Methodist Message: May 2022

THE METHODIST CHURCH IN SINGAPORE Vo l 1 2 4 N o 5 M A Y 2 0 2 2

ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 044/11/2021

OUTREACH MINISTRIES FOR CHILDREN PAUL ANG: CAUGHT BY THE HANDS OF MERCY BACK TO ON-SITE SERVICES

Contents 1

Bishop’s Message

2

Events—Coming Up

3

News—Churches opening up

4

News—Launch of DCBAsia

5

THINK—Making Aldersgate relevant

7

Reach Out—Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Mission Tuition Ministry

9

Reach Out—Living Hope Methodist Church English Coaching Programme

12

Reach Out—Aldersgate Methodist Church Befriender’s Ministry

14

Feature—Paul Ang

16

People—Ashley Ho

17

People—Mother’s Day Reflections

18

Church Life—Kampong Kapor Methodist Church

20

People—Cheryl Mah

22

Hymns & Songs

24

Opinion—Soundings

26

Reach Out—Missions

29

Reach Out—Welfare Services

30

Relationships—You & Your family

32

Events—Looking Ahead

33

What does being a Methodist mean to you?

EDITORIAL BOARD

The official monthly publication of

Adviser and Publisher

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

Dr Anthony Goh - Chairperson Council on Communications

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

Managing Editor Alvin Tay

Editor

The Methodist Church in Singapore .

70 Barker Road #06- 04 Singapore 309936 6478-4793 | 6478-4763

Lianne Ong

message.methodist.org.sg | www.methodist.org.sg

Sub-editors

newmm@methodist.org.sg

Lucy Cheng Janice Khoo Tan Chiu Ai

Communications Executive Jason Woo

Proofreaders Christabel Tan Kenneth Lee

fb.com/Methodist.SG @methodist.sg @methodistsg Design & Production by Londonbob Design Printed by Adred Creation Print Pte Ltd

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

Bishop’s Message Bishop Dr 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.

“I felt my bowels strangely moved ” But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.

Luke 10:33

“I felt my heart strangely warmed.”

In the month of May, Methodists celebrate this heartwarming experience of their founder John Wesley which took place on the evening of 24 May 1738 during a Bible study gathering in Aldersgate Street, London.

We celebrate Aldersgate Day by praying that we too, like Wesley, might feel our hearts strangely warmed by the love of God. Languages sometimes use body parts to designate different emotions or feelings. In modern English, we often use the word “heart” as a metaphor or idiom for compassion and loving feelings. “You have moved my heart.” Ancient Hebrew and Greek would more often use the word for one’s intestines (or bowels) to convey such compassionate feelings of love.

Whilst most modern English translations use the word “heart” to convey the compassionate feelings implied in the ancient Hebrew and Greek term “bowels”, the old 1611 King James Version (KJV) often retains the literal equivalent to the Hebrew or Greek word “bowels”. Here are some (for us, quite amusing) examples: •

KJV Philemon 1:20 Refresh my bowels in the Lord.

•

The young lady in Song of Songs 5:4 longs for her lover, and says—in the KJV (and Hebrew)—“my bowels were moved for him.”

•

KJV Philemon 1:12, Paul says: “Thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels.” (I asked my wife if she would like to “receive my bowels”. She replied, “Keep your bowels to yourself!” I was bowel-broken.)

The same Greek word for “bowels” is used in Matthew 9:36, and we may be thankful that on this occasion, KJV decided against the rendering: When Jesus saw the multitudes, his bowels were moved! (Instead, KJV tells us that Jesus “was moved with compassion on them.”)

In Luke 10:33, when the Samaritan saw the injured man, a Jew, his bowels were moved! No, he did not rush to the toilet. Rather, his heart was moved with compassion, despite the deep hatred between Samaritans and Jews. As Methodists, we might say, his heart was strangely warmed.

As we celebrate Wesley’s Aldersgate experience this month, may our bowels be moved with compassion for our neighbours, even if they be our enemies. May our hearts be strangely warmed to love God by loving our neighbours, and enemies, in need. Amen.

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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Events ¢ Coming Up

2

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

News ¢

By Lianne Ong, Editor, and Alvin Tay, Managing Editor of Methodist Message

Have you gone back to church?

B

y the time you read this, it would have a few weeks since churches started “opening up”. The relaxation of Safe Management Measures for religious organisations from 29 March 2022 has meant allowing more worshippers to attend service without adhering to specific zones, to be seated close together and to sing while masked. What a difference it has made! The louder sounds of congregational singing were not just due to more worshippers in one location, but from the joy of being able to sing out loud and with gusto (even if our masks dampened the sound somewhat), and the relief of inching our way back to normality after two long years.

“We are made to be in community. Watching a service livestreamed from home cannot replicate the experience in church. Many people including youth and the elderly have felt disconnected and alienated without physical church. We look forward to welcoming everyone back , re-establishing bonds and restoring what was missed for the past two years,” said Bishop Dr Gordon Wong, Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore, who preached at Wesley Methodist Church on Easter Sunday.

Worshippers from Methodist churches shared their sentiments with Methodist Message about having full on-site services again. Richard Tan from Grace Methodist Church said, “How wonderful it is to get back to physical service in church and be able to sing together again.

The church is one body, and like a healthy body, we should not stay dislocated.”

“The sound of voices filling the Sanctuary in worship was truly uplifting!” said Shanthini Moorthy from Short Street Tamil Methodist Church.

For seniors, watching online services on a device or television screen was difficult to get used to and many longed for face-to-face interactions. “I feel like I’m finally out of prison!” said Goh Lee Cheng, who is in her 80s and a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.

She had attended services on-site only occasionally in the last two years. Ms Goh said she would encourage other seniors to come back and experience worship onsite, together with others. “Don’t worry about Covid, God will take care of you,” she told Methodist Message.

Faith Methodist Church and Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church at their Maundy Thursday combined service

Over at Wesley Methodist Church, Giam Lay Hoon, who is in her 50s, said: “Going to church on 3 April was quite special in at least one way—I never thought I would be so happy seeing a traffic jam between services at the carpark! That was the indicator that a joyous crossroad had been reached in the easing of pandemic distancing rules.”

But a few weeks of nearly-normal on-site services do not wipe out two years of Covid-induced fatigue in an instant. If you are feeling like you’ve grown accustomed to watching an online service from home, and dread the idea of making the journey back to church and dealing with logistical hurdles of family members attending various programmes and services, you are not alone.

Still, as the writer of Hebrews urges us, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) It’s about a relationship with God and between fellow brothers- and sisters-in-Christ. We are to love God and love one another, and what better way to do this than to gather together in church to worship God. It was also our Lord Jesus’ custom to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath. “As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place.” (Luke 4:16, The Message) As our Lord had done, let us not give up meeting together in church. Let’s also do so in a loving manner and always showing care for one another. Stay safe and see you back in church—every Sunday!

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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News ¢ By the MCS Communications Team

Free online database on Christianity in Asia launches

T

he Dictionary of Christian Biography in Asia (DCB

Kampong Kapor Methodist Church); Ho Seng Ong, a

Asia)—a free online database of stories related to

former principal of Anglo-Chinese School Penang and

the growth of Christianity in Asia—was launched

first Asian minister in Wesley Church in Melaka and

on 17 April 2022.

Kuala Lumpur; and Khoo Oon Soo and his wife, Loh Siew Lan, who pioneered The Boys’ Brigade and The

A collaboration between Seminari Theoloji Malaysia

Girls’ Brigade in Malaysia.

(STM) and Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF), the database includes biographies of Asian, non-Asian,

Contributors to this inter-denominational database

and indigenous Christian church leaders and laity from

will come from different spheres, including academia,

various denominations, who have made an impact

church, and mission agencies. Seminaries in the region

on the growth of Christianity in Asia. It also contains

are likely to play an important role as participating

historical accounts of religious movements, churches

institutions and Dr Tai envisions a significant number

and Christian communities around Asia.

of contributions to come from seminary students.

This project was born out of the recognition that while

It is DCB Asia’s prayer that the core team will eventually

Christianity in Asia has a rich history, very little has

comprise an international team of Asian scholars and

been documented about Asian Christians, who have

others. “We want to welcome the involvement of more

played significant roles in its growth on this continent.

seminaries, churches and Christian organisations to be

Towards the end of 2020, Founder and Executive Director

part of this exciting project ,” Dr Tai told Methodist

Dr Tai Kim Teng met with Bishop Emeritus Dr Hwa Yung

Message.

(Methodist Church in Malaysia) in Seremban, and discussed the possibility of starting such a database.

“God’s story in Asia is a rich tapestry, woven together by the many remarkable men and women who have shared the gospel, built churches and become pillars of the faith in their regions throughout the centuries,” said Dr Tai, sharing how he saw a need to preserve these Asian stories.

The database

aims to

contribute to

a

scholarly

understanding of Christianity in Asia by providing a library of research for scholars and seminary students, ensuring that each story is researched and fact-checked before publishing, while making these stories readable to inspire Christians. Some of the biographies include well-known Methodists such as Goh Hood Keng, who

To visit the website, scan the QR code >>

pastored the Straits Chinese Methodist Church (now

or go to https://www.dcbasia.org/

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

Opinion ¢ THINK Rev Dr Chiang Ming Shun is the Elder Attached at Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church and a lecturer in Church History at Trinity Theological College, where he is also Associate Dean.

Making Aldersgate relevant What an Aldersgate experience might look like today

W

e

commemorate

Aldersgate

both

as

one

person’s evangelical conversion as well as the start of a reforming movement for the Church.

But beyond merely remembering what happened, what lessons can we draw so that we may recognise an Aldersgate experience today?

The first lesson is that all of us Methodists need to want

In his 1742 tract, The Character of a Methodist, Wesley

to be fervent Christians who have a deep relationship

wrote that “God is the joy of [the Methodist’s] heart…

with God.

[we are] therefore happy in God, yea, always happy…”

Aldersgate was John Wesley’s evangelical conversion

An Aldersgate experience for everyone would mean that

because although he identified as a Christian and was

every Methodist would know God intimately and have

priest and a former missionary before Aldersgate, he

Him as the joy of our hearts.

did not know God intimately. Wesley woke up early in the mornings to pray, he studied the Bible, and he did

The second lesson to draw is we have to act on the grace

many acts of charity, but he did not have a real personal

given to us to do the work of the Kingdom.

relationship with God. Before Aldersgate, Wesley knew a lot about God, but he did not really know God.

As a reforming movement, Methodism sent preachers and circuit riders across Britain and America, establishing not just chapels and tent meetings, but also schools and

I fear that there are many people

medical clinics. Methodists tackled the social ills of the

like that in our churches today – not

day, whether it was rampant alcoholism in Britain and

just people who may be quite busy

America, or opium addiction in Malaya. We championed

for the church and people who are

prison reform and opposed slavery.

trying their best, but also people who

Have we lost that world-changing energy? Many of us

have been coming to church for years

have stopped serving in the church and we are content

out of habit, people who are here

to hire professional staff to do the work for us.

to network, or get their kids into a Methodist school, all of whom do not really know God well.

David Hempton argued in his book Methodism: Empire of the Spirit that Methodism was most powerful in the 18th and 19th centuries when it was a countercultural movement, but it declined in the 20th century when it harmonised with a secularising culture. In other words,

An Aldersgate experience for us would draw us much

in the early years Methodism changed the world because

closer to God. Wesley said that God gives grace freely

it led the world. But more recently, Methodism became a

to us to make us holy and true Christians, and that this

follower of the world and so began to lose its power as

would fulfil our deepest desires, even making us happier.

an assertive faith.

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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Making Aldersgate relevant

As good a

CH CasHcanUbeRfound,

We need to continue to

Their doctrine is so pure and sound,

be a reforming movement

ONE

and not become a calcified institution.

We need to use our distinguishing marks of connectionalism and discipline to spread scriptural holiness, instead

REASON

The Devil hates the Methodist.

If Satan could them all destroy,

The troops of hell would shout for joy;

GOD would them increase

I’ll pray that

And fill the world with

of their being mere bureaucratic ends

METHODISTS..

in themselves. We need to recover our world-conquering energy and our vision of the Kingdom.

There is an old 19th century Methodist ditty that may sound a little conceited

That is my prayer also because I believe all Methodists should

but which I think nicely reflects the

know God intimately and use the grace he gives to transform

energy and drive of earlier Methodist

ourselves to be more like Jesus. That is what an Aldersgate

reformers:

experience would look like today.

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Reach Out ¢ According to a 2017/18 survey by the Department of Statistics, Singaporeans spend $1.4 billion a year on tuition for their children. However, private tuition is an expense item that many households struggle to afford. Two churches—Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Mission and Living Hope Methodist Church—found that they were placed in neighbourhoods where many households needed affordable educational support for children and youth. They decided to start a tuition ministry and an English coaching programme for children. Read on to see how far they’ve come.

PAYA LEBAR CHINESE METHODIST MISSION (PLCMM)

A tuition ministry of more than 20 years continues to bear fruit Kate Lim worships at Aldersgate Methodist Church and serves in the Bethany Nursing Home Befrienders Ministry. / Photos courtesy of Jessica Lee

Loving our neighbours The PLCMM tuition ministry for children and youths was started by its members in 1999. They had a mission to reach out to and serve the residents of the nearby Lorong Ah Soo neighbourhood, which comprised mostly young, lower-income families.

This ministry provides nearly-free tuition to the children and youth in the neighbourhood—only a nominal fee is charged. As part of the programme, the students attend the children’s church and youth fellowship after tuition.

According to Philip Chong, the person-in-charge for the

J

Jessica Lee now serves as a Sunday school teacher in MPK

essica Lee is a Sunday School teacher at Mighty

PLCMM tuition ministry, there were up to 55 tuition students and 15 teachers in 2012 at its peak. Presently, there are six students (aged between 8-11 years) receiving tuition in English and Math, and five volunteer teachers serving in the ministry.

Power Kids (MPK), Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Mission (PLCMM). She first joined PLCMM when she

Meeting the children’s needs beyond academics

was six years old, after church volunteers came knocking

Many of the children receiving tuition from PLCMM come

on her door, inviting her mother to send her for tuition

from families where the parents are busy at work and

at PLCMM, and thereafter to attend Sunday School.

unable to attend to their children.

Jessica’s mother had a good impression of PLCMM and felt that it was a safe place for her to go to.

Philip shares that serving in this ministry goes beyond helping the children in their studies. “It involves meeting

“Right after tuition, we had Sunday School and there

their real needs and sharing the love that (we) have

would be a lot of fun and activities for us. That was

received from God.”

how I learned about God, from the tutors who patiently shared God’s love with me and guided me,” Jessica told

Each child has his or her unique abilities and needs, and

Methodist Message.

Philip describes how the volunteer tutors go beyond METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Mission (PLCMM)

helping the children with school work because of their

A full circle

concern with the overall well-being of their students.

The 1.5-hour tuition sessions may seem inadequate when

This might mean addressing behavioural issues such as

it comes to providing comprehensive help in the children’s

disrespect towards the teachers, mood swings and lack

lives. But Philip says, “The impact of this contact time

of interest in studying.

goes beyond what you would expect.”

He says, “God has provided different ‘uncles’ and ‘aunties’

This is seen through the lives of some of the children who

in the lives of these children—to discipline, guide and

have come to know God through the tuition ministry and

motivate them at different stages of their growth.”

children’s church, and have continued attending PLCMM. Some now serve actively in the church.

Jessica Lee is one such example. The former student of the tuition ministry is now in her mid-20s and working in the early childhood sector. Since she was 17, she started serving in the Sunday School ministry, and has also tutored children in Chinese in the tuition ministry,

Jessica Lee (far right) as a preschooler when she first attended the PLCMM tuition sessions

More blessed to give than to receive

which she sees as giving back to the ministry that first brought her to Christ.

“I want to teach the Sunday School children God’s Word so they can know him and learn more about his Word just like I did,” said Jessica.

Kelvin Aw, a lawyer by profession, has been a volunteer teacher for 18 years. He has learned to exercise sensitivity

Planting seeds of faith and love

and flexibility when helping the children, often to

Jeffrey Liew attended tuition lessons when he was 13

accommodate their individual family situations.

years old, after his cousin introduced him to PLCMM’s tuition ministry.

During the Covid-19 peak in 2020, all tuition sessions were conducted virtually. However, Kelvin opted to have

Jeffrey remembers he attended only a few lessons but

in-person tuition with a student from a single-parent

eventually dropped out as he was simply not interested

family, at her home, as it would be more effective to

in his studies. Thereafter, he only attended activities

support her during her PSLE that year. This was greatly

conducted by the youth ministry.

appreciated by her mother.

Some years later, he returned for Math tuition out of He shares, “It was immensely rewarding as she did

desperation. “When I was 16, I wanted to turn my life

reasonably well in her English PSLE paper and also began

around and study hard but I kept failing my Math.”

to enjoy that subject.”

A volunteer, Uncle Su Mian, who was a head of department On what motivates him to continue serving in this

for Math at a secondary school at that time, tutored him.

ministry after so many years, Kelvin shares from Ezekiel

Jeffrey credits Uncle Su Mian—who has since passed

22:30, “And I sought for a man among them who should

away—for helping him at a time when he needed it the

build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for

most. “He guided me in my school work and instilled

the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.”

discipline in me. My results improved tremendously.”

“During church services, I often sang songs that spoke of

Jeffrey looks back with gratitude for the help he

standing in the gap for Christ. I thought it would be more

received from the volunteers with the tuition ministry.

meaningful if I actually stood in the gap for someone in

He recalls, “My family was paying quite a sum for tuition

need, instead of just singing about it,” Kelvin said.

elsewhere. In contrast, the church tuition ministry only

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

charged a token amount to ensure commitment from the students. I wondered why they were so nice to charge so little and yet had to suffer when we were being defiant. Little did we know then that

they

were

planting

little

seeds into our lives.”

LIVING HOPE METHODIST CHURCH

Making mighty connections A children’s English coaching programme with a difference

Jeffrey says: “When John 3:16 was read to me during my teens,

Terence Chua worships at Living Hope Methodist Church and is a student at Trinity Theological College.

I felt valued and loved knowing that someone whom I didn’t know had died for me so that I could go to heaven. I looked at the many brothers-

and

sisters-in-Christ

around me who loved me so much even though I didn’t really know them.”

Jeffrey has words of appreciation and encouragement for his tutors and mentors.

“Thank you for your many years of being a faithful servant. Though it was tough and arduous, your faithfulness to the Lord has made

Mighty Connection is an English coaching programme for primary schoolers

an impact on my life and in the lives of many more that you may not be aware of. Continue to plant the seeds. They will one day take root, grow, and be ready to be

I

t was 2014 and Margaret Lim was serving in the Children’s Ministry— the weekly Sunday School—at Living Hope Methodist Church (LHMC).

By then, her years of ministry were many but not for the first time,

she wondered if more work for the Lord could and should be done.

harvested.”

Now a youth leader, Jeffrey hopes

There were already two major annual events on the Children’s Ministry

that God will use him to guide

calendar—the game-based Mighty Olympics and a children’s camp

other youths and let them know

called the Mighty Kidz Camp. But these were events mostly for the

what he has learned.

Sunday School children. There was no specific outreach to the children living in the neighbourhood who were non-churchgoers.

Philip hopes more will step forward To every Christian, outreach brings to mind Jesus’ final charge in

to volunteer as teachers.

Matthew 28:19 to his disciples before his ascension. Could the HDB “Today,

the

children

from

this

neighbourhood, who once were

blocks encircling LHMC’s idyllic location at Tampines Street 33 be counted as their ‘Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria’?

lost, have found God. This is the best gift we can give to them”.

“There was no reason not to reach out,” Margaret recalls. But what form should the outreach take?

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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Living Hope Methodist Church

A simple programme with simple resources

coach students (usually in groups of two or three, but

Armed with the blessings of the church leaders but

not more than four) with the aid of English assessment

with no idea of how well it would be received, a small

books easily purchased in bookshops. This is followed by

team of volunteers including Margaret worked quickly

a 50 -minute Bible-based activity or lesson which varies:

to design a simple programme. At that year’s Mighty

watching a video, or playing light indoor games. Before

Olympics, it was announced that LHMC would start a

the pandemic, the programme would conclude with 30

free-to-all English-coaching ministry, eventually named

minutes of outdoor games.

Mighty Connection, and the first session would take place two Saturdays hence.

With the pandemic, the programme like everything else had to shift online via Zoom. Despite the stresses, they

As it turned out, 23 children attended the first session

soldiered on.

in a room in LHMC on 20 September 2014. Eight years on, Mighty Connection is still on-going every Saturday,

Labour, the most precious resource

except for the first Saturday of the month.

Even such a simple programme is labour-intensive. By its very nature, a coaching session necessitates a high

The programme designed at the start was a mix of

volunteer-to-student ratio.

English language coaching, Bible story and activities, and playing games. This model has not changed much.

Moreover, in order to build rapport, each volunteer coaches the same set of students. This means only

Each 2-hour long session begins at 1 p.m. with 70

volunteers who are able to commit three Saturdays a

minutes of English enrichment, when ministry volunteers

month, excluding the first Saturday, are recruited.

One mother, Tiffany, told Methodist Message, “I started my son, Dylan, on Mighty Connection during the lockdown period as he was lagging behind in English.

I was surprised to see how he enjoyed his first lesson and was looking forward to the next one. I love how the teachers are very engaging with the kids and even teach them life values through Bible stories. All these benefits prompted me to introduce Mighty Connection to my friend so that she could enrol her son, Raphael, and soon Dylan’s siblings will be joining too.”

Rather than simply for academic reasons, Zhi Yang believes it is friendship that draws the students. “It is the sense of community that keeps them coming,” he says.

Adds Margaret , “Our teachers are also warm and personable.” She fondly recounts how Zhi Yang cared for a student whose hamster was ill. “He ran out to the shops nearby to purchase some medication for the hamster, and even lent him a book on hamsters!”

Friendship - the key ingredient that makes children come back each week

The

volunteers’

dedication

and

highly

personal

attention they give is probably why some students continue to attend despite not being in actual need of

“Not many can afford three Saturdays a month,” says

English enrichment . “I sometimes wonder why some

Tan Zhi Yang, 30, a mechanical engineer who has been

students even come—their English is already so good!”

volunteering since 2018. That the team of volunteers

Margaret laughs. “So I challenge them to do more

is relatively small makes it all the more challenging to

composition work .”

balance keeping a high volunteer-to-student ratio and reaching out to more students.

An opportunity to love thy neighbour Friendship, care, attention—in short , love—are what

Striking a chord with the neighbourhood

sustain Mighty Connection. Love is also what makes

Today, LHMC continues to publicise Mighty Connection

the team strive to refine the academic side of their

with announcements made during Mighty Olympics and

programme—in recent years, besides implementing

Mighty Kidz Camp. A huge banner that has withstood

progress reports, they have kept up with the MOE

the weather for many years still hangs in front of the

syllabus with help from primary school teachers.

church to draw the attention of passersby.

It was a joy to reap the fruit of their labour when a Despite the lean team of volunteers and the modest

number of their students joined LHMC’s Youth Ministry

number of weekly participants, Mighty Connection is,

after their PSLE .

in a small but nonetheless significant way, achieving its mission. Over the past 8 years, Mighty Connection

Mighty Connection shows that there are many ways

has been able to reach out to many children in

to fulfil the timeless injunction to ’love thy neighbour ’

the neighbourhood. The team is heartened when

and these ways are seldom complicated. All that is

they hear that parents of existing students have

required for the simple gifts of attention, care and

recommended Mighty Connection to other parents,

friendship, is our time. What remains to be answered

and see students who had stopped coming for some

is, how will you and your church create an opportunity

time reappear voluntarily.

to love your neighbour?

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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Reach Out ¢ Kate Lim worships at Aldersgate Methodist Church and serves in the Bethany Nursing Home Befrienders Ministry. / Photos courtesy of Vincent Lim

Bringing Jesus to their neighbours at Bethany Nursing Home

S

ome 15 years ago, Aldersgate Methodist Church (AMC) sent a request to its members for volunteers to reach out to the residents at MWS Bethany

Nursing Home (Choa Chu Kang).

Among those who stepped forward were Loh Han Chew and Benson Woon, who were from the same cell group at AMC, and they started a befrienders group at the nursing home.

Han Chew and Benson organised monthly singing and dancing activities for the male residents at the Peace Ward of the nursing home, and roped in their cell group

Bringing fun and games to the elderly residents

members to take turns to run these programmes. The volunteers often brought snacks for the residents. They

Since they started serving in 2018, Vincent and his wife,

would also spend the time chatting with them, and

Carene, have brought their four children along with

getting to know them personally.

them as they wanted them to grow up learning about compassion, and to exercise it in practical ways.

Soon, these visits evolved to Sunday Services every 5th Sunday of the month, at the Home, where up to 40

“At Bethany Nursing Home, my children learned to care

residents were ministered to each time.

for others and treat them with kindness. Through this experience, they developed a strong desire to help

Children and parents serving together

others who are in need. The residents like having the

Today, the Outreach and Befrienders’ Ministry at AMC

children around as they bring joy to them.”

which now has many befrienders groups, is led by Mr Vincent Lim, a senior manager in the aerospace sector.

Vincent’s children are an invaluable part of the ministry.

“They help to push the residents around the nursing home in their wheelchairs and organise simple games that are well-received, leading to much laughter between the residents and volunteers,” Vincent told Methodist Message.

Open hearts despite language barriers As not all the residents at the home speak English, one of the biggest challenges Vincent faces is having to use Mandarin or Chinese dialects to communicate with them. He tries to overcome this by using a mixture of English and Mandarin, and the team supports each other by jumping in when they notice anyone having difficulty with the language, or if they Vincent Lim and his family leading worship

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

spot conversation gaps.

Yet the openness of the residents has shown that the

Jessie observed that the residents are meaningfully

language barrier does not matter. Vincent recalled an

engaged in quality conversations with the befrienders,

encounter with an elderly resident who spoke only

who are each proficient in different languages and dialects.

Mandarin and was blind. The resident , although not a believer, requested for the volunteers to pray for his

“The laughter and smiles on the residents’ faces are

health. Carene, who is more proficient in Mandarin,

genuine. The advantage of virtual sessions is that they

led the prayer while their children prayed alongside.

can continue even when not all the volunteers are available. This way, the residents and nursing home staff can plan our routines with minimal disruption,” she said.

After the long hiatus, Allan said, “We were happy to see that they were open to hearing the gospel again.”

Kate

Lim

(the

author),

a

community

healthcare

professional, feels thankful that she can connect with residents despite the pandemic, and being unable to meet them in-person.

“Mr Y is in his late 40s, and used to go to church with his A quiet time of art expression

late mother or aunt when he was a child. He shared about how he did not have the opportunity to receive Christ, and his long recovery process after a serious road traffic

Another volunteer, Mr Allan Howe, a retiree in his 60s,

accident. I was encouraged by the look of renewed hope

is encouraged by the residents’ open hearts. “Uncle

in his eyes and the smile on his face when we prayed for

L , who is a Taoist, said that Jesus told him ‘all have

him and reminded him of how God has been at work in

sinned’ when we shared how all need Christ to take the

his life. He has made the miraculous recovery from being

punishment for our sins. Uncle L is willing to listen to us

bed-bound to regaining mobility now.”

and share his thoughts.”

The befrienders group has also produced videos to

Leveraging on technology

entertain the residents. Last Christmas, a video with

When Covid-19 hit, many on-site activities at Bethany

carols and an animated story of the birth of Jesus was

Nursing Home were curtailed. In November 2021, Jessie

shared with the residents. They also delivered home-

Lee, a Communications and Partnership Executive at

baked snacks to the residents during Chinese New Year

Bethany Nursing Home, suggested that the befrienders

and when there are special requests.

group try to conduct virtual sessions via Zoom.

Vincent hopes that on-site visits to Bethany Nursing Home A small group of six volunteers got together to kickstart

can resume soon but, in the meantime, they will continue

monthly Zoom meetings to engage the residents

to find creative ways to reach out to the residents.

of Peace Ward. During each session, the befrienders would take turns to engage with one resident for 10 -

“The kids are raring to go back to serve. It is about putting

15 minutes.

our faith into action—to go out and reach out.”

The children helping during the 5th Sunday Service

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

| 13

Feature ¢ Jason Woo is the Communications Executive at MCS Comms. / Photos courtesy of Paul Ang

Caught by the hands of mercy

Being a part of the prison ministry at Tanjong Pinang, Indonesia

I

f you were to meet Paul Ang today, you would be surprised that his approachable demeanour belies a past spent running from the law, having committed a series of crimes from armed robberies to drug smuggling. Years of living on the wrong side of the law came to an abrupt halt when his attempt at being a drug mule was busted at the French border, resulting in him being thrown behind bars in a foreign land. There, he would encounter God for the first time. But Paul returned to his old ways once again, before finally deciding that he needed God in his life.

After filming his testimony to be shown as part of Aldersgate SG 2022 celebrations, Methodist Message (MM) sat down with Paul for a chat. He shared about his life of crime that spiralled out of control, and how he came to know God’s redemptive and restoring love.

The early years Methodist Message (MM): What were your growing years like?

Paul Ang (PA): My parents divorced when I was very young. My mother raised four children as a single parent and I was the eldest. I couldn’t find love and care from the family as my mother had no time for us, and so I joined a secret society at the age of 14. Being in the gang gave me a sense of belonging. It was there that I learned to smoke, drink, take drugs and fight.

MM: You were imprisoned after staging a series of armed robberies as a youth. How did the police manage to arrest you?

PA: A gang member was caught by the police and gave my name to them along with the names of a few others who were involved in the robberies. This was my first brush with the law.

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

Engaging the children at Cebu, Philippines

Life on the run MM: You got married in 1995 and had a child. Yet, you continued your life with drugs. Why? PA: Even after getting married and becoming a father, I did not know how to manage my life well. I would take drugs or drink excessively each time to escape my problems, thinking everything would be solved when I became sober the next day, but things just got worse.

MM: When you were charged in 1997, you jumped bail and escaped to the Golden Triangle (Northern Thailand, near the borders of Laos and Myanmar). Describe what you did to evade being captured.

PA: I used a friend’s passport to get myself into Malaysia and subsequently into Thailand, where I settled down.

Through a recommendation of a friend, I proceeded to join an international drug syndicate. As I was fluent in Thai, most of the locals there thought that I was one of them and thus I was able to assimilate into the community. I took efforts to lie low and always made sure my trafficking and smuggling of drugs were done discreetly, hence no one really knew what I was actually up to except those who knew me well.

Captured in France MM: How did you get caught in France for drug smuggling?

PA: I was an itinerary planner in the drug syndicate, in charge of coordinating and planning the safest routes to smuggle the drugs. Once, I had to arrange for 50,000 Ecstasy pills to be smuggled into Malaysia from France.

However, while travelling in the train from Holland (where the pills came from) to France, I was ambushed by the

French customs police together with the Interpol, when I crossed into French territory.

MM: While serving your term in a French prison, a priest visited you regularly, and he ended up being an important person in your life. Tell us why.

also directed me to an 18-month course on Christianity in prison which helped me to understand his Word and his loving character. Through the course, I came to know a God who “so loved the world that he gave us his One and only Son Jesus”.

MM: How do you feel about yourself looking back?

PA: When the French priest visited me, I had been placed in a punishment cell for assaulting a prison officer. Initially, I really did not know why he came to visit me. I remembered always being very happy when he visited as he would bring along a bag of goodies containing creature comforts like tobacco, sweets, cake and biscuits. It was years later when I got to know the Lord that I realised the visits by the priest were a manifestation of God’s mercy to me.

PA: My prison terms would total 11.5 years in length of time. It was not easy for me to re-integrate into society after my imprisonment as I had no relevant working skills. I only knew how to peddle drugs, operate underground gambling dens and other vices. Looking back, I am really grateful to God for this new lease of life in Christ. Because of him, I learned to forgive and also to seek forgiveness; because of him, I received total healing from my depression.

MM: What was it about the priest’s visits that calmed your rage against your wife?

PA: I was going through a period of depression at that time, as my then-wife had left me and took all my possessions.

I would act out in aggression. The priest would often ask me if I was doing all right or if I felt better. He showed me a kind of concern that I had not experienced before, I wondered why he would bother with a person like me.

Somehow, the visits calmed me.

On a mission trip to Thailand with Grace Methodist Church

In prison again

Current life

MM: But yet, you still fell back into the old ways. From 2006 to 2010, you were sentenced to your fourth prison term in Singapore. What made you finally decide to submit to God completely?

MM: When you came to Grace Methodist Church (GMC), was there any stigma attached to your previous life? How has the church helped you re-integrate back to society?

PA: One day, my young son visited me in prison and accused me of abandoning him. His accusation shook me to the core.

My heart was broken into pieces this time and I was at my wit’s end on what to do with my life. That night, I cried out to God. I told God that I would be serious with him and read his Word every day for a year, and if nothing changed, then I would give up my faith. However, during that one year, I fell in love with God more and more as he took away my heart of stone and replaced it with a thankful heart.

MM: What did surrendering to God feel like?

PA: I confessed to God that I had hurt my loved ones and wanted to start anew. After confessing and asking for his forgiveness, a sense of peace came upon me.

MM: After your release from prison, how was life different for you?

PA: After my conversion, God gave me the courage to renounce my affiliation with my gang in the prison. God

PA: When I came to GMC, I was very welcomed by the sisters and brothers-in-Christ. My church arranged a cell group for me and also included me in Bible study classes. I thank God that I am now involved in the music ministry and that I am also given the chance to serve as a prison volunteer.

MM: What would you like to say to encourage others who find themselves struggling in their sin?

PA: I would like to say to them that God is real, he is not just a figment of their imagination. He needs to be in our hearts. When people find themselves struggling with sin, all they have to do is confess to God and willingly let him in to do the redemptive work in their lives. God is always faithful, quick to forgive and help. You are never alone.

For more of Paul’s story, watch this video that was prepared as part of Aldersgate SG 2022 celebrations,

https://youtu.be/Nu7Hqps7eH0

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

| 15

People ¢ Ashley Ho is the Social Media Executive at MCS Comms. / Photo courtesy of Ashley Ho

Am I ready for motherhood?

However, on the flipside, I also hear about the joy, spiritual growth and faith journey of parenthood, leading to greater dependence on God, and understanding the unconditional love that our Heavenly Father has for all of us, his children.

When I first discovered I was pregnant, my husband, Daryl, and I were actually unprepared. “Are we ready to be parents? What do we do next?” We were thankful to have church mentors guide us and talk with us. As the parent carrying a miraculous new life in my body, hearing the heartbeat of my baby for the first time changed my perspective on being a mother. I embraced the fact that God has given me a great gift and is slowly preparing me for motherhood. During the tough and vulnerable first trimester, I learnt to depend a lot more on him, to pray more, especially for my baby, claiming the verses in Psalm 139. God told me, “It is not about what you do or don’t, but I am the one who gives life.”

Daryl and Ashley

I

There are so many things to think about, to prepare ’ve always had mixed feelings about parenthood.

for, to decide and to learn about as parents-to-be—

I’ve heard from friends about the sleepless nights

I’ve decided to take things one step at a time as I am

of looking after their newborns, the “terrible twos

assured that God will somehow give my husband, Daryl,

and threes”, navigating the education landscape in

and I the wisdom to go through each hurdle. We are also

Singapore, and the challenges of communicating

thankful for friends who are already parents, who have

with sullen or rebellious teens. These are

given us practical advice and shared their experiences

real struggles of parenthood, and parents

with us.

now have to raise their children in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex

Being an expectant mother during a pandemic has been

and Ambiguous (VUCA)

quite stressful, but God has been good and protected

also

me from the virus, despite being in close contact with

heard parents talk

family members who contracted Covid-19. I still attend

about the lack of

church services and meet with small groups of friends,

world.

I’ve

personal time.

but I have been vigilant about who I meet and avoid crowded places.

Now that I am in my third trimester, Daryl and I continue to pray for our baby to be healthy and for her (yes, we are having a girl!) safe and smooth delivery.

Most importantly, besides preparing physically for her arrival, we also have to prepare ourselves to be spiritual parents!

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

Tamil Having young children is not an excuse for not serving in church. Mothers should serve so the children will learn from them.

Cynthia Chew / 50s Ang Mo Kio MC

I do not need to be in control as God is in control, with a perfect plan for his children.

Alicia Chua / 50s Covenant Community MC

To take joy in un-learning and re-learning how to raise my kids God's way and not mine.

My children firstly belong to God. God teaches me by raising his children according to his plan.

Kate Lim / 40s

Jasmine Hu / 30s

Aldersgate MC

Wesley MC

Trust God's teachings, always rejoice even in difficult times, and pray often.

Love God, love people, love ourselves.

Spend time with the kids, communicating and praying with and for them.

Toh Bee Kin / 50s Hakka MC

What is the most important thing that God has taught you about motherhood?

Yeo Cher Eng / 60s and above Toa Payoh Chinese MC

Step out of your comfort zone with little steps of faith in order to discover and grow.

Angela Tan / 30s Ang Mo Kio Chinese MC

This Mother’s Day (8 May), we ask mothers from various churches and age groups this question.

Through prayer, God can grant me a heart that never hardens, temper that never tires, touch that never hurts and a love that softens.

Gnanamany Philip / 50s Pasir Panjang Tamil MC

To show love, care and Christ’s path to my children.

Kanagi Kanakarajan / 50s

To always listen intently and with love about what my children share and provide comfort using the experiences God has given me, to guide them in life.

Seletar Tamil MC

Motherhood is a gift from God. Tamilkodi Arthur / 60s and above Toa Payoh Tamil MC

Reka Sherlin John / 50s Tamil MC (Short Street)

A Christian mother is God’s chosen home missionary to her children.

Dr Ruth Anil / 40s Telugu MC

Lead my children in godly living and be there for them when they need me.

Shanti Paul / 50s Jurong Tamil MC METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

| 17

Church Life ¢ Kampong Kapor Methodist Church Text and photos courtesy of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church

KKMC :

God’s faithfulness through the generations

I

n the middle of Little India, an elegant white building stands at a clearing where narrow roads meet.

Kampong Kapor Methodist Church (KKMC) has been in

this location since 1930. Designed by the architectural firm Swan and Maclaren, this building with its quasi-Art Deco design houses worshippers across generations and language groups.

Where it began KKMC traces its origins to 1894, when Sophia Blackmore moved an expanding Malay-language worship gathering from

her

home

at

Sophia

Road

to

Middle

Road,

establishing the first Peranakan church in Singapore.

There, the congregation of the Malay Church, as it was called, continued to grow under the leadership of its first pastor, William Shellabear. Further growth to the congregation led to its relocation in 1930 to a larger building at its current site, 1 Kampong Kapor Road, where it was called the Straits Chinese Methodist Church, reflecting the make-up of its congregation. The church was renamed Kampong Kapor Methodist Church in the 1950s as its congregation by then comprised the Straits (top) The Youth Ministry band leading worship at KKMC’s 128th Anniversary thanksgiving worship service on 23 January 2022 (bottom) Congregants doing the “Kampong Wave” during KKMC’s 128th Anniversary thanksgiving worship service on 23 January 2022

18

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

Chinese, as well as other ethnic groups.

This year, KKMC celebrates its 128th anniversary and its congregation is spread across its English, Mandarin, Tamil and Peranakan services. With such a long history, it comes as no surprise that KKMC’s congregation is a multigenerational one, where children worship together with their parents and grandparents, and in some cases, their great-grandparents!

Living in authentic community and reaching out as bold witnesses The church’s vision is to be faithful disciples in authentic community engaged in loving outreach and bold witness to the glory of God. This vision is expressed in

Volunteers helping out at KKMC’s first run of Project 5 Loaves & 2 Fishes, an outreach and community blessing event held for neighbours around the church

activities engaging with people in the community that God has placed us in.

Over the past few years, KKMC has regularly held events that reach out to the people in the neighbourhood.

One such community blessing event was the recently held Project 5 Loaves & 2 Fishes, conceived after church members observed the specific needs of our neighbours, who were, in various ways, affected by the pandemic. Residents in the neighbourhood of KKMC were invited to our church to collect food and other

KKMC also conducts ALPHA classes both in English and

essential household items that they needed. More

Mandarin. Church members can invite their family

than providing for their material needs, it gave us the

members and friends to these sessions where they can

opportunity to befriend them.

ask questions about Christianity and how it relates to daily life. This provides another avenue for participants

Before Covid-19 put a stop to large gatherings, KKMC

to discover the relevance and necessity of the gospel

used to conduct weekly activities for seniors in the

of Jesus in their lives.

neighbourhood. This was yet another avenue for outreach to the community and we hope to be able to

Witness also goes beyond our local neighbourhood.

resume regular meetings soon.

Missions work features strongly in KKMC, with our church supporting 29 missionaries serving in mission

Outreach and worship come together at KKMC’s annual

fields

in

Singapore

and

several

other

Hymn Festival. Our congregation looks forward to

including India, Indonesia and Thailand.

countries,

the Hymn Festival where they can worship God in a special Sunday service largely made up of songs to

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

praise and worship God. Inviting guests is a must, as

With 128 years of history and as the fourth Methodist

they get to hear the gospel message delivered by the

church to be established in Singapore, KKMC has

choirs of both adults and children. God has blessed our

surely been blessed in countless ways. May the church

church with gifted musicians among us, and central

continue to stand as a beacon of God’s presence in the

to the music created is the pipe organ that stands in

community and beyond, and may we seek to live out

the sanctuary. One might see this pipe organ as yet

God’s commandments, generation after generation.

another testament of God’s goodness to KKMC—it was installed in 1937 and is still the only one to be found

To find out more about KKMC, visit

in Singapore Methodist churches today.

https://www.kkmc.org.sg .

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

| 19

People ¢

By Lucy Cheng, volunteer sub-editor from Wesley Methodist Church. / Photos courtesy of Cheryl Mah

A mother’s story:

Hope comes with small steps “When Lucien was a newborn, I had prayed to God to not

hospital bills soared beyond their budget. To compound

let him grow up so fast, so that I could enjoy his early

their woes, the insurance company repeatedly rejected

childhood years for a longer time. I often joke that I did

their application for a medical and hospitalisation

not mean for God to slow him down by so much!”

insurance policy for Lucien. It was only after almost two frustrating years and a few rounds of appeals

Cheryl Mah’s wry humour belies a tough journey of ups

that the application was approved, albeit with several

and downs that started with her second pregnancy in

added stipulations.

2019. Neither she nor her husband, Jonathan, could possibly have imagined what would happen—after all,

At Lucien’s 15-month polyclinic check-up, the doctor

her first pregnancy resulting in the birth of their first

noted his small size and weight of about 7kg and

child, a daughter, had been relatively uneventful.

referred them to a paediatrician at the KKH Department of Child Development (DCD). The paediatric appointment

While pregnant for the second time, she was diagnosed

was the start of a long chain of interviews, tests and

with a number of prenatal complications including

treatments involving the departments of Ear, Nose &

abnormal

Throat (ENT), Ophthalmology, Nutrition, and the Speech

bleeding

and

Group

B.

Streptococcus.

Additionally, she contracted Hand, Foot and Mouth

Therapy and Occupational Therapy (SPOT) clinic.

Disease (HFMD) from an unknown source in her second trimester. In her last trimester, the doctor gravely

Then came the news that Cheryl and Jonathan were not

pronounced that she had placental insufficiency and

expecting.

promptly performed an emergency Caesarean section delivery after 30 hours of non-progressive labour.

Lucien was diagnosed with Global Development Delay (GDD), a condition in which the child shows signs

Her son Lucien was born a preemie with a birth weight

of significant delays across more than two areas of

of only 1.95kg. He had barely passed his oxygen test,

development. In fact, he was found to be significantly

and nearly landed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

delayed in all five child developmental areas and at

(NICU) in Mount Alvernia Hospital. This was when

least one to two years behind his peers.

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

“Even though I was aware that Lucien had developmental

While she acknowledges that there are still plenty

delays, it was still a shock to me to receive this

of milestones that Lucien has yet to achieve such

diagnosis. I had never heard of this condition before.”

as feeding himself with utensils, speaking in short sentences,

The

DCD

eventually

referred

Lucien

to

the

Early

Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC)

and

participating

in

age-appropriate

activities, Cheryl’s pride is evident as she recounts Lucien’s progress in small ways since EIPIC .

and he was enrolled in September 2021.

“He On

top

of

outstanding

family-related

debt

can

now

use

singular

words

(or

word

that

approximations) to communicate, do simple things

the couple are still paying off, the bills from EIPIC,

like help to take off his clothes and put them into the

childcare and ongoing medical appointments became

laundry bag, and performs better at physical activities

a heavy burden.

such as playing ball or picking up toys he dropped. He even has a better understanding of how some things

Cheryl confesses, “Right before Lucien was offered a

work , such as using the thermometer to scan the

place in EIPIC, I broke down and wept my heart out due

forehead for temperature checks.”

to the escalating costs we faced. My husband and I laid hands over Lucien at night and prayed fervently for God

Recently, Lucien, who is now two-and-a-half years old,

to heal him quickly. We wanted God to heal him of all

learnt the word “push” from his EIPIC teachers. Cheryl

these developmental issues so that he could catch up

found out about this when she saw him pushing his

faster, and we would not have to face the huge wave of

5-year-old elder sister, Arielle, while yelling “push”.

bills headed our way.”

“Most parents would be concerned about this action from their child. But I thought it was a funny sight, and

But God did not answer Cheryl and her husband’s prayer

was happy that he knew the meaning of this word!”

the way they had expected.

Lucien and Arielle are close and have the usual petty disagreements that occur between siblings.

Instead, He sent help for their journey—in the form of unwavering kindness and support from wonderful

Cheryl also learned with amazement that Lucien could

teachers, as well as financial assistance from family

differentiate and say the names of different colours,

members, and even from the most unexpected people

and point out parts of the face such as eyes, nose, and

—sometimes in the exact sum that they needed.

mouth. “It warmed my heart so much to know that he

Cheryl said, “Lucien is so well-loved by his teachers

is learning quite well.”

and everyone around him, which is more than we could have asked for.” Cheryl and Jonathan’s cell

As for what the future holds, she simply says, “In spite

leader, and Cheryl’s colleagues also provided prayer

of the circumstances, we are celebrating every single

and emotional support .

step no matter how small, and continuously giving thanks to God for his progress. Every step is a small

In order to make EIPIC a reality for Lucien, the family

win for us.”

made stoic sacrifices and lifestyle adjustments. Tearfully, they parted with their helper who had been Lucien’s

While Lucien’s situation has caused Cheryl and her

main caregiver and a huge pillar of support for the family.

husband to experience many ups and downs, they

Lucien was placed in full-day childcare as both Cheryl, a

continue to have faith and trust that God will keep his

staff worker at Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church, and her

promise to never forsake them. “If it is God’s will to

husband, Jonathan work full-time. After a long day at

throw us curve balls, then I trust that it is also his will to

work, they would return home to take care of their two

show his authority and power by sending help that only

children and tend to household chores.

he can. The joy of the Lord is our strength!”

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

| 21

Hymns & Songs ¢ Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon served as Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000-2012.

Trinitarian hymns in the Wesleyan tradition

T

he bedrock of Christian faith is our belief in

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is still the

the triune God—the Father, the Son, and the

basic structure of our baptismal rituals today.

Holy Spirit, as revealed in Scripture and in the

Incarnation. This is the God we worship, the One God in

In addition, we use in our worship services the biblical

Three Persons, whose actions lead to our redemption

benediction in 2 Corinthians 13:14 that brings the

and hope for eternal life.

blessings of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to God’s people. In the historical liturgical tradition, Christians

Our Trinitarian faith is enshrined in our historical

have also regularly sung the Gloria Patri, again

creeds. The wonderful Trinitarian passage in Ephesians

reminding us of the heart of our faith.

1:3-14 is, in the opinion of many biblical scholars, an ancient doxology used in the worship of the early

There are, in the treasure chest of the church, many

church. It is evidence that in the New Testament church,

Trinitarian hymns, most of which have been largely

God was already worshipped as a triune Being. Other

forgotten. There is a need to sing more songs in our

passages such as Philippians 2:5-11 and 1 Timothy

worship of the triune God. Many Methodists and even

3:16 are also examples of the earliest songs in praise

non-Methodists may know that the Methodist revival

of the triune God.

in the 18th century was “born in song” and sustained and propagated by song.

Following

the

baptismal

formula

that

the

Lord

Jesus included as part of his Great Commission to

The first hymnal published by John and Charles Wesley,

his disciples, the church has baptised people in the

Gloria Patri… or Hymns on the Trinity in 1746 contained

single name of the three Persons of the Trinity. In

24 hymns. Subsequently, they published another

the earliest post-New Testament writings such as the

hymnal, Hymns on the Trinity in 1767 containing another

Didache (Teachings of the Twelve Apostles) and The

188 Trinitarian hymns. These hymns were published

Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus, instructions can be

as an intentional rebuttal against Unitarianism (which

found regarding baptism. Baptismal candidates are to

rejects the doctrine of the Trinity, claiming that God is

be asked three main questions related to each Person

one Person) and also as a didactic tool to teach Nicene

of the Trinity. They are to be baptised in the name of

Trinitarianism and metrical theology to the Methodist

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

societies. Obviously, the Wesley brothers recognised the dangers of doctrinal confusion, and considered the doctrine of the Trinity as forming the core of Christian belief and life. Their solution was to put theology into song and ensure that worship reflected biblical

Triune God, We Worship You

truth and doctrinal soundness.

In concluding a historical study of Trinitarian language in Christian hymnody, liturgical theologian and hymn writer Ruth Duck concludes that “when Christians sing about the Trinity, they often do so in formulaic ways that do not inspire feeling, imagination, or reflection.”

There is obviously a need for new Trinitarian hymns

Father God, Creator of the universe and all in it, Earth and heaven, seen and unseen, man and woman, girl and boy.

You Creator; we creation, in our mothers’ wombs were knit; You have loved all You created, all creation sings with joy.

for the present generation, written by those who have thought deeply about the Trinity and experienced the reality

Christ the Lord, our Strong Defender, Son of God and Greatest Gift;

of the Trinity in their lives.

Came from Heaven as our Saviour, died as ransom for our sin;

Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:3-14 provide a model for how we

Rose from death and conquered evil, Rescuer of all adrift;

should sing in praise of the triune God. There is specific reference to each Person of the Trinity and how they work together and

You will come again to save us, make the perfect world begin!

relate with us to save us. Each section concludes with the phrase “to the praise of his glory” or “glorious grace” (vv. 6, 12, 14), suggesting how we should praise and worship the triune God. Using this model, I have written a hymn, “Triune God, We Worship You”! I wrote the words some years ago and found some gifted music composers (Justin Yeo and Leong Shengyu) from Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church. They not only put music to the words but also, with their group, recorded a video of the hymn, with the

Holy Spirit, Great Comforter, Lord and Giver of new life; Spoke through prophets, Holy Fire, Dove from heaven, Flame of love; Breath of life and Cleansing Fire, with our sinful hearts You strive; Till our hearts are full of love, and fit we are for life above.

hope that it will be used in our Methodist churches. Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

To listen to the hymn, scan the QR code

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Triune God, we worship You! You alone, our God and Treasure, living God, like You there’s none.

God You made us, You to worship, to Your people come renew;

or visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiM-IrhyF1A

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.

Make our hearts Your dwelling place and make us one as You are One.

Words by Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon Music by Justin Yeo and Leong Shengyu Copyright © 2022

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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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).

“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.

e h t f o t n e m a r c a s The

y r a n i d r O

S

ome Christians are prone to think that the

The Reformed theologian Michael Horton has described

Christian life is a series of spiritual “mountaintop”

our culture’s obsession with the exceptional and the

experiences. The Christian life must be radical and

outstanding as “the cult of extraordinariness”. 2 This

exciting, filled with inspiring supernatural encounters

culture is so fixated with the high-flyer, the over-

with God at every turn.

achiever and the game-changer that “ordinary” and “mundane” have become the loneliest if not the most

These believers listen with great relish to testimonies

despised words in our vocabulary.

of miraculous healings and the spectacular successes of Christians who have accomplished “great things for

That is why some Christians may be surprised to find

God”. And they mistakenly conclude that this is the

that in the pages of the Bible, God is often depicted

“normal” Christian life.

as being present and active in the commonplace of our earthly experiences.

As theologian Julie Canlis has put it, for such Christians, “True religion is often associated with the extreme,

To be sure, the Bible does describe God performing

the emotional moment, the passionate choice, the

“extraordinary miracles” (Acts 19:11-12) such as the

mountaintop experience.”

parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) or the raising of

1

Lazarus (John 11). But to think that God is to be found In some important ways, all this mirrors what is already

exclusively in such events is to miss the Bible’s portrayal

endemic in the wider culture.

of his presence in the ordinary and the mundane.

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

Consider Jesus’ parables of the kingdom of God.

a man and because the holy has tabernacled in the earthly, common and ordinary things, actions and

Jesus did not describe the divine kingdom in lofty

relationships can take on a new meaning.

images of angelic choirs or celestial palaces or in highfalutin speeches. Instead, Jesus told stories using

It was the great reformer Martin Luther who understood

common everyday metaphors such as the vineyard,

this clearly.

the mustard seed and the fishing net. The worldliness of the parables shows that the commonplace and the

The naked and awful majesty of God is often hidden in

ordinary have the capacity to illuminate the deepest

common earthly objects, veiled as it were by a mask

mysteries of the kingdom of God.

(larva). And it is through the mediation of the larvae Dei (masks of God) that we encounter God’s presence

This truth that God is present in the ordinary and the

and grace.

mundane is seen poignantly in the sacraments of the Church which were instituted by our Lord.

The same is true of our daily work and our ministry in the church. In the overall scheme of things, they may

The elements used in the sacraments of Baptism and

seem insignificant and without much impact. But as

the Eucharist—water, bread and wine—cannot be more

long as they are done for the glory of God (Colossians

common. As the Roman Catholic ritual has beautifully

3:17), our work and ministry are never in vain (1

put it, they are “the fruit of the earth and the work

Corinthians 15:58).

of human hands”. Yet these everyday items are the means by which God’s grace is present and efficacious.

For God can use our humble and common labours in ways that we can never imagine and perhaps shall

But it is in the incarnation of the second Person of the

never know. They can become sacraments, the means

Trinity that we find this truth presented to us in all its

of divine grace, the channels of God’s blessings.

clarity and force.

In a culture that valorises the exceptional, Christians The eternal Son of God, whose hands had “flung stars

must be careful not to become victims of the “cult

into space” (Graham Kendrick), was born in a humble

of extraordinariness”. They must never despise the

barn in a town with a rather tarnished reputation. The

commonplace, the unremarkable and the mundane.

3

Saviour of the universe remained in obscurity until he was thirty years old before commencing his public

For the holy is often masked in the ordinary.

ministry which lasted for only three years.

The ordinariness of the incarnation implies that the dualisms and dichotomies through which we often perceive reality must be challenged. Because of the incarnation, the ordinary and the commonplace are no longer what they seem to be. Because God has become

1

Julie Canlis, A Theology of the Ordinary (Sussex, UK: 2017), 23.

Michael Horton, Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan: 2014).

2

3

Graham Kendrick, ‘The Servant King’, 1983.

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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Reach Out ¢ Missions Rev Teresa Wilborn was formerly The Methodist Missions Society (MMS) Area Director for Timor-Leste and Cambodia. She is now the Consultant for Timor-Leste. She worships at Aldersgate Methodist Church.

The legacy of John Wesley for 21st century missions

J

ohn Wesley made it his life’s mission to proclaim the gospel wherever he was. He was a man of passion, prayer and perseverance. Yet, in this writer’s opinion, his preaching

and practice of holiness and social justice distinguish him from other evangelical leaders. Historians frequently use the word theopraxis to describe this aspect of Wesley’s theology.

Theopraxis is a combination of two Greek words: “theos” meaning God and “praxis” meaning to do or practice. Unlike theology, which focuses on the study of God and religion, theopraxis is understood as observing, experiencing, and knowing God in the context of His actions towards us and the world He created. 1 It has been said that John Wesley united “theos” and “praxis” more successfully than any other theologian in Church history.

His sermons were not academic treatises; rather, they spoke plainly to the thousands of converts to whom he gave personal guidance, spiritual direction, and hope. 2 People listened to Wesley because he spoke to their needs and because they observed him doing good.

In short, Wesley preached what

God had done and continues to do in the world, and Wesley practised what he preached.

John Wesley believed that genuine holiness is an integration of both spiritual and physical needs. People might be able to do good without inner transformation, but there could be no inner transformation that is not expressed in outward action. 3 Wesley’s concept of outward action is characterised by works of mercy, justice, truth and love.

A statue of John Wesley in the centre of Reynolds Square Park, Savannah, Georgia, USA

26

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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

In 1736, John Wesley took his evangelical brand of methodical Anglicanism to Georgia, USA . His missionary efforts in the American colonies lasted less than two years and might well be described as unsuccessful due to the struggles he encountered there. Personal conflicts led to Wesley’s early departure but his influence and on-going support were instrumental in establishing what would later become the first Methodist Church in the USA . 4 As MMS celebrates its 30th anniversary, it is timely to reflect on where we have come from and where we are going. The mission mandated by The Methodist Church in Singapore in 1991 was for MMS to establish indigenous churches where none currently exist. This mission will require a variety of ministries depending on the field situation including, but not limited to, educational, medical, community development, and social services. 5 Today, MMS continues to carry out this mandate in seven mission fields with sixty missionaries, their spouses and children. Methodist churches have been planted in Cambodia, Thailand and Nepal by sharing the gospel, discipling, and training local pastors and lay leaders. Methodist schools have been established to offer quality education based on Christian teachings and values in Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Thailand, and we are partnering to bring education into a creative access country. MMS has ministered to the needs of locals through student hostels, youth development programmes, medical outreach and livelihood projects. Through an integrated strategy of church planting and community development, MMS’ aim has been to share God’s love with our neighbours overseas by ministering in a holistic way.

John Wesley’s prayer, written more than 300 years ago, continues to inform and guide us:

Spirit of grace, and health, and power, Fountain of light and love below; Abroad thine healing influence shower, O’er all the nations let it flow.

Inflame our hearts with perfect love; In us the work of faith fulfill; So not heaven’s host shall swifter move Than we on earth to do thy will . 6

Duarte, Harold, Theology or Theopraxix, http://chatswithgod. com/chat/2015-01-08-theologyor-theopraxis-6042556/index.html, January 8, 2015.

1

Noble, Thomas A., John Wesley as A Theologian: An Introduction, paper presented at the conference of CERT (Center for Evangelical and Reformed Theology) at the Free University of Amsterdam, April 5, 2007.

2

“The Almost Christian”, Sermon 2, The Works of John Wesley, vol 1-33, Nashville, TN, Abingdon Press, 1984.

3

Online article entitled, John Wesley Charters first Methodist Church in U.S., https://www.history.com/this-dayin-history/john-wesley-charters-firstmethodist-church-in-u-s, November 13, 2009.

4

The Book of Discipline of the Methodist Church in Singapore, Revised Edition November 2013, Section VIII.

5

As we engage in 21st century missions, may Wesley’s proclamation of the gospel of God’s love in Christ through word, example and action remain central to all we do. Together, may we continue to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading as we seek to expand God’s Kingdom in new mission fields, through new ministries, and by using technology in new ways!

6 Extract from A Paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer from Upon Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, Sermon 26, The Works of John Wesley, vol 1-33, Nashville, TN, Abingdon Press, 1984.

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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

61 Jalan Hitam Manis, Singapore 278475

Building Through Belief, this school of choice provides

• Exceptional examination results, very strong value-added achievement and an allround holistic education • 50:50 mix of local and international teachers who uphold the dual Methodist ethos and ACS heritage • Small class sizes with overall student-teacher ratio of 8.7 : 1 • 40 different CCAs – 16 Sporting, 12 Visual and Performing Arts, 12 Special Interest Groups • Over 25 overseas trips per year • Over 200 formal student leadership positions • Scholarships for 4 Singaporeans to undertake the IBDP

Achievements include

Mr Gavin Kinch Principal

Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice-Principal

• Students with perfect score of 45 points in IBDP • 20 “Top in the World” awards in IGCSE examinations over each of the past nine years • Students accepted to Oxford and Cambridge universities for the past eight years • Admissions to top universities in the UK, the US, Australia and Singapore • PSLE and Singapore GCE ‘O’ Level students achieve outstanding value-added examination results for the IBDP with improved pathways to good universities • Successes at national level in Athletics, Touch Rugby, Debating, Orchestra, Volleyball, Taekwondo, Ice Hockey, Fencing, Swimming, Artistic Swimming, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Wushu.

What the parents say…

Mr Christopher Hayward Vice-Principal

Dr Kristopher Achter Vice-Principal

For more information Please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg

“ACS (International) ignites students' passion to learn through building strong relationships with deeply devoted and highly experienced teachers and excellent pedagogic and sporting infrastructure. The school has achieved a fine blend of academic rigour and holistic learning.

The emphasis on CCAs and community service as well as the ample opportunities for student leadership makes ACS (International) a 'cut above' and the preferred choice for our children.”

Larisa and Shivinder Singh “Sending our daughter to ACS (International) was the best decision we made. She used to be shy and introverted and has now become a confident, caring and motivated student leader.”

Debra and Samuel Koh “We deeply appreciate the contribution ACS (International) has made towards making our son confident, capable and thoughtful. The school has provided an environment of personal care, support and encouragement to nurture him into a compassionate young man.

We are also very proud of his academic, leadership, co-curricular and public speaking skill development.”

Anju Uppal “We like the holistic learning environment of ACS (International). Apart from academics, the school gives the students plenty of learning opportunities outside the walls of the classroom through service trips in continents as far as Africa, school projects and events, CCAs, student leadership roles and more.

Our children thoroughly enjoy the IB programme, the holistic environment of the school, and are very proud to be students of ACS (International). The school has helped our children to grow and mature in so many ways, whilst equipping them with the necessary skills needed for their university studies and future endeavours. We are very glad to have sent both of our children to ACS (International).”

Steven and Pau Kim Kan

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

Finding

hope

in a hard place

F

ollowing a bad fall at home in May 2020, Mdm

This year, we estimate that $2.36 million is needed to

Mugiah Binte Karjo experienced a steep decline

provide critical and immediate help for individuals and

in her mobility, making her mostly bedbound.

families in need of emergency funds to tide them over.

The 89 -year-old, who was living with a flatmate in a

Beneficiaries have used these funds to cover essential

1-room rental flat then, had to rely on a neighbour and

daily living costs such as utilities, rental, phone bills,

his wife to help with everyday tasks.

food, milk powder, diapers and medical fees.

But when they moved out, Mdm Mugiah had no one to

With growing poverty posed by the pandemic, these

take care of her.

beneficiaries face tremendous uncertainties in their lives. Give them the certainty that they deeply hope

Amidst her changed circumstances, Mdm Mugiah found

for today.

certainty when she was admitted to MWS Nursing Home ‑ Yew Tee. She said, “There are nurses here to

Love in deed is love indeed

attend to my needs. They will ask me what I want and

The Bible exhorts us to be generous to our neighbour.

joke with me. I have a nurse whom I’m especially fond

In Luke 3:11, John the Baptist told his followers that

of—she will always come over to talk to me and find out how I’m doing.”

Besides receiving professional care, Mdm Mugiah,

“whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise”.

who has neither savings nor family support, also received assistance from MWS to apply for various grants including medical fee waivers. In addition, MWS absorbed the fees for transport and medical escort services to ensure that Mdm Mugiah can continue receiving the care she needs.

Turn your compassion into practical action today by

mws.sg/give-certainty or

Lifting up the vulnerable

visiting

Mdm Mugiah is among thousands under MWS’ care,

scanning the QR code, and help vulnerable

some of whom rely on the MWS Specific Assistance

families and individuals meet their critical

scheme to meet urgent needs especially during these

and urgent needs. Every dollar goes towards

difficult times.

giving certainty to our beneficiaries.

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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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 do I marry the right one?

I

n May 2016, The New York Times carried an interesting

and

thought-provoking

article

entitled Why You Will Marry The Wrong Person.

Alain

de

Botton,

the

writer,

asserted

that

whether we choose our marriage partner with our head or with our heart, we will invariably make a bad choice. He put forward reasonable supporting arguments, not the least of which is that prospective partners, wanting to make the best impression, are usually not their genuine self during the courtship period.

Another reason is that often we ourselves do not

to help ride the storms of living with another. Such

really know who we are. This is because, as de Botton

skills include general ones such as communication

explains, “... before marriage, we rarely delve into our

and conflict resolution skills. Other useful skills

complexities”. He further states: “Marriage ends as

specific to the individual may include handling our

a hopeful, generous, infinitely kind gamble between

own inferiorities instead of expecting our mate to

two people who don’t know yet who they are or who

help us feel secure and being able to regulate our

the other might be...”.

emotions instead of expecting others to put up with us on our bad days. Thus, a good marriage is about

What further complicates the task of finding the right

making reasonable choices and being able to adjust

person is that the motivation for marriage is in itself

and accommodate to one another.

flawed. Mr de Botton describes it as an attempt to hold on to an ideal set of emotions which may have

One area the article did not cover is the role played by

existed during the courtship period. Sadly, living

others, be it family or close friends. Today, we tend to

with an individual with different habits as well as

see choosing whom to marry more as a decision for

experiencing the stresses of maintaining a home and

two individuals to make on their own exercising their

looking after children, it is understandable for these

free will. Nevertheless, it is helpful to seek the views

ideals to fade into distant memory.

of people who may have a perspective of the couple and of their choice of partner. Hearing others’ views

I am not sure if I agree entirely with this rather

does not rob us of our independence. Rather, it enables

jaundiced view of marital choice. This is despite my

independence to be exercised in an informed manner.

many years as a marital counsellor whose days are filled with attending to stories of poor marriages. I

Finally, a Christian marriage has a vital additional

do agree that the decision of whom to marry is a

dimension—a belief that it is God who has brought

difficult one. I therefore encourage those considering

the two together to become one and he has a greater

marriage to attend marriage preparation courses.

purpose for the union. So, finding personal happiness,

Such courses allow for some of the more difficult

though important , is not the main purpose. The sense

topics such as management of conflict , children

of higher purpose will influence the couple to look

and in-laws to be discussed in an open and non-

beyond personal satisfaction and self-interests.

threatening manner. Another suggestion I would like to offer is when issues of concern, e.g. temper outbursts or bouts of excessive drinking , crop up before or early into the marriage, attend to them as soon as possible. Rather than ignoring them, seek the counsel of elders or counsellors.

I also agree with the article about another thing.

Besides making a careful choice when it comes to marriage, the focus should be about being the right person in a marriage. Being the “right person” is a work in progress as it includes deepening our selfawareness and having a good set of interpersonal skills

METHODIST MESSAGE May 2022

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MAY

Looking Ahead ¢

Scan to see events online!

TRAINING THE YOUNG BRAIN 21 May 2022 (Saturday), 1.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.

Online via Zoom Register at https://fathers.com.sg/programs/youngbrain/#register $50 per head / Minimum 10 participants to start Call/Whatsapp 6769 1238 for more information

This is a workshop for parents of children from one to five years of age. Participants can expect to learn what are the essential skills and the different ways you can develop them in your child, delve into the importance of play, types of play and how to play well with your child. Decipher the difference between reading to your child and reading with your child.

Parents can also find out if your child should be reading from a book, an e-book, or an animated video.

JULY

Organised by Centre for Fathering

D6 FAMILY CONFERENCE 2022: RECALIBRATE 29 and 30 July 2022 (Friday and Saturday), 9.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.

Online via Zoom Register at d6family.sg (Closes on 17 July 2022) Early bird price at $50 until 13 June 2022; thereafter $60

Join this year’s line-up of speakers as they share D6 principles, strategies and best practices on generational discipleship and Family Ministry. Embark on a journey where you will learn to identify and establish healthy practices, and to honour God in the way you lead the families in your church.

JULY TO AUGUST

Organised by SOWER Institute for Biblical Discipleship

INTRODUCING WORLD RELIGIONS: ASIAN RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIAN FAITH 13, 20, 27 July / 3, 10, 17, 24 August 2022 (Wednesdays), 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.

St Andrew’s Cathedral or via Zoom (to be confirmed) For more information, visit https://ttc.edu.sg/english/study-at-ttc/equip-course-details-1 $100 (Free for TTC Alumni and TTC Matriculated Students / Registration required)

An introductory course for Christians to the main religious traditions of Asia. Avoiding being combative with the Other, it takes a serious and respectful approach to learning about Asian religions without ignoring the essential truth-claims of the Christian faith. This course seeks to be accurate in learning about the religious traditions of our neighbours and includes the following topics: i) how and why should Christians learn about religions; ii) Indian religions; iii) Chinese religions; iv) Buddhism; v) the Judeo-Christian tradition; vi) Islam; and vii) religion and society; and the theology of religion.

MAY TO DECEMBER

Organised by EQUIP

THE GIVING METHODIST 2022: STEP OUT OF THE BOAT Give Donation, Give Voice and Give Time campaigns—now till December 2022 thegivingmethodist.sg tgm@mws.sg

Spearheaded by The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) and Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), The Giving Methodist takes place each year to galvanise Methodists to show acts of kindness and love to those in need. With the Covid-19 pandemic raging on, let us take courage to step out of our boat and uplift those who need help to ride out this storm.

You can join in by “Giving Time” through volunteering with MWS or a Methodist church’s social concerns ministry, “Giving A Donation”, or “Giving Voice” to the disadvantaged and distressed by spreading the word about this campaign.

Organised by Methodist Welfare Services

People ¢ Tan Kim Lam works as a lay ministry staff at Trinity Methodist Church. / Photo courtesy of Tan Kim Lam

What does being a Methodist mean to you?

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways

M

y wife and I “accidentally” stumbled into a Methodist

church.

While

asking

ourselves,

“is that all there is to this life?”, we found

ourselves attending a Sunday service at Kampong Kapor Methodist Church in 1997, at the invitation of a close family friend. At that time, we thought since Methodism

and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

is a mainstream denomination, it should be “safe”! We

Isaiah 55:9

ended up staying in the church and were baptised as a family during Christmas 2000.

What makes a Methodist different? One trait is the concern for those struggling in society. Another trait is the love of congregational singing of hymns—especially those composed by Charles and John Wesley. The model of clergy and lay members working together in running a local church is another distinction in how Methodist churches work.

After a career in the corporate world, I was called into full-time ministry at Trinity Methodist Church (TMC) in 2015. Within a few short weeks, what was meant to be a part-time internship position became a full-time church administrator position. Now, a few years on, God has led me to work with many ministries in TMC, including the small group and discipleship ministries.

Kim Lam and Jody on a holiday in Norway in 2019

Kopi kakis

by Kopikaki team