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CAC Together during COVID-19

TPCMC team ready for distribution of hand sanitisers

CAC and churches have been supporting one another during COVID-19 pandemic. For more details, please refer to the CAC News June 2020 COVID-19 Special Issue.

CAC prays together

“CAC COVID-19 Daily Prayers & Bible Verses” was launched on 14 Feb 2020 as a means for CAC to provide daily Bible verses and unify members to pray together. Initially intended as a 30-day prayer project, our members’ strong response led to CAC providing prayers for more than 100 days!

Supported by a team of CAC pastors and Conference staff, the COVID-19 Bible Verses have become a daily commitment to provide meaningful heartfelt prayers in English and Mandarin, accompanied by impactful images for each Bible verse. Scheduled to be released at 7.30 a.m. on CAC’s Facebook (@cac.singapore) and Instagram (@CACTogether) pages, the purpose is to unify our followers in praying for COVID-19 concerns first thing each morning.

This daily resource has been warmly welcomed by CAC churches and members. Many of them share the verses on their social media pages, or forward them to their congregations via WhatsApp. The CAC-created licence-free Bible verses have also become an additional resource collection for the churches’ use during their online sermons. Sengkang MC has also helped to re-package the visual images into audio tracks, so that those without access to social media or WhatsApp could still listen to the prayers every day. These tracks were uploaded to skmc.org.sg/resources/cpe2020 daily over the month of June.

Loving our neighbours

Prior to the circuit breaker, many of our CAC church family responded to the commandment to “love our neighbour” (Luke 10:27). In the words of the Rev Ling Tieng Ngung, Pastor-in-Charge of Toa Payoh CMC, we are reminded that “the ministry of the gospel needs to begin with the needs of people in mind”. At a time when the pandemic stirs up worry and stress, thoughtful arrangements by churches to distribute hand sanitisers, masks, vitamins, meals and even little cards of blessings to neighbouring communities are ways in which we, as a Church, can care for the community.

During the circuit breaker, CAC churches came together with TRAC and ETAC brothers and sisters to provide their church premises as Safe Sound Sleeping Places (S3P) to house the homeless.

Board of Family Life (BoFL) webinars on Zoom!

One of the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the circuit breaker’s strict stay-home restrictions was a rise in family tensions at home. Recognising this as an issue of concern, the CAC Board of Family Life arranged two series of webinars in May and June 2020. Assembling Family Life experts from our CAC churches, the webinars, offered separately in English and Mandarin, offered tips to help individuals and families better manage their emotions, communicate and manage conflicts, and establish stronger relationships with spouse and family. Besides sharing of biblical lessons on these topics, there were also sessions on how to find emotional healing in God and how to bring up spiritually strong families and helping children and teenagers to adjust to the “new normal”.

This was the first time a CAC Board had hosted a public webinar and we praise God for the strong response. The talks had an average of about 100 persons logging on and participants’ feedback on how they valued these webinars was an encouragement to CAC. It was also a great opportunity for the CAC administrative team to learn how to conduct webinars, and we give thanks to God for bringing us through the webinars with few hiccups. The sessions have also allowed CAC to begin thinking about how online webinars could be an alternative to running physical events, even after the circuit breaker restrictions are lifted.

CAC Board of Youth Ministry (BOYM)—Windows of Love

During the circuit breaker, CAC BOYM constantly reached out to young people through social media platforms. The preparation for BOYM to conduct online meetings came as early as February 2020. While running Finding Your Place (FYP), CAC’s discipleship programme for youths, various online videoconference platforms such as Zoom, Skype and Discord were explored. As such, BOYM was able to adapt quickly to the use of online meeting platforms. We thank God that even during this period, CAC BOYM could still honour its 3C purpose: to Connect, Coach and Counsel.

With CAC’s annual Methodist Young Leaders’ Conference 2020 and other physical gatherings being put on hold, some pastors and youth workers of CAC churches came together and prayerfully organised the first-ever online event of BOYM, “Windows of Love”. Held on 29 May over Zoom, it was attended by some 100 members from various CAC churches. The event started with a time of praise and worship, followed by an interactive sermon by the Rev Glenn Tan, who utilised online platforms like Mentimeter and Kahoot. Three blessed winners of the Kahoot quiz even received prizes sent directly to them through delivery platforms that evening itself. The event concluded with a time of group discussions where participants reflected on their knowledge of the Bible. Amazingly, as there were fewer schedule conflicts or having to rush from work, the virtual gathering actually saw many new faces joining CAC’s BOYM event for the first time.

BOYM is in the midst of planning another virtual event in the near future. Follow @cacboym on Instagram and @cac.bym on Facebook for more updates!

Echoing the words in the book of Hebrews, let us always make the effort to #CACTogetherYouths.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb 10:24–25)

BOFL CB Webinars Poster
CAC Prays Together
BOFLCovidTalk Poster
BOYM Windows of Love
BOYM Worship
BOYM Interactive sharing with Kahoot
GMC Befrienders sending warm meals to neighbouring residents
HCMC young adults preparing care packs for elderly community
QCMC team ready for distribution of vitamins and hand sanitisers

By the CAC Communications Team / Photos courtesy of CAC

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