Happenings, News

Rekindling old ties and making new friends in a relaxed atmosphere

ON A cool Friday evening, Aug 11, 2006, about 1,300 staff members from all the Methodist schools in Singapore gathered for the annual Methodist Schools Staff Get-Together.

We were privileged to have Bishop Dr Robert Solomon as our Guest-of-Honour, who was also the speaker at the worship service. With the theme, “One Heart, One Voice”, the aim of the event was to bring together all staff of the Methodist Schools in Singapore for an evening of meaningful fun and fellowship.

Held at Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, this year’s get-together was one with a difference. Participants were grouped according to the departments they belonged to. Various venues of the school were set up to welcome the

participants, complete with buffet stations and an informal setting to create a relaxed atmosphere so that all the staff would not only eat, but also get to rekindle old ties with one another, make new friends and network amongst themselves, according to the subjects they teach.

True to expectation, at all the various dinner locations of the school – be it the basketball court, courtyard, foyer, or the parade square – under elegant marquees, teachers were seen greeting their old friends enthusiastically, with many conversations taking place while dinner was going on, no doubt about students and school life.

The dinner was a delectable buffet spread which left many going for seconds, and even as participants were busy tucking into the food, light music was played to create an informal ambience. Teachers were encouraged through games to go around introducing themselves and sharing their teaching experiences with one another.

At the same time while dinner was going on, pupils of Fairfield Methodist Primary and Secondary schools put up items at the dinner locations. There were performances by the FMSS choir and band quintet, as well as sneak previews of “A Bright New World”, a musical based on the Fairfield Story.

At the worship service, Bishop Dr Solomon gave his message on the theme “With One Heart and Voice”. This year, the highlight of the service was the launch of the Educational Missions Brochure, a document that marks a milestone in the history of The Methodist Church in Singapore and schools.

The brochure highlighted the history of the Methodist Mission in its service to the community through education, providing support through fund-raising and focusing on character-building through the Word of God. It also traced the growth and development of the Methodist schools in Singapore.

At the launch, every staff member of the Methodist schools received a copy.

The launch was therefore a significant reminder of the high calling that each staff member of the Methodist schools has, be they teachers, administrators or support staff.

Awards were also given to staff who had served their schools faithfully, as well as to outgoing Board members for their contributions to the work of the Methodist schools. In all, a total of 22 staff members received Long Service Awards (for 20 years or more), 11 received Retirement Awards and six Board members were recognised for their contributions.

Special mention must be made of Mrs Mabel Chee Kim Neo of Anglo-Chinese School (Primary), who has served her school for 40 years, and Mrs Wan Yuet Ming of Methodist Girls’ School, who has retired after 44 years of teaching. A special tribute was paid to teachers, in the form of a montage of photographs showing them in action, either with their pupils, at work or at play.

There was no doubt that all who attended had left the get-together with fond memories of having renewed friendships, made new ones, and most of all, been blessed by God’s presence.

Grace Fong is Level Head/Character and Leadership Education at Fairfield Methodist Secondary School.

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Mid-Autumn joy at BRMC Kindergarten

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the Joy of the Lord is your strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10.

MID-AUTUMN is a special time when the Joy of the Lord becomes a greater reality in our lives.

At Barker Road Methodist Church Kindergarten, the teachers nurture the children to appreciate the profound beauty in the kaleidoscopic cultures in Singapore and around the world.

The kindergarten children celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival in October remembering always that the Joy of the Lord, which has been the kindergarten’s strength through spring and summer, is their abiding strength in mid-autumn and will be their strength in the winter which is fast approaching.

The little boys and girls turned up in colourful costumes on the morning of Oct 6 – the 15th day of the full moon on the eighth lunar month – each with a paper lantern.

It did not matter that there was no moon in sight at that hour. All that mattered was that there was plenty of friends, food and fun.

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Piano and vocal recital

THE Methodist School of Music (MSM) will present “Cantabile”, a piano and vocal recital at the Esplanade
Recital Studio on Dec 2, 2006 at 7.30 pm.

At the piano will be Chee Sook Wan. Soprano Leona Quek will be singing, and the accompanist will be Jessica Leong.
Come and be enthralled by this eclectic programme of piano and vocal music spanning the centuries.

The genius of Bach, the passion of Beethoven, the rustic melodies of Bartok, and the pulsating rhythms of Ginastera feature alongside all-time favourite Christmas songs and carols.

Tickets at $15 are obtainable from the MSM at John Wesley Centre at 496 Upper Bukit Timah Road #03-20, tel: 6767-5258.

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