Bethesda Church Bukit Arang 20th Anniversary
The theme for the 20th Anniversary celebration ; " Touching Our Community " reflects a coming of age for Bukit Arang. It marks a milestone as we recognise our mission to reach out to the community at large.
Congratulatory
Message (Dr Lawrence Chan)
Congratulatory
message (BETHESDA CHRISTIAN CENTRE)
Elders message
Looking Ahead -
David Choo
Church Themes
Congratulatory Message for 20th Anniversary - Dr Lawrence Chan
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On
the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the
founding of Bethesda Church Bukit Arang, it is a
privilege for me to give you congratulations and
prayerful good wishes for God’s continued direction
and blessings. I can do no better than to borrow from the
testimony of Paul writing to the Philippian Church in
chapter 3 vs 12-14. "Not that I have already obtained all this , or have I been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." |
I find that Paul stressed the following> There is the forgetting the past, its mistakes and accomplishments. There is the straining towards the goal of His return and the consummation of the ages in the new heavens and the new earth. In the meanwhile, there is the pressing onward in the Christian walk and witness. I think that our enemy would want us to be so taken up with the past or the future that we forget what we are to do now. Let us occupy and trade with the talents and the opportunities that present themselves to us now. Let us be faithful with the task at hand. May God help us all to do so for His glory.
Dr. Lawrence Chan
Elder
Bethesda Hall , Ang Mo Kio
Congratulatory message from BETHESDA CHRISTIAN CENTRE
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It
is our pleasure and privilege to share in your joy on the
occasion of Bukit Arang’s 20th
Anniversary. Having celebrated our 10th Anniversary recently in July 1997, we understand the excitement of the Elders and Members of Bethesda Church Bukit Arang. It was ten years ago that Bukit Arang felt that the most fitting way to mark her 10th Anniversary was to start a Second Service, which was to be the nucleus of a daughter church. |
On the occasion of your 20th Anniversary, you can now look back with satisfaction that you not only have a thriving assembly with two English language meetings and a Cantonese one, you also have the satisfaction of knowing that you played an important part in the growth of the Brethren church in Singapore by planting Bethesda Christian Centre (BCC).
Our ties are not only rooted in history but also cemented by joint projects and ministries. The joint church building project in BA and the acquisition of a property for BCC are examples of such close links. Another is the joint support of Ong Bee Choo, currently serving with WEC in Japan.
Please accept the heartiest best wishes of your brothers and sisters in BCC. May our Lord permit you to do many more great things for His glory in the years to come.
The Elders and Members
Bethesda Christian Centre
From The Mountain Top - Elders message
Blessed
are the people whose God is the Lord Ps 144:15
They will celebrate your abundant goodness – Ps 145:7
And joyfully sing for your righteousness Your saints will extol
you – Ps 145:10
The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he
has made – Ps 145:13
The Lord watches over all who love him – Ps 145:20
Travellers who have climbed hills and crossed valleys and who have reached half-way up one of the high mountains often cannot resist looking back. From their vantage point they see the peaks only and not the valleys but they know there have been valleys and rivers to cross too.
As one of the fellow travellers up the coal hill of Bukit Arang and somewhere at the half-way mark, I pause to look back on this the twentieth year of our journey. The first emotion and thought is that we have been truly blessed by God. It was God who provided the land through the generous bequest of a far-sighted sister. It was God’s grace which moved the brothers and sisters at Bethesda Hall to provide for the first building in 1975 in an inaccessible kampong, by faith that it will be used by God. It was God’s love which constrained 70 brothers and sisters to leave the relative comfort of their church life at Bras Basah to brave it out in those early years without proper road. Truly we celebrate God’s abundant goodness and blessings.
The second matter for celebration is God’s faithfulness and watch over us. Of the 70 pioneers, all have kept faith and many are still actively serving though way past the so called retirement age. God has blessed their commitment to serve and build the church as both a family and neighbourhood church. That today three congregations meet concurrently in Bukit Arang for worship and the Lord’s Supper and their daughter church Bethesda Christian Centre worships autonomously in Sembawang, testify to God’s faithfulness.
On a personal level, many of our members are truly grateful to God and extol Him for the salvation of their parents and family. It is truly marvellous how our Lord led Bukit Arang to start a modest outreach to parents in the early years and later through the church camps, culminating in the formation of the Cantonese Dialect fellowship in 1992.
The faithfulness of our Lord is evident at the church level too. As the church moved on to many new ministries to cater to the neighbourhood, our Lord provided the leaders, workers and resources. Many of the ministries were born out of a vision given to one or a few members and took a while for the church to decide on, but God’s hand and blessing was evident as Bukit Arang moved from being family-centred to neighbourhood-oriented. The kindergarten (1985), the Boys’ Brigade (1987) and the Student Care (1995) effectively anchored Bukit Arang to the community and now caters to 500 students today. All praise to God that quite a few students and parents too have come into the Kingdom through the faithful ministry of the committees, teachers and officers.
Another very tangible sign of God’s faithfulness is the gracious giving of God’s people at Bukit Arang to Bethesda Centre ($ 2.2 million in 1990-1992) and the renovation of our first building ($1.1 million in 1997) The next provision of God is premises for our daughter church – Bethesda Christian Centre in Sembawang, the seed money for which has already been raised.
The giving of our people is truly a work of God’s grace in our members’ lives as Bukit Arang moves from not only being neighbourhood-oriented but mission-focused as well. From supporting a few missionary organisations such as the Orang Asli, the SIB and Madras Haven of Hope and a few missionaries, Bukit Arang sensed the Lord’s leading to participate in the Adopt-A-People (AAP) movement about five years ago. The Lord’s leading in our AAP project led to our adoption of the Yao people of China after several clear signs and blessings from the Lord. Truly the Lord is faithful to all His promises as we look forward to planting a church for the Yaos.
Besides being good to us as a church, God has also watched over all our members. God’s grace and generous provision was our portion in times of sickness or health, boom or recession and care of children and aged parents. There are now three generations of Christians in Bukit Arang as the children of the pioneering group become adults and start serving.
Looking back over the hills and valleys brings to mind God’s goodness, faithfulneess and continual watch over us.This is truly cause for celebration. But as we turn our gaze to our fellow travellers, we see that God requires us who are His people to be faithful and steadfast. It is good to see all of the pioneers still actively serving and Sunday School students and youths who joined Bukit Arang in the early years taking leadership. The need of Bukit Arang for leaders and active workers has increased more than five fold and members in their twenties and thirties must rise to the occasion. There would be tension and difficult choices to make as these are the years which are so important for building one’s career in highly competitive and economically-robust Singapore. The pull of materialism is greater today than when we started in 1977. It is also more demanding today to raise a family. Church members are also becoming more exposed to all kinds of teaching, both outside and in the church. They tend to view the church as a provider of services to meet their needs rather than a family or body to express their Christianity to the blessing of men and the glory of God.
For those who have gone the full distance of 20 years, it is tempting to take a breather and a rest as we look back. But as we look up, we see yet much ground to cover and hills to claim. And in the not too far horizon is the blue of heaven and the thought that before long the day will be spent. I am reminded of Paul’s exhortation to work while it is still day before the night comes and the still urgent divine call "Whom shall I send and who will go for us ? "
As we thank God that we are truly blessed, we know that He requires us to continue to give ourselves fully to His work, knowing that our labour for Him and in His strength is not in vain.
The Elders
Bethesda Church Bukit Arang
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Bukit
Arang started as a fledgling church planted in a totally
new community striving to find its own identity and
ministry. Over the last 10 years we have moved from being
member-centered to neighbourhood-centered and
mission-centered. The church premises are being utilised to the full every day of the week. About 500 children and students are ebing cared for and nutured in the weekdays through the ministry of the Kindergarten, Student Care and the Boys’ Brigade. On Saturdays, the BA Youth have an interesting and attractive programme for church youths and their friends. On Sundays,every available space is used for the four congregations meeting concurrently – the first and second English services, the Cantonese Dialect Fellowship and the Hokkien assembly . These Worship Services are followed by Sunday School and Bible Classes. |
Our Lord has blessed our church in many ways as can be seen from the various articles in this magazine. Standing at the threshold of the next millenium, as we see the rapid changes in the world, we sense that we are on the threshold of important eschatological events also. The Great Commission expressed in Matthew 18: 18-20 and especially the urgency sounded by Matthew 24:14 ( that the Gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come) demand our commitment to mission and evangelism both in our neighbourhood , nation and the regions beyond.
The next 10 years would see our greater commitment and , God- willing, success in reaching out to seekers through new and relevant ministries specially catering to them.The positive experience of many churches in other countries and Singapore which have adopted seeker-oriented activities serve as our model and encouragement.
Our missionary endeavours would also be stepped up and we await expectantly for the establishment of the first church among the Yaos and effective training and development of Yao Christians in the different counties. God-willing , we will see a few BA members going forth as missionaries to the Yaos.
The needs of other missions also deserve support and we would seek to enhance our partnership with the existing missionary agencies and also other agencies. With the present resources of the church, we should be able to step up our involvement in missions to the ASEAN countries.
The further growth of our church will require and indeed will depend on more members becoming elders , deacons and more active leaders in various ministries. There would be a need for a few more full-time elders,youth workers,children’s workers ministry of women workers, a music director and evangelism worker and team to take care of the Seekers meetings.
Going by what is standard and most vibrant and growing churches, Bukit Arang needs at least 10 full-time workers and the active support and ministry of her members to take care of all its ministries with excellence. We have provided the physical infrastructure and organisational structure in the last 10 years. We will need to concentrate on our human resources and the spiritual resources that comes from our obedience and faith and close walk with God.
In one sense, we’ve only just begun and we look to the Lord to lead us into works and fruit that will last in the years ahead. Following the great example of Paul , may we never be lacking in zeal but keeping our spiritual fervour, serve the Lord until He comes.
David Choo
Elder
1978
January - June – Members Of One
Another.
July - December – Members’ Involvement In Church
Activities And Witness To Family Members.
1979
Fellowship In The Gospel
1980
Guard The Gospel (1 Tim. 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:14)
1981 · 1982
Presenting Every Man Mature In Christ (2 Tim. 3:6)
1983
Spiritual Growth Of Members Through Bible Study And Quiet Time.
1984
Evangelism
1985
Outreach To The Neighbourhood
1986
January - June – Emphasis on Luis Palau Mission.
July - December – Church Education Programme
1987
Church Growth & Mission (Isaiah 54:2)
10th Anniversary : Ten Years On
1988
Go Deeper In All Areas Of Ministry
1989
Growing In The Word
1990
Knowing Christ (Phil. 3:10)
1991
Challenge to Christian Service
1992
Christian, Church and Community
1993
Doing Exploits for God
1994
Mission, Evangelism and Caring
1995
Church Growth
1996
Church Unity (Phil. 1:27-28)
1997
Towards Excellence
20th Anniversary : Touching Our Community