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Pastors’ Message
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, whose birth we will be commemorating and celebrating at Christmas!
Advent Season this year started on 28th Nov. 2010. It is supposed to be a season for us to prepare to celebrate the first coming of our Savior Jesus Christ through a mood of repentance. However, Advent does not seem to feature in the lives of many Christians today. And even if it does, it is often lost in, and caught up with, the commercialization of Christmas. Instead of repentance in preparation for the Lord’s coming, there is much focus on and engagement in revelry!
How then can we recover the mood of Advent to prepare for Christmas 2010? The prophet Isaiah (in Isa 40:3-5) and John the Baptist (in Luke 3:4-6) suggest how we can “prepare the way for the Lord, make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God”:
“Every valley shall be raised up (filled in), every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground (crooked roads) shall become level (become straight), the rugged places (rough ways) a plain (made smooth).”
Tom Houston in Characters around the Cradle provides some food for thought:
‘Every valley must be filled up’ – This speaks of our deficiencies and inadequacies. Jesus makes us whole by His own grace and power but we need to show that we want Him to do it.
‘Every mountain and hill must be leveled off’ – This is a picture of the pride that keeps Christ from coming to us if we give in to it… It helps to recognize how ungrounded our pride is… When we have discounted all of our false pride, we can come humbly to God. We can do better at honoring others. We can use even humiliations as stepping-stones down to a proper estimate of ourselves, if we take care not to react with resentment.
‘The winding roads must be made straight’ – The old version calls them ‘crooked’. This is dishonesty and deceit. It keeps Christ from coming to us if we act a part or mislead people or behave dishonestly… Let every person speak truth with his neighbor.
‘The rough paths must be made smooth’ – This could refer to the cruel streak in us, our spiteful self. When we are rough with people we lose our peace and most often disturb their peace as well. When we act considerately out of genuine concern for others, we get our peace back and so do they. Jesus keeps no company with cruelty.
What happens when we prepare ourselves?
“And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it…” (Isaiah 40:5) / “And all mankind will see God’s salvation.” (Luke 3:6)
When we prepare ourselves through repentance, and allow the Lord access into our hearts and minds to deal with “valleys”, “mountains and hills”, “crooked roads”, and “rough ways”, others will see God’s glory and salvation in and through our lives! We will then witness for ourselves and to others God’s sovereign power and tender care.
We look forward to your presence and participation in the forthcoming events as we together fulfill our vow to God when we became members of LWMC – to uphold the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, and our service.
On behalf of the LWMC Staff and Leaders, and our families, we wish you and your loved ones:
A Christ-centered CHRISTMAS 2010 and A Christ-led NEW YEAR 2011!
Pastors Paul and Loretta
LCEC Chairman Timothy Cheong giving a bursary to one of 71 recipients from 5 primary and 3 secondary schools that the church supports. Looking on is Outreach and Social Concerns Chairman Colin Lai.
Outreach and Social Concerns
by Cheong Seng Hock
The purpose of our ministry is to reach out and share God’s love and blessings with the poor and needy, especially those outside our church, by providing material support and friendship. We do this through various programmes:
- Financial assistance to needy families, students in secondary and tertiary schools: monthly.
- Bursary awards to students in neighbourhood schools and schools recommended by our congregational teachers: yearly.
- Academic tutoring at Leng Kee Community Centre to Primary 5 and 6 students: once a week from 7.30 to 9.00pm.
- Latch-key programme at Kranji Primary School: Mondays to Fridays from 1.30 to 4.30pm.
- Fellowship with the residents of Bethany Methodist Nursing Home: every Thursday morning.
- Fellowship with patients at the Institute of Mental Health: 3rd Saturday of each month at 3pm.
- One-off Christmas gifts to 15 low-income families.
We welcome more volunteers to fulfill our ministry objectives. So come and join us!
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Alpha Course
by Ivan Lee
Earlier in August, LWMC joined some 60 churches and 20 other workplace groups in commencing a run of the Alpha Course as part of the God of This City initiative, organised by Alpha Singapore. The run started off with an Introduction Dinner held at Aldersgate Methodist Church. Food came courtesy of the LWMC Catering Company (a company that is yet to be formed, but given the array of culinary talent in church, it’s something that should be seriously considered!), and the event was attended by almost 100 people, with approximately 40% of them being guests invited by church members. It was an evening where the bonds and community within LWMC was obvious.
The subsequent 10 weeks of the Alpha Course were no less exciting. LWMC members continued to display the love and commitment to Christ and His Commission. They turned up faithfully every week to set up (and clean up) the venue and were hospitable hosts to our guests. In these 10 weeks, guests journeyed in their exploration of the Christian faith, discussing topics such as “Why did Jesus Die”, “Does God Heal Today” and “What about the Church?”
A particular highlight of the Course was The Day Away, where the discussions were focused on the Holy Spirit. Many were touched by the Holy Spirit. A number of guests came to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. The Day Away was an indication of things to come as a significant percentage of the remaining guests came to Christ in subsequent sessions.
God has reaped a “net-breaking” harvest by LWMC’s obedience to “cast our nets on the other side”. We have personally seen the lives of our guests changed and have been humbled by how God multiplied and magnified the work done by the willing hands of LWMC, resulting in the transformed lives of our guests.
 Team Alpha facilitates the Course and ensures a comfortable setting for participants to ask questions.
The Alpha Course is a practical introduction to Christianity where guests are encouraged to ask questions and express their views regarding the faith. Each session typically comprises of a meal, a video talk on a certain aspect of the Christian faith and discussion groups thereafter. For more information regarding the next run of Alpha at LWMC, please email us at alphaatlwmc@gmail.com.
 The Music Team sounding smooth as silk during Sunday service.
Music Team
by Wayne Ng
As one of the more visible ministries, the Music Team has always been committed to church service on each and every Sunday. Since our church’s humble beginning, there has always been a band to lead the congregation in worship that is both meaningful and personal. However, I feel it is the things which are not seen that truly give this ministry its passion.
For example, at the weekday rehearsal before each service, we always open with a time of fellowship and prayer. This is then followed by the inevitable “harrowing experience” in which every musician listens out for the Song Leader’s directions, the Band Leader’s suggestions, while simultaneously trying to play the right notes in the right place, and at the right time. Then on Sunday, we try to appear cool, perform flawlessly, while at the same time worship the Lord in our hearts.
Chaotic as this may sound (pun intended), it is these stressful situations that have forged closer bonds in the Music Team. We have shared many fond memories and laughter about challenging songs, awkward silences, and other unforgettable mistakes of past rehearsals and services. What used to be traumatic is now hilarious, thanks to the magic of hindsight!
So, the next time you see the Music Team on stage during church service, take time to remember that there is more than meets the eye.
Re-Appointment
by LWMC Office
During the Closing-Ordination Service of TRAC 35th Session on Thursday, 25th Nov. 2010, both Pastor Paul Nga and Pastor Loretta Lim were re-appointed to LWMC for 2011 as Pastor i/c and Assistant Pastor, respectively.
Both pastors look forward to minister together with the church leaders, members, and all whom God places in, leads and entrusts to LWMC.
Let us together Glorify God, Edify God’s People, and Multiply into God’s World (G.E.M. @ LWMC)! |
