1. SCHOOL OF EVANGELISM BY SIS DONNA MARCELLI
Date: 1 May 2009 Labour Day
Time: 10am to 5pm
Venue: Tabernacle of Joy in Chinatown Point

2. SIS DONNA MARCELLI SERVICES IN MAY
Topic: Spiritual Parenting – the blessings and responsibilities of caring for new believers
Date of First service: 8 May 2009, Friday night
Time: 730pm
Venue: Sanctuary

Date of Second service: 10 May 2009, Sunday
Time: 1115am
Venue: Sanctuary

3. MANDARIN SERVICE ON FIRST & THIRD WEEK OF EVERY MONTH
Dates: 3rd & 17th May 2009 (Sunday)
Time: 10am to 11am
Venue: Church Office, Tweenies Room.

4. COMBINED PRAYER - PRAYING FOR LOVED ONES’ SALVATION
In this prayer session Sis Zeal will be teaching on how to pray for our family and loved ones’ salvation. In faith and unity we’ll avail ourselves through prayer to believe that salvation can happen in our homes!! 
Date: 3rd May 2009
Time: 2:45pm Sharp
Venue: Church Sanctuary

5. PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT (CHANGE OF DATES)
Tentative Scheduled Date: 13th May to 3rd June 09 (Wed)
Time: 730pm to 930pm
Duration: 2 hours per session, over 4 sessions

God has given each one of us unique personalities. These personalities have at least some effect on our behaviour ranging from the jobs we enjoy, the way we relate to other people, how we handle conflict and even how we choose a life partner. While God originally intended our personalities to mirror his personality, sin has resulted in many personality related problems such as shyness, anxiety, inferiority and anger. But through the power of the Spirit, Jesus wants these personality traits to come under His control. While this class will touch on some of the research done within the human sciences, it will direct us to a Biblical perspective on this matter.

This class will be useful for you if you want greater awareness of your own personality and you want to appreciate the uniqueness of other people’s personality. During the class we will be doing some basic personality assessments which are commonly done in Christian settings to better appreciate ourselves. There are currently 9 saints signed up. Please give a mail to hOckey aka Clarence at hockey@alivecommunity.net if you are interested in joining the class. We will start once we have 10 – 12 people.

6. YOUTH MINISTRY MEETINGS
Dates: 10th & 17th May 2009 (Sunday)
Time: 2.45pm
Venue: To be advised

*Watch this space for details of upcoming exciting activities!

7. EVANGELISTIC YOUTH CAMP 2OO9
Date: 12th - 14th June 2009 (Fri-Sun)
Venue: Aloha Changi - Biggin Hill Bungalow C
In this camp, we will be running workshops on relationships (friendships & BGR), team building games & a BBQ to encourage bonding among youths.
Do make plans to come and invite your friends to come!
For more details about the camp, please contact Choon Leong @ 9003 4948 or Hwee Ling @ 9451 7787.

8. PARENTS’ APPRECIATION NIGHT 2009
The Chinese Ministry is once again organizing a Parents Appreciation Night this year. Do invite your parents to come! Special Guest speaker: Rev. Tom Bracken (American Missionary based in Taiwan who ministers in Mandarin)
Date: 27th June 2009, Saturday
Time: 6.30pm onwards
Venue: NUSS Guild House, 3 Temasek Boulevard #05-001, Suntec City Mall
Cost (after subsidy): $30 for church members & parents, $20 for NS men & parents, and $10 for students & parents.
RSVP: Hwee Ling @ 9451 7787 or hweeling@alivecommunity.net

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many kernels - a plentiful harvest of new lives." - John 12:24

One day, a seed was being planted in the ground. The layers of soil above it weighed heavy and people were walking on top of it. It was dark and the seed was all alone. The soil taunted the seed, saying, "This is the end of you. Once you’re buried in me, you’ll never see the light of day again. I’m bigger and more powerful than you."

The seed mustered its courage and said, "I know that I’m not being buried. I am planted here and one day I will emerge to be better. You just wait and see."

Sure enough, a shoot grew out of the seed and strove hard to push against the soil until it eventually broke out of the earth. Its stem strengthened, branches grew and it began to flower. The new plant gradually became more and more beautiful and many bulbs of tasty fruits hung from it.

What is the difference between being buried and being planted? Burial is for the dead and it spells the end for them. Things that are buried have no means to advance in life. On the other hand, the things that are planted grow out of the soil to become better and more fruitful. That is what happened to Jesus when he was sent to Earth to die for the atonement of our sins. When he went through the cruel flogging, the crucifixion, and death, the people around him thought that it was the end for him and he would be buried for good. But lo and behold, Jesus rose from the grave and continues to touch lives today, winning many souls to live in his kingdom. Jesus was planted on Earth so that millions more will believe God; millions of born-again believers have been added to his kingdom just like the fruits that sprouted in the story.

Just as it is in the seed’s genes to grow, Jesus had placed his DNA in us to cause us to grow from where we are planted. You may feel like you are buried in the midst of trouble. You may have negative thoughts like, "Oh, I will never make it out of this financial situation. That relationship will never flower. My health will not get any better. My bones, joints, and ligaments are too badly damaged to be healed." You have to reject those thoughts of being buried and know that the life of God will spring forth from you. When you believe God and allow that to happen, your eyes will be opened to see how God turns bad things around to work for your benefit. He may use that financial situation to cause you to be more dependent on Him, for He is your Provider. That relationship problem does not mean the end for you; God is going to strengthen it and bring both of you closer together. Your body may not be feeling well right now, but God will train your character and strengthen your spirit so you will stay confident and hopeful.

Bad things may happen to you, but when you subjugate yourself to God, you will realise the destiny before you.  The seed grew up to be a magnificent fruit-bearing plant. Jesus emerged from the grave to live in the hearts of millions today. So will you be able to rise up from where you are planted to achieve the potential that God has for us. Remember: Extraordinary people face extraordinary difficulties.

1. SABAH MISSIONS REPORT
Pastor Clement appreciates our continual contributions to the ever-growing expansion of the mission field!

• Sabah Mission Report

2. PRAYERS FOR THE WILLOUGHBYS
Sandra covets our prayers to support Bishop Steve & Sis Barbara Willoughby’s fight against cancer.

• Updates on Willoughbys (18 April 2009)
• Updates on Willoughbys (22 April 2009)

3. SCHOOL OF EVANGELISM BY SIS DONNA MARCELLI
Date: 1 May 2009 Labour Day
Time: 10am to 5pm
Venue: Tabernacle of Joy in Chinatown Point

4. SIS DONNA MARCELLI SERVICES IN MAY
Topic: Spiritual Parenting – the blessings and responsibilities of caring for new believers
Date of First service: 8 May 2009, Friday night
Time: 730pm
Venue: Sanctuary

Date of Second service: 10 May 2009, Sunday
Time: 1115am
Venue: Sanctuary

5. MANDARIN SERVICE ON FIRST & THIRD WEEK OF EVERY MONTH
Dates: 3rd & 17th May 2009 (Sunday)
Time: 10am to 11am
Venue: Church Office, Tweenies Room.

6. COMBINED PRAYER - PRAYING FOR LOVED ONES’ SALVATION
In this prayer session Sis Zeal will be teaching on how to pray for our family and loved ones’ salvation. In faith and unity we’ll avail ourselves through prayer to believe that salvation can happen in our homes!!  
Date: 3rd May 2009
Time: 2:45pm Sharp
Venue: Church Sanctuary

7. PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
Tentative Scheduled Date: 6th May to 27th May 09 (Wed)
Time: 730pm to 930pm
Duration: 2 hours per session, over 4 sessions

God has given each one of us unique personalities. These personalities have at least some effect on our behaviour ranging from the jobs we enjoy, the way we relate to other people, how we handle conflict and even how we choose a life partner. While God originally intended our personalities to mirror his personality, sin has resulted in many personality related problems such as shyness, anxiety, inferiority and anger. But through the power of the Spirit, Jesus wants these personality traits to come under His control. While this class will touch on some of the research done within the human sciences, it will direct us to a Biblical perspective on this matter.

This class will be useful for you if you want greater awareness of your own personality and you want to appreciate the uniqueness of other people’s personality. During the class we will be doing some basic personality assessments which are commonly done in Christian settings to better appreciate ourselves. There are currently 9 saints signed up. Please give a mail to hOckey aka Clarence at hockey@alivecommunity.net if you are interested in joining the class. We will start once we have 10 – 12 people.

8. YOUTH MINISTRY MEETINGS
Dates: 10th & 17th May 2009 (Sunday)
Time: 2.45pm
Venue: To be advised

*Watch this space for details of upcoming exciting activities!

9. EVANGELISTIC YOUTH CAMP 2OO9
Date: 12th - 14th June 2009 (Fri-Sun)
Venue: Aloha Changi - Biggin Hill Bungalow C
In this camp, we will be running workshops on relationships (friendships & BGR), team building games & a BBQ to encourage bonding among youths.
Do make plans to come and invite your friends to come!

For more details about the camp, please contact Choon Leong @ 9003 4948 or Hwee Ling @ 9451 7787.

10. PARENTS’ APPRECIATION NIGHT 2009
The Chinese Ministry is once again organizing a Parents Appreciation Night this year. Do invite your parents to come! Special Guest speaker: Rev. Tom Bracken (American Missionary based in Taiwan who ministers in Mandarin)
Date: 27th June 2009, Saturday
Time: 6.30pm onwards
Venue: NUSS Guild House, 3 Temasek Boulevard #05-001, Suntec City Mall
Cost (after subsidy): $30 for church members & parents, $20 for NS men & parents, and $10 for students & parents.
RSVP: Hwee Ling @ 9451 7787 or hweeling@alivecommunity.net

Dear Friends
 
‘I Have Given You Authority’
 
‘Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.’ Luke 10:19 NASB
 
This past weekend, Tabernacle of Joy was blessed tremendously by the ministry of Rev Anthony Mangun, Senior Pastor, Pentecostals of Alexandria, USA. Bro Mangun ministered with the beautiful anointing of an evangelist. In two services, 37 received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and 26 were water baptised.
 
Throughout the service, Bro Mangun emphasized the need for us to exercise the authority that God has given us over the enemy.  He reminded us that we are “authoritative, apostolic men and women of God.” In Luke 10:19, Jesus reminded his disciples that he gave them authority over ‘all’, not some, ‘power of the enemy’. We need to constantly remind ourselves of our position in Christ. I am going to illuminate this issue a bit further with a passage from ‘The Three Battlegrounds’ by Francis Frangipane which has inspired me and I hope that it will do the same for you.
 
‘To wage effective spiritual warfare, we must understand spiritual authority. Spiritual authority is not forcing your will upon another. When you have spiritual authority, you have established God’s peace in an area that once was full of conflict and oppression.  Therefore, to truly be able to move in authority, we must first have peace.  The apostle Paul taught, “The God of Peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20). When we maintain peace during warfare it is a crushing death blow to satanic oppression and fear.  Our victory never comes from our emotions or our intellect. Our victory comes by refusing to judge by what our eyes see or our ears hear, and by trusting that what God has promised will come to pass. We will never know Christ’s victory in its fulness until we stop reacting humanly to our circumstances.  When you truly have authority over something you can look at that thing without worry, fear, or anxiety. Your peace is the proof of your victory. Our peace does not come from extreme indifference, nor is it from becoming so “spiritual” that you fail to notice a problem.  It is being so confident in God’s love that you know, regardless of the battle and the difficulties in your circumstances, that “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). You are not self-assured, you are God-assured.’
 
In my last update, I gave you scriptures to pray. Tonight or this morning, I ask you to continue to pray those scriptures and to declare and to proclaim victory over all infirmities be it cancer or otherwise with the authority that God has given you.
 
And now a short update on Sis Willoughby… this weekend Sis Willoughby was very ill with influenza. She is now slowly recovering. Her surgery which was scheduled for this week was postponed and will be re-scheduled once she recovers fully from the flu.  Bishop Willoughby has positioned himself in the Presence of God and he continues to believe for complete healing and victory over cancer.
 
One last word… Pentecostals of Alexandria, your Tabernacle of Joy family says thank you, thank you, thank you for allowing your pastor to walk in divinely ordered steps to minister in Singapore once again at a critical time. Thank you for your love and support over the past couple of months.  Again, we at Tabernacle of Joy express our thanks to you, many of whom we do not know but you have taken our burden upon yourselves. You have devoted numerous hours lifting up the Willoughbys and their church family in prayer. May God rain countless blessings upon you.
 
Peace be within thee 
Sandra Subner
On behalf of Tabernacle of Joy Singapore
 

Dear Friends
 
When Your Low Point Becomes Your Turning Point
 
On Tuesday, 14 April 2009, Sis Barbara Willoughby went to see her oncologist and to take a blood test. The test results revealed that her tumor markers (CEA) had risen more than 80 points. With this result a PET scan was ordered. On Friday, 17 April, the oncologist informed Sis Willoughby that the report was “good” in that there were no additional metastases in her body. He did however find increased activity in her T2 and T3 vertebrae, the same places where the metastases were discovered in April 2007.
 
With the rise in her CEA count and the additional activity in the vertebrae, the oncologist concluded that Sis Willoughby’s body is no longer responding to her current chemotherapy drug regime. This coming week as part of the preparation to receive a new drug regime, Sis Willoughby will undergo surgery to insert a portacath. A portacath is an implanted venous access device for patients who need frequent or continuous administration of chemotherapy. After a weeklong recovery period, Sis Willoughby will have weekly chemotherapy with gemcitabine for three weeks followed by a one week break. Common side effects of gemcitabine include reduction in the production of white blood cells making a patient more prone to infection, bruising or bleeding, nausea, loss of appetite and tiredness.
 
At this juncture in her continuing fight with cancer, it may seem as if there are more questions than answers for Sis Willoughby.  The enemy has tried hard to disable her faith and trust in Her Redeemer, She remains however confident of His love and affirms that God is too wise to make a mistake.  Turning points can only occur when we have reached a lowpoint.  No one likes to reach a point in their life where there are seemingly few or no options available. Lowpoints are scattered throughout the Holy Scriptures to remind us, that no matter situation we may face, no matter what impossibility may confront us, for God, impossible is nothing. We stand in faith believing that a turning point will occur not for Barbara Willoughby but also Bishop Willoughby.
 
For those of you who have taken up the burden of praying for Barbara and Steve Willoughby, I encourage you to pray the following scriptures: 

• Isaiah 54: 17 ‘No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper…’
• Isaiah 53:5  ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
• Psalm 103:1-3 ‘Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
• John 10:10 ‘The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
• Psalm 107:19-20 ‘Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them,..’
• Psalm 118:17 ‘I shall not die, but live: and declare the works of the LORD.
• John 16:23 … Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever, ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
• Job 22:27-28 ‘Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thou vows. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

 
Trusting in a faithful God
Sandra Subner
On Behalf of Tabernacle of Joy