Methodist Message: October 2017 Issue by Methodist Message

Vol 119 No 10 â&#x20AC;˘ OCT 2017

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ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 117/11/2016

Lutheran Bishop shares: Commemorating the Reformation page 8

Sengkang sees New Tamil outreach service page 16

message.methodist.org.sg

Truth be told The myths of history pages 20-21

500 years since the Protestant Reformation:

Why it matters

Continued on page 12... Picture source â&#x20AC;&#x201C; https://crrs.ca/publications/es34/

COMING UP

Learning from the Reformation

id you know that 31 Oct 2017 will mark the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation? It is one of the biggest transformational movements in church history. Yet, as Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon (left) of The Methodist Church in Singapore observed, “most Protestant churches do not observe this day and most Protestant Christians are not even aware of the day”. So what was the Reformation all about? What impact and significance could a movement that happened 500 years ago have on us today? The seeds of the Reformation were sown by Martin Luther, a German Extracted and monk who left law school and joined the monastery in 1505 after adapted with surviving a thunderstorm. permission from He lived a strict ascetic life — rigorously praying and fasting, the September spending cold nights in vigils without blankets, and making frequent 2017 issue of confessions. However, he remained tormented by a deep sense of Word@Work, sinfulness and guilt before a holy God, and by his failures to keep God’s a publication of The Bible Society® law blamelessly and be righteous. As he pondered over Romans 1:17, he realised: “I grasped that the of Singapore. righteousness of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.” With that, Luther was transformed, but his convictions would gradually lead him to take issue with many of the Church of Rome’s prevailing teachings and practices, especially the sale of papal indulgences. On 31 Oct 1517, he nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, his parish, hoping to invite discussion and debate, and move towards reforming the Church to become more faithful to God’s Word. However, Luther’s actions brought him into conflict with Rome and its leaders. Luther was later excommunicated from the Church of Rome as a result of his refusal to retract his message. By then, his writings had begun to circulate around Europe. Many Christians in countries like Switzerland, England, Scotland, and Holland also eventually broke away from the Church of Rome and formed new communions. This marked the beginning of Protestantism, and the movement reaffirmed key Christian doctrines such as justification by faith alone, and Scripture being the Church’s ultimate authority. The Reformation also had a societal impact, aiding the development of a modern system of law and governance as well as of modern science, and helping establish the liberty of the individual conscience.

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

The Bible and the Reformation: Lessons for Today 28 Oct 2017 (Saturday), 9.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. 7 Armenian Street, Bible House, S(179932) Level 4, Morrison-Liang Room Free admission, but registration is required at www.bible.org.sg/the-reformation. Please register before 23 Oct. For more information, email brc@bible.org.sg or call 6304-3771. The Reformation is a unique story of social upheaval and conflict, but also one through which the hidden hand of God guided the Church to return to His Word and the Gospel of Christ. Do come for the above seminar and learn from the speaker, Bishop Emeritus Dr Solomon, about who the Reformers were, what they did and taught, and how the Reformation subsequently shaped world and church history. n Images courtesy of The Bible Society® of Singapore

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.

BISHOP’S MESSAGE

Three lessons from a 500-year-old movement 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.

t has been 500 years since the Reformation movement occurred, but the Christian Church has a history that far exceeds that. Although the movement resulted in the emergence of Protestantism which split from the Western Roman Catholic Church, church history was not curtailed. Moreover, the Eastern Orthodox Church based in Constantinople remained relatively unaffected by the movement. It can be said, therefore, that the history of the Christian Church began when the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ’s disciples who were gathered in Jerusalem. In the 2,000 years of its history, the Christian Church experienced two major divisions. The first was the East-West schism in the 11th century which separated the Church into Western Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. The other was the 16th century split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestants. The root cause of the two schisms was divergent views in the interpretation of Scripture regarding the theology of the church (ecclesiology), salvation (soteriology), the Sacraments and liturgy, and so on. From time to time, there may be new interpretations of Scripture. If these help to clarify issues of our faith based on the truth of Scripture revealed, it is good for the Church. However, sometimes new interpretations and teachings may arise that deviate from Scripture’s original intended meaning. This has no benefit and may even harm the Church. This is the reason why the Church has drawn up a set of rules for determining whether theological theories are doctrinal or fallacious. What has the Reformation movement shown us? Firstly, the truth of Scripture is unchangeable, even though new interpretations and explanations of Scripture may develop occasionally. Take the example of the sacrament of baptism. Jesus instructed the Church to baptise disciples in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the last century the emphasis was that baptism symbolised the washing away of one’s sin as well as the original sin that was inherited from Adam and Eve. In the last 20-30 years, baptismal theology has emphasised the covenantal meaning of baptism. Baptism is a sign and seal of the covenant with Christ, just like the circumcision of the Israelites in the Old Testament was a sign of God’s covenant with them, that they were God’s people. It gives a fitting reason for infant baptism: Just as Israelite children were circumcised on the 8th day as their mark of being in the covenant, in the same way children enter into the covenant with Christ through baptism. Children are therefore welcome to partake of the elements of Holy Communion, as it is a covenantal meal prepared for all who are in the covenant with Christ.

Secondly, theological discourse helps to promote mutual understanding and avert conflicts. Perhaps if there had been more open discussions between Martin Luther and the Roman Catholic Church 500 years ago regarding the many practices of the Church during the time that deviated from the Bible’s teaching, the Roman Catholic-Protestant schism might have been averted. Fortunately, we now have various platforms for dialogue on our faith, which help to promote interdenominational relationships and clarify Scriptural truth. Thirdly, the Bible is the supreme and ultimate standard for discerning theological truth. The Methodist Church is of the position that any theological teaching must be accordingly verified by the Bible and by Church tradition, must stand up to rational and reasonable explanation, and be borne out by experience. The Bible provides the strictest standard for our reference and is our highest authority. This helps to ensure that believers are not misled by variant theological views and practices that do not align with Holy Scripture. Today, whenever the Christian Church needs to scrutinise its tenets of faith, the process of dealing with differences in our views and interpretations of truth is much improved compared to 500 years ago. The Roman Catholic Church has shown its readiness to engage in positive dialogue with various Protestant denominations, and is itself undergoing serious self-renewal. That said, the Christian community still holds differences in views, interpretations and practices of Scriptural truth. These divisions may seem inevitable, but through positive and amicable dialogue, we maintain mutual respect for each other as members of the family of Christ. Let us continue to pray for the unity of the Church, in the hope that all will be turned to the truth of the Bible and be one in our Lord Jesus Christ. n Picture by Antonio Gravante/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

CHURCH PROFILE

Bukit Panjang MC:

Taking root, bearing fruit

Bukit Panjang Methodist Church (Chinese Annual Conference) 488 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 678091 and 496 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 678099

The Rev Yeung Hin Fai is Pastor-in-Charge of Bukit Panjang Methodist Church.

n September 1936, renowned Chinese Christian evangelist, John Sung, conducted a gospel rally in Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church while passing through Singapore. A youth named Lim Kim Seng was converted during the rally. He began to proclaim Christ, and started a congregation in a charcoal shop in Bukit Panjang. By June 1937, the charcoal shop located in what was then a farming and fishing community was renamed ‘Bukit Panjang Methodist Gospel Hall’ – the predecessor of the current Bukit Panjang Methodist Church (BPMC). More than 80 years later, we have seven worship services and one children’s worship session, with nearly a thousand worshippers. We gather regularly in The Sanctuary and WOW Hall in John Wesley Centre, as well as The Chapel and Multi-Purpose Hall in Trinity Theological College, as the main building is undergoing an expansion project expected to be completed by June 2018. BPMC’s vision is to trust God for doubling the present number of worshippers to 2,000 by 2022. Our theme for 2016 to 2019 is: “Take Root Below, Bear Fruit Above.” We have a strong emphasis on making disciples and we have conducted DISCIPLE classes for more

BPMC’s 80th Anniversary Thanksgiving Worship Service.

than 10 years. More than 130 church members have completed the DISCIPLE 1 course. BPMC reaches out through our seven congregations to create multiple entry points for new believers. Our mission targets are Thailand and East Asia, as well as sharing the Gospel with foreign students in Singapore. Recently, we have had increasing numbers of people from China and India joining our church. We praise God for providing us a great opportunity for spiritual harvest when Hillview MRT Station (located just in front of our church) began operating on 27 Dec 2015. Being a melting pot of varied cultures, BPMC has to manage the different cultural mindsets of our members both in the English-speaking and Mandarin or Hokkien congregations, in order to move together for the work of God’s Kingdom. Just like in other Methodist churches, our young worshippers are also fascinated by that which is new in other churches. Besides our contemporary worship services for young people (WOW English and Lishi Mandarin) and small discipleship group ministries specially catering to this age group, we will do what it takes to encourage them to journey with us in BPMC. With our increasing number of seniors, our challenge is to encourage them to give their best to God. We emphasise that their contributions to God’s Kingdom, no matter big or small, do not end with their retirement, as most of them are still physically healthy and spiritually experienced to do their part in the Great Commission. This year in June, BPMC celebrated its 80th Anniversary. The theme was “Abundant Grace”. Besides producing an 80th Anniversary commemorative magazine, our new church logo (top left) was formally launched during our 80th Anniversary Dinner. For the first time in BPMC’s history, we have our very own logo, designed by a church member who grew up in our church and whose late paternal grandparents were pioneers of our church. As the Pastor-in-Charge of BPMC for nearly four years, I see great potential in BPMC, a church preparing to move forward and accomplish the mission that God has entrusted to us.

Saturday Service: 4.30 p.m. English Sunday Services: 9 a.m. English, 9.30 a.m. Mandarin, 11 a.m. WOW Service (Youth-English), 11.30 a.m. Lishi Service (Mandarin), 11.30 a.m. Hokkien Service, 3 p.m. Fangzhou Service (Mandarin) Contact us: www.bpmc.org.sg, church@bpmc.org.sg, or 6760-1998

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. Back in our early days, most of our members were illiterate farmers with simple faith, reaching out to others in earnest Christian service, prayerfully dependent on God while enjoying close-knit relationships with one another. We pray that as we grow in size, we will still keep our ‘kampong spirit’ intact; the simple faith in reaching out to the unsaved with the Gospel, trusting God in prayer, and having brotherly love for one another as we grow to be true disciples of Christ. n

Photos courtesy of Bukit Panjang Methodist Church

ONE MCS – CAC HIGHLIGHT At the 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 one another in prayer as we grow and serve “Together as one in spirit and purpose”!

CAC updates and news From the Chinese Annual Conference President’s Office

1. Formation of 4th District

t the Special Session of the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) held in July 2017, the Rev Dr Gregory Goh, CAC President, proposed the formation of four districts to replace the former three-district structure. This is to aid in strengthening collaborations among churches, and better position District Superintendents to oversee and coordinate resources. This will also help facilitate pastor and leadership development. The pastors and lay delegates were in unanimous support of the proposal, which will be implemented in 2018.

2. Visit by the China Christian Church to CAC President and the Four Denominations Chinese Churches Council On 25 July 2017, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Church Committee Chairperson, Elder Fu Xianwei, together with five other delegates, met with Minister of Health Mr Gan Kim Yong, and members of the Four Denominations Chinese Churches Council (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican and Methodist). The meeting was coordinated by the CAC and held at the Methodist Centre. This visit has helped to cement and broaden the long-standing relationship between China and Singapore churches, that has been built and established for 25 years. 3. World Federation of Chinese Methodist Churches (WFCMC) 7th Mission Conference From 3-17 July 2017, the WFCMC held its 7th Mission Conference in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The theme was ‘Holistic Mission – From Generation to Generation’. It brought together Methodists from 12 Conferences including Australia, England, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore, Taiwan, the USA, and West Malaysia. A total of 722 delegates attended the conference. Singapore’s delegation was 124-strong, and included Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung, CAC President the Rev Dr Goh, pastors, and church members. The WFCMC is a body of Chinese Methodist Churches from around the world. They collaborate in translating Methodist materials, training and research activities, and supporting Cambodian missions work. The first Mission Conference was held 30 years ago in 1987. It is organised once every five years. The 8th Mission Conference, in 2022, will be organised by the CAC in Singapore (see top right pic for flag handover).

4. Walks to Emmaus in 2017 Yet another group of brothers and sisters have embarked on their ‘Walk to Emmaus’ journeys (26-29 June and 4-7 September respectively). Just as the two disciples met the Lord Jesus on the road to Emmaus so many years ago, these participants may have started out with no idea of what to expect. Away from the haze of their busy lives, they experienced a new encounter with the merciful Lord, turning away from their lost wandering to find life that is bright and colourful. (For more information about the ‘Walk to Emmaus’ retreats, see MM Mar 2017 P9-10.) 5. Day of Prayer for families The CAC’s Board of Family Life, which was formed last year, organised a Day of Prayer for families on 19 Aug 2017. It was a heartfelt time, as households gathered to pray earnestly for families in the name of the Lord (see above left and right pics). Filled with joy, the morning was surely time well spent, and pleasing to the Lord. 6. Retreat for pastors and lay ministry staff A one-day retreat was held for pastors and lay ministry staff on 28 Aug 2017, based on St. Benedict of Nursia’s rule to help with work and life. The speaker, Father Anselm Grün, shared how in silence, one may be able to listen to one’s inner feelings, so as to reconcile with ourselves and also with God. One can then live well with others in community. From our life experiences and biblical insights from the example of Christ, we can receive direction in leadership, work, and life. n Photos courtesy of the Chinese Annual Conference METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

YOU & YOUR FAMILY

Celebrating life’s milestones 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.

ot long ago, I arrived at a chronological milestone. My family surprised me with a gathering to celebrate the occasion. During the event, it seemed like I received as much attention and congratulations as someone who had just finished a marathon. What did I do to deserve such attention? That morning, I awoke to a new day much like any other. I did not make any effort to breathe, to open my eyes, or in short to be alive! Unlike some who may be critically ill, when their every breath is a struggle, when their waking moments may involve severe pain or even consist only of drifting in and out of consciousness, my existence – perhaps likewise for many of you – was largely effortless and uneventful. It all happened naturally, save for the fuss my family and friends made because it was my birthday. Not surprisingly, I felt it was unwarranted. All this set me thinking – what is the appropriate way to celebrate a birthday, or more generally, a milestone in life? Firstly, I had the joy of sharing my special day with family and friends dear to me. Conversely, I can think of nothing more desolate than being alone and lonely. Living in community and being

in fellowship with others are an important part of our day-to-day existence, what more when commemorating an important day. Secondly, although I did not spring up from bed that morning with joyful thankfulness, I did wonder if I was taking for granted the precious gift of life. I found myself trying to be mindful of being thankful and counting my blessings. An interesting side effect is that the more grateful we are, the more content we become. I have been asked how it feels to turn 60. Some have asked if I noticed growing physically weaker or mentally slower. Honestly, I have not noticed either. How can it be that a day ago, one is in good physical condition, and the next, not? Of course, there are those who deny their decline with age. I suspect, however, that there are more who mentally come to accept and even expect themselves to become and behave like elderly folk. They limit the physical challenges they undertake, make little effort in recalling facts, or even withdraw from social contact with others. So, my third thought is not to allow myself to age more than I need to. I still have a responsibility to be a good steward of this body, to maintain and use it until the rightful Owner of this leased body recalls me home. Fourthly, it hit home that I now have less time to prepare to meet the Lord. This thought spurs me to consider not only the tasks yet to be completed, but also how well-prepared I am to meet Him. It is not about making myself more acceptable or even deserving, but rather, whether I know what to expect. Many of us live with the expectation that we will one day see our Maker, and fellowship with Him face to face. However, will I know Him well enough to enjoy this intimacy? My relationship with God feels very unbalanced. God knows me through and through, but there is still so much more for me to learn and experience of Him… and so little time left to do this. Finally, the common thread running through all these thoughts is grace. By God’s grace I live; by His grace I have been blessed. And grace will see me to the final communion. n

Picture by alfonsodetomas/Bigstock.com

WELFARE SERVICES

Golden years, new beginnings By the Methodist Welfare Services Communications Team

ver a year ago, Mr Liau Vui Hon (right) was just another typical newlyretired senior. Having been sedentary for most of his working life, he was physically very unfit. The diabetes sufferer also had chronic knee pain and weakness in his left leg, which made climbing stairs impossible. As his wife was still working, he often felt lonely and lost as the days wore on. At 75 years of age, he could not imagine picking up exercise or new hobbies again. Except for doing some light cooking at home, he did not know how to fill his days meaningfully. Fortunately for Vui Hon, MWS Senior Activity Centre – Fernvale Rivergrove had recently opened in his Sengkang neighbourhood, offering a holistic mix of interesting programmes. After seeing a flyer on his lift lobby’s notice board in September 2016, he signed up immediately. He started joining his new-found friends for half an hour of daily morning exercise, and was equally disciplined about attending his twice-weekly strength training sessions under the centre’s Gym Tonic Programme. Within six months, his health and fitness improved so dramatically that he shaved 5 kg off his weight and got his glucose levels under control. Now leaner with improved agility and stronger muscles, he is finally able to climb the stairs with more ease. He has also begun to enjoy the companionship of other seniors at the centre. “These days, I spend the whole day at the centre. I have many friends here, and there is so much to do to keep me fit and active physically and mentally,” says Vui Hon, whose favourite activities include art classes and playing Rummikub, a popular memory-boosting tile game. Vui Hon was just one of the 850 socially-isolated elderly whose lives were transformed by MWS Senior Activity Centres (SAC) during our last financial year. Apart from our centre in Fernvale Rivergrove, the two others launched last year were MWS SAC – GreenTops @ Sims Place in Geylang, and MWS SAC – Teck Ghee Vista in Ang Mo Kio. These three centres joined our Charis Activity Centre for Elders and Wesley Seniors Activity Centre in engaging senior citizens aged 55 and above from low- to middle-income backgrounds. These were followed by two more that opened in 2017, namely MWS SAC – Kebun Baru and Golden Lily @ Pasir Ris. The Kebun Baru centre opened its doors in July, serving seniors who live in the Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 precinct. MWS Senior Activity Centre – Golden Lily @ Pasir Ris, which is located in the

void deck of a block of studio flats, welcomed its first members in mid-August. Together, our seven MWS SACs serve a growing need for a suite of early interventions that meet the health and social needs of Singapore’s fast-ageing population. Most importantly, they empower seniors to live and advance in age in their community for as long as possible. Studies have shown that seniors face an increasing level of loneliness and helplessness, especially among Singapore’s empty-nesters and lower- to middle-income seniors. Social isolation hastens and exacerbates the chronic effects of ageing, and may lead to a host of mental or emotional problems, such as depression, in the long run. To enable our seniors to age in place and empower them to take charge of their mental, physical, and emotional well-being, our SACs offer holistic programmes that integrate their psychosocial, recreational, and healthcare needs. Components include specialised senior gyms and training programmes, group exercise and fitness regimes, medical screening, nutrition and dietary programmes, the building of a strong communal network and community partnerships, volunteering opportunities, and a host of elder-focused social, recreational, and learning activities. n Except for Wesley Seniors Activity Centre, the other six SACs do not receive government funding as they serve primarily seniors living in studio apartments and 3- to 4-room HDB flats. Your support is critical. For information on how you or your church can be involved in giving or volunteering, please email ce@mws.sg. Find out more about our eldercare services at www.mws.sg. Photos courtesy of the Methodist Welfare Services METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

HOME

How are Lutherans commemorating the Reformation anniversary? Bishop Terry Kee is the second bishop of the Lutheran Church in Singapore, having taken office in 2009. He has been a Lutheran pastor for the past 30 years and has served at Bedok Lutheran Church, Jurong Christian Church, Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, and Queenstown Lutheran Church.

t is 2017! It is the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation! As we approached this milestone, I was asked again and again, “How are the Lutherans in Singapore going to celebrate this anniversary?” Each time, I had to explain that we will certainly commemorate this occasion, but we are hesitant to call it a celebration because it is hard to celebrate a church split. However, there is something we can certainly celebrate. For the first time in 500 years, Catholic and Lutheran church leaders came together in a historic commemoration prayer service in Lund, Sweden on Reformation Day, 31 Oct 2016. His Holiness Pope Francis, together with President Bishop Dr Munib Younan of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), committed themselves

“The doctrine of Justification thus expresses the essences of human existence before God.” – Pope Francis

to lead their churches to move away from conflict and to journey towards communion, and to strengthen their common witness. Bishop Henderson of the Lutheran Church of Australia, in his interview with ABC radio after the prayer service, said: “The Reformation for us has always been a mixed sort of celebration. In one sense, we celebrate that the gospel was reclaimed or rediscovered in the church, but we also mourn it, because it represents the fracturing of the body of Christ on earth… It’s always for us a very bad thing when the body of Christ is divided, especially when there’s antipathy or animosity between the branches of Christianity, and so we see this as a major step forward.” It is heartening for me as a Lutheran Christian to hear the Pope acknowledging that Luther was a witness of the Gospel, and in his message in Lund, quoting Luther, and grace alone, that the Gospel shows us that God always takes the initiative. The Pope said, “The doctrine of Justification thus expresses the essences of human existence before God.” He further said, “Now, in the context of the commemoration of the Reformation of 1517, we have a new opportunity to accept a common path, one that has taken shape over the past 50 years in dialogue. We have the opportunity to mend a critical moment of our history by moving beyond controversies and disagreements that have often prevented us from understanding one another.” It is towards this that I am happy to announce that the Lutheran Church in Singapore has initiated dialogue with the Catholic Church in Singapore to promote mutual understanding, and is in discussion with them about a joint commemoration of the Reformation this year. (Editor’s Note: The joint commemoration has been confirmed to take place on 30 Oct 2017. Please see the relevant item on P23 for more details.) I trust this is pleasing to our Lord who desires that we are one as He and His Father are One. n Reprinted with permission from LCS Newsletter, March 2017. Photos courtesy of the Lutheran Church in Singapore

MISSIONS

Together in our Father’s business Noel Tam is the Methodist Missions Society’s Home Director and the Country Coordinating Officer for Nepal. He worships at Pentecost Methodist Church.

he 25th Anniversary of the Methodist Missions Society (MMS) culminated with a banquet held on 27 Aug 2017 at The Fullerton Hotel. The theme of this banquet highlights the commitment of MMS in carrying out our Father’s business by being a “disciple-making movement that transforms lives”. My Father’s Business Banquet has been held since 1996 as a biennial fundraising event to support the ministries in our mission fields. Generous support from Methodist churches, members, and friends has enabled MMS to nurture disciples, develop national leaders, and provide for the needy by establishing schools, homes, and hostels that shape lives and help transform communities. A beautiful and inspiring book entitled Wings of Grace: Proclaiming 25 years of God’s Wondrous Works was presented at the banquet. It is a compilation of 265 testimonies from missionaries, national workers, and volunteers who have supported MMS over the past 25 years. In his message, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung reminded us that “we should not rest on our laurels by just doing what’s good enough; we must continuously strive to do more than just what we can”. Indeed, the work and challenges of MMS are ever increasing. MMS aims to achieve sustainability in its mature mission fields, while pioneering new ministries in younger ones. To accomplish this, proceeds from this year’s banquet will go towards key ministries in all our mission fields where it is most needed through the MMS General Fund, with particular focus on building a Methodist School in Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste is a young nation with more than 60 per cent of its population below the age of 18. Many children drop out of or have never even attended school. Two years ago, MMS established a hostel near a district high school to help up to 40 students finish their education. This project was made possible by the generosity of a single Methodist donor. Today, these students are being discipled and equipped by MMS missionaries to become change agents who will one day transform lives within their own families and communities.

Realising the need to provide quality education in a Christian environment, MMS also plans to build a Methodist school for more than 700 students from grades 1-12. The mission of MMS is to mobilise the Methodist community in Singapore to establish disciple-making and multiplying indigenous churches. As it looks ahead to the next 25 years, MMS will continue to promote opportunities aimed at helping to meet the spiritual and physical needs of those in our mission fields. We affirm God’s faithfulness by helping to fulfil the Great Commission through our service and financial support. Together, let’s bring the Gospel to unreached peoples and exemplify the Great Commandments of loving God and loving others! In Luke 2:49, Jesus responded to His parents by saying, “knew ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” (21st Century King James Version) Let us respond like Jesus, and fully commit ourselves to our Father’s business. Pray for God to guide and strengthen us as we carry out our Father’s business and seek to glorify His name in all that we do! n

u SUPPORT the ministries in MMS – you can make a one-time love gift or a monthly donation pledge. For more information, visit www.mms.org.sg or call 6478-4818.

Photos courtesy of the Methodist Missions Society METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

NATIONAL DAY AWARDS 2017

Congratulations!

Methodist Message congratulates the following who have received the 2017 National Day Awards:

CHURCHES Ang Mo Kio Chinese Methodist Church Mr George Loh Chee Ping* The Public Administration Medal (Silver) Covenant Community Methodist Church BG (Ret) David Koh Tee Hian The Public Administration Medal (Gold) SLTC Daryl Tam Ju-Aun The Long Service Medal Mrs Marlene Koh-Ang Bee Lin The Long Service Medal Dr Sng Li-Hwei The Long Service Medal Dr Karen Chua Sui Geok The Long Service Medal Faith Methodist Church Adj Asst Prof Joanne Chan Sheot Harn The Long Service Medal Mrs Christine Cheong The Long Service Medal Kampong Kapor Methodist Church Mdm Rebecca Ng Pek Yum The Public Administration Medal (Silver) Living Waters Methodist Church Mrs Lee Lian Siang, Angela The Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Pentecost Methodist Church Assoc Prof Daniel Fung Shuen Sheng* The Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Ms Christine Ong Bee Keow The Commendation Medal Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church Mr Eugene Toh Minghong The Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Mdm Ong Bee Kian The Commendation Medal Sengkang Methodist Church Mr Edmund Wan Fook Wing Toa Payoh Methodist Church Mrs Png Poh Cheng [Tay Poh Cheng Christine]

The Public Service Medal The Efficiency Medal

Trinity Methodist Church Mdm Caroline Lim Ai Lian The Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Wesley Methodist Church Mr Richard Thong Soo Li The Commendation Medal Ms Carolyn Chiam Wei Lin The Efficiency Medal Mr Napoleon Yeo Tong Huan The Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Ms Chua Lian Kee The Long Service Medal

NATIONAL DAY AWARDS 2017

SCHOOLS Anglo-Chinese Junior College Miss Marhaini Bte Mohamed Amil

The Long Service Medal

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) Mr Syed Faizal s/o J S Tamizzuddin Mdm Bhanumathy d/o Ganapathy Mr Oh Boon Teck Mdm Noreen Bte Mahmood

The Commendation Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal

Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) Mdm Kok Li Lian Ms Selvadurai Noelle Chitrani

The Commendation Medal The Long Service Medal

Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) Mr Lim Kok Meng Miss Kogilavani d/o Vathumalai

The Commendation Medal The Long Service Medal

Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) Mdm Seah Hwee Binn Mdm Mallika Begum

The Commendation Medal The Long Service Medal

Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) Mr Siew Yiu Wah @ The Long Service Medal Mohamad Faizal Bin Abdullah Geylang Methodist School (Primary) Mdm Yvonne Chung Tsui Ping

The Commendation Medal

Geylang Methodist School (Secondary) Mr Chng Kiong Choon The Commendation Medal Methodist Girls’ School Ms Diana Tan Peng Mrs Tse Nan Shing Mdm Chua Lee Hong Mr Terence Goh Keng Lee Mr Kay Ren Tat Mdm Tang Lai Mui Ms Cindi Tan Chong Cheng Mrs Tan Sian Huang Mr Lim Lee

The Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal The Long Service Medal

Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) Ms Chua Soh Leng The Public Administration Medal (Silver) Mr Samuel Yap Lih Min The Commendation Medal Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary) Assoc Prof Daniel Fung Shuen Sheng* The Public Administration Medal (Bronze) Ms Gan Lay Leng The Long Service Medal

Methodist Welfare Services Mr George Loh Chee Ping* The Public Administration Medal (Silver) Mr Chan Wing Leong The Public Administration Medal (Silver) Mr Tung Siew Hoong The Public Service Medal

* indicates recipient listed under both church and school or agency. Listings of recipients and awards were as provided by the churches, schools and agencies.

Picture by yootin/Bigstock.com

AGENCIES

HYMNS & SONGS

You are worth more than many sparrows Dr Yeo Teck Beng is a member of Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church.

ave you ever felt that your world is caving in on you and the things that matter in your life (e.g. career, family, ministry) are not working out? It gets so bad you start to feel discouraged and wonder if God even cares. You may even wonder, “Does God really care for me?” Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31, NIV) These Bible verses inspired the texts of one of my favorite hymns, ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’, written by Civilla Durfee Martin (1866-1948) after a visit to her dear friend, Mrs Doolittle, in 1904. Mrs Doolittle had been bed-ridden for 20 years. When Civilla asked if she ever got discouraged because of her physical condition, the dear old lady said, “Mrs Martin, how can I be discouraged when my heavenly Father watches over each little sparrow and I know He loves and cares for me?”1 These simple words of boundless faith touched Civilia and inspired her to write one of the most influential and well-loved gospel hymns of the 20th century. It is amazing how the most common things in life, such as birds, flowers, and grass in the field can lead us to such profound truths. How much more, God says, “do I care for you if I care for the birds that have no barns and the flowers that need not spin or toil for their splendour?” (Matthew 6:26-30, paraphrased) In our heavenly Father’s eyes, all of us are precious in His sight and no one is insignificant. In Jesus, we have a “constant friend” (stanza 1) who leads us one step at a time (stanza 2). So let us not dwell in the shadows or fret over our troubles because Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” (John 14:1, Revised Standard Version) For “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me”. n

enneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions (Grand K Rapids, Mich: Kregel Publications, 1990), 138.

His Eye is on the Sparrow (Hymns of United Worship, #218) Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home, when Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, (I’m happy) I sing because I’m free (I’m free), for His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, and resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; though by the path He leadeth but one step I may see: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. (refrain) Words: Civilla D. Martin, 1905 Music: Charles H. Gabriel, 1905 Picture by Nataba/Bigstock.com

METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

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REFORMATION 500

Reformation 500: Why it matters Grace Toh is the Editor of Methodist Message and a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.

“As a result of this forgetting, much of what divided the church in the past is virtually unknown today.”

hat event is commemorated on 31 Oct every year? A common response, including from Christians, would be “Halloween”. Some, – From Conflict to Communion perhaps a little more cognisant of the Church calendar, would reply “All Saints’ Eve”. If the response “Reformation Day” is given, it is usually added almost as an afterthought. Depictions of Reformation Day often show German monk Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, in an attempt to prompt academic discussion about the church practice of indulgences at the time. (A brief background of the Reformation movement is given on P2 of this issue.) As modern Christians in other countries, perhaps we think: “Why should an event which happened 500 years ago, in a country and culture very different from mine, over a practice which no longer exists, matter to me in this day and age?” Although sparked by Luther’s action, the Reformation movement was not limited to the queries he raised nor bound by his geographical location, and went on to have a profound impact across numerous countries on the development of Christian denominations, improving accessibility of Bible texts to lay Christians through vernacular translations, and re-emphasising the primacy of Scripture in theology, doctrine, and practice. Can any modern Christian profess that such matters have no relevance to them spiritually? It is no surprise that for many of us, our day-to-day concerns eclipse questions such as “Which tradition or confession does my church hold to?”, “What basic beliefs are held by my church or denomination?” and “How were these beliefs decided on and articulated?” Yet, we miss out on a rich appreciation of how we as a Church have clarified our core beliefs, if we turn a blind or apathetic eye to such milestone events in Church history. This year’s 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation is therefore a timely occasion to delve into and reflect on this movement and its effects. Significantly, it is not only Lutherans or even Protestants who are commemorating this event – there are in fact joint commemoration events between Lutherans and Roman Catholics, which would have been unthinkable to their respective communities centuries ago. Pope Francis himself joined the President Bishop of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Dr Munib A. Younan, and LWF General Secretary, the Rev Dr Martin Junge, in leading a common prayer service on 31 Oct 2016 in Lund, Sweden (see P8 of this issue for a brief account). The Lutheran Church in Singapore and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore are likewise holding a joint worship service on 30 Oct 2017 (see P23 for event information).

The significance of collaboratively commemorating this milestone anniversary is emphasised in a document titled From Conflict to Communion, which was jointly released by the LWF and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, noting: (1) It is the first commemoration to take place during the ecumenical age. Therefore, the common commemoration is an occasion to deepen communion between Catholics and Lutherans. (2) It is the first commemoration in the age of globalisation. Therefore, the common commemoration must incorporate the experiences and perspectives of Christians from South and North, East and West. (3) It is the first commemoration that must deal with the necessity of a new evangelisation in a time marked by both the proliferation of new religious movements and, at the same time, the growth of secularisation in many places. Therefore, the common commemoration has the opportunity and obligation to be a common witness of faith. Those who wonder “Why all the fuss?” are certainly not alone. From Conflict to Communion acknowledges as much: “In lands where Christianity has already been at home for many centuries, many people have left the churches in recent times or have forgotten their ecclesial traditions. In these traditions, churches have handed on from generation to generation what they had received from their encounter with the Holy Scripture: an understanding of God, humanity, and the world in response to the revelation of God in Jesus Christ; the wisdom developed over the course of generations from the experience of lifelong engagement of Christians with God; and the treasury of liturgical forms, hymns and prayers, catechetical practices, and diaconal services.” “As a result of this forgetting, much of what divided the church in the past is virtually unknown today.” “Ecumenism, however, cannot base itself on forgetfulness of tradition… How can the often forgotten traditions be handed on to our contemporaries so as not to remain objects of antiquarian interest only, but rather support a vibrant Christian existence? How can the traditions

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be passed on in such a way that they do not dig new trenches between Christians of different confessions?” It is clear, therefore, that our Christian walk would be severely impoverished should we engage in denialism of Church history (see P20-21 for the dangers of doing so), or neglect liturgical practices like the regular confession of our core Christian beliefs as painstakingly encapsulated in historic creeds (see P24 for more on the creeds). Although investment of effort may be needed to verify common Christian narratives or understand the meaning behind ecclesial traditions, it is often rewarded by insights to how God’s Word and Truth have endured throughout the ages, engendering awe and praise to His name. Revisiting past events in Church history can also have the effect of clarifying areas of agreement between denominations, enabling ecumenical efforts aimed at affirming the Body of Christ as “one, as [Christ and the Father] are one” (John 17:11). An example of this is the momentous Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, signed by representatives of the LWF and the Roman Catholic Church in Augsburg, Germany, on 31 Oct 1999, which was later affirmed by the World Methodist Council in 2006. Christianity, in other words, cannot be reduced to a narrow focus on one’s personal and private practices within one’s immediate context. Far beyond local churches, national churches, or even global Christian denominations, the Church and the Body of Christ encompasses also those who lived centuries before us, whose theology and practices have undeniable effects on the doctrines we hold today. Commemorations like the Reformation’s 500th anniversary are therefore prime opportunities to learn from Christians who have gone before, that we might be better equipped to forge new roads ahead, in unity of spirit and purpose under the Lordship of Christ. n

Find out more: • From Conflict to Communion – www.lutheranworld.org/content/resourceconflict-communion-basis-lutherancatholic-commemoration-reformation-2017 • Luther: The life and legacy of the German reformer (film) – www.lutherdocumentary.com Picture by miroslav110/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

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SECONDARY ONE

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

24 November 2017 3pm & 4:30pm,

25 November 2017 9:45am

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

Mr Rob Burrough Principal

Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice Principal

• Students accepted to Oxford and Cambridge universities for the past eight years • 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

Mr Gavin Kinch Vice Principal

Dr Kristopher Achter Vice Principal

For more information Please contact Joseph Ng or Stephanie Hanrahan at +65 6472 1477 or admission@acsinternational.edu.sg

• Successes at national level this past year in Archery; Touch Rugby; Cycling; Swimming; Chinese Drama; Debating; Fencing; Football; Golf; String Orchestra; Taekwondo; Volleyball; Wushu.

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

HOME

Methodism’s MARC on history Richard Fong is a member of the Kampong Kapor Methodist Church Archives Committee.

n a recent trip to Manchester in August, I stumbled upon the Methodist Archives and Research Centre (MARC) at the John Rylands Library, located at the University of Manchester on Deansgate Road in the city centre. I discovered that the MARC had moved there in 1977 from its original place at John Wesley’s Chapel, City Road, London.

The MARC was established in 1961 by the Methodist Church of Great Britain to house the Connexional records of the Church. I was impressed to find out that the MARC holds the world’s largest collection of manuscripts relating to the founders of Methodism – John and Charles Wesley – and other members of the Wesley family. Arriving at the John Rylands Library, I discovered that there was a recent renovation at the rear of the awe-inspiring Victorian Gothic brick building where the Special Collections Reading Room was located. I headed upstairs to the 4th floor to seek entry to the Methodist Archives Section. The website stated that I would need to make a prior appointment with Dr Peter Nockles or Dr Gareth Lloyd at the University of Manchester to gain access to the Methodist Collection. The other person I could contact was Mr Owen Roberts, the Methodist Heritage Officer, but he was away in the London Office. Not being easily discouraged, I approached the receptionist, who was very helpful. After filling up the required application form with identification that I was a Singapore Methodist and a member of the Kampong Kapor Methodist Church Archives Committee, I was given access into the Reading Room. They offer a closed-access reader service which means that items must be requested beforehand. They are then retrieved by staff and brought to your desk in the Reading Room. Special Collections items cannot be borrowed. The collection of printed and archival material owned by the Methodist Church of Great Britain and deposited in the MARC is acknowledged to be one of the world’s finest resources for the study of evangelical religion. The collection contains approximately 70,000 printed items and several million manuscripts dating from the early 18th century until the present. Methodists have been involved in every area of public life and the archives reflect this diversity, containing materials across a wide spectrum of subjects from secular education and the armed forces to anti-slavery literature, the spread of British influence overseas, industrial relations, and political agitation. Inside the Reading Room, the catalogues for the Methodist Church collection can be found in hard copy on the shelves but they can also be viewed in digital format from the desktop monitors.

For the first time, a guide to the entire Methodist collection has been made available online, in PDF format. The Guide to Methodist Resources at The University of Manchester1 contains summary descriptions of all the principal sub-collections within the MARC, divided into archival and printed categories. Other sections of the guide include the provenance (origins) of the collection, an overview of Methodist history, information about digital resources, and online and printed bibliographies. My hope is that those interested in the history of the Methodist Church, past and present, are made aware of the rich resources now available online: ◆ www.methodistheritage.org.uk ◆ www.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections ◆ archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk Not forgetting our own Methodist Church in Singapore Archives and History Library at archives.methodist.org.sg! n 1

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/media/services/library/ deansgate/methodist-guide/Guide-to-Methodist-Resourcesat-The-University-of-Manchester.pdf

Photos courtesy of Richard Fong METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

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HOME

New Tamil outreach service at Sengkang The Rev Philip Abraham is District Superintendent of Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference, and Pastor-in-Charge of Ang Mo Kio Tamil Methodist Church.

n 10 Sep 2017, Ang Mo Kio Tamil Methodist Church (AMKTMC) and Sengkang Methodist Church (SKMC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for AMKTMC to begin a weekly Tamil outreach service at SKMC’s premises. Although both our churches come from different Annual Conferences, we have joined hands to minister to the Tamil community in Sengkang and Punggol, effectively aligning ourselves with Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung’s quadrennial vision for the Methodist Church to be “Together as one in spirit and purpose”. AMKTMC’s outreach in Sengkang and Punggol had begun on 6 Sep 2015 with the Rev R. Prabhu’s vision of reaching out to the Indian community, and bringing them into the Kingdom of God as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. With God’s amazing grace, this outreach work has now come to fruition with SKMC

providing us a space to worship. We held our first evening service on the very same day the MOU was signed. Special thanks to SKMC’s Pastor-in-Charge, the Rev Dr Niam Kai Huey, and the leadership, for their prayers and support which made this possible. All Glory to God. Our weekly Sunday evening services will commence from 1 Oct 2017 at 6 p.m. on Level 3 of SKMC, 31 Anchorvale Road, Singapore 545056. Pray for us that AMKTMC will rise to the challenge of reaching Indians for God’s Kingdom. “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2, ESV) n Photo courtesy of Ang Mo Kio Tamil Methodist Church

HOME

The 3 Ps to building a ‘First World’ righteousness Dean Koh is a member of Christalite Methodist Chapel. He is a writer/journalist by occupation and enjoys taking photographs.

he term ‘First World’ is often used in reference to economic matters, such as standards or costs of living. But what would a First World righteousness look like? And how could Christians contribute to it?

This was the topic under discussion at the National Day Thanksgiving Service (NDTS), held on 17 Aug 2017 at the New Sanctuary of St Andrew’s Cathedral. Organised annually by the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS), the service calls Christians here to join fellow Singaporeans in celebrating our country’s National Day, by acknowledging God’s providence and the goodwill that continues to thrive among our people. Clergy and laypeople gather at the yearly NDTS with the desire to pray and worship in unity as a community of believers, including politicians, civil servants, and civic and community leaders. Representatives of various NCCS members participated in the NDTS, including Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung of The Methodist Church in Singapore (bottom right pic, far right). The sermon was delivered by the President of NCCS, Bishop Rennis Ponniah of the Anglican Dicoese of Singapore, who spoke on “The 3 Ps to building a ‘First World’ righteousness”. Bishop Rennis began by explaining the dangers of the First World – materialism, individualism and social polarisation. He suggested three ways, each beginning with the letter ‘P’, to build righteousness to safeguard against these pitfalls. The first ‘P’ is to practice Christian ethics, which includes providing practical care for those in need, engaging in the public square. It also includes expressing God’s love to others through forgiveness, as God builds up His people from a place of forgiveness. Praying for shalom is the second ‘P’ to building a First World righteousness. Shalom is a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquillity. Bishop

Rennis urged the congregation to pray to the Lord on behalf of Singapore, and recognised the integrity and foresight of Singapore’s leaders who were exemplary in putting the nation before themselves. He reminded the congregation to pray against forces that would undermine shalom, to pray for the moral gate of Singapore, and to pray for social cohesion within the country. The third and final ‘P’ to building a First World righteousness is to proclaim the good news. Sustaining a righteous way of living requires a new heart – those who trust in Jesus and pursue righteousness with a new heart will be saved through eternity. The good news of Jesus can be proclaimed through the daily lives of Christians, and being good testimonies and stewards where God has placed them, whether in church or outside church. Bishop Rennis closed by noting that it is indeed a great privilege to have freedom of worship in a multi-racial and multi-religious place such as Singapore, and exhorted the congregation to be steadfast in their belief while responsibly practising their faith in their everyday lives. n

Bishop Rennis began by explaining the dangers of the First World – materialism, individualism and social polarisation. He suggested three ways, each beginning with the letter ‘P’, to build righteousness to safeguard against these pitfalls.

Methodist participation at the NDTS included the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference choir singing during the offering. Photos courtesy of Dolly Cheong METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

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METHODIST MESSAGE, AuGuST 2013

SOUNDINGS

Back to the basics 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).

he last three decades have seen a slew of books on basic Christianity. A simple search on Amazon.com would yield titles like Christianity 101 (1993), Basic Discipleship (1992), and Christianity: The Basics (2014). These books receive their inspiration from their celebrated predecessors, namely, C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity (1952) and John Stott’s Basic Christianity (1958). The main purpose of these books – as their titles reveal – is to state as succinctly as possible the fundamentals of the Christian faith and its most essential tenets. Their intended readers are either people who are interested in Christianity but are mystified by the varied accounts, or young Christians who wish to get a handle on the faith they have recently embraced. These books, therefore, have a significant role to play in the spiritual and theological formation of young believers who wish to acquaint themselves with the doctrinal terrain of Christianity. But the habitual return to the basics may prove enlightening and refreshing even for more mature Christians. What constitutes the basics of Christianity, its non-negotiable essence, is an important and inescapable question. How does one go about distinguishing the essential bits of the Christian faith that must be ‘canonised’, and the rest that should consequently be regarded as theological opinions that can be subjected to discussion and disagreement? These questions must be carefully considered. This quest can go disastrously wrong if it is guided by false assumptions and alien canons. In the early 20th century, a formidable group of German theologians led by the eminent Adolf von

Harnack sought to recover what they described as the “essence of Christianity”. They wanted to repristinate a Christianity which, in their minds, had been distorted by Hellenistic philosophy. To cut a long story short, Harnack and his followers began to peel off the husk of the ‘Hellenised’ theology of the Church in order to recover the kernel, namely, the simple teachings of Jesus Christ and His early followers. The results of Harnack’s research were presented in a series of lectures in the University of Berlin in 1899 and 1900, and subsequently published as What is Christianity? (Das Wesen des Christentums) in 1901. This book, which is the modern re-statement of the essence of Christianity, became the inspiration for liberal theology in the 20th century. Rejecting what he considered to be the metaphysical accretions of the historic creeds of the Church, Harnack maintains that the essence of Christianity has to do with the universal fatherhood of God, the universal brotherhood of man, and the ethic of love. Harnack’s project is instructive because it shows us how not to look for the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Christianity’s essence cannot be sought by severing Scripture from its authoritative interpreter, the Church. Neither can it be sought by privileging the modern scientific worldview over the theological vision of the Church that was informed and shaped by Scripture itself. In other words, to understand the essence of the Christian faith, one needs to take with utmost seriousness the very things that Harnack had rejected as farcical and redundant. One needs to return to the historic ecumenical creeds of the Church – the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Chalcedonian Definition – for they are, to use Luther’s fine expression, the “ground upon which the Christian Faith is laid”. In the creeds, wrote Luther, “you find the whole essence of God, his will and his work beautifully portrayed in few but comprehensive words”. Basic Christianity, as presented by the creeds, has to do with non-negotiable truths about God and the world that the Word reveals, like the triunity of God, the incarnation of the second person of the Godhead, the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, the final judgement, and eternal life. Going back to the basics of the faith should never be regarded as an exercise of simplifying the faith, as some writers seem to suggest. It is never reductionist. Rather, it is an attempt to discern the fullness and wonder of God, who in His revelation remains incomprehensible. In returning again and again to the essence of the faith, we are brought ever deeper into the boundless and inexhaustible mystery of the One who is Love. 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 Creativa Images/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

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HOME

The myths of history The Rev Dr Chiang Ming Shun is a Methodist pastor, and Lecturer in Church History at Trinity Theological College.

any people hate history and find it boring or irrelevant, because they have learnt it badly, having to study it as a chronology of events and lists of names to be memorised. However, bookstores have shelves filled with history books, historical novels, and books of historical fiction, testifying to their popularity – alternate retellings of history like David Gemmell’s Troy series and George MacDonald Fraser’s Flashman series can be found alongside Anthony Beevor’s accounts of the battles for Stalingrad and Berlin, and Christopher Bayley and Tim Harper’s brilliant books on Forgotten Wars and Forgotten Armies on the fall of Britain’s Asian empire. These books are popular because they tell fascinating stories – stories that grip and enthrall the reader, whether they are accurate history or just fiction. The problem arises when, out of convenience or ignorance, we cling to a certain simplified but exciting story, without grasping all

the facts. We fail to see the entire picture with all its complexities. James W. Loewen in Lies My Teacher Told Me cited the example of President Woodrow Wilson. Many know of Wilson as the president who led America in World War I and who helped establish the League of Nations. But few know that Wilson was a white supremacist who sent American troops to intervene in foreign countries more often than other presidents in the 20th century – sending troops into Mexico 11 times, invading Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Panama, and Nicaragua, and effectively colonising them, and even intervening in Russia’s civil war from 1917. Wilson’s racial policies led to the segregation of the navy and the federal government. As the

The problem arises when, out of convenience or ignorance, we cling to a certain simplified but exciting story, without grasping all the facts. We fail to see the entire picture with all its complexities. Colored Advisory Committee of the Republican National Committee put it, “Mr Wilson and his advisors entered upon a policy to eliminate all coloured citizens from representation in the Federal Government”. These policies also encouraged the resurrection of the Ku Klux Klan. Loewen wrote that “White Americans engaged in a new burst of racial violence during and immediately after Wilson’s presidency”. It is important to know this about Wilson, not just to see a connection between his racial policies and the stoking of racism in society, but so we get the full picture and avoid simplified and erroneous perspectives. The same applies to church history. Since I started teaching at Trinity Theological College (TTC), I have found that many students were surprised and even offended to learn that there was no sustained persecution of early Christians, and that martyrdom was not peculiar to Christianity. It is true that Christians were persecuted, and many Christians were killed just because they were Christians. Suffering for Jesus was sincere, significant, and inspirational. It motivated others and gave them courage. But there was no sustained and continual Roman Empire-wide persecution of the early Christians. In fact, when the Romans did persecute Christians, they did so not out of hatred, but had logical reasons as Christians were seen as threatening the safety of the empire and its cities. Candida Moss, Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame, has written a compelling book on The Myth of Persecution. Much of what she says is not new, but she draws the facts together and eloquently pushes a cogent argument to shatter the myth of a sustained persecution of Christians. Doing so, she is able to draw new lessons and give new perspectives not just on history, but also on how Christians should approach issues in our day. She concludes: “We can choose to embrace the

virtues that martyrs embody without embracing the false history of persecution and polemic that has grown up around them.” What other myths of church history have we grown comfortable with? There is the idea that the Crusades were an aberration in international relations rather than part of a long history of conflicting interests. Then there is the oftrepeated refrain that Christianity is a Western religion, when there is clear proof that Christianity had spread to China and to high officials there by the mid-7th century. Today, perhaps the biggest myth is the conflict model of science and religion – how heroic science faces off against superstitious Christianity. We have come full circle from when Pliny in his Letter to Trajan in 112 BC wrote about Christianity as a superstition. To tackle myths, the answer is in primary sources: actual contemporary documents and eye-witness accounts. These must be collected, stored, and catalogued. Churches must either establish their own archives open for research, or allow the National Archives to store church records. The selfish and short-sighted hoarding of material is almost as bad as the complete lack of effort to preserve records for posterity. The effort to find truth is worthy and legitimate. The need to find historical truth has an added dimension because historians try to understand and connect the past to illuminate the present and imagine the future. It is in knowing as completely as we can the past, with all its complexities, that we have a better sense of who we are today and how we should approach today’s problems. We need to stop retelling myths and start exploring actual historical facts. n Reprinted with permission from Trumpet, Aug 2017. This is the second of a three-part series on Church History and Church Historians.

Picture by Sandralise/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

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POEMS

Split Dr Oliver Seet is a member of Wesley Methodist Church and a Board Director of the Metropolitan YMCA. Named after the broom that in summer turns golden and gilds the land with the texture of opulence and the aroma of romance stirring the springs of love. Here cherries and grapes of refined flavour relished by all fruit lovers flourish abundantly. Yet chronicled in the folios of Roman times the murky visage of a demagogue, Emperor Diocletian, who divided the Empire into East and West before up taking residence at Split where he built a palatial castle and declaring himself as the Son of Jupiter demanded that all bow down to worship him or be tormented and decapitated. But the followers of Jesus Christ stood firm in their faith preferring death in the name of the Lord to worshipping the Emperor. Thus multitudes of Christians were relentlessly martyred to satisfy the bloodlust of this vilest of men.

Vilified in death by succeeding generations who expunged all his monuments and erased every trace of his detested visage which was in truth repulsive, his preserved remains were unceremoniously discharged into the sea. The splendid castle homestead that he built and the viaduct were repossessed by commoners and served as the nucleus around which the city grew. The temple that he built to deify himself has become the bastion of the Christian Church. Thus the wheels of time have shown once again that out of evil, Godliness will shine through and from the blood of martyrs a great Church is birthed.

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: Split is the name of a city in Croatia, known for the fortress-like complex at its centre, Diocletianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palace, erected by the Roman emperor in the 4th century.

Picture by Bakusova/Bigstock.com

October IS THE MONTH FOR UNDERSTANDING GOD’S DIVINE AUTHORITY

17 Oct (Tuesday) 7.30 – 9 p.m.

Bible House, 7 Armenian Street, S(179932), Level 4 Seminar Room Scan here to see Made to live under God’s authority, humanity as a whole flounders when we choose to live events online! apart from the ways of the Almighty. Dire moral and social consequences follow from this. The lecture, by the Rev Dr Mark Chan, will probe the dynamics of the human rejection of God, explore various manifestations of dispensing with divine authority in contemporary thoughts and practices, and argue that true human flourishing is contingent on submission to God’s design and pattern for life. Organised by ETHOS InstituteTM for Public Christianity. Entry by registration only. Register at ethosinstitute.sg/annuallecture. Admission is free. For more information, email info@ethosinstitute.sg or call Ms Florence Kang at 6304-3765.

oct

PRAISING GOD THROUGH CLASSICAL MUSIC

29 Oct (Sunday), 7.00 p.m. (Doors open at 6.30 p.m.)

Celebration Chamber Chorus presents

J.S. BACH | MAGNIFICAT with organ, orchestra and soloists Sunday, 29 October 2017 | 7:00 pm Tom Anderson Felicia Teo KaiXin Joanna Paul

Conductor Soprano Alto

Adrian Poon

Tenor

Daniel Fong

Bass

Evelyn Lim

Organist

International Baptist Church, 81 King’s Road, S(266358), Level 2 Sanctuary Come and be drawn into an incredible aural experience as you witness the performance by Christian musicians from across various denominations with a heart for developing excellence in the choral arts. The Celebration Chorus Singapore brings to you a collection of famous compositions by classical composer J. S. Bach performed with organ, orchestra, chorus, and soloists coming together to bring glory to God and edify the Church.

An offering will be received to cover presentation costs Doors open at 6:30 pm For more information see www.celebrationchorus.net or scan the QR Code

Level 2 Sanctuary International Baptist Church 81 King's Road SG 266358

oct

No tickets required • Free and open to the public

Organised by Celebration Chorus Singapore. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.celebrationchorus.net/currentseason.html or email the Administrator at admin@celebrationchorus.net

COMMEMORATING 500 YEARS OF REFORMATION

30 Oct (Monday), 7.45 p.m. – 9.30 p.m.

Jurong Christian Church Sanctuary, 2 Tah Ching Road, S(618744), Level 2 2017 marks the 500th year since the Reformation led by Dr Martin Luther in 1517. The Lutheran Church in Singapore will celebrate the 500th anniversary of this historic event with a joint worship service with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore. Led by Archbishop William Goh of the Roman Catholic Church and Bishop Terry Kee of the Lutheran Church in Singapore, the theme of the event is “From Conflict to Communion” – reflecting the desires of both Churches for healing and reconciliation of the pains caused by the schism of the Church during the Reformation. Organised by the Lutheran Church in Singapore.

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Admission is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, call Mr Martin Yee / Ms Winnie at 6464-6337 or email lutheran@lutheran.org.sg

TRAINING OTHERS TO BE COMPANIONS IN CHRIST

10-11 Nov (Friday – Saturday), 8.30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Friday) / 8.30 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Saturday)

Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church, 1 Ang Mo Kio Street 21, S(569383), Level 4 King David Room If the idea of helping to build spiritual companions in Christ, supporting other fellow believers in their spiritual journeys while deepening your own relationship with the Lord sounds like the best deal ever, it sure is! Come join the COMPANIONS in Christ Leaders’ Training Seminar that will prepare you to lead this 28-week course, which offers small group experience in spiritual formation. Organised by the Disciple Agency of The Methodist Church in Singapore. Entry by registration only. Register by 20 Oct 2017 at disciple.methodist.org.sg Fees: $140 (includes 2 light breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 ‘love feast’, leader’s guide and training materials)

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For more information, please email disciple@methodist.org.sg, visit disciple.methodist.org.sg or facebook.com/Disciple.Singapore, or call 6478-4755 / 6478-4756.

METHODIST MESSAGE • OCT 2017

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THINK

‘I believe’: the place and importance of creeds in the Christian faith The Rev Dr Edmund Fong is a newly-minted lecturer at Trinity Theological College, having joined in January 2017. He lectures in the subject areas of theology and hermeneutics. Edmund is an ordained Presbyterian pastor and, together with his family, worships and serves at Adam Road Presbyterian Church.

he act of saying “I believe” is a self-involving act, transcending mere intellectual acknowledgement and involving our disposition, our action, and most of all, an openness to be transformed by that which we believe. Given this is so, what constitutes the content of Christian belief? To be sure, a true answer is (and must be) “Holy Scripture”, but I suspect this answer is too broad to be very helpful. After all, heretics have similarly appealed to Scripture as their source of authority. A more specific answer could perhaps be drawn from a scriptural passage like Romans 10:9 – “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (NIV 1984). True, but herein lies the immediate follow-up question: “What does it mean to confess Jesus as Lord? What’s the content behind that specific confession?” Here is where the creeds and confessions come in. Both serve as “fixed formula[s] summarising the essential articles of the Christian religion and enjoying the sanction of ecclesiastical [church] authority”, as defined by church historian J. N. D. Kelly.1 While the creeds distinguish Christian faith from non-Christian faith (orthodoxy versus heresy), the confessions distinguish one type of Christian faith from another type of Christian faith (denominational distinctives). Our focus will be on the creeds. There are at least three creeds maintained by the Western (Latin) church — the Apostles’ Creed (circa AD 140); the Nicene Creed (otherwise known as the Nicaea-Constantinopolitan Creed, AD 381,

an expanded and revised version of the Creed of Nicea of AD 325), and the Athanasian Creed (late 400s to early 500s). To that list could be added the Chalcedonian Creed (AD 451), if one considers the stipulations and decisions of the Council of Chalcedon to be creedal statements. I will leave it to subsequent articles (Editor’s note: Beginning MM Nov 2017) to expound on specific creeds.2 For now, I merely wish to highlight the general importance of creeds within our Christian faith. First, creeds serve as a summary of what lies at the heart of our Christian faith. The creeds provide a succinct answer to what it means to confess Jesus as Lord. Even according to the barest form of the creeds, to confess Jesus as Lord means to worship the one God in Trinity, the One who is creator, saviour and judge; it is to announce that we believe corporately as part of the “holy catholic (meaning universal) church”, and to declare that our confession brings about a transformation (“the forgiveness of sins”), orienting us to a certain hope. Second, creeds serve as an interpretive guide to our reading of the Scriptures, even as their statements are drawn from Scripture itself. It is widely recognised that no one approaches the reading of Scripture from a tabula rasa (blank slate), but that we approach the task of understanding the Scriptures with pre-understanding. In this case, creeds shape our pre-understanding. As we read Scripture, what we glean in turn acts as a check in verifying what the creeds say. This is the well-known hermeneutical circle between the parts (what Scripture says in its details) and the whole (what the creed says) at play. Third, creeds further doctrinal exploration, while regulating its discourse. As theologian Robert Jenson pointed out, one cannot keep saying “Jesus died to save us from our sin” without pondering how that might work; without the kind of second-level reflection that doctrinal exploration is concerned with.3 Yet, the statements of the creeds, with their embodied ecclesial authority, delimit our doctrinal exploration by displaying clearly the boundary markers of orthodoxy. Given the importance of creeds, they should feature as a regular part of our corporate worship services. Nothing is more edifying than to have entire congregations confess together and corporately what and, more precisely, who it is that governs our lives on a day-to-day basis. I am assuming the creeds are already a pivotal feature of our catechismal and baptismal classes; in addition, a pulpit series preaching through the statements of one of the creeds would facilitate the exposition and consolidation of the tenets of our Christian faith — much-needed in our time and age — enabling the church to arrive at a clearer understanding of its unique identity. n arly Christian Creeds, 3rd ed. (New York: Continuum, 1972), 1. E A slim and very readable resource I would recommend in this regard is Justin S. Holcomb, Know the Creeds and Councils, KNOW Series Book 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014). 3 Robert Jenson, Canon and Creed (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2010), kindle loc. 517. 1 2

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