Church News (Page 71)

By Not Known This is a message I never expected to write. I have been a retired minister for 6 years now and the last place I expected to be, was back at ORPC. When I first received the news of a possible invitation to serve as ISM (Interim Senior Minister) for a few months, I shared it with several people. And I discovered two distinct reactions. There were those who…

By Not Known Back in 1997, Calvin Miller wrote The Book of 7 Truths; an interesting tale within a tale about a mysterious man who forever changes the lives of another.  He spoke of the enduring powers of faith and demonstrated the true meaning of generosity and forgiveness.  One of the 7 truths in the book is: You cannot help people if you are always with…

By Not Known For those of us who celebrate the Lunar New Year, another season of lavish trading of well-wishes has begun. Greetings like “Gong Xi Fa Cai” [blessing of fortune] and “Nian Nian You Yu” [blessing of abundance] are almost customary, although most people know by experience that reality is more often a far cry from what they have…

By Not Known In the recent census here, it was noted that many younger people have professed to have no religion.  They are categorically people who may be atheists.  It may simply mean that they do not believe in any deity; or that moral living is not based on any particular book or system of belief.  However, if we examine the term religion, it is proper…

By Not Known The one-time world champion boxer Muhammad Ali (1942- ) was not the only person in history to declare himself to be “the greatest”.  Neither was he the first nor will he be the last to display such crass human megalomania.  Even drunken with such swell-headedness, many of us would be careful to hide ourselves behind some form of…

By Not Known We do not like to live on ‘Empty’. The feeling of emptiness materially and physically, often leaves us anxious, confused, cynical and insecure. Hence, we do our utmost to live life so that emptiness will not happen to us.  How about our spiritual life? When we are spiritually ‘Empty’ we lack compassion for those who are hurting,…

By Not Known The first week into the New Year saw many of us scrambling with our schedules and workloads.  Already, some are saying, “I am overwhelmed!” Others used the most often-used phrase, “I have no time.” Busy? Definitely. No time? Not really. Yes, we live in a pressure-cooker society, but whose society is…

By Not Known Somebody once commented, “There’s no difference between a mega church gathering and a multimillion-dollar pop concert… it’s all about popularity draw…” Whether it is an ignorant opinion or an undeniable perception, this statement raises several crucial questions, one of which is – of what does a church consist? The…

By Not Known Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you – unless of course you fail the test. (2 Cor 13:5) Some in our congregation have the habit of a personal AGM to examine themselves before God. Here are some questions that can be used …. Do I trust the mercies of God in Christ…

By Not Known When it comes to God’s ‘big’ people there is none bigger than Jesus. And that is why the Bible is centred on him and why the western calendar measures time based on his life. Jesus is… … the son of Adam who alone displayed true humanity and thus was enabled to break the first Adam’s deathly hold and make those who believe…