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SEPTEMBER 2017 MCI (P) 087/12/2016 TRANSFORMED BY THE LOVE OF CHRIST and beyond A PUBLICATION BY BARKER ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

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Page 1: and beyond - brmc.org.sg · Uphill and Beyond is published by Barker Road Methodist Church, Singapore for internal circulation in the congregation of BRMC and its friends. ... Susan

SEPTEMBER 2017 MCI (P) 087/12/2016

TRanSfoRMEd By ThE lovE of ChRiST

and beyond

a PUBliCaTion By BaRKER Road METhodiST ChURCh

Page 2: and beyond - brmc.org.sg · Uphill and Beyond is published by Barker Road Methodist Church, Singapore for internal circulation in the congregation of BRMC and its friends. ... Susan

Be a SaintThere is an expression that I often heard as a child but seldom hear now: “He (or she) is a saint!” I wonder why? Are saints scarcer these days or has our manner of speaking changed? What is a saint, anyway?

A little boy was once asked in Sunday School to define a saint. The little boy thought hard, and then he remembered the stained-glass window in the sanctuary, the ones depicting various saints. “A saint,” he answered, “is a person that light shines through.”

We find that definition true in the lives of the early disciples and countless other people, who responded to Jesus’ call. They were ordinary people like you and me. They might have met the Lord on a dusty road, or encountered Him at the village well. Perhaps they prayed with Him at services or chatted with Him as they toiled at daily chores. But once He entered into their lives, they responded and “the light shone through.”

We find that definition true in the lives of our Christian friends who have revealed to us the loveliness of Christ and made our faith in Him a living reality. And it can be true of each one of us as well. We can let God’s light shine through us. Today, perhaps, we can take the time to talk with the stranger in the check-out line or invite our non-Christian colleague to join Alpha. Let’s not forget to visit our grandparents and affirm our love for them, reach out and welcome a new comer in church, pray for someone who is unwell or write a note to a friend who is in need of encouragement.

Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, who is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

Today, let us find a way to let our faith shine.

Adrian LimEditor-in-Chief

Editor’s DESK

Uphill and Beyond is published by Barker Road Methodist Church, Singapore for internal circulation in the congregation of BRMC and its friends. Views expressed in this publication are the contributors’ and do not necessary reflect those of the Church and the Editorial Team.

Publisher:Rev Dr Chiu Ming Li

Editorial TeamEditor-in-Chief:Adrian Lim

Sub Editors:Lim Peck HoonVivienne Lim

Contributors:Adrian Lim Andrea ChanChiu Ming Li Chung Chee Kit Frankie Chee Keith Wong Susan Tong

Photographers:Adrian Lim Moses Goh Rebekah LimTerence Goh

48 Barker Road, Singapore 309917Tel: 6256 4298 Fax: 6255 4030 Email: [email protected]

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A person’s tears are a window to his soul. What makes a person weep reveals what is important to that person. Hence observing the circumstances that caused our Lord Jesus Christ to weep allows us to know what God is like and what stirs God’s heart.

It is twice recorded in the Gospels when Jesus wept. The first was at the tomb of his friend Lazarus (John 11). Jesus had been summoned to Lazarus’ home when the latter was ill, but by the time he reached the home, Lazarus had been dead for four days. As Jesus approached the tomb, Lazarus’ sister and Jesus’ close friend Mary ran to him weeping inconsolably “fell at his feet”. Jesus wept at the sight of Mary crying at his feet and her friends also weeping. The scene “deeply moved Jesus’ spirit and troubled him”.

This incident reveals to us that human suffering and grief affects God deeply. Nothing moves God’s Spirit as much as a person weeping inconsolably at His feet. And when God’s Spirit is deeply moved, He will step in to intervene.

The second recorded incident when Jesus wept was as He entered Jerusalem (Matt 23:37 and Luke 19:41). Even though Jesus saw Jerusalem as an ungodly place that “killed the prophets and stoned those sent to you”, He felt compassion for the city and wept over its impending doom, the consequence of their destructive ways.

This incident instructs us that even though our sinful ways offends God, God does not judge us but feels compassion towards us, and weeps over the natural consequences of our ways. As a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, God longs to protect even those who are contemptuous towards Him.

As we contemplate the tears of God, may we better understand what stirs God’s heart.

Rev Dr Chiu Ming LiPastor-in-ChargeBarker Road Methodist Church

GOD’S TEARS"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it."

– Luke 19:41

3BARKER ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

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CONTENTS

Pastor’s Heart ..................................................................................3

An Old Boy Returns To The Fold ......................................................5

Interview With Rev Wendy Watson ...................................................6

Oasis – Providing Living Streams Of Refreshing For Those Seeking God .........................................................................8

Busy, Busy, Busy .......................................................................... 10

BRMC Church Camp 2017 ........................................................... 12

Fellowship on the Greens .............................................................. 16

The Creed That Unites And Yet Divides The Church ...................... 18

Christmas. The First To The Last ................................................... 23

Indonesian Service ........................................................................ 24

BRMC Celebrates Oldham Hall Sunday ........................................ 26

A Spark In Photography ................................................................ 27

Back To Jesus ............................................................................... 28

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Amongst the candidates for baptism held at the Mandarin Service on 9 April 2017 was Mr Pang Kok Mun (彭广文) and his wife Madam Yip Fong Lou (叶凤女). Their children have been worshipping at BRMC for a long time, as far back as 1983.While getting to know Mr Pang better, we were surprised and delighted to discover that he is very old ‘Old Boy’ of ACS. We believe he could be one of the oldest ACSians worshipping in our church.

Mr Pang, who is Cantonese, was born in 1930. His father, a tailor, found it advantageous to enroll him in ACS, which was not an easy feat in those colonial days. He began his Standard One education at ACS Cairnhill in 1939. It was the prelude of the Second World War, and rumours of war were sounding. Very soon, in 1942, the Japanese occupied Singapore, and all normal education was suspended. During the next three and a half year Mr Pang continued to study Japanese and English in a school at Sophia Road. He resumed his education at ACS Cairnhill upon the return of the British, and was able to take the Senior Cambridge examinations in 1949.

He has very good memories of his ACS days. In particular, he remembers that his teachers – Chinese, Indian and Eurasian – as being caring and dedicated. He also remembers his headmaster, Mr F.W. Hinch, who was an Englishman. In school, he took scripture study as one of the school subjects, and he attended Friday Chapel in his student days, but did not accept Christ.

Upon leaving school at the age of 20, he found work in Changi Airport, which at that time was a military air base. He worked there as a meteorological officer. Thereafter, he worked at the Inland Revenue Department for more than two decades.

He was brought to the Mandarin Service by our member Madam Gui Jiao, who is a long time family friend of Mrs

Pang. For six or seven years, she had been praying for their salvation. She was at the point of telling the Lord that she is about to give up, when three weeks later, she received a call from Mrs Pang that they have decided to attend church in BRMC. The Lord has answered the persistent prayer of Madam Gui Jiao! Only on the first day of their visit, did Madam Gui Jiao realize that Mr Pang is an old boy of ACS! She then convinced him to return

to the fold to worship the Lord. Glory to God! An old boy has returned, not only to his old school, but more importantly to Christ Himself! They are now attending the Alpha Course to better know the saving grace of our Lord. An old boy has returned to the fold, and all heaven and earth rejoice!

Chung Chee Kit is the Chairman of the Mandarin Service. He has been a member of MS (Mandarin Service) since its inception.

AN OLD BOY RETURNS TO THE FOLD

Mr Pang wearing yellow Polo T-shirt, Mrs Pang wearing purple blouse, Madam Gui Jiao standing beside Mrs Pang

5BARKER ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

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Just before the interview ended, I quipped: “I’ve always had this impression that pastors are holier than the majority of us and on a different level. I was quite nervous about conducting this interview, but I really enjoyed talking to you!” Rev Wendy Watson gently responded between light laughter: “I’m not very holy, I’m just very aware.” And this awareness is something we should learn as a community.

In this edition of Uphill, Rev Wendy Watson shares with us about how she came to know the Lord, her plans for ministry and her favorite verse. From her candid yet sagacious responses, it is clear that beneath her cheery personality is a wealth of wisdom, One step in growing closer as a community is knowing our leaders better on a personal level, so join us as we learn more both from and about our very lovable and light-hearted Rev Wendy Watson.

1. How did you come to know the Lord?It’s quite a long story. I was baptized as an infant and attended an Anglican church growing up. I stopped attending church when I was around 17 years old and left to study in the United Kingdom (UK), which was a wonderful time. I would occasionally feel a tug to go to church, but most churches are quite dead in the UK. So it was difficult to find a church and I ended up going only once every 6-8 months. But I came to know the Lord again later in my life.

INTERVIEW WITH

I met my husband while I was studying in the UK. I lived in a studio flat above his and I heard the music he was composing for a film, since he was a composer and music director. I was a pianist, and I decided to knock on his door after hearing how picturesque his music was. (Author’s note: Pastor Wendy Watson would not advise anyone to knock on a stranger’s door in normal circumstances) And we’ve been together ever since that day. After we got married, we decided to relocate back to Singapore in 1989. On our way back to Singapore, we were put on separate flights. My husband’s plane had landed for refuelling in Kuwait. At that time, Saddam Hussein’s troops bombed the airport in Kuwait and my husband was held hostage for nearly five months. When you’re reduced to a shivering wreck and not being able to control anything, God comes in.

After three weeks of my husband being held hostage, my godmother brought me to Wesley Methodist Church. During that time, something moved within me, and on my third visit, I went up for an altar call and I made a vow that if God released my husband, God could have me in my entirety to serve Him. My husband held the proceeds from the sale of the house, so I had nothing then except 400 pounds from my godmother to return to the UK. But God always provided enough. Every time I was running out of money, someone would come to give me money.

REV WENDY WATSONAndrea Chan worships at the 10:30 Shineforth service with her family. She currently studies Accountancy in NUS and is part of the Varsity Christian Fellowship in Business School. She also writes for YMI Today, the young adults branch of Our Daily Bread Ministries. She considers herself very much a work-in-progress and strives to share God’s love beyond the church’s walls.

Eric and Wendy Watson

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REV WENDY WATSON By God’s grace, my husband was released on 23 December 1989 and he flew back to Singapore on 1 January 1990. However, after coming back to Singapore, I became focused on my career and I forgot about God again even though I had made the vow. However, God kept niggling at my heart, even though I continually tried to rationalise that the excuse had been made under a stressful situation and hence didn’t count. This voice within me just kept growing and growing and eventually, after God continued to move powerfully in my life, I decide to sign up to go to seminary. But they rejected me, I was angry with God again and decided to give up. But Dr Simon Chan, a rector at Trinity Theological College, took me into his small group and I started attending TTC as an ‘occasional student’. By the following year, I was accepted as a full-time student.

At that early stage in my four year course, I still wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a pastor. During a week when I was reconsidering my decision, God spoke through various people in my life. These weren’t even people that I was close to but every time I was in the canteen for lunch, a different person would sit with me and tell me that I had a pastoral heart or a pastoral anointing, and so I stayed. While I was at Wesley Methodist Church, Pastor Chiu Ming Li paid a visit and showed an interest in what I was studying. He invited me to BRMC and that was how I started serving in BRMC.

2. What ministries are you currently involved in?

I’m currently involved in Worship, Small Groups, Pastoral Care, Counselling and Family Life.

3. What are your long-term plans for small group ministry?

Currently, my focus is on getting systems in order. It’s very much like preparing an army, so we’re at the stage of Basic Military Training where we’re getting the systems and operating procedures in order. My dream is that as a team

we will develop close relationships with each other and with God. I also believe in incarnational ministry, which is a call to discipleship and a focus on living our lives in a way that is Christlike and showing God’s love to the world. In essence, my focus is on two main things: The first is to be operationally up and running and the second is to learn to love God and one another. Once we’ve achieved that, our ministry will reflect the same kind of Ethos.

4. What has been most memorable in your 1.5 years in BRMC so far?

What has touched me the most has been getting to know some of the church members and pastoral team in a very real and authentic way. I really enjoy working with my team as we work together very well. What I’ve enjoyed most has definitely been the community and fellowship!

5. What is your favourite verse and why?There are so many to choose from! But one my many favourites is 2 Corinthians 3:17-18.

“17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (New International Version)

I like it because it reminds me that we are all being changed by Jesus, much like caterpillars to butterflies. It reminds me of our identity as His people, of His continuing work in our lives and how we’re eventually going to be like Him. It also reminds me to keep that posture of patience and cooperation throughout this moulding process, and provides reassurance that God is not going to let me remain like this. For wherever we are, whether in the depths of sin or shame, His hand will be there to lift us up, dust us off and shake us down. God’s purpose is for us to reflect His glory and He wants to keep moulding us to be more like Him. In this verse, what Paul is saying is that we are currently also reflecting God’s glory with our “unveiled faces” which is a rather stunning image to comprehend.

7BARKER ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

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BRMC planted Bukit Batok Preaching Point in August 2006. This year, that seed celebrates its 11th anniversary as a vine for the people in the Western part of Singapore. Aptly named Oasis, Bukit Batok Preaching Point acts as a pool nourishing the spiritual and physical needs of the community at Bukit Batok and its neighbouring regions.

This Preaching Point has its core ministries, including English and Chinese Worship Services, Youth Ministry, Small Group Ministry, Outreach & Social Concerns Ministry, and Prayer Ministry; but its gifting lies in its outreach ministries.

Having embedded itself within the heartland community it wanted to serve, Oasis is able to reach out to the people directly, feel the ground, and come up with programmes tailored to meet the needs of the community.

Oasis has a Community Office (CO) where students from the schools in the neighbourhood drop by daily to do their homework or studies, or mingle with youths from the church. It also serves as a good place for these youths to spend the afternoon, while their parents are away at work because they are safe and well looked-after. Also, the CO provides tuition for these youths twice weekly, with 25 tutors volunteering their time

and services to teach about 40 youth. By taking care of their welfare and needs, Oasis has managed to get some of them to join its Friday Youth Fellowship.

Oasis also runs Praise Kidz, a children’s fellowship that uses Christian stories to keep the children interested, behaving and learning; as well as a Parents Fellowship, with secular parenting talks. These have helped to foster trust and relationships between Oasis and the families, leading some of them to Christ.

Noticing there are always youths playing at the basketball courts in the afternoons, Oasis started a youth sports programme to connect with the youth in their own environment through friendly sports. Through such casual and fun activities, Oasis has managed to reach out to the younger generation, and build a trusting relationship with them, without coming across as too imposing.

As for the adults in the area, Oasis has a Neighbourhood Befriending Programme in place. Its staff and volunteers visit the nearby stall owners and workers regularly. The goal is to grow a relationship with them, with the anticipation of introducing them to Oasis’ outreach ministry programmes.

Because it reaches both the children and adults, Oasis is

OASIS – Providing Living Streams of Refreshing for Those Seeking God

Children Outreach Community Outreach

BE A PARTNER OF OASIS OUTREACH MINISTRIES

NEIGHBOURHOOD BEFRIENDINGCome and make friends with our hawkers, store owners, workers and families of Bukit Batok SPORTS

OUTREACHBefriend children and youths through weekly sessions of various sports

CHILDREN GAMESJoin us to organise games, activities and learning workshops for school children on Saturday afternoons

ST LUKE'S OUTREACHVisit patients from St Luke's Community Hospital to offer friendship, comfort and meaningful conversations

SOCIAL OUTREACHPartner up with our Outreach and Social Concers Ministry teams to visit individuals and families in need to offer support

CALL US TODAY @ 6564 3186

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well positioned to provide counselling, another of its outreach ministry. It helps families with disputes, and people experiencing mental and emotional problems.

A key programme under Oasis is its adoption of a ward in the neighbouring St Luke’s Hospital. Worshippers and staff of Oasis visit the ward to befriend patients and staff at St Luke’s. Their company and conversation provide emotional and spiritual comfort to the patients, and this has led to three of them giving their lives to Christ. Indeed, the staff and chaplaincy at the hospital are so thankful for their efforts that they have asked Oasis to extend their programme to another two wards within the hospital.

That is something Oasis is very keen to do, but it faces a huge challenge.

“Outreach programmes take up a lot of our time. We need more people to deepen and widen our existing programmes,” shares Low Kee Hong, head of Oasis.

The CO started with 44 planters from BRMC in 2006. Today, it has only 13. There are now only seven full-time staff at Oasis reaching out to more than 250 people. The CO is severely

OASIS – Providing Living Streams of Refreshing for Those Seeking God

Frankie Chee is a former journalist and ACS boy who remembers BRMC during its non-air conditioned days.

shorthanded, which is why almost all its worshippers serve or volunteer in numerous roles and capacities.

If Oasis is to continue its programmes and widen them to reach out to more people, then it needs more helping hands. Teaching, befriending, providing companionship to the patients at St Luke’s Hospital or taking part in sports with the youth, these are some of the activities BRMC members can volunteer individually or as a small group.

Volunteers can let Oasis know their available days and time, and the CO will fit them into suitable programmes. Anyone above the age of 14 can chip in and help this community. Those interested to find out more can contact Kee Hong at [email protected].

God has allowed Oasis to provide for the thirsty in Bukit Batok, we appeal to those who can contribute to be a blessing to the community in God’s love for local missions work.

Praise KidzCommunity Outreach St Luke's Hospital Befriending

VOLUNTEER AS A TUTOR!Our twice-weekly Oasis Tuition Programme reaches 45 students from Bukit Batok and the vicinity.

SIGN UP TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO A STUDENT TODAY!

Tue, 4.30 - 6.00 pmSat, 1.30 - 3.00 pmor as arranged at your convenience!

CONTACT 6564 3186

in collaboration with MCYC-CSS

9BARKER ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

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The year started with more activities, as GYM went on an excursion every month to different places of interest in Singapore. We used to have an outing once every three or four months in previous years, but decided to keep our members a little more busy and active this year.

So in January, the group went on a Lunar New Year excursion, which included a visit to Chinatown to buy new year cookies. In February, we went to Punggol Park and Cony Island.

The next month, we visited the Singapore Power Electricity Efficiency Centre to learn about energy conservation, had lunch at the Seletar Country Club, and took a tour of the Seletar area.

In April, the GYM members re-lived and re-learnt history shaped by the Japanese Occupation on a visit to the Former Ford Factory and later relaxed on Changi Beach.

In May, we spent some time having fellowship at the East Coast Park, then visiting the brilliantly transformed National Museum of Singapore in the afternoon.

An update by Mrs Susan Tong, Chairman of GYM

Mrs Susan Tong is Chairman of BRMC’s Glowing Years Ministry (GYM). She worships at the 8.30am service, sings with the choir and is a member of Hindhede Walk small group. She established and now leads the GYM Mellow Tones, and is passionate about visiting indisposed GYM members as part of GYM’s Heart for Our Own.

Busy, busy, busy…

Eddie Leow at the Lions Home

A gift for Mrs Amy Chan GYM members with Mrs Maureen Yap

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While having fellowship and bonding during the excursions, we did not forget our GYM Heart for Our Own ministry. Once a month, the GYM committee visits members – at home or in hospital – who are unable to attend church for one reason or another. During these visits, we share thoughts and a simple meal, read from Our Daily Bread, pray, and sing hymns and popular secular oldies. Our hope is that, through these visits, we can help in a small way to keep these home-bound Christian friends close to God.

One of those I visit (as a caregiver) is Eddie Leow, a tetraplegic who now lives in the Lions Home for the Elders. Eddie became paralysed after a motorcycle accident more than 17 years ago and became a BRMC member recently.

Another is former dentist Dr Phay Tong Huat, 97, who received Christ in March this year. The GYM committee has been visiting him regularly for the past 2½ years and shared the gospel while having fellowship with him. Dr Phay attended the Saturday 5pm service recently. It was his first time in church and God touched him.

Other members whom we have visited are pictured in the following photos.

Busy, busy, busy…

GYM members at the Changi Beach Park

With Mrs Ting Siok Hoon Lunch at Seletar Country Club

Dr Phay Tong Huat at his first church service

Dr Phay being baptised by Rev Lawrence Chua

With Mrs Lee Puay Lung (left)

11BARKER ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

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BRMC CHURCH CAMP 2017

Some 520 men, women, youths and children descended upon Malacca’s Equatorial Hotel for the BRMC’s Annual Church Camp from 7 – 10 June 17.

The keynote speaker was Dr Tan Siang-Yang, Senior pastor of First Evangelical Church in Glendale, California, USA.

Dr Tan spoke at four plenary sessions on experiencing God’s Rest.

This year there was a special workshop on spiritual discipline. For the younger campers, our trustworthy camp volunteers ran the Vacation Bible School programme. Regular favourites like the “Fruit Party” were well attended and appreciated by the happy campers.

Do join us for the next camp at Equatorial Malacca in June 2018.

by Adrian Lim

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13BARKER ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

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Fellowship on the GREENSIt was a beautiful day to have FELLOWSHIP on the GREENS on 19 Jul 17. Some 244 golfers from 15 Methodist churches as well as corporate and individual supporters descended onto the fairways of Orchid Country Club experiencing excellent weather and spirits at the annual Methodist Welfare Services Fellowship on the Greens 2017.

Organised by BRMC, the theme was “A Time to Play, A Time to Help”. This year, with God’s grace, many donors and sponsors contributed to the final figure of more than $440k raised for MWS. The funds will go towards benefitting more than 13,000 underprivileged children, youth-at-risk, distressed families, chronically ill and frail, as well as socially isolated seniors and migrant workers. This year’s guest of honour, Mr Cecil Wong, has been a faithful and loyal supporter of this event since its inaugural tournament 29 years ago.

Dinner was held in the grand ballroom at Orchid Country Club, where more than 250 guests were treated to good food, entertainment, fun and games. The night was punctuated

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Fellowship on the GREENS

Terence Goh is the Pastoral Team Staff (Missions IC) at BRMC. He is married to Sandra and have two children, Rebecca and Timothy. He worships at Upper Room Service and is part of the small group in the west.

by bursts of laughter from the guests, thanks to jokes from Daniel Go, emcee for the night and a BRMC member.

This year, Trinity Methodist Church took the Dr Tay Eng Soon Cup – Men’s Challenge Trophy for the first time in the tournament’s history and swept the top 3 individual men’s placings too. The ladies team from BRMC took home the Mrs Rosalyn Tay Cup – the Ladies Challenge Trophy, after an absence of 20 years and also claimed the Ladies Individual Champion.

We Praise God for the honour and glorious opportunity to serve Him in organising this event.

17BARKER ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

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Executive Summary

The Nicene Creed, a lso cal led the Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan Creed, was a statement of faith of the early Christian church in opposition to certain heresies, especially Arianism. These heresies, which disturbed the church during the fourth century, concerned the doctrine of the trinity and of the person of Christ. Both the Greek (Eastern) and the Latin (Western) church held this creed in honour, though with one important difference: the Western church insisted on the inclusion of the phrase “and the Son” (known as the “filioque”) in the article on the procession of the Holy Spirit. This phrase is still repudiated by the Eastern Orthodox church. In its present form this creed goes back partially to the Council of Nicea (A.D. 325) with additions by the Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381). It was accepted in its present form at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, but the “filioque” phrase was not added until 589. However, the Creed is in substance an accurate and majestic formulation of the Christian faith.

Pastor Malcolm Tan used to say that the Nicene Creed was the one creed that all the churches in the world could agree upon and proclaim each Sunday. To a certain extent this is true except for three words added to the Nicene Creed by the Western Church.

But the truth of the matter is that the changing of this beloved creed by the Western Church was one of the issues used by carnal man to cause the Great Schism of 1054 which led to the separation of the church into what we now know as the Roman Catholic (Western) Church and Eastern Orthodox (Eastern) Church.

What caused the Western Church and Eastern Church to split?

Let’s examine the history for this historical split.

Growing up in Singapore and being a Methodist with its Anglican roots which itself is a breakaway from the Roman Catholic Church it is easy to neglect the reality that there is an entire wing of the Church called the Orthodox Church.

The Eastern Church is diverse in geography and in terms of its language and patriarchy which governs the church.

Today there are over 2.5 billion people who call themselves Christian. Of these around 1.5 billion are Roman Catholics, around 250 million from the Orthodox Church and 800 million within the various protestant church denominations. So the Orthodox Church is the second largest single Church in the world today that identifies itself as one body. With 250 million people it is a vitally significant church in the world. And it is more important given that so many of the orthodox churches today are located in regions that are quite hostile at times in the modern world to the Christian Church itself. How did this branch of the Christian Church come about?

Adrian Lim worships at the 8.30am, Hymnbook Service. He is active in Small groups and is involved in the missions’ sub-committee on Indonesia. A self-confessed tech geek, he loves photography and to commune with God while cycling.

THE CREED THAT UNITES AND YET DIVIDES THE CHURCH

The Nicaea Icon

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The answer lay in the Great Schism of 1054 that separated the Catholic Western from the Eastern Churches. There were many factors that led to the separation between the East and West. Some of the reasons were political, some were theological and some were due to the fallibility of man.

The political issues at playThe Christian world saw itself politically as a united empire. This was the heritage of Constantine. He had united the Eastern and Western Roman Empire and put them under the banner of Christ. The Constantine revolution paved the way for the ongoing Christianisation of empire.

And for centuries after Constantine the church saw itself as a united front. When we look at the Byzantine world, those in the byzantine would not have called themselves anything but Roman.

For centuries there was a belief that that the Byzantine emperor in the East was Emperor over the west. And just as in the Byzantine world, the primary seat of the Byzantine Church today is the Patriarch or Bishop of Constantinople. In the early years of the Church, it was customary for the Byzantine Emperor to give his approval whenever someone was appointed as Patriarch. What people may not have realized is that for years the church Patriarchs had to be approved in name by the Eastern Roman Emperor. Up to the time of Charlemagne it was customary for the Pope to be rectified by the Emperor.

The papacy was not comfortable with always answering to the Eastern Roman Emperor. By the fifth – sixth century the papacy was beginning to assert its own independence. It started to become a problem in the long-term. When Pope Leo coronated Charlemagne on Christmas day 800AD, there was a conscious move in the west for the papacy to coronate his own emperor that was over the western half of the old Roman Empire which was formerly Constantine’s world.

By and large the Eastern Emperor looked upon this with suspicion. He knew what was afoot and knew for some time already that the empire from the east and west was disentangling and so too was the Western church from the Eastern Church. The Western Church wanted to go its way, it wanted to have its autonomous authority. Although the idea was for the East

and West always to be united as one Christendom, this was nearly impossible given the complexity of the middle ages. Not only was there a language barrier as Greek was spoken in the East and increasingly only Latin in the West, there were also increasingly cultural and communication issues and questions of political authority. No matter how much the Eastern Emperor claimed to be overall of Christendom, it was simply impossible for him to exert political authority over the lands in the West.

Church Governance in the East and WestA fundamental difference between how the East understood authority in the Church and how the West was beginning to really significantly understand the power of the papacy really hinged again on the separation of the East and West. Till this day the model of governance for the Church in the East is not to have a single papacy or pope over the entire Church. In the Eastern Orthodox Church they believe that there are principal patriarchies that are governed by other patriarchs who rule in a collaborative unity with each other.

This idea goes all the way back to the Constantinople Council. It was at this council that they were appointed and named five principal seats or bishops who had a pre-eminence within the Church. That is to be considered at least first among equals. Though in time they became superior to the other bishops in the Christian world. The ancient bishoprics honoured at the Constantinople Council were Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, Jerusalem and Rome. The two more important dioceses within these five were obviously Constantinople and Rome. The papacy at this time resisted the idea that Constantinople would be made the defacto patriarch or the leading bishop that was seen to be co-equal with the papacy. From the Eastern Church perspective, the Bishop of Rome was a significant seat of power. Their perspective was that the Bishop of Rome was one of these patriarchs. He was part of their band of brothers. Even if he had the first chair; even if he had the primary voice; even if he led in some ways in a way that were first among equals, the Bishop of Rome was just one of these patriarchs. In this case he was the patriarch of the west. Constantinople was patriarch over Constantinople and its region.

THE CREED THAT UNITES AND YET DIVIDES THE CHURCH19BARKER ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

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Modern Orthodox ChurchThe Orthodox Church has evolved down the centuries to the modern period. With changing political fortunes, modern patriarchs include the Russian Patriarch who is considered another new Bishop over a given region, in this case Russia.

What is the fight about between the Western Church and Eastern Church?Right at the core of the matter is where the Bishop of Rome fits in with the other patriarchs. Does the Pope have to answer to the will of the other patriarchs or do the other patriarchs have to listen to the Pope?

The root issue between the East and the West is the role of the Bishop of Rome in the life of the Eastern Church and vice versa. From history we see that the Pope will not bow or succumb to the pressure or will of the patriarchs of the East.

Finally, the tensions within the Church about the authority of the papacy came to a head in the eleventh century.

Changes to the Nicene Creed – The Filioque Controversy. The Nicene Creed was crafted during the first ecumenical council of the Christian church (Council of Nicaea), meeting in ancient Nicaea in 325 AD.

For us in the Methodist Church who follow the tradition of the Western Church we are accustomed to saying under the work of the Holy Spirit that:

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son...(the filioque).

The phrase “and the Son” in Latin is filioque. In Latin, the word que means “and the” while filio root means ‘son’. Filioque would means “and the Son”. In the Western Church there is this affirmation that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. If you were to go to an Orthodox Church of any variety, you will not find the words “and the Son” within their version of the Nicene Creed. This is one of the major theological problems between the Eastern and Western Churches. It is still debated today with a range of views being held by both sides.

When the Council of Nicaea met the original Nicene Creed just stated that the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father. So the theology in play here was the problem which the Western Church encountered with Arianism. Arianism is a Christological concept that asserts that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was begotten by God the Father at a point in time, which is distinct from the Father and is therefore subordinate to the Father.

To the Western Church, the Nicene Creed could be misinterpreted.

In the original Nicene Creed we read:

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, …

And later...

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father …

The first Ecumenical Council20

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According to the West. If you had a Father at the top and from the Father there is proceeding the Son begotten from eternity pass and from the Father only you have proceeding the Spirit. For the Western Church it was concerned that it could be interpreted as a clause for Arianism or worse, used by Arians to espouse their theology for the lack of divinity of the creation, the Son and Spirit. I.e. that the Father is only really God and he is begetting the son and he is the one from whom that proceeds the spirit.

Sometime around the sixth century, the west began to include in the creed this phrase ‘and the son’. The contextual reasons were that since Arianism was afoot in the Western part of the world, it made more sense to affirm that if the Father and Son are equal. Therefore if the Spirit is proceeding from the Father, it made sense theologically to affirm that the Son being consubstantial with the father that from him also proceeds the Spirit.

So essentially the Western Church was saying they were going to change the Nicene Creed. They were going to add to it to clarify the theology of the creed in the midst of their context. It was only a century later in the seventh century that the East began to notice this and began to criticize this viciously because the only place a creed could be changed was in the context of a council. What was the West’s response to this? The Western Church’s response at that time and thereafter was a simple proclamation that the papacy has so decreed this and therefore it is good theology because the papacy has led the church and rectified this by his authority. He did not need the Eastern Church in order to allow for this.

The controversy was more about authority and the right to do things between the Eastern and Western Churches. And to this day the vast majority of opinion hinges on whether the West had the authority or the right to add the filioque from the fourth century.

Historically when the Western Church added the filioque and even if it was biblically and theologically justifiable the Eastern Church felt that the Western Church had usurped and overly extended its authority by altering the Nicene Creed.

In the end these contextual issues of the Church and the

State as well as the teleological underpinnings of the authority of the papacy caused a split in the Church. This had to be taken in the context of flare-ups between the early Eastern and Western Church and accusations from both the Eastern and Western Church.

There was a man by the name of Humbert of Silva Candida who was the Papal advisor to the Byzantine World. Humbert was an extremely well educated man and he had the ear of the Pope (Leo IX) and he was his right hand man theologically.

Humbert was down in the area of Apulia in the Italian peninsular in 1053 when he heard of a letter from Leo, the Archbishop of Ochrid, one of the Eastern Archbishops in the East. It was written in Greek and it condemned a number of practices in the Western Church. It condemned the filioque and the practice of the Eucharist because of its use of unleavened bread. And Leo, alleged that the Western Church had caved in to a Judaistic practice of maintaining unleavened bread as part of the Eucharist service.

Humbert got hold of the letter and translated it and ran to the Pope who was incensed and he sent a letter back to the Patriarch Michael I (Michael Celularius) in Constantinople with Humbert and some others who were sent as a delegation in an effort to smooth the issues out. Humbert and his delegation were not in a mood to compromise and not surprisingly, Michael I was also not in a position to compromise either. What happened in Constantinople was two egomaniacs throwing temper tantrums at each other and thus sundering the Church.

Humbert and his entourage arrived in 1054 and Michael I, to put them in their place, refused to see them for a number of weeks. This was a typical move by diplomates of all nations and all centuries which was if someone came to meet with you and you wanted to show them who the boss was, you would not tell them off, you made them wait. Humbert was incensed by this and found this to be affront to his own personal dignity as well as the dignity of the Pope.

When Michael I and Humbert eventually met, they got into a shouting match over the issues between the Eastern Church and the Western Church. The grudge match boiled down to

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THE CREED THAT UNITES AND YET DIVIDES THE CHURCH (Continued)

the authority of the papacy. Humbert was there to assert the authority of the papacy. Michael as Patriarch of Constantinople was not willing to hear it. And in the end on Easter Sunday, 1054, while Michael was in Hagia Sophia performing the vigil for the Easter Service. Humbert marched in and slapped an excommunication order on the altar and excommunicated Michael for his insolence. As you can imagine, Michael did the same thing to the visiting entourage. The double excommunication of each other in 1054 was the cause of the Great Schism. No one at this time believed that The Schism was going to last a millennia. People in the Eastern and Western Churches would have seen this as a couple of egomaniacs duking it out with each other.

But as the centuries wore on, the crusades were launched and the East and West came to attack each other at one point during the Fourth Crusade, The Schism eventually became a fixed reality of the separation between the Eastern and Western Church.

First Steps in Reconciliation?The mutual excommunications were not lifted until 1965, when Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, following their historic meeting in Jerusalem in 1964, presided over simultaneous ceremonies that revoked the excommunication decrees.

On 29 June 2004, Pope John Paul II and Bartholomew I of Constantinople, presided at the Eucharistic Concelebration held in St Peter’s Square. At this time both of them said the Nicene Creed together. They said it in Greek and famously, John Paul II did not say the filioque. I’m speculating that some sort of agreement must have been reached when they were together the Eastern Patriarch and the Pope agreed not to say the Filioque. But when the Catholic Church was doing its own services the filioque would remain. It is heartening to see the Eastern and Western Church trying to reconcile for the first time since the sixth century.

Perhaps because of the fallen nature of man, we may never see the day that the Church is truly united until the trumpet sounds and our Lord Jesus appears in glory to reclaim His Church! But I would like to think that deep down all Christians believe in the unity of the One church under Jesus Christ as expressed in the Apostles’ Creed.

Deo sit gloria! (To God be the Glory!)

Further ReadingM. Noll, Turning PointsLouth, Introducing Eastern Orthodox TheologyK. Ware, The Orthodox Way

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The First to the LastChristmasShopping, parties, games, sparklers and holidaysChristmas, so full of funChristmas, so full of zestLove came down at ChristmasChrist is born

Luke 2:11 “Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord.”

Jesus, child of divine nature, at the age of twelveListening and asking questions of God in the Temple

Luke 2:46-48 “After three days they found him in the Temple court sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and answers.”

Jesus, Son of God, at the age of thirty Performing miracles – He had power over sickness– He had authority over death– He calmed the raging seasSpeaking in parables Teaching the Lord’s Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13 “This then is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name; your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Jesus, Son of Man, at the age of thirty-threeEntering Jerusalem triumphant and kinglyHosannas ringing as crowds hailed him with palm branches

Jesus, Son of God, Son of ManPraying for Himself

John 17:1-3 “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all

people that He might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

Praying for His disciplesJohn 17:9-11 “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours…..Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name…”

Praying for all believersJohn 17:20 “….I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one.”

Jesus was betrayed. He was crucified and buried.Jesus rose from the grave. Hallelujah. He ascended into heaven.

We wait and pray quietly in church.We wait and pray quietly in our hearts.Our faith in Christ is not shaken.Christians press on.Jesus will come again.

Rev 22:12-13 “Behold I am coming soon…I am the Alpha and the Omega.”

Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.’ ”

Irene Tan G P2017

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The 4th of July marks a day of fanfare and celebration in the United States. Otherwise known as “Independence Day”, this yearly national holiday serves as a reminder of the United States’ humble origins, as 13 American colonies unified to form the basis of the America that we know of today. Here at Barker Road, yet another kind of independence is celebrated every 4th of August, since 1999. Opened by then Pastor-in-Charge, Rev. Malcolm Tan, the Indonesian Service commenced catering to the burgeoning group of Bahasa Indonesia-speaking participants. Led by our dedicated Pastoral Team Staff, Famajati Sastro, we speak to Famajati as she walks us through nearly two decades of the Barker Road Methodist Church (BRMC) Indonesian Service.

Q: What were the origins of leadership at the Indonesian Service?

A: The Indonesian Service was started on 4 July 1999, upon initiative by our then Pastor-in-Charge, Rev Malcolm Tan. I began getting involved in January of 2003. From 2001 to mid-2006, the service was shepherded by the late Rev Jones Nainggolan. Rev Jones led the service while pursuing his postgraduate study at the Trinity Theological College (TTC) with sponsorship from BRMC. He was accompanied by his wife, Rev Lilis Pangaribuan, and assisted by Rev Irman Halim, a full-time student at TTC who was attached to BRMC as part of his field education.

Q: Why was the Indonesian Service setup in the first place? Who does the service cater to today?

A: Rev Malcolm Tan was passionate in his mission to spread and embrace the living Word. As a fluent speaker of Bahasa Indonesia, it could be that the Holy Spirit impressed upon his heart to reach out to the members of the Bahasa Indonesia-speaking community. As with any other service at BRMC, the Indonesian Service welcomes people from all walks of life. Currently, the service has a diverse demographic makeup. From Indonesian domestic helpers to a member of the public service (who has joined us for two years and helped us to bring in our 44 pieces of angklung), the service is dynamic and lively. My daughter, who recently qualified as a doctor, enjoys attending the service on a regular basis along with my husband. I am thankful for the support they provide, as they help out in whatever way they can. Often, I am often reminded of the

passage in Galatians 3:28 which states, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Being an inclusive group of men and women, we hope that professionals, students and families of all ages will continue to join our service.

Q: Could you give us a run through of the Indonesian Service?

A: It runs similar to the various English services we hold, with much of the same liturgy incorporated as well. Both Methodist hymns, as well as contemporary Christian songs of praise, are sung during service. Similarly, Holy Communion is served on every fourth Sunday of the month. One unique difference about this service is that we allocate time for a time of personal testimony or praise midway into the service.

Q: What are the goals and visions of this service?

A: The mission is to reach out to the members of the Indonesian community who are currently working, studying and living in Singapore. This is in conjunction with the goal of bringing them to Christ and preparing them for their walk as a Christian and as witnesses for Christ here in Singapore and at home in Indonesia. We hope to reflect the triune God through a community of people who love one another in deep, abiding relationships.

Q: Could you share one of your most memorable moments with us?

A: In my 15 years of involvement with the Indonesian Service, the most memorable moment was when my former helper, Parliyah, was baptised by Rev Jones Nainggolan in 2005. She was the first Christian in her family, as well as in her village, which is a two-hour drive away from Wonosobo in Central Java.

Parliyah was receptive when I invited her to the Indonesian Service. After attending one of the sessions, Pastor Jones gave her a copy of the bible. In time, she began asking me questions about God and of the Christian faith. I encouraged her to read the bible and to allow God to speak directly to her through his living word. Soon, she began to share that her heart would warm whenever she read the bible.

Before her stay in Singapore drew to an end, she asked me if she should become baptised. As her employer, I did not want

IndonesianSERVICEKeith Wong worships at the 10:30 Shineforth Service. In addition, he teaches the 8:30 lower primary Sunday School and leads worship on a monthly basis. On Saturdays, he attends a cell group with other youths of his age. Currently, Keith is working towards the completion of his BRMC membership course.

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to have undue influence on her personal decision. Instead, I informed her that the choice was hers, regardless of whether she decided to be baptised in Singapore or Indonesia. To my joy, she decided to get baptised before returning to Indonesia for good.

Q: Tell us something unique about yourself/your time in this service so far.

A: Never in my life did I imagine myself being involved in such a ministry – even more so as a pastoral team staff. After having my second child, I became a homemaker, balancing both part-time work along with volunteering initiatives. Spending time with my family and nurturing my children have been among my greatest joys.

I come from a traditional Indonesian-Chinese family. At home, we continue to speak the Hakka dialect. I was raised in Jakarta till I was 18, before leaving for England for further studies. I lived in England for five and a half years before returning to Jakarta in January of 1986. This was in response to a call from my former school principal, the late Dutch Catholic priest Bruder Egidius van Gils, who shared his worry of a brain drain in Indonesia.

Instead of returning to Indonesia and settling down permanently, God charted a different path for me. As some of my siblings were living in Singapore at the time, my parents felt that it would be best if the family continued to be together. As such, I moved

to Singapore in October of 1986, subsequently becoming a Singapore citizen and marrying a Singaporean.

Looking back, I can say with confidence that God prepared me over many years for the service which I am currently involved in. Had he still been alive, Bruder van Gils would probably have been happy to know that I continue to engage with the Indonesian community, despite no longer living in Indonesia. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. In ways that surpass any conceivable imaginations, this passage from Isaiah 55:8-9 is reflective of the transcendental wisdom and far sight of the Lord.

Considering that our congregation members come from all over Indonesia – from Sumatra in the west to Java, Bali, East Nusatenggara, Sulawesi and Papua in the east – and from remote villages beyond the reach of most Indonesian churches, I am thankful for the Indonesian service we have at BRMC. God’s provision in appointing leaders to establish the platform we now have is an opportunity we are all grateful for.

On behalf of the team at Uphill and Beyond, we thank Famajati for sharing her thoughts and experience with us.

Indeed, God’s ways are higher than our own. With prayer and thanksgiving, we look forward to continued development and expansion of the Indonesian service and ask for the continued grace and wisdom of Christ to be upon the leaders and members of the congregation.

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BRMC celebrated Oldham Hall Sunday on 27 Aug 2017 which happens to be the first Sunday in Kingdomtide. Kingdomtide is when Christians are reminded to plant our roots deep into the heart of God’s sustaining Presence and Word, as we stretch out our arms in hospitality to the world.

ACS Oldham Hall is home to over 250 boarders from 15 nations aged between 12 - 19, studying in 20 local schools. Oldham Hall provides a safe and secure environment for boarders to achieve excellence in their Academic and social well-being through the importing of Christian Values.

Members of BRMC who have a passion and relate well to youths can volunteer their time to be a befriender. For more information please contact Kevin Fung Ngan at 8118 1986 or [email protected].

Members can also donate to the Oldham Hall Hope Fund which provides full board and lodging to Singapore students aged 13 - 18 who are facing family / social situations. For more information, please contact Jasmine Goh at 6359 8106 or [email protected].

BRMC Celebrates Oldham Hall Sunday

Ms Ling Shan Shan, Pastoral Team Staff for Oldham Hall (front row, fifth from left) with boarders of Oldham Hall who formed the Choir to minister to worshippers.

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Only a decade ago, if you wanted to get spectacular photos from the air, you needed to charter a helicopter, get a permit from CAAS, MINDEF, hire a photographer or a video crew. If the weather were not too glorious, you’d kiss some $8,000 down the drain. On the day of the photo shoot, the cameraman would want a steady helicopter for his shot. The videographer would want a moving helicopter to provide drama for his cinematic footage. With an actual flight time of just over an hour over the target, one might witness long faces on the cameraman and video crew. I even once tried using the old Starhub Blimp for aerial photography, but that’s another story. The other slightly cheaper alternative was to wait till you needed some exterior work done and get a boom lift to bring you up as a renting a boom lift is not cheap.

But with the advent of the drone helicopter, photographers and videographers have been presented with a new creative tool. But the larger drones of the past have been the preserve of the professional videographer or serious enthusiast. Traditionally drones have needed to be big because of the power required to lift the heavy professional camera or video camera strapped to their belly. They also tended to be very technical to maintain and fly.

In the last two years, many companies have started to integrate phone quality cameras into their drones with built in stabilisers for consumers to get good quality photos and videos.

Just recently, DJI a company known for their drone offerings introduced a small consumer drone called the Spark. The body of the spark is smaller than an iPhone 7+. It incorporates a camera incorporating a 1/2.3” sensor capable of 12 mega pixels and high definition (HD) video. The camera is stabilised using a 2-axis mechanical gimbal.

The Spark is very easy for first-time beginners to learn how to fly a drone as it incorporates quite a few safety features to ensure that beginners don’t get into trouble. The spark had a GPS sensor and also a front sensor. In the safe mode, the Spark will stop if it senses that it is about to bump into an object. The drawback is that the Spark does not have a sensor in the rear of the drone. So you could fly the Spark backwards into an object. Yes, the Spark’s safety protocols can be removed in the “Pro” mode giving the Spark a claimed top speed of 50 Km/h and no obstacle detection.

The Spark is controlled using Wi-Fi and can be flown using a smartphone or via hand gestures. But if you want to fly far (2km) and to fly high (200m) you need to purchase the Spark Remote Control, which comes with the DJI Spark fly more combo as opposed to the basic package.

The Spark is also the first to be able to take photo selfies using hand gestures. For the consumer, there is also a set of “intelligent” modes. With “Quickshot” mode, you can record videos using professional pre-set flight patterns for dramatic cinematic composition. Just be sure that the space around you is free of trees or buildings as these pre-composed flights do take some space.

The Spark incorporates GPS to ensure that in the event you lose sight of your drone or if the battery level is getting low, the Spark will be able to return to the location it took off from. The DJI Go 4 application that is used to fly the Spark will also download the latest firmware to update your Spark, and it is where you go to edit the videos from the Spark to share on social media. The application also will not allow you to fly the Spark if you are in a no-fly zone. However, the user can override this safety feature.

Flight time for the Spark is rated at 16 minutes. However, with a drone you need some time to get a GPS signal and also to return before the battery runs out. So do plan to get at least one or two more batteries to maximise your fun filled flying time.

The Spark is ideal for BRMC members looking for a fun-filled time flying drones. The Spark is easy to fly for the beginner. But it still takes lots of practice. Take it slow at the beginning, and you’ll be just fine. The downside about droning in Singapore is that being the little red dot that it is, some three-quarters of the island is designated as no-fly zones due to airports, military installations, sensitive areas, etc. The Spark can definitely spark your interest in photography, videography and droning as a sport.

A Spark in Photography

Adrian Lim worships at the 8.30am, Hymnbook Service. He is active in Small groups and is involved in the missions’ sub-committee on Indonesia. A self-confessed tech geek, he loves photography and to commune with God while cycling.

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Want to be a true disciple of Jesus?

Commencing on 28 January 2018, the whole Barker Road Methodist Church family including Young Adults and the Filipino Service will embark on an epic journey using study materials by Ed Pousson entitled, “Back to Jesus”. It will consist of seven-weeks of Sunday sermons followed by bible study and reflections run through small groups.

Don’t worry if you don’t belong to any group, just sign up and the Church will assign you to an appropriate group. Look out for more details at our weekly services starting 1 October 2017.

Many of us want Jesus as our saviour but not as our Lord. What Is It Like To Be A Disciple Of Jesus ?Jesus said in Luke 6:40, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained, will be like his teacher.”

For more information, please contact BRMC Small Groups Ministry at [email protected]

Many of us want Jesus as our saviour but not as our Lord. What Is It Like To Be A Disciple Of Jesus ?

Many of us want Jesus as our saviour but not as our Lord. What Is It Like To Be A Disciple Of Jesus ?