Zion Bishan Bulletin 12 Apr 2020 Livestream

12 April 2020
10.30 am Livestream

Call to Worship

Meditative Hymn: Christ the Lord is Risen Today

Scripture Reading: John 20.1-23 ESV

Message: "From the Rising of the Son..."

Responsive Meditation: Christ Our Hope in Life and Death

Corporate Life & Prayer

Offering

Closing Prayer

Announcements

We are pleased to welcome you to worship with us! If you are new to Zion Bishan, do drop us a note on our contact form and our hospitality team will get in touch with you in the coming week. Please use the same contact form if you want to find out more about our faith, or about our activities and programmes.
http://www.zionbishan.org.sg/about/contact-us/response-form/

Our Sunday services at a glance

Speaker: Mr Quek Tze-Ming
PA: Vernon Quek
Music Team C (Recording): Tim Hia (Piano), Zachary Tan (Percussion), Eugene Tan (Guitar), Pen (Bass), Jessica-Ann, Benlee Tan, Selena Hia, Priscilla Chew, Francis Wong (Vocals), Abraham Lee (PA)

Looking Ahead

Friday, 17 April
8 pm Zoom Prayer Meeting

Sunday, 19 April
10.30 am English Livestreaming Service
 “The Suffering Continues”
Speaker: Pastor Dev Menon

Speaker: Mr Quek Tze-Ming

From the Rising of the Son…
John 20.1-23

The Run (vv. 1-10)

 The Turn (vv. 11-18)

The Sending (vv. 19–23)

Discussion Questions

1. John records three witnesses to the empty tomb: Mary Magdalene, Peter and “the other disciple” (John himself). What important details do we learn from each one (John 20:1-9)?
2. What strikes you most, or what was unexpected, about the encounter between Mary and Jesus (20:16-18)? Why? What was your first encounter with Jesus like?
3. Share about the ways in which, just as the Father sent Jesus, even so Jesus is sending you and/or your AG (20:21); especially in these difficult times?

Our Church

Lament (Psalm 13) — “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day... But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”

COVID-19 Survey — A small team has reached out to respondents who have indicated a need for help. Pray for continued wisdom and resources for the team. Pray also that this would be a wonderful opportunity for Zion Bishan to grow together in love and unity.

Our People

The Living Room — Thank God that The Living Room has been given permission to continue operation despite being located within the church premises. Pray that the café will continue to be a means of reaching out to our community.

Zion Bishan Kindergarten — ZBK has commenced home-based learning. Pray for the teachers as they move their teaching online. It will be a steep learning curve for many. May they be able to continue connecting with their students and carry out their teaching roles well. Pray for Dns Peck San as she assists with training the teachers.

Our World

Circuit Breaker — Singapore is into its first week of the Circuit Breaker. Thank God for the government who has taken deliberate measures to ease into this state. Pray all Singaporeans will adhere to the measures and stay safe. Pray also that these measures will effectively reduce the spread of COVID-19 so that things can return to normalcy.

Foreign Workers — Pray for the foreign worker (FW) dormitory COVID-19 clusters that have recently emerged and continue to swell in numbers. FWs in these affected dormitories have been told to stay quarantined in their rooms. However, living conditions are cramped and not ideal for social distancing. Pray that dorm operators will fulfil their responsibilities to care for these FWs and help stop the transmission of the virus. Pray also for those who have been tested positive for COVID-19. The first FW to be diagnosed with it is still in ICU. During this time of quarantine, it will be a stressful time for the FWs as they fear for their health and finances.

Ministry Partner in Central Philippines — A ministry worker, Primen, in Cebu has breathing difficulties. This is the result of a heart condition and not COVID-19. Pray for a cardiologist to be available to see him and prescribe the necessary medication he needs. They have been unable to do so because of the virus situation in the Philippines.

Pause or Reset

Written by Ps Zheng Haoren

When MOH raised the national risk assessment alert to DORSCON Orange on 7 Feb 2020, we were cautioned by the Health Minister that the Covid-19 outbreak may take months to resolve. It resulted in some degree of alarm but the public was quickly assured by our national leaders. The following two months sped by, with escalating infections and corresponding precautionary measures implemented every week.

During the initial weeks when church congregations were still able to meet and workplaces started to function in split teams with telecommuting, many regarded this season as a pause to one’s routine. Church programmes and activities were postponed; overseas travel curtailed; face-to-face meetings between individuals in split teams were disallowed; etc. These were necessary adjustments. But, otherwise, people were still able to meet over meals and go shopping.

“Oh, things are slowing down. It’s a good change to our national lifestyle actually.  These restrictions are like pressing the ‘pause’ button while you’re watching YouTube. Let’s take this slowdown to catch our breath.” These were thoughts on people’s minds. There was a somewhat overconfident hope that the effects of Covid-19 will soon come to pass, the DORSCON alert will be reversed, and life will return to normalcy.

It did not happen. Instead, Covid-19 infections escalated in waves not just in Singapore but across the world.  Except for essential services, everything else has now come to a standstill in Singapore till 4 May at least. Stay-at-home, work from home, most workplaces closed, schools closed, worship venues closed, public libraries closed, no entertainment, no shopping, no face-to-face meetings or gatherings with friends, relatives, colleagues, or church brethren. It is now an offence not to practise safe-distancing. All these have kicked in! Life in Singapore currently is no longer the same.

Has reality sunk in? Is this a Pause? Or has the Reset button been activated? I believe it is the latter. Our Heavenly Father has allowed Covid-19 to become a worldwide pandemic and at an unprecedented speed.  He knows what is best for mankind. Father knows best. Our lifestyles, values, and attitudes need to be reviewed. How should we respond? Should we maintain the attitude of riding through this pandemic and reverting to our usual intense lifestyles again? If we have resolved to use this season to seek God in solitude, to grow in prayer life, to value time with loved ones, to journal, to de-clutter, to revive book-reading, etc., would we be even more resolved to maintain these disciplines when God in His mercy heals the lands and the peoples around the world? If we have been living at a fast and intense pace without God being in our centre, would we see the need to Reset our lives, and not just pause and revert to usual when this pandemic ends?

Interested to know who Jesus is?

If you’re joining us for the first time, and wondering about what Christians believe, drop us an email and we’ll be more than happy to share what the good news of Jesus Christ!
dev@zionbishan.org.sg
emily@zionbishan.org.sg

Peer Support Program
Ready to respond

Our church has a pool of peer supporters who will confidentially help members as first responders in any emotional struggle.
Any member who wishes to speak with a peer supporter may contact his/her Cluster Leader or Dns Siew Choo at 9856 8283 to get connected.

The Living Room Café
Open for takeaway and delivery

Monday: 3pm – 8.30pm
Tuesday to Saturday: 12pm – 8.30pm
https://www.facebook.com/livingroombishan/

Drop by TLR or call 6715 7899 to order in advance for self pick-up. Or order online with FoodPanda for delivery.

If you swing by TLR, do consider donating to the tipping jar. Money collected will be used to bless the delivery riders with a free drink. This initiative will carry on throughout this Circuit Breaker period.

We are looking for a full-time Youth Ministry Staff

The applicant should possess the following requirements:

• Be a committed Christian with a passion to serve youths.
• 2-3 years of work experience in ministry. Youth related preferred.
• A good command in written and oral communication and possess interpersonal skills to lead teams and be relational.
• Min. qualification – Diploma, preferably related to education or development of young persons.

The role will primarily involve leading the foundational pillars of our Youth Ministry – YF, YD, youth camps and retreats, namely, in the following areas:

• Plan and execute ministry activities with youth committee members.
• Develop YD curriculum to ensure strong foundation in youths’ relationship with God.
• Work closely with other family related ministries.
• Provide pastoral care to youths.

Please email applications to Ps Dev
dev@zionbishan.org.sg