Zion Bishan Bulletin 31 May 2020 Livestream
31 May 2020
31 May 2020
10.30 am Livestream
Call to Worship
Meditative Hymn: O Breath of Life
Scripture Reading: John 13.1-17 NIV
Message: " Whatever It Takes”
Response Hymn: Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God
Corporate Life & Prayer
Offering
Benediction
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: Rev Dr Tan Soo Inn
Worship Leader & AV: Pastor Dev Menon
Songs for personal worship and reflection:
www.zionbishan.org.sg/songs-for-reflection
Looking Ahead
Friday, 5 June
8 pm Zoom Prayer Meeting (Registration required):
www.zionbishan.org.sg/friday-prayer-meeting
Sunday, 7 June
10.30 am English Livestreaming Service
"Hope in Hardship"
Speaker: Mr Quek Tze-Ming
Speaker: Rev Dr Tan Soo Inn
Whatever It Takes - Reflections on Service
John 13:1-17
The world defines greatness in terms of position and privilege
Jesus defines true greatness as loving, sacrificial service of others
We can do this because our self worth is rooted in our identity as children of God
When we follow in Jesus' footsteps we experience true blessing
Reflection Questions
- We are so familiar with this passage we are not shocked by it anymore. What is the most shocking element of this story?
- If we love our brothers we should be prepared to do whatever we can to serve them. Is this my attitude towards the members of my church? Small group? How do I serve people I don't like?
- To be free to serve we must be secure in who we are in Christ. What do you do to deepen your communion with Jesus?
- How can our church be a servant to our neighbourhood?
Our Church
Pentecost Sunday – “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love…” Eph 3:14-17 (ESV). May the Spirit, given to the church on Pentecost, give us wisdom and knowledge of God’s plan and power towards the saints so that we walk in love with one another.
Food Aid Meal Deliveries – We have served 3,000 meals to our neighbours in need this week, and we will be extending our meal deliveries after Circuit Breaker. Praise God for the many volunteers who are helping. Pray for volunteers to be able to connect through the brief conversations and smiles (through our masks) to the households around our church. May the beauty of Christ be seen in all that we do.
S3P – Pray for long-term shelter solutions for our 5 guest stayers in our church. Praise God that one of them has been offered a HDB rental flat and would be able to move there soon. Thank God for another who has been open to hearing the gospel. We have had good talks on spiritual matters and this week he was able to pray with Ps Lim for forgiveness of his sins. Pray for his love and trust in Jesus to grow and to help him through the trials of health and life he is facing.
Our People
Students – Children and students return to school this week. Pray for not only their safety, but also their testimonies for Christ in their schools. Pray also for ZBK and for their reopening.
Our World
India, West Bengal – Thank God for the protection from serious harm and loss for two ministry partners who faced Cyclone Amphan this week. One was in Kolkata and the other further north in the path of the cyclone.
India, Bihar – Pray for wisdom and perseverance for Thomas, one of our ministry partners staff worker who has been harassed and beaten by some villagers. The local police have intervened. His family is scared and have moved out to another place for safety. Thank God for fellow believers who have come alongside Thomas to encourage him at this time.
Indonesia – Pray for healing and recovery for Pak Heru, a wise and faithful man and his wife, who are both hospitalized for COVID-19. Pak Heru was with a group of churches in Indonesia working with Zion Bishan in the past. Pray particularly for Pak Heru. He currently has pneumonia and is on a ventilator.
- Dear ZBBP family,
Thank you for the love, prayers, condolences and encouragement shown to our family during the recent bereavement of my mum, mum in law n grandmother.
In appreciation,
Carol, Roland, Andrew, Zhiwen and Zhi En Low
Pandemic Narratives
Written by Ps David Wong
How we think about something is as important as, if not more important than, the thing itself. Different narratives have been framed around the current global pandemic. The narrative you adopt, consciously or subconsciously, determines how you respond.
If you believe the conspiracy theory that the virus was made in a laboratory and released into the world as part of a biological warfare, your response would take on a war footing. If you accept the medical narrative that novel coronaviruses appear from time to time, then COVID-19 becomes a health issue.
For Christians, we take the view that all things happen by the purpose or permission of our sovereign God. Hence some believe God is using the pandemic to give His creation a reprieve from pollution and carbon emission. Others think this pestilence, like those mentioned in Scriptures, is divine judgement on the world. We have not conducted ourselves—our homes, churches, businesses and nations—as God intends and commands.
Whichever narrative we adopt, the commentary from Jesus remains the same, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3,5 ESV). That was his answer to the conventional narrative to the human and natural disasters of those days. King Solomon heard the same from God should drought or plague come upon the land and people, “...if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron 7:14 ESV).
We may subscribe to one or more narratives, but in the final analysis, they are only subplots. The meta-narrative has already been given to us: “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Rom 8:22 ESV). Jesus warns of wars, famines, earthquakes and pestilences (Luke 21.10-11) as part of birth pains pointing to a climax. When that climactic moment comes, nothing else matters except how each of us will meet Jesus when He comes to finally put everything right.
Rest Day for Pastoral Staff
(A Request from HR Committee)
We thank God for our team of dedicated pastoral staff who are readily accessible to members for pastoral care and counselling matters throughout the week. Most of our pastors have their off-day on Mondays except for one on Wednesday so that at least a pastor is available on Monday. The arrangement is to allow the pastors to have their proper rest and time with their own families during their day off. Please be mindful to allow our Pastors to rest on their off-day, except for very urgent matters.
Under the Wings of God:
Lessons from Ruth for Troubled Times
6 Free BGST Videos
BGST has produced specially for this season a video study on the book of Ruth: How it was then, and how we can apply the lessons to our local context in our times.
The videos can be accessed here: https://www.bgst.edu.sg/the-ruth-series
The Marriage Course (Preview)
13 June, Saturday, 4.00pm
The Marriage Course is a 7-Session Christian Course designed to equip couples in their marital journey.
The preview will run a sneak peek at one of the seven sessions via Zoom.
To register go to www.zionbishan.org.sg/tmc-preview
Christianity Explored
29 July, Wednesday, 7.45pm
A new round of CE will be run entirely on Zoom. Invite friends and family and attend CE together!
Be a CE table host!
Training begins 1 July, 7.45pm
Training will be conducted every Wednesday from 1 July to 22 July via Zoom. Contact Vernon for more information: vernon@zionbishan.org.sg
Zion Bishan Kindergarten
Reopens 2 June
ZBK will be commencing on their 3rd term in June. Students may return by cohorts as follows:
K1 and K2 children from 2 June
N1 and N2 children from 8 June
Do pray for a smooth process for the reopening.
