2018
IN REVIEW Building Faith
MCI (P) 043/05/2019 | June 2019 ISSUE
Vicar’s Address page 6
“None of us has got it all together, but together we’ve got it.”
maturity ministry mission More than just good spiritual tune-ups
Sharing a friendship that helps
page 20
page 28
Celebrating 30 years of selfless service
page 32
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Foreword 2018 was a significant year for SJSM. After much prayer and with eager anticipation, we finally broke ground and construction of Project Spring-Winter (PSW) commenced in March 2018. The Community Hall, a familiar gathering point for many SJSMers, was demolished along with the Youth Room and part of the church office to make way for the new buildings. The hoardings went up like a cocoon enveloping the construction site; but unlike other sites, a small window was cut into the hoarding to allow us a peek into the process. The cover photo of workers on the PSW construction site was captured by one of the church staff. Witnessing this physical transformation reminds us of SJSM’s spiritual transformation as a parish. To build a safe and solid building, a strong foundation is needed. Recalling the parable of the wise and foolish builder (Matthew 7:24-27), this principle holds true for us as a church. If we build our lives on the firm foundation of God’s truth, we will stand through storms and uncertainties.
EDITORIAL Chief Editor Revd Joshua Sudharman Members Connie Lim Nigel Sim Wilson Kok Yeo Han Hwee Layout Wilson Kok Contributors Bryan Tan Carol Lim Connie Lim Dawn Yeo Revd Joshua Sudharman Karen Prado Ceres Lee Qing Hui Michael Tan Simon Devaraj Revd Solomon Periyanayakam Trixie Chin Wong Chuck Fang
In Review 2018 is a collection of stories and reflections from individuals and communities in SJSM who took God at His word and obeyed. In the process, they experience God’s great faithfulness that stirs and builds up their faith. The publication concludes with both our Enduring and Jubilee Vision statements as a reminder for us to keep our sights on what God has called us to be as a parish. We invite you to listen with your heart as you read these stories. May you be blessed. Editorial Team
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Contents
milestones
6
VICAR’S ADDRESS
8
2018 IN PICTURES
10
BREAKING NEW GROUND
12
TRANSFORMATION IN PROGRESS
14
PSW IS A GAME CHANGER
maturity
16
CHURCH CAMP
18
TAMIL CONGREGATION
20
MEN’S BREAKTHROUGH WEEKEND
Church Camp 2018
More Than Just Good Spiritual Tune-Ups
22
WOMEN’S BREAKTHROUGH WEEKEND
ministry
24
YOUTH MINISTRY
26
CHINESE CONGREGATION
28
HEARTFRIENDS COMMUNITY SERVICES
Sharing A Friendship That Helps
page 10
page 16
Come As You Are
The State Of Wonder
page 18
The Alpha Ministry
page 34
4
page 14
mission
32
MISSIONS DEPARTMENT
Celebrating 30 Years Of Selfless Service
34 INDONESIAN FELLOWSHIP
Two Copper Coins Plus Talents
36
FILIPINO FELLOWSHIP
musings
38
OUR ENDURING VISION
39
OUR JUBILEE VISION
page 24
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
page 20
page 22
page 32
page 28
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THE
VICAR’S ADDRESS
Better Together T
o review something is to re-view it, meaning to view it again, after having viewed it already. This second look is meant to be for the purpose of reflection, evaluation and understanding. In short, the review is to examine what has already been done and experienced so that the significance of the experience sinks in. When we are willing to slow down, rewind the “video” of our lives, replay what happened while observing carefully for lessons to learn, it is then that we obey the biblical injuction to “consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5) and place ourselves on the path towards maturity, advancement and growth. This magazine is a yearly SJSM publication that’s meant to spark such reflection on a parish-wide level. However, since there is too much that happens within SJSM in the course of a year to take it all in, some degree of selectivity is inevitably needed. What’s contained in these pages represent some of the key highlights of the past year. We are in a special and unique season, and what’s happening in SJSM is unprecedented. We may never go through another season quite like this one ever again! So it behooves us to extract as much wisdom from our journey as we possibly can. While there are many principles that could be drawn, one of the outstanding lessons for me as I look back over the past year is summed up by something Canon J John, the Celebration of Hope
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“I am convinced that without every member of this whole church playing his or her part, the desired transformation will not happen. Everyone has something to contribute. Everyone has a responsibility to help, to support, to make a difference. ”
milestones (COH) main speaker, said: “None of us has got it all together, but together we’ve got it.” He said this at the Prayer Dedication Service a week before COH as he affirmed the unity across more than 200 participating churches. No single church, no matter how large, has “got it all together” in the sense that we are totally complete, all-rounded and without any need for others. It’s only when the parts of the Body of Christ synergise and harmonise that we can make something of the magnitude and scale of COH happen by God’s grace. I resonate with J John, and I think the same principle can apply to the situation within a parish like SJSM as well. In this “Be Transformed: Metamorphousthe!” season that the Lord has called us to for the five years leading up to our Jubilee year in 2021, the scale, scope and depth of transformation are so great that I as Vicar alone certainly have not got it all together. And even if we include all the paid staff, we still can’t make it all happen. I am convinced that without every member of this whole church playing his or her part, the desired transformation will not happen. Everyone has something to contribute. Everyone has a responsibility to help, to support, to make a difference. An attitude of togetherness becomes vitally important. We must not think of ourselves as a loose collection of individuals but as a cohesive family with a clear sense of values, purpose and direction. As Paul said in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (ESV). And again in Colossians 3:12-14, Paul wrote, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (ESV) When there is trust, respect, humility, and a concern for us and not just me, the Lord can do amazing things through us. The glue for the church in turbulent times of change is love. These are the attitudes that God is discipling SJSM to cultivate to a greater extent than ever through this season of Metamorphousthe. I look forward to making this journey together with all of you. We have already begun. God will see us through! Do take time to read the articles in this magazine and ponder how the Lord may be speaking to you through them. With much love, Pastor Joshua
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2018
PICTURES Heartfriends
Project Spring Winter
Next-Gen
GROUND BREAKORANGE ING BB BLESSING CEREMO- ENROL24 - 25 February – Sharing MENT New Year blessings with NY the community. 3 March – “Behold, I am SERVICE doing a new thing…” Marking the start of construction of Project Spring-Winter
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28 April – Moulding the next generation with godly values
SJSM Services
BLOOD DONATION DRIVE
19 May – Partnering the community to make a difference
milestones
SJSM Events
CHURCH CAMP 2018
11 - 14 June – A time to refresh the mind, body and spirit
Next-Gen
Project Spring Winter
YOUTH MUSICALSTATE OF WONDER PSW 8 September - Revealing God’s heart through the GOLF Creative Arts
5 October - Aiming to hit the fundraising target for Project Spring-Winter
Heartfriends
CAKE BLESSING
7 December – Bringing the peace and joy of Christmas to our neighbours
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BREAK
NE
GROU O
n 3 March 2018, nearly five years after SJSM resolved at its AGM to embark on Project Spring-Winter (PSW), the church held a groundbreaking service and ceremony to mark the beginning of construction. Officiated by the Right Revd Rennis Ponniah, Bishop of Singapore, the event was attended by grassroots leaders, Dover residents, leaders of St. Andrew’s Mission Hospital and SJSMers young and old. Many SJSMers took the opportunity to catch the morning sun on the open-air carpark for a final time. Held at Glory Sanctuary, the service began with an overview of PSW by Mr Larry Choi, Chairman of the PSW Committee. Bp Rennis’ sermon, titled “A Way Other Than Our Own”, then brought the congregation through the long journey leading to the groundbreaking. Noting that SJSM had not anticipated the prospect of having to give up its land when it crossed over its 40th anniversary in 2011, he encouraged all, SJSMers in particular, to be willing to leave a safe place for a hazardous journey, to expect hidden joys for a costly obedience, and to depend on God to complete the journey.
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AKING
EW
UND by Bryan Tan
The gathered community then moved outdoors to the garden for the groundbreaking ceremony. After a prayer by our Bishop, each member of the groundbreaking party turned over spadefuls of earth as the congregation declared together, “Hallelujah! Let the good work begun be brought to completion in the Lord’s good timing!” Then the church bell was rung, marking the start of the long-awaited PSW construction phase. Let us continue to keep the construction work and PSW in prayer as God leads SJSM into uncharted territory. (This article first appeared in the March 2018 PSW Newsletter.)
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PROJECT SPRING WINTER TRANSFORMATION IN PROGRESS
MAR 2018 12
SEP 2018
milestones
MAR 2019
13
PSW is a Game
Changer
by Dawn Yeo
S
teven Kang, father to three kids, proclaimed this when asked why he was willing to put his life on the line for his fundraising project, in support of Project Spring-Winter (PSW). From 10 to 18 November, he embarked on Cross1000, a 1000km solo cycling journey from Alor Setar, Malaysia, to Singapore, raising more than $25,000.
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Steven with his supportive cell group and Pastor Joshua.
milestones How did you come up with this idea to cycle from Alor Setar to Singapore? Three years ago, I had an idea to do something unique before I turned 50, but it never really crystallised until I heard about PSW. Cycling has always been a big part of my life, and it was a good opportunity to use this cycling trip to move people to donate for a worthy cause. What were some of the setbacks you faced during the entire process of planning and execution, and how was God real to you? I spent more than nine months looking for riders to sign up for Cross1000. However, I couldn’t persuade anyone to join me on the journey, perhaps due to the length of the trip. On the first day of my journey, the chain on my bicycle snapped. Luckily, it was within a stone’s throw from a motorbike shop. As expected, the motorbike shop did not have a bicycle chain but the technician was able to repair the broken chain. My spirits were raised and I told the people who had been tracking my progress that “there is no link in the chain too broken for God to fix”. Unfortunately, the repaired chain snapped again the very next day. My heart sank especially at the thought of updating all the supporters of Cross1000. Through asking around, we got hold of the contact number of a bicycle shop owner who was willing to come to my aid even though he doesn’t usually work on Sundays. Amidst all these issues, including the support vehicle breaking down towards the end of the trip, God really showed Himself to me by providing people who were willing to sacrifice their time to help, and simultaneously allowing me to share about PSW with them. Furthermore, God is so merciful, he protected me along Malaysia’s treacherous roads and enabled me to cross the 1000km mark just as I went over the hump in SJSM’s basement car park! What was it about PSW that made you so passionate about completing this journey and even compromising your safety? Over the last 10 years, SJSM has been growing steadily but slowly. When I first heard about PSW, I immediately felt it was a game changer in growing the SJSM family.
I believe that Christianity is the right religion, and the best way to convince someone of this is to help them. When I see or hear stories of exconvicts who have turned over a new leaf, many of them attribute their change to Christianity. I thought it was interesting that very few other faiths were mentioned as a motivation for change, and so I posed a question to my wife: Why is it always the Christian faith that changes the prisoner’s life? Her answer was simple - only Christians go to prisons to help them. PSW is about helping the sick, the elderly, and the children. Rather than being confined to those whom we evangelise to in our homes, communities and workplaces, it will reach those outside our social circles, and touch lives we would never have known about.
Steven and his family What are the lessons you’ve learnt from Cross1000? By aligning your personal goals with a desire to do something for others, you will gain a far greater resolve to achieve these goals than doing them for self-fulfilment. If it wasn’t for PSW and my desire to share the faith by supporting this project, I would never have completed the 1000km journey. If you have faith in God, He will help you. All those setbacks that I faced — the support vehicle; breaking my bicycle chain in the middle of nowhere on a Sunday — would have been impossible to overcome by my own human effort. God is the one who provides. (This article first appeared in the December 2018 PSW Newsletter.)
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Church Camp W
ho doesn’t love going to the beach? Whether it is the picturesque views or the bracing saltwater air, people have always gone to the seaside to reinvigorate themselves.
The main sessions were taken by the Camp speaker Revd Mike Raiter (current director of the Centre for Biblical Preaching in Melbourne, Australia). He was an engaging speaker. At one session, he related a conversation he had with a However, at the 2018 Church Camp, SJSMers young missionary at a conference. When asked were refreshed not only by the seafront views. how he came to that decision to be a cross Between the sessions, the worship, and the cultural worker, the reply was that it was after he relaxed pace of life at the resort, members were heard Revd Mike speak at a conference several years before. What was remarkable was that Revd also refreshed by the Holy Spirit. Mike confessed that he had little recollection of There was something for everyone, from the being at that conference in question, or even very young to the very young at heart. What was having prepared a special message. Truly our heartening to see was the different generations God is an awe-inspiring God who will use our coming to serve together in multi-generational efforts, both great and small, to impact people, worship teams. and to transform lives! The children had sessions where they learned Let’s hear from an SJSMer on her experience at God’s truth through fun and engaging activities. Church Camp 2018. The youth made the most of beach sports such as ultimate frisbee or just soaking in the sun.
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maturity
p 2018 By Yeo Han Hwee
Reflections from a Church Camper
M
y last big church camp was at least 15 years ago, and I decided to go for the 2018 one, maybe because the marketing was enticing and also I had the company of some cell members.
By Carol Lim
another). It spoke to me because I was thinking of which holiday to go next and to take it easy for the next stage in my career and personal life. It also serves as a good reminder that we are never too old (or young) to serve. If God has given us talents, we should use it as long as we are willing and available for His kingdom.
What I enjoyed most were the teaching sessions by Dr Mike Raiter. He led us in a series on the book of Luke in such a confronting way. His personal stories and The church camp is a great examples brought to life hothouse atmosphere to soak in the love of God the many awesome truths through the fellowship of from the Bible. One of the the saints and the feeding things which stood out for on the word. Kudos to the me was his challenge to make our lives count, to live camp committee for their wisely and not foolishly. His call was to a Grey wonderful planning and coordinating. It made Army and not Grey nomads (referring to the for a sweet spot to chill in the midst of the idyllic older folks who were going from one cruise to surroundings of the camp site.
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Tamil Congregation
Church Camp 2018 W
e organized our Tamil Congregation Church Camp from 14 to 16 June 2018 at A’Famosa, Malacca. We organize our camp annually to build strong bonds among our members. We also use it as a platform to invite newcomers to our church and thus bring the Salvation message to them. Camps offer the best time and opportunity to share the Gospel message with them. The theme of the camp was ‘Transformation’. The teaching sessions were based on transformation as an individual, as a family and as a church.
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by Revd Solomon Periyanayakam
maturity
Our Camp Speaker was Pastor P. Martin Sunder Singh from Bethel Revival Ministries in Tamil Nadu, South India. He was a good revival speaker and a prayerful man. The meetings over four days were like how Mary sat at the feet of Jesus. We had such delightful Spirit-filled messages that touched our campers. Our camp was not only meeting our spiritual needs but also our physical appetites. We also had a day trip to the Melaka Zoo, and had fun at the indoor water
and theme park. It was a camp where everyone had such a wonderful and blessed time. All who came were asking when the next camp would be held and they are already waiting in line to come again. We thank God for guiding the organizing committee in planning a memorable camp.
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F
or the past six years, groups of men in SJSM have gathered over an undisturbed weekend for a specific purpose – and it did not involve golf, sports, politics or cars! To be sure, a good number of these do not always know the exact reason why they are at the Breakthrough Weekend (MBTW for short to differentiate from the women’s) but most agree that they do not leave an MBTW the same man that they came in! The MBTW is an opportunity for men to gather and address issues of concern to men and especially where it affects our spiritual wellbeing. The MBTW is not something SJSM originated; Covenant Evangelical Free Church (CEFC) helped us launch it and worked alongside us in the initial runs for us to benefit from their 16 years of running it. The MBTW emphasises authenticity in our interactions and mutual observance of confidentiality so that men can speak freely what is on their mind. The sessions are typically run by men from SJSM, such that they are usually familiar faces to the participants. In fact, one key characteristic is that everyone there, be they speaker, facilitator or participant, are really all participants. This allows for the development of a level of fellowship and camaraderie that is usually hard to achieve in most other rushed or perfunctory interactions. That we approach subjects that matter to most of us without judging or fixing each other – as men are prone to – helps greatly to deepen friendship bonds. And when that is forged in an atmosphere that promotes spiritual encouragement and growth, God becomes all the more real to many of us. Our group sizes have varied – from as large as 80 or more to smaller groups of about 40. Regardless, we have seen God move
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Men’s
We
More than just good
maturity powerfully each time MBTW was conducted and we are indeed thankful for His faithfulness and love for us. Many friendships begun at MBTW survive the three days and to date, years later, a good number of these still meet regularly to enjoy spiritual friendship and encourage one another.
Weekend spiritual tune-ups by Michael Tan
Our latest MBTW in September 2018 was no different – men came (a number from other churches that we host at every MBTW), often tired from the roles at home and in the marketplace. We spent time reflecting on issues of life, shared with and encouraged each other, dealt with areas that needed strengthening or others that needed reining in, throwing out, etc. Most of us leave refreshed and reassured of the faithful God we have, and ready to resume the challenge of everyday life, redeemed. The MBTW is put together yearly by a team that comprises church staff and a number of core team members of SJSM’s men’s ministry - men4men. The men4men ministry meets most first Saturdays of the month over breakfast and into the mid-morning, providing regular opportunity for men who desire to journey with other men to meet and relate. Increasingly, many of these come as mentoring groups or cell groups so that their journey together takes on an even more regular regimen. The men4men creed is summed up in “every man a brother”: that friend who loves at all times, that brother who is there to help us face our adversities in life (Proverbs 17:17). We meet for the 2019 Men’s Breakthrough Weekend from 18 to 20 October. Look out for details.
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Come “So lay down your burdens Lay down your shame All who are broken Lift up your face ....
T
During the time of intercession before the participants arrived, the WBTW Committee prayed over every chair in the meeting room that each participant would encounter God in a personal and powerful way. In the midst of laughter and tears, the prayer was answered After a hiatus in 2017, WBTW was held from 5 as God, through His Holy Spirit, released to 7 October 2018. Over 3 days and 2 nights, affirmation, encouragement, direction, and time was set aside to listen to God in silence forgiveness over His beloved daughters. As the and solitude, and in community as speakers and weekend progressed, the participants began to group members shared teaching and testimonies open up, giving themselves permission to be of experiencing freedom in Christ. vulnerable in the safety of their groups and strict confidentiality. he lyrics of this song by the David Crowder Band spoke to many of the women who came together for time away with God and with each other at Women’s Breakthrough Weekend (WBTW) 2018.
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maturity
...Oh wanderer come home You’re not too far So lay down your hurt Lay down your heart ...”
Are
- Excerpt from “Come as You Are” by Ben Glover, David Crowder and Matt Maher
as You
by Connie Lim
Women’s Breakthrough Weekend There was time for the participants to engage their creativity as they were each given some clay to mould into an object that represented themselves as a vessel into which God could pour His Spirit. On the last day, each participant brought their clay vessels to be surrendered to the Lord. A simple liturgy reminded us that as we surrender ourselves to the Lord, we also walk the journey in the company of others. One feature of the WBTW that is distinct from the Men’s BTW is the mass dance. With a combination of synchronized dance steps and free movement, it was a way for the participants
to do something fun together and to exercise our freedom in Christ, literally. It was a joy to witness a visible change in the faces and demeanour of the women as they allowed God’s love to heal deep wounds and set them free from fears and wrong beliefs. Breakthrough Weekend is not a “be all and end all” but a catalyst for a deeper relationship with the Lord and each other. WBTW2019 will run from 4-6 October, 2019. Do look out for publicity on when to register.
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F
ive young “Creatives” gathered in Costa Coffee one afternoon, with dreams of bringing together various creative arts ministries (music, dance, media, drama) to create and stage a musical, titled “Wonder”. The desire was simple: to allow our art to speak to the hearts of everyone who would come down that night; to remind them of one simple truth – you are fearfully and wonderfully made and your identity can be rooted in the wonderful Creator. Turning Dreams into Reality We came to the drawing board expectant, excited and overflowing with ideas that we hoped to accomplish within the short span of three months. We allowed ourselves to dream big and bold! But of course, with such big dreams come even bigger responsibilities. Within our small five-man team, we spent countless late nights putting together the entire production, from envisioning the storyboard and the script, to working on the administrative and background details. Some called us ambitious, others called us “crazy”! Looking back, it was a beautiful and humbling process because we came truly
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empty-handed, armed with nothing but our child-like faith, entrusting the Lord with our dreams and committing them to Him saying “God we only have this much, please use us”. The journey wasn’t all smooth sailing though. Often, the future of our musical looked more bleak than beautiful. Fear began welling up, infiltrating our confidence and faith. But when I look back, I see how God showed us grace and provided much comfort by sending church leaders, congregation members and loved ones to come alongside to encourage us to persevere through
each stage. When we overwhelmed, we reminded to recommit our dreams to God instead of trying to be self-
were were
ministry sufficient – Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do it”. And God did “do it” – He brought the dreams fostered within our hungry hearts to fruition.
ideas to God, be prepared for Him to blow your mind with His plans. We spent days throwing out themes but nothing really sat comfortably with us until we were confronted with the question: “Is your dream big enough? Is it big enough that God’s you know God would have to HeART come through in order for it When you to come to pass?” Basically, submit your God was asking us if we were dreaming too small! God was asking us to create something that would be impossible without Him!
by Lee Qing Hui
“Wonder” hoped to imagine what it would be like to look through God’s eyes as he breathed into existence the heavens, earth, you and me. Wonder is a universal feeling – everyone can appreciate beauty, but the next step is seeking truth. How often do we slow down to take time to appreciate the beautiful creation that surrounds
us? And of all the things He has created, He created you and me in His image, calling us His best artwork, the finishing touch to His masterpiece. We may not be able to physically see God’s heart for us, but we can’t deny that God’s beautiful creations are a reflection of His character and a testimony to His amazing complexity, creativity and unfathomable love for us. Thanksgiving As I reflect back on the whole process and rewatch the recorded musical, I know that we have to give all glory to God because this musical was not something we could have achieved by our own strength. God simply asked us to lay our dreams at his feet and He led us into something that we could never even have conjured up in our wildest imagination. Our prayer and hope is that our art was able to play a part in revealing God’s heart for us.
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启 发 事 工 所以，你们要去，使万民作我的门徒，奉父、 子、圣灵的名给他们施洗。（太28：19） 华文部的启发事工始于2002年，是“交流站” 的延伸。事工由林杰华牧师带领，陈昭仪姐妹负 责。如今，事工已进入了第18个年头。启发课程 是教会在本地传福音的一个重要管道，事工透过 聚餐，诗歌，分享基督信仰课题和分组讨论，把 福音的好消息传给未信主的慕道友。 参与启发的慕道友有来自大陆在本地求学的学 生，工作的成年人和年长的父母辈，社区的年长 人士，中英文堂会友讲华语的父母亲等，在林牧 师带领期间至2008年已经有不少的慕道友决志信 靠了耶稣。 2009年，余发平牧师接任带领华文部，继续发展 启发事工。 在余发平牧师带领启发期间，为了更贴近慕道友 的需要，课程增设了祭祖记祖的课程，目的为帮 助初信者消除对祖先祭祀的疑虑，得到很好的回 应。 在牧者与同工们的同心配搭和圣灵的带领之下， 启发课程继续发挥良好的果效，决志归主的人数 也日愈增多，见证了上帝在他教会里丰盛的恩 典。 到2017年10月余牧师被派往其他牧区牧会，由 汤郑雄牧师接手继续华文堂的牧养工作，启发课 程也继续被确认为堂会领人信主的主要事工与管 道，相信在未来的岁月里，神依然使用它自己奇 妙的作为，让更多的人因此得着主救赎的恩典。
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ministry
- Chinese Congregation -
The Alpha Ministry by Wong Chuck Fang
M
atthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Alpha Ministry of the Chinese Congregation (evolved from Connect Ministry) was started in 2002. At that time, it was led by Revd Lim Kek Wah and sister Zhao Yi. It is now into its 18th year.
To better engage the seekers, a new topic – “Ancestral Worship or Remembrance” - was introduced to help address queries which new believers may have towards ancestral worship. We received good responses from the participants.
Under the co-labouring of our pastoral staff and lay members, as well as the leading of the Holy Spirit, the Alpha Course continues to be effective as more conversions took place, allowing us The Alpha Course remains as one of the most to witness the abundant grace of God in His important channels for local evangelism. Church. Through food, songs, and discussing topics of the Christian Faith, the good news is being In October 2017, Revd Ee was posted to another preached to seekers. parish and our Chinese congregation came under the pastoral leadership of Revd Thong Our participants included students from China, working adults, the elderly, those from the Tang Hiong. The Alpha Course continues to be recognized as a key ministry and channel in community, as well as the Mandarin-speaking the Chinese congregation for people to come parents of both our English and Chinese to know Christ and be saved. We believe that Congregation members. At the end of Revd in the days to come, God will continue to work Lim’s leadership in 2008, there were already in amazing ways, leading more people to His many who came to faith in Jesus. saving grace. In 2009, Revd Ivan Ee took over as Priest-In27 Charge as the ministry continued to grow.
- Heartfriends Community Services -
Sharing a
that
Friendship
Helps by Simon Devaraj
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C
ommunity befriending at SJSM has been at the heart of the church since the beginning. It has grown into an established community service arm known as Heartfriends Community Services (HCS) and will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in 2019. Through the years, compassionate and committed leaders and members have planted and grown this work. We continue to see growth as older members make way for renewal. If there is one need that we could pray for and work hard at is for the next generation to come forward and take up this work.
ministry
Kopi Stop
Kopi Stop Ministry We now have a new set of leaders in the Kopi Stop Committee and younger cells have come forward to serve, bringing with them passion and fresh ideas. With this, we are blessed with new perspectives and more interesting and engaging activities for the elderly who come weekly to the void deck of Block 4 at 10 am on Saturdays for breakfast and fellowship. For example, a Young Adult cell introduced “The Price is Right� game which the elderly found exciting and engaging. The winners were blessed with useful groceries. Another game popular with the residents was identifying the title of old classic songs.
Outing to the Singapore Zoological Gardens
Who can serve at Kopi Stop? What qualities do you need? As long as you have a heart to serve the Lord, come forward or speak with your cell leaders to serve together. Other activities included bring the elderly for an outing to the Singapore Zoological Gardens, organized by the Kopi Stop Chairperson, Lynette Khoo. Two buses that could accommodate wheelchairs were arranged to bring the seniors to visit a place some had never visited before. Naturally, more volunteers were roped in and it was a fun-filled day. It is a joy and pleasure to serve the elderly in Dover. The reward for each member serving is to see lives touched and transformed.
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Cake Blessing 2018
Cake Blessing In December, we distributed a calendar and a Kueh Lapis cake to share the joy of Christmas. The calendar contained information on our various community activities. As this was a period when many members were away for the holidays, we saw new volunteers and cells who had previously not served at Cake Blessing step forward when the call was made. Even though we were shorthanded, we managed to visit 5200 households in Dover, Ghim Moh Link and Ghim Moh Edge.
residents. For example, there was a lady at Ghim Moh who had a sister with Stage 4 cancer. As she heard the knock on the door, she took it as an answer to her prayers to have someone visit and pray for her sister. These yearly blessings continue to be opportunities for us to meet the needs of the community.
Basic Conversational English Course In partnership with the Dover Community Centre Management Committee, HCS started the inaugural run of the Basic Conversational English Course for elderly Dover residents. A There were uplifting encounters with the group of dedicated SJSMers (Irene Lim, Lisa
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ministry
Art and Craft Session
Soh, Jimmy Foong and Serene Lim) spent long hours to develop the course from scratch. Twenty Chinese-speaking residents, ranging from 52 to 70 years old showed up at the first lesson eager to learn. Each volunteer was assigned to a small group of five participants. The participants benefitted most from the class when they learned to pronounce words and converse with each other. Art and Craft Sessions Heartfriends has also started Art & Craft sessions with eight elderly residents at the void deck of Block 22. The idea came about when HCS staff observed many elderly residents at the void deck during their walkabout. These residents now enjoy a good time of bonding with each other and the volunteers as they learn simple art and crafts. Blood Donation Drive 2018 also marked the first year a Heartfriends Blood Donation Drive was organised. Ninetyeight people from both SJSM and the Dover community came forward to donate blood in Bethel Auditorium. If you would like to be involved in sharing friendship and God’s love with the community, get in touch with us. Write to doverheartfriends@sjsm.org.sg Blood Donation Drive
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- Missions Department -
A
fter 30 years of serving in the mission field, Dr Lee Choy Leng retired in August 2018.
Trained as a medical doctor, Choy Leng started working at SJSM in 1987. She was later stationed in East Malaysia as a cross cultural worker before spending the last 22 years in Laos with the Anglican Relief and Development Agency (ARDA), teaching English and being part of the staff management team in the school. Choy Leng has served faithfully and tenaciously with a gentle and quiet spirit. Although she has retired, Choy Leng continues to serve the Lord among the Laotians whom she has grown to love deeply.
Choy Leng’s Retirement Celebration gathering
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30 Celebrating
Years of
Selfless Service
mission
She’s a lady who lives out her faith through loving others selflessly – as a parish worker, she was our own “in-house” doctor using her profession with prayer to heal us. In her own mission field in Laos, Choy Leng applied herself as a doctor to the street children she found. I’m sure she would have shared the love of Jesus with them with open arms! - Deaconess Laura Chan
Initially new students and colleagues may find Choy Leng a stern and no nonsense person and be a little scared of her, but soon after they’ll discover that she’s a warm, generous, caring and loving person. As a leader, friend and sister, this godly lady has been used by God to play a big part in my own crosscultural journey. Thank you God for blessing me with Aunty Choy Leng. - Angie Tan Cross-cultural worker in Laos
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“It is more blessed to give than to receive�
- Acts 20:35
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mission
- Indonesian Fellowship -
Two Copper Coins
plus Talents by Trixie Chin
J
esus sat near the temple treasury and watched the people as they dropped in their money. The rich dropped in a lot of money, the not so rich dropped in less. But a poor widow dropped in two little copper coins, and her act was captured by Jesus and it became a model for us in giving.
organised a fundraising breakfast for PSW.
On Sunday morning, 3 November, we brought cooked food from home and set up stalls in front of Christ Sanctuary. As we put our hearts and hands together, we managed to prepare lontong, fried bee hoon, sandwiches, cupcakes, sous vide soft-boiled eggs with bread, mixedThe Indonesian Fellowship is a small group nuts and fruits. As members were leaving Christ that gathers in church on Sunday. We worship Sanctuary after E1 service, they started asking the Lord and we learn the Word of God too. what food we were selling. After a while, a queue The story of the two copper coins in the Bible started forming. It was such a great joy to see reminded us to invest our giving in the work of the people mingling at the concourse holding the food they had just bought from the stalls. God. We have learnt much about Project Spring- Indeed food brings people together regardless Winter (PSW) in our church and we desired to of time and place. be able to contribute to this project in whatever We thank the Lord for blessing the group with way we could. With an average attendance of cooking skills that we could offer to the Lord. eight people, we asked ourselves, “What and From the time of Jesus till today, the story of the how could we give?”. Silver and gold we do not Two Copper Coins continue to spur our hearts have much, but the Lord has blessed us with to give. Indeed giving is an investment in the talented people who possess cooking skills. We kingdom of God, as Paul said in Acts 20:35, offered our hands and talents to the Lord and “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
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T
he Lord is touching the SJSM community in many ways. This is a testimony of God’s faithfulness and mercy in the midst of financial distress.
My name is Karen. I have been an Overseas Foreign Worker since 2005. I was a Christian in word but not in deed. I used to spend my entire month’s pay within one or two weeks clubbing and buying things I did not need. Once all that I earned was gone, I would run to my parents for money until the time they had to teach me lesson. That was both the beginning and the end. It ended my carefree days and it was the beginning of suffering and realization. I began to reflect and tried to find a solution. I attended a financial management session where the speaker shared that he was always broke and fired from his job but gradually started to have an abundant and protected life when he practised tithing. Out of curiosity, I tested it myself. Years passed and with the discipline and proper handling of money and tithing, my best friend and I saved up some funds. Since we were both business-minded, we bought a house and rented it out. We also got an offer to take over a business. We took the risk, borrowed some funds from friends and decided to return to our home country and concentrate on the business. The business did well but it also became very demanding and tiring. One of our customers became our partner and had intended to buy it over on an instalment basis. So we agreed to sell the business to him. However, he did not keep to the agreement and no payment was received. Our friends started to ask for repayment of the loan; we sold all that we
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had just to pay them but it was insufficient. We asked God why this was happening to us. We hid from everyone, deactivated our Facebook account, changed our phone number and worked as an employee again. Still faithful in tithing, my best friend and I agreed to repay all those we owed. God began to restore more than what we had lost, little by little. Malachi 3:10 says “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” After years of hiding, a friend of the friend whom we owed money to saw us and said she was told to hug us and tell us that the debt owed to her had been cancelled. In Deuteronomy 31:6 it says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” After all that we have gone through, we can testify that God is true to His word, He fulfils His promises in His own perfect time. We also believe that we are still a work in progress, expecting more of God’s surprises.
mission
Great is Thy Faithfulness
- Filipino Fellowship -
by Karen Prado Ceres
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Our
Enduring
Vision
“We aim to be a worshippers who power of the Ho
SJSM aims by our Jubilee to BE TRANSFORMED (METAMORPHOUSTHE) into a THRIVING DISCIPLESHIP ECOSYSTEM that manifests itself through:
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• Annual growth of at least one newly believing member for every ten existing members • Seamless integration with an excellent Nursing Home and Childcare Centre in which we exercise discipleship in a missional and intergenerational way • A welcoming family for all generations and abilities with a culture of discipling the next generation
musings
witnessing community of praying and caring o base their lives on Scripture and move in the oly Spirit to reach a world in need of Christ.”
And every SJSMer to BE TRANSFORMED (METAMORPHOUSTHE) into a FRUITFUL TREE that through ABIDING and PRUNING, bears the FRUIT of: • MATURITY (Christ-likeness) • MINISTRY (serving with love) • MISSION (reaching the lost)
Our
Jubilee
Vision 39
ST. JOHN’S - ST. MARGARET’S CHURCH (ANGLICAN) 30 Dover Avenue, Singapore 139790. Tel: 6777 0934 Fax:6778 6264 Email: info@sjsm.org.sg Website: www.sjsm.org.sg Published by St. John’s – St. Margaret’s Church Copyright © St. John’s – St. Margaret’s Church, 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.