Recap of 2Q22 QCM
We gathered to review the past quarter, and to hear of the ministry updates and plans for the upcoming months. Chaired by Elder Jonathan, the meeting took place on Zoom with about 75 participants, but with many members meeting in groups to tune in together. As we look forward to resuming some of these meetings in-person, we are also constantly thankful for the many ways that GBC members have been caring for and reaching out to one another even in these small ways.
Pastor Oliver opened us in a time of prayer by thanking God the ways that He has been working among us. He also prayed for us to come together, and to continue to bear fruit.
Ministry thanksgiving
Elder Jonathan led us through 10 thanksgiving items. He encouraged us to be encouraged and to give God the glory and the praise. At last year’s meeting, he used the analogy of a growing plant to describe the growth of our church. He continued with this analogy, likening it to a plant bearing leaves and providing more shade now.
In summary, he thanked God for:
1. Relaxation of COVID measures that allowed the removal of zones, opening up of the Fellowship Hall for gatherings, increase of capacity, congregational singing and the use of the church for more ministry gatherings.
2. Evangelism and ministry outreach opportunities, for the ongoing prayer meeting and training on reaching the unreached people groups, and the upcoming Easter services.
3. Care Groups that have been meeting regularly, especially thanking God for the faithfulness of individuals, and now, more are able to meet in person.
4. Ministry to and among the women of GBC, with the different groups that meet formally (e.g. Precepts, Golden Girls, Friday Bible Study, Wednesday Bible Study, Young Adults, Mums Connect) and also informally.
5. The EQUIP series in the first quarter of the year, which went through “Introducing Jesus”, “Side by Side” and the current “Seeing Jesus in All of Scripture”.
6. Eight new members who were recently baptised or transferred, and were introduced later in the QCM.
7. Four new births and four new engagements in 2022 so far.
8. The addition of new leaders – elders (Gerald who was elected, Caleb and Chuan-Xin who were re-elected), directors (Chee Leong and Jeffrey Teong) and the Chinese Congregation also welcomed a new pastor recently, Pastor Peter Lin.
9. The election and safe arrival of Mark Collins and family is something we are thankful to God for! Mark, Megan and family were also introduced later in the meeting.
10. The faithful service of our outgoing elder, Beh Soo Hee and director, Phua Cheow Loon. They have served us faithfully in their respective roles for the past 6 years!
Indeed, there are so many things we are thankful to God for, and only He gives the growth.
Welcoming new members
Pastor Thian Chye had the privilege of welcoming our new members. We welcomed 8 new members and each one of them shared some information about themselves – where they stay/work, which care group they belong to as well as a fun fact about them. They also shared their prayer requests.
You can read their testimonies here, and feel free to drop them an email to encourage them and get to know them.
If you are keen to get to know more about GBC, you can attend the upcoming Church Matters class, or consider filling in this form and our welcome team will contact you!
Welcoming the Collinses
Pastor Eugene then introduced our new Family Ministries Pastor, Mark Collins and his family. We are thankful to God for bringing Mark, Megan and their six children safely to Singapore on 2 April, just a day before the QCM!
Mark shared abit about himself. Both he and Megan became Christians in college and were initially working with the college ministry before they headed to Shanghai. They have been spending the past two years back in the US. Talks about moving to Singapore began about a year ago, and they are glad that God made it all possible. We look forward to getting to know them more! (Check out this interview we did with Mark when he visited in January.)
As the Collinses settle in, pray for them as they search for a suitable place to stay and settle their family in. We can also pray for them as they form relationships and get to know more of GBC.
Welcoming and introducing new deacons
Six new deacons were also introduced at our meeting. Pastor Eugene introduced deacons for the Young Adults, Children and Worship ministries.
Kagen Lim and Nicholas Quek are our new deacons for the Young Adults Ministry. They have been involved in discipling young adults and are currently leading small groups. As deacons, they seek to continue to follow up with the YAs and help them grow.
Melissa Fam and Bryan Tan will be the deacons for the Children’s Ministry. Melissa will be overseeing the operations. Bryan will be looking at the curriculum and preparing the lessons and materials for the teachers. We are thankful to God for their service, and how He has sustained the Children's Ministry through the many changes due to COVID. We are also grateful that we can now resume our pre-COVID practice of having the children join us for songs and praise in the sanctuary before their Sunday School. Pray for faithfulness and God to provide more labourers even as He entrusts more children to our care in the ministry.
The Worship Ministry also welcomes Toshiyuki Mori and Eugene Low as their new deacons. Both have been serving in this ministry for a long time! Toshi will be helping out in the worship aspect while Eugene will be working on the AV and Technical side of things. Toshi also shared his thankfulness to God for providing for the ministry over the past two years. We are thankful for their ministry, especially with the many disruptions that COVID brought to our worship! Each week, a lot goes on behind the scenes to ensure that the live service as well as the livestreams can take place. Many volunteers work to control the lights, sound, technology and streaming. This can be tehcnially demanding and when pursuing technical excellence, the volunteers can easily step on each other’s toes. They request our prayers to help each other love one another even in serving the church!
Ministry updates
Elder Caleb provided an update about our Care Groups (CGs). He began with what CGs are and why they are important to our church. Small group ministries are important to our walk with the Lord. Different churches adopt different models. Some call it “cell groups” as they seek to split regularly, “life groups” as they seek to do life together or “discipleship groups” as they aim to disciple one another. Here at Grace, we call it “care groups” because responsibility of care is not just among pastors but among one another. And we hope to do so by studying Scripture together, with the goal of reading and obeying His Word together. We seek to receive with meekness the implanted word and to deepen relationships and provide practical care for one another. He encouraged us to consider what we are missing out if we are not in a CG! We are not just missing out on Bible study, but also on the opportunity to be cared for, and to care for others!
Caleb also shared some statistics with us:
In light of the current situation, the plans for the ministry in 2022 are as follows:
Trust God’s Word to work in His people. There is nothing magical to CG ministry and no one by our own strength can create groups or force people to join groups. Our CGLs are trying to be faithful with God’s Word and we are entrusting our CGs to God. The work of our CGs is supernatural work and we trust God to work through our current study of Genesis (until August) and Galatians (from August to November).
Encourage and strengthen CG leaders at CLOBS. CLOBS is the monthly training for our CGLs and they have also been working on training at the sessions so the leaders can get better at discipling members.
Return to good habits of F2F (leave bad habits). In this period, we have been functioning with Zoom as the default mode of meeting. Using Romans 1:11 and 1 Thessalonians 2:17, he exhorted us to consider regathering again in person!
How can we participate?
Be part of a CG! Elder Caleb encouraged all to consider being a part of one, for it will do us good.
Consider stepping forward to start a CG. We had 54 new members (2020), 66 new members (2021), 8 in just the first quarter of 2022. Thus, Caleb shared that we need about 4-6 new groups a year, with 10-12 in each group, just so that the new members can be a part of community life.
Hence, there is a need for more disciple-makers to step forward. He encouraged those who are part of a bigger group (i.e. groups with more than 15 people) to consider planting and starting new groups. There is interest to start groups in these areas: Bukit Panjang, Queenstown, Marine Parade and River Valley. If you are interested, contact the CG ministry (cg@gracebaptistchurch.sg).
Next, Bibianna, our ministry worker gave an update on the Women’s Ministry. She shared that the Women’s Ministry comes under the larger umbrella of discipleship in the church where Christians seek to do spiritual good to others. Thus, the Women’s Ministry exists simply to help other women follow Jesus, within the local church, and under the oversight and the authority of the elders. Currently, this takes place in both formal (e.g. classes, Bible study groups, conferences, retreats, etc.) and informal means (e.g. meeting for meals, one-to-one Bible reading, etc.).
Yet, over the past two years, because of COVID, much of the ministry has taken place in smaller group settings. Thus, Bibianna shared plans to hold a half day gathering for women in May. This will allow them to gather to get to know one another and to also see the amazing work that God is doing among the ladies at Grace. Titled "Women of Grace", it will be held on 14 May 2022. There will be a time of sharing and prayer among the ladies, as well as a short teaching session, where they can choose between learning about discipleship, or about finding trust and rest in God.
Here’s how the church can participate:
Pray! Pray for the women who will attend, that it will be a refreshing time. Pray also for the women who are involved in the planning and teaching, that God will grant them wisdom and strength.
Come! We invite all women to sign up (gracebaptistchurch.sg/womenofgrace). It is open to all, especially if you are discipling, are being discipled or are keen to do so.
Help! Fathers, if you can, we encourage you to take the children that morning. At the same time we are also looking to provide childcare, thus if any of the brothers are available and able to volunteer, contact Bibianna (bibianna@gracebaptistchurch.sg).
Giving
Elder Nehemiah gave us an update about our finances too. At a glance, the missions giving has increased, general giving decreased. We thank God for the Missions Offering and how it is above budget. We too, can thank God for clear and increasing conviction for missions. At our last QCM, a sharing update was made on the Missions Committee and their work. At the same time, the reopening of borders means we can resume short-term missions efforts. He encouraged the church to continue giving as the Missions Committee continues their faithful service.
In the first quarter, the General Offering has decreased, and is running under budget. Elder Nehemiah helped us to think about giving and how we can participate in this way. As we celebrated in the first part of this meeting, God is bringing visitors to GBC, and more are staying as members. As a result, more ministry needs to be done, and with the easing measures, we have more opportunities to do so. Thus, we will need more resources, support and finances needed to support these efforts.
Elder Chuan-Xin also shared about building improvement plans. More large spaces are needed to accommodate the increasing number of children. There are plans to renovate the fifth floor with the existing funds that we have. These plans have been made by faith, and is important as we have been seeing God working to bring about growth.
Closing
Elder Lup Meng led us through the Church Covenant at the end of the meeting, and Elder Chong Tien closed us in prayer. Indeed, there are many things to thank God for and to trust Him by faith, in prayer.