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THE VIA DOLOROSA

The Via Dolorosa (The Way of Suffering) pilgrimage was created in the 14th Century by Franciscan monks, and is represented on many churches as the Stations of the Cross. As near as I can remember, I first became aware of them while doing a silent retreat in the St Francis Xavier Seminary in Punggol. As I took my morning walks then, I noticed around the sanctuary of the seminary a series of visual reminders of Jesus' last hours...

Read On... (click here for archives)

DOULOS DIGEST

Reflection On Service
Issues of Church Leadership
A Special Word to Christian Leaders
Sharing About Worship
Confessions of a Floral Steward

CHARISIAN BLOG

A Time For Peace

BULLETIN HIGHLIGHTS (11th May 2008)

PENTECOST SUNDAY COMBINED SERVICE ON 11th MAY ’08

There will be a combined service for WS1 & WS2 on Pentecost Sunday, 11th May ’08 at 10am. The Mandarin Service will commence at 8.45am. Baptism, Confirmation and Membership candidates are requested to arrive early to be seated at the front pews. Sunday School will commence at 9.30am.

GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER

Date: 11th May ’08 (Pentecost Sunday)
Time: 3.00pm (Mandarin only)
7.30pm (English & other languages)
Venue: Singapore Indoor Stadium

PRAYER MEETING

Dates: 16th (Fri) May ’08
Time: 8pm
Venue: Chapel

ADULT BIBLE CLASS “READING DEEP INTO GOD’S WORD”

Please note the change in time and venue for the class by Ms Amy Lau on 11th May '08 (Sun).

Time: 1pm – 2.30pm (Lunch is provided from 12nn – 1pm)
Venue: Room 204C (level 2)

DISCIPLESHIP AND NURTURE SURVEY RESULTS

The results of the Discipleship and Nurture Survey conducted at the beginning of the year have been tabulated. A copy of the survey results can be found on the D&N notice board. The D&N Committee and other relevant ministries are taking the necessary actions to address some of the needs highlighted. If you have any feedback or suggestions, please contact the D&N Committee.

ALPHA 6 CELEBRATION DINNER

The Alpha 6 Celebration Dinner will be held on 25th May ’08 (Sun) at 6.30pm at the Plaza. Please invite your friends and relatives to join us and celebrate the end of the 6th Alpha Course. The 7th Alpha Course will begin in July ’08 with the Intro Dinner on 26th July ’08.

CHARIS COMMUNITY DAY

Community Day is a yearly event organized by the Social Concerns Committee with the intention to give Charis members the opportunity to develop habits of serving the poor and needy for God's glory.

For this is the fast the LORD has chosen,
"to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house, when you see the naked, to cover him,"
[Isaiah 58:7]

and did not our LORD say
"whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me,"
[Matthew 25:45]

but
"whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
[Matthew 25:40]

This year, we are organizing a visit Christalite Methodist Home (CMH).

Date: 31st May ’08 (Sat)
Venue: Christalite Methodist Home, 51 Marsiling Drive
Time: 9.00am to 1.00pm

CMH is a haven for the socially disadvantaged referred by MCYS. They provide healthcare, befriending and counseling services to its residents. The residents consist largely of homeless vagrants picked up in Singapore. If you are interested to join us, there are a few areas of which you can offer your service.

1) Area cleaning:
Providing the home a helping hand to improve the living environment of the residents.

2) Entertainment:
Engaging the residents through songs, breaking the monotony of their routine lives.

3) Ward visitations:
Engaging the residents in conversation and getting to know them as individuals and giving them the attention which they have been denied.

We are targeting 100 people from our 3 congregations to participate in this Community Day project.

Christalite Methodist Home has expressed their need for steel cups and diapers for their residence. We will also be buying gifts for the 170 residents.

We are raising funds for the Christalite project and other oncoming programs. Do donate generously by giving into the donation box placed at registration table or you can mark your Sunday offerings 'for Social Concerns'.

I would strongly urge you to join us, I pray that the LORD will open you hearts and your eyes and share the compassion of His heart. That Christ might live in you and lead you into the humble lifestyle of providing for the needy and uplifting the weak.

We have a registration table at the Social Hall after WS1 manned by Lim Bee Tin & helpers. As for WS2 and MWS, please register with Ivy Goh and Tay Thor Bee respectively.

ALDERSGATE CONVENTION 2008

The Aldersgate Convention is an annual event of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) to commemorate the anniversary of John Wesley’s experience of assurance in 1738 and to bring together the Methodist family to be renewed according to key themes in the Wesleyan heritage. This year’s theme is focused on biblical teachings about the end-times, titled “The Road to Glory: The Future in Wesleyan Perspective”.

THREE ENGLISH EVENING TALKS (7.45pm - 9.30pm)
No registration required.
– ‘Rapture or Parousia’ (21st May ’08, Wed)
– ‘Other-World or After-Life?’ (22nd May ’08, Thu)
– ‘The Future of the Church, Israel and the Kingdom’ (23rd May ’08, Fri)

MORNING WITH BEN WITHERINGTON – ‘Eschatology & Ministry’
Pastors and seminarians only. Registration is required.
Date: 22nd May ’08 (Thu)
Time: 9am - 12nn

ALDERSGATE SEMINAR – ‘What Have They Done With Jesus?’
Registration is required.
Date: 24th May ’08 (Sat)
Time: 9am - 12nn

ALDERSGATE SERVICE – ‘A Vision Of Worship’
No registration required.
Date: 24th May ’08 (Sat)
Time: 7.30pm - 9.30pm

All events will be held at Wesley Methodist Church, 5 Fort Canning Road.

Please pick up a flyer from the ushers table for registration details.

Visit the Singapore Methodist Website for more details.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

CHANGE OF TIMING & MONTHLY FELLOWSHIP LUNCH FOR WORSHIP SERVICE 2 FROM APRIL '08 ONWARDS

From the month of April, WS2 will start 15 minutes earlier at 11.00am and end around 12.30pm.

Both WS1 and WS2 worship personnel are working together to ensure that WS1 ends promptly by 10.30am and WS2 begins punctually at 11.00am.

Since the end of February, WS1 have started adjusting their time to end at 10.30am. WS2 worship personnel have also been briefed to standby for preparation at 10.30am from April onwards.

Glory be to God for WS1's continued support and love demonstrated by ending on time. All WS2 members are exhorted to adjust to the new timing and come punctually to meet God.

In conjunction with the change of timing for WS2, there will be a monthly fellowship lunch on the first Sunday of every month from April onwards. This is to provide the platform for WS2 members to build new relationships with newcomers and other existing members whom they normally do not have the opportunity to interact with.

These 2 initiatives are inline with WS2's goals for 2008 to create an environment that makes it easy for people to connect with God, that makes newcomers feel that they are welcome and existing members feel that they belong.

SOCIAL CONCERNS SUNDAY (27th April '08)

Click on the link below for the bulletin article.

Social Concerns Sunday 2008

SKILL TRAINING AND CHRISTIAN EDUCATION SUBSIDY

LCEC has approved a subsidy scheme to encourage members to upgrade their skills and Christian knowledge so as to serve God better. The details of the scheme are shown at the LCEC Notice Board. Application Form is available from the church office. Should you have any feedback on this scheme or any need for clarification, please speak to our Pastors or any LCEC members.

Click here to view the details of the subsidy!
Click here for a copy of the application form!

VOLUNTEERS FOR EMERGENCIES ON SUNDAYS
(DURING HOURS OF WORSHIP)

We are putting together a list of worshippers who can provide medical assistance in an emergency, such as doctors, dentists, nurses, civil defence personnel and those certified to provide first-aid and/or CPR. Please call church office (O: 63445750) with your full name and designation, and the service you attend.

We will collate the names and phone numbers and put one list in the office and another in the ushers’ cupboard in our Sanctuary. Thanks for coming forward to volunteer your service.

FLORAL OFFERING

We wish to acknowledge the frequent donations of Charis members for our Sunday Floral Offerings. These members often use this means of floral offering as an expression of thanksgiving to God in their lives. It has also been used in memory of loved ones, anniversary date etc. Their support and generosity have also greatly added to the ambience of our weekly Sunday Services.

We have put up a weekly schedule for floral offerings on the church notice board for your convenience. Dates for floral offerings may be chosen in advance. Do also remember to include your name, purpose and contact number on this schedule.

Please contact the church office for enquiries.

MOVIE REVIEW

THE GOLDEN COMPASS - REVIEW BY FOCUS ON THE FAMILY WEBSITES

Below are two write ups and reviews taken from the Focus On the Family Websites.

Click on the links to read them.

BOOK REVIEW

THE FEAR OF THE LORD

My daughter said in church one day, “I wish God is visible.” “Why?” I asked. “So that people will show Him more respect,” she continued, “Look, do you notice how some people saunter in late for worship service without even acknowledging His presence? People are also talking and distracting others…it’s because they can’t see Him. So they imagine that God also can’t see them!”

Indeed there is an ‘irreverence’ (for want of a better word) that has infiltrated the church. People simply do not respect the presence of God as they did at one time. ‘The Fear of the Lord’ by John Bevere will teach you not just how to hold God in awe, but why it is so necessary.

This book teaches about the reverence and honor we need, to have a proper understanding of who God is. Modern Christianity teaches much about the mercy of God, but little of the holiness of God. God is characterized by both. Our relationship with God must be a balance of both love and respect. When we love God, but don't fear him, we are drawn to Him, want to be with Him, but we still sin because our love for Him is not strong enough to keep us from sinning. Tempering this love with a healthy respect and fear of God provides us with another tool to grow spiritually and defeat the enemy.

Bevere has written a book that is both insightful and balanced in its teaching. He brings a greater understanding of the true fear of the Lord. He quite rightly points out that we are NOT to fear (be afraid of) God but to give Him due reverence, “Holy fear is the key to God’s sure foundation, unlocking the treasures of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.” And Psalm 111:10 says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. So let’s wise up and show God some respect.

Meanwhile, I shushed my daughter and told her that she’s distracting others.