Zion Bishan Bulletin 20 September 2020 English Services
19 September 2020
20 September 2020
English Services & 10.30 am Livestream
Call to Worship
Meditative Hymn: Never Once
Scripture Reading: Joshua 8:1–9; 24-35 ESV
Message: A Faithful People for a Faithful God
Response Hymn: Find Us Faithful
Corporate Life & Prayer
Offering
Benediction
Announcements
Note: Holy Communion will be served at all in-person services
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
Speakers: Mr Vernon Quek/Pastor Dev Menon
Worship Leader: Elder David & Elder Sonny
AV: James Kok, Melissa Leong, Steven Tan & Soh Kok Hong
Pianist: Tim Hia
English Services: Hope & Peace Cluster
Pastor: Zheng Haoren
Elders: Elder David & Elder Sonny
Deacons: Dns Siew Choo, Dn Chew Meng & Dn Joseph
Staff: Sharon, Tze Ming, June
Songs for personal worship and reflection:
www.zionbishan.org.sg/songs-for-reflection
| Pastors (more info) | |
| E-mail: user ID followed by @zionbishan.org.sg | |
| Rev Dr Alby Yip, Senior Pastor | alby |
| Rev Dr Dev Menon, Pastor | dev |
| Rev Zheng Haoren, Pastor (Comm Dev’t) | haoren |
| Rev Ebinezar Mohan, Pastor (Tamil) | ebi |
| Rev Kew See Seong, Pastor (Mandarin) | sskew |
| Rev Lim Jit Thye, Pastor (Cantonese-Mandarin) | jtlim |
| Rev Daniel Nge, Pastor (Mandarin-English) | daniel |
| Rev Dr David Wong, Advisory Pastor | |
| Rev Dr Quek Swee Hwa, Pastor Emeritus | |
| Ministry Staff (more info) | |
| Dn Paul Yeo, Hokkien Ministry | paul |
| Mrs Emily Quek, Special Projects | emily |
| Mrs June Tan, Children’s Ministry | june |
| Mrs Ruth Quek, Children/Y. Adults | ruth |
| Mr Vernon Quek, Y. Adults/Evang. | vernon |
| Mr Linus Koe, Family/Media | linus |
| Mrs Sharon Quek, Trg/Mobilisation | sharon |
| Mr Quek Tze-Ming, Assoc Min Staff | tzeming |
Speakers: Mr Vernon Quek & Ps Dev Menon
A Faithful People for a Faithful God
Joshua 8:1–35
Intro: The Story so far…
Ai Falls: v1-29
Two Mountains: v30-35
Conclusion: What does being faithful look like?
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- What most stood out to you as the Big Idea from today’s sermon? What would you say is the Big Lesson from Joshua 8?
- What does being a faithful people of God mean to you? How would you explain this to a non-believing friend or family member?
- What are some of the big and small ways that the Lord has been faithful to you?
- What is one thing that you should do in response to what we have heard from Joshua 8 today?
Our Church
Annual Congregational Meeting (26 Sep) – With a week left to ACM, continue to pray for all the administrative and operational matters that involve the virtual meeting to run smoothly. Pray for wisdom from God to be upon our Pastors and Elders as they prepare to present their plans for our church.
In-Person Sunday Services – Thank God we have been given permission to allow 100 worshippers at our services from October onwards. Pray for families, members and friends, who have been unable to attend in-person services, will come next month and be blessed by the gathering of saints and the sharing of Holy Communion.
S3P – The Safe Sound Sleeping initiative for our church is drawing to a close at the end of September. Pray for our 4 guests to be able to find long term accommodation. We thank God also for the friendship that our volunteers have developed with them. May God give them hope and peace as we close this chapter together.
Our People
Clusters – Thank God for our AG Cluster system. Our Action Groups (AGs) organised in Clusters has facilitated our smooth running of in-person Sunday services. Pray for each Cluster, as they continue to meet, will grow into a community of believers that will encourage one another in their walk with Christ. Thank God also for our Cluster leaders, Elders and Deacons, as they serve their congregations faithfully each week.
COVID-19 Taskforce – With the permission to allow 100 worshippers, pray for our taskforce to work out the registration process and safety measures to facilitate the smooth running of our weekly in-person Sunday services.
Our World
South India – A senior leader and his wife with our ministry partner have tested positive for COVID-19. They have been allowed to stay home instead of going to the hospital. Pray that the couple will be protected from adverse effects of the virus. They each have pre-existing health conditions. The husband currently has tiredness. Thankfully the couple's adult son and wife have tested negative for COVID-19.
Missions in the New Norm – “The fourth era taking shape is not driven by a compass to the coastlands, nor a move to the interior, nor an understanding of the complexity of peoples. It introduces a new dynamic, unleashed by the connectivity technology provides, which gives every disciple the opportunity to play a part in the Great Commission…” - D. Ray David, Missions History: On the cusp on a new era of modern missions.
Pray for all Christians to see that the work of missions must carry on digitally even when the world is in lockdown.
For tithes and offering: General & Missions Fund
DBS Current A/C: 070-901056-3
PayNow: T10SS0029GGMF
ZION BISHAN BP CHURCH
To give towards the General Project Fund
DBS Current A/C: 070-901055-5
PayNow: T10SS0029GGPF
ZION BISHAN BP CHURCH – GPF
If giving by cheque, please mail to Zion Bishan B-P Church, 4 Bishan Street 13 Singapore 579792. Please provide your CONTACT NUMBER on each cheque
- Senior Pastor Alby Yip is preaching at Baptist Fellowship Church today.
- Quek Tze-Ming recorded a sermon for Bible Church Services on Sep 19 and 20.
Friday, 25 September Praise & Prayer
8 pm: Zoom Prayer Meeting (Registration required):
www.zionbishan.org.sg/friday-prayer-meeting
Saturday, 26 Sep
4 pm: No YF
4 pm – 6 pm: ACM 2020 (Zoom online)
Sunday, 27 September
10.30 Livestream
English Services: Grace & Mercy Cluster
Pastor: Zheng Haoren & Dev Menon
Elders: Elder Roland & Ps Ebi
Deacons: Dns Alice, Dn Danny & Dn Sunil
Staff: Li Hui & Vernon
Sermon Series: The Book of Joshua
27 Sep - Joshua 9:1–27
Mr Vernon Quek (10.30am/1.00pm)
Deacon Danny Chua (3.00pm/5.00pm)
4 Oct Joshua 10
Pastor Alby Yip (10.30am/1.00pm)
Pastor Ebi Mohan (3.00pm/5.00pm)
11 Oct Joshua 11-12
Pastor Dev Menon (10.30am/1.00pm)
Mr Quek Tze-Ming (3.00pm/5.00pm)
18 Oct Joshua 13-19
Mr Ng Zhiwen (10.30am/1.00pm)
Pastor Dev Menon (3.00pm/5.00pm)
25 Oct Joshua 20-21
Deacon Danny Chua (10.30am/1.00pm)
Mr Ng Zhiwen (3.00pm/5.00pm)
Achan’s Buried Treasure
Written by Ps Dev Menon
Last week, I couldn’t stop thinking about Achan’s sin. I wondered if Jesus had that incident in mind when He told us the parable of the talents: Matthew 25:18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
In that parable, you also have a man who took what belonged to God, and buried it in the ground (see Joshua 7:21). This triggered similar wrath from the Master, and the man was cast into outer darkness.
What was apparent in that parable, was that the man who buried the treasure did so because he thought his Master was a ‘hard man’ (Matthew 25:24): someone who is demanding and stern, someone who would take the little that was given (despite giving it to him in the first place!). I wonder if that is at the heart of all hoarding behaviour (by Christians anyway) - the perennial doubt of the goodness and generosity of our Father in heaven?
Although it was denied at Jericho, the people of Israel were allowed to take the spoil from previous battles with Sihon and Og, and similar permission was given for all the next battles in Canaan after Jericho – take all the spoil and livestock. More than that, throughout Deuteronomy and Joshua, there have been repeated refrains that God will ‘give them the land’. Why was there a need to take, bury and hide, if God is going to keep giving?
During this time of Covid, there have been a number of news articles that have disturbed me. While people are losing jobs, economies are crashing, and the financial needs of the global church are increasing exponentially; local banks reporting clients increasing cash holdings, more aggressive sales of higher priced-property and there is the expansion of high-end restaurants. How should we interpret these things? Prudent investments or selfish hoarding?
The answer is important. The severity of what happened to Achan, the one-talent man and all those who bury treasure (cf. James 5:3) must not be forgotten.
Allowance of 100 Worshippers
We thank God that Zion Bishan has been approved to hold in-person worship services for up to 100 worshippers. We will continue with our current arrangements of having two clusters worshipping together. This arrangement will allow all English Service worshippers to return for in-person worship services twice a month. Holy Communion will be served at all 10.30am and 1.00pm services. Members and regular worshippers who are not in any Clusters and AGs kindly do get in touch with the church office or any pastors. We will make arrangements for the registration links to be made available to you.
The October service schedule may be viewed at www.zionbishan.org.sg/Oct20
Cessation of Oikos Mobile App
With effect from 30 Sep, we will cease the use of the Oikos Mobile App and will no longer update the App platform. All information regarding the church can be obtained through our website at www.zionbishan.org.sg.
Email Spoofing and Scam Alert
Members and friends, please be informed that our church staff have been receiving scam emails that have spoofed Snr Pastor Alby’s name. We want to alert you of this and to carefully check the sender’s email address if you receive any emails from the church staff.
Thank you for your cooperation and apologies for any inconvenience cause.
Annual Congregational Meeting
26 Sep, Saturday, 4-6pm
ACM will be held using an online/proxy format, due to COVID-19 measures.
Answers to questions submitted are ready and can be viewed at www.zionbishan.org.sg/ACM2020/QnA.
Zion Bishan members, please submit your proxy form by today.
In-Person Sunday Services
in September
If you wish to attend a Sunday Service in person, please register by the Friday before that particular Sunday using the following links (choose from the 4 available time slots)
Sun 27 Sep (Mercy / Grace Clusters): https://zb-mercy-grace-27sep.eventbrite.sg
Please note that each Service time-slot is subject to a cap of 50 worshippers only.
Communion will be served at all services.
If you are unsure of which Sunday you should register for, or if you are a non-member who worships with us, do contact your AG leader or any of our pastors.
Visit www.zionbishan.org.sg/phase-2 to view our Safety Management Plan and to check which Cluster your AG is in.
There will be no ADC, CD, YD or other activities on Sunday.
