SECOND SUNDAY IN CHRISTMASTIDE

Rev Joey Chen joined PLMC as an Assistant Pastor on 1 January 2021. While it might be some time before you can meet Ps Joey in person, she has kindly shared some personal information with us to get to know her better.

· Please tell us about yourself and your family.

A very warm hello to everyone at PLMC! It may be a while before we can meet in person, but I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know you.

I’m a first-generation Christian and I started attending church at 12 but only began taking my faith seriously at 26. Before working in church, I was in media & public relations with the government and then with a local bank. I’m married to a wonderful man named Andrew who is a lay pastor at Church of Our Saviour. We met at Trinity Theological College, but how we ended up together is another story for another time. We have no kids (yet). My parents – who are also first-generation Christians – are both Methodists. Andrew (and his family) are Anglican, but I have hope that he will soon see the light. (I am kidding! Of course, I’m partial towards Methodists, but Anglicans are great too!)

· What has your journey towards ministry been like?

I received my call to full-time vocational ministry in my late 20s when I started getting serious with God. It started as an inkling that it would be an honour if God found me worthy of serving Him full-time, and over time it became a full-blown desire to give my life to build God’s kingdom, to make my time on earth count. After all, the things of the world will pass away, but whatever we do for God’s kingdom will last for eternity.

In 2013, after receiving confirmation that God had called me into full-time church work and my church’s support to begin my seminary education, I quit my job and entered Trinity Theological College. After graduation, I spent two years as a lay ministry staff in a TRAC church doing family life ministry. Coming into full-time vocational church work was a relatively easy decision, but I did take a long time to discern whether God had really called me into the pastorate. After three years of deliberation (or one might say “doing a Jonah and running away from God”), I submitted my application and trusted God to open or close the door as He saw fit. And here I am!

· How do you see yourself as a pastor and where do your passions lie?

As a pastor, I believe my role is to grow in my love for God, and to love and disciple God’s people. I enjoy teaching and preaching, and working with others to discern God’s direction and work towards achieving God’s vision. I also love journeying with people in their walk with God.

· What do you do for fun and leisure?

I set aside time every week for the gym – I find it helps me manage stress and keep my energy level up. I’m also partial to good movies, and reading a good book while sipping good coffee (usually with Andrew). I’ve recently discovered how good the original Star Trek series is – I must say I’m really enjoying it!

· What do you like to eat? (Very important in PLMC)

Hahaha! I love that food is important in PLMC. I’ve thought for a long time now that food ought to be the sixth love language, especially in Asian cultures. :)

I have a sweet tooth: I love kuehs (especially kueh salat), and all things chocolate (cakes, cookies, ice-cream, chocolate lava cake, etc). I also especially love durians, and pandan cake. But I do try to watch my sugar intake for health reasons. My favourite cuisines are Japanese, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Hainanese (I’m Hainanese but I regret that I don’t speak a word of the dialect), and Peranakan. My favourite hawker food are prawn noodles, and fishball noodles.

· How can we support and pray for you?

I’m very touched by the warm welcome of the staff and church members, and also by your willingness to uphold me in prayer. Please pray that I will continue to walk closely with God, and remain centred in Christ.

We thank and praise God that we are able to gradually re-open onsite activities at the church premises.

We will be re-starting onsite services soon which will take place in phases & in a measured way. What you may see today, and in the following Sundays, are trial services to test out our systems.

As per Covid-19 Safety Measures, we are preparing for services with restricted numbers, and seats will have to be reserved through the PLMC Reservation Portal which will go “live” in due course. Please be reminded that you will need the TraceTogether token or app to enter the church sanctuary.

Once onsite services resume, the congregation will also not be allowed to sing. So how can we worship God? Click here to learn about Voiceless Worship!

Do continue to pray for us as we prepare to resume onsite services.

We continue our journey through the Bible with these new books – Joshua, Judges, Ruth & 1 Samuel on Friday, 1 Jan 2021. Over the next few weeks, we will hear what God is saying to us individually using ROAD – Read God’s word; Observe what He is telling you; Apply it to your life or situation; Do what is necessary to carry out God’s instruction for you.

View & Download the R.O.A.D. Through Reading Plan

Mark the dates of these Discipleship &Nurture courses on your calendar for the year 2021! Click this link for the dates of the D&N Courses.

Owing to the dangers posed by the infectious disease known as COVID-19 and the safe distancing restrictions in force in Singapore to minimise further spread, and in accordance with the authority vested in the Local Church Executive Committee (“LCEC”) by ¶306A.4 of The Book of Discipline (as enacted by the Special Session of the General Conference held on 2 July 2020), Notice is hereby given that the First Local Conference of Paya Lebar Methodist Church has been called by the LCEC to be held wholly by way of electronic means on 26 January 2021 at 7.30pm to transact the following business:

1. Confirmation and Adoption of Minutes of the Last Local Conference 2020 held on 22 September 2020

2. Matters Arising from the above Minutes

3. Adoption of Plans and Programmes for 2021

4. Adoption of Audited Financial Statements for FY2019-2020 and Revised Budget for FY 2020-2021

5. Any Other Business

Members of the Local Conference will receive an e-version of the Book of Reports on or before 12 Jan 2021 via email. Do keep the First Local Conference and our church leadership in prayer.

Come join us in God's global work!
Hear about our vision from Rev Vincent Goh and pray for the nations and the unreached people.

• Saturday, 9 Jan 2021 | 2.30pm-4.00pm

• Online via ZOOM

Sign up @ tinyurl.com/jan2021prayer or via QR code provided.

Dear brothers & sisters-in-Christ,

We are holding our election of office bearers to form a new committee.

As church members, and especially for the many who have been participating in the various activities of this senior ministry (Senior Connect etc), we would like to invite you to be involved in this election.

Details are as follows:

Date: 16 January 2021 (Saturday)

Time: 2 pm

To register, please provide us with your Name & Contact No. in the Google form (https://forms.gle/ATZZoVvaiKt6mm346) so that we can invite you to our Zoom session to participate in the election.

You may also WhatsApp the following persons:

(i) Patrick Teo - 96960355

(ii) Evelyn Chua - 91122091

We will then provide you with the Zoom ID/PASSWORD for you to attend our session.

We look forward to as many as possible to be part of this Glowing Years Ministry

GYM Committee

2018-2020

Life in PLMC told through the eyes of worshippers and staff. In this issue, a participant in the recent Art & Christian Worship workshop shares her insights, and a Silver Boxes leader, who is also a mother of a young child, shares her testimony of being Blessed to be a Blessing in a Season of Covid-19.

Have you been wanting to disciple your child at home, but feel clueless about how to start? Check out the Silver Boxes Parents’ Portal website for our very own weekly mid-week discipling packages at www.plmcsilverboxes.wordpress.com. Parent’s Guides and resources included.

This is the day that the Lord has made! (Psalm 118:24)

We rejoice with and pray for our sister TRAC church who celebrate their anniversaries this January!

• MCI (29^th Anniversary) on 10 January 2021

• Kampong Kapor Methodist Church (127^th Anniversary) on 24 January 2021

• Fairfield Methodist Church (73^rd Anniversary) on 31 January 2021

Silver Boxes

1. We give thanks for the onsite Camps where the children were able to return to Church, to connect with God and one another. Many of the children encountered God's presence and love and had lots of fun. We thank God for the support of our parents and their prayers.

2. Pray for the preparation to return to church onsite and for more to step up to serve in Children's Ministry.

Sonshine Kids

1. We thank God for the opportunity to allow the children to return to church onsite for our Camps. There were some children who had not joined us for our Zoom sessions. But because of the onsite camps, they registered and attended them. Many of the children also felt the love of God and their parents were very appreciative of how the leaders had journeyed with their children.

2. Pray for our return to church onsite so we can minister to the children more effectively.

Young Adults

1. Pray for Ps Joey as she takes over the shepherding of our young adults ministry from Ps Alex. We thank God for Ps Alex’s faithful service and leading of our young adults community.

2. Pray for our young adults cells as they continue to grow deeper in God’s word and fellowship with each other in the new year.

3. Pray for our young adults who are returning back to their universities & polytechnics as they refocus on their studies and internships.

4. Pray for our young adults who are serving their National Service, especially those who are entering service this month.

We praise and thank God that the daily infections of COVID-19 have been coming down in our nation. Never-the-less, we understand that there are some of us who are not coping as well as others, and there may be anxiety, frustration, sadness, anger, helplessness and a whole slew of other emotions. As your pastors, we want you to know that we are here for you.

• You can email us at pastors@plmc.org or call us at 6100 7562

• Please send your prayer requests to prayernet@plmc.org.

COVID-19 has brought about an unprecedented economic crisis affecting lives and livelihoods. Yet, in every crisis, there is an opportunity to demonstrate Christian love and unity.
If you are a business owner or working in a company seeking to employ new staff, and wish to advertise the available positions, please fill in the job details of the vacancies in this link: bit.ly/JobPostingForm A listing of the available positions can be found here bit.ly/JobPostingList

The PLMC Inner Healing Ministry helps individuals get to the root of things that are hindering their personal connection with God. This Ministry continues online every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm. Email requests to plihm@plmc.org

Find available grants, funds and packages for individuals at https://www.supportgowhere.gov.sg/

Methodist Message continues to bring to you important MCS updates and thought-provoking editorial pieces. The December issue is now out!

If you would like to subscribe to MM online, it is free AND easy to get onboard! Sign up here at https://www.methodist.org.sg/mm-onscreen today!

Some of the beneficiaries of MWS Covenant Family Service Centre (CFSC) have requested for the following items. If you would like to donate the items, please contact Yi Li of CFSC at 6282 8558.

• Dining table

• Cupboard

• Drawers

• 2nd-hand handphone

• Television

• Washing machine

• Printer

• IPG Stove

• Fridge

• Microwave

• Rice cooker

• Blender

MWS Covenant Family Service Centre would like to thank the PLMC member who responded to our requests for dining table, kitchen table and chairs. Thank you for your generous donations to meet the needs of our beneficiaries! God bless!

• Executive Assistant (Service Coordinator)

Job Responsibilities include:

• Providing administrative support to the pastors and directors for the effective running of the ministries.

• Coordinating the smooth running of service rehearsals and the worship services.

• Preparing and disseminating the Service Order to all relevant team members (Worship Teams, Audio & Media Teams, Communications Team and Pastoral Team)

• Ensuring timely, clear communications and coordination with the scheduled Worship/Audio/Media teams – for rehearsals and services call times.

• Coordinating logistics for ministry events, and provide administrative support including but not limited to consolidating attendance, printing materials, ordering event supplies, and room bookings etc.

Job Requirements:

• Pleasant disposition, resourceful, good organisational skills, able to work independently

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and a team player

• Proficient with “MS Office” applications, and capable to learn & use new software

• Willing to work on Sundays

• Experience in service/events coordinating in a church setting would be an advantage

• Preferably bilingual (written/oral) in Chinese and English

If you are interested, please send in your full resume with expected salary & recent photograph to recruit@plmc.org

We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Other positions:

• Director of Missions

• Director/Executive - Outreach Ministry

• Executive - Corporate Communications

• Ministry Executive - Mandarin Service

For more information on the job opportunities available, please visit our website at https://plmc.org/about/join-us/