1. OASIS ON FRIDAY NIGHT
Refreshing Worship into the heart of God.
Date           :  30th October 2009
Time          :  7.45pm
Venue        :  Sanctuary
Join us for a time where God wants to Refresh,
Restore, and Revive His people, Renewing the dreams and visions He has spoken over us. Let the open worship allow His Spirit to freely move amongst us and through us as we jointly encounter His presence.

2. 1st NOVEMBER: SUNDAY COMBINED PRAYER
Join us this Sunday afternoon as we conclude this year’s season of Combined Sunday Prayer.
God has been faithful to us the past few months, so we want to come together to offer Him praise & worship through our prayers. Hear testimonies from our saints sharing how God has answered their prayers & be encouraged in your faith.
Venue        : Church Office
Time          : 2.45 - 4.30pm

3. IMAGEBEARERS’ MINI BADMINTON TOURNAMENT
Game to show off your badminton skills? Now is the time!!!
Date           : 8th November 2009, Sunday
Time          : 3.00pm – 5.30pm
Venue        : Kreta Ayer Community Centre

4. IMAGEBEARERS “MY COLOURFUL WORLD” PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
Enjoy nature? Love taking photographs? Join us!
Take a snapshot of Mother Nature and stand to win a prize.
Date           : 28th November 2009, Saturday
Time          : 9.00am – 12.00pm
Venue        : HortPark
Fees          : $2
*All handphone and digital camera users are welcome to join us!
* Bus pickup will leave Oriental Plaza at 9am sharp.

5. PRAYER MEETINGS ON FRIDAY NIGHT
Dates           : every Friday night
Time            : 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Venue          : Sanctuary (level 4)

6. FILIPINO FELLOWSHIP EVERY SECOND & THIRD WEEK IF EVERY MONTH
Dates           : 8th & 15th November, Sunday
Time             : 1.30pm to 2.30pm
Venue           : Church Training Room 

7. MANDARIN SERVICE ON FIRST & THIRD WEEK OF EVERY MONTH
Dates         : 1st & 15th November 2009, Sunday
Time           :  10.00am to 11.00am
Venue         :  Church Office, Tweenies Room.

8. MELAKA CHURCH CAMP 2009
Dates                                          : 13 December, Sunday to 16 December, Wednesday
Church Service Venue             : Mahkota Hotel Function Room; Jasmine 2 & 3
Accommodation                        : There are 2 accommodation options.
Holiday Inn                                 : $210 per pax for Twin Sharing
Mahkota Hotel                           : $160 per pax for 2 bed rooms apartment with 1 Common area
2-Way Coach from/to Church : $35 per pax (Adult) & $17 (Children Under 12 year-old) 
Contact persons:
Jason (Camp Commandant) - jiayinn_85@yahoo.com.sg or call at 9456 4451
Harrick (Vice Camp Commandant) - tuharrick@hotmail.com or call at 8288 9076

9. PHILIPPINES PRAYER REQUEST & RELIEF SUPPORT
Please pray for the situation in the Philippines. If you would like to give towards relief efforts there through the church, do drop your offerings into the weekly collections in envelopes with the mention of Philippines relief efforts. The last date of collection will be at 15th November 2009.

“Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26: 27,28

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:25

Let’s travel back in time and take a look at the Jewish marriage custom in Jesus’ time. Enter the house of a soon-to-be bride. The young girl’s father sat down with the bridegroom’s father to negotiate the bride price while the bridegroom stood by with his heart beating in anticipation. Figures were exchanged back and forth between the parents. The girl’s father negotiated a very high price because she was very valuable to him. It was even said that the bride price could be equivalent to the price of a house. After the negotiation, the young man’s father poured a cup of wine and handed it to him.

“You know what to do, son,” said the father.

With a brief nod, the bridegroom held the cup with both hands and walked towards the girl. Each step closer to her filled him with more excitement. The words were already formed in his mind and ready on his lips. His heart welled up with admiration and affection as he stood before her.

The young man said, “This cup I offer to you.”

What simple words, yet they carry a fine lilting tune that is sweet to the girl’s ears. In other words, the bridegroom was saying, “I love you, and I offer you my life.” She could choose to refuse the cup of wine, or she could take the cup and by drinking from it, say, “I accept your life and I give you mine.”

The same message of love was spoken by Jesus during His last Passover meal with His disciples. There were a total of four cups of wine taken at different times of the meal. The third cup, called the Cup of Redemption, was taken near the end of it. The host would say a brief prayer before giving it to the people to drink. However, Jesus did it differently.

Raising the cup of wine towards His disciples, Jesus said, “This cup is the covenant in my blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25)

In essence, Jesus was also saying, “I love you, and I offer my life to you. Will you accept me and allow me to live with you, to be involved in your life?”

We who are on the receiving end of Jesus’ offer of the cup can choose to turn down His love, or we can choose to accept it and offer ourselves to Him. I wonder if some of us have participated in the communion so many times that we become jaded of the love message of Christ. Jesus’ offer of His love and His life by that cup of wine is so wonderful beyond description that no one should ever choose to ignore it. He chose to love us just as a bridegroom would love his bride. Jesus loves us not by showering us with gifts from afar, but by being involved in our lives.

Every minute.

Every hour.

Every day.

Every month.

Every year.

His faithful love endures forever.

The next time I take the cup during communion, I will say, “God, I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.”

1. IMAGEBEARERS’ POPCORN MOVIE SUNDAY
Join us for a great time of movie: "Spirit - Stallion of the Cimarron" and delicious popcorn!!!
Date                       : 25th October 2009, Sunday
Time                      : 2.45pm – 5.00pm
Venue                    : Church Office

2. IMAGEBEARERS’ MINI BADMINTON TOURNAMENT
Game to show off your badminton skills? Now is the time!!!
Date                      : 8th November 2009, Sunday
Time                     : 3.00pm – 5.30pm
Venue                   : Kreta Ayer Community Centre

3. IMAGEBEARERS “MY COLOURFUL WORLD” PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
Enjoy nature? Love taking photographs? Join us!
Take a snapshot of Mother Nature and stand to win a prize.
Date                      : 28th November 2009, Saturday
Time                     : 9.00am – 12.00pm
Venue                   : HortPark
Fees                     : $2
*All handphone and digital camera users are welcome to join us!
* Bus pickup will leave Oriental Plaza at 9am sharp.

4. SUNDAY COMBINED PRAYER;  1st November
Join us for a wonderful time of praise & worship prayer. We’ll have testimonies & praise reports boasting of God’s faithfulness, evident through the answered
prayers over the past few months.
Venue                  : Church Office
Time                    : 2.45 – 4.45pm
 
5. OASIS ON FRIDAY NIGHT
Refreshing Worship into the heart of God.
Date                      :  30th October 2009 (every fortnight, Friday )
Time                     :  7.45pm
Venue                   :  Sanctuary
Join us for a time where God wants to Refresh,
Restore, and Revive His people, Renewing the dreams and visions He has spoken over us. Let the open worship allow His Spirit to freely move amongst us and through us as we jointly encounter His presence.

6. FILIPINO FELLOWSHIP EVERY SECOND & THIRD WEEK IF EVERY MONTH
Dates                   : 8th & 15th November, Sunday
Time                     : 1.30pm to 2.30pm
Venue                   : Church Training Room 

7. MANDARIN SERVICE ON FIRST & THIRD WEEK OF EVERY MONTH
Dates                    : 1st & 15th November 2009, Sunday
Time                      :  10.00am to 11.00am
Venue                    :  Church Office, Tweenies Room.

8. ALIVE “PROGRESSION” CLASS OPENS FOR ENROLLMENT
Kindly register yourself with Bro. Clarence after service if you are interested in taking up the programme.
Tentative dates     : to be confirmed (tentatively on every Tuesday)
Time                       : 7.45pm to 9.30pm
Venue                     : Church Office

9. MELAKA CHURCH CAMP 2009
Dates                                             : 13 December, Sunday to 16 December, Wednesday
Church Service Venue                : Mahkota Hotel Function Room; Jasmine 2 & 3
Accommodation                           : There are 2 accommodation options.
Holiday Inn                                    : $210 per pax for Twin Sharing
Mahkota Hotel                              : $160 per pax for 2 bed rooms apartment with 1 Common area
2-Way Coach from/to Church    : $35 per pax (Adult) & $17 (Children Under 12 year-old) 
Contact persons:
Jason (Camp Commandant) - jiayinn_85@yahoo.com.sg or call at 9456 4451
Harrick (Vice Camp Commandant) - tuharrick@hotmail.com or call at 8288 9076

10. PHILIPPINES PRAYER REQUEST & RELIEF SUPPORT
Please pray for the situation in the Philippines. If you would like to give towards relief efforts there through the church do drop your offerings into the weekly collections in envelopes with the mention of Philippines relief efforts. The last date of collection will be on the 15th of November 2009.

1. IMAGEBEARERS BBQ CUM GAMES EVENING!!
Calling all the young people out there! This party is for YOU!!!
Come and join us for an evening of great fun and good food!
Date            : 17th Oct 2009 Saturday
Time           : 5.00pm
Venue         : Parc Vista Condominium (Function Room)
                      450, Corporation Road, Singapore 649810
Directions:
For those who takes MRT, please alight at Lakeside MRT along East-West Line.
Walk to the bus-stop outside MRT and cross the overhead bridge.
Once you reach the bus-stop that’s opposite the MRT station, proceed to walk the path along the main road.
Please RSVP your attendance with Xiu Chun at 82982046 or Chia Wen at 9697152.

2. IMAGEBEARER’S “CROSSROADS” WORKSHOP ON EVERY 2ND & 4TH SUNDAY
"Crossroads" workshop on 11th October will be postponed due to exams. The next session will resume on 25th October. Continue to watch this space for more updates!

3. IMAGEBEARERS’ EQUIPPING SESSIONS ON EVERY 3RD SUN
Equipping session on 18th October will be postponed due to exams. The next session will resume on 15th November. Continue to watch this space for more updates!

4. OASIS ON FRIDAY NIGHT
Refreshing Worship into the heart of God.
Date           :  16th October 2009 (every fortnight, Friday )
Time          :  7.45pm
Venue        :  Sanctuary
Join us for a time where God wants to Refresh,
Restore, and Revive His people, Renewing the dreams and visions He has spoken over us. Let the open worship allow His Spirit to freely move amongst us and through us as we jointly encounter His presence.

5. FILIPINO FELLOWSHIP EVERY SECOND & THIRD WEEK IF EVERY MONTH
Dates         : 18th October (Sunday)
Time          : 1.30pm to 2.30pm
Venue        : Church Training Room 

6. MANDARIN SERVICE ON FIRST & THIRD WEEK OF EVERY MONTH
Dates         : 18th October 2009 (Sunday)
Time          :  10.00am to 11.00am
Venue        :  Church Office, Tweenies Room.

7. ALIVE “PROGRESSION” CLASS OPENS FOR ENROLLMENT
Kindly register yourself with Bro. Clarence after service if you are interested in taking up the programme.
Tentative dates   : to be confirmed (tentatively on every Tuesday)
Time                     : 7.45pm to 9.30pm
Venue                   : Church Office

“My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in bitterness of my soul. I will say to God, “Do not condemn me; show me why You contend with me. Does it seem good to You that You should oppress, that You should despise the work of Your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked?”” Job 10:1-3

“I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.” Job 42:2

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Corinthians 4:17

A father was taking his 7-year old daughter out for a walk in the park one day, when they heard shrills of despair coming from somewhere near the bushes. Perplexed by the sharp cries, they drew near to the bushes and saw a young bird lying on the grass with its wings sprawled at awkward angles. Occasionally, it would flap its wings in a frantic attempt to get up.

The girl’s heart softened at the sight and ran forward to help. But the father, recognizing that the bird was a baby owl, restrained her and motioned her to look above them, where they saw an adult owl perched on a tree branch, fixing its intent gaze on them. When a baby owl falls in the course of learning how to fly, it has to learn to get up on its own while the mother owl watches from above, ready to swoop down on any foreign presence that threatens her young.

Such is the way that God leaves us to deal with challenges in life and overcome them. He may be silent while we are struggling and He also may not give an immediate solution to our problems. It can be a strained relationship, an exam subject that a student struggles with, long working hours with no overtime pay, heavy family commitments, or working with somebody that we don’t favour. These things claw at our minds, rend our hearts into pieces, plunge us into a deep, dark abyss, and we would feel like it is the end for us. Yet, God can still choose not to act.

Just like the Bible character Job, we wonder why such bad things happen to us. We cry out to God in our prayers and feel listless when we don’t hear from Him. Job lost his wealth to bandits, his children to a natural disaster, his health to the devil, and his wife – the joy of his youth – to skepticism. He beat his chest and cried out, “God, why do You contend with me? Do you like to see the way I am oppressed now?” His eyes lost the light of hope. Even the thought of deliverance was a far-fetched dream.

After a long time of mourning, God finally answered and displayed His majesty before Job. He showed the mortal man things that he could never fully comprehend. Then Job, awestruck in wonder of the Sovereign Lord, said to Him, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me which I did not know.” (Job 42:2-3)

Throughout Job’s period of suffering when Satan afflicted him and his ‘friends’ demeaned him, God kept a watchful eye on him and kept a tag for his life to be preserved so that he would witness the restoration of his health, wealth, and family.

No loving parent likes to see his child suffer, but coming to the child’s help every time the child suffers is not necessarily a loving act either. Although it pains the parent’s heart, he has to let go to allow the child to learn from the hard knocks of life so that the child can grow. If the mother owl had swooped in to pick the fallen baby owl back into the nest, the young bird might never have learnt to fly. If God had withheld Job from suffering, his faith in God might just be a superficial one that was merely fattened by material blessings. Instead of getting angry and blaming God when something bad happens, we should realize that God weeps over our hurts silently. While we suffer, God has to restrain Himself from intervening because He loves us enough to know what is good for us.

I am confident that instead of being crippled, we would emerge from life’s challenges, hurts, and sufferings to become better than we were before. In fact, we might even look back and thank God for allowing us to experience the hurts. The essence of this is captured in the message that the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, pertaining to the suffering that he had to endure. He wrote, “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” The lessons that we learned from our bad experiences are also meant to empower us to impart His wisdom to a younger generation and to our peers. All things, be it good or bad, happen for a purpose (Romans 8:28).