To ring in the new year together, and to give thanks to our Lord together as a parish community, 100 seats were opened for the parishioners to sign-up for a night of Praise and Worship, and all were very quickly filled up. Many more wanted to participate in this Thanksgiving event and expressed disappointment in not being present due to the existing pandemic restrictions.
The much anticipated evening began with prayers of gratitude and we were led beautifully by the gifted Gloria Patri into a time of praise and worship. Father Terence reflected with all who were present on the significance of gratitude and of our faith. The heralding of the New Year was then marked by the filling of our hearts with songs of gratitude and worship.
Gloria Patri, Praise and Worship team: 2 brothers in Christ at the front of the worship hall
Gloria Patri, Praise and Worship team: with another 2 sisters in Christ at the far end of the left of the loft
As we look back as a parish at the year 2021, we have so much to be grateful for. With the providence of the Lord, we saw the COVID-19 restrictions lifted to allow more parishioners to participate in the Eucharist; our physical church is now almost 95% ready from its 1.5-year long renovations; we have new updated wings with conducive areas to fellowship, halls, and convertible spaces for faith formation and events; and our adoration room has been re-fitted and re-built from the ground to accommodate more people. Yes, more people! Many have requested the adoration room to be bigger and our prayers have been granted. Hallelujah, praise our Lord!
COVID-19 is unlike any crisis we have experienced. It has brought our nation (and churches) to a standstill, and compelled all of us to stay home, adapt to new norms, and has invited us to overcome countless challenges. As a parish, we have been very nimble, flexible, and accommodative of the frequent changes. With the mercy of the Lord, the parish was led by our ministering priests and the laity who had heard God’s call to step up, and this enabled us to safely cross the bridges that came our way.
Each of us in the parish has a story to tell, and every story shared connects us to someone’s lived experiences, and challenges. At the centre of these testimonies, is a strong conviction in the unfailing hope in Jesus. More important, as a parish community of disciples, making other disciples, our shared experiences have strengthened our faith, our resolve, and has inspired each of us to take action, and to encourage one another to overcome our personal challenges, in companionship and community, and as we helped each other on this journey.
As the old year transits into the new, we remember God our Father, who has created us and who sustains us. He is our God who has provided for our salvation through His sacrifice, has given us grace, and has shown us so, so much love. As God’s love for us is unconditional and everlasting, we pray that our gratitude be never-ceasing, regardless of our temporal circumstances. In this reflection what has come to past, and in the anticipation of the future that God our Father has for us, we are also called to be stewards filled with thanksgiving and to be beacons to others who would be ambling in the dark.
The parish engaging in a time of Praise, Worship and Reflection
As midnight was just a few seconds away…
… no one knew that the turn of the new year was actually happening!
The countdown happened, 10, 9, 8…. and the love of Jesus that dwells in our hearts reminds us once again that we are His Beloved.
The Holy Spirit, moved powerfully through the worship music and stirred us with fervour and zeal for the House of God.
Mervyn shared that he was overcome with intense emotion as he captured the pictures and expressions of so many that touched his heart:
“How beautiful….. I was truly surprised at how I felt- it was an amazing time with our Lord. Because at first I did not want to go! But my wive really wanted to and I thought it would only be nice to spend the new year’s with her and decided to. I have no regrets, and in fact would have regretted if i did not manage to be here!”
-Mervyn Wong, Contributor Photographer
Jinky, who had taken time off from her employer to spend time God our father and to give Him praise. Not be anywhere else but here, in church, with our friends – sisters and brothers in Christ whom we see so often says:
“I felt tears of Joy because at these trying times, I am so blessed to be able to attend. I praise and thank God, because even though I am far away from my family who are in the Philippines, I can feel that they are with me- I feel the love in my heart and it feels good being as one community in the church, who is like my family in Singapore.
Like Psalm 33:21, I feel: ‘Our hearts rejoice for we trust in His holy name’
Our Lord was victorious as our community celebrated together as one for our thanksgiving.”
– Jinky
As reflections of gratefulness of 2021 filled each soul and bubbled up, we praise you Jesus, thank you Abba father, we give you thanks Holy Trinity for all the good and perfect gifts!
Gloria Patri, praise and worship team: brother here who was making sure the evening went well
For the people who always work behind the scenes, on behalf of the whole parish, THANK YOU!!! Sisters and brothers, of Media team, Comms Ministry, for the people who clean our church, take care of our compounds and above all, our Parish office!
All photos of the event are available by clicking: here
Photographs shot by: Contributor Mervyn Wong
Written by: Julianne Danielle Lim