Vol 115 No 2
February 2013 ISSN 0129-6868 MICA (P) 100/03/2012
10TH SESSION OF THE QUADRENNIAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE WOMEN’S SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE NOV 24-26, 2012
GC women encouraged to continue in outreach, prayer Story by Grace Toh n GC WSCS pictures
A STRONG CALL TO ACTION was delivered by Ms Dorothy Lim, the President of the General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (GC WSCS), in her President’s Report at the 10th Session of the Quadrennial General Meeting of the GC WSCS. The meeting was held at Thistle Johor Bahru Hotel from Nov 24 to 26, 2012, and was attended by about 100 delegates and observers. The delegates especially applauded the presence of five young women from the three Annual Conferences, whose attendance was sponsored under the Young Leadership Trainees Programme. They were: Ms Gracie Ngoi and Ms Vivien Lim from the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC), Ms Vinessa Vinodhani and Ms Ann Lavlina from Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC), and Ms Lindsay Chong from Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC). Ms Lim recognised the need for engagement of younger women in her report, asking: “Do our programmes attract younger women?” She acknowledged that the GC WSCS had put much effort into leadership training, especially to the younger women in their midst, but that the challenge remained in drawing young women to join the WSCS.
One suggestion that she made was to focus on mentoring, in line with Titus 2:3-5. She raised the following questions for each member to reflect on: “Did I make a conscious effort to encourage or provide opportunities for younger women to grow, not expecting their leadership style to be like mine? Can we be the drawing factor to help them see the benefits of women’s ministry?” She also urged delegates to reflect on whether the WSCS programmes were impacting women on all three levels – General Conference, Annual Conference and Local Conference – and whether the programmes helped members grow spiritually to become more God-loving. Ms Lim noted that only 35 out of the 46 churches in The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) had a WSCS, and that the growth of membership in the GC WSCS was not keeping pace with the membership growth of the MCS. She encouraged the conference to reach out to women in their own church and evangelise to women outside the church. She commended members for their faithful service in the
The newly-installed Conference Officers making a covenant to consecrate themselves for God’s service in the General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service.
area of prayer, saying: “Many of our women are good prayer warriors. We should continue to dialogue with God, listen to Him, and hear His heartbeat for the world.” Finally, she expressed her prayer that the WSCS in all 35 churches would make a difference, and impact all women to live an active life for Christ, in witness and evangelism, and in their respective homes. Ms Woo Ti Soo from Christ Methodist Church, responding to Ms Lim’s report, was appreciative of her leadership, noting that the President was often working at the GC WSCS office, which demonstrated her commitment to her role. She said: “There are many women who are capable, but commitment is not so easy. Praise God for Dorothy.” Other responses from the delegates echoed Ms Lim’s concerns about the need for engagement with younger women in the WSCS. They noted that many WSCS members recognised this need, and suggested ways of responding to it. Mrs Eunice Yeo from Holland Village Methodist Church acknowledged that younger women tended to be busy, but emphasised the need to continue looking for ways to draw them. She commended mentoring as an excellent way, and suggested finding practical ways of engaging young women. “For example,” she shared, “the women in Pentecost See Back Page
METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
God’s supreme creations TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR, I started reading the engaging book Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene H. Peterson. I would like to share an interesting part from one of its chapters, “Christ Plays in Creation”. In it, Peterson related that a few years ago he had a student who lived some distance from college and had to commute by bus from home every morning. As he left the house, he told his wife that he was going to immerse himself in God’s creation. He said the same on the second day, but when he did it again on the third day, his wife felt it necessary to remind him that he was supposed to be going to school; two days spent relaxing in the woods or by the sea was enough. The student replied that he had been attending classes. His wife then asked what he meant by immersing himself in God’s creation. He explained that each day he spent forty minutes per trip on the bus commute between home and college, and the bus was filled with men and women created by God in His own image. He could
Says The President
REV DR
CHONG CHIN CHUNG
not be more surrounded by God’s creation. I found this meaningful anecdote interesting. We often allow normalcy to obscure God’s creation and are blind to His masterpieces right before our eyes. We think that God’s craftsmanship is displayed in lofty mountains, wide oceans, and magnificent forests, or even in beautiful little flowers. What about our spouses – the wife or the husband with bad breath and who snores? Our interaction with people and things encountered daily is often influenced by the relationship that exists. Our regard for them can be affected by a whole spectrum of emotions and feelings. This is perhaps the reason why we naturally tend to select distant objects
which are unrelated to us for admiration as God’s masterpieces. This is human nature, one that is flawed and in need of repentance and transformation. Jesus Christ became man and lived among us. He taught us to see God’s creation and God’s love in ordinary things – the lilies of the field, the birds of the air, rain and sunshine. He also taught us how to look at people around us as God’s creations. Jesus had compassion for them and offered Himself as the sacrifice for their sins and sinful nature. And before He breathed His last, He prayed to God, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” In this new year, let us give thanks always for God’s creations that surround us each day, and remember to treat them with kindness. Treat them just as you would be kind to adorable kittens, pet dogs, pretty flowers, or colourful tropical fish. The fact is, God’s supreme creations are the people whom you meet each day. The Rev Dr Chong Chin Chung is the President of the Chinese Annual Conference.
HOME
Methodist Co-op Chairman receives commendation award By Edmund Kwan MR JOHN CHEONG, Chairman of the Methodist Co-operative Society Ltd (MCSL), has been conferred a Special Commendation Medal by the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF), in recognition of the body of work and his contribution towards the co-operative movement. The award was presented by Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Secretary General of the National Trade Union Congress, at the SNCF Honour Awards cum International Year of Co-operatives Closing Ceremony Dinner held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre on January 19, 2013. The SNCF Honour Awards is held every two to four years to recognise the important contributions of co-operatives, co-operators and friends of the cooperative movement who have made a difference to the co-operative movement
Mr John Cheong received the award for his contribution towards the co-operative movement in Singapore. – MCSL picture.
in Singapore or on an international level. Mr Cheong, a businessman, is a member of Barker Road Methodist Church and is involved in many other ministries alongside his role in the MCSL. He was previously the Chairman of Methodist Welfare Services. This is the second time that the MCSL and its members have been public recipients of awards given by SNCF. On July 4, 2008, the MCSL received the Commendation Plaque for its meritorious contributions to the co-operative
movement within Singapore. At the same award ceremony, Mr Cheong was also presented the individual Commendation Medal by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, then Senior Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports. The MCSL was formed on July 25, 1995, and has some 800 members to date, of which more than 80 per cent are Methodists. Over the years, the MCSL has honed its vision and mission of being a premier co-operative society based on biblical values. To this end, it continues to develop, manage and invest in social enterprises to meet the needs of our community. Edmund Kwan is the General Manager of Methodist Co-operative Society Ltd and a member of Faith Methodist Church.
METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
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BISHOP’S MESSAGE
In Christ alone THIS SONG IS often heard during Christmas: We are the reason that He gave His life We are the reason that He suffered and died To a world that was lost He gave all He could give To show us a reason to live Yet there is a line from another source that seems to contradict these words. The first sentence in Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, was: “It’s not about you.” So, are we the reason, or are we not? If we are not the reason, then what is? Among Christians this apparent contradiction seems to represent two schools of thought. On the one hand, there is the man-centred view and on the other the God-centred perspective. In the former school, it is “all about me”. The man-centred view does not mean that there is no faith in God. However, even in the view of God, as in the words of the song, it is all and still about us, we, and me. Even when Jesus died on the cross, it was for me, as “we are the reason that He gave His life.” The other school views it from the opposite angle. God is the first cause. He is the initiator. He loved us first. We love, only because He first loved us. He triggers all the other things that follow. As in any school of thought there are the extremes. Liberal and liberation theologies are the extreme consequences of the man-centred universe. It is the plight of man that moves the agenda and motivates action. On the other extreme, there are those who would go as far as to say that even ministry like making altar calls is wrong because it places the human being as the initiator and the key factor in spiritual transformation, when in their view God is actually the one who is to be acknowledged as the prime mover. Is there a way in which we can balance such apparent contradictions? There is and it is found in Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:17 says “He is before all things and in Him all things hold together.” In the context of the passage, the primary reference is to the fact that Jesus holds all of creation together, visible and invisible. Among those invisibles that Jesus holds together are the thoughts of those He created.
The Bishop Writes
BISHOP
DR wee boon hup
WHY DOES GOD ACT? The problem arises “when we begin to
acknowledge God only by His deeds and action, without contemplating who He is so as to understand why He acts in those ways.
”
It is true – it’s not about you (meaning us, human beings). It is all about Jesus Christ. He is the Creator and initiator. Yet, if we were to ask Him, “Is it all about You?” we might be surprised at His answer. This was what Peter found out. He did not ask the question. Jesus did, when He asked him, “Do you love me more than these?” By “these” Jesus probably meant the disciples. Peter’s response was, “Lord, You know that I love you.” As if to overlay and heal the pain of the triple denial by the apostle on the night of the betrayal, Jesus asked the question three times. Peter’s response was the same, and Jesus response to his replies was also the same, “Feed my sheep.” In other words, when Peter professed his love for Jesus, the Lord redirected Peter to the others around him. If we could rephrase our question to Jesus, “Lord, is it all about You?” we might just hear Him say, “Yes, and if you really accept and believe that, then you must turn your attention to the other people around you.” There is an aspect of God’s nature that we might at times overlook. God is community – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – one God, three Persons. To know and
love God deeply is to be directed towards community, that is, to the other people around us that He loves. Therefore,to sing “we are the reason that He gave His life” is fine and true. That, however, has to be framed in the context of who He is, not just what He did by giving His life for us. The problem arises when we begin to acknowledge God only by His deeds and action, without contemplating who He is so as to understand why He acts in those ways. The acts of God are very visible clear indications pointing us to His power at work. Yet to depend only on the acts of God to move us to love and worship Him may subtly and insidiously, over time, incline us towards superstition. One meaning of superstition is “a widely held but unjustified belief in supernatural causation leading to certain consequences of an action or event, or a practice based on such a belief ”. In other words, when God works in a same and certain way over time, we may tend to believe that He works that way all the time. When we also connect what we do, either before or after the event happens, we may eventually erroneously believe that if we do things in a certain way, we will get a certain effect. God then becomes like a dispensing machine that responds to our actions. It is true that God will act as He promises in Scripture. His actions, however, cannot be dependent solely on our initiative as a precondition. If we believe this, then we have moved into a man-centred universe again, expecting that when we push the button of claiming a biblical promise, we trigger God to act in a certain way, like a dispensing machine. If we have “claimed” promises before, or taken a certain direction based on certain promises, we might have known that God does not always work that way. We pray or act according to a certain promise, and then events do not turn out as we expected. Not immediately. Not over time. Not yet. Our faith is to rest on the One who gave the promise. It cannot be based on our action alone. When we believe and act that way, we are in bed with superstition. In Christ alone, we must place our trust.
METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
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YOU & YOUR FAMILY
Scandals and sandals By Benny Bong “DO LEOPARDS CHANGE THEIR SPOTS?” It did not take long for me to realise that I was not being tested on my zoological knowledge. I was being asked about the “human form” of leopards. The inquirer wanted to know if men who strayed can ever be trusted to remain faithful again. This question is especially pertinent as it is linked with whether the philanderer should be given a second chance. Last year, the press was kept busy covering one scandal after another. The stories were somehow juicier when it involved men with wealth and power or in high office. We readers seem to draw some perverse pleasure in seeing how the mighty fall. The question is a difficult one and draws a mix of responses. I sense though that the tide seems to be changing with more saying that leopards do not change their spots. Is this a sign of realism setting in or does it reflect a growing pessimism of the state of marriages today? Is this pessimism borne out by facts or simply by anecdotal accounts? Infidelity is stated as the cause in about 10 per cent of divorces of non-Muslim marriages in Singapore (2003 Research Bulletin of Subordinate Courts in Singapore). This figure does not answer the question, as we do not know if this is the
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result of infidelity in the first instance or because of repeated instances of infidelity (thus proof of the recurring spots of the leopard). Also, as a Marriage Counsellor, I know some clients do not proceed with their complaint of infidelity because of the lack of admissible evidence or if they want to spare their spouse and family embarrassment. On the other hand, I have noticed that those who think that leopards can change their spots do so as an expression of their values. A typical response that reflects this view is the advice: “It is always better to stay married and if he says he is sorry, one should always give him another chance.” There are also the occasional stories of lives that have been transformed. But these accounts are few and far between. So can we conclude that these spots are difficult to eradicate and thus likely to recur? How did I answer my inquirer? I told the truth, which was that I cannot tell for sure if a philanderer will mend his ways. Let me quickly add that the same is true if the philanderer is a woman. What I can say is that there are things one can do to ensure that the offense is less likely to be repeated. This brings me to sandals. This footwear is a lowly item in a person’s apparel and seldom gets attention. However it is an important item, humble as it is. I believe that there is a link between pride and repeated infidelity. I find that those who are more self-confident they will not succumb to this folly often regret making this assumption. We are all at risk of falling into this temptation. I have seen couples who are doing well and doing poorly in their relationship experiencing this crisis. So it is not something that affects only troubled marriages. I have seen husbands who sincerely declare that they love their wives and yet have a fling with their secretaries. I have also seen couples where the wives are attractive and devoted to their husbands and yet their husbands have gone astray. The same is true too for those who have fallen and then quickly say that they have learnt their lesson as they witness the hurt inflicted by their actions. Those who tend to fall again are usually those who refuse any help and resist any attempt at making themselves more accountable to others. They feel that they can do it with their own will power. Does this mean that all men are leopards and it is just that some have spots that have not yet emerged or have been discovered? I do not believe that all men are philanderers and I am sure we each know of a few good men. But I think that we have to acknowledge that the numbers grow fewer and fewer. The realisation that every person is susceptible can be a reminder that we should always be on our guard. The humble sandals can serve as a reminder that we should not be too self-assured or self-reliant. Perhaps then we can keep scandals at bay.
METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
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youth
Delight in the Lord By Kegan Ang THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES, we must have heard countless times that God answers our prayers in unexpected ways, or that God only helps those who help themselves. But if we think about it, how then do we explain prayers that have been answered with scientifically improbable specificity, or miracles that happen without our help? Is God being inconsistent or biased? Psalm 37:4 says: “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” When we take delight in the Lord, we stick close to Him, we yearn for more of Him, and align ourselves to Him, because it brings us joy, which comes from the knowledge that God has our best interest at heart as well. God declares His care for us in Jeremiah 29:11 – “ ‘For I know my plans for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” I have had my share of “unanswered prayers” as well. Not getting the results that I prayed for, not getting the postings
that I wanted in National Service, being rejected for my university applications – the list goes on. I have always wondered why God would choose to give others what they asked for, but not me. One day, I decided to dig deep into the heart of what I was asking God for. I asked myself: “Why pray for good results?” The answer was: “To glorify God of course.” Then came the dreaded questions: “Are the good results necessary? Are they for God or for my own pride? What if God wants to show His glory in another way? Did God show His glory in another way?” Many of us, including myself, are guilty of this. We make requests to God, try to make it seem like a win-win situation, and then forget the reason we gave for our request once we are done asking. We short-change ourselves by focusing on the superficial instead of the heart of the matter. We pray for opportunities to glorify God, we pray for opportunities to do His work, we pray for others to come to know
God. But while we are still taking delight in ourselves, we miss out on the greater joy. The second verse from Starfield’s song, “All For You”, goes like this: What is it in me that hangs on for so long? Why do I fight the tears that come? I work so hard to keep in control when All that I want is to let go. God has already promised us that He will take care of us. The situations that we are in may lead us to think otherwise, but it is important for us to remember the heart behind our prayers and see that God is still at work. God honours those who honour Him, and He will give us what we pray for if it is good for us. The challenge for us here is to align ourselves to God and know the heart of God. Only then can we learn to trust God fully and give up control of our lives to Him.
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METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
SCHOOLS
IB and ‘O’ Level results: Joy and gratitude in ACS (Independent) ANGLO-CHINESE SCHOOL (INDEPENDENT) students had much to celebrate when the results of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme and the GCE ‘O’ Level examinations were released last month. On January 6, it was revealed that 37 IB students from ACS (Independent) formed the lion’s share of perfect scorers from Singapore who sat for the November 2012 examinations. Nationally, 41 candidates in Singapore achieved a perfect score in the November 2012 session, and globally there were 176 perfect scorers for 2012. This sixth cohort of ACS (Independent) IB students also improved on the school’s average score, raising it from 41.35 points last year to 41.65 points this year. Significantly, the quality of passes has improved, with 84.6 per cent of students scoring 40 or more points, compared to 78.2 per cent in the previous year. According to the International Baccalaureate Organisation, over 4,300 students in Asia-Pacific took the IBDP examinations in November 2012 and the average score worldwide was 30.06. Among the students who received their results was the school’s pioneer cohort of 23 Humanities Scholarship Programme (HSP) students. They performed well, with nine of them among the perfect scorers. ACS (Independent) took in its first batch of HSP students in 2011 and is the only HSP centre in Singapore offering the IBDP. The Humanities Scholarship is offered by the Ministry of Education to encourage outstanding students to study the humanities at the pre-university level. Mr Winston Hodge, Principal of ACS (Independent), said: “The outstanding set of results is testimony to the rigour and quality of the IBDP Programme offered by ACS (Independent).” On January 10, the joy was doubled as students who sat for the 2012 GCE ‘O’ Level Examination achieved ACS (Independent)’s best results since 2005. The cohort improved on the Mean Subject Grade (MSG), L1B5 aggregate (First Language and five Best subjects) and the percentage of students qualifying for junior college. In terms of overall academic performance, the MSG was 2.46 (it was 2.57 in 2011) and the L1B5 aggregate was 11.99 (previously 12.94 in 2011). Smaller numbers in these indicators denote a better result. Significantly, more students (43.1 per cent) obtained an L1B5 score of 10 points and below, compared to 30.9 per cent the year before. Based on their results, 98.8 per cent of the cohort will be able to pursue a Pre-University education, of which 96.1 per cent can be admitted into a junior college and 2.7 per cent to a three-year Pre-University course. Of the 28 subjects offered by the school, 15 had higher percentage distinction scores than the national average. The subjects are English Language, Literature, History, Combined Humanities, Mathematics D, Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Malay, Tamil, Higher Art, Higher Music (MEP), Hindi and Japanese. Mr Hodge said: “As always, God has been faithful and kind to our school and we have much to be thankful for. Our school
International Baccalaureate students from ACS (Independent) react with cheer to their outstanding results. – ACS (Independent) picture.
Joy is likewise seen in the faces of these ACS (Independent) students at the good news of the GCE ‘O’ Level results. – ACS (Independent) picture.
family and community share in the joy of all our students’ success. “We are pleased that their hard work, motivation and cooperation with their teachers have been recognised by this solid performance. The results also recognise the dedication of our teachers who have journeyed so faithfully with their students on their path of learning and growth and the unwavering support of parents and their families.” The school is also grateful for the encouragement and support from its Board of Governors, the Board of Management, the ACS Old Boys’ Association, The Methodist Church in Singapore, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and its stakeholders. Above all, ACS (Independent) is thankful to God for His blessings and favour on its students, their teachers and the school.
METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
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SCHOOLS
ACS staff start new year with worship By Kenneth Huang Staff from the six AngloChinese Schools (ACS) gathered at Barker Road Methodist Church (BRMC) on Jan 6, 2013, for our annual ACS Staff Dedication Service. The service is held to remind the staff that it is a great privilege to be leading and educating the students of our schools, and to start this new year of education by dedicating ourselves to God and receiving His grace to help us do our best. The service started at 8.30 am with a warm welcome given by Mr Peter Tan, Principal of ACS (Barker Road). There were meaningful moments of worship, prayer and listening to the songs presented by the ACS (BR) Choir. There were also poignant reminders from Mr Richard Seow, Chairman of the ACS Board of Governors, who in his address acknowledged God’s blessings to our schools in helping them achieve much in all aspects in 2012. He strongly encouraged staff with these words: “Unlock the potential in your students by how you teach, what you say, how you
Staff from the six Anglo-Chinese Schools reading the Teacher’s Oath to commit themselves in service, a worshipful response to God. – Picture by Danny Toh.
act, the confidence and belief you give – it is about developing, nurturing, inspiring and guiding our students to be better people to live meaningful and purposeful lives. “We remember the teachers that inspired us – so, be that teacher this year to your students… I know that we will be successful in this endeavour with your help and through God’s grace.” The staff were also privileged this year to hear the new Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore, Bishop Dr Wee Boon
Hup, give a meditation on the topic of “Worship – Service” based on Romans 12:1-2. Bishop Dr Wee explained to all that to worship God was indeed a “reasonable” – appropriate and necessary – response to the great love of God given to all mankind. For though we had fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) and deserved death (Romans 6:23), God had shown His love for us by giving us His Son Jesus (Romans 5:8) to die for us in our stead, ensuring that as we turned to Him in faith, we would have eternal life. This meant that we had become God’s children (Romans 8:14-17), who are also co-heirs with Jesus. Worship of God then is what we rightfully offer to God in gratefulness to Him, and what He really desires for us to do in serving Him is to learn to love others as He has commanded – “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ” (Galatians 5:14 ESV) The Rev Kenneth Huang is Director, Ministry in Schools and Pastor-in-Charge of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
The Methodist School of Music invites committed Christians to apply for two senior leadership positions: (a) Principal (b) Director (Administration and Finance) The Methodist School of Music was founded in 1997 as an agency of the Methodist Church in Singapore. It is the only school in Singapore that offers both music education as well as programmes catered to the instruction of church music and liturgy. The school conducts part-time courses for over 350 students in a range of musical instruments and ballet, as well as ministry-oriented courses such as choir conducting, hymn-playing and worship leading. Larger projects include worship symposiums, hymn festivals involving the larger Methodist family, and public music concerts. The Principal provides the spiritual and organisational leadership of the School. Applicants are expected to have: (a) (b) (c) (d)
A degree in education, theology, music or any branch of musical arts Proficiency in English (preferably also in spoken and written Chinese) A good track record of working with church organisations and Christian entities. Sound organisational skills
The Director (Administration and Finance) reports to the Principal and oversees all the administrative and finance functions of the School. Applicants are expected to have: (a) A diploma, degree or other suitable qualification in business management, accounting or other related discipline (b) The hands-on ability to manage accounts, administrative processes and human resource issues (c) Suitable experience in either a profit or not-for-profit organisation. Please apply with curriculum vitae (two-A4 page), contact particulars, references, a recent photograph and expected remuneration to: Chairman, Methodist School of Music 496 Upper Bukit Timah Road #03-20 John Wesley Centre Singapore 678099 Or email: kokfongchow@yahoo.com Candidates who wish to have further details of either of these appointments may call Mrs Catherine Lam at +65 9630 0145
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METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
MISSIONS
Women’s mission trip to Nepal bears fruits for the future By Deviki Atchiah FOR THE SECOND TIME, the General Conference (GC) Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS) organised a mission trip to Nepal. Three women from the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference WSCS – Mrs Irene Jeevaratnam, Ms Vijayarani Adisayam and myself – participated in the trip which took place late last year. It was a challenging and fruitful trip. Although there were only three of us, the Lord blessed the trip abundantly. Immediately after we landed in Kathmandu, Nepal, we were whisked to our lodging and later met with Mrs Malar Solomon to prepare our programmes. We were participating in the Annual Meeting of The Methodist Church in Nepal (MCN), and had been tasked to lead two sessions of Women’s Theme Talks during the Meeting. Mrs Irene Jeevaratnam (far left) speaking to Nepali women at Bira Furniture during a Lunch Fellowship sponsored by the mission team. – General Conference Women’s The Opening Service was held at Society of Christian Service picture. Stuti Pransansa Church, Bafal, Lalitpur, Nepal. We were warmly welcomed by the pastors of MCN, and were also garlanded with a Nepali shawl questions. Later, when we asked a representative of each group to each. The uplifting and joyous worship was led by the youths, present the points, they related the points well and accurately. and a welcome dinner was held. After the workshop, we had songs, dances and games. They The Annual Meeting was held the next day, followed by the were sporting and followed whatever instructions we gave. This Ordination of Pastors and also the presentation of local preacher’s helped us to build relationships and they approached us for licenses to seven people. Out of the seven, three were women, prayer. The team prayed for them individually and closed the and we thanked God for the three female local preachers that session with prayer. He had blessed the MCN with. For the first time, MCN gave While the theme talk and workshop was going on, Ms a pictorial update of the ministries in all their churches and Vijayarani conducted activities for the children using drawing, preaching points. colouring and stickers. The next day, Mrs Solomon gave the first Theme Talk for We had set aside the next two days for outreach activities, the Nepali women. During the two-hour talk, she spoke about which we prepared our testimonies and devotions for, but spiritual growth, using characters from the Bible such as the relied on the local church workers and members to help us find Samaritan woman, Mary, Martha, Naomi, Ruth and Jochebed. opportunities for outreach. She also spoke about family, based on Psalms 127 and 128. On the first day of outreach, we provided fried rice and For the second session, instead of holding another Theme drinks for a Lunch Fellowship with local Nepali women working Talk, we decided to do a follow-up of Mrs Solomon’s talk and in Bira Furniture. The women only had an hour for lunch. I hold a workshop for the Nepali women. We commenced the shared my testimony with them and some women came forward workshop with ice-breaker games which helped the women for prayers. They were open to the Gospel and prayer. These unwind and open up for discussion. We prepared four topics for women were very simple women who were hardworking and in discussion: “Physical and Spiritual Food”, “Mary and Martha”, poverty, and they shared their problems with us. “The Samaritan Woman and Ruth”, and “Jochebed”. Mandhira, a Christian Nepali woman, was the point of The workshop was fruitful as the Nepali women contact and we laid the foundation for her and prayed that the understood what Mrs Solomon had taught and were able to Lord would touch the hearts of the women and that they would express their views and answer the questions accurately with the taste the love of Christ. help of the translators. Following that, we visited Lydia Vocational Institute where We also saw that the women had taken notes of Mrs See Facing Page Solomon’s talk and referred to it when they answered the
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there were 23 girls and two teachers doing their vocational training in sewing and also studying the Word of God. The training lasts for five months, after which they would begin to work either at home or with tailors. We sang songs, did a short devotion on Psalm 34 and had a prayer session. The young girls were very disciplined and able to communicate with us through a translator. We blessed the girls with afternoon snacks and drinks. The final destination was the Sophia Girls Home. Ms Vijayarani led the girls in songs and dances, and we taught them a Tamil song which they learnt quickly. It was followed by a sumptuous dinner where we built closer bonds with them. The Sophia Home girls were very close to each other and the older girls acted as “sisters” to the younger girls. Two of the young girls were sick and the older girls were nursing and taking care of them. The house parents, the Rev Saba Lepcha and his wife Mrs Grace Lepcha, are dedicated house parents and treat the girls as their own children even though they already have two sons. It was a blessed day for each of us and we thanked God for having helped us to be a blessing to the women and girls that we ministered to. The second day of outreach was at Fulbari Church, where they held their Saturday Worship. The journey to the church was long, winding and bumpy. At the top of the hill, we were greeted by the voices of youths as they led in songs. When the people heard that we were coming, the worshippers from the preaching point also joined the church service. They were happy to see us and greeted us with love and big smiles. Ms Vijayarani gave a song item and shared her testimony with the congregation. The Rev Lepcha gave the sermon and after the benediction, the congregation came to greet us. We grouped the women and girls for a fellowship, using songs and dances. The native Nepali women were able to sing their songs and dance with us. Their joy was evident and they released their inhibitions to bond with us. We had a wonderful fellowship, and although it grew late, the women refused to budge as they continued to talk and ask us to pray, despite their long journey home. We blessed Fulbari Church with bananas, apples, chocolates and sweets, and in return they blessed us with their delicious home-grown guavas. There were a few problems on the way but as we cast our burdens to God, He gave us peace and joy. Mrs Irene J was ill when we visited the Fulbari Church for Saturday Worship, and doubted she could attend the Worship Service the next day. However, Mr Gopal Sebastian, who is a Methodist Missions Society missionary stationed in Nepal, gave her some medicine and his family, especially his three sons, prayed for us. The next day, Mrs Irene J was well and we were all able to go for the Worship Service and take Communion. Our Lord Jesus had healed her. Finally, we travelled to Nagakot for a retreat, to reflect on the trip and discuss how we can continue to partner with the MCN. Our journey there took a day as we were delayed by pipe works on the road. We had one full day for the retreat and it was both fruitful and challenging. We saw a wonderful sunrise that we had never previously experienced. Later in the evening, as we were sharing our reflections, we saw the sunset and the long Himalayan Range
with snow-capped peaks! It was an awesome experience. Looking ahead, our team recommends that the GC WSCS continues to empower and equip the Nepali women with Bible study on women characters in the Bible. All resources should be translated into Nepali so that the local Nepali can lead their own community in their villages, and we can help facilitate for the next four years. In this way, the ministry to women in the church will be strengthened and spiritual development increased. Presently, the Nepali churches do not have Women’s Societies. In the next four years, we can continue to work with them to form WSCS, and the eventual milestone of forming a WSCS in the MCN. A leadership programme could be tailored for the three women who were given a local preacher’s license, as these women can be future facilitators for their leadership programmes at their Annual Meeting and Outreach Programmes. We also must not forget the pastors’ wives, but should empower and equip them to lead the women in their local churches. The Sophia Home girls are being deployed at church to take care of accounts and as translators and worship leaders. Previously, the MCN sought translators from other independent churches, but this year they asked the Sophia Home girls to translate. We can also help raise new generations of believers and leaders for the MCN. We are very grateful that although we are unworthy vessels, God has used us to bless the Nepali Women of the MCN. Deviki Atchiah is the Missions Coordinator of the General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service.
Improving Lives, Impacting Communities Manager - Home Care Yong-‐en Care Centre is looking for a candidate to head the Home Care Team. Background and Qualifica0ons: State Registered Nurse with Bachelor Degree in Nursing Min .7 years’ working experience in relevant fields.of which 2 years’ is in the managerial posiHon. Advanced Diploma in Gerontological/Community Health Nursing is an advantage Main Job Scope To manage the operaHons of Home Care Programme in a holisHc manner, ensuring a high standard of service provision to the Home Care clientele group. To oversee the implementaHon and development of Home Care programme according to plan. If you fulfil this requirement, please write to: wendy-‐ngeh@yong-‐en.org.sg
METHODIST MESSA
10
CENTRE
Yishun Methodist Mission is
Story by Yeo Cheng Suan n Yis
Pastors and stewards of the newly-constituted Yishun Methodist Mission being installed during the servic
EARLY IN THE MORNING on Nov 25 last year, also known as “Christ the King Sunday”, pastors and leaders representing the 16 local churches under the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) came together at the Yishun Golden Village Cinema to witness the constitution of Yishun Methodist Mission (YMM) as the 17th local conference of the CAC. It is the 46th local conference of The Methodist Church in Singapore. The air was thick with joy and excitement as 153 worshippers from YMM signed in before 9 am to be accepted into the membership of this new local church. Friends, well-wishers and family turned up to celebrate God’s goodness to YMM. The Constituting Conference began at 9 am, and was followed by the church’s first worship service as a local conference. A video produced by the YMM youths
was screened, capturing the heartbeat of a congregation moving from a preaching point to a local church after 18 years in Yishun. There were interviews with the pioneers who started the work here in 1994. These parents of young children are now grandparents themselves and they look forward to leaving a legacy of faith. Young people whose lives were impacted by the church’s outreach to schools also testified of God’s goodness and their hopes of bringing the gospel to their peers and the next generation. The Rev Dr Chong Chin Chung, President of the CAC, preached from John 18:33-37 on “Christ the Servant King with scars”. Jesus was both a servant and a king. It was a challenging identity, yet Jesus clearly embraced this paradox as He fulfilled His role and mission in our midst.
YMM was reminded of its identity in Christ, its covenantal relationship with the Lord and its role as the body of Christ to the world. The service ended with a rousing rendition of “A Blessing to the Nation”, a song written by Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon.
Looking Back
YMM was a preaching point of Hinghwa Methodist Church, started in 1994 by the Rev Chua Ooi Suah. Back then, a group of nine Methodist Christians under the leadership of the Rev Chua came to the northern part of our island state to begin Chinese mission work. It was known as “Methodist North Mission Point”. The Mission Point was adopted by Hinghwa Methodist Church (HMC) in
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ESPREAD
s our 46 Methodist church th
shun Methodist Mission pictures
Members of Yishun Methodist Mission posing proudly with their new membership certificates.
ce.
1995 when the Rev Chua became the Pastor-in-Charge of HMC. The Rev Niam Kai Huey was appointed to spearhead the pioneering work of reaching out to the Mandarin-speaking and dialect-speaking groups in Yishun. A group of English-speaking members from HMC led by Pastor Benny Ho set out north to the same location and started English mission work in 1997. Since then, the preaching point has been known as Yishun Methodist Mission in English whilst its Chinese name (卫理北宣站) remains unchanged. It was noted that in 1997, less than 15 per cent of the population in the north were Christians and God has given the pioneers a vision and mission to plant a church that would truly make a difference in a residential estate.
The beginning of YMM was unusual as the group met in a cargo container on a church worksite on Yishun Street 11. YMM only moved into the Yishun 10 Cinema in September 1997 when God entrusted a greater stake to us. It became clear to YMM that we were to make a “territorial commitment and claim” on this residential estate of Yishun and be prepared to penetrate and transform it. Our Mission Statement is “to be a people filled with Christ, building a strong cell church, making disciples in Yishun, and helping evangelise Singapore and Asia.” We give thanks that with God’s help we have been continually sharing the gospel and seeing young people in Yishun turn to Christ and serving zealously in our midst. Of course, we desire to be even more fruitful for the Lord.
Looking Forward
In 2012, as we prepared to become a local conference, we sought the Lord for a vision for our next lap. Our Vision for 2013-2017 is to be “a called, caring and sacrificial community, transforming lives and impacting Yishun through Christ.” This vision signifies change for our congregation on a personal and corporate level that requires stepping out of our comfort zone and going the extra mile for others. It demands of us a commitment to enter into the lives of our Yishun
community one family at a time, touching them with God’s love. The cutting edge of YMM has been and continues to be our commitment to Yishun. We shall build on the inroads to three neighbourhood schools through our two Girls’ Brigade and three Boys’ Brigade Companies. We hope to impact the lives of these youths and children, as well as their families, positively and hence change the spiritual climate in Yishun. We hope to provide a holding place for these youths and children, as well as engage in social enterprise for the benefit of the poor and needy in Yishun. With this in mind we have taken a step of faith to invest in a light industry business unit located in Yishun. While plans are underway to fulfil the requirements set by the authorities, our members and worshippers (from children to the elderly, mostly from the heartland of Yishun) continue to give sacrificially to this church building project. This has indeed been a test of faith, unity and commitment that the Lord has graciously been leading us through. Join us as we pray: “May the favour of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Psalm 90:17) Yeo Cheng Suan is a Christian Ministry Staff in Yishun Methodist Mission.
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METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
WELFARE SERVICES
Foochow MC and MWS to set up Boys’ Centre By Adeline Huang HE USED TO LEAD HIS PEERS in fights with students from neighbouring schools. But Mr Henry Soh, the former “rascal” of his primary school, is now part of a pilot scheme to establish a holistic, pre-emptive program for 10- to 12-year-old boys who are at risk of falling into delinquency. Mr Soh, the Chairman of the Social Concerns and Outreach Committee in Foochow Methodist Church (FMC), has always had a passion and mission to actively aid the immediate community in the church’s neighbourhood, by helping to transform and redirect at-risk boys. He has been counselling preteens and teenagers and reconciling them with their parents in his personal capacity. Now, he can do more. A Memorandum of Understanding was recently signed by Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) and FMC, setting the wheels in motion to launch a Boys’ Centre in the Moulmein District, targeted to commence operations in the second quarter of 2013. The Boys’ Centre will offer mentoring and academic help for an initial group of 15 boys from Farrer Park Primary School. FMC’s location at the heart of one of the less affluent neighbourhoods in Singapore places them at a strategic vantage point to reach out to children and youth from dysfunctional and lower-income families, who are more at risk of falling into youth delinquency. This centre is set up to tackle teenage delinquency preemptively, a vital initiative addressing the root causes of vulnerability and upstream issues with prevention and early intervention, which were affirmed by Acting Minister for Social and Family Development, Mr Chan Chun Sing, in Parliament last September. Mrs Lee Siew Choo, Chairman of the Boys’ Centre Governance Committee, agrees with Mr Soh (who is also on the Governance Committee) that prevention and early intervention work at the centre during the period between Primary Four to Six is a key factor. Mrs Lee noted that keeping the children from negative influences and training them to form long-term positive habits and traits would be more effective in the long run if intervention and the education of good values began at a younger age, before the children move on into Secondary School. There are long-term plans to reach further afield, beyond the Farrer Park area, to communities in Bendemeer and Balestier, while also taking on referrals from the Ministry of Social and Family Development in the future. Mr Guan Yeow Kwang, Chairman of FMC’s Local Church Executive Committee, said that FMC decided to focus on boys because statistics showed that more boys are at risk of entering a life of crime. Programme plans include a comprehensive variety of activities to mould character, raise self-esteem, find talent and develop skills. These may be community service excursions, camps, humanitarian projects, sports, musical and performing
Mr Henry Soh, Chairman of the Social Concerns and Outreach Committee in Foochow Methodist Church, and Mrs Lee Siew Choo, Chairman of the Boys’ Centre Governance Committee, discussing the merits of a potential location for the centre. – MWS picture.
arts, IT, and culinary training. There will be multiple opportunities for parental involvement, family interaction and bonding, which is part of the solution to the problem of troubled youth. Mr Guan highlighted: “For the programme to be effective it will have to be a tripartite partnership between the centre, the school and the parents of these kids. Only by working together can we positively influence these children and help them build a firm foundation for life.” Mrs Jenny Bong, Group Executive Director of MWS, said that the Boys’ Centre will be an essential service to the Moulmein neighbourhood. “We are constantly on the lookout to bridge gaps in services to those who need them. With this centre, we can help more boys stay off the path to delinquency, rather than intervene later when they are already in that lifestyle.” With all the plans drawn up and ready to roll out, the only remaining need is a suitable location in the Farrer Park vicinity to serve as the centre’s base of operations. FMC also seeks volunteers to serve in the Boys’ Centre as academic tutors, youth mentors, and parenting and grand-parenting role models. If you would like to contribute to the Boys’ Centre by donating or volunteering, please write in to Methodist Welfare Services at 70 Barker Road #05-01 Singapore 309936 or volunteer@mws.org.sg Adeline Huang is the Executive (Communications & Fundraising) of Methodist Welfare Services.
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FAITH OF OUR FATHERS PHILIP MELANCHTHON (1497-1560)
A ‘humanist and Reformer’ By Roland Chia PHILIP MELANCHTHON was an influential theologian who worked closely with Martin Luther and whose books were more popular in Europe than even those of Luther and Calvin. Born on February 16, 1497, in Bretten in the Electoral Palatinate, Melanchthon is often described as a “humanist and Reformer” by many scholars. Of course all the Reformers of the sixteenth century, including Luther and Calvin, were acquainted with and in some sense shaped by the humanist tradition. But Melanchthon, more than any of them, taught humanistphilosophical subjects throughout his career and authored textbooks that have influenced later theologians and pastors. When he arrived at Wittenberg as a student, he was already erudite in theology, philosophy and humanism. At Wittenberg, Melanchthon encountered Luther, devoured his works, and enthusiastically embraced the views of the senior Reformer. Perhaps Melanchthon’s most important contribution to Reformation theology, which merits more attention than it has hitherto received, is the Loci Communes (“The Common Places in Theology”) published in 1521. Apart from John Calvin’s famous Institutes of the Christian Religion, which was published about a decade later (in 1536), Melanchthon’s Loci can be seen as a brilliant systematisation of the distinct themes of the sixteenth century theological movement. Among the many important themes that he discussed in this work is of course the Gospel, which the Reformer defined in terms of Promise. The Gospel is, at its very core, the wonderful divine promise of the forgiveness of sin and salvation. Refusing to drive a wedge between God the Creator and God the Redeemer, Melanchthon insisted that both temporal (material) and spiritual promises have the same goal. The temporal promises in fact point to the spiritual promises, serving as “symbols” of the eternal joy that God has intended for those who put their faith in Him. For Melanchthon, all these promises are fulfilled in Christ. In the Loci he also depicted justification as the remission of sins. “To
sum it all up,” he wrote, “grace is nothing but the forgiveness of sins”. Here he presented grace not as a “substance” that can be imputed in the person of the sinner, as some versions of medieval theology seemed to have taught. Rather, divine grace is understood as the relationship between God and the sinner, characterised by forgiveness and reconciliation made possible because of the divine initiative. Grace, according to the Reformer, cannot be understood in isolation from mercy. For grace refers to the creation of the possibility for the sinner to have a renewed relationship with God – and therefore a new future with his Creator – because of the divine mercy. As he has simply but arrestingly put it: Grace is “God’s goodwill to us, or the will of God which has mercy on us”. God’s grace justifies the sinner when it is received by faith. Thus Melanchthon echoed Luther and the other Reformers when he asserted that “the righteousness of the entire life is nothing else than faith”. This brings us to his view of the role of the divine Law, a theme of paramount importance to the theologians of the Reformation. Like Luther, Melanchthon discussed what might be described as the negative side of the Law. The Law was given by God to spur repentance because, according to Melanchthon, it resulted in the “knowledge of sin”. The Law also presents to us the stark reality of our impotence in fulfilling the requirements of God, our inability as sinners to live in a way that would please our holy Creator. But unlike the other Reformers, Melanchthon placed emphasis on the positive side of the Law. The Law discloses to us the holy character of God, the sovereign Lawgiver. It also shows us very clearly the kind of communal being God wants us to be, both in terms of our relationship with Him and also with one another. The Law, then, becomes the disclosure of the express will of God for those creatures He has created in His own image: it is in obeying the Law that we truly reflect the image of our holy God,
and so become truly human. Seen in this way, the Law is more than just a set of regulations. It is rather the revelation of the very purpose and destiny of the human being. AT THE HEART OF Melanchthon’s theological concerns is ecclesiology: the nature, being and mission of the Church. Like his mentor Luther, Melanchthon defined the church as an assembly of people (“the flock” is the idiom he was fond of using) who have received the Gospel and who rightly observe the sacraments. Thus, where God’s Word is preached and His sacraments properly administered, there we find the Church. Employing the metaphor of the wheat and weeds (Matthew 13:24-30), Melanchthon maintained that among the flock there are the elect and those who merely manifest the superficial and outward features of religion. The former are living and sanctified members of the Church, while the latter are spiritually dead members. But amidst the visible church there is a third group, which he described as “a curse”. These are people who follow the papal teachings: the adoration of the bread in the Corpus Christi procession, prayer to the dead and the selling of masses. According to Melanchthon, they are not true believers but defenders of idolatry and blasphemers. Despite the polemical tone of his writings, Melanchthon recognised – as every good theologian must – that he was unable to fully grasp the inexhaustible mystery of God. He therefore longed for heaven, which he regarded as the ideal university, where he could engage in conversation with the prophets and apostles, and even with Christ himself. In April 1560, Melanchthon took ill while on a journey to Leipzig. He died soon after, at the age of 63, and was buried in the Wittenberg Castle Church, next to his mentor Martin Luther.
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METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
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POEMS
The First Adam By Oliver Seet FROM A DOLLOP OF CLAY, the Creator God with His bare hands configured a man Into His own image, breathing His spirit into lifeless matter, and miraculously transmogrified mud into flesh and bone and living tissue and as blood filled his body man became a living soul: fearfully and wonderfully made. Bestowed the mantle of authority over all creatures on land, air and sea, he was prince and sovereign of the dominions of created earth: the very image of God in Eden, a paradise of dreamscapes, of magnificence unequalled, where no storms or inclement weather ever threatened, where primeval peace prevailed between man and beast.
In His wisdom God saw that Adam needed a helpmate; that it was not good for man to be alone; and one starlit eve as Adam slept, God created from a rib a beauteous being never seen before: a woman, to be his mate. But in the epicentre of paradise evil lurked coiled up the forbidden tree, speaking deceptive half-truths into the malleable heart of Eve, stirring the appetite for power and forbidden knowledge, Inciting disobedience and rebellion, while Adam, too feeble to resist the devil’s lure, brought death into Eden and the loss of his authority and immortality – surrendering all
to the dark prince of the air. Hiding from the Lord as He walked in the Garden in the evening to commune with them, they were ashamed to meet Him in their guilt and nakedness made apparent through sin; they knew too late now the malevolence of evil and its consequence: the loss of Eden and of their intimacy with their Creator. Death and sorrow and separation are the fruit of disobedience and rebellion against the Lord of Life. Only the second Adam, the Son of God Himself, can bring hope of Paradise to man once more. (Genesis 1:26-31; 2, 3) Dr Oliver Seet is a member of Wesley Methodist Church and a Board Director of the Metropolitan YMCA.
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METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
METHODIST MESSAGE, February 2013
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HOME
Foochow MC blesses 4,000 in Christmas outreach By Raja Thomas FOOCHOW METHODIST CHURCH (FMC) members held an outreach event for migrant workers at the open field beside Racecourse Road opposite their church, on Dec 16 last year. As church members saw multitudes of migrant workers at our doorstep week after week, the Lord helped us to have compassion on them because they were “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a Shepherd” (Matt 9:36). Our pastors and leaders led the church in making a decision to bless these people. The main idea was to bless them without any other motive, so we prepared 5,000 goody bags with things such as lunch boxes, noodle packets, biscuits and tracts. In the bag, we printed a Scripture verse, “You are blessed” (Psalm 115:15), as that was our aim. It was an amazing experience of how God’s people worked together for this special task, as the whole church came together in prayer and support. Their support was not only through prayer and financial means, for they physically got into action for this event – about 200 volunteers from the Foochow, Mandarin and English congregations were on the ground together with 130 members from the Tamil Ministry to help in various areas of the event. “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” (Matt 25:40) The Rev Dr Daniel Lee Kok Pheng, Pastor-in-Charge of FMC, said: “God will not forsake His people. He knows what is best for His people. FMC members will come in full force to help when there is a need. It is a good testimony to see all the four congregations working together as a big family. Our distractors and demons were defeated when they tried to disrupt God’s work. God’s presence was real to all who came, including prebelievers.” We experienced God’s mighty power, as we were in the midst of a rainy season, but the rain stopped just in time and the
Tamil Ministry members from Foochow Methodist Church reenacting the Christmas story. – Foochow Methodist Church picture.
weather was fine throughout the event. We distributed more than 4,400 goody bags and there was a crowd who stayed for the programme, as well as many passers-by. The Scripture verse that came to my mind that night was: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.” (Eccl 11:1) We were assured that through the event, they all had a chance to hear that the Saviour was born on Christmas, and that one day they would accept Him personally. We will continue to pray for the harvest. Our event programme clearly communicated the birth of Jesus through the contextualised songs, skits and dances. Our Tamil Ministry members did a wonderful job, and we are grateful to Pastor Jonathan Suppaya and members from Jesus Lives Church who partnered with us in the performances. The emcee, Mr Saravanan Ayyavoo, a MediaCorp artiste, did a surprise interview with one of the performers, our Tamil Ministry member Mr Sivakumar. This gave Mr Sivakumar the opportunity to spontaneously share his testimony about how he came to know the Lord and about the changes in his life. Praise God for the unexpected opportunity! Ms Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister
Mr Sivakumar (left) being interviewed spontaneously by the emcee, Mr Saravanan Ayyavoo. – Foochow Methodist Church picture.
of State for Law and Education and our Guest of Honour, assured the crowd that we were there to show our love to them. Surely the message of Christ’s coming was communicated to a large number of people this year. We thank God for this meaningful Christmas celebration! Pastor Raja Thomas is Pastor in the Tamil Ministry of Foochow Methodist Church.
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WORLD METHODISM
Book applies prayer to world problems By Tim Tanton MANILA – With the deadline moving closer for the international community to achieve significant goals to relieve human suffering, the Rev Liberato Bautista decided he had to take action. “When I was looking at the Millennium Development Goals, I said, ‘These goals are not going to be implemented. We have to start praying for the implementation because they are too important to be neglected,’ ” he recalled. The United Nations developed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to focus the world’s attention on reducing poverty, protecting the vulnerable, decreasing the numbers of mothers and babies who die in childbirth, and achieving other steps by 2015. The Rev Bautista, the United Methodist Board of Church and Society’s executive representative to the United Nations, put together a prayer guide with contributions from writers around the world. The result was Meditations and Devotions on the Millennium Development Goals, which was launched in February 2012. It has taken on new significance as another year passes and the 2015 deadline nears. “This book … helps provide a moral construct through which we see that these eight goals are not just national and governmental goals, but nearer the core of the Christian gospel – the Christian gospel of justice and peace and wholeness and fullness of life,” said the Rev Bautista. The Rev Rex Reyes, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, said the book is extraordinary because it brings together the voices of people from around the world who are “from the base”. He noted that most of the contributors are people “from the roots of the grass,” doing what they can for a better world. He described the book as “very Methodist”. It is guided primarily by The United Methodist Church’s social teachings. “It saddens me that the voices of the indigenous people don’t seem to come out,” he said, adding that perhaps they will for a future project. “This book is a trailblazing effort of a faith trying to make itself heard,” he continued. It “feeds us spiritually and convicts our social consciousness”. “For me, I have the book on my table as a daily source of nurture from now on.”
A warning
“Today, 50,000 people continue to die daily because of poverty,” said Ms Norma Dollaga, Chairman of the Philippines Annual Conference’s Board of Church and Society. In the last quarter, 4.5 million families in the Philippines went hungry. “The book is a warning,” she said. “It will disturb us and fill our hearts with longing to see … justice.” It is also an invitation to follow our faith and love our neighbour, and a reminder that “there is no holiness but social”. The Rev Bautista said that the book took three years to compile. He said he first considered doing a 60-day devotional guide, but as he travelled around the world and invited 300 to 400 people to contribute, he ended up with enough material for 117 days. The devotional guide approach was inspired by the Ilocano version of The Upper Room that his mother read when he was growing up in rural Sanchez Mira town in northern Philippines. The Rev Bautista’s career has reflected his ongoing concern
The cover of the Rev Liberato Bautista’s book, Meditations and Devotions on the Millennium Development Goals, features the eight Millennium Development Goals. – UMNS picture by Mike DuBose.
for the poor and marginalised, starting from the days when he and his wife were activists and church youth leaders during the difficult years of the military regime of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines. “My wife and I were both student activists and national United Methodist Youth Fellowship officers during the hardest time in the political and national life of the Philippines,” he said. “We struggled with how to deal with the immense poverty of this country, and yet, it has an abundance of resources. Therefore, the unequal distribution of wealth is one that would be glaring in one’s eyes when you deal with issues in the Philippines.” He feels that the MDGs are a way to raise the faith community’s awareness to those types of issues. He refers to them in one sense as “minimum development goals” to lift those who are in extreme poverty into regular poverty.
Political will … and prayer
He said that governments have shown a lack of political wisdom and courage in working for the goals. At the same time, “political will is welling up from people to better their lives for sustainability, to better their lives for mental health and public health, to better their lives with respect to the eradication of hunger and poverty.” His response, he said, is to lift the eight goals up in the context of prayer, with an emphasis on Micah 6:8. The first three goals relate to seeking justice, the second set relates to loving mercy, and the last two relate to walking humbly with God. The Board of Church and Society published an initial 4,000 copies of the book. Proceeds from the sale of the US$7.95 (S$10) book will support The United Methodist Church’s Imagine No Malaria campaign, the denomination’s Global AIDS Fund and relief and rehabilitation efforts in the Philippines from the typhoons that visit the country year-round. The book (ISBN 978-1-4507-9931-7) can be ordered online. – United Methodist News Service. Tim Tanton is Executive Director of Content at United Methodist Communications.
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MM QUIZ A sample devotional DON’T IGNORE THIS EPIDEMIC. Human trafficking is one of the world’s dirtiest and bestkept secrets. It is difficult to measure the extent of this hidden trade, but United Nations statistics estimate that 2 million to 4 million people are trafficked across international borders every year, and millions more are exploited within their own countries. I am spending the summer working on human trafficking issues for IOM (International Organisation for Migration) in Tajikistan. I feel blessed to be working with the inspiring staff here who continually give themselves to this cause, no matter how many trafficking horror stories they encounter. Tajikistan is the poorest state in Central Asia, and one in two households has sent a family member abroad in hopes that they can send much-needed remittances back home. Some, however, have found more sinister ways to earn their keep, taking advantage of the most vulnerable labour migrants by trafficking them abroad for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude and slave labour in sweatshops, construction, agriculture and more. There are more slaves today than at any other time in human history. It is tempting to ignore this epidemic. After all, if there were no demand for cheap goods or the services often provided by trafficking victims, such as sex work, the criminals behind trafficking would have no reason to continue exploiting their victims. – Anne Johnson, Minocqua, Wisconsin, USA Bible reading: Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our countrymen and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Nehemiah 5:5 (NIV) Prayer: God, our protector and source of hope, help us to remember that wealth is often simply the flip side of poverty and exploitation elsewhere in the world. Give us the strength to recognise our lives are inextricably tied with those struggling to find freedom from trafficking. Amen. Deed for the Day: Examine the way your consumption decisions may help to fuel demand for the exploitation of the world’s most vulnerable workers.
Five of these questions test your reading of this issue’s articles, and the other five are based on Bible knowledge. Happy reading!
MM QUIZ No.161 1. According to the Rev Dr Chong Chin Chung, what are God’s supreme creations? _________________. 2. How many boys will form the initial group attending the proposed Boys’ Centre? _____________. 3. How many members does the Methodist Co-operative Society Ltd have? ________. 4. Which animal was mentioned in Mr Benny Bong’s column? __________________. 5. How many local Methodist churches are there in Singapore as of Nov 25, 2012? _____________. 6. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he said that at the name of Jesus, every _ _ _ _ should bow.
7. The author of 1 John wrote: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a _ _ _ _.” 8. Paul wrote to the Romans to be like-minded in Christ, so that they would glorify God with one _ _ _ _ _. 9. David wrote in Psalm 68: “Let God arise, let His enemies be _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.” 10. How would the Galatians know that God is not mocked? What a man sows, he will also _ _ _ _. BIBLE QUIZ NO. 161 Name: _______________________________________________ Age: _________ Address: ____________________________________________________________ __________________________________ Tel: (Residence) ____________________ Church ____________________________________________________________ The MM Quiz is open to those 21 years and under. The first two all-correct entries opened will win a $20 voucher each from Baptist Book Store. The names of the winners and the answers to MM Quiz No. 161 will be published in the next issue of Methodist Message. Entries close on Feb 6, 2013. Mail us your entries now! ANSWERS TO MMQUIZ 160: 1. Three; 2. Five; 3. 47; 4. Laity; 5. July; 6. bread; 7. everyone; 8. Patience; 9. flesh; 10. greedy. THE WINNERS The winners of last month’s Bible Quiz No. 160 are Faith Lim and Gerald Sim.
“I’ve stopped expecting you to make leaps of faith, but it would be nice to see a hop now and then.’’ Cartoonist: Doug Hall
CHRISTIANITY TODAY INTERNATIONAL. Used with permission.
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BACK PAGE
Mrs Dorothy Lim re-elected President of GC WSCS From Page One
Methodist Church cook and deliver confinement food for young mothers. We must befriend younger women.” Bishop Dr Robert Solomon, who was attending as a guest speaker and was invited to chair the meeting while Ms Lim gave her President’s Report, remarked that younger people did not tend towards organisations, but rather preferred to join movements. “They are more likely to engage if you can meet their needs in some way, maybe some programme just for them,” he said. Such programmes are possible for members of the GC WSCS, whose youthful spirits flowed over in exuberance during the Fellowship Night, where attendees dressed in bright ethnic costumes to share song and dance items, and took part in games with astonishing agility. The Team-Building Night also demonstrated their passion to work together in tackling issues such as domestic violence and whether the unwed should have children – which the younger women in their midst appreciated. Bishop Dr Solomon preached at the Opening Service on the first day, two Teaching Sessions, and the Closing Service on the last day. His closing sermon was titled “Living to the Lord”, based on Romans 14:1-12. He echoed Paul’s pastoral exhortation not to judge other Christians “on disputable matters”, so as to avoid fighting over wrong or unimportant things. “We are to accept one another in matters of opinion,” he said. “Guard the doctrine, but don’t fight over diets and dates.” He also pointed out that the phrase “to the Lord” appeared frequently in the passage, and stated four primary ideas in the way Paul uses this phrase: To emphasise our relationship with God, to express our gratitude to God, to be motivated by pleasing God, and to indicate our accountability to God. Reports during the meeting exemplified this accountability to God. The Vice-Presidents, Dr (Mrs) Teo Li Bee and Mrs Kanagi Kanakarajan, gave their respective reports detailing the work of the GC WSCS in the yearly Thanksgiving Service, leadership development seminars, ecumenical relations, preaching engagements, participation in activities in solidarity with the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women in support of the Millenium Development Goals, and finally preparation for the present meeting.
They also highlighted the Quadrennial Theme for 2013 to 2016, “Be Vigilant, Be Sober”, which was drawn from 1 Peter 5:8. The election of officers, which was carefully considered by the Nominations Committee and carried out conscientiously, also reflected the delegates’ understanding of their accountability to God. Ms Lim was re-elected as President for a second term, and Dr (Mrs) Teo was re-elected as Vice-President. Mrs Gnanamany Philip was also elected as Vice-President. Other elected officers include: Mrs Lilian Chew as the Secretary, Ms Flora Chew and Mrs Choo Lai Eng as Treasurers, Mrs Irene Tan as Chairman of the Finance Committee, and Mrs Gracie Chan as Chairman of the Governance Committee. Mrs Laureen Ong, Mrs Irene Jeevaratnam and Mrs Ivy Hue were elected as Advisors. The Presidents of each Annual Conference’s WSCS had been elected earlier in their respective conferences. They are: Ms Katherine Foo from the CAC, Mrs Kalaiarasy George from ETAC, and Ms Daisy Pang from TRAC. Ms Lim responded to her re-election as President by thanking the conference for allowing her to serve the GC WSCS for another term. She admitted that there had been a lot of paperwork in the past few years, and expressed her hope to focus more on ministry in the upcoming term. “We need to come together,” she said. “We need to pray and ask God what He wants us to fulfil in the next four years. Pray with me that God will show us what He wants. If all women fervently pray for their church, I don’t see why there can’t be revival!” Grace Toh is the Assistant Editor of Methodist Message.
Editorial Board Adviser and Publisher: Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup, Chairman, Council on Communications: Editor: Associate Editor: Assistant Editor: Ms Grace Toh Members: