Methodist Message: July 2021

THE METHODIST CHURCH IN SINGAPORE

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

Vo l 1 2 3 N o 7 J U LY 2 0 2 1

KIDS AND EDUCATION

Contents 3

Church Life

Bishop’s Message

2

Events: Coming Up

3

Church life: Church profile—Fairfield MC

People of MCS

12

Reach Out

18

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Church life: TRAC Highlights

6

News: Aldersgate SG Celebration Service

23

8

News: Aldersgate Lectures

11

Opinion: John Wesley on Education

12

People: Methodist Preschools

14

People: Kim Seah Teck Kim

16

People: Guan Yeow Kwang

17

People: Colin Goh

18

Reach out: Welfare Services

20

Reach Out: Missions

23

Relationships: You & Your Family

24

Opinion: Soundings

26

Hymns & Songs

27

What does being a Methodist mean to you?

28

Opinion: THINK

30

Events: Looking Ahead

Christian Living

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EDITORIAL BOARD

The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore.

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

Adviser and Publisher Dr Anthony Goh Chairperson Council on Communications

Editor Sheri Goh

Sub-editor

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

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

Tan Chiu Ai

fb.com/Methodist.SG

Communications Executive

@methodist.sg

Jason Woo

Proofreader Tan Sheng Ling

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

BISHOP’S MESSAGE Bishop Dr Gordon Wong was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2020.

He served as President of the Trinity Annual Conference from 2013–2020.

Train, start and dedicate “Kids and Education” is the theme for this issue of Methodist Message. Perhaps the most quoted Bible verse on this theme is Proverbs 22:6, and the English translation familiar to most people is reflected in the 1984 New International Version (NIV): “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

But the 2011 NIV now renders it as: “Start children off on the way they should go, and when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Does this Hebrew verse urge us to “train” or to “start” children off in the way they should go? Since there is evidence of the verb being used with both nuances in ancient Hebrew and Arabic, translations will continue to diverge. Happily, this allows parents and teachers to be encouraged and guided by both options. The two actions are, in any case, closely related in practice. For how does one “train” a child if not by helping them “start” on a good path in life?

And surely one way to help a child start walking on a good path is to train them to walk.

This same Hebrew verb is used in 1 Kings 8:63 at the opening or start of the newly built temple.

The people start or dedicate the temple to fulfill its God-given function. Similarly, one of the ways we might give children a good start in life is to dedicate them regularly in our prayers that they will find and fulfill their God-given places in life.

One more comment on the Hebrew of Proverbs 22:6 before I conclude. Although the rendering “child” is not incorrect, the Hebrew noun is often used to refer to youth and even young adults. So the encouragement and guidance of this verse should not be limited only to young children. We dedicate in prayer also teenagers and young adults to finding and fulfilling their God-given paths in life.

A popular saying amongst educators is that “values are caught, not taught”. The point is not to imply that values cannot be taught; it is to stress that the best way to teach values is to exemplify it. Or, as Dorothy Law Nolte puts it: Children Learn What They Live With If a child lives with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, they learn to fight.

If a child lives with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, they learn to find love in the world.

Fathers’ Day is just around the corner as I pen these thoughts. I thank God for my father who started and trained me in life, not so much with words or instruction, but by giving me encouragement, acceptance and love. Let us dedicate the children and young adults of our world, and ourselves also, to a life of Loving God by Loving Our Neighbours.

Amen.

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Events ¢ Coming Up “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” Zechariah 4:6

Brought to you by TRAC WSCS

What do you do when you are in circumstances that are Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) and feel that life is missing hope, meaning or purpose?

Come and join us to be inspired by women who rise above the challenges of a VUCA world and thrive in living a transformed life!

SATURDAY 24 JULY 2021 10.30 AM – 2.30 PM via ZOOM EMAIL: eventstracwscs@gmail.com PHONE: 6100-WSCS (9727) Register online at https://tinyurl.com/vuca2021 or scan QR Code to register!

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

FREE ADMISSION. Love offering will be collected

Rev Stanley Chua

Julie Ong

Rev Stanley Chua has been a Methodist pastor for the past 23 years. Currently, he is the TRAC President of The Methodist Church in Singapore.

Julie is a Covid-19 survivor. She will share about how she learnt to trust GOD for her health and career and how she found strength to forgive her husband when their marriage failed.

Pastor Jenni Huan

Lucy Lim

Author of several books, including “When God Shapes A W.I.F.E”, Jenni will share with us how to let God’s love for you and your marriage surprise and transform you and your marriage.

Is life beyond you? Lucy, author of “Joy Beyond Cancer”, refuses to allow cancer to take over her life in spite of undergoing yet another chemo treatment.

Ashley Low

Bunty Bunce

Turning all our storms of life into His Blessings, Ashley will share about her husband’s journey with cancer and how the Lord shined His marvelous light through the darkness.

Bunty will share on how to direct our prayers, so that we may see, hear and respond to the heart of God.

Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit (Zechariah 4:6)

The God-shaped wife

Dancing in the Storm

Light Beyond a Difficult Journey

When It’s Beyond Me

Is there somebody out there?

Register online by 15 July 2021 2

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METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

Church Life ¢ Church Profile: Fairfield Methodist Church Dr Cheah-Foo Fung Fong is the Vice President of the Trinity Annual Conference and Associate Lay Leader of Fairfield Methodist Church. / Photos courtesy of Fairfield Methodist Church

Bishop Dr Gordon Wong preaching at Fairfield MC’s 73rd anniversary

Blessing Chinatown and beyond

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ndeterred by the COVID-19 pandemic, Fairfield Methodist Church (MC) celebrated her 73rd Anniversary with 100 members and friends gathering for a live worship service on 31 Jan 2021.

Given the government’s safety measures, the rest of the congregation tuned in from home via livestream to join those in church to hear Bishop Dr Gordon Wong preach from Lamentations 3:22–23 on God’s faithfulness in the face of darkness and hopelessness.

Similarly, the Depression and threat of a world war in the 1930s did not deter Fairfield’s first pastor, the late Rev Herbert F. Kuehn, and his wife Mabel. Their pioneering work in 1938 led to the planting of the Fairfield Chapel in the school hall of Fairfield Girls’ School at 178 Neil Road.

It was subsequently constituted as a Local Conference on 1 Feb 1948 with 20 members. The church has grown to its current membership of 770, with services in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

Fairfield’s vision is to be a disciple-making church, with the mission that every member be committed to “Magnify God, Multiply disciples, and Minister to all peoples in Singapore and beyond”.

When we moved from Neil Road to our current location at 1 Tanjong Pagar Road in June 1986, we retained our calling to minister to the community in Chinatown. This has been done through Christmas-in-Chinatown events during Christmas and the many blessing projects held at different times of the year to bless the community.

The greatest blessing project was the establishment of Yong-en Care Centre 25 years ago in September 1996 as our community outreach arm in Chinatown. Its mission is to demonstrate God’s love through value-added community services and support for the needy individuals and families in Chinatown and beyond.

We went beyond blessing locals and started our Injured Migrant Workers Ministry to provide both practical and spiritual support to Chinese, Indian and Bangladeshi migrant workers injured while working here. We thank God for His faithfulness in consistently providing for the needs of the Ministry despite high expenses and our limited resources.

Being strategically located in the Central Business District, Fairfield started the City Connect Ministry on 31 May 2018. This allowed office workers to step into the church during their lunch breaks to rest and recharge. Befrienders took the opportunity to build relationships with them for further support and outreach.

With a new MRT station soon to open right at our doorstep, we hope to play a bigger role in God’s plans to bless those living and working in the Chinatown, Tanjong Pagar, Maxwell and Duxton areas well beyond 2027 when our current lease is due for renewal. We covet your prayers and support to join us in this exciting journey to bless Chinatown and beyond with the love of Jesus.

FAIRFIELD METHODIST CHURCH (Trinity Annual Conference) 1 Tanjong Pagar Road S(088437) Sunday Services: (Currently) 10.30 a.m. – Mandarin 11 a.m. – English 2 p.m. – Cantonese www.fairfieldmc.org 6221-7394

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

Senior Leadership Team

Pre PSLE Seminars 9 July, 2pm 6 August, 2pm 17 September, 2pm 1 October, 2pm RSVP admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg

Post PSLE Seminars Mr Gavin Kinch Principal

Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice-Principal

24 November, 2pm & 4pm 25 November, 9am & 2pm 26 November, 9am & 2pm

Dr Kristopher Achter Vice-Principal

Mr Chia Choong Kiat Acting Vice-Principal

27 November, 9am RSVP admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg Seminars will be held on Campus with School Tour

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

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

Church Life ¢ TRAC Highlights Dr Morgan Zhou is the Chairperson of the TRAC Board of Children Ministry / Photos courtesy of TRAC BOCM

TRAC Easter Programme and craft ideas shared by Faith MC during TRAC BoCM COZY Catch Up

Board of Children Ministry

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s I write this article, families have returned to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) safe management measures.

Schools and private tuition have shifted to homebased learning; children and youth ministry programmes have gone online and several school-going children had to be placed in quarantine because their close contacts tested positive for COVID-19.

Feelings of inadequacy overwhelmed me, but after taking some time to pray and reflect, the Aaronic Blessing—the blessing that Aaron and his sons were to speak over the people of Israel as recorded in Numbers 6:22–27—came to mind. As my sons were sleeping, I placed my hands on their foreheads and declared: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. Amen.”

This blessing recognises that it is the Lord who blesses; it is the Lord who keeps us; it is the Lord who makes His face shine on us; it is the Lord who bestows grace; it is the Lord who directs His countenance to us; and it is the Lord who grants us His peace. Our expectations for a life of comfort and ease in work, ministry and family life may not necessarily be the blessings that God desires for our greatest and highest good.

During the circuit breaker last year, members of the Board of Children Ministry, led by our previous chairperson Christina Ong, met over Zoom on 30 May last year to provide ministry updates in the areas of Welcome, Worship, Word, Wonder, Witness (including Welfare of leaders, children and families) and to unite in prayer.

Even though some of us were disheartened by the lack of

Living Waters Methodist Church

opportunities to minister to children in-person and onsite, there was a growing recognition that we are called to partner parents and families in the discipleship of children—this was the blessing for the season.

The family is part of God’s heart for discipleship and the primary means according to Deuteronomy 6:4–7—“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children.

Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

When in-person Sunday School was finally restarted at our TRAC churches, it was rewarding for teachers, staff and volunteers to see how the children had grown, not just in stature, but also in faith. As Sunday School teachers and volunteers, we recognise that whilst we may plant and water, the Lord in His mercy and grace was the one who has brought about the increase through the faithful devotion of parents committed to family discipleship!

The opportunity to strengthen bonds between parents and children as well as to establish children in the faith cannot be delegated. Let us endeavour to begin a legacy of spiritual blessing in our personal and family life— remembering that our Children Ministry leaders, teachers and volunteers continue to cheer us all on in this journey with their encouragement and prayers—and allow the message of Christ to dwell among us richly as we teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in our hearts (Col 3:16).

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News ¢ Aldersgate SG 2021 Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message. / Photos courtesy of Joash Lee (Faith MC). Screenshots courtesy of the MCS Comms Team

Celebration Service LOVE GOD BY LOVING OUR NEIGHBOUR

Clockwise from top left: Rev Dr Niam Kai Huey (Pastor-in-Charge of Sengkang MC); Dr (Mrs) Teo Li Bee (President of GCWSCS); Mr Jeffrey Lim (General Conference Secretary); Rev Stanley Chua (TRAC President); Rev Dr Gregory Goh Nai Lat (CAC President); Bishop Dr Gordon Wong; Rev Philip Abraham (ETAC President)

Behind the scenes at the livestreaming of the service

The Aldersgate SG service was livestreamed on 23 May 2021.

It is available for viewing at https://aldersgate.methodist.org.sg/livestream.

“The Greek New Testament five times tells us to greet each other with a holy kiss,” said Bishop Dr Gordon Wong at the opening of the Aldersgate SG Celebration Service on 23 May 2021. “The fact that I cannot even give you a holy handshake—even those who are here in the Sengkang Methodist Church [MC] sanctuary—is a reminder of the difficult times that all of us are going through during this pandemic.”

Aldersgate SG is organised annually by The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) to celebrate our Wesleyan heritage and what it means to be Methodist. The last time congregations from the various churches gathered in person was in May 2019. Aldersgate SG 2020 was held in the thick of the “circuit breaker” and thus the service was pre-recorded and screened on the Methodist churches’ online platforms on 24 May 2020. This is the second year running that Aldersgate SG has been held online due to government-mandated COVID-19 restrictions.

Planning for the Aldersgate SG 2021 took place during Phase 3 of Singapore’s COVID-19 re-opening. Churches could have up to 250 congregants and congregational 6

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METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

singing with masks on was allowed. The plan then was to have a hybrid Aldersgate service with pastors and representatives from the 46 Methodist churches gathering at Sengkang Methodist Church, which was hosting the service, and the rest of the congregations joining in online.

But when community cases of COVID-19 surged and measures were tightened, together with consideration for congregants’ safety, a decision was made for the event to go purely online.

Coming together while physically apart “It is easy to be tired and discouraged during this time,” acknowledged Bishop Dr Wong. “We long for the day we can see [each other] face to face again.” At the same time, he pointed out, coming together as a Church does not necessarily mean having to be together physically.

The livestreamed service was put together by the pastors and members of the three Annual Conferences: the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC), Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC) and the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC). The Emmanuel Thuthi band and the Methodist

Festival Choir (MFC) recorded performances for the online service. When the physical service was cancelled at the last minute, Kampong Kapor MC stepped in to record some of the hymns sung at the service. The technical crew of Faith MC assisted Sengkang MC with the livestream.

Bishop Dr Wong shared some practical ways Methodists could love God by loving their neighbours. Small groups could “adopt” residents from MWS nursing homes and take turns, in groups of two or three, to visit their adopted “uncle” or “auntie” once a week.

At press time, the service has been viewed more than 6,600 times. Bishop’s recorded sermon was also screened by churches during their Aldersgate Sunday services.

It might not take much effort for the volunteer, but for long-term residents, especially if they are bed-ridden, the visits are definitely significant.

A multilingual time of praise

The Emmanuel Thuthi band

He also shared a video narrated by eight-year-old “Caleb” about his experience of being in a foster family.

While his foster parents took on the main responsibility of providing a home for Caleb, their church cell group loved God by loving Caleb together. They showed love and support in practical ways—picking him up from school, driving him to classes and therapy sessions, taking care of him when his foster parents were busy or at work, and celebrating milestones such as birthdays together.

Three Conferences, one Church The three Annual Conference Presidents—Rev Dr Gregory Goh Nai Lat (CAC), Rev Philip Abraham (ETAC) and Rev Stanley Chua (TRAC)—prayed for the Church, the world, and the sick, needy and suffering. They prayed that we would do whatever we can, with whatever the means we can, to show our love for those around us.

What is a Methodist?

Bishop Dr Wong’s sermon, “Love God by Loving Our Neighbour”, was based on 1 John 4:16–21. “[John] Wesley wanted Methodists to insist that there is fundamentally nothing special in being Methodists which might distinguish them from true Christian disciples,” he said, referring to Wesley’s essay, “The Character of a Methodist”. “A disciple of Jesus Christ is someone who is committed to what Jesus Christ says is the great and most important thing in life: Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbour as yourself [Matt 22:37–29].”

As for the “perfect love” the apostle John referred to in 1 John 4:18, Wesley wrote: “By perfection I mean the […] love of God, and our neighbour, ruling our tempers, words and actions.” Bishop Dr Wong also referred to 1 John 4:20—“For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”

“The practical expression of loving God,” he explained, “[is] by loving our neighbours.”

“The motivation for loving God and our neighbour is not because we are afraid of God’s punishment or judgment against us. God wants our love for God and neighbour to be motivated not by fear of punishment. […] We love, because God is love, and God’s love lives within us.

Dr Benjamin Leong, CAC lay leader and member of Queenstown Chinese MC, was accompanied by members of his church in a recorded performance of “Lord, You are Always There”. The words of the hymn were written

by Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon, and produced and arranged by Justin Yeo and Leong Shengyu.

Long-service awards were presented to the following pastors: Rev Dr Niam Kai Huey (Sengkang MC); Rev Vincent Goh (Paya Lebar MC); Rev Gabriel Liew (Methodist Church of the Incarnation); Rev Kenneth Huang (Kampong Kapor MC); and Rev Alvin Chan (Trinity MC).

The service closed with Bishop Dr Gordon Wong and the three Annual Conference Presidents pronouncing the Benediction from Numbers 6:22–24 in Chinese, Tamil, English and Hebrew: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

And as the choir sang, may “God be with you”, our fellow members of MCS, as we wait in anticipation “till we meet again”.

1 John Wesley, “Brief Thoughts on Christian Perfection” (1767), A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (London: Epworth Press, 1952), 112.

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News ¢ Aldersgate SG 2021 Jason Woo is the Communications Executive at MCS Comms. / Screenshots courtesy of MCS Comms

Seeking your own

Aldersgate moment Bishop Dr Gordon Wong gracing the online event and praying that hearts would be receptive to the teachings for the evening

ETAC President, Rev Philip Abraham, in attendance

The lectures being conducted in Mandarin with English subtitles on both evenings

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he Aldersgate lectures have become an important component of the Aldersgate SG celebrations. They enable local Methodists as well as attendees from other faiths and denominations to learn more about Methodism and how it relates to society at large.

However, is this all there is to it? An old story of how Wesley’s zeal for God was re-ignited, leading to his founding a movement that would ultimately span the globe? Rev Dr Wilfred Ho differs in his view, arguing that there is much to learn from Wesley’s divine encounter.

This year’s lectures, which took place via Zoom on the evenings of 20 and 21 May 2021, were given by Rev Dr Wilfred Ho. Rev Dr Ho was ordained in 1998 as a Methodist pastor under the Chinese Annual Conference.

In 2007, he joined Trinity Theological College and currently serves as Director of the EQUIP programme as well as Associate Chaplain. His lectures, delivered in Mandarin with English subtitles, dealt primarily with how John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience was and can still be relevant to believers everywhere.

A heart strangely warmed As much as Wesley’s experience on 24 May 1738 rolls off the tongue of even those who are half familiar with the origins of Methodism, the way that he described his experience clearly showed that it was anything but a perfunctory milestone in his spiritual life.

This point may be inferred from the fact that John Wesley wrote about his “heart strangely warmed” moment in the second volume of his personal journals on 29 September 1740—two years after it happened.

Wesley’s Aldersgate experience revisited Ask an average Methodist and they might be able to recount the gist of John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience on the evening of 24 May 1738. John Wesley had reluctantly gone to a Christian gathering when he felt his “heart strangely warmed” by a reading of Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. Wesley’s spiritual worldview underwent a fundamental shift, not only a bolstering of his faith but also providing assurance that his salvation was indeed found in Christ.

All in all, it is a familiar tale to both the Methodist churchgoer and the Wesleyan scholar.

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“Therefore, we have good reason to believe that the content published in Wesley’s Journals had undergone a rigorous selection and editing process. Only events that Wesley thought were beneficial for the readers were included,” argued Rev Dr Ho. Rev Dr Ho drew the attention of the audience to the paragraph preceding the record of the Aldersgate experience in John Wesley’s journal: “What occurred on [24 May], I think best to relate at large, after premising what may make it the better understood. Let him that cannot receive it ask of the Father of lights that he would give more light both to him and me.”

It is interesting to note that after this paragraph, Wesley dropped the use of the typical pattern of penning journal entries in chronological sequence. Instead, he dedicated 18 entries to recounting his faith experience from the age of 10 till shortly after his Aldersgate experience, ending his entries with 25 May 1738, the day after his fateful encounter with God. The last four entries dealt exclusively with the entirety of the Aldersgate experience and its aftermath.

Why did John Wesley do this?

The key to the answer, according to Rev Dr Ho, may be inferred from Wesley’s use of the words, “relate at large”.

It was clear that Wesley found it vital for his readers to know in detail about his faith journey leading up to his Aldersgate experience rather than just about what happened on 24 May 1738.

It is clear then that by recounting his faith journey, Wesley intended that the reader’s most important takeaway be God’s role—in not just Wesley’s own life but also that of believers—is more than just a conceptual experience.

Rather He must be an experiential and relational part of daily living.

To drive this point further, Rev Dr Ho invited the audience to notice the words Wesley used to describe his Aldersgate experience, especially his use of the first person pronouns: “In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and save me from the law of sin and death.”

It was also interesting to find out from Wesley’s journal that even after his life-changing experience on 24 May evening, he was not immune to having his faith tested, even on the very next day.

“Wesley admitted that he had [earlier] depended on works, and therefore decided to shift the object of his faith, changing from dependence on his own works to a complete dependence on the gospel of Christ,” explained Rev Dr Ho. However, it was not to be taken to mean that works are not needed, but that they are a “means of grace” towards an end that involves the receiving of “justifying, saving faith”. It is a faith that exhibits, in the words of John Wesley, “a full reliance on the blood of Christ shed for me; a trust in him as my Christ, as my sole justification, sanctification, and redemption.”

“Even though Wesley knew what ‘justifying, saving faith’ was, whether it can be achieved remains another thing altogether. To have such faith requires continual prayer.

And since Wesley did not have such faith, he had to ask God for faith,” said Rev Dr Ho.

A personal Aldersgate moment Rev Dr Ho concluded with saying that John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience was totally life-changing for him.

However, Wesley’s experience was entirely his own. Each Methodist or Christian today may also experience their own unique “Aldersgate experience”. The crux is whether we desire to seek it for ourselves.

In closing, Rev Dr Ho challenged his audience with: “I trust that you truly believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But have you personally experienced the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you desire this experience? Will you, out of your desire for a personal experience of the gospel of Jesus, wrestle with God with all your might?”

Rev Dr Ho also explained that Wesley’s 18-paragraph description illustrated his personal journey towards developing inward holiness and the transformation in the way he related with God and with sin.

“Wesley hinted that the lesson that he would eventually learn after 25 years was that of inward holiness… The Aldersgate experience was, for Wesley, more than just ‘believing in Jesus and receiving new birth.’ The Aldersgate experience would always be intertwined with Wesley’s life journey towards inward holiness,” said Rev Dr Ho, “an inward holiness that translates to holy living has always been Wesley’s emphasis, and it also should be so for us Methodists. It is one of the defining marks of a Methodist.”

Rev Wilfred Ho presenting his lectures in an easy-to-follow style by organising his content in readable bullet points

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Opinion ¢ Kwok Wan Yee is the Education Secretary of the Council on Education.

Christian Education according to John Wesley

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ach year, over 21,000 students aged six to 18 years attend one of our 15 Methodist schools. Another 1600 aged three to six are in 11 Methodist preschools.

What makes for Christian education, particularly from the Methodist perspective?

Secular education is focused on the human being, where man is the measure of all things—his knowledge, capabilities and achievements. 1 But the goal of Christian education is to glorify God, so that all will learn to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Mt 22:37). As a teacher and teacher developer in JC and the university, it was a delight for me and my students to link all that happens in our bodies to a genius creator, an awesome designer—God— and then to link everything, whether science, arts, history or economics, to His ultimate purpose for our lives.

Dr Phillip Towndrow wrote, “the Christian vision of public education, based on the distinctives of the Christian faith— unconditional love, community orientation and spiritual rootedness in a perfect creator God—is to work towards the establishment of the Lord’s kingdom on earth”. 2 According to John Wesley, Christian education must first recognise that all human beings, including children, are created in the image of God (Gen 1:26–27). 3 “An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge,” said Wesley, who encouraged teachers to use every opportunity in their lessons to bring attention to God as creator, and as truth.

Methodist theology places a strong emphasis on freedom of choice and thus on personal faith and personal experience; school is therefore an important place for the children to hear the Gospel message and answer God’s call for themselves. Salvation for all was thus an important reason for the Methodist call for education for all. 4 Wesley held that it was in community that a fuller appreciation of Christian values such as forgiveness reconciliation, renewal and service to others can be developed. 5 Aaron Ho, a Christian ministry staff (CMS) at ACS (Independent) says that students face multiple

challenges and CMSs can make a big impact by helping to marry the life-changing Gospel message with effective life skills for the students. Joshua Rusly Chai, a Year 6 student at ACS (Independent), appreciates being surrounded by Christian teachers, mentors and friends who love and support him, and show him what it means to be loved by Christ.

Wesley considered it important to help students “discover every false judgement of our minds”, “subdue every wrong passion in our hearts” and move towards a life dedicated to serving God and others. 6 Character development in our students is thus part of Methodism’s traditional emphasis of cultivating Christ-likeness.

“A literate generation in this confusing age finds itself in jeopardy as did an illiterate generation in the time of the Wesleys,” 7 as Harold Mason observed in 1956. The challenge continues today for our educators to prepare our next generation to be discerning when exposed to all sorts of media that may promote heresy, reject biblical teaching and even poke fun at believers. Christian educators must be “steadfast and righteous and not buckle under the pressure to do what is expedient and perceived to be politically correct.” 8 They must live out their faith even as they teach, and they teach that others will come to love God. Catch the testimonies of these teachers, Christian Ministry staff and students in the upcoming videos “Calling to be a teacher” and “Christian Ministry in Schools” produced by the Council on Education.

The five key features of Wesleyan Education that continue to be relevant today: •

Promote self-discipline

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Provide understanding and wisdom

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Encourage a life-long encounter with Christ

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Encourage living according to our needs and not our wants

•

Encourage a strong work ethic combined with a powerful sense of service to others

Creation Training Initiative, “Christian Education,” 12 June 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4feWFQ51oQ. / 2 Philip A. Towndrow, Education and Society: A Christian vision of Public Education in Singapore (Singapore: Sower Publishing, 2015. / 3 G. M. Best, Education from a Methodist Perspective, https:// www.methodist.org.uk/downloads/education-amethodistperspective-270312.pdf. / 4 Ibid. / 5 Ibid. / 6 Ibid. / 7 Harold C. Mason, “Some implications of Wesleyan Theology for Christian Education,” The Asbury Seminarian 10, no.1: 7-15, https://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google. com/&httpsredir=1&article=2161&context=asburyjournal. / 8 Towndrow.

1

METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

| 11

People ¢ Chan Yuey Sum is the Marketing Manager at Methodist Preschool Services.

Methodist Preschools

I

nternational research from UNESCO has provided overwhelming evidence to show that the formative preschool years in a child’s life form a critical foundation that affects their success and achievement for life. Hence, investing in quality preschool education is crucial and is very much aligned with The Methodist Church of Singapore’s (MCS) commitment to offer quality and holistic education to all from a young age.

Our unified and united Methodist Preschool Services In 2020, MCS consolidated the operations and centralised the management of five Methodist preschools under a single entity—the Methodist Preschool Services Pte Ltd (MPSPL). The five Methodist preschools with MPSPL are: •

Bedok Methodist Preschool

•

Faith Methodist Preschool

•

Foochow Methodist Preschool

•

Sengkang Methodist Preschool

•

Toa Payoh Methodist Preschool

At Methodist Preschools, we offer a distinctive preschool curriculum that encompasses both academic and character development. Our children’s holistic development and the nurturing of their unique talents to their fullest potential are tenets of our educational approach.

“ Every

child

a person of Good Character who is an Explorer, an Innovator and an Entrepreneur” www.methodistpreschools.org fb.com/methodistpreschools enquiry@methodistpreschools.org

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METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

The strategic consolidation facilitates the sharing and integration of best practices in learning and teaching, curriculum innovations, and overall school operations and development. Unifying our operations also enables us to focus our resources to enhance the quality of our educators through centralised training, shared learning resources and an environment that delivers the best preschool experience for our children. MPSPL seeks to develop our preschools into centres of excellence with a shared identity and unique strengths to provide holistic and quality education in line with our Methodist educational tradition.

Our value proposition and approach: Our North Star We go beyond Primary-One readiness; we are committed to nurture every child to be a person of good character who is ready for the future, with the mindset of an: Explorer (with attributes of curiosity, courage and adventure-seeking) Innovator (with attributes of inventiveness, reflectiveness and resilience) Entrepreneur (with attributes of perseverance, resilience, risk-taking, sense of responsibility and good communication skills)

responsibility in every child’s character development as an integral part of our curriculum. Our unique character development programme focuses on our core values of Love, Respect, Courage, Thanksgiving and Passion for Learning. Character values taught are put into meaningful action through our students’ active involvement in valuesin-action projects and community-based initiatives.

Play-based learning is used as the main approach for our young learners in Nursery classes given their innate curiosity and ability to learn effectively through exploration, self-discovery, experimentation and imagination. With increasing abilities and skills, they transit to integrated learning where they learn new connections and discover new solutions through investigation and hands-on application.

At the Kindergartener levels, our active learners participate in inquiry-based learning and guided project work integrated across multiple learning domains.

Children will be exposed to open-ended and thoughtprovoking questions and a structured process of inquiry, investigation, exploration and formulation of creative solutions to build their foundation for higher-order thinking skills. Children will also be given opportunities to share their ideas and thoughts, and present their works to their peers and teachers to develop their confidence and communication skills.

A niche in our curriculum is our proprietary music programme developed by Methodist School of Music and taught by qualified music professionals. Our rich music appreciation curriculum engages children in learning singing, music and movement and music-making. They learn about elements of music, how to play musical instruments, appreciate culture through ethnic songs, and notation reading. At the same time, they develop listening skills, proper breathing techniques, teamwork and musicianship. Music education has proven benefits of accelerating development of language and numeracy skills, enhancing memory, inspiring creativity and building selfconfidence through self-expression in children.

Curriculum innovations in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) have been introduced in some of our Methodist preschools. These include introductory coding and robotics to provide the relevant foundation to develop logical thinking, and problem-solving skills so that our children orientate towards future readiness in our Smart Nation and a highly digitalised world that they are a part of.

Our team and learning environment As faith-based preschools, we endeavour to serve God by providing a distinctive Christian education that makes a difference in the life of every child entrusted to us

Our curriculum

by God and parents. Every Methodist preschool is run

In alignment with the Ministry of Education (MOE), our Methodist preschools ensure comprehensive coverage of the six learning domains (Aesthetic and Creative Expression, Discovery of the World, Language and Literacy, Motor Skills Development, Numeracy and Social and Emotional Development) for holistic development in accordance with the national Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) curriculum and nurture the positive learning dispositions of P.R.A.I.S.E. (Perseverance, Reflectiveness, Appreciation, Inventiveness, Sense of Wonder and Curiosity, Engagement) in our students.

by a dedicated team that is qualified, experienced and

John Wesley believed that “the heart of education is the education of the heart”. At Methodist preschools, beyond being a doorway to knowledge, we take great

passionate to help each child reach his or her potential in a caring and nurturing environment where every child feels loved, valued and secure to learn joyfully and confidently.

To provide children with the best resource and a conducive learning environment, our school facilities and classrooms were recently renovated and equipped with new learning and teaching materials.

Our team of highly qualified curriculum specialists regularly reviews, updates and enhances our curriculum to stay relevant and ahead so that we can the meet evolving learning needs of our next generation in tandem with the latest developments in education.

METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

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People ¢ Rev Melvin Huang is a retired Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) pastor. He served with Kim Seah for many years at all levels of the The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) particularly in the Discipline Review Commission. / Photos courtesy of TRAC

Kim Seah Teck Kim (extreme left) serving as BOF chairperson, one of the many roles he has taken on in MCS, at the 37th TRAC session

Kim Seah Teck Kim (extreme right) when he was serving as Lay Leader at the 44th TRAC sessiona

Kim Seah Teck Kim

A tribute to the outgoing Secretary of the Trustees of The Methodist Church in Singapore

K

im Seah Teck Kim was born in 1954 and attended

Kim became a member of Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church

the (then) Anglo Chinese Junior School (ACJS) and

in 1988. Since 1989, he has served in the Local Church

Anglo Chinese Secondary School (ACSS). After

Executive Committee (LCEC) in various capacities, including

obtaining the Higher School Certificate (HSC), he studied

as Chairperson, Lay Leader and Associate Lay Leader. He

at the University of Singapore and graduated with an LLB

has been a lay delegate to TRAC.

(Hons). He then studied at the Harvard Law School under a US Fulbright Scholarship.

In TRAC, Kim has served as Vice President, Lay leader, Associate Lay Leader and first lay delegate to the General

From 1977 to 1989, Kim taught at the Law Faculty of the

Conference (GC). He has also served in the Executive Board,

National University of Singapore (NUS). He was Vice Dean

Board of Finance, Board of Presidency (as Chairperson)

when he left NUS for private practice.

and in other Boards in various capacities.

New Secretary of the Trustees

of the Methodist Church in Singapore appointed Mr Guan Yeow Kwang has been appointed to the office of Secretary of the Trustees (SOT) of the Methodist Church in Singapore, in succession to Mr Kim Seah Teck Kim, with effect from 24 May 2021.

The appointment follows Mr Guan’s election as the SOT at the 12th Session of the General Conference of the Methodist Church in Singapore held in 2020, and the notification of his appointment published in the Singapore Government Gazette, Electronic Edition, on 24 May 2021.

We are grateful to Mr Guan Yeow Kwang for agreeing to serve as the SOT of the Methodist Church in Singapore, and are thankful to Mr Kim Seah Teck Kim for his many years of service in that office.

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METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

Kim Seah Teck Kim

At the GC level, Kim has served in the General Conference Executive Council (GCEC), Finance and Administration Council (FAC), Judicial Council and Council of Education. He has been Assistant Education Secretary and represented The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) at the Asian and World Methodist Councils. He has also served on the boards of Geylang Methodist Schools Board, ACS Foundation and ACS (International).

For

me,

however,

Kim’s

most

salient

and

significant

contributions to the MCS are his service in the Discipline Revision Commission (DRC) and as Secretary of Trustees (SOT).

Mr Kim Seah has often been described as possessing an elephantine and encyclopaedic memory. And because he exercises these qualities with empathy, he has been God’s blessing to our churches and Conferences for many years. I echo what someone recently said to him: MCS owes you a huge debt of gratitude for securing her interests well in the past two decades. Amen and thank you.

Kim was SOT from April 2001 to May 2021, the longest serving SOT

—Bishop Dr Gordon Wong

by far. At present, he still serves as Assistant SOT. Kim joined the (then) Discipline Review Committee (DRC) in 1992 as a member

Kim Seah Teck Kim—we are used to

and has been its Chairperson from 1996 to now. It is in the DRC

calling him Kim. For 12 years, we sat

that I have worked the longest and most closely with Kim.

down together regularly at the various meetings of the General Conference. He

Oh yes, he somehow found time to get married to Chai Lian.

has indeed left a strong impression on me.

They have two adult daughters, Jacqueline and Jeanette.

Kim is a man of his word, with an amazing memory and his recollection of discussions

The description so far would seem to be the service record of

and decisions is precise. His views and

at least three persons but it is actually for just ONE. And the list

assessments are vividly clear, drawing

is by no means exhaustive.

authority from records and The Book of Discipline, and providing convincing and

It would really be impossible to do justice to this giant (in

eloquent arguments. He works with great

more ways than one) and paragon of a servant of God and the

tenacity to clear all matters on the table,

MCS except to say that we will not see the like again.

speaking deliberately and ensuring that nothing is treated perfunctorily. He treats

Anyway, although Kim has stepped down as SOT he still serves

everyone justly, without bias or prejudice,

in various capacities in all three levels of the MCS and long

and when the need arises to point out

may it be so…with his wife’s permission, of course.

errors or when there are disagreements, Kim exudes tact and earnestness, so that

So personally I would like to say that it has been singular

the hearers are convinced and accepting.

honour to compose this tribute and a privilege to have served

What I will always remember and am

and still serve with you in the MCS. It seems to me the best

most thankful for is how he kept his word

tribute I could render is to say to Kim, “Dude, I’d work with

to support me as best as he possibly could

you any day.”

throughout my term as Bishop. May God

—Rev Melvin Huang (your PiCS—Partner in Church Service).

bless him and his family.

This article has been written against Kim Seah Teck Kim’s wishes (as he sees no need for it, and fears it might diminish his reward in heaven).

—Bishop Emeritus Dr Chong Chin Chung

METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

| 15

People ¢ Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message. / Photo courtesy of Guan Yeow Kwang

Guan Yeow Kwang

The Secretary of the Trustees for the new quadrennium

G

uan Yeow Kwang was appointed to the office of Secretary of the Trustees (SOT) of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) with effect from 24 May 2021. He was elected at the 12th General Session General Conference in September 2021 for the quadrennium 2021–24.

But what exactly does the SOT of MCS do? While it is not a role with much public exposure, it is an extremely important one. The SOT acts as the sole legal person for MCS. He is the one who can sue and be sued on behalf of MCS, its agencies and local churches. As Yeow Kwang explained: “Functionally, the SOT plays the role of a goalkeeper in protecting the assets of MCS. Administratively, the SOT is the person that executes all legal contracts on behalf of all Methodist churches, schools and agencies in Singapore.”

A history of service Yeow Kwang’s parents sent him to a Methodist school when he was young, even though they were then not Christians.

He accepted the Lord during a school Religious Emphasis Week when he was in Secondary Four, and has been attending Foochow Methodist Church for the last 48 years.

He has served for many years in the Church. When he and Rev Dr Gregory Goh Nai Lat assumed the roles of VicePresident and President respectively of the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) in 2016, they shared the common belief that central pooling was critical to the future of CAC. “Without it,” he elaborated, “churches that have less financial means may not be able to afford the pastoral resources they need in order to grow their ministries. We believe central pooling is biblical as it binds the 17 local churches together in resource sharing and support of one another.”

As they engaged the leadership of all the local churches, a consensus soon emerged that CAC was in need of a transformation. This led to three specific initiatives: to strengthen discipleship across all CAC churches; to develop a new generation of pastoral and lay leaders; and to promote resource sharing, especially in the area of church administration, across the churches.

God’s faithfulness in his work and life Yeow Kwang’s day job is as the Executive Officer and CEO of Mizuho Bank Ltd in Singapore. His work in the finance industry for the last 40 years stands him in good stead to serve as SOT.

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METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

Guan Yeow Kwang with his family

“Looking back, I see nothing but God’s faithfulness, which enabled me to discharge my professional responsibilities and Christian commitments at the same time. I have always had wonderful colleagues and supportive bosses. God has also kept me productive at work by opening doors for me in incredible ways and helped me find favours with those whose paths I crossed.

“Amazingly, although I had a host of health challenges since young, God gave me the strength to carry on working and serving Him. In sum, I simply did my best and let God do the rest,” Yeow Kwang recalls.

A man of principle Yeow Kwang lives by two simple principles: “Firstly, in ministry, I serve by the mercy of God (2 Cor 4:1). This means I do not choose where to serve but leave it to God to direct me, through His Church. Secondly, at work, I endeavour do everything as unto the Lord (Col 3:23). That means I give of my best under all circumstances.

As for his role of SOT, he said, “I assume my new role with utmost gratitude to God for this privilege of serving Him and to my predecessor, Kim Seah, for nominating me to be his successor.

“But I also step into this role with trepidation and full awareness that my feet are too small for the huge shoes I am putting on. However, I am strengthened by the knowledge that God’s grace will be sufficient for me as I look towards my brothers and sisters in the MCS Family for support, guidance and cooperation.”

People ¢ Colin Goh is a New York Times bestselling cartoonist and award-winning filmmaker. His current project is Dim Sum Warriors—an app that helps kids learn Mandarin through funny bilingual stories, games and cutting-edge reading evaluation tech. He attended Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) (back when it was known as ACJS), ACS and ACJC. / Photo courtesy of Colin Goh

Of COVID-19, cabin fever and cartoons We then moved into the doodling part of my session. I started by asking them for drawing prompts—food they wanted to eat when they got out of quarantine, and cartoon characters—and then I’d do quick cartoons mashing the two disparate concepts up, e.g., French fries plus Iron Man…equals Fryon Man! As the kids doodled along with me, we chatted. You’d expect kids being holed up to sound morose, but they were all very cheerful—almost gleeful—in sharing their quarantine experiences.

O

n 19 May 2021, a group of boys, their parents, and staff from Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) were quarantined for Covid-19.

But this being ACS, the ACS Old Boys Association (ACSOBA) immediately organised a series of Zoom activities to provide emotional and spiritual support—such as a workout with Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, a humorous session with famous comedian Hossan Leong, a singalong with Bishop Dr Gordon Wong, and a doodle date with some fella who threw away his legal career to pursue cartooning, i.e. me.

I was approached by Joy-Marie Toh, a fifth-generation ACSian who sits on the OBA’s managing committee and is someone you do not say no to. Ever.

“Can you draw funny stuff with the kids to cheer them up?” she asked. “You can do it on Wednesday morning after their Pilates session, or on Thursday evening, though some may not come because they have online tuition.”

I chose the evening, after taking a second to marvel at how when I was in school, the words “Pilates” and “online” did not exist. (“Tuition”, alas, did.)

On the fateful day, after prayers and some songs of praise, I started by sharing with the boys some stories of the shenanigans my friends and I had gotten up to during our time in ACSJ (or “ACJS”, as it was then shockingly known).

“I’m telling you these stories, so you won’t do the same dumb things we did,” I said solemnly, to murmurs of merriment. “Please do your own dumb things instead.”

“My quarantine hotel bed is quite good, but the toilet has no door! Eeeewww!” said one boy.

“It was my first ambulance ride!” crowed another lad, who was Zooming in from his hospital isolation room. “They even turned on the siren for me!”

My heart went out to him—this 12-year-old boy, facing this terrible crisis all alone. “How are you coping?” I asked.

“Play video games lor,” was his nonchalant response.

The drawing prompts came fast and furious—and increasingly bizarre. “Mashup Donald Duck and Ronald McDonald… Donald McDonald!!!” “Can you draw a banana eating a monkey?”

Clearly the scary situation hadn’t diminished their sense of humour or imagination. Their parents and teachers should be proud of just how brave and resilient they are.

It reminded me of one of my favourite Bible verses—John 16: 32–33: “Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Colin Goh is giving away FREE 6-month subscriptions of the Dim Sum Warriors app to Methodist Message readers until 31 July 2021. Just go to

https://www.dimsumwarriors.com/methodist METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

| 17

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

Re a c h i n g o u t

need f o e m ti ir e th in le p o e p to

W

hen Singapore entered Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) in May 2021, many were reminded of the struggles they faced during last year’s circuit breaker.

It is easy for anyone to slip back into despair and selfisolation when faced with repeated difficulties. The call to love God by loving our neighbour by Bishop Dr Gordon Wong during his Aldersgate SG 2021 sermon was a timely reminder that at times like these, Christians should reach out even more to those who are suffering and in need.

Spearheaded by The Methodist Church in Singapore and Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), The Giving Methodist (TGM) aims to galvanise Methodists to perform acts of love.

This year, we publicised the need for befrienders to reach out to 500 people in need. To date, only about 47 from the Methodist churches have answered the call. We hope that when you read this, you will be moved to do so as well. MWS will provide befriending training and support to volunteers.

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.”

(Luke 10:2)

So That More Will Come To Know His Love 22-year-old Eunice Chew realised that despite living in a developed country, poverty still exists but is often invisible in our community.

Through her past volunteering experiences, she sees that beyond material and financial poverty, people also have emotional, social and spiritual needs.

Despite juggling university studies and adapting to the pandemic, Eunice decided to become a befriender.

“I know that many people don’t have the chance to experience God’s love through their friends or family. I believe His love is for everyone. This is why I signed up as a TGM volunteer as a small step towards reaching out to and forming connections with these people regularly,” said Eunice, who worships at Christ Methodist Church.

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METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

She is anticipating the day when in-person befriending can resume, having been greatly blessed by the familial warmth she experienced at the MWS Nursing Home where she befriended a resident.

Simply Living In Obedience 52-year-old Lim Bee Leng’s decision to sign up as a volunteer through TGM was motivated by her desire to demonstrate Christ’s compassionate love in concrete actions.

Her short journey so far has not been easy.

As a new volunteer, Bee Leng faced several challenges brought about by the pandemic.

She faced difficulty in connecting with her befriendee virtually as well as language barriers.

Yet Bee Leng, who worships at Faith Methodist Church, pressed on, believing that her simple acts of giving can touch someone’s life. After her first virtual befriending session with a resident from MWS Bethany Nursing Home – Choa Chu Kang, Bee Leng is thinking of new ways to engage her befriendee.

“Interacting through the computer screen didn’t stop Mdm Leong from sharing her passion for sewing and how she can make her own clothes. I could feel and share her joy. It touched me deeply that she enjoyed our simple conversation and needed just a listening ear,” Bee Leng shared.

If you are encouraged by Eunice and Bee Leng’s experiences, find out more about how you can be The Giving Methodist.

Visit https://thegivingmethodist.sg/ or scan the QR code to sign up as a befriender or find out more about The Giving Methodist.

Registration closes on 30 October 2021.

For further enquiries on The Giving Methodist, please email

tgm@mws.sg.

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

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

The law eventually caught up with him twice. He served more than three years in prison.

L

ooking at Benny Thiam today, one would never guess this young man once grappled with problems of drug abuse and gang influence. It was during his incarceration more than 10 years ago when Benny found Christ and his life was turned around. Now, the 37-year-old is focussed on changing other people’s lives as a social worker with Methodist Welfare Services (MWS).

“I started using drugs when I was 14. I was a terrible student and was never interested in school. I didn’t know it then but the drug habit was probably my way of coping with the challenges and disappointments I was facing in life,” shared Benny.

“But that just made me arrogant and violent, and ignorant of the people around me.”

Through the Christian counselling he received behind bars, Benny confronted his mistakes and began to appreciate his family’s deep love and steadfast support for him.

“And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32) “During my second incarceration, it was this Bible verse that greatly encouraged me. I considered how God could use me as a vessel, and that was how I set my mind on becoming a social worker so I can help others upon my release,” shared Benny.

He eventually graduated top of his year in university and received a gold award from the National Council of Social Service (NCSS). He then decided to join a Christian organisation.

“God answered my prayer when I landed the social work internship at MWS Family Service Centre. I had already heard about the good work

that MWS was doing, especially the rigour of its clinical work. It felt like a place I could contribute to and develop professionally. I also appreciate how staff can turn to the pastoral care team for support.”

It has been four and a half years since he joined MWS full-time, and Benny is thankful for the opportunities that have empowered him to lead and grow—professionally and personally. “My supervisors and colleagues have been nothing but supportive. I do not feel judged or doubted about my abilities,” shared Benny.

In his work, Benny supports multistressed families who battle with a multitude of issues in their lives, such as domestic violence, homelessness and financial poverty, among others.

“I feel sad whenever I see people settling for something less, feeling like they deserve the abuse or are unworthy of love. MWS’ message of empowerment is important because we want our clients to be empowered and believe that they too can have life to the full”.

METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

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Reach Out ¢ Missions Juliette Arulrajah is the Chairperson of the Methodist Missions Society (MMS) Training Committee.

She is also the MMS Area Director for Cambodia and Laos. / Screenshots courtesy of MMS

Digital Missions Yes, we can!

A

Wesley MC’s monthly health exercise programme for NBLPMC’s seniors

key feature of missions across geographical

This session highlighted the practical digital channels

borders in the “new norm” is capitalising on the

employed

by

MMS

and

others

from

the

Singapore

digital platform more than ever before. Both

Methodist community since the onset of the pandemic in

digital natives like millennials and students as well as the

2020 to involve and engage children, youths, millennials,

older digital novices need to creatively explore the digital

professionals, church leaders and seniors.

platform to be on the frontiers of cross-cultural missions.

The MMS Training Chairman shared on the implications of We can tangibly empower local Christian leadership in

COVID-19 for cross-cultural missions in the field, on the

other nations with contextualised and creative new ideas,

missionaries, and how Singapore churches need to adapt

strategies and possibilities. Yes, we can indeed bring

to the “new norm”. Citing concrete examples from different

significant transformation through God’s love and hope to

countries, she also underscored five simple digital ways

nations around us despite not being able to travel there

to cross cultures through being E-Care Pals, E-Creative

due to the COVID-19 pandemic!

Innovators, E-Content Empowerers, E-Collaborative Funders and E-Christ Warriors.

The Methodist Missions Society (MMS) seeks to be on Methodists to explore the potential of the digital platform

Four Methodists shared uplifting stories of their “digital missions” ministry:

for missions. In February 2021, a two-session series on

• Koh Geok Cheng, Wesley Methodist Church

crossing cultures digitally was jointly organised with the

From June 2020, various groups of WMC volunteers taught English on three different days weekly over Zoom to the children, youth and adults of Nong Bua Lamphu Methodist Church (NBLPMC) in Northeast Thailand. WMC seniors also connected with their Thai counterparts every month through healthy exercises and creative arts. All these led the NBLPMC pastor to be invited to teach English daily at a school using WMC resources.

the cutting edge and aspires to facilitate Singaporean

three Annual Conferences’ Boards of Missions.

Wesley MC’s weekly English tuition session for children from NBLPMC

I. X-Culture-Digi Seventy-nine participants from 30 different Methodist churches (six ETAC, nine CAC and 15 TRAC) in addition to six non-Methodist churches were actively engaged in this two-hour Zoom session on 20 Feb 2021 to explore and enhance missions ministries over the digital platform.

Nearly 90 per cent of the participants were key leaders of local churches (LCEC, missions committees, pastors and staff) and Annual Conferences.

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METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

• Teo Quee Lin,

Pentecost Methodist Church

Quee Lin, a professional educator and coach for pre-school educators, shared how she used the digital platform to encourage the local acting principal and teachers of the Methodist School of Cambodia Kindergarten to improve the quality of their resources, teaching materials and pedagogy. The impact was seen in the growing engagement of students and parents despite the challenges of online learning in Cambodia.

• Leong Jenn Yeong, Aldersgate Methodist Church God led him to motivate a Facebook pastor friend from South Asia and the latter’s pastor friends through weekly prayer meetings to be passionate, godly fathers. This led to two digital motivational conferences for 110 pastors who were later sent out to minister in 10 districts. These pastors were

Flood relief in South Asia

X-Culture-Collab participants

also taught how to manage a flood crisis, be financially accountable, facilitate crisis aid to their local community and even begin a small-scale mango tree livelihood project.

In the six breakout groups, the participants further

• Cindy Chen, Wesley Methodist Church

came up with an action plan after brainstorming

Through cFriendz and SuiteMozaic, a group of Methodists with their non-Methodist friends promote digital networking among Christians to develop cross-border business and missions opportunities. This is to enhance capacity building of business communities, especially for millennials and young adults, through Youth Biz-Up Zoom Boot Camps across Asia and Africa.

“Broadened horizons”, “motivating, in-depth explanations”, “good spread of how individuals and churches can be creatively involved in digital missions” were some of the positive feedback received.

Sixty participants from 25 Methodist churches (three ETAC, nine CAC, 13 TRAC) and three non-Methodist churches came together for this four-hour Zoom session on 27 Feb 2021 to use their skills, gifts, ideas and expertise to engage and collaborate cross-culturally over the digital platform with MMS field partners from Cambodia, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

It was a time to innovate, collaborate, build communities and meet real-world needs. participants

were

types of help needed for each project. Each group different ideas and assessing the available resources both in the field and in Singapore, sharing their plans with all present. The participants found the session useful, relevant, helpful and motivating as they learnt from one another. They acquired a better understanding of the needs on the ground and asked for more collaborative sessions.

The implementation of projects was followed up initially by the MMS Training team and subsequently by field teams spearheaded by their respective Area Directors.

An example was the group that discussed empowering

II. X-Culture-Collab

The

delved into the details of specific needs and the

better decision-making for the children and youth at COSI and COSY in Cambodia. Representatives from Bedok MC WSCS, Toa Payoh MC and Queenstown Chinese MC met with the MMS Cambodia field team on 30 March to further discuss the implementation of online befriending and training sessions covering general principles of decision-making, boy-girl relationships and purity, and money management.

By mid-April and after checking with their church

given

an

overview

of

six

collaboration projects:

missions

or

WSCS

leadership,

the

group

had

come up with an implementation schedule of the collaboration project, starting in June 2021 and

Cambodia:

Empowering Decision-making of the Next Generation at COSI and COSY

going on until January 2022.

Cambodia:

Collection of Medical Data from Surrounding Villages to Set up a Clinic in the Future

Digital Missions: Yes, we can!

The Puhada Livelihood Project for Underprivileged Women

on via the digital platform despite the pandemic.

The Good Soil Livelihood Project

even a local church, we can be the hands and feet

Thailand: Thailand:

Timor-Leste: Empowering Business and Financial Management Skills for Tertiary-level Youth Timor-Leste: Enhancing Conversational English Skills for Tertiary-level Youth

God’s purposes and cross-cultural missions can go Whether we be individuals, Christian groups or of Jesus in very practical ways after hearing and understanding real needs to empower those in faraway lands so that they, and we, can be God’s hope bringers!

METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

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24-HR HOTLINES PAUL & DANIEL

+65 8321 3355 TOLL-FREE

1800-777-2422 “Serving families for a decade and more...”

www.AmazingGraceFunerals.com

Amazing Grace has prepared these few measures to allow families to have a meaningful and dignified farewell for their loved ones: A. Online Ticketing

Complimentary online ticketing system to allow visitors to reserve a visiting time slot and plan their visits, allowing families to keep within the regulated maximum number of persons at any one time with minimal coordination.

B. Online Memorial

allows friends to find updated information and offer their sympathies to bereaved families

C. Live Streaming

this option is available to enable friends and families to participate in the wake/vigil and funeral services online

D. Donations

families may appoint a PayNow account of a family member to receive donations. This will be posted on the online memorial.

Christian Funeral Packages • International Repatriation • Pre-Planning Seminars

Relationships ¢ You & Your Family Benny Bong has been a family and marital therapist for more than 30 years, and is a certified work-life consultant. He was the first recipient of the AWARE Hero Award, received in 2011, and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.

How and what

should you teach your children?

“Teach your children” is a hit song by Crosby, Stills

givers, and those around them. Imparting values is less

and Nash. Written in 1970, it reminds parents that they

about what comes out of our mouths and more about

have a responsibility to teach their children, and should

what our children see of how we model and live out

they fail to do it, as the song’s lyrics go:

these life lessons. For instance, if they see us jumping

Don’t you ever ask them “Why?” If they told you, you would cry.

Just look at them and sigh, And know they love you.

Every year, about 200 parents in Singapore apply to the Courts for a Family Guidance Order. Their action basically declares that they have lost control of their child and want the State to impose its control over their offspring. It is often a recognition that in the earlier years, these parents failed to teach their children.

This begs the question: How and what are parents supposed to teach their children?

This question may surprise some parents. They may feel that schools, or the Church, should do the teaching.

a queue, what do they learn? The lesson of putting self before others can also be destructive to their souls and their relationships with others.

Next, what are the values your spouse and you cherish and want your children to develop? May I suggest that you two have a conversation about it. You might like to consider values pertaining to themselves e.g. hard work, doing their best versus just getting the best results; values related to the family e.g. looking out for younger siblings, respecting elders; and values relating to others e.g. being honest, caring, etc. If you have exhausted these, you may look at values related to how to treat others who may be different and how to care for the environment.

I recently discovered an interesting twist in the Cosby, Stills and Nash’s song. Almost at the end are the words: And you of tender years

Their job as parents is to love, provide and care for their children. Some may also have the view that children, if

Can’t know the fears

loved and cared for well, will automatically grow up to be

That your elders grew by

sensible adults.

And so please help them With your youth

In my line of work, and seeing many families in difficulty, I believe parents have to guide and teach their children.

In life, what goes around comes around. While loving,

They cannot let nature take its course.

supporting and teaching our young children, we recognise that we may need them to teach and support us when

In teaching values, there is a lot of truth in the saying,

we become elderly. The song has a beautiful message

“Values are caught, not taught.” We need to be mindful

that what supports caring across generations is love for

of what our children are observing of us, their care

one another.

METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

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

Educating

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

O

According to Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris in December 1948, education is a basic and inalienable human right.

[C]hildren and young people must be helped … [to] acquire a mature sense of responsibility in striving endlessly to form their own lives properly and in pursuing freedom as they surmount the vicissitudes of life with courage and constancy.

And yet, 80 years on, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) revealed in its 2018 report that about 258 million children and youth are out of school and only 99 countries guarantee at least 12 years of free education. 3 Surely more must be done to address this.

One way in which this can be done is through a robust public education, whose positive role in society is largely undisputed.

The Church has always understood the importance of public education. Even a quick and cursory glance at the history of public education in Singapore would show the

ne of the most important duties that the present generation must discharge for the sake of the next is to enable them to contribute positively to society.

In a papal document on Christian Education promulgated in 1965, Pope Paul VI puts it this way:

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

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

Educating the next generation

Anglo-Chinese School when it was at Coleman Street.

Christian education has always been an important part of The Methodist Church in Singapore

indelible role that the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches have played in its development and flourishing.

Christians support and promote general public education because of the good it makes possible and the benefit it brings to both individuals and society. As Pope Paul VI puts it, “a true education aims at the formation of the human person in the pursuit of his ultimate end and of the good of the societies of which, as man, he is a member and in whose obligations, as an adult, he will share”.

But the Church has also always insisted on the importance of Christian education for its members. The purpose of Christian education is spiritual formation and discipleship. It is to enable the believer to deepen their faith in God and to make their love for God manifest in humble service to their neighbour.

The inspiration for this can be traced to the pages of the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 6:6–7, we read: And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Christian education is important for children because they must be nurtured in the faith from a very young age. For it is only when they are firmly grounded in the doctrines and values of the Christian faith will they be able discern truth from error, and successfully navigate the marketplace of ideas that is our contemporary society.

It is impossible to overemphasise just how important this is.

That said, it must also be pointed out that while general public education has an indispensable role to play in society, it has its limitations and even dangers for the Christian.

This is because public education, being an inextricable part of an ever-changing culture, is constantly shaped by the moods and fancies of the prevailing zeitgeist.

Here, Christian education often performs the necessary function of re-education. It teaches the child never to passively acquiesce to the dictates of culture, but to interrogate it from the standpoint of the truth-claims of their faith. In other words, it enables the child to think counterculturally by looking at the world through a profoundly different lens which Scripture provides.

Needless to say, the Church and its leaders play an indispensable role in the education of its members (Eph 4:11–12). Pastors must teach the faith (Titus 2:1) to the whole congregation and demonstrate what it means to follow Christ (1 Cor 11:1).

No reflection on the education of Christian children will be complete without emphasising the role of parents.

Unfortunately, it is quite common today to see schools functioning in lieu of the parents or the family.

While public education is important, parents can contribute to the child’s formation in ways that schools cannot, especially in the inculcation of the biblical worldview and values.

As Pope Paul VI has once again put it so clearly: “Parents are the ones who must create a family atmosphere animated by love and respect for God and man, in which a well-rounded personal and social education of children is fostered.”

1 Pope Paul VI, ‘Declaration on Christian Education. Gravissimum Educationis,” 28 Oct 1965, http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/ documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_gravissimum-educationis_en.html.

2

United Nations, “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights.

3

UNESCO, “Say No to Discrimination in Education!” https://en.unesco.org/news/what-you-need-know-about-right-education.

4

Ibid.

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Hymns & Songs ¢ Amelia Leo is a Programmes Executive at the Methodist School of Music, Worship & Church Music Department. She is glad to be involved in the Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home Choir and the development of Singing & Growing in Grace (a Methodist Preschools singing curriculum).

Let all God’s children sing

L

ittle Timothy was a little apprehensive about starting Primary One as the environment, the teachers, the uniform and just about everything was new to him. After a few months, he was getting the hang of it when everything changed again as home-based learning was abruptly imposed. Suddenly, poor Timothy had to get used to attending six-hour Zoom classes, meeting friends virtually and being cooped up at home for the large part of each day. Slumped over a chair like a wilted plant, Timothy asked his parents when “normal school” could resume. But no one could provide a certain answer.

Such is the world in which our children are growing up—an uncertain, volatile and insecure one. A world where parents can no longer assure their children with certainty that “everything will be okay” tomorrow.

How, then, do we as parents, teachers, or children’s and youth ministry leaders, prepare our children to survive and thrive in such times?

Preschools, tuition centres and enrichment classes promise parents to nurture their children into multi-talented individuals who can play the violin in two years, memorise and recite poetry, or have a large vocabulary. But what kind of child will thrive in an uncertain world—one with many skills, or one with a character formed by God’s Word? We need to educate not just our children’s minds, but their hearts.

“Heart-centred” education involves discovering one’s identity as God’s child, basing one’s confidence on God’s unconditional love and building one’s faith by trusting God in troubled times. One powerful way to educate the heart in this manner is to sing the songs of God. Songs speak to the heart in a unique way that lectures and sermons do not. When God’s children sing His songs, “heart-centred” education in the Word of God takes place and bears fruit in the years to come.

So, I echo Mark Patterson: Let all God’s children sing! Do not let their singing go unheard. Give them the Word of God in song and they will be prepared to thrive as joyful, singing sojourners in this uncertain world.

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METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

The Methodist School of Music (MSM) equips and edifies both the individual and the church through music and the performing arts.

Find out more at msmusic.edu.sg.

Let All God’s Children Sing Refrain:

Let all the mountains ring, let all the valleys rejoice.

Let all God’s children sing, people, come and lift your voice!

Sing it from ev’ry land, praise him from ev’ry shore.

Let all God’s children sing for the glory of the Lord!

Verse:

God who made the earth and sea, God who reigns in majesty; let our voices now be raised as we worship you with joyful praise.

(Refrain, twice) Coda:

Come, children rejoice!

Words & Music: Mark Patterson

Listen to a performance of this here:

People ¢ Keith Tan is a member of Holland Village Methodist Church, and a member of the MCS Council on Communications. / Photo courtesy of Keith Tan

What does being a Methodist mean to you?

Since then, where circumstances and ministry opportunities led, we went.

And we now call Holland Village MC home.

In my journey as a Christian, I’ve always enjoyed when worship is spirit-filled and the emotional high that comes with a fiery message is preached or when a worship service comes with the theatrics that modern technology afford us. But in the end, being a Christian isn’t about the religiosity or the showmanship, it comes down to a commitment to our relationship with God.

I grew up in a Bible-Presbyterian church, which saw my family through the toughest of times, and was strongly influenced by the 14 years that I was in Anglican schools. So, I’m always asked, what attracted you to become a Methodist and stay one?

When the lights and sound is stripped away and when life buffets me, I always come back to this—a warm heart and a commitment to methodical devotion and study of the Word.

For me, it was the membership class at Faith MC that was the inflection point. What stood out to me were two things:

So what does being a Methodist mean to me?

It means getting back to the fundamentals of a relationship with our Creator; to be meaningfully anchored to these two basic tenets when life sometimes loses meaning.

I stumbled into the Methodist Church almost by accident in 1996.

My now-wife, whom I was dating at the time, was a non-practising Catholic and I was from a charismatic church. We needed to find a middle ground and made the rounds with different churches, until we found a place we both felt comfortable with—Faith Methodist Church (MC).

• •

the story of John Wesley who had the experience of having his “heart strangely warmed”. the commitment to a methodical devotion and study as a key part of the practise of Methodism.

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

Andre and Lesley-Anne

(From left to right) Monica and her children, Andre and Lesley-Anne, on Christmas 2003

Monica and her children today

More than sparrows

M

y daughter, Lesley-Anne, was a precocious child.

Long before she could speak, she could understand multi-level instructions. She did not start talking early but when she did, she spoke in perfectly formed sentences. She was generally a thoughtful and obedient child. I thought, “Well, bringing up kids isn’t all that hard!”

Famous last words. Three and a half years after she was born, my son, Andre, entered this world loudly and proceeded to make his presence felt throughout his childhood. Compared to Lesley-Anne, he was like a squirrel on steroids. Uninterested in reading, he could never sit still, always zipping around the living room on his little car or dreaming up some mischief.

School blues Into their primary school years, the differences between my two kids magnified. Lesley-Anne was a model student and intellectually advanced for her age. Her strengths lay particularly in language and her work ethic made up for her weaknesses, such as in maths. She performed well academically and was accepted into the Gifted Education Programme (GEP).

Andre, by contrast, treated school primarily as a playground to socialise and make friends. His Primary 2 teacher, in an attempt to stop him from talking in class, kept changing his seat until he ended up sitting by himself. His favourite periods were recess and PE. I would receive a call from his

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METHODIST MESSAGE July 2021

form teacher every other day, complaining about his not doing homework or not paying attention. “God, give me strength” was my daily plea.

Predictably, Lesley-Anne aced her PSLE and went to a brand-name secondary school. Andre turned in an average performance and went to a neighbourhood school. By human standards, Lesley-Anne is the one who made it, even blessed by God. But guess who had a more fulfilling secondary school experience? Being in a brand-name school meant a pressure cooker environment for Lesley-Anne. The work was pitched at what I thought was an unreasonable level, and anything less than an A grade was considered unacceptable. School felt like a place not to learn but to perform. Her self-esteem took a hit and she often felt inadequate. She was studying all the time and the stress manifested itself in acute eczema. Sleep was a rare commodity.

By contrast, Andre wandered through his secondary school years without much of a plan, making friends and enjoying his badminton CCA, where he was given leadership opportunities as the team captain. His grades gave me many sleepless nights and heart-stopping moments. Yet, he was blessed with fantastically encouraging teachers. At parent-teacher conferences, they would glance at his lessthan-stellar report card and say, “But he’s a very nice boy!”

Who received the greater blessing then?

I understand why parents go to extremes in Singapore’s education rat race. It’s because it is hard to see beyond the now, and we stress over the “what ifs”. What if not getting good grades means my kid cannot get into a good school, and his future is ruined? It is worse when everyone around us is in a similar frenzy. So we pile on the enrichment classes, the tuition, and fill their every waking moment until they have no room to dream, even just to be.

And at what cost? Having been an education blogger for 10 years, I have seen enough kids pay the price for their parents’ unrealistic ambitions. Kids who drop out of schools they were pushed into but were unsuited for. Kids who rebel against the system and their parents by picking up all kinds of unedifying habits. Kids who evolve from zombie children into zombie adults, aimlessly living life on autopilot.

If we are honest with ourselves, the problem is that most of us just do not trust God enough. We think we know what is best for our kids, and “best” is very much measured against human benchmarks. Instead of praying “Please open the path to whatever is best for my child,” we tend to pray “Please let my child get into ABC school.” And then hastily add “If it’s your will” as a caveat.

Let me translate what we really mean by that prayer: “Lord, please let my child’s getting into ABC school be your will.” I know because I have prayed this way. Many times.

However, I have come to realise that when we do not have the heart of God, trying to bend His will to match our own often brings about more heartache than good.

A question of stewardship Today, Lesley-Anne and Andre are 24 and almost 21 respectively. Lesley-Anne is working in a statutory board and has 14 children’s books to her name, co-authored with me since she was 16 years old. By all measures, she is an accomplished young lady, but I believe that what pleases God more is that she is a simple, compassionate and sensible young woman with an admirable work ethic and a big heart for Him. As for Andre, having been a social butterfly all his school years revealed his gift for hospitality, which led to his choice of study in polytechnic and his internship. He is now serving his National Service and calls home every night from the army camp if he can. He holds his granny’s hand when we go out and he still says, “I love you.” His sweet nature is a constant blessing to our family. Despite not being academically inclined, through a miraculous

turn of events, he was accepted into a hospitality degree programme that looks tailor-made for him. I often call Andre a big sparrow because he never plans or worries too much about tomorrow, which has given me many moments of anxiety. Yet God has always provided for him.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?

Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.”

(Matt 10:29) Take it from someone who has seen two kids through the local education system—none of it really matters in the end. Not as much as we think, anyway. Many of LesleyAnne’s GEP and secondary schoolmates ended up in the same universities as their less scholarly counterparts.

I look back and think how silly I was to angst over the scores for one exam or get upset because they did not get into some programme or other.

I take the view that our kids are not ours to own but are entrusted to us by God to care for. Proverbs 22:6 tells us: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” How do we steward our duties as parents? Do we strive to bring up trophies to glorify our own egos? Or do we raise loving, God-fearing individuals willing to bless others and make the world a better place?

I am not claiming to be a perfect mum. Far from it. I am thankful that my kids turned out the way they did despite the many mistakes I made. Such is the magnitude of God’s grace—to repeatedly save us from ourselves.

I have long appreciated God’s wisdom in giving me two children who are polar opposites, because if both my kids were like Lesley-Anne, I might have attributed their “successes” to my superior parenting skills and empathised less with parents struggling with challenging kids.

God has a long-term plan for our kids, and it may not be what we have in mind. It is hard to surrender to God because we cannot see into the future, and we feel the need to have control. But know that God loves our children even more than we do. If we submit to His will, we will save ourselves a lot of worry and in the end, we will see that God knew best all along.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

(Jer 29:11)

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JULY

Events ¢ Looking Ahead

Scan to see events online!

WHEN IT’S BEYOND ME (TRAC SENIORS MINISTRY) 21 July 2021, 2.30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Online via Zoom Register at https://tinyurl.com/hyeehsj4 (ZOOM links will be emailed separately)

Find out what we can do “When It’s Beyond Me” with Lucy Lim as she shares from Genesis 43:1–14.

JULY

Organised by TRAC Seniors Ministry

D6 FAMILY CONFERENCE 2021 30 to 31 July 2021 (Friday and Saturday) Online via Zoom d6family.sg family.min@bible.org.sg 6304-5286 $60 per person ($50 per person if you register by 13 June 2021)

D6 is based on the principles of Deuteronomy 6 and it urges the church and home to work together to implement generational discipleship within the churches, homes and families. The objective of D6 Conference is for the attendees to understand how they can best apply the principles of Deuteronomy 6 in their lives in order to pass on a spiritual legacy for future generations.

The D6 Conference 2021 is a place where parents, pastors, church and ministry leaders can look to be equipped with practical next steps and strategies in discipling the next generation.

SEPT

Organised by Sower Institute for Biblical Discipleship

EAGLES LEADERSHIP CONVENTION (ELC) 2021 6 to 11 Sep 2021 Online conference elc2021.com elc@eagles.org.sg 8575-2163 (Ivy)

ELC is the three-day premier biennial thought leadership experience in Asia, showcasing distinguished international experts, effective role models, current thinking, latest research, and outstanding leadership practices.

The convention seeks to grow and nurture leaders to be more value-centred persons by transforming their perspectives, developing healthy partnerships, and empowering them for quality performance in both church and the marketplace.

OCT

Organised by Eagles Communications

MWS EMPOWERUN 23 Oct to 7 Nov 2021 Register at mws.sg/mws40th. Registration opens 19 July. $40 per head. Special rate for students aged 13 to 18 who register through their schools at $20 per head.

MWS Empowerun is organised to commemorate MWS’ 40th Anniversary of empowering the lives of disadvantaged and distressed, regardless of race and religion. It is an open invitation to anyone who would like to give back to the community by participating in the virtual run conducted remotely for the safety of all. It is also an opportunity for participants who are also celebrating their 40th birthday this year to mark the milestone by running for a meaningful cause.

Run format: Complete a 40km virtual run. The distance can be cumulative over the event period. Participants who wish to give back as a team may choose to form groups via the official event site, subject to prevailing COVID-19 restrictions.

Each participant is challenged to raise a minimum of $500/pax. (Donations above $50 will qualify for tax exemption.)

MWS aims to raise $600,000 with your support!

Organised by Methodist Welfare Services