PASTORS’ COLUMN
BUILDING
GOD’S FOUNDATION
It’s already been a year of worshipping God in the Wesley Legacy Centre! It is truly beautiful to see families attending service to worship God together. And during Holy Communion and combined services, we worship together as a family across all generations. We are united when we take Holy Communion together. We are one body. We come to church to worship God, not for ourselves or our convenience. Even so, as we worship God, are we equipping ourselves to know God more and to serve Him and be a part of His majestic plan? Like a plant, are we spiritually nurtured and alive?
They are preparing for real life. The instructors know the importance of preparation and training. And real life is not a ‘swimming pool’. In the sea, during a storm, they will be battling huge waves, strong currents, strong wind and sub-zero temperatures. And at the same time, they are required to save lives. In one of their newest facilities, they have a wave pool, huge wind-tunnel grade fans and heavy sprinklers to re-enact the strong winds and heavy rain. This is to re-enact the actual conditions as close as possible.
Just like how Jesus loves us that He sacrificed and gave His life for us, so we
Jesus taught, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 We are lighthouses shining the light to all around us. In our school, workplaces, and country. To guide and care and yet at the same time having a good foundation to withstand all that comes against us. We must be nurtured. We must equip ourselves to strengthen our foundation in Christ and to live our lives as followers of what Christ taught, so that we can go out to share God’s love, to impact lives, so others may live. John Wesley himself said, “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both, the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”
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The training has an end purpose. They train hard not to stay on shore. They train hard to go out and save lives, so others may live. Just like the rescue swimmers, we in the church need to regularly train ourselves. We must be nurtured so that our foundation is strong. We equip ourselves to go out into the world, not to stay indoors. The end purpose is to shine God’s light.
follow His footsteps and what He has taught: to love others.
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I want to share with you about Rescue Swimmers. The Coast Guards have a smaller division which is the Search and Rescue division. Part of the team comprises of rescue swimmers who are trained in the sea to rescue victims. Training for the Rescue Swimmers programme is so difficult that the failure rate ranges from 50-80% for each training programme. A part of the training session is where their hands are tied behind their backs. They will not be able to swim with their hands. This
is to build endurance, to be mentally strong and remain calm when they are deprived of oxygen and without the use of their hands.
By William Kwong
EDITORIAL
James 2:14-18
Advisor Rev. Ricky Ho
Editor Sabrina Richards
Editorial Team Enid Yoong, Sophia Lim, Amelia Ong and Melissa Tan.
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Creative Thumbprint Sdn Bhd 23, Jalan Radin 2, Seri Petaling 57000 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: +603 9059 1216 Fax: +603 9059 1217
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All contributions for the next issue should be emailed to Sabrina Richards at
[email protected] not later than 23 July 2014.
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me you faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” A question was posed to group of students about what should be done to curb corruption in our country or in any organisation. The common response was to set the tone at the top, i.e. leadership by example and also to build good internal policies so that there is segregation of duties such that one individual does not have complete autonomy that can be abused. Another reply was to teach our people the fear of God and integrity. Is this enough to stop any person who is pressured by financial woes, not to be tempted to embezzle company money when the opportunity arises? The above verses remind me of the need to provide positive assistance, over and above teaching our people the fear of God and integrity. With the above in mind, this issue features a very interesting article entitled “Life is a Struggle”, which highlights how a life was transformed when time and effort was taken to rally around and
give the required assistance. The WOS Annual Report 2014 can point us to the different ministries that God may be calling us to embark on so that through us, God can reach out to others. Another interesting article is “Pastors are People”. It reminds us to pray for our Pastors and to remember that they are human beings, with the same emotions and temperaments, like the rest of us. The articles by the Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade also are a testimony of how these ministries have grown in leaps and bounds. That can only be accomplished through the power of God. All glory to our God Almighty! The “Pilgrimage to Jerusalem” and “Holy Land Trip” are very interesting and informative. God willing, I hope to travel to the Holy Land one day. The testimony by Veronica Ting is a reminder that with “With God, nothing is impossible”. The Editorial team would like to thank those who have contributed articles to this issue and encourage everyone to contribute articles on how God has blessed you and made a difference in your life. As mentioned earlier, contributions of your favourite recipes or on any other topic that will help members of our church are always welcomed. Once again, we welcome feedback from members on your expectations of Wesley Tidings. Thank you and God bless you all.
FROM THE PULPIT
GOD WANTS TO DO A NEW THING Isaiah 43:14-19
INTRODUCTION This is an old telephone and these are vinyl records. These old big records look like the mini VCD. Today we use more compact, user- friendly, faster and convenient electronic items to listen and store our music and songs. With the fast advancement of technology, there are thousands of new electronic gadgets and models of telephones and computers.
Wear and tear is common in old things, so there is a need for refurbishing so
effect it has, or might have, on us.
These are good changes. However, there are changes which are not beneficial to us. These changes can happen in different forms: • People are spendthrift, and they spend for the sake of spending just to get new things, the latest fashions, or branded items. •T here are changes which are detrimental and violate the rights and freedom of worship. • There are changes which are made for wrong reasons, which can be harmful and have adverse effects on individuals and groups.
In Matthew 24, Jesus tells His disciples what the signs of the end times will be. The whole chapter is about how we will not know the hour or the day, but we have to know the season.
These changes are motivated by selfish motives, arrogance, the need for power, and greed.
• This morning we are going to listen to God who wants to do a new thing, a good thing in our midst today. When God says that He is going to do a new thing, it is for our good, and He wants to give us the best. It is God’s desire to do new things in our lives and in the community of faith.
A WARNING We are living in a society that is constantly changing. We are commanded by the Lord to be aware of what is going on around us and the
And the only way we can know the season is paying attention to what is going on around us, especially the changes, as well as walking in step with the Holy Spirit and knowing the Holy Word. He warned us in verse 4, to watch out so that none deceives us.
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The Wesley Legacy Centre which was just dedicated to God late last year is a new building, and it tells us of expansion and growth. The old building, the sanctuary, is in the process of being refurbished.
that they can continue to be used.
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When we were younger, Chinese New Year was the only time we bought new clothes and did house spring cleaning. This is to start anew for the coming new year.
By Rev Tan Chew Mae
FROM THE PULPIT him to go out of business.
This morning the passage read and heard is a passage that tells us that GOD DESIRES TO DO NEW THINGS.
New things cannot happen when we keep looking back to the old glorious days. A devotional writer Margaret S. writes:
BACKGROUND OF THE PASSAGE During that time, the Israelites were in captivity under the rule of the superpower of that era, Babylon. It was God’s judgement on the Israelites that they were to leave their homeland to this strange, foreign, pagan land. They were in captivity. In chapter 43, Isaiah quoted the great exodus which every Israelite ought to remember the fact that they once had been slaves and oppressed in Egypt before the exodus.
”Past blessings are for a time gone by. There is new blessing for a new day. IF we keep looking back we can’t see where we are going.“ Our heavenly Father is doing a new thing everyday. As we acknowledge and celebrate the good things happening in our lives and in the church, let us not dwell on the past blessings.
It was impossible for Israel to rise up and break free from their bondage. Humanly speaking, the Israelites were in a hopeless situation.
Let us continue to look up and listen where the Spirit of the Lord leads so that we are prepared to do new things with God.
BUT GOD felt the pain when His people cried out to Him for help. God acted on their behalf. All the powerful armoury of the Egyptians, the pride of the nation, were destroyed, ”never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick.“ (Isaiah 43:17) Remembering the victory of past glory days was doing nothing to set them free from Babylon. The Israelites needed a new work, a new victory, a new miracle – a renewed relationship with God. Isaiah encouraged the Israelites to do two things: i. Forget the past ii. Look and see what God was doing God did something that was beyond their imagination which ultimately redeemed them. New things can be hindered by our past. Let us see what past things we need to forget and let go of.
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No. 1 Past Blessings can hold us back
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Past Blessings can hinder God from working new things in our lives. We want the same past blessings again. We wish for the good old days- ”Those were the days.“ Those of us who have already reached or are reaching 50 often reminisce how ”those were the days… OR we will say, ”we used to do things this way.“
No. 2 Past failures can hold us back
Forget them! Forget them because God is now into different things. If we keep looking back, we can’t see where we are heading. The point is this we may be living in the past, looking toward it, reliving it, longing for it. God says, ”Forget it. Look to me.“ He says, ”I am doing a new thing.“ Hebrews 12:2 ”Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.“ There was a man who came to town and opened a barbershop. He rented a shop lot house, bought and installed all the necessary equipment, and put up an advertisement in the local newspaper. He got a few people in but most of them left. The ones that kept coming to him were the older ones who were about the same age as he was. No matter what he did, he just couldn’t get new customers to come back to him. After a few months, he had to close his shop, and he went out of business. What went wrong? He would only cut hair the way it was cut back in the 1950’s. Since most men style their hair differently nowadays, they wouldn’t go back to him. This barber kept thinking about and adoring the past fashion that caused
a. All of us in one way or another have failures in our life. As Christians, we may feel we have let God down in some way and we sense a big gap between us and God. For example the Apostle Peter denied his master three times. (Mat. 26:69-75) i. ”I don’t know what you are talking about.“ (v.70) ii. ”I don’t know the man!“ (v.72) iii. ”I don’t know the man!“ (v.74) Peter had let his master down, and he did not want to do what his Master had called him to do to be a fisher of men. He went back to being a fisherman in his village. He had failed his Master so badly that he never wanted to go back. Jesus intentionally went to see him when he rose from dead. Jesus forgave him and restored him, and he was back again this time as a bold witness for his Master. Today, some of us may be feeling that way, too. We feel that we have disappointed God, and we cannot get back to God. b. We may feel other people have let us down and bitterness has slowly crept into our hearts. Many of us have been hurt by someone in the past in our families, the church and in the office. It is so painful and hurtful that it is difficult to bring up to the surface. It eats us up. And we may find
FROM THE PULPIT ways and even use Christian ministry to cover the pain and bitterness. This will hinder the new things that God wants to bring into our lives. E.g. Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3) ”I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel.“ c. We may feel that God has let us down (which He can never do) and our hearts have grown cold and numb towards Him. A friend’s sister, J, is a single parent. While going through the grief of divorce, one day she was introduced to the Lord and she accepted Jesus as Lord, Saviour and guide. After a year or so her only daughter also came to know the Lord and was very active in the youth ministry in a church. On one Christmas Eve, after a movie with her classmates, the car her daughter was driving met with a terrible accident and she was killed instantly. Her three other classmates survived. When a pastor met her last year, she
was still grieving over the death of her daughter. After 10 years, she was still asking, ”Why? Why her?“ To add to her wounds, she is the only Christian in her strongly Taoist family. Her family members told her, ”when you became a Christian, you lost your only daughter. Why do you still want to follow the Christian way?“ She couldn’t see the way and path for her future. She was downcast. She needed love and understanding. When she was counselled by the Pastor that reminded that God had a purpose, her face was lifted up and she realized that her daughter is with God, and God had spared her daughter’s friends so that they could hear the Good News. When we have these past failures dwelling in us, we will bypass the new thing that God has for us. The past will bind us unless we come to the cross in humility to receive forgiveness for our waywardness and release the people who have sinned against us.
CONCLUSION God wants to do a new thing in our lives. It is said that Jesus’ death on the cross is the river and stream in our desert wasteland. Our past blessings and past failures can hinder us from receiving the blessings of newness. Story of ”God will Make a Way“ Don Moen wrote this song when his sister’s family lost their oldest son in a car accident. While on the plane journey to see them the next day, the words of Isaiah 43:19 came to him and comforted him, so he rephrased them as the song’s lyrics. His sister’s family also found comfort in the words in the same verse, which helped them understand that their son’s seemingly senseless death might have a higher purpose. Friends of his late nephew came to accept God because of the promise of heaven, and of seeing him again.
Corrie Ten Boom said, ”Every experience God gives us, every person he puts into our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.“
Later, his sister’s family involved themselves in their local church in a deeper way.
Only when we let go of the past can God do the new thing that is on His heart to do for us.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the love and assurance I have in You. Thank You for Your Son and for the presence and the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I bring my past to You and ask that You release me from anything that holds me back from the new thing You desire to do in and through me. I give to You all my past and all my future days. I pray that You will teach me to live one day at a time and to live everyday for You and the work of Your Kingdom. I pray in the wonderful name of Jesus.
For the Israelites, the wilderness/ desert meant hardship and danger; the wasteland was barren land where nothing could live. God will not only make rivers in the desert but change desert into rivers.
3. We may feel that God has let us down. God is a God who will transform the desert into rivers and make streams in our wasteland.
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2. We may feel that others have let us down. Today the Lord is telling us to let go, and forgive the person. It may be our father, mother, church leaders, pastors, boss, employers.
Amen
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Today there are some of us going through hardship and danger 1. We may feel that we have let God down. The Lord wants to restore us back and says that, He forgives us and wants us to come back to Him
PRAYER:
COVER STORY
By Todd Outcalt
PASTORS ARE PEOPLE TOO
Parson (from Latin personameaning “person”) Parsonage (from Latin- a rectory or house, where a person lives)
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For a pastor, the deepest levels of satisfaction and intimacy in a parish occur when others begin to see the pastor as a person—a person with hopes and dreams, loves and fears, joys and tears. This revelation is not easily obtained in the parish; and the becoming is often hidden behind many masks, false identities and plagiarized identifications.
For these reasons and more, not every pastor becomes a person. Some pastors choose to remain incognito—disguised behind thin layers of superiority (or inferiority), behind cardboard and cliché, always dressed up in the costumes of resident sage, spiritual guide, exemplar of the faith. These pastors rarely become persons, however, at least not their own persons;
and even in the best of circumstances, they are forced to live one of two lives: the character or the actor. In time, they scarcely can distinguish one from the other; neither the character nor the actor captures the essence of his or her personhood. Other pastors cannot break free of the costumes their congregations force them to wear. These costumes
COVER STORY
are binding, humiliating, often funny. Wherever they go, whoever they are or hope to be, these pastors always must wear the official face, the accepted expression, the look that others expect them to wear. They must speak the words others expect them to speak. Their attire is limited, and they essentially are avatars, walking the parish beat, mere representations of the overblown images and stereotypes that must be fulfilled. These pastors are often miserable in their shackles, yet cannot bring themselves to break free. If they are lucky, they will die young. Many only can dream of becoming persons. Still other pastors attempt to masquerade as priests, but they know they are persons; the game begins to eat away at the seams that are holding their costumes together. They are mothridden, torn, and in time their costumes begin to drop away in tattered swatches, exposing them for who they really are or want to be; but they are embarrassed by being a person, and some would rather dress the part again instead of exposing their vulnerabilities. It is difficult to be a pastor who is a person. Often, it is more difficult to find a parish that will allow a person to be a pastor. Many congregations prefer the masquerade, the slight-of-hand artist, the hall of mirrors. Pastors who become persons in the parish are rare, but when other persons accept the pastor as a person, all are set free. The people realize they have a person in their midst. This is a person who feels, who cares, who is real—not an
imaginary hero or a quick-change artist. Many people—especially those whose lives have been exposed or destroyed— will come to a person for help. A person might understand, might actually listen. A person would not offer platitudes or scripted lines. A person might cry, laugh, sit in silence or show up for a party wearing blue jeans and toting a gag gift. A person would be real. Some pastors dry up, or are used up, before they can become persons. This, of course, is sad because all pastors have the potential to become persons. Yet, some pastors discover too late that they never have been persons. Others only become persons after they quit being pastors, but the lucky ones become persons early—and just keep becoming better people as they pastor. When the pastor becomes a person, there are frequently other people in the parish who decide to become persons, too. Some people will make the decision to change out of their masquerades and costumes, remove their masks, allow others to see their scars—which are real, not pasted on for show—and they will walk the earth, upright, and look at themselves in the mirror. Some will admit, after years of denial, that they are real persons, loved by God, and are tired of living a lie. Pastors who become persons can have this effect on others. People can see other persons standing in front of them. Sometimes they call the person pastor, priest or reverend; but they know a person when they see one. People who are hurting, elated or full of pain always will trust another person.
When pastors discover they have become persons in the eyes of their people, it is a wondrous thing. It is freeing, and freedom is elation. Pastors who become people go from grace to grace, from strength to strength. A person has no greater calling in life than to become a person, a person of worth, a person of substance, a person uniquely created in God’s image. Pastors who become persons eventually put away their masquerade costumes and get on with the business of living, which always is littered with reality. Persons get their hands dirty in the soil, but also soil their hands in other people’s dirt. Persons like to watch beautiful flowers grow, as well as like to tend the beauty in other people’s lives. Persons don’t make swift judgments about other people, but know people are flawed. They are not repulsed by these defects. Persons don’t stand at a distance. They kneel, plant and water. Persons look like anyone else. They are real. They are not acting their respective parts. Pastors who become persons have no need of masks. They can reveal their scars without fear of judgment or hostility. They are willing to gaze upon other people’s scars and apply balm as needed. Sometimes they encourage people to get back on the bike, despite the abrasions. Pastors who become persons know who they are, and they want to help other people become real, too. It is difficult work, hard work, but fulfilling. Only a real person can do it.
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Pastors who become persons in the parish are rare, but when other persons accept the pastor as a person, all are set free.
ENCOUNTERS
We have a Home in Heaven I was getting the rice ready to be cooked when my son came into the kitchen asking me, “Are you excited about flying off tomorrow, mum? Mm hmm. Is it your first time going to Hua Hin, mum? Uh huh. I am feeling excited for you, mum.”
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Recently my sister updated me about our elderly ailing uncle. Our uncle had been admitted into hospital. His kidneys had stopped functioning and doctors warned us that his days were numbered. Uncle had not talked for weeks. After a few days stay in the hospital, uncle startled his daughters with his last words. He said, “I want to go home”. Home is where the heart is. I am always very excited at the beginning of a trip but it doesn’t take long when my heart begins to miss home. Home sickness is common with a lot of us, particularly when we are away from home. No place on earth can compare to home. My late mum used to quip, “If a home is like a pig sty, it is still the best home ever.”
If our earthly home is the best place to live, what about our eternal home that is prepared for us in Heaven? I know my home here is momentary. Nothing on earth is permanent. Everything on earth is fleeting and transient. We are only passing through in this world. One day our life journey will come to an end. Where do we go from here? The day when I draw my last breath, I want my home to be with the Lord. I have often been haunted by the question of how sure am I that I will go to Heaven after I draw my last breath. Only a few chosen ones will make it. I can’t possibly be a chosen one. I searched the bible and found this. In John 14:2-4, Jesus said, “My Father’s house has room to spare. If that weren’t the case, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you? When I go to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too. You know the way to the place I’m going.”
By Yanzi Low
God has for us a true home in His heavenly city. God has citizenships for us to take up in Heaven. In Heaven, we will be surrounded by His innumerable company of angels and we shall be with that great multitude standing before the throne in robes made white by the blood of the Lamb. During my recent reading hour, I came across this thought provoking paragraph. It is worth our time pondering over it. “Truly, this world is not our home. Have you begun your spiritual journey by obeying God’s gospel? If you haven’t, why not obey today? Having done so, have your worldly attractions and problems caused you to discontinue your journey toward Heaven? If so, why not make the necessary changes to make yourself pleasing and right with God.”
The title of my painting is “Home”.
ENCOUNTERS
Life-Giving Words By Evelyn Samuel
I wanted to know God’s Word more intimately, and began following a daily Bible-reading plan which takes me through the 66 books from January to December every year. It is a dynamic experience, because with each passing year, the Holy Spirit reveals news truths through the same words. This is also true of an accompanying devotional I use in the mornings: ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers, which is equally precious to me because of its spiritual dynamism and yes, it is equally worn and tattered and has to be taped regularly to hold the pages together. It is always an enriching time for me, preparing me for the challenges of each day, while my devotions at night help me to put the day and its experiences to rest and prepare for a fresh outpouring from The Lord. This routine was fine until recently. My mother was hospitalized for 3 weeks and the daily journeys etc. tired me out
a great deal. As I struggled to keep the routine, I skipped reading the Bible (after all, I had read it through out every year for decades now) and read only the devotionals and a Psalm or two every day for my daily spiritual nurture. What a terrible mistake! I soon lost my peace and confidence, and began feeling spiritually tired too, until I resumed my daily reading of the Bible. It was a stark reminder to me: Jesus said, “The [Holy] Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63), and “For the word of God is living and active.” (Hebrews 4:12) This year I switched to our church’s Bible Reading Plan 2014, which makes it easier to divide the reading of the books for different times of the day, and this guide is a blessing to me. Are you using it too?
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The group I was worshipping with 32 years ago put a premium on daily bible study and meditation, and that is when I bought this particular Bible. Setting aside time to read and meditate on it was very difficult though and I was not very successful in getting started until I perceived the dawn of Azan as my helper. It is a call for prayer isn’t it? The Azan blaring nearby each dawn, supported by 2 alarm clocks set 5 minutes apart is what disciplined me
to get started on my devotions in the mornings, many years ago. Indeed, all things can be used to glorify Almighty God, when we choose!
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Its pages are folded over, but not torn; on them are scribbled notes and highlights in various colours. The leather covers are now dry and cracked, and the spine has been taped several times to hold the pages together. My handwriting says ‘February 1982’ because that is when I first acquired it, looking smart and sturdily boxed. It was bought through a friend who recommended this version because its translation is closest to the original text, and who went to great pains to buy it on my behalf. This is the Bible I use regularly although I use other versions too. The other Bibles were not so well used.
ENCOUNTERS
The Gift,
The Giver & The Receiver By Andy Chan
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She was only 29 years old when her husband died of a mysterious sickness. SM was then pregnant with her youngest daughter. She has 2 other daughters who were 8 and 6 years old. The doctors from the hospital called and the message conveyed almost knocked her off her chair. She was informed that her husband had died of complications resulting from HIV. The hospital wanted SM to do a medical test to find out whether she was also infected. A week later the devastating
news came that she had also tested positive for the disease. Fortunately for her, none of her children were infected. How was she to face the future now? What was going to happen to her children including the one that she was carrying? How was she to break the news to her parents? SM had contemplated suicide as one of her many options. With no permanent source of income for her and her children, she decided
to move back to her parents’ low cost apartment in Cheras where her mother worked as a cleaner for a few homes. SM’s father does not work as he had suffered a mild stroke. The rental from a low cost apartment owned by her late husband and his brother amounting to about RM400 per month was her only means of income to buy food for her children. She was not able to work as her children were young and needed her to send them to a nearby school. At the same time, her new born baby
ENCOUNTERS
How was she to face the future now? What was going to happen to her children including the one that she was carrying? How was she to break the news to her parents? SM had contemplated suicide as one of her many options.
required her undivided attention and constant care In the absence of their father and with SM spending much time with her baby, the 2 older girls became rebellious and often quarreled with SM. Her case was referred by the hospital to Malaysian Care where counseling was provided to help SM overcome the trauma that she faced with the loss of her husband and the knowledge that she is now HIV+. Malaysian Care contacted our church 6 years ago to provide the much needed monthly financial support for her family. Since then, members of the Social Concerns Committee have made regular visits to the family to follow up on their progress. When we first met SM and her family, SM hardly smiled and clamped up when we tried to talk to her. The children were unfriendly and did not like to talk to strangers. As a result of a camp for HIV families, the 2 older children were told of their mother’s condition and they have since accepted the stark reality and have grown close to their mother.
Yes, life is a struggle for SM and her family but God has been good to her and to her family. He continues to send angels to keep watch over them. He blesses the family through caring Christians like us. All praise and thanks be to Him from whom all blessings flow.
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SM uses her 23 year old Proton Saga to ferry her children to and from school. Recently, she shared that the car was no longer economically viable to maintain as it required constant repairs, thus depleting whatever little savings she had. The paint work was rusty and oil was leaking from the steering column. She did not dare drive the car to church to collect food for fear that it will break down on the way. We decided to place an announcement in the church appealing to church members for a small car for which they had no use for or members willing to assist with the repair of her old car. On the same Sunday that the announcement appeared and as I was walking to the cafeteria, I was introduced to one Mrs R. Wong and she told me that she had a 8 year old Renault Kangoo that she wants to give to this lady. I was overjoyed and I thanked the Almighty God for answering our prayers almost immediately. A week later, the church office informed me that members had also responded to my appeal for repairs and contributed a total of RM1,600 for
repairs. We decided to use this amount to repair the Kangoo before transferring it to SM. The amount was just nice for changing all 4 shock absorbers, the car remote system, Puspakom inspection, transfer fees and 1 year road tax. The compressor of the air-conditioning also needed replacing but we had exhausted the money donated by church members. Just then, the husband of one of our committee members who celebrated his birthday, decided to contribute RM1,000 towards replacing the compressor. Just before handing over the car to SM, I discovered that the bushes to the left lower arm of the car required replacing, failing which, the left tyre will wear out fast. As I had no more money left, I decided to approach Mrs R Wong to request if she would consider giving me RM400 for the job promising that I will not abuse her generosity again. She was gracious enough and agreed to give me the money for the repairs. SM now has a car that is in excellent condition to ferry her children to and from school and for her visits to the Sungei Buloh Hospital for her medical checkup.
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Today, 9 years after the death of SM’s husband, the eldest girl is in Form 5, the second in Form 3 and the youngest is in Standard 3. SM is now a changed person as she readily shares with us during our visits of her joy and challenges. Although the children are now older, she is still not able to seek full time employment despite wanting to do so as she needs to look after her sick father, especially when her mother goes out to work. Her father had a fall recently and both her mother and SM
had to help him to his feet resulting in her mother hurting her back. In spite of the excruciating pain, her mother continues to work as a domestic helper to bring the much needed income for the family. SM shared with us that her eldest daughter has confided that she will work very hard to realize her ambition to be an accountant to help the family out of poverty. The second daughter shares the use of her eldest sister’s computer when not in use for her studies and hopes that one day she will have her own computer
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RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:
The Constitutional Guarantees, and our role By Evelyn Samuel I have long followed Malaysia’s stand on this subject and what it entails, so I wasn’t expecting to hear anything new at the forum. What was refreshing is that the first speaker Tommy Thomas stated the facts of the situation in the first 5 minutes, making way for a candid afternoon.
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Prior to the forum I had browsed through his speech delivered on 17 September 2013 at the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights Forum, where he concluded by saying “Constitutionalism is in a state of being comatose, awaiting an awakening by all 3 branches of the Government.” We in Malaysia are not suffering alone though, as (in that same speech) Mr. Thomas quoted Chief Justice Charles Hughes of the US Supreme Court as having said “We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what judges say it is.” So what can we do? Both speaker Thomas and moderator, Tan Sri Ramon emphasized the need to exercise our rights to vote, and to be more aware
of the electoral process and what it involves. Listening to them convicted me even more than ever that the duty of Christians is to fulfill God’s purpose for placing us on Earth. The other speaker Malik Imtiaz said it well: “What you do will depend on how strongly you believe in what you believe.” He is known to walk his talk. Despite being a Muslim , he is known to speak within church premises, which some of his fellow muslims might not do. His recommendation for a solution to the issue at hand was to engage in building the capacity of Malaysians and encourage a change in mindsets so that more citizens are aware of their options and rights. This had me wondering: Have we as the Body of Christ deviated away from God’s purposes and embraced our own instead? I first heard Malik speak about 10 years ago and it was then an eye-opener to learn more about which groups have the freedom to exercise their rights of choice, because commonly we
consider only our own experiences. Now, this time when he talked about the choices which people in the rural areas have, my spirit quickened within: WHO is my neighbor that Jesus commanded me to love in Luke 10:27? When Jesus Himself was asked that question (Luke 10: 29), Jesus responded by relating the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-37). Jesus ended by saying “Go and do likewise” (verse 37). The afternoon forum posed 2 main challenges for us to face up to: 1. What can we as an institution do to foster better education in the electoral process? For example, could we host educational talks and training sessions on our premises and open them to the public to attend? 2. What would we say if Jesus showed up and asked “Are you being the type of neighbor I told you about in the parable?” Ought we to be taking an even deeper look into ‘being neighborly’ as Jesus describes it?
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1ST KL GIRLS’ BRIGADE
EXCHANGE PROGRAM TO
HONG KONG
On 21 November 2013, 8 officers, 6 girls and 4 mothers gathered at Wesley Methodist Church at 5.00 a.m. Thirty minutes later, the bus came and we all headed to the airport. Our flight was supposed to be at 9 a.m. However due to some delays, we only managed to board the plane at 10.50 a.m. While we were waiting in the airport, we took photos to overcome our boredom.
Our next destination was the famous wax museum, Madame Tussauds. We took lots of photos with ‘celebrities’ of Asia and also famous ‘celebrities’ from around the world.
By Shaine Goh
take a break before heading to our dorm/ rooms.
The next morning, we had breakfast at this restaurant.
This is a group photo with Jacky Chan.
Later, we all went for dinner and ate some beef noodles with milk tea. We then took our bus to the place we were to stay which was Steward High Rock Centre. Going uphill with the entire big and bulky luggage was really tiring. The girls had to help the older ones carry the luggage up. When we all reached the top, most of the girls sat down to
Later we decided to explore the place where most of us ended up in the town library.
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Our schedule had to be altered due to the delay of our flight. We decided to play by ear with the day’s activities. Our first destination was to The Peak of Hong Kong. This is a place where you can see the beautiful cityscape of Hong Kong. Hong Kong gets dark earlier compared to Malaysia. By the time we arrived, it was pitch dark. The brightly lit city was a beautiful sight to behold.
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Once we reached Hong Kong, Ms Maria our tour guide for the trip (also the captain of one of the GB companies in Hong Kong) welcomed us with a bright smile. Once we entered the bus, we were served pork burgers from McDonalds (because we don’t have it in Malaysia).
It was day two,and the first item on the itinerary was to visit Snoopy Land. Due to heavy rain the day before, it was closed but we still managed to take some photos outside.
AROUND KL WESLEY For lunch, the Girls’ Brigade Hong Kong Head Quarters (GBHK HQ) treated us to Dim Sum. We had such a heavy meal that all of us felt bloated at the end. The Dim Sum was really tasty and good.
After chit chatting for quite some time, we all went to GBHK HQ. Over there, we had an exchange program where we shared about Girls’ Brigade Malaysia (GBM). When it was GBHK’s turn, they shared about their ways of wearing the uniform, their awards and how they earn their badges. We did a few activities where we had to draw a logo and the meaning of GB in 5 words. This is what most of us came up with.
Next, we had an art and craft session where we taught them to fold a bouquet of Hibiscus.
After that, we took a bus and went to a school based GB company which is the 38th Hong Kong Company. Our mission was to make new friends. In my opinion, we did succeed and did pretty well! For dinner we had various types of meat such as chicken, squid, fish, pigeon, pork. And then DESSERT, which was really awesome!
Iris met another Iris.
We also had a worship session with them.
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After sharing and having a short worship, we had to fall in and do our roll call. We got to see how companies in Hong Kong do their drill. It is very different compared to ours.
We took an MRT back to Steward High Rock Centre. (like our LRT in Malaysia). We got to use our Octopus cards (which is something like Touch and Go cards in Malaysia).
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AROUND KL WESLEY On the third day, we went to the GBHK Navigators meeting place. The Navigators are GB members aged 55 and above. It is amazing to see them do drill. They also cooked a delicious meal for us. That was our lunch for the day.
Our next destination was to go to a church based company. We had a lot of fun there. We played games, had a short worship session, managed to show each other how we perform drill, exchanged gifts and other stuff.
We were even fortunate enough to be invited to one of the girl’s house to see how the people of Hongkong with average incomes live.
We were going to have steamboat for dinner. My group was assigned to buy some fishballs, vegetables and tofu for the meal. We headed off to the wet market to buy these ingredients.
As a souvenir, we gave them a bouquet of hibiscus.
After that, we had our dinner!
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After breakfast the next morning, we headed off to a Cantonese church for the 9.30 am service. It was interesting to sing Cantonese songs and listen to the sermon in Cantonese. We were quite fortunate to be in that church on that Sunday because it was Thanksgiving Day. On this day, everyone will bring some food (vegetables, fruits, noodles, rice, cup noodles too!) and place it in front of the cross. The food will be given to the poor and needy. I was really touched to see the members of the church bringing the fresh vegetables,
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On our way to the bus, we saw a couple carrying two big turtles. It was really weird to see turtles on the sidewalk. They said that we were really lucky to see this in Hong Kong.
AROUND KL WESLEY big bags of noodles and lots of fruits even though they do not earn much for a living. I remember reading this verse in the bible that says: In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ~Acts 20:35~
Since we didn’t have any more scheduled activities for the day, we decided to head over to a mall to do some shopping. We specifically went to the mall where Snoopy Land was located because it was closed the day befoe due to rain. Some of us were happy that it was opened (I was one of them) so we went in and took more photos with Snoopy and friends.
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As it was really hot, we decided not to take many photos and proceeded to the next destination which was the Avenue of Stars. We took the MRT there. The Avenue of Stars is a place where famous Asian celebrities have their stars or handprints engraved on the floor. Here are some pictures of the Walk of Fame:
In the late afternoon we split up, and did some random shopping. I teamed up with Iris, Yen Qi, Aunty Theresa and of course my mum. Our main aim was to buy sports shoes. We first strolled around a big mall to grab some lunch. We just ate bread because we didn’t want to waste time (we only had one hour to shop at this mall). After 45 minutes of window shopping, I finally bought something. It was a pair of sneakers but it wasn’t just an ordinary pair of sneakers. It has wedges at the bottom of it so when I wear these shoes, I will be a few inches taller! Iris also bought a pair of shoes which has the same concept but it wasn’t sneakers. Everyone then gathered under a tree as a meeting point. Ms Erica, another Hong Kong citizen, gave us all individual maps around Mong Kok. She told us to circle certain destinations that might interest us. After that, we all split up once again but this time, Joey followed us as well. We first went to a mall which was something like Low Yatt where they sell a lot of computer games, Xbox Games, Playstations and a lot of other stuff. Joey wanted to look for a Sims 3 expansion pack. Unfortunately, they only sold Sims 3 packages. So after that, we went to our next destination which was the Sports Shoes Road. On that road, you can see lots of branded shops such as Nike, Adidas, DC shoes, Converse, Vans etc. Anything branded, YOU NAME IT! Of course at every single Nike shop, one of us would be running in to see if anything was to our taste. We actually spent 3 hours just on this street alone. My feet started to hurt from all the walking and my shoulders were also tired due to the weight of my bag. Suddenly it started raining, we all ran into the shops closest to us and stayed there until it subsided. Next, we went to a mall to have dinner. We all went to the food court because there was not much choice. We ate a lot! After that, we all headed back to the hostel.
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AROUND KL WESLEY On our last day in Hong Kong, we went to Ocean Park.
The first thing we did was to watch the pandas at the park.
After that, we took a cable car to the other side of the theme park.
We took lots of rides and even managed to see the sea lions being fed. We had hotdogs for lunch.
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AROUND KL WESLEY We also went on a water ride and my shoes and socks got soaking wet. To make sure I don’t get sick, I had to replace my socks with the dried raincoat that I used previously. It was quite embarrassing but oh well, You Only Live Once (often abbreviated as YOLO)!
After that, we went to see a dolphin show.
I really enjoyed this trip and have made new friends whom I will try to keep in contact with. Hopefully, we will meet again in the future. I would really like to thank Ms Lee Sin for organising this trip. I have learned to be responsible and be a leader. In a nut shell, I have learned to be more responsible in handling money on this trip. As I was the assistant treasurer, my responsibility was to collect all the receipts. There are differences between GBHK and GBM such as the way we perform
drill, wear our uniform and designate awards. I also noticed most of the Hong Kong citizens live in small houses measuring approximately 400 square feet only. It was a great experience to enter one. Their culture is almost similar to Malaysian Chinese. The transportation system is also very efficient and fast. They have many types of public transport on the road and everywhere is really clean. I hope that one day Malaysia will be as good as Hong Kong in relation to their public transport and cleanliness.
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What Others Have To Say ...
I also noticed how organised and informed the Hong Kong people are and they are respectable. The church we attended was small but welcoming. Many people were very punctual. The service was also simple; praise & worship, prayers, scripture reading, pastor’s sermon, offering, closing songs and prayer. The main difference that
stood out was the food offering for the poor and needy where everyone brings one or more food item, arranges the food in rows, and passes it to the pastor. From visiting the various Hong Kong companies, I learnt about their uniform and the difference in their uniform and badges. They have more variety and more challenging badges to achieve compared to us. Also, their GB extends all the way to senior citizens too and they are called the Navigators. The Navigators also have their own uniform and badge achievement system. They also practice a lot of activities similar to GB such as drill. The age for Navigator is 55 & up.
in English while ours is in Bahasa Malaysia. Some of their honourable awards are the GB brooch and Queen’s Award. The lanyard for their captain is purple in colour while our GBM captain’s lanyard is red in colour. Instead of having braids to show the completion of leadership training camps, they have different coloured badges in the shape of an arrow facing downwards placed at the sleeve of their uniform.
YL Lee Yen
The first GB Coy set up in Hong Kong was in 1962. The GB Navigators was set up in 1997 and by 2013, Hong Kong has 43 active companies. The GB companies give their drill commands
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Lastly, I learnt how to manage things better. For example I learnt how to manage my own money and speak better Cantonese which is really hard for me. I also learnt how to lead more effectively and to communicate. Most importantly, I bonded well with the girls.
Iris Budiman
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Moreover, the Girls Brigade there is also different. They have an annual marching day at stadium and have many different uniforms for different seasons. They also have more programs and many
different badges which are not available in Malaysia. In Girls Brigade Hong Kong, they have ‘Navigator’ for elderly people aged 55 and above. They still can do drill and other activities. When the girls have their roll call, they recite their GB aim and also motto.
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I have learnt many things through this Hong Kong trip. The people there ‘Walk Fast, Talk Fast and Eat Fast’. Time is really precious to them and I have learnt not to waste time. In Hong Kong I like how they are very strict with their rules. For example in Malaysia, they don’t line up for the public transport but cut queue. People in Hong Kong are more considerate. I also learnt more about the culture in Hong Kong and their surroundings are clean. They have a different lifestyle there and everything is really expensive especially their land.
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I really enjoyed the trip tremendously and had a great experience. I learnt a lot of things such as the culture in Hong Kong (fast) and a bit more Cantonese too. I also learnt that they are more reserved towards people that they are not very close to. Whereas in Malaysia, our lifestyle is more laid back and relaxed. We are also conservative but in a different way. Due to their fast paced lifestyle, restaurants, public transport and shops give fast service too. The public transport such as the MTR is very efficient and smooth.
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My feeling throughout the whole trip was…how do you say, sometimes I feel so nervous and sometimes I feel like laughing. There were quite a number of emotions that I felt. For example, we had to do our roll call, I was freaking out although it was something that we do often. I just didn’t want to do more silly mistakes! When I was doing the presentation, I was feeling nervous. The times when I felt like laughing would be when we were at the rides at Ocean Park. I know people would usually freak out but I just laughed throughout every ride. (Except the ‘sclero’ shot which was our last ride.) Then there were times when we were all gathered together and just talked nonsense which made no sense but was so funny. As for what I experienced, all I can say is FAST. Everything is fast, eat or walk also have to be fast. On the first few days we were slow as we were preoccupied in our own world and kept talking to each other. Later on, we speed up. I don’t know about the others, but I tried my best to walk as fast as possible. Although on some occasions, I will be talking to the others as well. The weather there is very different compared to
Malaysia. I like the weather there though. It was not too hot or cold. It was just nice. Well, maybe a little too cold but I got used to it so that was fine. As for food! I would say, not bad but I prefer Malaysian food if I had to choose. As for the people, they are really friendly! They tried to speak to us in English as they were told that we didn’t know Cantonese. I really appreciated it. At first, I was offended when they tried to speak to me in English. But after finding out, it was so embarrased. Public transportation is 10 times better then Malaysia’s. Firstly, it was on time and secondly, they stick to the rules. They are strict with the rules. For example, a mini bus can only accomodate 20 people, nothing more than that. We were not allowed to talk to the bus driver as it may disturb their concentration. We were not allowed to stand when the bus is moving as well. I guess it is to avoid accidents. Next, the night view of Hong Kong is just amazing! The lights flashing everywhere and the wind blowing. It just felt so amazing. Another plus, the buildings are all quite tall. As for making new friends, I did make new friends at the 38th Coy which is a
Besides that, I can see that both countries have different cultures. In Malaysia, everything is slow paced whereas in Hong Kong, it is very hectic where everyone rushes for time. Furthermore, the weather and time is also different. When it’s nearer to winter, the night will be longer than the day in Hong Kong. Whereas Malaysia is a tropical country. With that, I can conclude that this trip is definitely a good eye opener for all of us especially the girls to experience and to know more about the Girls’ Brigade. I hope there will be more of these exchange programmes coming up in the future.
YL Queenie Yin
school based company. For example, we met another Iris, and there was Apple who was quite good in English. She brought us around the school and told us about the rooms and other information. I met 9 girls and a few officers at the 38th Coy. At the 17th Coy, 3 officers and quite a number of girls. At the Navigators, I felt really touched. They are a group of old people committed to Girls Brigade. I was moved to see that even the old people can do drill while we young people don’t like to do it and complain. This is all that I can conclude from the trip.
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This Hong Kong Exchange Program helped me to learn more about GB Internationally and now I know the difference between the GB ministry in Hong Kong and Malaysia. In Malaysia, we give our drill commands in Malay whereas in Hong Kong, it is given in English. Besides that, the awards, uniform and the activities are also different. However, both Hong Kong and Malaysia GB has the same aim and motto which is to help girls to become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ through reverence, self-control and a sense of responsibility. To find true enrichment in life and to seek, serve and follow Christ.
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Joey Yin
AROUND KL WESLEY
SHINING FOR JESUS:
COMBINED ENROLMENT SERVICE By YL Erica Yong & Sr Nicole Chew
April 27, 2014 was a big day for the 1st Kuala Lumpur Girls’ and Boys’ Brigade Companies as we had a combined enrolment service in conjunction with our 60th Anniversary Celebration. The theme for this silver jubilee is “Go Shine,” taken from Isaiah 60:1, it reminds all Brigadiers that God has not forgotten the mission He has called us to. The Enrolment Service is an annual tradition of the Girls’ Brigade (GB) and Boys’ Brigade (BB). It is a time where the Company and the Church unite in reminding each other of their objectives and services to one another. It is also an important event for all current members- Boys, Girls, and Officers- to formalise and rededicate their membership with the Company by promising to be a faithful member of their sponsoring Church.
LEARNING THE MEANING OF WORSHIP I was a co-leader in the worship team, which was formed by three Officers, two Boys, two Girls, and a former member. To me, it was an honour to serve God on such an important occasion. Nonetheless, I was really nervous and
worried when I was chosen to be a part of the worship team. I was thinking to myself: What if I sang off-key? What if I got the lyrics wrong? The thought of standing on stage got more intimidating as the day drew nearer. However, during the initial practice, my worship leader, Lt. Jonathan Chan, reminded the team that worship is not about the congregation, Officers, or friends and family… but for God. And we should focus on doing our part for Him! At the end of the day, regardless
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Due to the combined practices for the enrolment service, the GB handbell and BB brass band started their practices even earlier. The handbell and band
members pulled together to come for extra practices to fine tune their featured song for the Enrolment Service, “Amazing Grace” that was arranged by Mrs Joanna Oo.
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PRE-ENROLLMENT DAY Preparation for the big day began about a month ago. Every week leading to Enrolment Sunday, all Boys and Girls of 1st KL came together to practice for the parade. Since the Guard of Honour and combined parade is usually done only during special events, this was new to many young recruits.
AROUND KL WESLEY of the size of the congregation, our only audience is God. Lt. Chan’s reminder really stuck with me and helped to calm my nervousness. After that, the team had the chance to sit down and introduce ourselves. We were also asked to share about our week and the practice started soon after we prayed. The team spent an hour and a half practicing the songs and experimenting, finding alternatives to sound better as a team. Overall, it was fun and I had improved my singing. THE HIGH-SPIRITED DAY Weeks later, the long-awaited day finally arrived. My day started with checking the younger girls’ uniforms, making sure that all was in order. After that, I headed to the auditorium for a sound check with the worship team. Everything was all set. I was ready eagerly waiting for the service to start. One of the perks of being on the worship team is that I could see everything. I could see the parade marching in; I could see the other members entering the auditorium; it was a beautiful sight. All members were wearing their uniforms, making them look really smart. The service began with the marchingin of the Colours, as the worship team sang, “Shine, Jesus, Shine.” Then, the team led the congregation in praise and worship. I sang with all my heart, forgetting that there were a lot of people. It was a great experience.
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Before the officers and members took their pledge to enrol themselves, it was time to acknowledge and recognize a few officers who have dedicated their services in the Brigade ministry. Firstly, the Boys’ Brigade gave a special acknowledgement to Hon. Capt. Cheong Sing Yuen for his time spent in this ministry for 40 years. A special memento was given to him by his former captain, Mr Henry Hong. A few Officers from BB and GB were appointed. YL Queenie Yin was promoted to an Auxiliary Worker and Mr Ivan Lim was appointed as Warrant Officer. A total of an approximately 180 officers and members enrolled themselves during this 60th anniversary enrolment
service. It was during the offering that the time arrived for the anthem to be played. We thank God that after all the hard work, the Girls’ handbell team and Boys’ brass band performed seamlessly on their rendition of “Amazing Grace.” A handful of Girls, Boys, and Officers were chosen to share their testimonies as to how this ministry has impacted the lives’ of the members of the Brigades. (It can be found on youtube, search for 1stKL 60th Anniversary). A parent who has 2 sons in the BB and a daughter in the GB also testified how this ministry have made her children to be more independent and matured. Mr. William Kwong was the preacher at our service. He shared a powerful message about Jesus suffering and dying so we may live. It was a good reminder for me that I need to put God first in my life and be a good testimony for Him. The service ended with all Boys and Girls marching out off the auditorium while we sang “Onward, Christian Soldiers” on the stage. As the contingents marched back to the school field, it was time for our photo session. We formed a human numeric “60” on the field and took photos to commemorate the celebration. After that, both the companies took group pictures before we were dismissed. In retrospect, I think the effort everyone put in was worth it. Our combined 60th Anniversary Enrolment Sunday was blessed with fine weather and smooth running of the entire programme. Happy 60th Birthday, 1st KL! May you have another 60 years of nurturing Girls and Boys into God- fearing leaders of tomorrow!
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Combined Awards Day By LCPL Loi Kit Hoe On 15 March 2014, the 1st Kuala Lumpur Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade Companies had their annual Awards Day. As this year was the 60th Anniversary of 1st KL, the Awards Day was also celebrated in conjunction with the 60th Anniversary. Awards Day is held annually to reward all the boys and girls for the badges which they earned over a course of time after considerable time and effort.
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The Awards Day was held in the auditorium of the new Wesley Legacy Center from 3pm until 5.30pm. Parents of the members were invited to attend this event. This was the first time that the boys and girls combined their Awards Day. The excitement and anxiety of the boys and girls was evident as they waited for the event to start. To commence the Awards Day celebration, the Master of Ceremony, Mr. Yow Kien Yong, an officer of 1st KL BB, welcomed and thanked everyone for taking time to attend this event and explained the brief purpose and motive of this event. To officiate the opening, Rev. Tan Chew Mae, the chaplain of the Girls’ Brigade, led us in the opening prayer. After that, CPL Au Kar Fei,
YL Sarah Cheong and the worship team led everyone in the Praise & Worship. We sang “Segala Puji Syukur”, “Forever” and “How Great Is Our God”. It was followed by the presentation of a token of appreciation,by one of the pioneer members of the 1st BB squad, Mr. Eddie Chong, a member of the 1st KL since its formation in the year 1954, to the current captains of the BB and GB company, Mr. Yee Mun Theam and Ms. Felicia Choong, for their sacrificial effort in helping the BB and GB to excel and grow to its current state. The gift was a very special handmade spoon by Mr. Eddie. What made it so significant was that the spoon was made out of a coconut shell while the handle was from a branch of the tree, which once stood on the ground where the Legacy Center is built. Congratulatory words were also engraved on it. It is truly encouraging to see an old member returning to support the present BB officers and boys. Being able to excel and grow for 60 years is truly an honour and pride for the BB and GB company and this is only by God’s enabling grace. Mr. Yow gave a slight introduction of the upcoming events planned throughout the year
to celebrate this occasion. Being in this “millennial generation”, we had the help of a SmartBoard to kick off the 60th Anniversary. A representative from every generation was invited up to stage alongside Rev. Tan and Mr. Gary Ng, the LCEC Chairman of KL Wesley. Mr. Eddie Chong represented the 1950s, Mr. Cheong, our honourary captain, the 1960s, Mr. Terence Yap, also our honourary captain, the 1970s, Ms. Eunice Yeo, the 1980s, Mr. Yee the 1990s, and Ms. Felicia Choong the 2000s. Each representative revealed a picture of themselves back in their times. Rev. Tan and Mr. Gary then signed a plaque on the SmartBoard to officially launch the 60th Anniversary Celebration. We then had the cake cutting ceremony. The cake had the logo decorated on it. Mr. Yee and Ms. Felicia Choong were given the honour of cutting the cake. To mark the “millennial generation”, we had an “Instagram” instead of a group photo. After the conclusion of the commencement of the 60th Anniversary Celebration, the time that all the boys and girls had been waiting for finally arrived. It was the time for the giving
AROUND KL WESLEY away of the awards. First Mr. Yow explained to the parents how the members achieve their badges and then showed them what the different badges looked like. The BB and GB members are separated into different sections where they receive various types of awards. For the BB, there are the pre-juniors (aged 8 years and below), the juniors (aged 9 to 12 years) and the seniors (aged 13 to 19 years). As for the GB, there are the cadets (aged 8 years and below), the juniors (aged 9 to 11 years), the seniors (aged 12 to 14 years) and the pioneers (aged 15 to 21 years). There is a badge for anything that you could possibly think of for the members to achieve. The awards giving ceremony began with the presentations of badges to the pre-juniors and cadets, followed by the juniors and then the seniors or pioneers. All the members were eager to go up onto the stage to receive their badges from the officers. Some of the pre-juniors were so eager to receive their badges that they ran on to the stage. There were also some special prizes given out such as the best attendance for the whole of last year and also the best squad in the inter-squad competition. At the end of the awards presentation, everyone had a smile on his or her face. It was a satisfying moment for all who had worked hard to see their efforts paid off. The conclusion of the Awards ceremony is when the seniors and the pioneers wait in eager anticipation for the promotion of the members.
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The members are promoted after deliberation by the officers, their responsibilities increase according to their level of capability. For the BB section, the seniors are initially conferred the title of privates, after which they are promoted to be NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers), i.e. lance corporals, corporals, sergeants and staff sergeants. As for the GB section, they are conferred the title of YLs (Young Leaders). Promotion is awarded to the members when their officers observe that they are matured and disciplined to take on the new tasks and responsibilities. Before the results of the promotions were announced, the whole hall was extremely quiet as all the members were anticipating and hoping that their names would be called. When a member was promoted, the other members would do their traditional
AROUND KL WESLEY cheer which truly added to the exciting yet serious atmosphere. The chevron was handed to the newly promoted NCOs or YLs by the respective captains. In the end there were 6 new lance corporals, 2 new corporals, 2 new sergeants and a new staff sergeant in the BB section and 2 new young leaders in the GB section. The highlight for the day was when one of the boys received a triple promotion, from a lance corporal to a staff sergeant, Staff Sergeant Wong Jin Weng. He received the loudest applause from everyone as he truly worked very hard to achieve this. This promotion was a suprise and brought joy to everyone.
After a joyful and thrilling time, the event finally concluded and Rev. Tan dismissed us with a closing prayer and congratulatory words to all members who received their awards. All the parents were invited to the cafeteria for some light refreshments while all the boys and girls stayed back for an “Instagram” opportunity. This event was truly a meaningful and memorable experience for both the boys and girls. To God be the Glory!
See on pictures on page 38 & 39 >
POSITIONS IN THE CHURCH All the words listed below are in the puzzle - left, right, up, down or diagonally. After you have found all the words, arrange the leftover letters in the correct order to form the mystery answer
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Archivist, Board Member, Bookkeeper, Celebrant, Chairperson, Chaplain, Coordinator, Council, Elder, Father, Fellowship, Finance, Holy Woman, Minister, Missions, Moderator, Monk, Organist, Pastor, Preacher, Priest, Prophet, Reverend, Secretary, Stewardship, Treasurer, Usher, Vicar, Volunteer, Worship, Youth Group
AROUND KL WESLEY
METHOD n’ MUSIC By Jerome Welch And so, what would our 116th Anniversary be without a boisterous and joyful rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus (amongst other excerpts) from Handel’s oratorio Messiah, a presentation made before our Lord at WLC on 1st September ’13 under the able musical direction of Prof. Sieh, which I felt both blessed and privileged to be part of. For us at KL Wesley, both singers and congregation, our appetite had just been whet for more from whence that came!!
”When are we performing this?“ Curiosity got the better of me as I flipped through the original photocopied score of Sir John Stainer’s The Crucifixion bound neatly in black manila cardboard. ”Easter.“ The reply came flatly from poor Doreen, who had probably the onerous task of repeating it for the umpteenth time that day. ”But that’s in 5 months, and we still have Christmas to do,“ my raised eyebrow gave away mild surprise. ”Knowing you lot, Joanna feels we’d best start early!“
Ah, but let me assure you however that rehearsals weren’t as onerous as one would normally expect when preparing
For reasons unbeknownst to most of us, Joanna often had us starting from the end of the score and work backwards. She was after all the conductor, so who were we to insist otherwise. Maybe it was an application of Covey’s principle of beginning with the end in mind, or to have us know the music backwards. Anyway, I dismissed it as some enigmatic idiosyncrasy of our talented conductor, and I daresay it still remains one of the unanswered mysteries at WLC. However, all-embracing was an unmistakable warmth about her
WESLEY TIDINGS 2014 JUNE
Perhaps I didn’t quite appreciate the gravity of the word early, until I ambled in late for one of Joanna’s rehearsals. If a stare could kill, hers would’ve done just that! As I walked in, all I caught was her sideways glance. She didn’t utter a word, nor feel any need to, but went on conducting the choir almost as if no one had entered. I knew in an instant where my place was as a lowly chorister...
for such challenging works. Instead, it was made particularly interesting by the unexpected and many light hearted moments. For starters, it often began with the soothing (or perhaps otherwise, depending who you were sat next to) ”massage the shoulder/neck of your neighbour.“ This was, needless to say, followed by the frightful voice warmups; hair raising moments presented when the 1st Sops were stretched to their high B 5 . Although Enid would have it that us Tenors attempting an F#4 would sooner strike terror in the hearts of even the brave!
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And more there certainly was …our Music and Arts ministry having the good foresight and seeing then that it was indeed opportune, began with an outline programme to revitalize this tradition of WMCKL which had up until then remained subdued, …but as we shall see, by no means enfeebled. In a convincing display of love for S.A.T.B. style singing and enjoyment for a genre of sacred music almost forgotten in contemporary worship, there followed a lovely series of choir, choral ensemble, quartet, quintet, and septet presentations. Of course Easter was also a most apt occasion to present yet another in the succession of musical tributes. It was the preparation toward
this, which I wish to recount some interesting moments, from the worrying to the endearing…
AROUND KL WESLEY approach to learning. For someone with the musical knowledge and matching vocal skills, her patience was uncharacteristically tireless towards those who knew less but were earnest in applying themselves to the task. The choice of words and tone of voice were encouraging, yet firm in upholding high standards and expectations. “We sing for His glory, and therefore in His name nothing short of our best shall be offered,” she’d say, to which our resounding “Amen” served to confirm that we were indeed of one mind. Our bond in music making fellowship grew closer with each rehearsal, and I remember often looking forward to the next one; even when it dreadfully meant memorizing our parts!! Then it happened. A distressing phone call, and with a voice that betrayed the agonizing pain stemming from nothing less than acute physical trauma, she explained tearfully how it had abruptly become quite impossible for her to continue coaching the Easter festival choir. This news we met with much shock and dismay! In an unfortunate turn of events, our conductor was involved in what should’ve been a minor accident. However, landing with her foot at a nasty angle was horrendous, and the consequences no less; she sustained a fracture to her fibula, which was excruciatingly painful, as you can well imagine. And here on, words simply fail to express what she went through, nor do they adequately describe the impeding difficulties and inconveniences she was going to suffer thereupon and after.
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Christ was at her side throughout. We knew that through our own meditations, but especially when we saw her regain resolve to continue with the holy charge that He laid upon us. The music must go on… and, this dear brethren is how we ended up with a conductor in a wheelchair! In a flash, perspective descended when Ps. Tan Chew Mae with a few well chosen words, dedicated the evening to our Heavenly Father. I remembered immediately that He was no stranger to our voices of praise and that we were certainly not unaccustomed to singing before Him, as we had besought His
AROUND KL WESLEY presence at every rehearsal since inception. Opening night was predictably nerve wracking! Did I leave my jacket on the back seat, oh my goodness, where’s my tie? Cripes that blinding floodlight, don’t recall it so glaringly bright during rehearsal?! What are the opening notes/lyrics again? O dear, if only my stomach wouldn’t feel so hollow and gnarled… In a flash, perspective descended when Ps. Tan Chew Mae with a few well chosen words, dedicated the evening to our Heavenly Father. I remembered immediately that He was no stranger to our voices of praise and that we were certainly not unaccustomed to singing before Him, as we had besought His presence at every rehearsal since inception. Starting with the gradual sounds of recitatives we began to fill our WMCKL Sanctuary with singing, accompanied by Doreen on the old church pianoforte which had a bell like timbre, and Prof. Sieh filling in with deep resonating tones from the organ. The Sanctuary’s tall walls and high ceiling enveloped the music like a gigantic cradle, gently lifting it and lending an ethereal quality. Then all at once visions descended upon us of the garden of Gethsemane, the solitude and bitterest pain that Christ felt knowing what was to come, while His disciples slumbered in blissful ignorance. The eerie calm there was before a tempest, as it were.
Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow, Where the blood of Christ was shed, Perfect man on thee was tortured, Perfect God on thee has bled!
Hereupon we’re given a moment of brief respite, as the choir singing a capella, delivers the breathtakingly
Darkness befalls the land at the sixth hour, and then a Bass recitative announces the ninth hour. The men’s Chorus bemoans Jesus’ cry of bitter agony, who with a loud voice says, “My God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me?” After this, knowing all things were accomplished, Jesus said, “I thirst,” whereupon he received vinegar! The Tenor and Chorus recitative takes us through to the mournful end. It is finished, He bows His head and gives up the ghost…
Here I conclude the brief account about my humble encounters with a group of truly inspired people, working through some really quite exquisite music. This shared experience has served us each as a lasting reminder of greatness, and gifts gratis. Greater love has no one than this …perhaps through Him we shall learn to love each other, as He has loved us.
All for Jesus - all for Jesus, This our song shall ever be; For we have no hope, nor Savior, If we have not hope in Thee.
Whilst the final hymn For the Love of Jesus takes the edge of the somber ending, we felt ourselves and knew that the congregation was with us that what our Lord had accomplished for us was indeed redemption’s tremendous sacrifice. Joanna gave us a week’s rest, for we were to sing once more, at our sister church in Seremban, on Good Friday. “Rest your voice, and don’t talk so much!” As though that was going to stop even half of us! We were met most cordially by a pleasingly congenial group of worshippers at Taman Ujong Methodist Church. Our own Daniel, Siak Kwan, Terence, leading the faithful team of roadies were already there. In a hive of activity, equipment was assembled and intricate wiring woven to connect the AV part of our staging. After Ps. Ronald Yap’s earnest prayer opening and poignant message for Good Friday, we started our opening as we had before with Gethsemane. The air was pregnant with anticipation, and from where I stood I felt the congregation gradually drawn back in time through song, to the period when our mighty Savior once trod upon this earth as one of us… We were thankful for the reception
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The story continues as Christ hangs upon the cross, yet pleas for His name’s sake to the Father for mercy upon those who persecute Him. A Duet with sweet interplay of notes puts into touching song His divine petition. Though pierced with cruel anguish through and through, He still grievest o’er our lost condition.
we received at the end of both of our presentations and humbled before our Father for the honour of remembering him through this marvelous work of art.
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The strong notes of the Tenor & Bass recitative rang out as He was captured then led to the high priest, who tore his clothes and condemned Him of blasphemy. Oh the outrage, as Barabbas instead was released unto the people by Pilate, seemingly willing to content them. And the torment, as He was made to bear His load on the sorrowful road to Calvary, with a thornwreath of woe crowned upon His head.
melodic and heart rending For God so loved the world, a tear-jerking reminder of God’s promise in John 3:16.
AROUND KL WESLEY
WESLEY OUTREACH SOCIETY, KUALA LUMPUR & SELANGOR
Annual Report 2013 By Andy Chan Weng Hong
The Executive Committee of the Society is happy to present the following report for the period 01.01.13 to 31.12.13:
Executive Committee Meetings Committee meetings were held every alternate month to discuss and manage the affairs of the Society. To keep committee members active in the Society’s ministries, members were assigned to the 3 projects managed by the Society. The following committees were set up:
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Wesley Home Committee Ms Veronica Ting (Chairman) Mr Tung Kam Seng Mr Richard Soo Mrs Foong Pik Wah Mrs Elsie Soo Mrs Bessie Khoo Mrs Melinda Chan
Wesley Daycare Center Datin Junie Cheah (Chairman) Mrs Foong Pik Wah Ms Tan Lee Lang Ms Nancy Yap
Goodwill Shoppe Mr Teoh Seng Giap (Chairman) Mrs Julia Wong Ms Polly Yoong Mr Andy Chan
MEMBERSHIP The committee did not hold any membership drive to recruit new members. The committee is aware of the importance in promoting the Society’s ministries to more members of the church and to strengthen its membership by bringing in new blood. Perhaps the in-coming committee will need to look seriously into this aspect. WESLEY HOME At the end of 2013, we have 12 full-time residents. Mr Teoh Seng Giap, our committee member, continues to help us manage the affairs of the Home in the absence of a full-time Supervisor. He is assisted by his good wife, Julian. In spite of regular announcements in the church bulletin, we do not seem to be able to find a suitable candidate for the position of full-time Supervisor. The Committee is considering advertising this position in the newspapers. Yati, our Indonesian domestic helper went on home leave in August and has agreed to continue to work for another year. The backyard was turned into a proper laundry drying area with paved cement flooring and proper laundry poles put up. Previously the clothes of
the residents were hung on the side of the building facing the neighbor’s house, making it unsightly. Klang Road Parish continues to use the facilities of the Home for one of its Small Groups. Regular Bible studies were conducted by Mr Gan Eng Chee and Mr & Mrs Richard Soo. We want to thank the church’s Parish Groups, Small Groups and church organizations for holding their programs in the Home and sharing their meals with the residents. Most of the residents are attending our church services regularly and also the services for Homebound members of the church. We also thank God that the Home and its residents are remembered by Associations and Companies as they are often invited to their functions like anniversaries and annual dinners, thus making the residents’ lives exciting and having something to look forward to besides the mundane day-to-day routine in the Home. The Home Committee organized a day outing for the residents to visit the ancestral home of Tun Tan Cheng Lock in Melaka by courtesy of his granddaughter, Ms Tan Siok Eng. They were
AROUND KL WESLEY treated to a sumptuous Peranakan lunch by her. Future extension plans for the Home include constructing 5 more rooms on the first floor of the building including the installation of a platform lift for the convenience of the residents. With this extension, we will be able accomodate 10 more residents. The plans were approved by LCEC last year. We hope that this will materialise by the end of 2014. The Committee wants to take our present ministry in the Home to a higher level by providing assisted care to the residents. Whether we like it or not, the health of the residents will deteriorate with age and it is incumbent on the Home to provide assisted care to them when they reach this stage. We hope to work with retired nurses trained in palliative care, to t plan on how we can slowly move in this direction.
WESLEY DAY CARE CENTER The Center moved from its dilapidated premise located above the Parish Hall to its new home on the first floor of Wesley Legacy Center. The new premise offers plenty of room for the children to move and to conduct activities with separate toilets and bathing facilities for boys and girls. It has a library with a 47-inch TV and an air-conditioned room where the younger children take their afternoon nap. Children are also allocated their own “locker” where they can leave their school bags and personal belongings while at the Center. The children are managed by 4 teachers and 2 helpers.
In spite of our continuous appeal to the LCEC to allocate a permanent space for us to conduct our business, we are disappointed that to date no space has been allocated to us. We will continue to pray to the Lord for His will and guidance in the future direction of the Goodwill Shoppe.
Jim Poh, the architect for Wesley Home has agreed to draw the Home expansion plans and to submit them for approval gratis. On behalf of Wesley Outreach Society, I wish to place on record our appreciations to the following: 1. Wesley Methodist Church Executive Committee (LCEC) for its continuous support and encouragement. 2. Members of the congregation for their support and prayers. 3. Mrs Gaik Wong and the Chicken Rice Shop for their contribution of meals to Wesley Home. 4. All volunteers in the ministries of the Society for their dedication and commitment. 5. Our full and part-time staff for partnering with us in our ministries. 6. Finally, our fellow Exco members for their time and effort towards the ministries of the Society. To God be the glory forever.
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GOODWILL SHOPPE The Goodwill Shoppe performed better last year in spite of the lack of a space in the church to carry on its weekly activities. At least twice a week, the volunteer staff has to move the items
We continue to meet the needs of migrant workers and the low income earners by selling the items at almost giveaway prices. The Shoppe is currently working with the church’s Christian Social Concerns Committee to supply items to poor and needy families at no cost to them. This is to enable them to sell the items to their neighbors and others to supplement their household income.
CONCLUSION The society had a good year in 2013 in spite of some limitations and challenges faced by the Committee.
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We are waiting for DBKL to inspect the premiseafter approvals were given by the Health and Bomba Departments. The Welfare Department will issue a license after the inspection by DBKL. Admission has increased from 50 children to 60 at the moment. The new premise will be able to house 138 children. The challenge for the committee ahead is to look for ways to expand this ministry to increase the intake of children.
in and out of the store in the church to carry out their mini-sales and when they conduct their Jumble Sales. They also have to carry the items laboriously to the Shoppe at Wisma Pak Peng to replace sold items. We did not appeal very much to the congregation to contribute their used items as we did not have enough space to store them. Instead, we were clearing items as much as possible to make way for the renovation of the church premise.
THE LITE OF LIFE
The Road Less Travelled Book Review By Disnny Tham
Religious people derive great strength and wisdom from following true teaching, and practice of piety. What can mental health specialists offer to help us cope with issues in our everyday lives and help us to find peace and contentment? Invariably, our existential encounters are problems and trouble; along with them come pain and suffering. By nature, and in a natural way, human reaction is always to avoid pain. This results in negative attitudes such as denial, fear, procrastination and laziness.
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Dr Scott Peck (1), the writer asserted we must change, though we dread the word, if we want healing, growth, maturity, self-love, to be in touch with reality, health and wisdom. Drawing from extensive clinical work and insights from religions he proposes four disciplines to help us to function better in dealing with the various façades of our malaise. The 4 disciplines of change which he defined as a system of techniques to deal constructively with the pain of problem-solving are delayed gratification, discipline, dedication to truth, and balance.
Delaying gratification Hedonism is the curse of our age. Prioritize by scheduling the unpleasant and difficult first is the alternate motto to the culture of the day “just do it if you feel good now”. Indulgence cannot be the qualifier of our decision and its ensuring action will result in a state of helter-skelter. Impulsiveness is equally disastrous. Choosing instead to contend with hard stuff first hand and dealing with its tension creatively is the preferred way. We need to self-examine our misplaced value system which is the cause of repeated mistakes, and to evaluate the cause and consequence of our actions to see the benefit of being organized. After choosing to work on the task at hand, the game after is more enjoyable than ever before. Acceptance of responsibility People tend to escape the pain of freedom by not choosing for fear of the outcome. Consequently, they also want to escape the pain of responsibility for the unwelcomed outcome.In escaping both of these pains, we become impotent, guilt ridden and resigned to fate. Our failure to face up to the pain of our responsibility is the cause of most cases of neurosis. Making decisions is power. Knowing what and
where our responsibility lie is important. Undefined and ambiguous objectives cause confusion and bring blame and guilt. Being opened to challenges of the unknown is always a better disposition than closed mindedness to avert fear. Dedication to Truth In an ever changing world, our perception of reality or mind mapping must be as close as possible to the actual reality. It also requires constant reviewing and revising to the present one. This demands us to be selfexamining, open to criticism and totally honest. The maxim unlearn, learn and relearn (2) will help to delete invalid knowledge or unprofitable ways. It will remind us to be open to learn crucial knowledge and have a predisposition to always be teachable of any thing new or better available on the horizon. Balancing This is the discipline of the above disciplines as with mastery come flexibility and freedom. It is no longer priority versus important or urgent but appropriateness and befitting to the conditions. Right timing, fitting occasions, expression, objectives and adequacy are criteria of judgment. Always, its use is to minister at the point of need.
THE LITE OF LIFE
Lastly, the motivation of the practice of the above is love-love of self; not the narcissistic kind. Maturing love of one self will demand that we take time, make effort, pay attention, listen and risk pain in its various offerings and change our willfulness to willingness to approach reality lest reality confronts us. In giving up our ego we find peace and joy. This book sold millions and holds the record as the longest time on the top ten book list. The name of the book has become a phrase synonymous with spirit of exploration, discovery, pioneering and charting new frontier. Scott Peck who was not a Christian when he wrote this book became one later. It is no surprise that he finds Christian teaching coherent with his exposure and can be collaborated in his work to better understanding of our human psyche and treatment. He wrote a sequel to further develop this same theme of love, value and growth. His spiritual awakening and progress can be tracked in his books on civility, community, spirituality, human evil and encounter with the evil one. The beloved Scott Peck died a few years ago, bequeathing the world with a quest for a higher level of consciousness and direction toward wholesomeness. In a nutshell, it is liberating love in its various varieties, manifestation and meaning within a source called common grace. In Christian terms: love thy self and love thy neighbor as we are specially graced (3) by God. Note 1. He drew inspiration from the poem of Robert Blake for the title of the book.
The editorial team would like to thank all contributors for their time and effort in summiting articles to make the Wesley Tidings a worthwhile reading Newsletter. As we continue to improve on the overall Newsletter, here are 5 simple steps to follow so that we can work orderly with our creative agency to make your article interesting.
1.
SUBMISSION OF INTERESTING ARTICLE Know WHO is reading your article; they are from all walks of life, all ages and different backgrounds. Choose a topic that will interest the reader, NOT one that you personally find fascinating. The readers will remember what they read if the content enables themt a. to learn something from it b. for the church to archive as it is a memorable event c. to encourage them spiritually d. to announce to a significant event
2. USE LIVELY, INTERESTING HEADLINES
Write dynamic headlines by using action verbs that evokes curiosity. Without an interesting headline, readers may skim over your articles, because they find it uninteresting. Avoid headlines that are too wordy.
3. ATTACH PICTURES
Choose pictures/ images that will enhance your article. Avoid using images for the sake of having one. Always provide the photographer’s name and include a caption for each photo. All pictures provided must be in jpeg format and high resolution ie 300dpi or at least 1.5mb in size. DO NOT attach pictures together on Microsoft Word or Powerpoint. This will reduce the size of the pictures.
4. PAY ATTENTION TO COPYRIGHT ISSUES & PROOF READ
Cite sources and provide references to quotations and facts when used. Proof read, proof read, proof read! Nothing is more distracting than an article with spelling mistakes and typos. Have a colleague or friend proof read your draft and always use spell check.
5. SUBMISSION
Submit your articles and picture to the editor (email as stated on every issue of the latest Wesley Tidings) or the church office. Do not exit the deadline stipulated. This will enable the editorial team to be able to deliver the newsletter on time so that we will not read out-dated news.
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Note 3. Word formed by Philip Yancey in the book “What so amazing about grace”
5 Simple Steps when submitting articles to Wesley Tidings
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Note 2. Alvin Toffler, author of future shock.
DIDI DO I DO DID IT IT CORRECTLY? CORRECTLY?
THE LITE OF LIFE
A Pilgrimage to Jerusalem From a fellow Jerusalem pilgrim: I had always planned to travel to Israel.
1st Station- Jesus is condemned to death Matthew 27 : 22-23, 26
My 72 year old aunt and I were supposed to go two years ago, but it didn’t materialize. We made it this time with Emmanuel Methodist Church’s (PJ) group. Seeing the familiar names of Pastor Andrew Tan and Anna, Albert and Rosalyn Quah, Veronica Ting and Christina Low on the list was a bonus.
2nd Station- Jesus takes up His cross Matthew 27 : 27-31
It didn’t occur to me that my non Christian friends could not associate Israel with Christina pilgrimage until they asked me why I was going and what were the attractions.
5th Station- The Cyrenian helps Jesus carry the cross Matthew 27 :32; Mark 15 :21
Christian pilgrimage is a very personal experience and it touches one’s mind, heart and soul in varying depths for different people. It all boils down to one’s personal relationship with God. Some people are more expressive than others. Some are more emotional, where tears of joy just flow.
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In the Holy land, the Bible comes alive in its full and vibrant colours at the various historical sites. And the credit goes to Mr. Nadal , our tourist guide in Israel because he is an excellent Bible story narrator! One of the beautiful devotions of the church is the Stations of the Cross (prayerfully commemorating the stops along the way of Jesus’ journey from Pilate’s court, to Calvary, and the tomb) before we entered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to see and touch Jesus’ tomb.
3rd Station- Jesus falls for the first time Isaiah 53 : 4-6 4th Station- Jesus meets His mother Luke 2 : 34-35, 51
6th Station- Veronica wipes the face of Jesus Isaiah 53 : 2-3 7th Station- Jesus falls for the second time Lamentations 3 : 1-2, 9, 16 8th Station- Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem who weep for Him Luke 23 : 27-31 9th Station- Jesus falls for the third time Lamentations 3 : 27-32, Hebrews 4 : 15-16 10th Station- Jesus is stripped of His garments Matthew 27 : 33-36 11th Station- Jesus is nailed to the Cross Matthew 27 : 38-42; Luke 23 : 33-43 12th Station- Jesus dies on the Cross John 19 : 19-20 13th Station- Jesus is taken down from the Cross Matthew 27 : 54-55 14th Station- Jesus is laid in the tomb Matthew 27 : 59-61
By Irene Su On our last night in Israel, we had a communion service and Pastor Andrew presented us with individual pilgrim certificates bearing the title of ‘Jerusalem Pilgrim’ signed by the Minister of Tourism and the Mayor. This was followed by our sharing session, Pastor Andrew’s prayer for individuals and his closing prayer. Indeed, Israel is truly a blessed land flowing with milk and honey after crossing over Allenby Bridge from Jordan. With the use of modern technology, Israel seemed greener and its cities are more prosperous and modern than Jordan. Floating in the Dead Sea is a beautiful experience after lavishly slathering mud over the face and body before the dip. However accidently taking a gulp of the mineral rich salty water due to the waves is another thing. Petra is must-see UNESCO World Heritage site. Thanks to my aunt’s small talk in Arabic, the three of us got a fair price to ride two donkeys and a mule for a good distance under the hot sun, and horses for a shorter distance outside the gorge to the exit. I appreciate the warm welcome by EMC members extended to non-members. We had a great time during the sharing sessions, fellowship and lots of laughter therapy. Throughout our trip, we experienced God’s favour by not having to wait long at the border immigration in Jordan and Israel, good weather and others. I will let Veronica share hers-the impossible task made possible by God’s grace and mercy. After this trip, reading the Bible will never be the same again for me.
THE LITE OF LIFE
Holy Land Trip
By Veronica Ting “Eh….my name is not read out!” This was my cry of concern when the tour leader read out the names of all those given visas to enter Israel, after the group had checked in at Kuala Lumpur Internal Airport. Immediately, the tour leader discovering the problem, made her call to inform someone of the situation and to do the necessary. I was given the assurance to go ahead with the journey with the group as we had two nights in Amman before we entered Israel. Even though there was uncertainty whether I will get the visa in
time to enter Israel, God had given me peace in my heart.
days for them to process and then approve the visa.
On the second day in Amman, after lunch, the tour leader announced the good news that my visa had been approved. There was great joy, expression of thanksgiving to God from all the 27 of us and of course, especially from me.
This Holy Land pilgrimage had been a wonderful, refreshing and challenging experience both in a physical and spiritual sense for me. I want to praise God for His steadfast love and divine help.
The tour leader said it was a miracle that the Israeli authority granted a visa in such short notice. She explained that usually it takes at least three working
I want to encourage everyone, if you have not made a trip to the Holy Land, to do so when you are young (as in years as a Christian) and able. You will receive a fresh touch from the Lord. All praise and glory to God.
THE BODY OF CHRIST
Condolences to:
3. The family of the late Mr. Michael Teh Khoon Heng who passed away on 6 April 2014. 4. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Yap Seng Kuan and family on the demise of his brother, Robert Yap on 9 April 2014. 5. Ng Soon Ping and family on the demise of her father, Mr. Ng Choong Yee on 19 April 2014.
WESLEY TIDINGS 2014 JUNE
2. Dr. & Mrs. Raymond Tan on the demise of her sister Mrs. Jayanti Chettri, on 25 March 2014 in New Delhi.
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1. Mdm. Rosaline Kew and family on the demise of Mr. Tan Yap on 13 March 2014. Mr. Tan Yap had been a member of KL Wesley before he moved to Melaka.
THE LITE OF LIFE
Tribute to Rev Paul Castor Anonymous The Rev. Howard Paul “Spike” Castor, whose life was defined by his Faith and an enduring commitment to helping the less fortunate, died on Saturday November 17th 2013 surrounded by his loving family in Des Moines WA. Born in rural upstate New York and the youngest of three sons including Tom and Charles, Paul grew up helping out on the family apple farm. He lived many miles from school, skiing crosscountry to get there during the long and snowy winters. But by all accounts his childhood was idyllic. He spent his time surrounded by Nature-working outside, riding horses, swimming and camping. He had an innate and abiding love for animals and as a result, to his father’s dismay, he found hunting abhorrent. A gifted athlete, he loved baseball and dreamed of playing in the Major Leagues. The social life of the family revolved around the Methodist Church and he attended services faithfully, singing in the choir. He eventually enrolled in Cornell University’s “Ag” School, intending to return to the family business. His studies, however, were interrupted by the onset of World War II.
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Passed over by the draft, he volunteered anyway to join the Army. Because of his experience with horses, he was initially assigned to the Mule-Park Artillery Brigade for training. Looking for a more challenging assignment he volunteered to be a paratrooper in the 101st Arbourne and was deployed to Europe together with his brother Charles, a commissioned 2nd Lt. in the US Army. By the end of 1944, with the war apparently going in the Allies favour, his unit was moved to a tiny town in Belgium called Bastogne. What followed that winter became known as the Battle of the Bulge, infamous for both the ferocity of the German assault and the bitter cold endured by the soldiers pinned in their trenches. The experience profoundly affected him. And, in the process, his path
forward had become clear. Upon returning home from the war he set about preparing himself for a life of service. He wrapped up his degree at Cornell and picked up a pre-med B.S. at Birmingham Southern before heading to Emory University’s Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, GA. With these degrees in hand, he applied to the Mission Board of the Methodist Church, which accepted him into its program at Hartford Seminary in New York. While there, he prepared himself for a post in India by studying its religions, culture, and history-his first assignment was to serve as the secretary to the Bishop for the country. But in a twist of fate, India abruptly stopped issuing visas to foreign missionaries. The Mission Board then asked if instead he would accept a post to what ws then the British Colony of Malaya. In 1955, at the age of 33, Paul arrived in Malaya to serve as a pastor of Wesley Methodist Church in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. It was there that Paul met Lee-Lee Tan, a long time member of the congregation who was teaching at the Methodist Girls School, where she had received her education. As a man on a mission, literally, Paul had previously given no thought to relationships. But, as he later admitted, “The sight of Lee-Lee changed all that”. By 1958, with Paul back in the U.S. on furlough and Lee-Lee pursuing graduate studies at Syracuse University, they were married in Auburn, New York in the Methodist Church. By the following year, with Paul at Yale studying Mandarin for his next appointment, Paul and Lee Lee welcomed their first son David into their lives. They then returned to the mission field as a family, serving Malaysia and Singapore for over 20 years. During that time, Paul served as a missionary pastor, teacher, evangelist, counsellor, and district superintendent in various churches, while Lee Lee served as a teacher and principal in a mission
school. These posting included the United Methodist Churches in Teluk Intan, Kuantan, Klang and Ipoh in Malaysia, as well as Paya Lebar Church in Singapore. During their postings in Teluk Intan (1960) and Klang (1965), they welcomed their first daughter Mei Lin, and their second son Daniel into their family. While in Singapore, Paul received further training in pastoral counselling at Vanderbilt University in the U.S., while Lee-Lee taught at the Singapore American School. In 1975, the Castors returned to the U.S. with their three children. Paul served in various United Methodist Churches in the Chattanooga District, including First Centenary (Pastoral Counselor), Hixson, Lake Vista, and Red Bank before Paul’s full retirement. Paul also supported Lee-Lee in her own pastoral training and ordination, followed by her appointment as pastor in charge in her own right to Inskip United Methodist Church in Knoxville, TN. Upon Lee-Lee’s retirement, Paul and Lee-Lee moved to the West Coast towns of Vancouver and later Des Moines Washington, to be closer to their children and grandchildren. While there, Paul returned to his early love of art. He began to produce significant paintings, on par with those he had produced in earlier years. Two of these received statewide awards with one in display at the State Capital in Olympia and in State association calendars for 2009 and 2012. Paul was and is a treasure to his family and community. His love, faith, compassion, integrity, intellect, generosity, positivity, loyalty, and devotion, especially to his beloved wife Lee-Lee in their 55 years of marriage, continues to be an inspiration to those who knew and loved him. Thanks be to God for his many rich blessings over the years of Paul’s remarkable life.
