Remembering Our Past, Inspiring Our Future

Saltshaker October 2016


View Contents Page below.  Click on this link to read the articles.

Article Author Page
A Few Steps Closer to Christ Jesus – The 60 minute blessing Goh Swee Eem 2
Bibliotheque – TMC Resource Centre 3
Spiritual Disciplines –  The Discipline of Study Kwa Kiem Kiok 5
Do Selfie! Baby Talk Tricia Tong 6
In and About TMC – Festival of Praise; Anniversary Lunch; 60th Anniversary Celebration 8
The Old Guard – EK and BK Khoo Tricia Tong 12
The Old Guard – Constance Seet.  Simple Faith But Real Faith Lim Sue Yien 18
Floral Glass – 60 with TMC Samuel Wong 20
The Preacher’s Kid Turns 60 – 60 with TMC Rev Paul Nga 22
TMC – My First Church – Where Disciples Make Disciples Lai Kai Ming 24
In the Hush of the Morning – Where Disciples Make Disciples David Gwee 26
Helping Others – Not Because of Who They Are But Because of Who We Are in Christ – Where Disciples Make Disciples Rev Gabriel Liew 28
The Fifth Decade. 1997-2006
1997 – Memorial Service in TMC for Rev Christopher Smith; 41st Church Anniversary was held at MGS Blackmore Drive.
1998 – The Church Redevelopment Committee was officially constituted in 1995 but a firm commitment to proceed was taken in 1998; Church camp at Pan Pacific Legacy, Malacca; Appointment of Mrs Claire Lowe as TMC’s  first missionary serving in the Methodist Church and School in Cambodia; Church camp in June was called due to ‘pig’ virus to the East Coast of Malaysia; Car Rally held.
1999 – Certificate of Appreciation from Pelangi Home for valuable services rendered; Senior Fellowship Camp in Penang; TMC formally adopted Takhmao Trinity Methodist Church in Cambodia as our sister church; Takhmao Trinity Methodist Church was built at less than US$15,000.
2000 – Hougang and Logos small groups committed to conduct vespers at Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home once a month; Praise Night; First separate Holy Communion serve at Sunday School; Church camp at The Legend Resort, Cherating, Kuantan. Theme: To Be A Blessing; 44th anniversary lunch was held at Jumbo Serangoon Restaurant; Youth Ministry leaders conducted at Youth Leader Training in Cambodia; A Christmas Carnival was organised in TMC as an outreach programme and funds raised were given to St Luke’s Hospital for Elderly, The Turning Point and Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home.
2001-2001 Vision.  Theme 2001: Touching Lives; Theme 2002: Making Disciples; Theme 2003: Conforming to the Life of  Jesus.
2001 – The 47th Company Boys’ Brigade and the 55th Company Girls’ Brigade in Serangoon Garden Sec School were formed TMC became sponsors for the SP Primers unit  based in Singapore Polytechnic; In 1965, the BB Co of St Thomas School was transferred to TMC under the captaincy of church member, Mr Tay Soon Hock; LCEC decided to construct a 3-story basement car park and a 3-storey building above ground; Special Session of the LCEC Conference approved the redevelopment project at a cost not to exceed S$12m; Plans for redevelopment were submitted; Decision taken to suspend Kindergarten before redevelopment project began; Provisional planning approval was granted by MND subjected to a restriction that the redevelopment should not exceed 2 storeys and limited to a height of 10m only. An appeal was rejected by MND; 45th Anniversary combined service at TMC; Praise Night – Simply Worship; Discipleship Roadmap – the Christian Walk was launched; Lee Hui Ling was appointed Captain of the 55th Singapore Company Girls’ Brigade; LCEC unanimously indicated their commitment to proceed with the church redevelopment project.
2002 – “Forsaken” an evangelistic play was staged on Good Friday and its sequel “Not Forsaken”on Easter Sunday; First TMC website was launched; TMC Net (involving Small Groups) was launched; Church camp at Hyatt Regency, Kuantan; The 55th Company of the Girls’ Brigade was awarded the Silver award at the 75th Girls’ Brigade anniversary dinner; Embankments around the pond of Takhmao Trinity Methodist Church were shored up with sandbags; 46th church anniversary, with a mini food fair; Mission trip by 9 members to conduct Cambodian Methodist Youth Leaders’ Training School; “Wok With Me” recipe book was launched for fund raising; Church office relocated to LHK Building; Jumble Sale of old items took place in the Trinity Education Centre; Evangelistic Christmas Eve presentation “Who wants to be a Millionaire”; Christmas at Home; Relocation of church to PLMGPS; First service at PLMGPS.
2003 – Deconsecration service of TMC, with Bishop Dr Robert Solomon as speaker; Effective date of commencement of building works on site; Community visitation took place in the vicinity of PLMGPS during Lunar New Year; Smoke was detected at the rooftop of the TMC sanctuary and later developed into a fire; TMC Family Carnival/Basketball Tournament 2003 was held at the Serangoon Gardens Sec School for community outreach to raise funds for the church redevelopment; The Resource Centre became a mobile library in the PLMGPS canteen; The youths wrote Scripture into the church’s foundation at 34 Serangoon Garden Way; Golf Tournament organised by Violet Khor for fund raising; 47th Anniversary held at PLMGPS; Project Eliezer was launched by Adults’ Ministry to create opportunities for singles to meet; Combined service on Holy Communion Sundays were started; The Chinese Ministry started with a weekly Chinese fellowship held in PLMGPS canteen; Youth ministry sold Christmas cards to raise fund; A Vacation Bible School – Colour My World was held by Children’s Ministry.
2004 – Purpose Driven Life and Essential Prayer Life courses and workshops were started; The Discipleship Roadmap-River of Life was launched; The 55th Company of the Girls’ Brigade won the Silver Award and the 47th Boys’ Brigade won the Bronze award; The Chapel of Life Columbarium started receiving donations for niches; 3 bronze bells were ordered for the bell tower; An auction of children’s painting -Colour Your World – was held at PLMGPS canteen; Seniors launched Coin Tin project to help in fund-raising; Chinese fellowship was formalised as the Mandarin Ministry; A study was made of the status of Takhmao Trinity Methodist Church (TTMC) to assess its needs, and the assistance it required to be self-reliant; TTMC had started a preaching point in Teoul Kraeng; Mentoring groups were formed within LCEC; Filling of the pond of TTMC commenced; Church camp held at Guoman Hotel, Port Dickson; Synergraphic Design was awarded the contract to design the stained glass in the Sanctuary; Bishop Dr Robert Solomon officiated the Topping of the Cross at TMC; Takhmao TTMC collapsed and service were moved to Elder Yong’s house; Project Jordan fund raising project by Village People small group was launched; Anniversary lunch was held PLMGPS canteen; Chinese Ministry held its first major evangelistic event with a Mid-Autumn Festival Outreach programme; New Service timings at 8.45 am for traditional service and 11.15 am for contemporary service at Serangoon Garden Way were announced; TTMC Family Camp was held in Phnom Penh; Temporary Occupation Permit was obtained; Dry run in TMC; The first worship service at 8.45am was held in the new church building; Baptism by immersion was carried out within our church premises.
2005 Theme: Worship – My Lifestyle – As part of the Purpose Driven Life campaign, about 250 people met after each service in small groups. ABC kids was run in addition to the Sunday Schools; TTMC relocated to rented premises; Students organists were allowed to train on our new Allen organ. The old Allen organ was donated; Sub-ministry of lectors took off. Lectors were trained by Ms Esme Ambrose; Mandarin Ministry was outgrowing its space in the Prayer Chapel and was relocated to Abraham lounge; The TMC Kindergarten commenced operations; Car Rally – The Amazing gRace -was held; Gold Tournament held to raise funds; We hosted TRAC 30th Session; Visitors’ Corner was started; Our fast-growing Chinese Ministry held a major evangelistic event to reach out to friends, family and surrounding community;
2006 – The Mandarin Service was held in the Sanctuary at 11 am on Sunday; TMC logo was launched as part of our 50th anniversary; Church camp held at Bangi Resort; 50th anniversary service in the evening, followed by dinner in the Plaza; A church-wide banner competition was held earlier in the year involving hand-made banners by several groups. Banners were paraded at the 50th anniversary service and prizes were awarded to the top 3 winners
30
Pastors in the Fifth Decade – Rev Lim Jen Huat, Rev Philip Lim, Rev Richard Tan, Rev Foo Fook Heng, Rev Lai Kai Ming. 43
Back Page – Events and Credits 44