Thanksgiving Prayer Service 2024
Over the recent National Day weekend, while we celebrated the founding of the nation, GBC members had another reason to gather with thanksgiving. On 10 August 2024, we had a Thanksgiving Prayer Service to mark 65 years of God’s faithfulness and provision to us as a church.
Opening Welcome
The service opened with Pastor Eugene and Pastor Peter representing both congregations and welcoming all present with Lamentations 3:21-26 as the call to worship.
In 1959, Grace Baptist Church was established with 51 members. For the past 65 years, we have known God’s unfailing grace and provision. The pastors encouraged us to not only look back with gratitude, but also to look forward with faith and hope. It is their hope that this time together encourages us to continue to look to Christ, whose steadfast love and mercies are unending, and to press on in faithfulness to God and His gospel in the days to come.
Wei Ming, from the Chinese-language congregation (CC), led us in an opening prayer before a worship team comprising of volunteers from both services led us in song. It was heartening to sing in both English and Mandarin, and it served as a reminder that God is calling the nations to Him!
Sharing by Members
Next, 4 members – 2 from the English-language congregation (EC) and 2 from CC – were invited to share what they are thankful to God for regarding GBC.
Peter from CC shared that he is thankful for old friends with some friendships formed and deepening from 60 years ago! He shared 3 things that he is thankful for. The first is the recent CC Camp, the first in 6 years. 115 participated, which is 80% of their membership. It was a good time for all present, and the invited speaker also spoke truths that spoke to members.
The second is their recent election and also upcoming changes in their leadership structure. He requests prayer for this transition that will happen in the rest of 2024. Thirdly, he thanked God for providing a new pastor, Pastor Chung. This is an answer to their prayer!
Next, Sze Gar from the EC, who is also our deacon in the Welcome Team, shared how she’s thankful for the growth God has brought forth in GBC over the last 21 years since she joined. She acknowledged that we are flawed, but God has been good in spite of it all. In particular, she is thankful for the provision of pastors and servants who have preached God’s Word faithfully.
She is also thankful for the community. She shared an anecdote of how an older saint who has witnessed her baptism came up to her a few years later to tell her she has been praying for her, and how it has encouraged and strengthened her. Likewise, she is thankful for our elders who have been praying for members of the church. These may seem like small things, but are evidence of God at work in our community.
She also shared how God has used service and ministry to enlarge her love for His people. She has experienced people’s gentleness and patience towards her over the years, from the time she started attending as a new Christian, and slowly growing in the community. The community at Grace continues to encourage her to love and good works! She closed her sharing by encouraging us all to press on until Christ returns.
Wei En, the deacon for Youth and Young Adults (YA) from the CC shared how he is thankful to God for providing faithful members and leaders who have kept the group going despite some of the uncertainties and challenges in the past few years. In particular, he is thankful for the help from Chi Wei Ming and the provision of a new pastor. He is also encouraged by some member-led initiatives to meet needs and build up the group. Like Peter, Wei En is also looking forward to some of the new changes, such as the upcoming elder election. He exhorted the church to continue praying, especially for God’s strength and Spirit to work to transform the hearts and lives of His people.
Finally, Nicholas, a deacon for the YA ministry in the EC closed this time of sharing. He is thankful for how God has preserved love for His gospel, and how God has deepened our love for His Word and our trust in Jesus. He is also thankful for older saints who desire to continue to be faithful to His Word. As a member, he has been a recipient of sincere love by members of diverse backgrounds. As he ministered, he was particularly encouraged by young men who have been growing in their love for the Word and church. It is a wonderful thing when God’s people love and allows the Word to shape them.
He also shared how he is encouraged by the increase in gospel partnerships as GBC seeks to support and celebrate gospel work elsewhere. God is growing in us a greater love for His glory, and even challenging us to use our resources for His glory. He exhorted us to continue to pray that He deepens our love and remain faithful in the years ahead.
Exhortation from Psalm 111
Pastor Oliver gave the exhortation from Psalm 111:1-2, which calls us to praise God, who is greater than anything we have. The big idea of his exhortation was: Praise God because of God’s work for His people.
We are to praise and give thanks with our whole heart (Ps 111:1). Praise is a heart posture, and it also translates into what we do when we gather. Praise ought to mark our gathering. How do we sing? Sing wholeheartedly and not reluctantly. We are also to live lives of thankfulness that carries over to the other days of the week.
Why? God’s works reveal who God is (Ps 111:2). God’s people delight in God’s work as we delight in God. God promises to provide and care for His people (Ps 111:5-6). He sends redemption (Ps 111:9). God saves us by paying the price for us. He saved and also accomplished a new and better Exodus. Jesus cares for and protects His church daily.
Pastor Oliver also reminded us of our history, and how God has been faithful! Despite the ups and downs, God led us through. He provides and saves us through Jesus, despite our flaws. Indeed, He is worthy of our praise! But as we look ahead, may we be marked by faithfulness and thankfulness.
Pastor Peter from the CC also gave an exhortation from the same passage. He thanked God for this gathering made possible only by God. He reminded us that this God’s character never changes. He is the same and what He says, He will do. Indeed, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
We have also experienced God’s grace in the past 65 years. He encouraged us to continue to glorify God by being a community that reflects His nature. He exhorted us to be marked by love and service to one another, as Christ modelled it. God has also given us many resources, good location and members. Let us be willing to give it to God and see how He can use it. Let’s not hoard and let it stop with us.
As Psalm 111 says, let us continue to praise Him!
Prayer in small groups
As this was a prayer service, we had a time to break up into smaller groups to share and pray for the church. It was heartening and encouraging to see people from both congregations form small groups around the sanctuary thanking God and praying for the church together.
Closing
Elder Nehemiah from the EC closed this section with a prayer of thanksgiving, before the worship team led us in a closing song to express our praise to God. Elder Gerald concluded our time together by leading us in prayer. All present were invited to continue meeting and getting to know each other over dinner in the Fellowship Hall!
This time together has helped us to see that there are indeed many things that we can be thankful to God for. God has shown us grace over the past 65 years, and He is a God who will not change. As a church, let us continue to live by faith, holding fast to His word and seeking to obey and glorify Him. What are you thankful to God for? How have you seen God at work in this community? May God’s Spirit strengthen you to love and obey Him, and to continue to love His people.
