Dear Brothers & Sisters,
Prepare for Changes …
About 3 weeks ago, we received notice from Bethany Evangelical Free Church that they would need us to shift our worship time to be at 4pm instead of 3pm. The reason is that their Chinese congregation has grown and they require longer time and more space for their activities. We tried our best to explain to Bethany Church that the one hour delay would mean our Sunday School classes will end at 7pm. This will have a significant impact to our members. We also acknowledge that we are tenants in their Church premises and hence will want to be cooperative at all times.
Bethany Church has replied that they will still require us to shift our worship time to 4pm. Thank God that this change will only take effect from 1 April 2012. They have given us sufficient time to plan and adjust to the change in time. We are thankful to the Lord for the 6 months’ grace period.
What is next …?
There will be many questions in your mind as to what is next for our Church? Some of you may feel the new timing is rather inconvenient for you as it can affect your Sunday after-Church evening routine activity such as family dinner or children’s sleeping time. We are also affected with speakers who will need to preach at Calvary Pandan’s Sunset service at 6pm.
Our Church Session has met and discussed about it. We wonder if it is God’s indication for us to find a new premises for our Church. I am sure this thought is also in your mind when you read of this news. It was in late 1996 that we moved to Bethany Church. We had a short stay in Salvation Army premises having to move out of our first premises at Tampines Warehouse after about 9 years. Thank God that we had stayed in Bethany Church for about 15 years. This place has been very conducive and welcoming for us. It also suits our membership size and activities very well. I believe we are all very satisfied in the use of this place.
My thought went to Rev. Dr. Timothy Tow in 1987 who gave our Church the name “Tabernacle” which is a tent and it implies we have to be on the move always. It is easy to stay in our comfort zone and become complacent in our Church life. I believe this incident is a wake-up call from God that we cannot take things for granted. We are living in the end times and we ought to re-double our efforts for the Lord and increase in our zeal for Him. Have we slackened and become lukewarm in our love for the Lord Jesus Christ? Have we lost our first love for Him?
Pray for our Church
We do not know what is ahead but we know we need to pray urgently and to seek the Lord’s direction for us when 1 April 2012 comes. We urge every Church member to pray individually and corporately let us seek the Lord’s will for our Church. Do we stay on in Bethany Church and accept the new timing? Or do we move to a new premises? If we move, where do we go? Only the Lord knows the answer but He wants us to ask, seek and knock. The answer will then come from the Lord.
Luke 11:9, “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
Let us all be fervent and importunate in our prayers to the Lord in this matter for our Church.
Searching for a New Premises
The Church Session has decided that we ought to be more pro-active now to search for possible premises. This is our human responsibility to do our part and then committing all possibilities into God’s Hands to show and lead us. If you are aware of any possible premises, do share to any of the Session members. I am certain the Lord will direct our paths in this search for a new premises. Trust in Him at all times!
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Praying for God’s leading for our Church.
Elder John Leong