Vol 119 No 12 • DEC 2017
inside
this issue...
ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 019/11/2017
Rich Church in a Poor World? Hard-hitting truths at NextGen seminar page 3
Nicene Creed Learning the Church’s faith page 10
message.methodist.org.sg
A caregiver’s perspective Dementia and the personal caregiver pages 19-21
BISHOP’S MESSAGE
Remember the Reason for the season Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2016. He served as President of the Chinese Annual Conference for two quadrennia from 2008 to 2016.
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests.”
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Luke 2:14 (NIV)
erry Christmas!” One wonders how long more such words of blessing will be heard. Already in some countries, “Happy Holidays!” has become the standard greeting. In those places, saying “Merry Christmas” to someone who is not a Christian can cause affront and be seen as a challenge to their religious freedom. Who knows how much longer it will be before our Lord Jesus Christ is replaced as the key reason for the celebration of Christmas, in a world so steeped in consumerism and political correctness? Let us not forget that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ – His coming to earth. When the angels came to announce the great news about Jesus’ birth, they elected to do so to shepherds out on the plains in Bethlehem, and not to the wider citizenry at Jerusalem. Were they trying to tell us that only the simple and pure can see the Lord? Perhaps this is what Jesus Christ meant when He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
During this time of the year, we see pictures of a sweetly smiling, or peacefully sleeping baby Jesus, in Christmas cards and shop windows. Yet today, that peace seems elusive. Today, Christians face opposition from all directions. The opposition is not only to the message of the Gospel, but also to Christian presence and influence in everyday life and at various social strata. Christian values and principles are often considered as conservative, and obstacles to social liberalisation and progress. Christmas to us has always been a time for family and warmth, a serene and peaceful celebration. It heralds hope, joy, peace, and love. It is a time for reconciliation, to forgive one another and restore relationships, and to break down walls and mend bridges. Our hearts are to be filled with goodwill towards one and all. Therefore, take every opportunity to wish “Merry Christmas” to anyone who crosses your path today. Mankind is in desperate need of the Saviour who came down from heaven and was born in Bethlehem. Looking at peaceful pictures of a sleeping baby Jesus sometimes makes us forget the pain and suffering He would subsequently go through, to bring us eternal peace and a right standing with God. In this Christmas season, let us listen to the songs of the angels, and pray: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14, KJV) n Picture by AnnekaS/Bigstock.com Christmas icon by cienpies/Bigstock.com
COMING UP
Joyfully sounding Christ’s birth at Orchard By the Celebrate Christmas In Singapore team
Joyful Sounds Fundraising Concert 15 Dec 2017 (Friday), 7.30 p.m. 16 Newton Rd, Newton Life Church, S(307995) Help us monitor seats by getting a free ticket at www. eventbrite.com/e/joyful-soundstickets-39538918971. Seats will be reserved till 7.15 p.m. for ticket-holders. We hope to raise $350,000 in support of CCIS 2017. All are welcome!
PRAY u for this year’s CCIS. VOLUNTEER u to help out at CCIS events – sign up at https://goo. gl/forms/juApMUGner1WiXI13. If CCIS has blessed you, share your testimony by sending it to secretariat@ccis.sg. DONATE u to help fund CCIS. Please make your cheque payable to “Celebrate Christmas In Singapore Ltd” and mail it to: Celebrate Christmas In Singapore 8 Lorong 27A Geylang, #02-02 Guilin Building, Singapore 388106.
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hat if you had a chance to proclaim Christ’s birth to the world at our doorstep? According to the Singapore Tourism Board’s statistics for 2016, more than 1.5 million visitors entered Singapore last December. Most visitors are likely to stroll along Orchard Road this season, not forgetting foreigners working here and locals. Wouldn’t you seize this opportunity to connect with passers-by to share the Good News along our famed shopping district this season? Celebrate Christmas In Singapore (CCIS) seeks to proclaim the Hope that we have in Christ who has redeemed us for eternity. Nightly performances proclaiming the Reason for Christmas will be held from 16 – 23 Dec 2017, from 7–10.30 p.m. along the pedestrian walkway with two stages in front of Ion Orchard and Wisma Atria respectively. Methodist churches involved include Barker Road Methodist Church, Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church, Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church, Seletar Tamil Methodist Church, Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church, and Telugu Methodist Church. Volunteers can help to give out the CCIS-prepared outreach booklets and start intentional conversations, or help out at the interactive booths. There will be two charity booths: one by 365 Cancer Prevention Society, and the other by My Christmas Wish, a foundation that gives underprivileged children Christmas gifts. We can also extend hospitality to the visiting performing groups, or spend time with our families and friends at CCIS, rediscovering the meaning of Christmas through answering questions at the Story Box and Children Interactive Booths. CCIS is run by the grace of God’s provision through His church. Your prayers, support, and love gifts will be much appreciated. n
Images courtesy of Celebrate Christmas In Singapore
The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore. Published material does not necessarily reflect the official view of The Methodist Church. All Scripture quoted is based on the English Standard Version, unless otherwise stated. Our address
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Let us have your views
Editorial Board Adviser and Publisher Dr Anthony Goh Sze Chern, Chairperson, Council on Communications Editor Ms Grace Toh Sub-editor Ms Tan Chiu Ai Editorial Executive Mr Jason Woo
Have something to say or share? Email us at newmm@methodist.org.sg and if appropriate, your contribution could be published.
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It takes a village… Jason Woo is Methodist Message’s Editorial Executive. When not working on the latest articles, he enjoys long jogs and cuddling up with his three cats along with a good book.
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f we had not stepped in to intervene, she would have been the third generation to go into prostitution,” shared Mr Joseph Chean, National Director of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Singapore, as he talked about their work in reaching out to women who are mired in the flesh trade along the streets of Geylang. Many of these women are young mothers saddled with small children, several of whom are unschooled. It was both disquieting and grimly fascinating to hear that cosmopolitan Singapore does have and continues to harbour a darker underbelly of the poor, the helpless, and the socially immobile – individuals and families stuck in the rut of destructive lifestyles, often not out of choice but due to sheer circumstance. Joseph (pictured below left), who gave the keynote address at the ‘Rich Church in a Poor World’ seminar on 7 Sep 2017 at the Bible House, was one of four speakers who shared their experiences working with vulnerable groups in Singapore. The seminar was organised by The Bible Society of Singapore’s NextGen ministry with the support of the Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore. Even though YWAM Singapore was birthed as an agency dealing chiefly in foreign missions and missionary training, Joseph sensed God confronting him about YWAM’s need to get involved locally with the plight of the street denizens of Geylang – impressing upon him a quote from Habakkuk 2:14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” “There was a point in time in the early 2000s that the population in Geylang boomed due to the influx of foreigners, which in turn compounded the vice issues in the district, which we could no longer ignore,” recalled Joseph. After three years of listening, prayer, discussion and planning, the Mercy Centre — a part of the ministry of YWAM Singapore — was founded in November 2013 to offer aid to the vulnerable and marginalised. An initiative called Tamar Village, established three years prior, functions as part of the Mercy Centre’s ministry to the disadvantaged. It is a safe haven to bring healing, help, and most importantly, hope to former prostitutes who are seeking a new life. Its founders had witnessed the true, horrid conditions that the ladies in the streets had to live through – some local women were selling their bodies for as low as $5, just to buy the next meal for their children or to pay their rent. Now, the facility helps equip the ladies with viable trade skills that will allow them to earn a living after they leave the compound, and also offers their children and partners a proper education and job opportunities.
Joseph contended that the glory of God should not be an abstract, vague concept, but a tangible one that entailed facing up to and addressing the social ills and injustices of the day, feeding the hungry, and clothing the poor. A key example was the overnight carnival that God led YWAM to organise for the Geylang community in 2015, offering massage services, manicures and pedicures, free and brand-new household items, games for the children, and food around the clock. “Now would you massage a prostitute or trim the toenails of the homeless? How do you even put this across to churches in the vicinity and convince them to join in?” questioned Joseph. “It was then that I realised: My goodness, the Church in Singapore has become middle- or upper-class – the poor and needy have become invisible to us. God save us from ourselves.” “And God replied, I am sending the poor to you precisely to do that. This is My party, you only need to send the message out.” The reply galvanised YWAM, and the carnival saw 700 Christian volunteers across more than 20 churches coming together to serve 1,800 members of the neighbourhood who came, which even included a pimp bringing his entire brothel. “Martin Luther himself said that if the Gospel is not relevant to the issues of the day, then it is not Good News at all. Good News is not good if it is only so to the Christians and the Church, but does very little else when you hold up the Bible to the prostitutes and the pimps and they have no idea what you are talking about,” said Joseph. n For more information on YWAM and Tamar Village and how you can contribute, visit www.ywam.org.sg and www.mercy-centre.org/tamar-village, and get involved today. Photos courtesy of The Bible Society® of Singapore METHODIST MESSAGE • DEC 2017
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CHURCH PROFILE
Fairfield MC:
Magnifying, multiplying, and ministering The Rev Daniel Cornilius Tan and Daisy Lee are Pastor-in-Charge and administrative co-ordinator of Fairfield Methodist Church respectively.
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n 2018, Fairfield Methodist Church (FFMC) will be celebrating our 70th Anniversary. Pioneering work initiated by the late Rev and Mrs Herbert F. Kuehn in 1938 led to the planting of FFMC. Consequently, the Fairfield congregation was constituted as a Local Conference on 1 Feb 1948 with 20 members. The church has grown to its current membership of 820, holding five weekly services in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. There are also 27 small groups from the English congregation and 11 from the Mandarin Ministry, not including small groups in the Youth, Children, and Cantonese ministries. FFMC’s vision is to be a disciplemaking church, with the mission that every member be committed to “Magnify God, Multiply disciples, and Minister to all peoples in Singapore and beyond”. When FFMC moved from 178 Neil Road to our current location at
We continue our series of profiling local churches from our three Annual Conferences of The Methodist Church in Singapore. As we come to have a better understanding of each other’s history and ministry, we may discover more opportunities to forge cross-church partnerships and collaborations.
1 Tanjong Pagar Road in July 1986, we retained our calling to minister in Chinatown through the Christmasin-Chinatown events at Kreta Ayer Concourse in the late 1980s to 1990s, and the Blessing Projects started in 1999. This is further evident through the establishment of Yong-en Care Centre in September 1996 as our community outreach arm in Chinatown. The mission of Yong-en Care Centre is to demonstrate God’s love through value-added community services and support for the needy individuals and families in Chinatown and beyond. Currently, it runs a dementia day-care centre and family services. Other services are being planned, and we pray that they will come to fruition soon. FFMC’s Injured Migrant Workers Ministry to the Chinese, Indian, and Bangladeshi nationals provides both practical and spiritual support to our migrant workers who are injured in their course of work. This ministry offers practical love and care by meeting their daily needs and assisting in their compensation claims. Spiritual support is provided through befriending, fellowship, teaching, and prayer. While the major concern of this ministry is its sustainability due to high expenses and limited resources, God has amazingly and consistently provided almost exactly as needed every year. What weighs most on the minds of our congregation here in Fairfield is our lease renewal, which is due in 2027. Fundraising efforts started earnestly in early 2016, and we are
Fairfield Methodist Church (Trinity Annual Conference) 1 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088437 Sunday Services: 8.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. English (Sanctuary); 10.30 a.m. Mandarin (Kuehn Hall); 2 p.m. Cantonese (Sanctuary); 7 p.m. China Nationals Ministry (Kuehn Hall) Contact us: Website: www.fairfieldmc.org hoping to be able to secure our lease renewal of this piece of land we are currently sitting on. We are confident that we will be able to stay in this community, to continue answering God’s call for us to reach those staying around the Chinatown area, and also those working in the Maxwell Road, Duxton Road, and Tanjong Pagar Road areas. The opportunities for ministry in these areas are great and exciting. Many lives can be touched in these districts, and with the new MRT station right at our doorstep come 2021, the area around FFMC will be a hive of activity. We hope to be able to play an important role in God’s plans for those who are based in these areas, whether for work or residence. As we look forward, we are excited about the ministry that can be done, and we seek your support, praying that we can fulfil God’s calling for us to stay on to minister to people for His glory. n
Photo courtesy of Fairfield Methodist Church
ONE MCS – TRAC HIGHLIGHT At the collective suggestion of our Annual Conference Presidents, the President’s Message column has now been expanded to highlight activities and authors from each Annual Conference. Let’s continue to keep each other in prayer as we grow and serve “Together as one in spirit and purpose”!
‘Make the main thing the main thing!’ From the Trinity Annual Conference President’s Office
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n behalf of all the churches in Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC), I wish our Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung and our sister Annual Conferences, agencies, and offices a blessed Advent and Christmas season! Advent and Christmas come during the end – and thus also the beginning – of a calendar year. As such, I have always found this season to be especially important for reflection and renewing our resolve to concentrate on the things that really count. As the popular (and perceptive) saying goes: “The main thing is to make the main thing the main thing.” But what is “the main thing” as far as God and the Church is concerned? The apostle Paul gives us his answer to that question when writing to the Galatians. But before I quote his answer, let me highlight something else he wrote that jolted and provoked my reflections. Paul was writing to Jewish readers, and in Galatians 6:15, he stated that “neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” “Neither circumcision, nor the lack of it, counts for anything.” Really?? It is almost impossible for us, who are part of a modern church tradition that has never practised circumcision, to appreciate how heretical and horrific such a statement must have sounded to the Jewish leaders in Paul’s day. God’s command in the days of Moses was clear: every believing man must be circumcised if he is to be included as part of the family of God. This was a central and undisputed command of God, and anyone who said that circumcision did not “count for anything” would by such teaching prove himself to be a false teacher.
Here are some possibly analogous statements: • “Whether or not one is baptised in the name of Christ doesn’t count for anything!” • “Whether or not you attend church services doesn’t count for anything!” • “Whether or not you ever receive Holy Communion doesn’t count for anything!” • “Whether or not you speak in tongues, or raise your hands in worship, doesn’t count for anything!” • “Whether or not you read the Bible doesn’t count for anything!” • “Whether or not you attend the annual Pink Dot rally doesn’t count for anything!” • “Whether or not you hold joss sticks at a Chinese funeral wake doesn’t count for anything!” If none of these statements provoke you, then you probably still cannot appreciate how provocative was Paul’s statement about circumcision (or not) to the religious Jews of his day. But if neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for much, then is there anything that really counts? Is everything just a question
of personal preference? Are there no rules or commandments that truly count in the eyes of God? Here is Paul’s answer: There is one command that really counts. Paul stated it in Galatians 5:14 (NIV) – “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ ” He had written the same thing earlier in Galatians 5:6 (NIV) – “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Paul then concluded his letter with a blessing in Galatians 6:16 – “For all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them.” The main thing is the old rule of love and “new creation” (note the last phrase of Galatians 6:15). Can we find new ways to show love and respect in the name of Christ to a neighbour or enemy? May God help us do new acts of love this Advent season and beyond, as we unite together “to make the main thing the main thing.” n Prayer: Lord, save us from taking specific practices and rules that we have found to be important, and imposing them upon everyone else in Your Name. Instead, help us judge all actions according to Your one rule: the rule of love (and respect) for a neighbour in the same way that we hope our neighbour would treat and respect us (Matthew 7:12). We pray this in the name of the One who asked us not only to love our neighbour, but also our enemies. Amen. Picture by ijeab/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • DEC 2017
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YOU & YOUR FAMILY
‘Killing them’ with love? Benny Bong has been a family and marital therapist for more than 30 years, and is a certified work-life consultant. He was the first recipient of the AWARE Hero Award in 2011 and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
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recently found myself drawn into a conversation between two ladies with contrasting views on parenting. One woman was worried that her daughter was “too good” for her own good. She was genuinely concerned about whether her 17-year-old daughter was sufficiently exposed to “the real world”. Her daughter would be going overseas to study in less than a year; would she be able to fend for herself? This mother felt that as Singapore is a relatively safe environment, it is an ideal laboratory for her daughter to explore and learn the rough and tumble of life, with her parents on hand to bail her out if necessary. The second lady was clearly uncomfortable with this style of parenting. Though her child is barely a toddler, she has strong views about how to raise children, informed by her experience of working with families with wayward teens. Seeing girls barely 14 years old having multiple sexual partners, or boys who turn violent when their parents try to curb their usage of the computers, leaves you with little doubt about the dangers of permissive parenting. Many parents are perplexed about just how to raise and prepare a child adequately for adulthood. However, just as there are many varied types of families, no one parenting style fits all families. That being said, there are some common truths. One of these is getting the right balance between the need to control and the need to allow children some measure of freedom. On the one hand, giving a child too much freedom could result in an anxious individual who can also be very demanding and not used to dealing with limits. On the other hand, too much control especially with a teenager can stoke the flames of resentment and frustration. Parenting styles aside, a key ingredient is parental love. By being loved unconditionally, a child grows up convinced that her parents value her, and in turn she too must value herself. Valuing oneself means not doing anything that is self-destructive; instead, one focuses on selfdevelopment.
Some parents may say that they do love their children unconditionally, yet things did not turn out well. Perhaps the term ‘unconditional’ can be rather misleading. It does not mean that parents should not have any expectations or aspirations for our children. But it means that even if these are not met or realised, we will still continue to love them despite our disappointment. In fact, children who grow up in an environment where their parents leave them to their own devices or fail to set any realistic goals for them can develop a sense of anxiety. It will appear to them as if no one cares about them. Finally, I have seen many a parent take “love” to an extreme. They shower their children with gifts in excess; their children lack nothing in terms of material possessions. But these luxuries are often a poor substitute for irreplaceable essentials, like parental presence, guidance, discipline, sharing of experiences, and of course, genuine love. In the upcoming Christmas season, as some of us exchange presents, let us include our presence as the real presents to our loved ones and children for the coming year. n
Picture by Kenishirotie/Bigstock.com
WELFARE SERVICES
Enabling little miracles By the Methodist Welfare Services Communications Team
Getting back on his feet
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hen the previously strong and healthy Mr Ang suffered a stroke last June, his world came crashing down. The 58-year-old production soundman had to quit his job, and was grappling with medical bills and paralysis on the right side of his body. Without a source of income, he was dipping into his savings set aside for family expenses and his two children’s university education. He was on a wheelchair, and had a speech impairment that left him frustrated. Despite his will to get well, costly treatments set him back. One morning in late 2016, Mr Ang and his wife passed by MWS Senior Activity Centre (SAC) – Teck Ghee Vista, a joint initiative of Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) in partnership with Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church. After enquiring about the Gym Tonic exercise-rehabilitation programme, he signed up as a member. For a six-month centre membership fee of $20 and gym membership fee of $40, he was given unlimited access to affordable and effective therapy. He started working out on Gym Tonic’s Hur machines every morning, and with sheer determination and the centre physiotherapists’ help, he learnt to stand and walk again within two months. He even made it to his daughter’s recent university graduation ceremony. Currently, he is able to perform simple daily tasks such as going to the toilet, brushing his teeth, and dressing himself. Initially aloof, Mr Ang has also opened up to a new circle of friends at the SAC. Their support and positivity drew him out of his shell. He is now hopeful about recovery and going back to work again.
Saving is her dream come true Never in Madam Noorridah’s (above) wildest dreams could she imagine she would one day see savings in her bank account. The 38-year-old single mother works six days a week at a fast food outlet, but has always struggled to support her two children and a sister with disabilities. While her 11-year-old daughter is healthy and coping fine in school, her eight-year-old son suffers from mild intellectual disability and frequent seizures. He attends a special school and needs constant monitoring. Also living in the family’s rental flat is her older sister, who has severe scoliosis and speech impairment. Mdm Noorridah knows the importance of being thrifty, but saving money has been virtually impossible, until now. After more than a year of being on the debt-matching component of the MWS Family Development Programme (FDP), Mdm Noorridah ‘graduated’ to the dollar-for-dollar savings-matching component in March 2017. She was able to save $20, and was ecstatic to see a total of $40 in her bank account. She has also managed to save continuously every month since, an achievement which she is very proud of. Although Mdm Noorridah has been on various types of welfare assistance in the past, MWS FDP’s help is a breakthrough. Beyond assisting her with daily living expenses and her children’s school-going needs, the programme also provided her with befriending support from Trinity Methodist Church volunteer Ms Josephine Lim. In addition to financial counselling, Josephine also taught her debt-management and asset-building skills. Mdm Noorridah now feels a greater sense of independence, and has hope for a better future for her family. n Enable their little miracles: Help our beneficiaries achieve the little miracles that give them hope and spur them to continue on their path of positive transformation. Donate at give.mws.sg, or write to us about volunteering opportunities at volunteer@mws.sg.
Mr Ang working out on a Hur machine.
Please ‘like’ us on www.facebook.com/MethodistWelfareServices to read more stories of our beneficiaries, and to receive the latest updates on our services. Photos courtesy of the Methodist Welfare Services METHODIST MESSAGE • DEC 2017
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Jettisoning divine authority Andrea Low worships at Christalite Methodist Chapel. She works in Communications and enjoys reading, writing and walks in the green corners of Singapore.
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he final public event for 2017 organised by the ETHOS™ Institute for Public Christianity – its Annual Lecture held on 17 Oct 2017 – featured the Rev Dr Mark Chan speaking on the topic of ‘Jettisoning Divine Authority – the rejection of God and its human consequences’. Tackling the fundamental topic of the rejection of God and the consequences to be faced, the Lecturer in Theology and Director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia (the mission and research arm of Trinity Theological College) presented the discussion and argument through three main points: ‘Revolt against authority’, ‘Manifestations of the rejection of God and authority’, and ‘Divine authority and human flourishing’. Taking scriptural reference from Paul’s dissection of the human heart in Romans 1:18-32, the Rev Dr Chan illustrated rebellion against God’s ways as a heart and obedience issue. Our environment exacerbates the lack of true knowledge and understanding of God’s character. In today’s world, it is easy to be exposed only to the type of information we want to read and digest. Social media feeds work on algorithms that pick up a user’s interest and interaction levels (e.g. likes, comments, shares and click-throughs), further feeding the user with information that resonates and is deemed of interest. Hence in this Internet age, one tends to be exposed only to material that affirms one’s favoured worldview, confirming one’s biases rather than challenging our worldview. This often has the effect of viewpoints receiving endorsement from others though they may be inaccurate or clouded. People gravitate towards taking moral cues from each other and the popular worldview, rather than from God’s view or His Word; increasingly we see a horizontal search for validation of beliefs,
Above left: Dr Roland Chia, Theological and Research Advisor for ETHOS, with the Rev Dr Mark Chan.
“Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” – Leo Tolstoy rather than a vertical, heavenward validation. As Leo Tolstoy puts it, “Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” How then do we remain and abide in God despite the overwhelming levels of worldly exposure we are privy to each day? The answer lies in returning to His Word and Gospel truth. 2 Timothy 3:16 clearly states that all Scripture is Godbreathed, God-inspired and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Believing in the Gospel’s power (Romans 1:16) to reveal God’s ways, God’s authority, and to shed light on current day issues is essential to building a foundation of truth. Secondly, it is important to develop our faith and acquire God-given wisdom to formulate a scripturally-sound opinion on today’s issues. We seldom take the time or apply patience to sit down and reflect on current issues, organise our thoughts, and pen down what our Christ-led viewpoint is. When the occasion arises to share our perspectives on current world issues with nonChristians, our lack of preparation and reflection means a missed opportunity to share God’s perspectives and His truth. 1 Peter 3:15 reminds us to always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that we have. This calls for spiritual discipline to apply godly wisdom and discernment to the issues facing the world today. Finally, the Rev Dr Chan reiterated God’s call for us to be His witnesses, that our lives would reflect the goodness of living under His authority. The word “authority” comes from the Latin word augere (“augment” in English), a positive word meaning “to increase or make greater”. The meaning of “authority” has been distorted over time and is now commonly viewed with a negative connotation. Thus, understanding God’s character, our fallen human nature, and the nature of His authority is key to living and flourishing. It comes down to trusting that God’s authority is indeed liberating, and living in the parameters of His divine design will allow us to have greater spiritual growth in Him. The truth of the Gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. This is the true humanistic work that God calls every believer to take up, as we live under His divine authority and perfect will. n Visit ethosinstitute.sg for future event listings and to find out more – ETHOS’ public events are valuable opportunities to hear from subject matter experts and engage in meaningful conversation on topics that concern public Christianity and God’s truth for today. Photos courtesy of ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity
MISSIONS — METHODIST SCHOOL (TIMOR-LESTE)
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%
OF THE POPULATION IN TIMOR-LESTE IS UNDER THE AGE OF
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THEREFORE, CHRISTIAN EDUCATION HAS IMMENSE POTENTIAL FOR SHAPING LIVES AND TRANSFORMING THIS NATION.
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imor-Leste is a country ravaged by decades of war, disease and unemployment. When the conflict with Indonesia ended in 2002, few teachers were left and the infrastructure was in ruins. Many Timorese children either drop out or never attend school, resulting in continued poverty and a future no different from generations before. Progress is being made in repairing and restoring the nation, but more schools are urgently needed to support the burgeoning young population. Two years ago, Methodist Missions Society (MMS) missionaries began teaching Timorese children in temporary locations. Today, efforts are underway to establish a permanent Methodist School in eastern Dili District. This school will provide access to quality education in a Christian environment for up to 700 students in grades 1-12. The planned project development cost is US$2.4 million (about S$3.23 million). Phase 1 will commence in January 2018 and will cost US$1.2 million (about S$1.61 million). This includes acquisition of 3.04 hectares of land and construction of one classroom block, one residential block for boarders and missionaries, and a sheltered area for the canteen and assembly. Phase 2, scheduled to commence in January 2019, will cost an additional US$1.2 million (S$1.61 million) for more classroom and residential
John Wesley preached salvation for all, and he urged education for all. He believed that every child, regardless of race, gender, or socio-economic status, matters to God. Our Methodist School offers superior academic instruction supported by Christian values and, most importantly, provides children the opportunity to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Please help us make the vision God has given us for a permanent Methodist School in Timor-Leste a reality! blocks, a chapel, and recreational areas. Future expansion, aligned with student growth and funding, will include an admin block, library, arts and music rooms, and science labs. The Methodist School curriculum is based on Singapore standards and taught in English. MMS missionaries who are trained educators manage school operations and provide instruction, along with local Christian teachers. Students from poor families are eligible for financial support. In addition to Christian education, The Boys’ Brigade and The Girls’ Brigade serve as essential components of character development and discipline. n * Source: www.livepopulation.com/country/east-timor.html
Your prayers and financial support are needed! Please make your cheque payable to The Methodist Church in Singapore (MMS) and write Methodist School (Timor-Leste) on the back of your cheque. For more information, contact the Rev Teresa Wilborn at 9735-7554 or teresa.wilborn@gmail.com.
METHODIST MESSAGE • DEC 2017
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The Nicene Creed: Learning the faith of the Church The Rev Dr Simon Chan is a part-time lecturer at Trinity Theological College, and was formerly the Earnest Lau Professor of Systematic Theology there. This is the second of a two-part series on our Christian creeds (read the first part in MM Nov 2017, P16-17).
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hat I have said previously about the function and place of the Apostles’ Creed in the liturgy could also be said of the Nicene Creed (or the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, AD 381) since one or the other could be used in the liturgy. But there are two significant differences. The Apostles’ Creed was a baptismal creed to address the candidate for baptism. This is why it is formulated as a personal profession: “I believe…” The Nicene Creed was promulgated at the Council of Constantinople by a gathering of bishops. Thus it is presented as a corporate confession of the whole Church: “We believe…” Another difference is that while both creeds are Trinitarian in structure, the Nicene Creed is a fuller expression of the Trinitarian faith. This is because it was formulated explicitly to combat certain heresies relating to the Son and the Holy Spirit. Three developments stand out when we examine the content of the Nicene Creed. First, the article concerning Jesus Christ makes explicit His relation to the Father and His full divinity or equality with the Father. The statement “light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being (consubstantial) with the Father…” affirms in very unambiguous terms the fact that Jesus is truly God and not a creature. This is to repudiate Arianism (and, we may add, Jehovah’s Witnesses). The second development is the article on the Holy Spirit. Whereas the Apostles’ Creed simply has “I believe in the Holy Spirit”, the Nicene Creed is much more elaborate. The Holy Spirit is “the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified…” It stresses the divinity of the Holy Spirit and His equality with the Father and the Son, since only as God is He “together worshipped” and “together glorified” (in the Greek text) with the Father and the Son. This emphasis rejects the heresy which denies the divinity and personhood of the Holy Spirit. The terms “together worshipped” and “together glorified” carry another implication which is particularly relevant for today. In some charismatic circles, the Spirit and His work has become a subject of such intense focus that it loses its connection with the Father and the Son. The result is a fixation on spiritual gifts and extraordinary phenomena. The ancient Church has its share of ‘spiritualists’, but it wisely avoided the danger by glorifying the Spirit in the Trinity. This is seen in the many hymns and prayers where Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are praised, such as the Doxology and the Gloria Patri. A third development of the Creed is that it clearly spells out the relationship between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Son is “eternally begotten out of the Father” while the Spirit “proceeds
from the Father”. The Trinitarian relationship has a certain order in which the Father is the ‘source’ of the Son and Holy Spirit. The Eastern Orthodox Church designates this relationship as the “monarchy of the Father”. The Father is the sole originator (monē archē). There is a certain ‘order’ in the Trinity, but this ‘order’ does not imply subordination or domination. This needs to be emphasised against a modern conception of the Trinity as a society of pure equals, which is then used to justify an egalitarian ideology that eliminates all differences, including sexual difference, and regards them as merely social constructs. Such an ideology defines my maleness or femaleness as the result of the way I am socially conditioned. If I feel like a female, even if I am biologically a male, then I am female. And in the name of ‘inclusivity’, I have the right to be classified as a female! It sounds ludicrous to most Asians, but in the West, this is taken with utmost seriousness. Although the content of the Nicene Creed dealt with the issues of its day, it also has much to teach us concerning the challenges the Church faces today. If modern Christians are to rediscover their true Christian identity, the Church needs to find a place for the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds in its catechetical instruction and in its liturgy. n
Public domain photo of icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea obtained via Wikipedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nicaea_icon.jpg
HYMNS & SONGS
Come, O Lord Jesus Dr Yeo Teck Beng is a member of Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church.
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e are in the season of Advent again. Coming from the Latin word Adventus, advent means “coming” or “arrival”. It is the time of the Christian Year when the church prepares for the celebration of our Lord’s birth, beginning four Sundays before Christmas Day.1 From the time of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah, faithful Jews had, through the centuries, anticipated with great longing and expectation the coming of the Promised Deliverer. The wait was finally over with the angelic announcement, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11, NIV) ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ is an anonymous Latin hymn that has its origins in the seven great Advent antiphons or short musical statements, sung in the medieval church at vespers before and after the ‘Magnificat’, during the week before Christmas. The original Latin text was translated by John Mason Neale for his Medieval Hymn in 1851.2 Sung to an ancient French chant, ‘Veni Emmanuel’, this Advent hymn captures the plaintive mood of yearning and longing of the old Israel for the first coming of the Messiah. Now during every Advent, the church continues to hope and long for the return of the Risen Christ who will restore all of creation. Each stanza begins with a long-drawn “O Come” antiphon of deep yearning addressed to different titles ascribed to the promised Messiah throughout the Old Testament: Emmanuel, Wisdom, Lord of Might, Root of Jesse’s tree, Key of David, Dayspring, and Desire of nations. So while death still snatches away our loved ones, disease still makes us miserable, calamity still strikes, Satan still prowls like a roaring lion, and sin still indwells, we nevertheless still wait and hope with joy, continuing to long for the final deliverance when our Emmanuel shall come. n
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (The United Methodist Hymnal, #211) O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show and cause us in her ways to go. (Refrain) O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height in ancient times once gave the law in cloud and majesty and awe. (Refrain) O come, thou Root of Jesse’s tree, an ensign of thy people be; before thee rulers silent fall; all peoples on thy mercy call. (Refrain) O come, thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home. The captives from their prison free, and conquer death’s deep misery. (Refrain) O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thy justice here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight. (Refrain) O come, Desire of nations bind all peoples in one heart and mind. From dust thou brought us forth to life; deliver us from earthly strife. (Refrain)
enneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily K Devotions (Grand Rapids, Mich: Kregel Publications, 1990), 346. 2 Frank Colquhoun, A Hymn Companion: Insight into Three Hundred Christian Hymns (Wilton: Morehouse Barlow, 1985), 51. 1
Words: 9th century Latin, translated by John Mason Neale, 1851 Music: 15th century French Chant, arr. and harm. by Thomas Helmore,1854
Picture by weyo/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • DEC 2017
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MCS FOCUS: METHODIST PRE-SCHOOLS CONNECTION
Support the community and society: Liaw Chun Huan is the Board Chairperson of Faith Kindergarten.
“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14
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he father came at 10 p.m., but the lights were off and the church gates were closed. Anxious, he returned at midnight, again at 2 a.m., and finally at 6 a.m. where he would wait until the church gates and the kindergarten were opened. All he wanted was to enrol his daughter in Faith Kindergarten in 2018. Mr Richard Kooi, Assistant Facility Manager of Faith Methodist Church, shared how surprised he was to see someone waiting outside so early. Earlier, the girl’s grandfather had also frantically sought Richard, expressing how much he wanted his granddaughter to receive Christian education, even though they were not Christians. Clearly, Early Childhood Education is a key concern, not only for parents and extended family, but for society as a whole. In his speech during this year’s National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted pre-school education as one of the three long-term issues that were important to the continued success and well-being of Singapore.
PM Lee said: “We want every child to go to a good pre-school so that all children, regardless of family background, have the best possible start in life. We must do this because every child counts and if we get this right, we will foster social mobility and sustain a fair and just society.” To demonstrate his emphasis on the importance of a strong pre-school education, he shared about the planned increase in government spending over the next five years to $1.7 billion – double the amount that is being spent now. The Methodist community is no late player in the area of pre-school education – indeed, we were among the pioneers of such education during Singapore’s early days, with our first Methodist pre-school started in 1953 under Kampong Kapor Methodist Church (KKMC). Through the decades, the mission and desire to bring God’s love and quality education to young ones have been unwavering. Besides nurturing the next generation, the Methodist pre-schools serve as an outreach and blessing to the community around the Methodist churches. As part of The Methodist Church in Singapore’s (MCS) multi-pronged approach to reach out to all age groups, pre-schools complement local churches in supporting the neighbourhood, providing a way to engage the youngest in the community. Churches with pre-schools can testify to the effectiveness of this ministry arm. In an interview on ‘The founding of Faith’ in Faithlink’s July 2011 issue, the Rev T. C. Nga, founding pastor of Faith Kindergarten, recalled: “The nursery programme became so popular, we had about 300 children and the programme spread to Toa Payoh. A few churches modelled it. The children learnt a lot and the parents were drawn to church because of the children.”
: Stand by our pre-schools Being such a vital part of Methodist ministry to the community, there is thus an urgency and need for Methodist pre-schools to rise up for such a time as this, to ride on the government’s emphasis or risk being made obsolete by the tsunami of change. Providing and maintaining the Methodist pre-school presence in Singapore has never been an easy task. Faith-based pre-schools face stiff competition from government-aided pre-schools, fundsinvested pre-schools, as well as anchor operators who very often have deeper pockets and are better equipped. Teachers are also drawn to more attractive opportunities and career pathways in these larger organisations. Sadly, financial constraints, licensing requirements, and manpower were three top reasons for the closure of five Methodist pre-schools over the last five years. These challenges are very real, as acknowledged by the Rev Chua Ooi Suah, Pastor-in-Charge of Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church, which supports The Capstone Kindergarten: “We did face adjustments due to licensing requirements, like the need to maintain a playground, and purpose-built classrooms which were less convenient for the church’s needs, etc. However, we persevered because we viewed [the kindergarten] as a ministry, reaching out to and providing good role models for young children, and benefiting the neighbourhood.” To combat the worrying trend of pre-school closures, a formal framework called the Methodist Pre-schools Connection (MPC) was established in August 2016, after years of informal connection amongst the Methodist pre-schools and principals (see our previous article on Methodist pre-school ministry in MM June 2015, P12-13). The MPC serves as a united platform to build partnerships amongst the Methodist pre-schools, collaborating in curriculum design, staff recruitment, and development of teaching resources. Today, under the MPC, there are 13 Methodist church kindergartens and five childcare centres, with a combined enrolment of 3,065 children. Shared Ms Linda Wah, Principal of KKMC Kindergarten: “Being part of the MPC has surely benefited me. I am able to meet and interact with other principals from different centres to share our practices and vision as a Methodist group. This is extended to the teachers as well, for there are workshops for teachers within the Methodist group, to help them acquire and enhance skills and knowledge in their teaching practices. With this support, I have observed myself being more confident and reflective when faced with challenges. I am able to discuss with the group and draw strength and ideas when in doubt. With unity I find strength, and that is what the MPC is to me. We stay connected and united.” However, even as our Methodist pre-schools pull together to draw strength from unity, they cannot do it alone. They need all Methodists to fully support their efforts in offering quality Christian pre-school programmes, anchored on characterbuilding which every Methodist pre-school has conscientiously provided to the community over the years. Churches, leaders, and members can come alongside our Methodist pre-schools by
finding out about opportunities and challenges brought forth by the changing Early Childhood Education landscape in Singapore, and providing time, voice, effort, or donations so that this valuable and important ministry can continue. Appealed Ms Jessica Chong, Principal of The Capstone Kindergarten and Chairperson of the MPC: “With support and resources from the churches, Methodist pre-school principals can continue our best efforts to provide quality Christian pre-school programmes that meet every child’s learning and development needs during their formative years. We can help Christian pre-school education remain relevant in the Singapore Early Childhood Education scene, as well as become the choice programme for parents to send their children to.” The tide is moving. Let us not miss the boat when there is now an increased societal interest in pre-school education in Singapore, and a greater understanding of its significant impact on our children’s formative years. A quality Christian pre-school education is also an investment in moulding the next generation into productive, God-fearing citizens. As our Methodist pre-schools look forward excitedly to the opportunities ahead and are now committed more than ever to raising curriculum quality, we welcome all to journey with us in this mission and outreach to the next generation and beyond. n
For more information on our Methodist pre-schools, please contact the respective pre-schools, or email mpc.methodistpreschools@gmail.com Photo courtesy of the Methodist Pre-schools Connection METHODIST MESSAGE • DEC 2017
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INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME
Admissions Now Open ACS (International) Singapore is a distinctive international secondary school open to all Singaporeans & other nationalities, offering an all-round English-based education for students aged 12 - 18 years leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP).
Information Sessions
11 January 2018 3pm & 4:30pm
12 January 2018 9:45am & 1:30pm
61 Jalan Hitam Manis, Singapore 278475
Building Through Belief, this school of choice provides • Exceptional examination results; very strong value added achievement; and an all-round holistic education • 50:50 mix of local and international teachers who uphold the dual Methodist ethos and ACS heritage • Small class sizes with overall student : teacher ratio of 8.7 : 1 • 40 different CCAs – 16 Sporting; 12 Visual and Performing Arts; 12 Special Interest Groups • 25+ overseas trips per year • Over 200 formal student leadership positions • Scholarships for 4 Singaporeans to undertake the IB Diploma programme
Achievements Include • Top students have achieved perfect IB scores of 45 points • 19 Top of the World awards in IGCSE examinations over each of the past eight years • Students accepted to Oxford and Cambridge universities for the past eight years
Mr Rob Burrough Principal
Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice Principal
• Admissions to top universities in the UK, US, Australia and Singapore • PSLE and Singapore GCE ‘O’ level students achieve outstanding value-added examination results for the IB Diploma with improved pathways to good universities • Successes at national level this past year in Archery; Touch Rugby; Cycling; Swimming; Chinese Drama; Debating; Fencing; Football; Golf; String Orchestra; Taekwondo; Volleyball; Wushu.
Mr Gavin Kinch Vice Principal
Dr Kristopher Achter Vice Principal
For more information Please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admission@acsinternational.edu.sg
What the Parents say … “We value the school’s deep heritage and strong values …their holistic approach provides an encouraging learning environment.” – Winnie Cruz-Ding
“Our daughter has become a person that we feel is ready for the world.” – Keith and Nancy Tan
“The different teaching methods, the high quality of teaching, the promotion of individual character and personality, and the obvious enjoyment of school … made our daughter’s transfer most worthwhile.” – Vincent and Germaine Leong
“We love the smaller class sizes … and the many approachable, friendly, passionate, and dedicated teachers.” – Cecilia Chau
SOUNDINGS
Non-optional option Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College and Theological and Research Advisor for the ETHOS Institute™ for Public Christianity (http://ethosinstitute.sg).
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n his book Dispatches From the Front, the Christian ethicist Stanley Hauerwas describes a commercial produced by the National Association for Retarded Citizens. The film begins with a couple standing in a dark room and looking into a crib, the contents of which are kept from sight. Then the young mother looks up and into the camera and says, “Don’t let this happen to you. Our baby was born retarded. Our lives are crushed and we do not know where to run. Do not let this happen to you. Get prenatal counselling. Help us eliminate retardation.” Whatever good intentions the Association may have in producing this commercial, it conveys the disturbing message that the best way to eliminate retardation is to terminate the retarded – an inevitable conclusion however we may choose to interpret the commercial. As Hauerwas points out, “We can care for cancer patients by trying to alleviate their cancer without destroying the patient, but you cannot eliminate retardation without destroying the person who is retarded.” However, this is clearly an approach that Christians could never accept. Sadly, modern society has become so bewitched by utilitarian ethics (in its various guises) that it is no longer perturbed by its twisted moral logic or shudder at its frightful social consequences. Throughout its history, the Church has always extended its service and care to the most vulnerable in society in ways that are truly self-sacrificial and counter-cultural. This is because Christians recognise the equal dignity and worth of every human being and seek to uphold and demonstrate the unconditional love of God. In Western Christianity, this vision of the Church is encapsulated in the notion “the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable”. Unfortunately, many Christians fail to understand this statement. For many, the term “option” suggests a particular course of action that one may choose to take or not to take. It therefore follows that to say that a course of action is an option is to suggest that it is optional. It is thus imperative that we clarify the meaning and intent of the expression “preferential option for the poor and vulnerable”.
“Preferential” simply means that the needs of the poor and the vulnerable should come first. The expression “poor and vulnerable” refers to society’s weakest and neediest members – the elderly, the terminally ill, unborn children, and all victims of oppression and injustice. This, however, does not suggest that the poor and the vulnerable are more valuable in the eyes of God. As the liberation theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez makes clear, “God has a preferential love for the poor not because they are necessarily better than others, morally or religiously, but simply because they are poor and living in an inhuman situation that is contrary to God’s will.” What about the word “option”? Here, “option” does not merely refer to choice. Rather, it has to do with a fundamental commitment. As Prof Dr Jacques Haers puts it, “option” in this context refers to “the desire, the will and the ability to struggle in close connectedness with the suffering people against the evil that causes pain and exclusion”. The Catholic theologian Karl Rahner asserted that while serving the poor and the vulnerable does, in a sense, involve a choice for Christians, it is never optional but a moral requirement. Thus, for Christians, serving the poor and the vulnerable is a non-optional option. It is a moral imperative and a noble duty.
In obeying this imperative and performing this duty, the Christian truly images or mirrors the God he worships, the God who always reaches out to the needy. In fulfilling this moral requirement, the Christian stands in solidarity with the vulnerable in society by being a ‘neighbour’ in the biblical sense. Here, solidarity demands that the Christian takes concrete actions to alleviate the sufferings of the vulnerable, clearly illustrated by the story of the good Samaritan. As expressed by the eminent ethicist Henk ten Have, “Solidarity is not a pious intention, but shows itself in supporting a specific cause.” The preferential option for the poor and the vulnerable is not a moral requirement for Christians only. It is the responsibility of every member of human society. As Pope John Paul II puts it, “A society will be judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members; and among the most vulnerable are surely the unborn and the dying”. n
“Soundings” is a series of essays that, like the waves of a sonogram, explore issues in society, culture and the church in light of the Gospel and Christian understanding. Picture by CHOReograPH/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • DEC 2017
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METHODIST MESSAGE, AuGuST 2013
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Record turnout at All Saints’ Day Memorial Service Wendy Heng is the General Manager of The Garden of Remembrance.
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n conjunction with All Saints’ Day, a Memorial Service was held at the Chapel of The Garden of Remembrance on 4 Nov 2017, with a record attendance of 280 patrons and guests. Twice a year, close to All Saints’ Day and Easter respectively, The Garden of Remembrance puts together a special complimentary Memorial Service for friends and families with loved ones resting at the columbarium, which was established in 1999 by The Methodist Church in Singapore to remember our loved ones and celebrate life eternal.
The Methodist Festival Choir from the Methodist School of Music led the congregation in praise and worship, accompanied by the Emmanuel Symphony Orchestra headed by Mr Ong Koe Pho, with music specially arranged and conducted by Mr Daniel Bonaventure Lim. In his message, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung reminded us to “always be grateful for our blessings, paying special attention to the persons who’ve blessed us with their kind actions and words”. He stressed the importance of an attitude of gratitude, constantly emulating the virtues of our forefathers, and always remembering the source of our blessings (饮水思源).
Peppered with thought-provoking anecdotes, Bishop Dr Chong’s message resonated well with the congregation. He concluded by singing and playing two songs on his accordion: ‘Pavilion Farewell’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne’. All glory to God for the overwhelming response, and we pray for Him to guide and strengthen us as we seek to glorify His name in all that we do! n Photo courtesy of The Garden of Remembrance
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Tamil Methodist Church celebrates 130 years Veronica Poore is a member of Tamil Methodist Church.
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n his congratulatory message to the congregation of Tamil Methodist Church (TMC) at Short Street, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung highlighted that TMC was amongst the eight local Methodist churches in Singapore that are 100 years and older. In gratitude, we remember those who have dutifully committed to the principles and purpose of Christ when He established this church. Among the 300 attendees were families spanning three generations, which the Bishop described as a “wonderful and beautiful witness to the church’s faithfulness in passing
on the Gospel from generation to generation”. Bishop Dr Chong reminded the congregation that salvation was only through God’s grace, and being His people, we are to guard the Truth and keep the right values, passing on sound teachings from generation to generation. The worship service included praise responses from three of our choirs; the largest choir of that day was that of the Indian Friends’ Fellowship, TMC’s first Ministry at the Doorstep. This Fellowship, comprising families of Indian nationals, celebrated its Silver Jubilee on 2 Sep 2017. To commemorate TMC’s 130th Anniversary, a book entitled In Christ We Stand was launched. Through
Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung (centre) receiving a copy of the commemorative publication from Ms Shanthi Jeremiah, with ETAC President Rev James Nagulan looking on.
the use of photographs and stories, the book traces the history of TMC. It also includes testimonies of both clergy and laity who have left their spiritual footprints, and the various ministries of TMC from the beginning to the present. Undergirding the book was the theme of being labourers in God’s vineyard, passing on the faith and labour of love from generation to generation. The book reminds us that God has put TMC here for a definite purpose: to worship Him and to pass on the Christian faith. n Photo courtesy of Tamil Methodist Church
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Dementia and the personal caregiver Wong Chai Kee wrote this article from a dual perspective. He was his mother’s caregiver, as chronicled in his memoir, Even When She Forgot My Name, and his wife Queenie was subsequently his caregiver, with the prayers, encouragement, and support of God’s family. He has since passed away in September 2013.
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he professional caregiver’s job is never easy. Caring for a loved one suffering from dementia is even harder to do. The professional has learnt to keep a certain emotional distance. The family caregiver cannot escape the burden that is coupled with love. Here, then, is my first piece of advice for fellow caregivers, along with five other pairs of Do’s and Don’ts (DD), making reference to my mother’s experience of Alzheimer’s disease.*
DD1
Don’t provide care-giving alone. Take breaks.
Nobody will do the caregiving better than you, but you must let others help, or you will burn out, lose objectivity, and become resentful and angry towards the one you love dearly. Two needy persons are of no use to each other. You will also miss out on the strange delights of caregiving. It is tough on you because you see your suffering loved one at his worst, and will experience being on an emotional roller-coaster during the caregiving, that others do not experience. When a friend visited his dementia-afflicted mother in hospital she hurled cutlery and expletives at him. Yet he is the most filial of sons I know. She did not know what she was doing, but his hurt went beyond the pain of the assault. Take a day off at least once a week – outside of the home. Each day, take breaks as office people do; again, out of the house. My mother had Garma, an Indonesian domestic helper, as her full-time caregiver. She was the de facto nursing aide, taking care of my mother’s medications (which, if given in excess or in deficit, too early or too late, could kill – as my mother needed medications for gastric ulcer, insomnia, tension headache, arthritis, angina, and treatment for previous minor strokes). Her breaks: Taking my mother to the hawker centre for lunch every day. This was good for my mother, who got her dose of Vitamin D from
*Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 per cent of dementia, with the remaining 40 per cent caused by any of the following factors: stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, excessive alcohol and drug use, nutritional deficiency such as vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, AIDS, certain types of hydrocephalus, and a severe blow to the head.
sunshine, and the chance to greet people; and good for Garma, who got to eat her nasi padang, but who also ballooned to twice her original size. Her other breaks were taken by getting out of the flat to see her friends in nearby apartment blocks, when my mother was asleep. Whether due to being over-stretched or similar traumas, caregivers need to get out, with the support of friends. If you are the main caregiver, go find your ‘supporting cast’. Some can help much, some a little. This is not the time to do sums on “who should do more”. From each his contribution, to each his choice. It’s ‘Grace’, not ‘Karma’. For those of us who are not caregivers, go look for one and provide some assistance, remembering that nothing is too small: all the bits add up.
DD2
Don’t contradict the dementia sufferer. Work within her logic system.
My mother wanted me to bring home the bottles of whisky and brandy atop her bedroom cupboard. “They are very good, very rare, cost your late father a lot of money.” I said I didn’t drink. “People will steal them.” “Your flat is always locked.” “But they can come in over the wall.” “Never saw them.” “The robbers are very smart. You are here, they dare not come.” Her logic was tight, though delusional. Argue on, and we would both end up angry. “Let me think about it.” “You are always like that, always thinking, never taking action.” She was also right.
DD3
Don’t be tied to the past. Relate with the dementia sufferer in the here and now.
We were along the HDB corridor at the ground floor. “Por Por (Granny), you look very good.” “Thank you. You also,” replied my Hakka mother, who at 92, still retained her vain streak. “Ma, who is she?” I asked, after Garma had pushed her wheelchair a distance forward. “Don’t know.” “Then why did you talk to her as if you know her?” “She’s nice, so must be nice.” I should have added: “Ma, you are always so good with your neighbours.”
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Although US Supreme Court Associates are appointed for life, Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Conner retired in 2006 at age 75, to look after her Alzheimer’s-stricken husband John. A year later, she was caught in a bizarre love triangle. John, whom she had loved for 55 years, had fallen in love with another woman at the nursing home. “Mom, you know, was thrilled that Dad was relaxed and happy and comfortable living here and wasn’t complaining,” said her son. “For Mom to visit when he’s happy, you know, visiting with his girlfriend sitting on the porch swing holding hands, no stress on Mom. No guilt laid on Mom.” Whatever her initial feelings towards the man who no longer knew her as his wife, she showed a grace and sanity that made her decide that she was happy for him, and would allow the relationship to continue until he died in 2009. “Tomorrow Will Be Today.” This instructive tagline sums up how one should live with a dementia sufferer. It belonged to essayist Floyd Skloot, who himself suffered severe memory loss and unstable balance caused by a virus.
DD4
Don’t be afraid of mistakes. Change your approach as the dementia sufferer declines.
You will make mistakes, and sometimes even repeat them. It is easy to forget the sufferer’s world is not like ours. Even though much has been discovered about dementia, every sufferer is different. Although I am a clinically-trained psychologist, my knowledge was only the starting point; I needed to discover my mother’s Alzheimer’s myself. I had
thought that with a dementia sufferer you would have decide everything for her, and when I was wrong, I was tempted to give up. One danger in caregiving is that we tend to do everything, or do nothing. I had read that some stimulation would help Ma, so I arranged for her to spend half a day at an Alzheimer’s day-care centre. At the centre she smiled at the staff, but reverted to looking bored as she sat looking at people arranging plastic flowers. “Very nice, Ma.” She said nothing. I asked her whether she would like to go back. “Don’t want.” “Good for you to see people, and listen to music.” “The music so old, like chanting.” Pop icon Teresa Teng had always been her favourite, but they were playing Zhou Xuan from the 1950s. I realised that what was generally prescribed for sufferers was upsetting Ma. I persisted because I presumed that dementia meant she could not decide, would not have an opinion of her own. I took over too much, too fast, too soon, when she was still in control of what she liked and detested.
DD5
Don’t see the dementia sufferer as brain-less. Discover the still-intact brain functions.
The dementia sufferer’s brain damage is severe. We lose tens of thousands of neurons every day, but nobody notices even after decades. That is because the dead brain cells are scattered. With dementia, the dead cells are in concentrated zones, and the brain function damage therein is near 100 per cent. Our flaw is to treat the sufferer as one unable to do everything linked to thinking and memory, yet to expect a normal reaction when we ask a question. My mother sometimes took three minutes to answer a question. She answered an initial question from a nurse only after a third question had been asked. I talked to her as she was eating popiah, hor fun, and char siew, and she stared at me, “You talk so much. Let me eat.” Her procedural functions, eating and deciding in this case, were intact. Even when she forgot my name, she never forgot I was her son. One memory function was lost forever, but another stayed intact: she instantly recognised me the moment she saw me, even after waking from a nap. Floyd Skloot explained in his memoir In the Shadow of Memory how his mother’s normal abilities masked her specific brain damages, hence delaying the diagnosis of her dementia: “My mother knew where her clothes were, where the soap and her hosiery were; she could find and operate the elevators. She may not have remembered the names of her two dead husbands or recalled what she did 10 minutes ago, but the age-related damage to her brain was in a different set of circuits than the ones that controlled her procedural memory, the ability to perform tasks.” The retired building contractor next to my ward bed was repeatedly asked by relatives who they were, and he gave multiple wrong answers, then resigned himself to saying “Don’t know.” Yet, dementia notwithstanding, he bantered with the numerous
visitors as if he knew all of them. He still understood the questions, and he might have some idea who his visitors were because the conversations varied with different people. A little girl approached his bed, “Ah Kong.” He waved his granddaughter toward him, “Come nearer, sit next to Ah Kong.”
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Don’t treat the dementia sufferer as an object. Seek the ‘Self’ that manages to emerge.
The harsh reality is that eventually the one you love is no longer there, and no longer knows you are there. Memory and thinking vanish early. Physical routines quickly get beyond the sufferer. But the emotional ‘self ’ lingers, surfacing just when you least expect it. Conversation, on her terms and at her pace, are still possible. My mother told me “I love you” more times in the three years of her decline than she did in the years before that. The soul stays right to the end, whether you know it or not. Days before she died, I prayed aloud with her, and told her to say Amen in her heart. Minutes later, she said, “Ah-ahh-men.” Before this moment, she had not spoken for two days. Never go ahead of dementia’s plan, it is already fast-tracked, unstoppable, and irreversible. Just follow it closely, be ready to drop a routine, even what used to work, and try out new ways. Treatment can delay dementia’s plan, but not alter it. Dementia will not change its ways, but we can. Change, the sufferer will, for the worse. Change we must, to cushion the impact of the sufferer’s decline. Caregiving for the dementia sufferer is a road less travelled. Carer and sufferer both journey unbeaten paths. The caregiver helps the sufferer decline in better shape. He is also making himself better as a person. It may be a walk downhill, but one that can still surprise you with joy. n Reprinted with permission from IMPACT magazine, Feb/Mar 2014, Vol. 38, No.1.
For those of us who are not caregivers, go look for one and provide some assistance, remembering that nothing is too small: all the bits add up.
Picture by Ishihara Shojiro/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • DEC 2017
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POEMS
Christmas Thoughts Jonathan Liautrakul is a member of Wesley Methodist Church. He is an avid researcher on church history and hymnology.
I shall think, then, of a silent night when a star shone a wondrous light To us unknown was born a Child that God and man may reconcile This whole angelic gospel went forth to lowly men who found its worth The glorious news to us it brought a hope that the weary world long sought Amidst the gloom of life today Prayer and thanks we ought to say Adore Him, fellow sinner I beseech His words we heed, sing and preach For the Dayspring came to set us free His children to Heaven, where we shall be.
Picture by Inked Pixels/Bigstock.com
December IS THE MONTH FOR RESTORING THE WONDER OF GOD’S GLORY IN YOUNG WOMEN’S LIVES
21-22 Dec (Thursday-Friday), 9.00 a.m. – 6.30 p.m.
Scan here to see events online!
Faith Methodist Church, 400 Commonwealth Drive, S(149604) Are you feeling increasingly bored, disillusioned and hopeless?
KALLOS CONFERENCE 2017 Calling all girls who desire to restore the wonder of God's glory in your lives. Come for authentic sharing and workshops on how an awakened wonder can restore our self-image and love for God's Word. Delight in His majesty, discover our true identity in Christ and be set apart for a God-given destiny!
21 & 22 Dec 2017, 9am - 6.30pm Faith Methodist Church (Commonwealth MRT) Early bird till 31 Oct: $35 | Regular: $45 | Group of 5: $5 off/person SPEAKERS:
Quek Shiwei Director Kallos Ministry
Jason Wong
Founder Yellow Ribbon Project Dads for Life Movement Elijah7000
Aarksara
Worship Leader Singer-Songwriter
Belinda Tan
Adjunct Lecturer Singapore Bible College
For more info and registration:
www.kallos.com.sg/kallosconf2017
Benita Lim
Pastor True Way Presbyterian Church
The theme for this year’s Kallos Conference – ‘His Glory, Our Wonder’ – came out of an inspired desire to restore the wonder of God’s glory in the lives of young ladies. Come find out how an awakened wonder can restore your self-image and love for God’s Word, and to be delighted in His majesty, while discovering your true identity and understanding that you are set apart for a God-given destiny. Organised by Kallos. Fees: $45. Group of 5 gets $5 off/person
@kallosmag | #KallosConf2017
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To register and purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.kallos.com.sg/kallosconf2017 or follow Kallos on Facebook or Instagram @kallosmag for updates.
SIGNING UP FOR COURSES WITH CENTRE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIAN MINISTRY (TTC) COURSE A – CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Jan / 7, 14, 21 Feb 2018 (8 Wednesday evenings), 7.30 – 9.30 p.m.
St Andrew’s Cathedral, South Transept Hall, Level 1, Main Sanctuary, 11 St Andrew’s Road, S(178959) Cultural anthropology is the study of people and their cultures. This is an introductory course that presents some basic concepts of cultural anthropology (which includes an understanding of human behaviour and beliefs, kinship systems, worldview, social organisations, economic and political systems) with special attention to the application of an anthropological perspective for Christian mission.
COURSE B – NEW TESTAMENT (NT) SURVEY
8 Jan – 5 Mar 2018 (8 Monday evenings), 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. Wesley Methodist Church, Level 1, Plaza Hall, 5 Fort Canning Rd, S(179493)
With accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus, the spread of the Gospel, and issues faced by various NT writers that provide foundations for the life and theology of Christians and the Church throughout history, the importance of the New Testament cannot be overstated. This NT Survey course will provide an orientation of the various books of the NT by locating them in their social, historical context and discover their relevance to us, our churches and our world today. Organised by Centre for the Development of Christian Ministry. Fees: $100 ($80 for returning students, if the last CDCM course attended is not more than 12 months before the commencement of this new module. Free for TTC alumni and TTC full-time students – registration required)
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To register, please log on to www.ttc.edu.sg/academics/centres/cdcm/evening-courses/cdcm-course-registration
GATHERING IN A SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE START OF A NEW YEAR
6 Jan 2018 (Saturday), 10.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon
Tamil Methodist Church, Level 2 Sanctuary, 8 Short Street, S(188214) Come together and celebrate the start of yet another year that is to be lived under the grace of God with the WSCS Thanksgiving Service 2018, organised by the General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (GC WSCS) for the local WSCS Chapters of the Chinese Annual Conference, Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference, and Trinity Annual Conference. The Rev James Nagulan will be preaching on ‘Building Truth into our lives’, based on Ephesians 4:17-25. Organised by General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (GCWSCS).
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Please register with your local church’s WSCS by 3 Dec 2017 (Sunday). For more information, contact your local WSCS Chapter representatives or visit wscs.methodist.org.sg
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METHODIST MESSAGE • DEC 2017
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THINK
Stop to make a difference Dr Cheah Fung Fong is the Executive Director of Filos Community Services, a Voluntary Welfare Organisation in Singapore that seeks to empower and build resilience in children, youth, families, and elderly in the community. She is a certified Family Life Educator, regularly conducts parenting workshops for community and corporate organisations, and currently serves as the National Facilitator for the 4-14 Window Movement in Singapore. She was formerly the Chairperson of the Trinity Annual Conference Board of Children’s Ministry.
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n a recent trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, I was reminded of the story of The Little Match Girl. As the story goes, a poor little girl was selling matches in the streets on a very cold winter’s evening. She dreaded to go home to her father, who would beat her up for the unsold matches. So she sat in an alley and started lighting her matches to keep herself warm. The girl began to see visions of Christmas trees, festive meals, and her grandmother just as she lit her last match. The next morning, passers-by found her dead, and felt pity for her, although they had not shown kindness to her before her death. I wonder about the difference it would have made for the girl, had a passer-by stopped to buy her matches, or invited her for a warm meal. That ‘little match girl’ is still found in our communities today – the unkempt child who is not going to school because her mother has recently passed away, and her schizophrenic father is unable to cope with parental duties; the teenager who is disconnected from school because he is trying to come to terms with his father’s imprisonment; the 80-year-old lady who lost her husband and three sons within the space of three years to crime, accidents, and illness, and has to contend with grief on her own. When we hear these true stories of people who may live in our midst, do we just pass them by? Or will we stop to attempt to change their trajectory of life that would otherwise lead to hopelessness and despair? Consider the ‘A-B-C’ steps we can take to show our care for the vulnerable in society: 1. Advocacy, lending your voice to the vulnerable 2. Befriending a lonely elderly person 3. Charitable giving to a cause Advocacy does not only mean writing letters to the press, signing petitions, or engaging policy-makers over pertinent issues. It can mean simply doing what you can in your sphere of influence to raise awareness of another’s plight, like putting in a word of recommendation to secure work for a jobless father. That connection may become a life-changing event for him. Secondly, Singapore is a rapidly ageing society. In the space of 15 years, the number of elderly persons aged 65 years and above who are living by themselves has tripled, from 14, 500 in 2010 to 42,100 in 2015. A local study showed that loneliness is associated with a higher mortality risk among the elderly. Sign up to volunteer regularly with a charity organisation to befriend an elderly person. The nationwide Community Befriending Programme* is a good place to start. It may be the start of a mutually-rewarding relationship. Lastly, charitable giving has a crucial role in getting aid to those who need it most. Even children can play their part, like
Gus, a nine-year-old boy who heard about Hair for Hope, an event that raises funds for the Children’s Cancer Society. On 19 Sep 2015, Gus shaved off his locks to raise funds to help children with cancer – the date being significant as his grandmother had died of cancer on that day in 1998. He would go on to raise $3,500 to help others. Have a heart; find a cause; give cheerfully. It really makes a difference. As we begin a busy Christmas season with programmes to plan, gifts to buy, and feasts to prepare, may we stop to include a thought, a prayer, and an action for the vulnerable in our communities, that may well become a spark of hope for them in their journey through life. n *https://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/ifeelyoungsg/ how-can-i-age-actively/volunteer/community-befriendingprogramme.html
Picture by lightkeeper/Bigstock.com