A local church applied to be a member of the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS), and as a result representatives from the church came for an interview. When asked how old their church was, one of the representatives replied, “We have been around since the first century.” True, their local church belonged to […]
One of the most interesting concepts peculiar to Methodism is ‘connectionalism’, a neologism coined to describe how the Methodist Church is ordered and organised. At the practical level, connectionalism refers to the ways in which Methodist churches support each other by sharing their resources – pastors, leaders, and financial support – so that they may […]
The phrase “Many are houseless, not homeless” stuck in my mind after meeting the Director of an organisation providing services for women in one of San Francisco’s counties. She had said this in response to my observation of there being many homeless people in the city. This image ended up being one of the enduring […]
Being established for 82 years, Seletar Tamil Methodist Church (SELTMC) has a rich history. It was established in 1935 by the Rev Subramanian, the Rev S. M. Thevathasam, and the Rev Pakianathan. The first worship venue of the church was at Seletar Airbase, hence its name. After the British withdrew their forces from Singapore in […]
Starting 1 Nov 2017, Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) will have a new branding approach which features a refreshed visual identity for MWS and our centres. Our new branding approach: Being ONE MWS For a stronger and more visible common identity, MWS has begun the process of bringing about harmonised branding for MWS and our 20 […]
Driven by desperation for the healing touch of Jesus for their mutual friend pinioned perniciously by paralysis, and caring little for the august assembly of pharisees and teachers of the law from every quarter of the land, who had gathered to see this spectacle, this man of miracles, they sought to bring their friend to […]
There was a joke shared among the young people in church some years back, starting with a question: “What brand of shampoo did Jesus use?” The answer was, “Follow Me.” While we may be tickled by the answer, Simon Peter and Andrew were not smiling when Jesus issued the call to them by the Galilean […]
Have you ever wondered whether the hymns that we sing Sunday after Sunday have any real-world relevance for our lives? Or has it ever crossed your mind that the big, heavy hymnal you see in the wooden pews could help us to grow in our faith, just as a good Christian book or study guide […]
When King David numbered his fighting men in a census, he was punished for committing a grievous sin (2 Samuel 24). Today we count and announce numbers relating to church membership, worship attendance, and offerings. Are we then committing the same sin in making numbers the measure of our growth and spirituality? One of the […]
‘Connectionalism’ is not about who knows who. It is not about making connections with influential people to climb the social ladder or for financial gain. Did you know that the Methodist Church is called “the Connection”? (It is sometimes spelled “connexion”, an accepted if archaic spelling that is unique to Methodists.) The United Methodist Church […]
