos Online still largely accomplished the
programme objectives. It is clear that the Lord had caused us to reach out much further than we had originally planned. As this is the first time that we are conducting Kairos Online, the facilitator team had a steep learning curve to negotiate. But through the hands of God, the many issues were successfully resolved real-time. The Facilitator-Participant interactions were more challenging due to the lack of face-to-face time. On another hand, smaller breakout room arrangements accommodated the Growth Point discussions quite well. In fact, the facilitators found that the power of the testimonies was not diminished with Zoom.
There were initial hiccups and shortcomings during the delivery of the lessons but these were markedly improved with subsequent sessions as the team learned together to overcome the challenges. We are thankful for this new experience and how God’s grace sustained us through it. Henry Tan serves as a Kairos facilitator for the Missions Ministry. Prior to COVID, he used to make regular trips to our Acts 1:8 field in Cambodia to help out with the development of the Stateless Vietnamese community. Henry also serves in the Communications Ministry.
Pastor Raymond sharing a message on Isaiah 6 during the Kairos Graduation on 14 Nov.
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HEARTBEAT : MISSIONS
MISSIONS AMIDST COVID-19 How a Small Group continued their missions journey despite the pandemic. Contributed by FLAME Small Group
It’s been a year since our Small Group (SG), “FLAME”, last visited the Surabaya Acts 1:8 mission field. As the desire and urge to visit them weighed heavily on us, we decided to “visit them” virtually via Zoom. We scheduled two online sessions: One with the staff, teachers and helpers from Pelita Permai School on 24 October, and another session with the children at SIMO Home on 31 October. In total, there were 97 staff, teachers, and helpers. We also roped in some church members (Richard, Monica and Vivian) from Family Connect 2 SG, who used to visit Surabaya regularly as well. Together, we conducted the online sessions, which included breakout sessions and a time for prayer.
Worship, Devotion, Prayer and Fellowship The first session opened with two worship songs led by teachers of the school, followed by a devotional message on forgiveness given by our church member, Albert Lim. Thereafter, we broke out into eight different
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groups for fellowship and prayer. In closing, the staff, teachers and helpers were treated to a thanksgiving meal. It was such a joyous event to connect with familiar faces and see how they are coping. We look forward to meeting them personally once this pandemic is over. All praise and glory to our Lord for keeping everyone safe and healthy!
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Connecting with the Children through Fun, Food and a Movie In the second session, we zoomed in with the children at SIMO home. Two of the older youths, Jack and Moses, led in a time of worship. After the worship we played a game of Scavenger Hunt, getting everyone involved in a fun ice-breaker session. Ron Awe, the SG leader of FLAME, gave a devotional message on “The Father’s Love”. The night ended with a thanksgiving meal of pizza and a movie screening, “Jumanji” for the children and the staff, all done virtually! Our SG is looking forward to seeing them once the COVID-19 situation improves and travel is permitted. Flame SG meets fortnightly on Friday evenings. They have been visiting the Surabaya Acts 1:8 field in Indonesia since 2015.
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HEARTBEAT : MISSIONS
THE LORD OF THE HARVEST Reflections on doing Missions in the New Norm. Contributed by Vincent Lim, Doris Chan, Rev Raymond Fong, Fann Ng, Chen Kah Min, Anna Ng, Jimaia Wong
Keeping Mission Work Active
back to Singapore for ily by surprise! A planned trip The pandemic took my fam sions took on a new en months and beyond. Mis two months, stretched to sev y work in Thailand, how to continue our ministr normal as we deliberated on sence of my family in Even without the physical pre Khon Kaen from Singapore. ld continue operating d me three ways that we cou the mission field, God showe hnology. through the careful use of tec unities to teach the this period, we found opport Firstly, we can teach. During ncial management fina al and essential life skills of local team some fundament e of frequent online aus this was made possible bec and raising godly children. All ious needs. var the ich allowed us to discover meetings and phone calls wh ngs, with follow chi tea rt we did regular sho s, nce fere con ng chi tea g re relevant Instead of lon s helped to make teaching mo Thi ss. ene ctiv effe ir the te up to evalua s to a deeper level. and it also brought relationship h weekly updates e and be encouraged. Throug Secondly, we can encourag age the local our enc and life, we were able to and meetings about ministries ld challenge cou we done. At the same time, blessed and team in the work that they had also re we fort zone. On our end, we to bear fruit them to go beyond their com gs etin me y s using these weekl wa d Lor the how see to d encourage through the local team. sically present, . While we could not be phy als loc the ize bil mo can locals to do Thirdly, we to mobilize and empower the ces our res e som d sen to e we were abl the work of the Lord. d, did not allow atest missionaries of the Lor Apostle Paul, one of the gre te letters to Churches sionary endeavours. He wro imprisonment to stop his mis build the churches. to , and even mobilize others in order to teach, encourage absence of global the the form of a new norm in Likewise, missions has taken than able to re mo of technology, we are travel. With the responsible use continue fulfilling the Great Commission! Report by: Vincent Lim (Vincent is our Overseas n Mission Worker based in Kho He d. ilan Tha ast Kaen, Northe is currently back in Singapore with his family.)
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Mission Work Continues at Hom
e
The pandemic threw me off from my comfort zon e. I had planned regular trips back to Cambodia to visit the pe ople and ministries. Although I am very comfortable with the people and the ministry the re, it is currently not possib le for the immediate future. Many thoughts filled my mi nd: “Does it mean that I wil l sit and wait out this pandemic? Tim e is really important as we know that we are living in the Las t Days. So what do I do?” During this period, the me ssage I received from Go d was clear: Whilst we cannot travel, the re are lots of people aroun d us who need to hear the gospel me ssage and have the oppo rtunity to receive the gift of salvation . In response to God’s pro mpting, I recognised many opportu nities to serve and bless som e of the families who lived in my apa rtment block. Indeed, if we are willing and open to new challenges, opportunities abound. God is doing a new thing and we must be willing to adapt. New wine needs ne wine skins. w Report by: Doris Chan (Do ris was our Overseas Missio n Worker to Cambodia. She now serves as our No n-Residential Mission Wo rker and is also the Field Coordinator after retiring in 2019.)
Making Disciples Beyond Borders We don’t really know what the new normal will be like but air travel may be more restrictive and border controls will be tighter.
more of going deeper through regular discipleship connections (e.g. equipping, teaching, mentoring) through online means.
We must therefore discern from God how to harness the strength and creativity of the digital platform for missions. Missions will be less of the “come and go” with periodic trips, and
Missions will also be about empowering our mission field partners, where possible, to do what we would have done when we go over. This is exciting because that’s the ultimate purpose of missions:
Making disciples who will be disciple-makers. May the Lord provide for us to reach the nations! Report by: Rev Raymond Fong (Rev Raymond was the PIC of Faith and the Missions Pastor before he was posted out on 1 January 2021. He has a heart and passion for the least, the last and the lost.)
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HEARTBEAT : MISSIONS
Reaching Out To My Neighbours To date, I have attended close to 200 zoom lessons and meetings this year. Life has changed for everyone this year due to COVID-19. Doing missions took a new front too. Trips were postponed and cancelled from March 2020. Prayers from various Acts 1:8 mission fields started to flood in and consequently, mission workers flew back. I was dismayed by the number of deaths and infections reported each day and I asked the Lord: “Do they know You as their personal Lord and Saviour?” Like most people, I asked the Lord why. God showed me a verse from Luke 24:49, “I am going to send you
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what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” After reading this, I became uncomfortable at first because waiting and staying still is hard for me. Over time, Missions started to take a different form. The mission workers who were back home started to have Zoom presentations of their work, mission committee meetings and the Kairos missions course that was moved online. As it became clear that we would not be travelling anytime soon, we started to conduct retreats, corporate prayer sessions and digital missions.
Personally, my mission work shifted to my immediate neighbourhood. I began to bless my neighbours with homecooked food and getting to know a group of mummies in the neighbourhood. For Christmas 2020, and as part of Faith’s 12 Days to Christmas outreach efforts, I planned to invite my neighbour’s children to my house to do Christmas craft in groups of five. Report by: Fann Ng (Fann is the Vice Chairperson of Missions Committee. She oversees the prayer coordination of our mission workers and Acts 1:8 fields.)
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Doing Missions Differently
that God is many things, but we know ted rup dis has c mi de pan The COVID-19 rpose for all things. sovereign and He has a pu re postponed, r Acts 1:8 mission trips we ou of st mo , 20 20 rch Ma s clear that our Starting from ond quarter of 2020, it wa sec the By . led cel can y ntl and subseque e soon. unlikely to resume anytim regular mission trips were s, together with rkers and field coordinator wo n ssio mi es, itte mm co explore options. Our missions men of peace, started to and , ies nc age ns ssio mi also opened our partners, rupted our plans, they had dis had ols ntr co r rde bo � our mission Although the ology enabled us to “bring hn tec d, tea Ins . ies nit rtu gage some of our up new oppo wed us to involve and en allo o als It n. atio reg ng co ds. Doing these fields to the igenous leaders in the fiel ind the in tra to ers mb me experienced d our options. trainings virtually broadene r usual programme less. One example was ou the ne no es ng alle ch e We faced som trip. These short-term go on a physical mission to th you h urc ch r ou g next generation of mobilisin wth and for inspiring the gro al ritu spi for l ica crit are exposure or do mission trips to gain overseas missions al ctic pra t no s wa It . ies of missionar a virtual platform. community evangelism on uld properly limitations on how we co the s wa ed fac we e ng nded in various Another challe ssion workers who were stra mi r ou for e car d en ext encouragement support and coordinators needed much d fiel and ies nar ssio mi r connection and locations. Ou placed priority on online we , ult res a As g. itin wa of in this time ssible. prayer as frequently as po Lord has a new normal, we trust the the in ns ssio mi ing do te m in this strange, As we naviga for His guidance and wisdo s yer pra r you vet co We better plan. ented time. challenging and unpreced sions Committee. is the Chairperson of the Mis Min h (Ka Min h Ka en Ch Report by: ACJC.) at the 10.30am Service at He and his family worship
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HEARTBEAT : MISSIONS
Providing Missions Support Online COVID-19 has changed our lives in many ways, including how we do missions. Today, instead of equipping and training our friends in Cambodia once or twice a year during our trips to visit them, we are able to train and equip them anytime. We can video call them anytime to speak with and encourage them. Initially, I was quite resistant to the idea of doing missions online as I was concerned about the knowledge and availability of equipment. I also thought that communication would be so much tougher online when we already had difficulties communicating in person at times. However, I realised that our mission fields are very resilient. We experimented with different ways of connecting with them, e.g. Using different mobile apps, using internet
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cafes when the church WIFI network was weak, deliberating between computers and phones, etc. They were very willing and open to spend time figuring things out so that we could connect with and support each other on a regular basis. It would be wonderful to be able to visit the fields again to provide physical support and meet our dear friends again. But it is likely that the physical trips will now be accompanied with these “online trips” where we regularly check in with one another and sustain and grow the work done during the physical trips. Report by: Anna Tan (Anna is the Field Coordinator for Faith’s Acts 1:8 missions field in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Anna also serves in the Community.Youth. Fellowship. and Missions ministries.)
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Trusting God’s Work In Missions I was visiting one of our mission workers based in East Asia in January 2020. At that time, COVID-19 was not a buzzword yet but I had heard news of a “pneumonia-like” illness in some parts of China. Not too long after I came back from that trip, COVID-19 started making headlines and I am so thankful that the Lord kept me and my two other fellow team members well.
sessions for Faith members to catch up with and find out more about the ministries of our mission workers and some of the Acts 1:8 field partners. We also kicked into crisis mode, as we helped to support some of the relief work needed in the communities in these fields. Many of these communities were very badly affected by COVID-19.
As the virus developed into a global pandemic, our Missions Ministry had to make the hard decision to cancel all Acts 1:8 trips until further notice. We also had to advise our overseas mission workers on whether they should stay or return home to Singapore. The decision became easier to make when the numbers in Singapore started soaring, and our nation had to enter into a “Circuit Breaker” period. Most of our mission workers chose to stay in the fields and continued with their ministry.
Our Missions ministry has had to grapple with the reality that overseas travel and overseas missions might never be the same again. As much as there are ways to do missions “virtually” by harnessing the use of new media and technology, there are still crucial elements missing when physical presence is missing.
Truth be told, when the Circuit Breaker happened and we had to think out of the box on how to continue to stay connected with our mission workers and field partners, my adrenaline kicked in. My personality immediately drove me to start planning and organizing initiatives that the Missions ministry could still be involved in. We had a busy initial few months of organising online
I started to become impatient, asking the Lord whether we were losing momentum in the mission fields we have been so actively involved in. I started to wish that our mission volunteers would be more pro-active in thinking of creative ways to do outreach. As I began struggling with some of these challenges and thoughts in the final quarter of 2020, the Lord reminded me, “I am the LORD of the Harvest”. Yes, indeed HE is the Lord of the Harvest. The momentum in our Missions ministry was never about us or about our field partners or even about Faith Methodist
Church, it has always been about the Lord and how we work in tandem with the Holy Spirit to build HIS kingdom. I am very encouraged to see some of our field coordinators, mission volunteers and mission field partners, continuing to reach out and minister to the communities around them. I am also resting in God’s promise and assurance that in spite of all the limitations and challenges, His Spirit will continue to work in the lives of these communities, with or without our physical presence. That being said, I am still looking forward to the day when we can visit our Acts 1:8 fields and mission workers again! Report by: Jimaia Wong (Jimaia is the Pastoral Team Member overseeing Missions in Faith. She is greatly missing travelling for both ministry and holiday purposes.)
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HEARTBEAT : SMALL GROUPS
SMALL GROUP MEMBERS TRAINING via livestream (26 Sep 2020)
In our pursuit of Intentional Discipleship and to stay connected with one another in this challenging season of our church life, our Pastor-in-Charge, Rev Raymond Fong and our Small Group (SG) Pastor, Rev Peter Koh, conducted our very first Small Group Members Training (SGMT) on 26 September 2020. Over 400 of our SG members signed up for this online training. The session covered topics such as, Spiritual Accountability, which is a key aspect of our Intentional Discipleship journey. It also provides a platform for our SG members to start and facilitate spiritual conversations and help each other stay accountable as spiritual friends in our journey of discipleship.
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SMALL GROUP LEADERS SESSION via Zoom (28 Nov 2020)
Our Pastors, Parish Leaders and Small Group (SG) Leaders, including Team Leaders, Group Leaders, and Apprentice Leaders, gathered for the final Small Group Leaders Session on 28 November 2020. In this gathering, our SG Pastor, Rev Peter Koh, did a review of
the 2020 Goals, and shared the goals for One Mission In Small Groups for the year 2021. Thereafter, our Pastorin-Charge, Rev Raymond Fong, shared about Going Deep in 2021, with emphasis on intentional discipleship and accountability. The session culminated with the dialogue with the respective Parish Pastors, namely, Pastor Raymond Fong, Pastor John Foo, Pastor Peter Koh and Pastor Eddie Ho. We would like to express our deepest appreciation for the hard work that our leaders are doing in taking care of their flock of SG members.
2021 SMALL GROUP CORPORATE EVENTS One Mission Small Group Conference 22-23 January
Small Group Sunday SG Leaders Dedication 24 January
SG Leaders and FAITH Champions Training (SGLCT) 13 & 20 March
SG Leaders Sessions (SGLS) 17 April 21 August 20 November
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ONE JAM CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
YOUNG SCIENTIST CHILDREN’S DAY OUTREACH By Cindy Ho
What an exciting celebration the children had at the Young Scientist Children’s Day Outreach event via Zoom on 3 October 2020!
question both, and ponder the wonder of things that, at first glance, might not make much sense.
We praise God for the 145 “budding scientists” who came online and celebrated this special day. The children had a whale of a time doing fun science experiments and discovering God’s amazing love and protection for them.
In the process of learning about science, kids are quickly captivated, embarking on their own discoveries. Likewise with faith, we believe that once these kids get a taste of our intriguing, realdeal God, they just cannot get enough of Him!
One may ask, do faith and science have some things in common? Well, both can be intriguing and mysterious! Kids
Let’s pray for the children who came for this event, that the seeds of faith sown in them will grow and flourish!
Cindy Ho is the Assistant Pastoral Team Member for ONE JAM, Faith’s ministry to children.
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HEARTBEAT : TTB YOUTH MINISTRY
GROWING DEEPER IN GOD THROUGH COMMUNITY By Vanessa Liew (Year 5 TTB Youth)
This COVID-19 season was an interesting season of authentic growth. As a ministry, we initially struggled to find our footing, as we could no longer keep the “fire” going through worship and fellowship events which we so heavily relied on in the past. However, we eventually embraced the opportunity to place a large emphasis on Small Groups (SGs) – and
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we were heartened that the youths, too, made an effort to stay connected as a small group. This community was a key part in keeping the youths walking close to God, and we are humbled by the way God never fails to move in the lives of us. Here is a testimony written by Vanessa Liew, a Year 5 TTB youth:
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COVID-19 sparked a momentous change to every part of our lives, making us rethink what we had previously considered normal. With circuit breaker suddenly imposed upon us, I was left flabbergasted and confused. I felt powerless and secluded at home at the time of my life when socialising and interacting with my friends took great priority. Nevertheless, this did not stop my Small Group from doing what they do best: Sharing God’s Word and His love. During this time of crisis when the faithfulness and discipline of our group was being tested, we overcame the obstacles and became even more united. My Small Group leaders quickly geared into action and filled the void. They made extra effort to connect with us on social media and guide us to join SG meetings and online services even when Church was closed and the Tacklebox (TTB) no longer held physical meetings.
Trying our best every week to remain connected and faithful to God and His teachings, we grew to be stronger in faith and more aware of what we could each strive towards in our walk with God. I am thankful every week, knowing my SG is there with me during this journey. Looking back, I can say that we have grown a lot this year together. The fact that we can continue to faithfully attend church during this tough period shows a lot in our commitment to worship God and grow closer to Him. My faith has grown stronger and I feel a deeper connection to my SG than I ever did before as it has really been a source of comfort and strength for me through dark times.
Reminiscing the
good old times
) before COVID-19 photo was taken (Note: This group
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HEARTBEAT : LANGUAGE MINISTRIES
The Indonesian Ministry Team
The Christmas Gift Pack
FROM CREATION TO SALVATION: A NIGHT TO REMEMBER By Esther Ong
Our Indonesian Ministry celebrated Christmas via Zoom on the evening of 6 December 2020. To encourage outreach, each of our Indonesian girls received a Christmas gift pack and took another two packs to invite their friends for this Christmas celebration. Initially only three members had invited friends. But in the end, over 40 Indonesian girls turned up online, half of whom were new friends, and others logged in from Indonesia. We thank God for smooth internet connection throughout the gathering, which enabled us to sing Christmas carols, play a game, watch a video clip, clearly hear a testimony and the Gospel message. Behind all the hard work of planning and execution was our dedicated and wonderful Indonesian ministry team. Thank you for making the event a wonderful success! JANUARY 2021 . FAITHLINK
Every Sunday night from 9pm to 10.30pm, the Indonesian Ministry meets on Zoom for discipleship and prayer. Contact Esther Ong at estherong11@ gmail.com if you or your Indonesian domestic helper would like to join us. Esther Ong is the chairperson of the Indonesian Ministry and a member of Living Springs Small Group.
HEARTBEAT : LANGUAGE MINISTRIES
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FILIPINO MINISTRY 26TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION By Ara Teo
On Sunday 18 October 2020, our Filipino Fellowship celebrated her 26th Anniversary in church. With the authorities permitting some religious gatherings to take place on site, we managed to organise a simple but meaningful gathering, and implement some safety measures. The event included a sermon by our Language Ministries pastor, Rev John Foo. We also worshipped using an audio recording as live singing was not allowed. We then gave out a certificate of appreciation to Pastor John, as well as to the
members who had been faithful in attending their Small Group (SG) online fellowships during COVID-19. We also gave out some prizes to the SGs who participated and contributed a special video greeting and presentation; these videos were shown during the gathering. We are grateful to God for making this celebration possible, especially because we had not seen each other for so many months. We are also grateful to Pastor Raymond, Pastor John, and Jason Goh for allowing us to celebrate our anniversary in the church.
All Glory be to our Father God Almighty! Ara is the Chairperson of the Filipino Ministry at Faith Methodist Church. She enjoys cooking and taking care of her children. If you are keen to know about this ministry, do email her at: arateo@live.com.sg.
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PEOPLE OF AT FAITH FAITH :: FAITH FAITH KINDERGARTEN KINDERGARTEN
The K2 children decorating the photo frames and boxes for purchase
RAISING FUNDS FOR A GOOD CAUSE During this year’s Entrepreneurs’ Day, the K2 teachers and children helped to raise funds for one of the Pre-Nursery students who was diagnosed with Stage 3 kidney cancer. The amount collected went towards the family to help defray the cost of his medical bills.
Weaving baskets from yarn
Packing cookies into containers Using a tea light candle to create a snowman
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The teachers prepared the pre-order forms for the community of parents at Faith Kindy, whereas the K2 children were involved in the decoration of the items to be sold; sticking tiles to the photo frames and boxes. The kids were also involved in the weaving of the yarn baskets. The teachers helped by decorating tea light candles and packing the cookies. With everyone’s effort we managed to raise $5000! We would like to take this opportunity to thank all Faith Kindy parents and staff for the effort and support to make this year’s Entrepreneurs’ Day a memorable event.
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LITTLE EXPLORERS When Faith Kindy started the 6-hour Extended MOMENTS Programme in 2020, one of its newest offerings was The Little Explorer, which began in January 2020. The programme allows children to explore different “islands” and are required to complete three lessons of each island before receiving a badge. The activities on each island include songs and stories, and aim to install perseverance in each child, as well as encourage them to overcome fears. This programme was helmed by a volunteer from Faith Methodist Church, Mr Jimmy Png, who conducted these sessions on behalf of the kindergarten. Unfortunately due to COVID-19, this programme was halted. We resumed in July when safety measures were slightly eased and the children were involved in these two activities.
ACTIVITY 1 - FIRST AID
ACTIVITY 2 - OVERCOMING FEAR
In this activity, we learned how to do an arm bandage using a triangle bandage. The skill on folding, bandaging and tying a knot was a challenge but we were able to overcome with the guidance of our officer and teacher.
Folding the triangle bandage
Learning how to tie a knot on the bandage
This activity helped us to overcome our fear based on what we could not see. It contained three parts: Firstly, there were some objects placed on the floor and we had to walk around them without stepping on them. Secondly, we had to do this task blindfolded. Thirdly, since we had to sense where we were walking without the use of sight, we had to be extremely careful. By the end of this session, we learnt that in order to overcome our fears, we had to take a leap of faith!
Looking at the objects on the floor
Executing First Aid on a friend
Presenting the First Aid Badge
A sense of achievement!
Proud Little Explorers receiving their First Aid Badge upon completing the training
Blindfolded and ready to attempt walking around the room without stepping onto the objects
The children walking around the room very carefully ensuring that they do not step on the objects
Giving a token of appreciation to our volunteer Officer, Mr Jimmy Png from Faith Methodist Church, for helping out with The Explorer programme
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PEOPLE OF FAITH : FAITHACTS
HELPING THOSE IN NEED “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.” Acts 4:32 By Jean Hong
Recognising the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the community, FaithActs embarked on new projects that targeted three specific groups whom we felt were most affected during this trying period. These included:
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1. Single Parents (Project SPIN) 2. Seniors with little or no digital knowledge (Project SPOT) 3. Young Children (Project K3Es)
For more information of these campaigns, log on to www.faithacts.org.sg or email us on: info@ faithacts.org.sg. God bless you for contributing to our causes!
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Project SPIN: Single Parent In Need Profiles of affected singleparents: • Those who are unfit for work due to medical conditions. • Loss of income due to COVID-19. Some of these parents who were working part-time in industries such as, F&B and Retail industries, lost their jobs. These parents work part-time so that they can earn a living while still taking care of their children. • Those who fall through the cracks because of their national status, such as, Long-Term Social Pass holders. • Transnational single parents whose spouse is either absent or has passed on. To donate, please go to this link: www.giving.sg/faithacts/ project_spin_seniors_ programme_on_technology_
Financial Aid for a Single Mother with 3 Children R is a single mother of three teenagers, two of whom have special needs. She also has health issues. The family of four live in a two-room rental flat which is cluttered with laundry and household knick knacks. During the pandemic, R was laid off from her job as a kitchen assistant and is still currently unemployed. During the
Circuit Breaker, both her children with special needs had a meltdown and their psychiatric condition worsened, further putting a strain on physical and emotional well-being. While she needs to feed her family, she is also worried about the children’s mental well-being if they are left alone at home. As such, she stays home to help stabilise their emotions. With no income and
hope of any employment in sight, R is concerned about the family’s living expenses, especially her son’s school fees. Through Project SPIN, R received financial aid for her son’s studies, which immediately allayed her financial concerns. FaithActs is currently working closely with R and her family and providing the necessary support. FAITHLINK . JANUARY 2021
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PEOPLE OF FAITH : FAITHACTS
Project SPOT: Senior Programme On Technology Mental health issues became a growing concern when the COVID-19 pandemic surfaced. People experienced some adjustment disorders, resulting in anxiety and depression. Seniors in particular, were especially susceptible to the effects of COVID-19 when they had to go into isolation during the Circuit Breaker. Many of them developed symptoms of depression due to loneliness and fear, and the lockdown only exacerbated these problems. There were some elderly who were unable to connect with their families or friends during the lockdown as they did not own a phone. For the rest of us, we have managed to stay connected online through Zoom or Google Meet. We also have the ability to tune into Netflix and other media resources to keep
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ourselves entertained. But for the seniors, many are not literate and do not have the knowledge or confidence to surf the net. As such, FaithActs decided to step in and help the elderly with the necessary skills to stay connected digitally, with Project SPOT. To donate, please go to this link: www.giving.sg/ faithacts/project_spot_ seniors_programme_on_ technology_
Teaching an Elderly How To Use A Smart Phone Mdm Ng is in her 70s and lives alone. She exhibits some cognitive impairment and signs of depression, and the COVID-19 situation exacerbated the problem. Despite her condition, she has been a faithful participant at FaithActs, so when senior activities resumed at our centre, Mdm Ng participated in rummikub games and is happy spending time with other seniors. Even though she has a handphone, she does not know how to use it. Through our SPOT programme, Mdm Ng is now able to make simple calls herself.
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K3Es (Kids’ Engagement, Enrichment, Empowerment Programme) FaithActs prioritises children’s education and character development. We aim to give children a more holistic approach in learning academically, socially and emotionally. Sports, creative arts, life skills, digital literacy and self-awareness are some of the methods and topics that are covered during the programme to help build the children’s self-esteem and confidence when facing challenges in life. Using group-based workshops and hands-on activities, we hope that the children will be able to better retain the
knowledge gained from our Project K3Es programme. To donate, please go to this link: www.giving.sg/faithacts/ k3es_kids_engagement_ enrichment_empowerment_
Progress in English Language Proficiency At the age of seven, J and her brother joined The Learning Hub, our after-school care programme. Coming from a non-English-speaking background, J’s parents enrolled her into our English literacy programmes (Early Learning Programme and Early Learning Programme Plus) in order to improve her reading and writing proficiency. Initially, she was very shy and
hesitant in this new learning environment. Over time, she began to show great progress and has adapted very well in school and at FaithActs. Today, J can express herself easily and is very much interested in learning new things. After completing the two English literacy programmes at our centre, she progressed to KidsLEAP and is also part of our tuition programme. J is currently enrolled in K3Es as a participant under the Learning Hub Programme.
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SPOTTED AT FAITH : FAITH’S 54TH ANNIVERSARY SERVICE
SPOTTED AT FAITH We bring you snapshots of past events held at Faith Methodist Church.
54TH ANNIVERSARY SERVICE 12 JULY 2020
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SPOTTED AT FAITH : WITNESS & EVANGELISM “HOPE IN THE STORM” LIVE CHAT CONVERSATION
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WITNESS & EVANGELISM “HOPE IN THE STORM” LIVE CHAT CONVERSATION 28 JULY 2020
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SPOTTED AT FAITH : NIGHT OF WORSHIP
NIGHT OF WORSHIP 26 AUGUST 2020
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SPOTTED AT FAITH : LCEC DEDICATION SERVICE
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LCEC DEDICATION SERVICE 11 OCTOBER 2020
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SPOTTED AT FAITH : MANDARIN MINISTRY SERVICE RECORDING
MANDARIN MINISTRY SERVICE RECORDING NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER 2020
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JESUS: OUR ROCK OF REFUGE AND STRENGTH Leaning on God in the face of challenges at work. By Patrick Pang
markets were undergoing a bull (i.e. rising) market. After just one and a half years, I was given the opportunity to work in the Philippines in 1995.
Bull and bear, greed and fear, peaks and troughs… For some of us who are participants in the stock market, such terms will strike a chord. Analyzing and investing in stocks is both an exhilarating and tumultuous experience, which I discovered having worked in this industry for more than 25 years.
I worked hard and contributed to the success of my company. With my career progressing well in the Philippines office, I set my sights on being rotated to Hong Kong, which was the headquarters of my company. Alas, my first major crisis was just round the corner.
I entered the stock market industry as a junior research analyst in the mid-90s, a period where many Asian stock
TRUSTING GOD’S PLAN In early 1997, the stock markets in Asia tumbled as many Asian currencies devalued. During
this Asian Financial Crisis, my company went through two rounds of emotionallydraining downsizing. Being an expatriate, I assumed I would be retrenched and my plans of being rotated to our Hong Kong HQ vaporized. By God’s grace, I survived both retrenchments and continued to work in Makati (Philippines) for another two years. In retrospect, I saw how amazing God’s plan was for me! It was during the latter two years that my relationship with a Filipino colleague blossomed, and she later became my
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MARKETPLACE
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. - Psalm 18:2
wife. This would not have happened if I had been posted to Hong Kong. As captured in Isaiah 55:8: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord”. We can make our plans but God’s plans for us will ultimately triumph.
My company’s joint-venture in India faced extreme financial difficulties during that year. My boss and I spent numerous days and nights to find ways to save this jointventure. With lack of sleep and stress mounting during that period, I was physically and mentally exhausted.
STRENGTHENED BY HIS WORD
As I turned to God’s Word for encouragement, I was reminded through Psalm 46:1 that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble”. This verse spoke to me and as I clung to this truth, my stress abated. We eventually managed to find another investor to take over the joint-venture.
In 2008, yet another major crisis emanated from the US and hit global stock markets. Termed the Global Financial Crisis, the fear that spread globally negatively impacted many Asian companies.
THE LORD IS OUR ROCK The above are just two of many challenges and crises that I encountered at work. I am sure many of us have gone through very trying times at work. The current pandemic is probably one of the worst periods for many industries. However, we must never lose hope and remember that “the Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer” (Psalm 18:2). No matter how bleak things may look, God’s peace and strength will enable us to ride through tough times.
Patrick serves as the Associate Lay Leader for the Youth ministries at Faith MC. He enjoys reading and all genres of music, and is a die-hard Liverpool FC fan.
JANUARY 2021 . FAITHLINK
GOD, THE C HUR CH AND THE WO RLD
The Kairos Course is a nine-session, interactive course on World Christian mission, designed to educate, inspire and challenge Christians to active and meaningful participation. This course utilizes a variety of adult learning styles including group discussions, short lecture introduction, devotions, video teaching and student participation in specially designed activities. Kairos looks at the four main areas of mission concern which are the Biblical, Historical, Strategic and Cultural dimensions of mission.
Online Kairos Class starting in April via ZOOM! 9 TUESDAY NIGHTS • 6/4, 13/4, 20/4, 27/4, 4/5, 11/5, 18/5, 25/5, 1/6 • 7.30pm to 9.30pm 1 SATURDAY MORNING INTEGRATION & GRADUATION • 5/6 • 9.30am to 12noon
GOD, THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD
Course fees: $50 $30 (special rate for Faith members and regular worshippers) Course fees include Kairos coursebook and other reading materials
For enquiries please email wilsonliew@faithmc.sg.
ENGLISH SERVICE 8am Service at Sanctuary (L1) - Attend in person: Ballot for tickets at attend.faithmc.sg on Mondays 11.15am Service at Worship Hall (L4) - Attend in person: Ballot for tickets at attend.faithmc.sg on Mondays - Watch live stream: faithmc.sg/livestream
MANDARIN SERVICE 10.15am Service at ACJC - Attend in person: Email clairebang@faithmc.sg - Watch live stream: faithmc.sg/livestream - The 9am Service live stream has been discontinued as of 20 December 2020 For more info on our church services, please call our church ofďŹ ce during ofďŹ ce hours, or visit our website at faithmc.sg. Find FAITH at 6471-9420
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