Methodist Message (MM) rejoiced in 125 years of God’s grace and faithfulness with several celebratory initiatives this year, culminating in an appreciation lunch on 1 October. Past MM Editors, MM contributors and Council on Communications members were invited to this joyous occasion at Sophia Blackmore Hall, Methodist Centre.
Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup brought greetings, and guests enjoyed the warmth of fellowship over a buffet lunch, reminiscing on the good old days, and catching up on their recent years. An exhibition of MM cover pages over the years was set up, ranging from the initial years of black and white covers, to illustrative covers in colour, to full-colour covers in modern times.
As the official publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore (and Malaysia in the early days), MM had served as a faithful reporter of the growth and development of the Methodist community in the region, recording through the ages the culture and spirit of the times. MM issues over the years formed a rich repository of reference material that is still being plumbed today, continuing to inspire readers towards social action, evangelism and discipleship in the spirit of John Wesley’s movement.
Bishop Dr Wee also presented certificates of appreciation to all the guests, including appreciation gifts of Days of Darkness, Days of Light, a historical book produced by the Council on Archives and History recording the experiences of the Methodist community during the Japanese Occupation. The event closed with a cake specially commissioned for MM 125, and a group photograph of guests and staff. (More photos from the lunch available here.)
To mark MM’s momentous milestone of reaching 125 years, we bring you a recap of MM’s yearlong celebrations, which you might have read about in its April, August, September and October issues.
MM held a writing contest for its readers to share stories about how MM has touched their lives, and some heart-warming stories were reproduced in a commemorative supplement. The “Fruit of the Spirit” colouring contest, where a Scripture-based colouring page was inserted in the MM August issue, also saw children and adults submitting beautifully-coloured entries (Refer to gallery). An encouraging response was from the Principal of Wesley Vineyard Childcare @Toa Payoh, where the children, mostly from non-Christian families, learnt about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22.
Inserted in the September issue of MM was a special anniversary keepsake – a Christian poster to pin up in one’s home or office to be inspired daily by God’s Word in John 15:5.
Finally, a commemorative supplement was found in the October issue of MM, containing historical milestones of MM, visions for MM’s future by the Bishop, Bishop-Elect and Annual Conference Presidents, and interviews with some past MM Editors.
Without the invaluable contributions of past MM Editors, MM contributors, and Council on Communications members, and the unwavering support of you our readers, it would have been impossible to sustain MM production till this day.
Said Mr Peter Teo, a past MM Editor, “With God, we look forward to the next 125 years – and more – of Methodist Message!”
By the Methodist Message Team
Photos courtesy of Daniel Lie