Methodist Message: October 2013 issue by Methodist Message

methodist message Vol 115 No 10 October 2013

inside

this issue...

ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 172/02/2013

message.methodist.org.sg

You & Your Family Pure nostalgia or note-worthy?

Cru Singapore Ushering in God’s Kingdom with Singapore Methodists

Christalite Methodist Chapel Shining for Christ in Geylang schools

page 7

page 10

page 12

‘God’s gifts not limited by disabilities’

“Through the Cracks” Conference:

Embracing Persons with Special Needs

Imagine this scenario: you’re all set to relocate to Italy – but on arrival you hear “Welcome to Holland!” How would you react? You would have to change all your plans – learn a new language, buy new guidebooks, be prepared for experiences that you have not anticipated. Grace Toh is the Assistant Editor of Methodist Message and has been a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church for most of her life. Background picture by STori/Bigstock.com Picture by carlosphotos/Bigstock.com

mily Perl Kingsley used the above analogy in a poignant story titled “Welcome to Holland”, to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability. For these parents, there is often a sense of disorientation and having one’s life take an unexpected turn. About three per cent1 of Singapore’s population has a disability. This includes preschool children with developmental difficulties, school-going children with special needs, or adults and the aged with disabilities2. This translates to an average of three members out of every 100 church members who is likely to have special needs. Extrapolate that to include the families of each person with special needs, and we’re looking at almost 10 per cent of the population. Living with a family member with a disability is de-stabilising and stressful. This seems to present

a compelling reason for churches not to overlook this issue. The “Through the Cracks” Conference on Embracing Persons with Special Needs was a sterling effort by Singaporean Christians to work towards an adequate response. Early last month, 380 participants from 65 churches gathered at Wesley Methodist Church for this purpose, reflecting the willingness of Christ’s Body to come together in united response. In this setting, it was startling to hear the keynote speaker, the Rev Wilfred C. Hoecke, comment: “I don’t encourage starting special needs ministries in churches!” An American pastor with personal experiences of disability, he cautioned that churches should avoid relegating persons with special needs to an isolated ministry or a few trained professionals. Rather, he encouraged churches to develop a church-wide special needs policy, so that people with special needs could both bless and be blessed by the whole church body. Continued on page 15...

Enabling Masterplan 2012-2016, Ministry of Social and Family Development 2 Ibid.

Coming Up

Debut Concert

Methodist Festival Choir Dr Evelyn Lim is the Vice-Principal (Musical Arts) of the Methodist School of Music.

ore than 70 choristers will debut as the Methodist Festival Choir in a performance this December in an Advent concert, “The End and the Beginning”. Prior to this – the Choir will also sing at the Closing and Ordination Service of the 38th Session of the Trinity Annual Conference on November 21 at Paya Lebar Methodist Church. “Our worship presentation will follow the different Sundays of Advent, and the audience can expect choral anthems, hymns, carols, scripture readings and prayers,” said Resident Conductor, Mrs Wong Lai Foon. “We’ll be rehearsing diligently

over these three months, and we look forward to blessing as many other people as we can through this debut concert.” Artistic Director, Mrs Judith Mosomos, added: “We’ve been so encouraged by the enthusiastic response with church members in our community coming forward to dedicate their time and effort to this new ministry. Our aim is to promote good sacred choral music, and to musically support our Church’s many special events. We now look forward to welcoming many more new singers for our 2014 season.” n

JOIN u the Methodist Festival Choir for its 2014 season. Contact the Methodist School of Music at 6767-5258 or msm@msmusic.edu.sg

Cairnhill Methodist Church 15th Anniversary October 6, 2013 – 9.30 am Anniversary Service

Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church 35th Anniversary October 6, 2013 - 8 am, 10.30 am Anniversary Services

Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School 97th Founder’s Day October 11, 2013 Founder’s Day Celebrations

Bedok Methodist Church 67th Anniversary October 20, 2013 – 5 pm Anniversary Service

methodist message

The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore. Published material does not necessarily reflect the official view of The Methodist Church. All Scripture quoted is based on the New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

Editorial Board Adviser and Publisher Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup, Chairman, Council on Communications

Our address

Editor Ms Christina Stanley

Methodist Message • 70 Barker Road, Singapore 309936

Design & Production SNAP! Creative Pte Ltd

Tel: 6478-4786 • Fax: 6478-4794 Email: newmm@methodist.org.sg MM website: message.methodist.org.sg Church website: www.methodist.org.sg

Assistant Editor Ms Grace Toh

the bishop writes

Defeating Enemies Within Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11 (ESV)

Who is this enemy? ... They are the natural selfish human desires whose sole purpose is to find satisfaction outside of the influence and control of God’s Spirit.

Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup has been a Methodist pastor for 28 years, during which he was also President of Trinity Annual Conference from 2005 to 2012 before he was elected Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore for the quadrennium till 2016.

e hear often about spiritual warfare. Not much however has been heard about the other warfare the apostle Peter mentions in the verse above. The Greek word for “soul” (psuche), which is the target of this battle, has the same root with “psychology”. So perhaps we should pay equal if not more attention to psychological and not just spiritual warfare. Specifically, our enemy in this conflict targets our minds and our emotions. The purpose is to manipulate them so that our wills direct us to behave in certain ways. Who is this enemy? It is an army Peter calls the “passions of the flesh.” They are the natural selfish human desires whose sole purpose is to find satisfaction outside of the influence and control of God’s Spirit. They were part of our lives before we came to faith in Christ, and they have not left since then. Christ has already demolished their power on the cross. However, they refuse to surrender, but have merged into the crowd of many Christian virtues. Then under the cover of spirituality, they engage in covert operations. Once in a while they spring surprise attacks. If our souls are unprepared, we are crushed. Over time, if they keep winning these little battles, we will end up believing that we have lost the war. We find out the true nature of what these enemies are often only after they have surfaced in our lives. Paul describes it this way: “It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional

garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consumingyet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalising everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.” (Galatians 5:19-21, The Message) Note that the list is not exhaustive, and it is not all of a sexual nature. How can the Christian uphold the victory that has already been won by Christ on the cross? Peter’s prescription is that we abstain from the passions of the flesh, i.e. hold back from going ahead to do what they tell us. This is a difficult thing to do if we only focus on the action (or inaction). This is why Peter’s emphasis is that we see ourselves as sojourners and pilgrims. It is a mindset change, a renewal of our mind that might help us to exercise that restraint. Paul’s prescription leads us to turn to another source – the Holy Spirit. When we do, we see the results: “He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.” (Galatians 5:22-23, The Message) Taking the two prescriptions together, we see Peter telling us what we must not do (i.e. abstain), and Paul telling us what we must do (“keep in step with the Spirit”, Galatians 5:25, ESV). Not all our troubles come from satan. When we recognise this other enemy, and arm ourselves well, we can maintain the victory already won for us by Christ on both fronts. n Picture by Creativa/Bigstock.com

METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

NATIONAL DAY AWARDS 2013

Congratulations!

Methodist Message congratulates the following who have received the 2013 National Day Awards

CHURCHES Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church Mdm Seah Ai Hua Efficiency Medal Aldersgate Methodist Church LTC (NS) Hua Yew Loong Michael Commendation Medal (Military) Miss Chua Li Tiam Sally Commendation Medal Barker Road Methodist Church Maj (NS) Dr Chong Yew Lam Commendation Medal (Military) Mdm Choh Thian Jeng Celia * Long Service Medal Assoc Prof Ong Kian Chung Long Service Medal Benjamin Prof Ng Swee Lian Ivy Long Service Medal Mr Sia Kheng Hong Long Service Medal Assoc Prof Chua Siang Jin Long Service Medal Terrance Dr Yuen Yih Long Service Medal Covenant Community Methodist Church Mr Koh Poh Tiong, PBM Public Service Star Mr Lim Eng Chong Public Administration Medal (Silver) Fairfield Methodist Church Mdm Morna Tan Wang Lin * Commendation Medal Hinghwa Methodist Church Miss Ng Swee Lin Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Holland Village Methodist Church Mr Goh Yew Lin, PBM Public Service Star COL Paul Chew Public Administration Medal (Bronze) (Military)

Ms Koh Meow Koon Ms Koh Wei Ling Karen Miss Chung Lee Geok Ms Teng Chai Lian Mr Liu Nam Kang Mr Chin Kim Tham Desmond Mr Lim Yew Jin

Commendation Medal Commendation Medal Long Service Medal Long Service Medal Long Service Medal Long Service Medal Long Service Medal

SCHOOLS Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) Mdm Lui Sook-Yi Kathryn Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Mr James Lee Huan Siak Commendation Medal Mdm Kuah Hui Hui Commendation Medal Mdm Chee Kheng Hwa Annabella Long Service Medal Miss Lee May Po Long Service Medal Mr Harvinder Singh s/o G Singh Long Service Medal Mr Wong Soong Hung Long Service Medal Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) Mdm Tan Lay Hoon Christine * Commendation Medal Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) Mdm Poon Meng Yin * Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Anglo-Chinese Junior College Miss Tee Ai Lee Commendation Medal Mr Mohd Mashren B Masood Long Service Medal Miss Pang Puay San Long Service Medal Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) Mdm Morna Tan Wang Lin * Commendation Medal

Kum Yan Methodist Church Mr David Ang Khoon Seng Public Service Medal

Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) Mr Ganesan S/O Raman Commendation Medal

Methodist Church of the Incarnation Mrs Tang-Lim Guek Im Public Administration Medal (Silver)

Geylang Methodist School (Primary) Mdm Lim Siew Kuan Long Service Medal

Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church Mr Quah Poh Keng Don Public Service Medal

Geylang Methodist School (Secondary) Mdm Koh Phek Mui Long Service Medal

Pentecost Methodist Church Mr Lew Chee Keong Commendation Medal

Methodist Girls’ School Miss Julie Chng Miss Tsien Jiuan Jiuan Mdm Leong Yin Yoke Mdm Chia Siew Gim Florence Mdm Ho Ngai Kuen Magdalene Mr Ling Beng Huat

Tamil Methodist Church Dr Sathyapaul D. William, PBM Public Service Star Toa Payoh Methodist Church Mrs Chew-Ong Gek Tee, Sally Public Administration Medal (Silver) Mdm Tan Lay Hoon Christine* Commendation Medal Mr Joseph Tay Khim Soon Minister for Home Affairs National Day Award (Home Team Volunteers) Wesley Methodist Church Mr Wong Yew Meng, PBM Public Service Star Dr Allan Fong Chee Yang Public Service Medal Mr Stephen Loh Sur Yong Public Service Medal Mr Andrew Tan Kok Kiong Public Administration Medal (Silver) Mdm Poon Meng Yin * Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Miss Gwee Su Pin Sandra Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Ms Koh Tuck Hoon Eunice Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Miss Christina Tan Mui Ling Public Administration Medal (Bronze)

Commendation Medal Long Service Medal Long Service Medal Long Service Medal Long Service Medal Long Service Medal

Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) Mdm Caroline Seng Boon Leng Commendation Medal Mdm Choh Thian Jeng Celia * Long Service Medal Mdm Tiew Tsui Lu Long Service Medal Mdm Seaw Cheng Cheng Long Service Medal Mdm Chan Peck Yoke Jenny Long Service Medal Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary) Mrs Jesumathy Christopher Long Service Medal All names of recipients and awards were as provided by the Churches and Schools. Picture by maxxyustas/Bigstock.com

SAYS THE PRESIDENT

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16 (NASB)

Let me be

homo unius libri. The Rev Dr Gordon Wong was elected President of Trinity Annual Conference in 2012 for the quadrennium. He has been a Methodist pastor for 27 years, and was a lecturer at Trinity Theological College in the Old Testament, biblical Hebrew and homiletics since 1995.

pray that the above John Wesley quote will be better known, and better embraced, by Methodists in Singapore. Homo unius libri – Latin for “a person of one book”. The book Wesley was referring to was the Bible. Wesley believed that God’s way of salvation through Christ was written down by God in the Bible. The quote is found in the Preface to Wesley’s Standard Sermons, a collection compiled to help Methodist local preachers promote scriptural holiness throughout the land. (“Scriptural holiness” is another Wesley quote which I think we Methodists should embrace more fully.) Wesley writes: “God himself has condescended to teach the way: For this very end he came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it: Here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri.” I think it would be great if Singaporean Methodists were regarded as people who made the careful study and application of the Bible

a chief characteristic of their lives – homo unius libri, a people of one book. Praise God that Christians all over the world have started using the 34-week Bible-reading programme developed by the United Methodist Church known as DISCIPLE. Many of our Singapore Methodist churches have small groups that use this series also. This is one way we try to promote the idea of being “a people of one book”, committed to spreading “scriptural holiness” throughout the land. Methodism is also famous for having given the world so many scriptural hymns and songs. John Wesley wrote a few, but his brother Charles is attributed with having composed more than 7,000! Among them are favourites like “And Can It Be That I Should Gain” and “Hark The Herald Angels Sing”. This combination of the Bible’s teaching on Christ and the value of hymns and songs comes together in Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (NASB) I am thankful to be part of a Methodist heritage that urges me to be homo unius libri and to sing hymns and songs that inspire us to not only read the Scriptures, but to sing them as well. I hope you are too. n

Picture by Flynt/Bigstock.com

METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

World Methodism

One People Meet in London

bout 300 people representing more than 100 countries gathered at the historic Wesley’s Chapel at City Road, London for the World Methodist Council Meeting from September 10-13. Bishop Ivan Abrahams, General Secretary of the World Methodist Council, shared that “… the goal for this meeting is not only to reconvene our worldwide family, but to also discern and attempt to understand what God is calling us to do … The world is changing fast, and the church needs to change with it.” Representing Singapore at the Council meeting were Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup and leaders from our three Annual Conferences. There were two key highlights1 during the Council meeting. Husband and wife missionary team, Marion and Anita Way, were awarded the 2013 World Methodist Peace Award in recognition of their work in Angola and Brazil. Spanning over 54 years of continuous work, the couple helped more than 15,000 children and 45,000 families, and more than 100,000 were reached through their efforts. They used their faith to assist in the fight against political

oppression, racism and other obstacles throughout their career. Mr Way passed away earlier this year in May, but their work lives on as a testament to the power of mission. The theme and logo (left) of the 2016 World Methodist Conference, scheduled from August 31 to September 4 in Houston, Texas, were unveiled. The theme, “One”, is to reflect the Council’s goal of being a body that unites the 80 member churches from the Methodist, Wesleyan, Nazarene, United and Uniting church traditions as well as recalling John Wesley’s quote that “Methodists are one people in all the world.” The Conference’s winning logo was designed by Ms Cathryn Wooton, a graphic designer from Virginia. For more information about the Council, please visit www. worldmethodistcouncil.org. n 1

Based on information and news releases in the World Methodist Council website.

THE ISRAELTRAIL “The organisation of the entire tour was seamless and conducted at a very nice pace that gave all of us ample time to appreciate and soak in the many sights and sounds of Israel.”

Sebastian Sim

TV & Radio Personality

Customised Pilgrimage Tours

The Bible Comes Alive In Israel

www.budget-tours.com.sg

t:67371811

YOU & YOUR FAMILY

Pure nostalgia or note-worthy? 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 in 2011 and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.

We need to strike a balance, as in so many things, between the past and the present. We need to have in our lives a place for things and practices from the past that are noteworthy, that are still of value.

n the previous article, I talked about memory. Recently, the following memory drifted back into my consciousness. I had just started work with my third employer. I noticed that the agency lacked a piece of office equipment which was revolutionary for its time. When I proposed to my new boss that perhaps we would be more efficient if we purchased a facsimile machine (now commonly known as a fax machine), his response was: “What for?” It was not that my boss was not interested in improving office efficiency. Rather, he thought highly of the efficiency of postal services which promised same-day or next-day delivery. He was also, I suspect, one of those who was a little suspicious of the need and value of hurrying things along. Well, the fax machine came and invaded many of our offices and homes. And if you still have one, it is probably gathering dust at some corner. Other work innovations also had their heyday, like the pager that one attached conspicuously on a belt to show others how important you are. There are some innovations and gadgets that have stayed. We may also become so used to them that we wonder how on earth we ever survived without them. Take the mobile phone for instance. Some actually feel “naked” leaving the home without their mobile phone. Many have discarded the practice of wearing a wrist watch since the mobile phone can also tell us the time. And an office presentation is never delivered without the support of the Microsoft PowerPoint computer programme. With each new gadget and device we have added into our lives, they replace something. Some replacements are welcomed. The housewife is not nostalgic about the washboard. I do not think that you will find many typists missing the typing ribbons or the carbon paper. Seldom do engineers miss their slide ruler, except as a quaint decorative office piece.

However, some of what has been displaced is less tangible and may have worth. Although it may be faster to look up a place on Google Maps, looking it up in an atlas has its merits too. We perhaps learn of its orientation to continents and countries and time zones. Writing a letter to a friend by hand may mean that it takes more time, but pondering over the right words to use and exercising your penmanship conveys something of your character and feelings. The days of a family sitting together in their living room glued to their only Rediffusion set or blackand white television is now replaced with each family member in their own rooms plugged into their own entertainment device. Some readers may think that I, being in my fifties, am only being nostalgic about the past. The truth is that I am not closed to learning and innovation. However, I am worried that in our haste to embrace change, we are not mindful of what we are giving up. We may not be valuing enough what we have. Our past, and the things and practices associated with it, forms our sense of identity. (I am deliberately using the past continuous tense.) Everything and every time we discard, we discard something of our past and, dare I say, of ourselves as well. Of course we cannot keep everything. Those who attempt to do so develop the pathological habit of hoarding. When this happens, our present lives become crowded out by our past existence. There will be no room for growth and newness. We need to strike a balance, as in so many things, between the past and the present. We need to have in our lives a place for things and practices from the past that are noteworthy, that are still of value. Not everything new is necessarily better, nor is everything that speaks of efficiency and speed better than processes that require us to be patient and reflective. So perhaps my old boss, now sadly deceased, had a point when he was so resistant to change and the fuss of rushing about. n

Picture by Pixelbliss/Bigstock.com

METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

MISSION

Precious Friendships Forged in a Foreign Land What is it like to leave home, family and friends to serve in a nation where you often have to learn the language from scratch? It takes faith, passion, courage and an unwavering desire to do God’s will. In the first of a series on getting to know our missionaries, Doris Chan, Methodist Missions Society (MMS) missionary in Cambodia for the past 14 years, shares her personal reflections with Methodist Message.

“W

hen I was in my teens, I was very much influenced by missionaries serving here. One of my Sunday School teachers was an OMF missionary doing her language studies. After she left for the field, we continued to keep in touch. At a youth retreat, and later at a Missions Conference, I dedicated my life to God to serve Him full-time wherever He might send me. After having been a teacher for 11 years, then going on to complete my Bachelor of Theology at the Singapore Bible College and serving my home church – Faith Methodist – for nine years, I finally entered the mission field. MMS Cambodia needed a teacher to help kick-start the primary school there. This was clearly what God had been preparing me for, and it was time for me to move out of my ‘comfort zone’. The decision was both hard and not so hard to make. Hard because I had very strong ties with the members in my church. The small group ministry that I was in charge of was challenging, but very satisfying. I was doing well, and things were comfortable.

But then, the decision wasn’t so hard to make either – I was reminded of my commitment to God, and it was time for me to move on. By then, both my parents had passed on, and I did not have family obligations. So it was easy to pack up and leave. In Cambodia, I taught English to the first Primary One class made up of 22 students. I continued to teach them for most of their primary education till they completed Primary Six. By then only 11 students were left. Today I am in touch with nine of them. I am proud to say that they are all doing well. One has gone on to be a pilot, and the rest are in university. Their faith in God is what encourages me most. What they learnt in school, they have kept and are growing in the Lord. Several of them also help out with translation when teams visit from Singapore. I moved on to teach at the Cambodian Methodist Bible School after six years in the primary school. Here I had the opportunity to influence and mentor students who were preparing to be pastors in the local churches. Teaching and children have been my passion, so I concentrated on teaching Christian Education at the Bible School besides teaching other subjects as and when the need arose. One area I looked into was the children’s ministry in the local churches. It was one thing to tell them what to do, but another to actually do it. My challenge was to put into practice what I taught in the classroom. About two and a half years ago, I started an English centre in a village to reach out to children, and of course their parents as well. Called ‘The Upper Room’, five villagers now regularly attend our Sunday cell group, and 25 children attend Sunday School. I believe that this form of outreach would be a good church-planting model in other villages.

Although I have reached retirement age – 65 – I am extending my time here to see this ministry through and for as long as my health permits. I am also grooming and mentoring my coworkers Bopha and Chorvin to be more independent, so that they can be part of the succession plan to see this ministry through. When I came into the field, I did not expect a smooth road. Language was always challenging, the values and expectations were very different. But what has made all the difference has been the precious friendships that I have forged, especially with my domestic helper. At first, she and I were like a ‘chicken and duck’- we couldn’t communicate at all! When I needed help with groceries, I sketched out the vegetables and learnt the names from her. Our friendship continued even after she stopped working for me. A fervent believer, she has sadly gone home to the Lord. At the Bible School, I became close friends with several of the students, who would later become pastors. We shared our struggles and meals, and prayed together. It has been a great joy to see some of them married and with families. I thank God for these very precious friendships with some of the people of Cambodia.” n

PRAY for u stamina and good health to keep going u two more persons to join The Upper Room ministry u Doris to be a role model to those she is teaching at the Bible School. For more details, contact: The Rev Teresa Wilborn at 6478-4797 or teresa.wilborn@gmail.com

Pictures by Methodist Missions Society

WELFARE SERVICES

Rallying youths to take steps for a cause Chuang Bing Han is the Web Editor at Methodist Welfare Services, and worships at Harvester Community Church.

hen Jasper Ong, 28, and Leonard Chong, 26, heard about the STEPS For A Cause Runathon 2013, they spontaneously hatched a plan to rope in their friend Darryl Soon, 26, and raise funds for the needy at the same time. The trio, from Toa Payoh Chinese Methodist Church (TPCMC), threw down the gauntlet before the youths of TPCMC – raise funds for STEPS, and Darryl would run the 4.3 km route at the runathon pulling a tire along behind him. This harnessing of youths’ creativity and compassion is the precise motivation behind the STEPS For A Cause Runathon, which was held at Bedok Reservoir Park on August 24 this year. STEPS – now in its second year running – is organised by the Chinese Annual Conference youths to rally other youths for social concerns, using fund-raising as a means.

Before the runathon flag-off, Chinese Annual Conference President Rev Dr Chong Chin Chung said: “Society has high hopes for our youths. The church has high hopes for our youths… There are many tasks and ministries that need the youths to succeed.” And more are rallying to the cause. This year, 505 runners – more than double last year’s 220 runners – registered with STEPS to raise more than $60,000 for the 5,000 beneficiaries served by Methodist Welfare Services (MWS). Matthew Han, Chairman of the organising committee and member of Grace Methodist Church, believes that the youths are raring to serve, and they simply need an outlet. To reach out to Methodist youths, the STEPS organising committee made rounds at church services and Methodist gatherings. Between them, they spoke to Methodists from more than 10 churches, exhorting the congregations to step forward. TPCMC is one good example of how the youths can be rallied. Collectively, TPCMC youths raised more than $4,000.

“A dollar for every metre,” said Darryl, referring to the 4.3 km route that he ran. Lynn Chua, the winner for the ladies’ competitive category, said running events are a good way to raise money. “More people see the importance of health and are running more,” said the 23-year-old medical student who worships at Hinghwa Methodist Church. The Rev Andy Goh, advisor of the organising committee, also noted that STEPS is symbolic of Methodists journeying with the beneficiaries. “We’re running in unity with those who are running a tougher path in life,” he said. n

SUPPORT u our cause by volunteering, donating, and participating in MWS events. Visit www.mws.org.sg or www. facebook.com/methodistwelfareservices

Picture by Methodist Welfare Services

Darryl Soon from Toa Payoh Chinese Methodist Church pulling along the tire that he promised to run 4.3 km with, if youths from his church raised funds for MWS beneficiaries. By upping the ante, he and his two friends raised more than $4,000 with their creativity and brawn. METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

Ushering in God’s Kingdom with Singapore Methodists Gail Tan oversees the corporate communications and donor development aspects of Cru Singapore. She is also the editor for the organisation’s newsletter Ignite Movements Everywhere.

ru Singapore (previously Singapore Campus Crusade for Christ) is part of a world-wide evangelism ministry headquartered in Orlando, Florida, with ministry presence in 191 countries. Founded by Bill and Vonette Bright in 1951 on the UCLA campus in California, the ministry’s mission is to build communities of multiplying disciples through reaching, building and sending. Mr Bright died in 2003, and his memorial stone reads : “A slave of Jesus by choice. A life lived well.” Strong Methodist Connection By God’s grace, Cru Singapore has come a long way since a small group of disciples first gathered at the then University of Singapore in 1972 for the purpose of winning people to faith in Jesus Christ and building up the Body.

Today, we are planted in 10 tertiary institutions in Singapore, and our mission teams have ministered in more than 35 countries. Our first local staff members were Nedunghat and Sally Sankaran, then active members of Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church. The Sankarans started the Housing Estate Ministry, and by 1980, had reached 50,000 homes in 25 housing estates with the Gospel. We give thanks that our past four decades have seen many milestones of evangelistic opportunities – here in Singapore and beyond our shores. Methodists make up about 23 per cent of our staff here in Singapore, and among them, more than half have served, or are currently serving in our overseas missions. Wilson and Pauline Two of our long-serving staff are members of Faith Methodist Church. Wilson and Pauline Lau have been serving God full-time with Cru Singapore for over 30 years.

Mr Lau is with the Leadership Development department, while Mrs Lau currently serves as team leader of Cru Singapore’s “The Significant Woman” ministry, of which Wesley Methodist Church is a key partner. This ministry serves to disciple women and to enable them to discover God’s unique calling for them. “I’ve led mission teams and provided missions member care, and this has helped me immensely in communicating the urgent need for missions,” said Mr Lau. In our church’s ‘Mission 2006’ project, by God’s grace, I was able to encourage over 1,000 church members to sign up for a mission trip.” Mr and Mrs Lau’s labour for God continues to touch the lives of many. None of this would have been possible without the continued prayer and financial support of friends and leaders at Faith Methodist Church. As all Cru staff walk a journey of faith in raising their own salary month-

…the ministry’s mission is to build communities of multiplying disciples through reaching, building and sending.

to-month, we are grateful and encouraged that the Methodist community has been fervent in encouraging us through their giving. Wilson and Pauline’s lives and ministry exemplify one of Cru Singapore’s key values: serving together with the church to touch lives. Winning The Lost Together We have been privileged to collaborate with the Methodist community in many evangelism endeavours. The “Here’s Life, Singapore” committee was one of the earliest such projects. This was a nation-wide movement in 1976 to 1977, which saw 110 churches reaching out to the nation in one accord. Evangelism and follow-up training for volunteers was conducted, and concurrently, the organising committee, which included many Methodist leaders, launched an island-wide poster campaign with the message, “I found it!”. The campaign was carried on public buses and other outdoor advertisement spaces. Members of the public could then call a hotline to find out more about the campaign, and volunteers manning the hotline would then lead them through a journey of discovery about the Christian faith. God was indeed at work! Through the campaign, 25,500 people heard the gospel, more than 9,000 of them said “yes” to a personal relationship with Jesus, and about 6,000 went on to receive follow-up from members of partnering churches. What a beautiful picture of serving together, and seeing God’s kingdom come! Everyone Deserves to Hear Undergirding Cru Singapore’s work is the conviction that everyone deserves an opportunity to hear the saving message of Jesus Christ. To fulfill our mission, Cru Singapore adopts a three-fold strategy: reach boldly (evangelism), build deeply (discipleship) and send urgently (missions). We desire to see believers built up in the faith, and sent to share with others the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ. Our ministries span a diverse segment – we tailor our outreach to the different target audiences. For example, we harness the use of creative tools such as short films, music and conferences, like our annual year-end event for tertiary students, “Metamorphosis”, to reach a changing generation. n Pictures by Cru Singapore

Campus Ministry Students reaching students

We seek to build a community of multiplying disciples, who are growing in their faith through discipleship groups and bringing God’s love to their campus and the nations.

Homemakers Ministry Mums with a mission

Our Homemakers Ministry equips stay-at-home mums to be a positive influence in and outside of their homes, through small group Biblestudy in homes, parenting seminars and outreach activities.

Truth Living Ministry Young professionals ministry

We endeavour to help recent university graduates become effective ministers for Christ wherever they are called. This is done through small group Bible-study sessions, personal mentoring, seminars and vision trips.

The Significant Woman Equipping women for effective ministry

Staff members partner women’s ministries from local churches to train them in discipleship and evangelism. They also conduct life and peer coaching sessions, evangelistic gatherings and leadership training. Wesley Methodist Church is a valued partner of this ministry.

Healthcare Ministry Marrying medicine with missions Our Healthcare Ministry provides both platform and opportunity

for healthcare undergraduates and professionals to marry medicine and missions through Bible-studies and medical mission trips.

Media Ministry Publication and distribution of resources Our Media Ministry provides the Christian community with resources for spiritual growth and outreach through print publications, as well as seminars with renowned authors.

Let Us Serve You Go Beyond the Borders Come with us and experience God’s power at work in the mission field! [Email: missions@cru.org.sg] Special Discount for Church Purchases Present this page at Cru Singapore’s Media Ministry bookstore and receive $50 off every $250 spent. Offer valid till November 14, 2013. Terms and Conditions This offer is only valid for churches making purchases for the first time. The offer is not valid for nett-price or discounted items, and items on promotion. Cru Singapore 152 Paya Lebar Road Citipoint@PayaLebar, #04-06 Singapore 409020 Tel: 6223-2269 Fax: 6747-3742 www.cru.org.sg corpcomms@cru.org.sg Media Ministry (bookstore) 15 Playfair Road #02-01 FGA@Playfair Singapore 367987 Tel: 6356-6063 Fax: 6356-6109 www.media.cru.org.sg sales@cru.org.sg

METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

| 11

CHurch profile

Christalite Methodist Chapel

Shining for Christ in Geylang schools Andrea Low is a volunteer contributor who is passionate about story-telling and travelling. A PR communications professional by day, she worships at Christalite Methodist Chapel.

ver a decade ago, Christalite Methodist Chapel began with a simple mission: To share God’s love with the Geylang Methodist Schools and the Geylang community. Spurred by the Holy Spirit’s leading, a small group of leaders and members from Christ Methodist Church moved to Geylang Methodist School to start a preaching point in September 1996.

Christalite Methodist Chapel (Trinity Annual Conference) 4 Geylang East Central, Level 3, S(389706) Sunday services: 8 am and 9.45 am (English), 9.45 am (Mandarin) Contact: 6742-4025 or visit www.christalitemc.org.sg

We continue our series of profiling local churches from our three Annual Conferences of The Methodist Church in Singapore. As we come to have a better understanding of each other’s history and ministry, there may be opportunity to forge cross-church partnerships and collaborations.

In order to “be a disciple-making Christian community that shines in Geylang,” the chapel focuses on partnering the Geylang Methodist Schools – Primary and Secondary – to reach out to children, youth and their families in powerful and relevant ways. The chapel is located on the third floor of the GMS(P) building. Christalite has initiated programmes and events to provide support for families in the community, in order to develop the full potential of children and youth, and strengthen family ties. The yearly CARE EVENT programme is one of them. Christalite identifies 60 families with children in GMS(P), and shows them love by meeting their needs. Each family is given NTUC vouchers and cash amounting to $500 a year. In addition, the families will receive hampers during Christmas. Every family is also attached to a cell group in Christalite, who will purposefully befriend these families and be their care partners throughout the year, inviting them to church events and paying them house visits. Christalite also partners GMS(P) to minister to families in crisis. When a family meets a crisis, the school will notify chapel staff, who would then get in touch with the families to provide assistance and support in their time of need. Over the years, the needs of families have evolved and the chapel has kept pace with these changes, starting new programmes such as subsidised tuition sessions for students, the Sponsor-A-Child programme and Parents’ Fellowship. Last August, the chapel took over the management of Christalite Student Care Centre in Geylang East Central, just a stone’s throw away from the school. Additionally, we have partnered the schools in working with the Dads

Children and youth are a main focus of Christalite Methodist Chapel’s outreach efforts to the community, particularly through the Geylang Methodist Schools.

for Life movement to foster strong ties between fathers and children. The chapel is also the sponsoring church of the Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade companies in both the Primary and Secondary schools. As a result of more than a decade of these practical outreach programmes, many of the children, youth, and adults at Christalite are living testimonies of lives touched by God’s love, and are now active members of the church ministry, reaching out to the next generation of children and youth. This is very much in line with the chapel’s mission: To be a church for Geylang Methodist School (Primary) and the Geylang community, and to make disciples of every church member who will in turn disciple others. The Rev Nga Mee Hee, Pastor-inCharge of Christalite Methodist Chapel, reflects: “God has been very faithful in providing for us and blessing our ministry, first as a Preaching Point and then as a Local Conference since 2005. “I’m thankful for the expanding family in Christalite that extends love and grace to one another, and labours tirelessly to care for and bless others in the schools and the Geylang community. May we continue to be a beacon of light that shines in Geylang!” n

PRAY u for the chapel’s continued ministry among students, their families, and the Geylang community.

Pictures by Christalite Methodist Chapel

SAYS FROM THE PRESIDENT LEARNING THE HERETICS

Dynamic monarchianism Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College. He worships at the Fairfield Preaching Point in Woodlands.

ne of the most important tenets of the Christian faith (perhaps the most important) is the Trinity. Since its inception, the Church has taught that there is only one God. Like Judaism, Christianity is a monotheistic religion. But Christians have a very unique understanding of the oneness of God. For although Christians maintain that there is only one God, they also insist that the one God is a communion of three distinct persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Yet, the three persons in the Godhead do not constitute three gods. The doctrine of the Trinity therefore distinguishes the monotheism of the Christian faith from other religious or philosophical versions. The Church has always maintained that her unique conception of God is derived from God’s own self-disclosure in Scripture and supremely in Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate Son.

the monotheism of the Christian faith. Consequently, he proposed an alternative way of understanding Jesus Christ and the Spirit in relation to God the Father. Scholars have described his approach as “monarchianism” (which literally means “sole sovereignty”) because of its insistence on the unity and indivisibility of God. Theodotus taught that Jesus of Nazareth was merely a man who at his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist was endued with the power of God and commissioned to proclaim the message of salvation. Note that for Theodotus, the divine power that descended upon the man Jesus was not God Himself, but an impersonal power that proceeded from God. This version of “monarchianism” is described as “dynamic” precisely because of the impersonal power or force (the Greek word for power is dunamis) that resided in Jesus, enabling him to heal the sick, raise the dead, and fulfil the mission that was entrusted to him. In this way, Theodotus could speak of the Father, Son and the Spirit without compromising the non-negotiable belief in the one God. God, the Father, “adopts” the man Jesus as His son by anointing him with His spirit (or power, dunamis) to proclaim the message of the Kingdom.

... “monarchianism” is described as “dynamic” precisely because of the impersonal power or force (the Greek word for power is dunamis) that resided in Jesus, enabling him to heal the sick, raise the dead, and fulfil the mission that was entrusted to him. Although the concept of the triune God is attested to everywhere in the Church’s Rule of Faith and liturgy, some early Christians have found it disturbing and difficult to accept. These Christians were worried that the doctrine as it was articulated in the Church’s Rule of Faith may compromise the monotheism of the faith, resulting in tri-theism, that is, belief in three gods. Consequently, a number of early Christian leaders and pastors attempted alternative ways of understanding the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit within their monotheistic framework. One of the earliest attempts to do this is often associated with a certain Byzantine leather merchant known as Theodotus. It is important to note at the outset that Theodotus was broadly orthodox in his theology. He believed that the sovereign God created the heavens and the earth. He believed that God continues to sustain His creation, and that He is mysteriously guiding it to its proper end or telos. He even believed in the virgin birth of Jesus. But Theodotus was unable to accept the doctrine of the Trinity because he thought that it would compromise

Although Theodotus was the first to propose this theory, it was Paul of Samosata who expounded it with great eloquence and sophistication. The genius of the monarchians is that they were able to use the “trinitarian language” of orthodox Christianity to articulate their strictly unitarian concept of God. At its most basic formulation, however, dynamic monarchianism is very similar to Ebionitism. Therefore, it rejects the Church’s doctrine of the Trinity only by first dismissing her Christology, what she believes and professes about the person of Christ. The monarchians could not accept the orthodox doctrine of the incarnation (that the eternal Son of God became a man) simply because of their refusal to allow for a plurality of persons in the Godhead. Thus, in attempting to preserve an alien monotheism inspired largely by Greek thought, the monarchians have not only discarded the central dogma of the faith; they were also guilty of the worst blasphemy because in rejecting His deity, they refused to worship the eternal Son of God. n Background picture by Terry Evans/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

| 13

PAGE 16

METHODIST MESSAGE, JUNE 2009 METHODIST MESSAGE, AUGUST 2013

HOME

Evangelistic soccer tournament by Tamil churches Pictures by Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference Board on Evangelism p The Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC) Board on Evangelism organised an evangelistic five-a-side soccer tournament at the Singapore Indian Association on Aug 24. t The Rev R. Prabhu, President of ETAC, greeting players at the tournament. The event

The Rev Isaac Raju is Pastor at Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church and Jurong Tamil Methodist Church. He is also Chairman of the Board on Evangelism in Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference.

saw participation by 10 teams from ETAC churches and various other churches with Tamil congregations such as St. Paul’s Church, Church of the Epiphany and Smyrna Assembly. It was an enjoyable means of fellowship and a good opportunity for churches to build friendships with pre-believers, who were invited by their friends in the churches and formed about half of the players at the event.

‘God’s gifts not limited by disabilities’ ... continued from page 1 “God’s gifts are not limited by disabilities,” he declared, drawing from his own experience with his son Karl, who has Down Syndrome. The Rev Hoecke had thought that Karl would suffer from “Holy Spirit delay” in tandem with his delayed cognitive development. However, he realised: “Karl would often run up to a person to comfort them. It was only after I chatted with the person myself that I realised the person was going through a tough time. Somehow, Karl sensed that – he was my ‘holy spirit’. He had this gift of going up to folks who needed ministry 100 per cent of the time!” That completely changed his perspective. Rather than viewing people with disabilities as merely recipients of ministry, he began to view them as partners in ministry, with special gifts, and able to serve much like the rest of us. This was evident throughout the conference as several of the volunteers and helpers with disabilities ministered capably in ways such as ushering, welcoming, and taking photographs. And Ms Lee Hwee Chin, one of the Pastoral Team Members of Children’s Ministry at Wesley Methodist Church, later testified to the powerful prayer and prophetic ministry of children with special needs. Is there then a “theology of disability”? Studying the Biblical references to disability, the Rev Hoecke came to the surprising conclusion that “for some reason, God wants this stuff ” – He made disabilities, as noted in Exodus 4:11. John 9:1-20 gives us a hint: it has to do with God’s glory being displayed through the disability world. And maybe, as seen in the apostle Paul’s experience of asking for healing in 2 Cor 12:7-9, God knows there needs to be more brokenness in the church – “it’s hard, it hurts, but it keeps me broken, it keeps me seeking Him”. The Rev Hoecke testified to becoming a “much better pastor and father, because my first-born was born with a disability”.

Methodist Message interviewed the Rev Hoecke, and asked him: “How do you see the ‘theology of disability’ interacting with the theology of healing?” Watch for our upcoming article that reveals his answer! He noted that 13 passages in the Bible refer to disabilities in the prophetic, as in Micah 4:6-7, and stated: “I believe God will do something in the last days, when we gather the lame, the blind and the crippled.” What is the Church’s role? As families of persons with special needs grapple with an on-going “grief cycle”, they do not want our pity or sympathy, but rather our compassion, the Greek word of which signifies sharing their burden. Although parent-to-parent support is uniquely helpful, there are several ways of burden-sharing that do not require specialised knowledge or training, such as simple befriending, help in accessing resources, support for daily tasks, setting up an inter-church network, advocacy and education. Any member of the church – pastors or lay – can help form a caring community for families with special needs. What is crucial is a willingness to welcome them, and dialogue with them to find out their needs. How will you respond to this call? Will you ask, like I did: “What’s mine to do, Lord?” Perhaps you, too, will hear Him reply: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” (Ecc 9:10a) n

ASK u God how you can care for families with special needs u your church to develop a church-wide special needs policy u families with special needs how you can support them.

JOIN u a network of Christians supporting families with special needs in various ways. Contact Ms Lee Hwee Chin at hweechinl@ wesleymc.org

METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

| 15

METHODIST MESSAGE, AuGuST 2013

Hymns & songs

Four acts of worship in one hymn Called To Gather As God’s People Called to gather as God’s people, We assemble in this place To unite our hearts and voices In thanksgiving for God’s grace: For the birthing of creation, For Christ’s rising from death’s hold, For the coming of the Spirit, Week by week claimed and retold. Taught and formed by proclamation, We await God’s promised word: Song and story, psalm and precept, All the range of scripture heard. By this ancient, living witness We are summoned to confess How we fall short, yet can trust that God will hear, forgive, and bless. Fed at Christ’s abundant table, We partake of holy food, Wake the gifts of hope and mem’ry Taste and see that God is good. So our mingled lives are taken, Blessed and broken for Christ’s sake, Given out to feed and comfort Bodies, minds, and hearts that ache. Sent to share the Spirit’s blessing, We go forth renewed, restored, Humbled by the task before us, Strengthened by the Love outpoured. Finding faith confirmed in action, Led by hope through each new day, We are called to be God’s people, Living what we sing and pray.

Judith Mosomos is Lecturer in Church Music at the Methodist School of Music and a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.

f the many hymns we hear and sing, here is one that teaches us about the four acts of worship. These four acts of historical worship are generally practiced by many churches although through various expressions. A brief description of each by this hymn will help us understand these acts and make us more aware of what is going on in worship. First, we are “called to gather as God’s people”. Here, we unite our hearts and voices to express our praise and thanksgiving to our God who continues to work in creation. In this act, we may have the following elements: call to worship, opening prayer, song or songs of praise, and prayer of confession and pardon. Second, we are “taught and formed by proclamation.” We listen to the word of God through Scripture and the sermon week after week. What is crucial here is that “all the range of scripture” is heard. When this happens, we are able to witness God’s act throughout history even as He continues to act today touching lives, healing hurts and giving us hope for the future. Third, we are “fed at Christ’s abundant table.” This is the church’s response to the proclamation of the Word. As a community, we gather around the table to remember the great story of salvation. It is here that we are reconciled to each other, with the world and to God the Father through the love of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Fourth, we are “sent to share the Spirit’s blessing.” We now have a mission. “We are called to be God’s people, living what we sing and pray.” It is a humbling task, knowing that the world before us is a tough one. We have been transformed by the worship experience, our faith is renewed, and with the hope and assurance of God’s mercy and grace, we are now ready to face the world head-on. The most accessible tune to use for this hymn is Nettleton (also sung to the text of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”). It is a general hymn we can sing any time of the Christian Year. The author of the hymn, the Rev Carl P. Daw, Jr., is an American Episcopal priest. He is Adjunct Professor of Hymnology, Curator of the Hymnological Collections in Boston University School of Theology. n Background picture by zurijeta/Bigstock.com

Text: Carl Daw, Jr. b 1944 Tune: NETTLETON Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, Pt. II 1813

METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

| 17

Samaritan POEM

Dr Oliver Seet is a member of Wesley Methodist Church and a Board Director of the Metropolitan YMCA.

The quintessence of godliness lies not in the priestly garments of a holy order nor in sacred ornaments adorning neck or crown; Nor does it lie in pious demeanour and genuflection, in outward professions of faith alone, nor in an untainted genealogy; not in impressive public prayers and theological discourse, nor in ritual and ceremony. Authentic godliness wears a common face; it resides in a heart sensitive to human need and responsive to the cries of desperation of the destitute and of the wounded, giving unstintingly out of a heart of love, with no expectation of return. On such the Father smiles for they mirror the very heart of God. Background picture by kgtoh/Bigstock.com

Editor’s NOTE

Dear Reader, We’re delighted to have received responses to our new-look Methodist Message – a big thank you to all who took the time to give us feedback. Feedback has been encouraging – creatively refreshing, forward-looking, superlative redesign and so forth. There has also been feedback on legibility, sequence of contents including a suggestion for a full content list. The new MM will continue to be a work in progress. Our aim is to strike a fine balance between keeping you updated, presenting engaging content that you may be led to respond to, or relate with, and building stronger connectivity within our Church. We’ll consider all feedback, and will certainly be mindful as we move forward. In the meantime - bring home your copy of MM, and after you’ve finished reading it, do pass it on to other family members, friends and colleagues. We welcome your continued feedback, as well as reflections and sharing – just drop us a line at newmm@methodist.org.sg. Shalom,

Voices for Hospices Charity Concert

Oct 12 (Saturday), 6.30 pm

Singapore Polytechnic Convention Centre, 500 Dover Road Buy tickets now for this charity concert in aid of the Singapore Hospice Council, the umbrella body representing all hospice and palliative care organisations in Singapore, including Agape Methodist Hospice. The concert is part of a global music event which coincides with the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day Celebrations. Headlining acts include Rahimah Rahim, Eunice Olsen, percussion band Strikeforce, performers from School of the Arts and more. Tickets available at $150, $200, or a donation of any amount. Organised by Singapore Hospice Council. For tickets, call Mr Edwin Lim or Ms Cindy Wee at 6221-9578 or email voicesforhospices@singaporecancersociety.org.sg

STEPS Missions Weekend

Discerning God’s Plan For You in Missions Oct 18-20, stay-in from Friday night to Sunday OMF Singapore, 2 Cluny Road

Register by Oct 9 to invest a weekend exploring God’s plans for you in the area of missions. STEPS is a live-in programme to help you discern God’s leading through guided personal reflection, learning, praying, and sharing with fellow participants. You will be assigned a small-group mentor for the weekend. Fees are $100 per person, $190 per married couple and $25 per child aged 2-12 years (free for child younger than two). Organised by OMF Singapore. To register, email sg.events@omfmail.com

Help Build The Church Behind Bars:

A Church-based Holistic Prison Ministry Conference Oct 26, 8.30 am – 6 pm Woodlands Evangelical Free Church, 1 Woodlands Street 83

HELP BUILD THE CHURCH

BEHIND BARS A CHURCH-BASED HOLISTIC PRISON MINISTRY CONFERENCE

WE BELIEVE THAT NO ONE IS BEYOND THE REACH OF GOD'S REDEEMING LOVE Prison Fellowship Singapore is proud to host the one-day-only “A Church-Based Holistic Prison Ministry Conference” – for churches, ministers and volunteers with a God-given burden for prisoners and their families, to gain deeper insights into prison ministry.

DATE

26 OCTOBER 2013 SATURDAY

Sign up by Oct 10 to get the early-bird price for this conference for churches, ministers and volunteers with a God-given burden for prisoners and their families. The conference aims to inspire, challenge and equip participants to preach the gospel to inmates with compassion, to restore their brokenness into wholeness, to nurture disciples within prison walls and to empower them to impact society. Early-bird fees are $60 per person ($50 per person for a group of three from the same church). Signups past Oct 10 are still accepted but at $80 and $70 respectively. Organised by Prison Fellowship Singapore. To sign up, email prisonconference@pfs.org.sg or call Mr Daniel Chee at 6475-6136.

TIME

8.30AM - 6PM VENUE

WOODLANDS EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH (1 WOODLANDS ST. 83, SINGAPORE 738488)

C E L E B R AT I N G YEARS

OF MINIS TRY

A Night in “Old Shanghai”

Nov 3 (Sunday), 7.30 – 10 pm Kallang Theatre, 1 Stadium Walk

Donate to buy tickets for this charity musical in support of Asissi Hospice. It is a story of love lost and found, dreams demolished and rebuilt, hopes dashed and regained. Tickets available at $50, $80, $100 and $120. Organised by Echo of Love Society. For tickets, call Jacqueline or Daisy from Yio Chu Kang Community Club at 6457-0414.

METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

| 19

THINK

The mission field

IN OUR BACKYARD The Rev Dr Andrew Peh is the Dean of Students at Trinity Theological College and his training is in the area of mission and mission history. He is a diaconal minister in the Chinese Annual Conference and is appointed to Charis Methodist Church.

s various committees and boards meet to evaluate, plan and budget for 2014, it appears that invariably a large portion of the mission budget now includes a significant portion set aside for short-term mission trips. With budget air travel, and the attendant connectivity of the World Wide Web, there are now fewer constraints in the promotion of various options for short-term mission trips. Interestingly, short-term mission trips are a relatively new innovation in mission strategy. Between the advent of Protestant mission among the Moravians to the mid 20th century, most missionaries responded to God’s call as a lifelong commitment. Short-term missions were introduced in the 1950s and 1960s by organisations such as Operation Mobilization (OM) and Youth with a Mission (YWAM). With more churches and mission agencies now adopting a similar strategy, mission short-termers now out-strip traditional full-time missionaries. Yes, churches are now providing a wider option of itineraries to promote a missional character among members in response to the Acts 1:8 mandate. But are we also looking at a short-term mission trip as yet another project, or product to be consumed for our education, edification, encouragement, entertainment and enjoyment? While it may be heartening to see more being involved in mission, as witnesses “unto the uttermost parts of the world”, I am concerned that we may have developed spiritual hyperopia (or hypermetropia), more commonly referred to as long-sightedness. Have we become more enamoured with going to the rest of the world, but have omitted to see or cannot see the needs of “Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria”, the mission field which is around us? It is somewhat disconcerting when we ignore the plight of the migrant workers in our midst, or when we are oblivious to the needs of the poor and disenfranchised in our society, or when we seem indifferent to the pleas of those caught in the web of addiction and are imprisoned physically and spiritually. In a recent article in Christianity Today, the Rev Doug Banister, a pastor in Tennessee, USA, incisively commented that “some well-

Please see http://www.christianitytoday.com/thisisourcity/7thcity/ rethinking-3000-missions-trip.html, accessed 30 July 2013.

Jurgen Moltmann, The Church in the Power of the Spirit: A Contribution to Messianic Ecclesiology. (London: SCM Press, 1977), 64.

meaning Christians have a theology of mission that seeks to alleviate the spiritual and physical suffering of people far away, but pays little attention to needs here at home.” 1 Some regard his article as another criticism against short-term mission trips. While the importance of short-term mission trips has been researched and there are different camps in the ongoing discussion, the Rev Banister’s article does raise some pertinent questions for us to rethink our uncritical promotion of short-term mission trips in our mission policy and strategy. I am not suggesting that we do away with all shortterm mission trips. I believe that God can use both the short-term mission trippers as well as the long-term missionary to establish His church. But I do humbly challenge us to be more intentional in our organisation and follow-through of such trips. I would also urge that there be more long-term strategic planning and partnerships with the locals in the organising of these short-term mission trips. In an article written for Trinity Theological College’s Trumpet, I emphasised that the church today must review, recapitulate and recover a truly biblical perspective of mission, which involves a disassociation and ultimately a divorce of those mission praxes that are wedded with imperialism, consumerism, hedonism and all other possible syncretistic distractions. Our understanding of mission must be grounded in the Word of the Lord and modelled after Jesus Christ. We do well to remember that it is not the church that has a mission, but rather that it is the mission of God that has a Church. Or as Jurgen Moltmann put it: “It is not the church that has a mission of salvation to fulfil in the world; it is the mission of the Son and the Spirit through the Father that includes the church.”2 This is primary in our understanding of Missio Dei. I hold that the mission work in Siem Reap is significant, but so too is the mission to the migrant workers in Serangoon. I contend that the work in Guangzhou is vital to the spread of the Gospel in China, but likewise is the various social outreach work in Geylang in preventing the spread of HIV among the sex workers. I believe that providing humanitarian aid to those afflicted by natural calamities in Indonesia or Bangladesh is crucial, but so too is the crying need to provide for the poor and disenfranchised in Little India or Bukit Batok. Before we embark on another mission trip overseas, why not consider the possibility of mission work in our local context? Indeed, the mission field is all around us and the challenge for us Methodists is perhaps best represented in the centrifugal spread of scriptural holiness throughout all the lands. n Picture by David Teo Boon Hwee METHODIST MESSAGE • OCTOBER 13

| 20