Opinion

Beautiful roses sent to us from one of our early trainers, Mrs Wini Grizzle Jesus Christ commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely […]

The modern city is a complex and enigmatic phenomenon. A conglomeration of a myriad of different people groups, cultures and languages, the city often defies simple characterisations. What the American philosopher, Lewis Mumford, wrote about the city some 60 years ago still holds true today: No single definition will apply to all its manifestations and […]

A short-term missions trip ministering to youths at the Methodist School of Cambodia I sat in the front seat of a four-wheel-drive that was climbing up a steep slope. The ride brought me to a small village nestled high in the mountains. The village was now a tent city—all the houses had been destroyed during […]

The coronavirus pandemic has presented immense challenges to people all over the world. COVID-19 has ruined the lives and livelihood of scores of people. Necessary public health measures such as social distancing have made many feel isolated and lonely, thus increasing the incidents of stress and anxiety. An article published in March by the Straits […]

Confrontations that wound The door slammed. Right in my face. I have never had someone do that to me before; this was the stuff of Hollywood dramas, but this drama was only just beginning. That was the response I encountered when my father asked me point-blank if I was seeing Pravin*. It marked the start […]

  In a media release in December 2018, the Institute of Mental Health reported that one in seven people in Singapore has experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime.1 This situation is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with the recent resurgence of community cases following a lull for a few months. The pandemic has, […]

M occupied the 10 days with books, toys and too much device time “Oh no,” I said to my husband, my heart plummeting as I read the text from the teacher of my younger daughter, M, on Sunday, 1 Aug 2021. M’s kindergarten classmate had tested positive for COVID-19, and everyone in the class, as […]

One of the dangers in the way that Christian mission is sometimes presented in some Christian circles is that it tends towards a triumphalism that dangerously distorts this vital work of the Church. Some of these accounts sound very much like Disney fairy tales where the hero always emerges victorious, while the villains are always […]

Season of Creation The Season of Creation is the annual Christian celebration of prayer and action for our common home. From 1 Sep to 4 Oct, we unite with the global Church to pray and protect God’s creation. This year’s theme is “A Home for All? Renewing the Oikos of God”. Oikos is the Greek […]

David Ang with his family When I was 37, my church asked me if I would consider going into full-time ministry and becoming a pastor. But I knew that it was not God’s calling for me, as I felt that my personality, gifts and passions made me more suited to serve God as laity. (I […]

Anglo-Chinese School when it was at Coleman Street. Christian education has always been an important part of The Methodist Church in Singapore One of the most important duties that the present generation must discharge for the sake of the next is to enable them to contribute positively to society. In a papal document on Christian […]

(From left to right) Monica and her children, Andre and Lesley-Anne, on Christmas 2003 My daughter, Lesley-Anne, was a precocious child. Long before she could speak, she could understand multi-level instructions. She did not start talking early but when she did, she spoke in perfectly formed sentences. She was generally a thoughtful and obedient child. […]