MATURITY
Building a
Fellowship
of Disciples
Here’s a quick recap on the newly established foundations for SJSM Village. If we all get on the same page and work together to improve, despite differences in opinion, that will really help to build a dynamic community of impactful believers! WORDS ANNABELLE BOK
M
ost of us are aware of the structural changes to the church office and the cell ministry that have been rolling out in stages since January 2018. Some, like the introduction of the cell rhythm and cell Word material, ministry reorganisation, and the introduction of the cell zonal system, have been more noticeable than others. One unmistakeable change has been the rebranding of our Host team, complete with their clearly identifiable uniforms! As the months rolled on, with our plans constantly buffeted by changing COVID-19 safety regulations, you might have wondered what, if any, of these changes have actually been executed. You might also have wondered whether they are relevant to the new normal of online services, safe distancing, virtual non-congregational meetings. Personally, and especially as a relative newcomer to SJSM (I joined the church in late 2017), I had some gaps in my understanding of how all the pieces fit together, why our leaders felt the changes necessary, and what they hope said changes will achieve. An opportunity to speak with Ps Joshua Sudharman (our vicar from 2012 to 2021), Ps Alvin Toh (our vicar as of 1 July 2021), and Richard Lau (our Executive Pastor) was very welcome, as they helped clarify a lot of things for me — I hope this helps you too!
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FORWARD PLANNING — A VILLAGE OUTLOOK Asked to explain what most of us remember as “that matrix diagram”, Ps Joshua said, “the cell system and zone structure need to settle down before we can realise the full potential of the new structure”. This is partly because they have built-in feedback loops and resource centres which, when properly in place, are meant to bolster the pastoral leadership team’s overall ability to provide pastoral care across our multi-generational congregation’s diverse spectrum of needs. While this has been delayed mainly by COVID-19 and its impacts, another factor was the time it took to explore and understand the Zone Pastor role — for existing staff members who took on this new responsibility as well as for potential and new staff. The leadership team couldn’t just create a new job description based on theoretical ideals and simply post a recruitment notice; they wanted fellow SJSMers who understand our culture and ethos in these positions. Having Zone Pastors who are in full alignment with the vision they have put forward will help us to support one another better in our shared efforts to become a fruitful community of invested believers. The entire transformation plan (and in fact, the Metamorphousthe theme that has carried us through the past five years) had its genesis in our inaugural Discipleship Symposium back in 2015. Ps Joshua notes that “John 15, on the vine and the branches, was an anchor text” which provided the main metaphor in our leadership’s understanding of discipleship; this then led to the “3M” aspects of fruitfulness: maturity, mission, and ministry. And so, since 2016, a transitional set of Transformation Teams comprising both staff and lay representatives has been praying for discernment, undertaking research, going on learning trips, and holding in-depth discussions on how best to integrate the church with the final finished result of Project Spring-Winter — SJSM Village. Having to make space for and allocate resources to Chaplaincy for one, while streamlining processes and reporting by flattening the staff hierarchy and reducing the number of disparate work groups, required some lateral thinking and an almost complete overhaul of the organisation chart. (Recall Ps Joshua’s 2020 AGM Chairman’s Address.) Now, with SJSM Village coming to life right before our eyes, it’s a lot easier to see how our leaders had the integration of our church with the Village and its many facets and entities in mind when they envisioned the final result of these changes.
