A HIGHLY successful debate on contemporary issues and problems faced by the Christian community was held over three consecutive Saturdays in July.
DEBATE ’03, organised by the Board on Discipleship and Nurture of Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC) was so enjoyable that the organisers, participants and audience regarded the entire event as “three memorable days of learning”.
The Grace of God, months of careful and prayerful planning by the board and the 100-per cent co-operation by all the Tamil Methodist churches made the event a great success. It was held on July 12, 19 and 26 at Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church and Ang Mo Kio Tamil Methodist Church.
Eight teams from seven churches took part in the debate in the Tamil language. They included a team of foreigners, the Indian Friends’ Fellowship, which meets at the Tamil Methodist Church at Short Street.
The topics for the debate included:
* The blessings seen in a Christian’s life shows that God IS with him/her;
* Who is to be blamed for the lack of interest in our children in coming to serve our Lord, parents or the world?
* What is the source for a Christian’s spiritual growth? Family or church?
* Who is important for the growth of today’s church? Eager and enthusiastic youth or experienced old people?
* Those who live in Christ always have victory.
The debaters from ETAC’s seven churches were as young as 14 years old and as old as 70. With all their vigour and wit, they gave Biblical quotations and provided strong, reasonable arguments with convincing life experiences.
Mr Anton Soosainathan, Lay leader of Ang Mo Kio TMC, who is a well-known debater in the Indian community, conducted the debates with encouraging words to the teams. The competitions were so keenly contested that the judges had difficulty in picking the winning teams.
Loud applause and screams of joy greeted the announcement that the Ang Mo Kio TMC team was the winner. The team from Semabwang TMC was the as runner-up.
The ETAC President, the Rev Dr Vinson Samuel, who was the guest-of-honour, presented the Challenge Trophy to the winner and prizes to all the participants. He had all appreciation for those who organised and participated in the event.
A variety show was staged on the final day of the debate. Seletar TMC Youth put up a violin performance, Sunday School children from Pasir Panjang TMC performed a dance, and Ang Mo Kio TMC performed a skit and gave a beautiful rendition of Tamil Keerthanai (lyrics).
The Rev Ebinezar Mohan is Chairman of Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference Board on Discipleship and Nurture, and Pastor-in-Charge of Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church and Seletar Tamil Methodist Church.
