A year of Mission with the Master
Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church (AMKMC) began as the quintessential house church when around 35 people congregated at a rented semi-detached dwelling at 24 Mayflower Rise to worship God in January 1977. After several uneasy months dogged by complaints and other challenges, the congregation had to move to an alternate worship location before making a permanent shift to our present site. Our first worship service at 1 Ang Mo Kio Street 21 was on 5 April 1981. To meet the needs of the growing church, a rebuilding project in 2012 saw the old building torn down and replaced by the church standing there today.
45 years since our constitution, the mustard seed of our church is now a deeply rooted tree spreading its ministering branches over the neighbourhood and beyond. Moving ahead in faith, AMKMC trusts that God, as Jehovah Jireh (“The Lord will provide”), will continue to lead us to our destiny of being a Methodist family after God’s heart.
AMKMC’s theme for 2023/2024 is “Mission with the Master”. To mark our 45th Anniversary this year, a celebratory worship service was held on 1 October 2023 along with three major church-wide outreach events involving the AMK community: Easter Bread Community Distribution, which took place in April; Funtastic Fiesta Funfair in September; and an upcoming Christmas Cheer in December. Each event was assigned to a committee chaired by an Associate Lay Leader but their resounding success could not have been achieved without the participation of so many more: Zone leaders, cell group leaders, cell group members and even non-cell group volunteers who answered the call.
Over 400 people helped in the first main celebratory event, the Easter Bread Community Distribution on 1 April 2023. They went forth like the apostles of old in Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000, to bless the AMK community by distributing bread and at the same time invite them to AMKMC’s Easter services. Mr Louis Loke, Associate Lay Leader overseeing this event, said, “Our intent this year is to bless the AMK community around us as we have been blessed, hence this event. ‘Mission with the Master’ reminds me that God is with us as we do his work.”
When asked what “Mission with the Master” meant to them, AMKMC youths were no less perceptive. One said, “It means stepping up when God calls on me to serve”, while another said, “One can start by first imitating Jesus’ compassion … helping people that our heart already empathises with or grows to empathise with …” The outward-looking perspective was echoed with comments like, “I thank God for the opportunity to deepen my friendship with one of the tuition ministry youths over the past two years through catch-up sessions over food and games and most recently, inviting her for our church funfair.”
The Funtastic Fiesta Funfair certainly delivered on the promise of its name! The funfair was not only for church worshippers; the invitation went out to friends and family members as well as people in the AMK community to stop by and enjoy the funfair for free. And come they did, more than 2,000 people of all ages turned up! From sand art, bouncy castles, giant Jenga and bowling to tug-of-war and adrenaline-fueled Laser Tag battles, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Even more, there were a variety of activities—including live performances, face painting, balloon sculpting and interactive booths, and of course, food stalls aplenty (fully halal)—that ensured a truly memorable experience for all. To top it all off were the mesmerising magic shows which attracted huge crowds of adults and children alike. In one segment of the show, there was a quiz with prizes, and in another, Rev Koh Chew Hai of Ang Mo Kio Chinese Methodist Church shared his testimony of God’s transforming power to a captivated audience.
Much more than plentiful entertainment, the funfair was a great chance for the church to extend our welcome with open arms and loving hearts, allowing non-worshippers an opportunity to witness the warmth, support, and faith that defines the AMKMC family.
For Mr Calvin Lim, the Associate Lay Leader overseeing the funfair, “Mission with the Master” brings to mind the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). “It’s not for a select few gung-ho Christians nor is it only for those called to full time ministry. [It’s] his mandate to every Christian … We tried to demonstrate this in this funfair. The project was so extensive that every cell group and every possible member had to help … in this act of service and faith unto the Lord.”
AMKMC’s 45th Anniversary celebratory worship service on 1 October 2023 was graced by TRAC President, Rev Stanley Chua, whose sermon “Don’t Grow To Be An Old Fool!” referenced Scripture in 2 Chronicles 26:1-21; 1 Kings 2:8-9; 1 Kings 11:9-11. The church’s District Superintendent Rev Reuben Ng, TRAC Vice President Dr Cheah-Foo Fung Fong, TRAC Lay Leader Mr Henry Tan and TRAC Associate Lay Leaders Mr Liaw Chun Huan and Mr Poh Leong Berg were also present.
Many congregants came for the anniversary service decked out in our 45th Anniversary T-shirts, given out to congregants to commemorate AMKMC’s anniversary. The 45th Anniversary logo shows 45 geometric building blocks of different shapes, sizes and colours to represent each of the remarkable years of the church’s existence.
Truly God has been faithful and good to AMKMC all these years but may this year of “Mission with the Master” be, in the words of AMKMC’s Pastor-in-Charge Rev Anthony Lee, “the start of even greater things to come”.