EE training

EE training from 7 - 10 June! I encourage everyone who's available to go for it! I used it to share the gospel with my friend and it was really effective and helpful. Those who would like to sign up, please let me know ASAP!

Germs

Love Love Love

Love Love Love

I thought it was quite interesting that the topic of Love has been coming up more and more recently. We talked about it 2 weeks ago during CG. For those who remember, it was specifically about loving the less fortunate around us: The needy, the poor, the lonely, the abused etc. Throughout the Bible, God has mentioned this over and over again. I believe this is definitely something that is heavily on his heart.

I thought it was interesting that we were greeted by the exact topic again this year during the Adult Global Day of Prayer. We prayed especially for the migrant workers in Singapore. And you know what, before Global Day of prayer, I actually decided to attend our Church's Chinese service and guess what the topic was... LOVE.

Pastor Ho preached about Jesus telling the people the 2 most important commandments - Love the Lord your God and love the people around you. The pharisees had asked Jesus only for the most important commandment, yet Jesus gave 2. The reason for that is because loving God and loving people go hand in hand. You cannot love God if you don't love the people around you. What a huge and scary truth this is.

Now, this love that we are talking about is not just a feeling you have in your heart. It is a practical, unselfish and unconditional love. It means showing care and respecting people.

I don't think it's any coincidence that God has been reminding us over and over again to love. He wants us to do something about it. I know we are a young CG, but we are not going into the world by ourselves, we are going in God's strength. I want us to stop living in our sheltered Christian bubble. Being a Christian means going out into the world and getting our hands dirty. Let's pray and ask God how we can be loving the community around us and thus, showing them that there's a God who loves them.

Congrats to the 5 baptised members

Just a short note to say CONGRATULATIONS to the 5 baptised members of Effervescence!

Grace
Patrizha
Ryan
David
Zenas

I want to say again that I'm very proud of this commitment you're making to Jesus Christ - telling the world that you really want to make him Lord of your life. My prayer is that you live your life as if you have the name JESUS plastered on your forehead. Since the world is going to identify you as a Christian, be sure to show them how a disciple of Jesus Christ really behaves.

Love, that's one of God's biggest commands. Love as he loved you. Watch how you use your mouths. Avoid gossiping, cursing, complaining, insulting, because those are not things that Jesus Christ would do. I'll leave you to discover all his other commands yourself. And remember, change will not happen in your own strength... it happens through a real relationship with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In his love,
Germs

Upcoming events - May June 2010

Upcoming Youth events

16 May - Ryan, Zenas, Grace, David and Patrizha's Baptism service (3pm)
23 May - Youth GDOP (3pm)
4-5 June - Yalpha Training
7-10 June - Youth EE training
27 June - Yalpha lunch

Baptism Service

Hey guys, Ryan, Zenas, Grace, David and Patrizha's baptism will be this sunday, 16th May at 3pm. It's going to be held at Covenant EFC. I have reserved about 8 places for our CG so what I'm thinking is that we should all go for the 2nd service together, have lunch, then head over to Covenant EFC together. Please confirm whether or not you'll be able to go for the baptism.

Youth Global Day of Prayer

It's that time of the year again - for us to join hands (figuratively, not literally) with all the other Christians in Singapore and around the world in prayer and worship. Youth GDOP will be at the Expo, at 3pm on 23 May. Once again, we'll be going as a CG and can meet for lunch first. Please confirm if you can come!

Yalpha (Youth Alpha)

I'm sure all of you know by now, reaching out to the lost is something that God wants and expects of us as Children. And we should be passionate about it! This year, we have the chance to participate in Youth Alpha. The Yalpha team needs facilitators to lead discussions, befrienders to sit around and help the groups bond, as well as logistic helpers. Please consider serving by volunteering to serve. The Yalpha lunch is on 27th June and the rest of the sessions will be on subsequent sundays. Please let me know if you would like to serve!

Youth EE training

From what I remember, some of you mentioned before that you would like to sign up for Youth EE right? Well, the dates have been confirmed. The course will be from 7-10 June. I really encourage you all to sign up, especially since many of you find it difficult to share the gospel with your friends. Youth EE will train you how to talk about Christianity in a comfortable way. Even if you've been for the kids alpha course, you can use this chance to revise it. Once again, you can sign up for this with me:)

Spiritual Walk Journals

I want to recommend that you guys get these journals to document your walk with God. Apart from Bible reading plans and Pace instructions, there are also memory verses on every page. The books is for you to write down things that God reveals to you in the course of your walk with him. Write down your reflections, prayers, thanksgivings and everything that he teaches you. This is an important discipline as it helps us remember God's goodness and the things he teaches us. The books are supposed to be free but I am setting a $1 charge to be donated to our CG fund so that we don't abuse the system. Do order the books from me ok?

As you can see, a lot of things are happening, a lot to sign up for. So sign up!!!

Love,
Germs

The CG that glorifies God

So... my Young Adult CG recently hit a low point. Apparently, there were a few people in CG who were quite unhappy with the way things were going. They felt that the CG members' spiritual conditions were in very bad shape. We were not led by the spirit enough. Every week, the Bible Study was very one-sided, the leader doing all the work and members not contributing enough. We weren't being transformed by what we had learnt. We weren't excited enough about God! The fellowship of the CG was not exactly very bad, but the level of friendships were not very deep, and some probably felt left out. They felt that the Holy Spirit was grieving for us.

As I thought through all these problems, I just felt that they were so relevant to Effervescence as well. We've been in the same CG for what... more than 2 years now. Sure, things have been better since we first started. Attendance is getting more consistent and everyone's more focused during Bible study. But is that really all there is to CG?

I want us all to think for a minute, what is your reason for coming for CG?
1. To learn about God's word
2. To have fellowship with your friends
3. You've been forced to come

I hope none picked 3, because that would be quite sad. But if you had only picked 1 or only picked 2, you are seriously wrong about the purpose of CG. Do you expect to come for CG ignoring all the other members around you, waiting just to have God's word fed to you? If that's the case, does that mean that if we're not learning about something that interests you, you won't come? Or is picking no. 2 alone any better? Is CG a just a social club for you, a time to catch up with one another?

Well, if CG isn't just a place to learn about God, or have fellowship, than what is it? And how should our CG be like? I don't have the perfect answer, but the Bible does. Below is a passage that I personally feel demonstrates how a CG should be like:

Colossians 3:12 - 15

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Now think:
Have we been compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient?
Have we been bearing enough with each other or getting irritated by one another?
Do we forgive members when they offend us or do us wrong?
And... have we been loving each other with the perfect and unconditional love that we've been learning for so long about? God's love!
Are we at peace?
Are we thankful or are we always finding something to grumble and complain about?

My favourite part of the verse is the last part-letting the word of Christ dwell in us (and transform us) and teaching and admonishing one another with wisdom. What a beautiful thing this would be, if we could be a CG where members are excited to teach each other truths that they have learnt about God during the week. Have we seen that happening in CG?

Whenever I see you guys talk, it's always about school, friends and more. Not that we can't talk about those, but why don't we ever talk about God and what he's been teaching us? I think the answer is plain and painfully simple: We don't know God well enough to talk about him like that. We don't spend enough time in his word to have him speak to our lives. It shows how lukewarm we are about God, and how little a place he has in our life. The thought of that saddens me. But I don't believe that things can't change.

We all need to have a new attitude about CG. With regards to God's word, the leaders cannot always be the ones feeding you God's truth. You are not supposed to come here like a spoilt child expecting to be taught. You are expected to discover God's truth for yourselves. The discussions are led by the leaders but the bulk has to be contributed by YOU! As for fellowship, how do you expect to be close if you don't share your struggles, if you simply get away by saying "nothing happened this week" how do you expect to receive care and concern. We need to put ourselves out there and be vulnerable to each other. Stop hanging around in your own circle of friends and start talking to others. Stop caring for yourself and start caring for the rest!

I'm sorry if this was a harsh post. I love, the CG, you know I do. But I feel that it's high time we really start getting serious about glorifying God. We need God's help to fix and perfect our CG before we can go out there in the world to change lives.

Do you love God? If you did, you would want to change.

Reflections

Write in your CG journal your thoughts about the passage. Which of the qualities listed are the most lacking in both yourself, and the CG? What are some active steps we can take towards becomming a CG that functions as well as the one in the passage? Now pray for God's power to transform you and the CG.

In his love,
Germs

Announcements

Hi, during our last open sunday, Pastor Tim showed some new journals that you can get. It includes Bible reading plan, PACE instructions, personal goals, and daily memory verses. I believe it's $1 or so (correct me if I'm wrong) so those who would like to get it, please drop me an sms to let me know.

Also, do check out Youth Global Day of Prayer here. Those who would like to go, please sign up with me via sms.

Lastly, let's meet this sat at 2pm at Admiralty MRT station. Cg will be at my place!

Love,
Germs

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength

For each new day

He will make a way

He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness

He'll lead me

And rivers in the desert will I see

Heaven and earth will fade

But His Word will still remain

He will do something new today

as the exams approach, remember that God is always with you even in the hardest times.

lets take time to pray and encourage one another.

God Bless you all(:

all the best for MYE

zenas.

Open Sunday over!

Hey everyone,

Just wanna say a big thanks to all your effort in helping to organize Open Sunday this week. I must say, it was a little difficult to manage so many 15-year-olds with different opinions on what the prizes should be but I have to admit, the wang wangs were a good idea after all, haha.

I look forward to seeing you all next week. I know you're all busy mugging for your exams. (Except maybe JC, in which case, PLEASE START MUGGING JC!!!) Still, I hope you make time for God in the midst of everything. It's easy to forget him when we get busy. But the thing is, we are not supposed to give only the left over time to him? We are supposed to MAKE TIME for him!

So... hope you all keep praying, keep walking close with our dear Lord Jesus Christ. And I hope to see you all next week. Yes, even the muggers...

Love,
Germs