Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church celebrated our 40th anniversary in 2018. To give thanks for God’s faithfulness, three songs were penned and subsequently recorded in our 40th anniversary DVD album.1 We also embarked on an ambitious virtual choir project.
We challenged our congregation over a 4-month period to B.L.E.S.S.2 the people around us. This culminated in a fund-raising dinner from which all the proceeds were given to three charities in the Ang Mo Kio (AMK) community: AWWA Senior Community Home, AMK Family Service Centre and Ren Ci Nursing Home.
These three celebratory projects relate to our church vision: “To be a Methodist Family after God’s Heart”.
The early Methodists were a singing people, and it is wonderful that we are composing new songs unto the Lord again. The virtual choir represents us as God’s family, with over 500 members and friends participating in the effort. Moreover, our God is a missionary God. His heart goes out to the last, least and lost. We are thankful we could bless many individuals and bless God’s heart by giving a total of $69,000 to the three charities.
During our 40th anniversary worship service, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung preached on the use of stones in the Bible. Bishop Dr Chong reminded us that when Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River, memorial stones were set up to testify to God’s faithfulness. In the New Testament, we read that the house of God is made up of living stones. Bishop Dr Chong exhorted us to be those living stones. Unlike Joshua’s generation, however, we do not conquer by military might. Instead, as disciples of Christ, we are to serve one and all alike with God’s all-conquering love.
Looking forward to our 41st year, we continue to strive to be a Methodist family after God’s heart by returning to the core and engine of the early Methodist movement—class meetings. Historically, such meetings helped Methodists grow in scriptural holiness. Our class meetings will also enable us as a family to “watch over one another in love”3.
The church also aims to desire more of God’s presence in our midst, just like Joshua lingered in the tent of meeting (Exod 33:11). We wish to say, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Josh 24:15). Finally, we hope to continue to serve the needs of the AMK community just as Jesus—the Joshua par excellence—did not come to be served but to serve (Matt 20:28).
1 Our 40th anniversary album also includes interviews with pioneering members, past leaders, and pastors telling the story of the church at its inception and productions by various ministries.
2 The B.L.E.S.S. initiative and acronym stands for Begin with a prayer for someone, Listen to someone, Eat with someone, Serve someone, and Share your life stories.
3 John Wesley, “General Rules” in The Methodist Book of Discipline, 32.
The Rev Anthony Lee is Pastor-in-Charge of Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church, TRAC.
Photos courtesy of Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church