Many people think that classics are obsolete in our contemporary world and society. Once the essentials in the training of citizens, today they are mostly ignored and forgotten. Far from being obsolete, classics continue to influence our world today. Not only do they teach us about the past, Neville Morley correctly observed that they can offer important lessons for the complex cultural, social, and political worlds of the present.

This reading group is for the express purpose of reading and rethinking the classics to help us negotiate our present world. We also read the classics in dialogue with the Bible to formulate theological responses for our present. Readings include selections of Greek and Roman classics, and the New Testament.

We will read Paul’s Colossians in this first group, exploring how this epistle can inform us living in the present world.

The COVID-19 Circuit Breaker period has given rise to a unique set of circumstances that we are not accustomed to. One of these is that we spend prolonged periods of time in close proximity with our spouse and loved ones and this may be challenging for some couples. This sharing hopes to help us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings as we go through this period. There will be some suggestions on practical things we could do to sustain our relationship with our spouse.

• Speaker: Ms Tan Mok Sang
  Mok Sang was in education for 30 years. She has been a volunteer marriage counsellor with Covenant FSC, Focus on the Family and PLMC for the last 6 years. She has a Masters in Professional Counselling.

How do you bounce back from the everyday stuff that makes you feel down? Sometimes life overwhelms us, and we feel down. We have no energy, don’t want to do anything but sleep and not meet anybody. Or we slump into can’t-get-anything-done, dragging-my-feet and feeling-super-down blues. Do you lack passion and motivation? Are Monday mornings sluggish and tense, with a sense that life is empty and work is unpleasant but unavoidable? As the old adage goes: when life throws you lemons… we make lemonade. But what if we can’t? The key is to learn helpful ways to manage your mood, stress and anxiety.

• Speaker: Mr Benson Soh
  In 1980, Benson began his career as a Licensed Social Worker and gained extensive knowledge with more than 4 decades of clinical and social work experience. He has served in various organization such as the Singapore Children’s Society, the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) and Parkway Pantai, helping people from various age groups and facing different challenges. He uses an integration of approaches in his counselling practice with clients distressed with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and many other mental health issues. Currently he works part-time at Fitness & Health International and as an academic staff member for ECTA and Swinburne University of Technology teaching Suicide and Crisis Intervention.