Friday 16 January 2015

Jia Le(佳乐):更深入了解各自的中会

On 16/1/2015, reverend Peter Chan(English Presbyterian Moderator) and 林俊源牧师(Chinese Presbyterian Moderator) came to visit and share with us about the purpose and role of the Moderator in Presbyterian churches. They talk about their roles as being the bridge between synod and churches, facilitating the communication between both parties. They are also involve in mentoring which is an important role in guiding us towards the final ultimate goal which is to glorify god and to enjoy him forever. It was a very fruitful morning as we learn about how the entire Presbyterian denomination works and the different levels of leadership in our church. There are many activities and events that are meant to train and nurture the next batch of young people to step up and lead the church in the near future.



Everyone listening attentively to reverend's sharings

Even though every church faces changes and challenges during the transition state, god has never fail us in guiding us through the storms. As long as we stay focus on god and give up our lives to him, he will show us the correct path and journey down with us. God is merciful and gracious, he is our lord.



Reverend Peter Chan(left),  林俊源牧师(middle), pastor Gideon(right)

  
After lunch, reverend Peter Chan introduce us to theology which is not an easy topic for me. It touches on more in depth understanding of the bible which is currently a big challenge for me. Reading bible is one thing, but appreciating god's words with your heart is another thing. We learnt sophisticated terms such as moral normativity, cosmological argument, teleological argument, ontological argument, Christological argument, Atheism, Agnosticism, Deism, Theism. I have to admit that the assimilation part of the lesson is really tough and turns me off. However, I know that this is one more step towards god's kingdom when I'm exposed to theology. Like what many pastors say, we may not entirely understand now, but 10 years 20 years down the road, god will reveal to us and enlighten because we are his precious children.


Reverend Peter Chan giving a lesson on theology

Wednesday 14 January 2015

Ting Han (挺瀚) : 长老会中学

我们实习生来到长老会中学 的这个经验真的是令我们难忘。

从我们练习的前一天到礼拜三的那一天,我们都战战兢兢的等待第一个崇拜的开始。



我们都在不仅的练习,希望能够在台上的时候能表现的最好。


敬拜团队


Kieran 的分享


Samuel 的分享


崇拜过后的分享与回复 



全体照!

这次的敬拜与分享让我有一个不同的体会。牧师说长老会中学的基督徒是大约全校的百分之三十。基督徒人数并不多但是我们还是带着一个敬虔和虔诚的心来敬拜我们的天父上帝。每当我们带领敬拜的时候,我都很想把大家一起来敬拜上帝。想让他们敞开心怀赞美我们的拯救者。但在那学校并没那么发生。

你们觉得我会失望是吗?但我却觉得我们的敬拜还不错。虽然大多数的学生没有唱,但有几个学生却开了嘴巴的清唱。这让我感到满欣慰的。这代表了那些学生依然是想要赞美上帝的。他们不管同学怎么说他们或怎么取笑他们,他们就是要称颂上帝。因为年纪幼小的学生通常都很注重朋友的批评或看法,但他们却毫无恐惧的开口敬拜,这小小的举动真的让我更想开我的嘴巴更大声的敬拜上帝。

到了分享的时候,Kieran弟兄与同学分享了耶稣是我们生命中最重要的,不是成绩或感情。Samuel弟兄却分享了耶稣的帮助和在他学业,兵营的困难。这又让我回想起在我遇到困难的时候,耶稣怎么的带我平安的度过。

短暂的一天但获益的并不非浅哦!让我们继续把耶稣放在我们生命中的第一位,让耶稣掌管我们的每一天。

Tuesday 13 January 2015

Xiu Li (秀丽): 平衡工作与生活

昨天(周一)是我们实习生的休假日,所以我们就选了这一天来举行促进我们之间友谊的活动。我们就约好了要到东陵联络所(Tanglin Community Centre) 去打羽毛球。打羽毛球除了能运动,放松心情之外,也是一种能促进我们之间凝聚力的运动。虽然没有全员到齐,但我们还是享受整个早上的团契时间。

实习生打羽毛球:秀美(左),策义(左),姿伶(右) 
实习生打羽毛球:策义(右上),威全 (右下)
实习生打羽毛球:姿伶(左上),裕民(左下)


团体照:秀丽(左下),姿伶(左上),秀美(中),裕民(右上),威全(右上)和策义(右下)

一起享用午餐
今天早上我们灵修后就在教堂里练习明天在长老会中学的周会里所要带领敬拜赞美的诗歌。
每一个人都有不一样的角色,如领诗,伴唱,司琴(钢琴,吉他,cajon),做投影片与见证分享。午餐后我们就前往长老会中学的教堂来继续练习我们的敬拜赞美并熟悉诗歌的顺序,司琴与领诗的配搭和整个周会的流程。刚开始,吉他与钢琴和领唱的数度完全不搭,不然就是司琴等领唱进来那首歌然而领唱也在等司琴进来。同时,分享见证的两位弟兄也在一旁努力的练习他们所要分享的内容。后来练了整个下午司琴才能与领诗有跟好的搭配。我很开心我们这十二位实习生能在不同的岗位上一起的来事奉上帝。

早上在教堂(恩泽堂)里练习敬拜赞美

在忙着做敬拜赞美投影片的林立

在长老会中学里的教堂

司琴:在练习吉他的秀美(左)与威全(右)

司琴:Joseph


在长老会中学练习敬拜赞美


全体照



Friday 9 January 2015

Courtney (林立): 介绍长老会教会

真的感谢上帝让我们在这个星期里学到了非常多东西, 主要是我们长老会教会的开始,教义和行事。今天我们学到了长老会的信念。讲员Pr Roger Chia 也和我们解释不同教派所相信的教义。从书面上学习是一回事,但在和我的天主教朋友谈关于炼狱 (purgatory)的观念后,我才发现天主教和基督教对同一个上帝的认识实在是有天渊之别。 我的朋友所提出的解释其实都是我们在这几天内都谈过的问题,比如说一个佛教的信徒为什么不能因自己的爱的行为进天堂?我的朋友解释,天主教相信其他宗教的信徒若以爱心行善事 (按照耶稣的教导)也可以通过炼狱洗净他们的罪,进天堂。

我听了感到非常激愤,因为这个想法有太多的缺陷;这些缺陷也是我们前几天都又谈过的!那时他的解释听起来很没有道理,但就因为这样,就向我彰显了上帝的权威。上帝的确是掌管天地万物,每一个人,每一件事得主,而这位伟大,圣洁得主多么值得我们敬拜赞美。

长老会教派相信:
1. 上帝是掌权

  • 上帝掌管祂所创造的万物
  • 上帝掌管生命里的每一件事
  • 上帝掌管我们的救恩

2. 祂的恩典居首位

  • “恩典回领我们回家”:若上帝决定要拯救我们,祂一定会成全
  • 我们不用怕会失去救恩或与上帝隔绝

3. 上帝立的约使我们能得救

  • 上帝立约要供应一个救赎人

4.  The Church is one, holy, catholic and apostolic (sorry just couldn't do this in chinese :( )

  • 共同的信息,圣洁
  • 看得见和看不见的教会(不是每一个参与上帝看得见的教会就能得到永生)

5. 圣礼

  • 启示,密封,盖印
  • 判定我们对上帝的兴趣

过后灵修时,我们学到了我们信心的基础必须是上帝的话语。我们要敢于踏出信心的第一个脚步,才能看见上帝在我们的生命动工。

Thursday 8 January 2015

Xiu Mei (秀美): 认识教会

连续两日到不同的机构去探访,今天我们再次回到恩泽堂学习。在同样的地点,同样的课室,不同的是我们多了一位新成员- Samual。

早上灵修过后,张牧师给我们上了一堂教会论,了解教会是什么,为什么存在,有什么功能。

张牧师在教导教会论

20世纪的教会论

教会是

  • 基督的身体
  • 尼西亚信经- 我信独一, 圣洁, 大公, 使徒的教会。
    1. Body of Christ 基督的身体 (一个身体必须有同样的教导,同样的价值观)
    2. Holy 圣洁 (基督的新妇- 教导与道德必须是圣洁的)
    3. Catholic 大公 (上帝的子民是平等的,不应有等级)
    4. 使徒 (圣灵的殿宇)
教会为什么存在
  1. 为了敬拜上帝
  2. 为了拯救世界
  3. 为了养育训练圣徒
教会的5个功能
  • 敬拜
  • 教导
  • 关怀
  • 宣教
  • 团契
  • 行政:辅助

上完课后,我们的午餐吃得特别的香。

下午,基甸传道继续给我们讲解不同宗派的分别。



之后我们一同阅读一本叫"What is a reformed church?", 之后我们还为星期三的Assembly 做准备。大家在一起度过了非常充实、有趣的星期四。

Zeng Yu 与Justin 在练习诗歌

Wednesday 7 January 2015

Kieren Kong(威全): Andrew & Grace Home

Today we went to Andrew & Grace (AG) home. Many of us went in clueless thinking it was a home for the elderly, but we encountered something starkly different. This was a girls home that housed children that were abused, mentally challenged or delinquents. We were warmly welcomed by the staff and given a presentation and tour by Pastor Adrian. He told us the core values of the centre:
Affirming
Graciousness

Honoring
Optimistic
Magnanimous
Empathetic


 He told us that AG home was founded as a result of Andrew and Grace finding a baby in a trash bin and having their hearts broken. They took the baby in and subsequently also fostered many other children. It started out as a family, but due to the intake of girls, was changed to be an institution. However, recently, AG home aims at returning to its roots - that of family. This means that they celebrate weakness and  vulnerability as it gives the children and them hope to follow Christ because he died for all. The goal of the centre is to serve the kids and to give them a hope and direction in life.

One of the ways action is being taken ion these goals is the formation of the STARS (Students Taking A Radical Stand) academy. This academy was created to equip the kids with people skills, self-care and self-awareness to prepare them for life outside the home and to help them earn an honest living. They were also supported in their endeavours by the sponsors listed below.

 Pastor Adrian shared with us his methodologies of helping the centre transit to one that was more like a daily. He emphasised the need for a continuum of care where the helpers had to ask themselves: What more can I do for the children? What if this girl was your daughter, what would you have done?
 Many of these girls had never experienced a proper family and the love that all children required. As a result, they found 'family' outside of their moral boundaries and ended up in the home. We learnt that no one was beyond hope and that we all required the power of God to help change the girls, because he is all powerful. We also learnt of how God is a gracious God and has provided for the needs of all the workers. We just had to pray and God would do wonders.
He ended off with a few lessons that he shared with his staff which I think is applicable for all of us:
1) Have fun
2) Eat well
3) Don't be foolish.

This whole experience really came as a big shock to me. I had never come into contact with these type of people in society so I was thoroughly shocked when I heard stories of girls doing acts such as stealing or getting pregnant. It was so real for me because it was all true and testified by someone who had been in the field for many years. 

It also forced me to wonder: What gave me the right to be where I am now? It is by the grace of God that I can be worshipping him right now and having this experience. It is scary for me to think that I could have been influenced by birth or circumstances and have been no different from these kids. In a sense, we aren't very different anyway - we are all sinners lost in a sinful world and we both need the grace of God. I do believe in the grace of God and I will continue to pray for these kids and thank God for the immense grace he has had on me thus far.

Tuesday 6 January 2015

ZengYu(增玉):探访活动之‘施乐’乐龄活动中心

今天我们一组人非常有幸的去‘施乐’乐龄活动中心学习、见识。
我们非常荣幸的有几位负责基督教长老会社区服务的‘重量级’人物在场,其中包括Mr Laurence Wee,Mr David Lim,Mr Tristan 等等。
Mr Tristan在为我们介绍、讲解‘施乐’乐龄活动中心的过去、背景及活动中心成立的目的、服务人群和所拥有的各种活动。

这是二楼乐龄中心的内部装修样式:老人们可以在客厅举行小型活动,热心善良的志愿者们则在厨房忙着准备有需要老人们的饭菜。
老人们在客厅读报休息,享受彼此陪伴的时光,宁静淡然却不失平安喜乐,好不亦乐乎!

我们一群人分成两个小组去分别拜访了两户乐龄中心楼上的“单身住户”——孤单老人。这位婆婆虽已到耄耋之年,但她身体健朗,谈吐清晰,自己一人居住,打扫煮饭能不借他人之手,自己独立完成,实在是让人惊叹佩服不已!虽独身居住,但她却能挂着灿烂明媚的笑容告诉我们,她很喜乐,因她心中确确实实的感受到了基督的平安与宁静。哈利路亚!




中午吃完午饭后,我们回到我们的“大本营”做我们的“每日分享”。大家都很认真,讨论都很积极,当然我们还要非常感谢Pastor Willy的分享和小伙伴Courtney准备的各种引人深思的好问题。