BRMC to SHINE FORTH FOR JESUS for THE SAKE OF THE WORLD A Publication ISSUE 2, 2015 BY BARKER Road METHODIST CHURCH MCI(P)153/12/2015 YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME, BUT I CHOSE YOU AND APPOINTED YOU TO GO AND BEAR FRUIT – FRUIT THAT WILL LAST. (JOHN 15:16) JESUS SAID, “UNLESS A KERNEL OF WHEAT FALLS TO THE GROUND AND DIES, IT REMAINS ONLY A SINGLE SEED. BUT IF IT DIES, IT PRODUCES MANY SEEDS. ANYONE WHO LOVES THEIR LIFE WILL LOSE IT, WHILE ANYONE WHO HATES THEIR LIFE IN THIS WORLD WILL KEEP IT FOR ETERNAL LIFE. WHOEVER SERVES ME MUST FOLLOW ME; AND WHERE I AM, MY SERVANT ALSO WILL BE. MY FATHER WILL HONOUR THE ONE WHO SERVES ME.” (JOHN 12:23-26) CONTENTS FRONT PAGE HOUSE OF BREAD Photographer: Church Volunteer 18 D&N Christian Believer Programme: 3 The Pastor Speaks A Moment with God our Creator 4 Welcome, New Staff: Famajati Sastro, 19 SG Ministry Reports: IGSG Taking on the Challenges Dr Sammi Tan and Dr Kevin Lowe of Parenting and the LOL IGSG on Taking on the Challenges of Life with God on our Side HOUSE OF SALVATION HOUSE OF PRAYER 6 CAM: Celebrate Christmas in Singapore 23 GYM: Fun for GYMers in BRMC & Chiangmai 10 Indonesian Congregation: Joyful Christmas 25 LCEC Retreat 2015: Be Still 12 Watchnight Service 2014: 29 Grace Notes Choir: Love our Master, Always New Every Morning Know our Music 29 Grace Notes Choir Retreat: Working in our Master’s Choral Vineyard Together HOUSE OF COMPASSION 31 8.30 am Sanctuary Choir: The Christ of Christmas 15 Careforce Ministry: Let Love Overflow SPECIAL FEATURES 35 Down Memory Lane: Tribute to Mr Wee Choon Siang 37 BRMCK Report: Celebrating 2014 − The Lunar New year and Christmas Caroling Uphill & Beyond welcomes article contributions on all 38 Announcements aspects of church life at BRMC. Do you have a passion for writing? BRMC needs you! If you are keen to contribute, do contact: [email protected] Publisher: Rev Dr Chiu Ming Li Editor : Corinne Teo (LMS) (until end-2015) Tan Chong Yaw (from January 2016) Editorial Support: Dr Jeanette Hui, Mrs Sally Tan, Mrs Lee Tan Lynn, Mrs Karen Tan, Ms Pang Yin Wah Photographer: BRMC Volunteers 48 Barker Road Singapore 309917 • Tel: 6256 4298 • Fax 6255 4030 • Email: [email protected] MCI(P)129/01/2015 THE Pastor SPEAKS Rev Dr Chiu Ming Li Rev Lawrence TC Chua Rev Daniel Terence Yeo Pastor-In-Charge Pastor Pastor Rev Wendy Watson Rev Edmund Koh Pastor David Ho Pastor Pastor Assistant Pastor How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. Psalm 133 Heroes didn’t leap tall buildings or stop bullets with an outstretched hand; they didn’t wear boots and capes. They bled and they bruised, and their superpowers were as simple as listening, or loving. Heroes were ordinary people who knew that even if their own lives were impossibly knotted, they could untangle someone else’s. And maybe that one act could lead someone to rescue you right back. Jodi Picoult, Second Glance One of my favourite television shows in the 90’s was a sitcom called Cheers. The serial played around characters in a bar (which actually exists in Boston). What drew me to that series was the theme “where everyone knows your name, and they’re always glad you came”. Each episode featured characters facing personal crises, and finding comfort, friendship, and solace from other patrons at the bar. The comedic element was the idiosyncrasies and quirkiness of each character; few were likeable. Despite their ‘weirdness’, each person was embraced and welcomed at the bar. The sitcom struck a chord deep in me: I often struggled with a fear of rejection, and longed for companionships that would accept me as I am. I dreamed of a community where I did not need to be the super-achiever or the saint, but where despite my obvious and not-so-obvious blemishes, everyone “was glad that I came”. I dream this for Barker Road Methodist Church too. I dream of a church where everyone has a friend; I dream of a church where slights are quickly overlooked or forgiven; a church where every member wants to go to, not only because the preaching is superb or the worship anointed, but because they know that someone there is always glad that they came. Reading the Gospels, I know that God dreams of that too. Rev Dr Chiu Ming Li Pastor-In-Charge BRMC PAGE 4 UPHILL & BEYOND ISSUE 2, 2015 BRMC Welcome, NEW Staff: Famajati SASTRO My family has been worshipping at BRMC for 15 years. I am blessed to count many BMRC members as my dear friends and brothers/sisters-in-Christ. I grew up in Jakarta before I went to England for my ‘A’ levels and subsequently completed my Masters degree in Computer Famajati and her family celebrated double birthdays in Scotland. The cake was baked by Elizabeth. Science. Upon my parents’ encouragement, I moved to Singapore in 1986 when I got a job my first job with DBS Bank. workers are few”. As God’s plan began to unfold, Rev Malcolm I became a Singapore citizen in 1989. Tan invited me to join BRMC staff as a ministry worker (part- time) for the Indonesian service on May 1, 2014. When I was a teenager, I had responded to an altar call to serve God but I never considered going into full-time ministry. At I am married to a Singaporean. William has been most the back of my mind, I always remember the words of my late supportive of my involvement in the Indonesian ministry all former school principal, a Dutch missionary. He spoke to me these 12 years. My daughter, Elizabeth, is pursuing medical personally before I left for England. There was so much love in studies in Scotland, and my son, Timothy, is serving in national him for Indonesia. I started serving in the BRMC Indonesian service. It has been a joy to be a stay-at-home mother for 20 fellowship in 2003. My heart was stirred when I first attended years, and in this new season of life, I look forward to where the service, as I realised that “the harvest is plentiful but the God will lead me and the Indonesian ministry. BRMC Welcome, NEW Staff: DR KEVIN lowe Hello BRMC, I have just joined the church as Pastoral Team Member (PTM) for missions. My wife Claire and I have 3 children, Titus, Tabitha, and Faith. We have all spent quite a bit of time (15 years) on the mission field, primarily in Cambodia with another year in Myanmar. We have just returned to Singapore for over a year now. I served with the Trinity Annual Conference as an ordained elder, with The Methodist Missions Society as a missionary pastor, and until most recently as a tentmaker and utilizing business as missions. During those years, God granted me the privilege to complete my post-graduate studies in evangelism and also in missions. Missions have always been my (and my wife’s) passion and calling. BRMC has much to offer in the field of world missions and it is my hope that we can be the best possible stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. We look forward to serving in BRMC. All for Christ and Christ for All BRMC PAGE 5 UPHILL & BEYOND ISSUE 2, 2015 BRMC Welcome, NEW Staff: DR SAMMI TAN Dear Friends It is a joy to introduce myself as your new Pastoral Team Member (PTM) at Barker Road Methodist Church (BRMC). This year, 2015, is a year of milestones – with Singapore celebrating her Jubilee year and personally, my husband (Chris) and I “Let us love one another, for love is of God.“ celebrating our 20th anniversary together! We thank God for His faithfulness towards us and blessing this holy union with It was when my eldest son was in Primary school at the Anglo- two wonderful sons – Aaron (14 years old) and Joseph (almost Chinese Junior School (ACSJ) and then at the Anglo-Chinese four years old). We also thank God for providing our family Primary School (ACSP), that I got involved in School Ministry with a spiritual home at BRMC since 2008. as a parent volunteer. It was a joyful time serving the Lord at these schools, making many new friends along the way as well Prior to joining BRMC as a PTM, I was involved in cutting-edge as growing in the Lord. Having been so blessed, it is now by research in the Life Sciences both in the UK (at Newcastle- God’s providence that this door has been opened for me to Upon-Tyne and Oxford) and in Singapore (at the Institute of serve and be a blessing at ACSP through the School Ministry. Molecular and Cell Biology). I left research when I had my eldest son to be an Adjunct Lecturer at Nanyang Technological As I step out in faith on this new journey, I hold onto the University (NTU) for three years and subsequently at the promise of John 10:10 that Jesus has come to give us abundant Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) for life.