2024 is fast coming to an end. We look back at a year filled with lots of events that kept us active and use this year-end as a time to take stock of our achievements, reflect on the challenges faced, and exhort one another to grow in faith and continue the good work of the church. God has blessed us with much, a physical and spiritual family that provides support in a bond of affection, with opportunities to serve and the continued enjoyment of support and love for each other. Throughout these times, we have been protected from harm’s way and we continue to enjoy God’s wonderful creation.
The year was not without its sad moments. Some of us lost loved ones. Sister Shirley lost her father and sister-in-law due to old age and illness; several brethren passed on during the year, namely, sis Sandra’s grandmother (Too Mooi), sis Boon Chin’s grandfather (fondly called uncle Song), bro Richard and Chong Teck’s sister (Ai Ai), bro Edward Low’s mother, and just this week, we received news of the passing of bro Roberto in Banaoang. We are still praying for the recovery of health challenges for brethren and their family members which include bro Alvin Neoh (cancer) and sis Nelly (stroke) in Penang, and Kelvin Tong’s father who recently underwent a surgery due to brain aneurysm.
There were also moments of rejoicing. We rejoiced over 4 baptisms in the year, i.e. Kyleen Wee, Calvin Chan, Emily Koay and Benjamin Tay. Several brethren moved into new homes (bro Joshua and Alvin), we rejoiced with sis Eunice who was called to the Bar, Jun Yao who graduated with a degree in Information Comm & Tech from Swinburne Uni in Melbourne and Kimberly who went on a student exchange to Warwick Uni in UK. Several of our brethren moved up the corporate ladder and some received new job offers. Bro Alvin Lee and Annabelle enjoyed working in Perth for 6 months, and bro Sam Tan transferred his employment to Bank of America in Singapore. We celebrated the marriage of sis Yih Ting to bro Cheng Yew, and rejoiced over the engagement of bro Fang Hao and sis Jolene.
During the year, we were actively supporting various works locally and abroad, consistent with the theme for the year, ‘Standing Firm’, working side by side, for the faith of the gospel. Our men spoke in Klang, Malacca, S17, Skudai, Taiping, Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, at the Restoration seminar, Church Street, Melbourne, Banaoang in the Philippines, and Central North in Perth. Several members supported the 4 Seas Lectureship in Singapore, CABL in Malacca, and bro Chan Khoon joined the mission trip to Banaoang, together with brethren from Singapore.
We had a wonderful church camp (Beacon Resort, Kerling) which was well received by participants from 4 other congregations besides KK. During the year, we had several overseas preachers, namely, Roger Campbell, John Grubb, Ron Gilbert, Tim Burrough (from the US), Peter Chin, Jimmy Lau, Long Jong, Ernest Lau, Alvin Lin, Amos Cheong, Ben Kwan, as well as Francis and Jerven, graduates of the 4 Seas College (all from Singapore).
Of course, we had our regular preachers from local congregations as well. KK led the organising of the Year End Seminar where 4 speakers from the US exhorted us in November. In addition, we also had a Mission workshop conducted by bro Peter, and not forgetting home fellowships, our church planning session that discussed and formalised the plan for 2025, and our young adults who were also active, with many youth fellowships and field trips/outings.
The ladies too had their fellowships and were busy with children’s classes, lunches, visitations to the sick, and supporting the works of the church. Three of our youths joined the YDP in PD. We supported the Mission works locally as well as abroad (including Africa, Laos, Banaoang, 4 SEAS English and Mandarin works, Yong Peng, Boon Lay’s China work, LAP’s China’s Mission work, and William Chen’s WVBS Chinese work), thanks to your generous pledges.
For 2025, our church has chosen the theme, “Growing to be more Christlike,” taken from Eph 4:14-15, “… that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ. To be more Christlike is to work towards becoming a perfect man, to the stature of the fullness of Christ. This is what we must do, the whole body coming together, joined and knit, whereby we use what we are supplied with, put that to effective work, with every one of us doing our part, for the growth and edifying of the church.
During the year, you have supported the meetings and the activities of the church (hosted visiting brethren and preachers, and ministered to the needs of members), served selflessly, and shone forth your light unto the world. Many of you were silent workers, who did your part in making our church more welcoming, conducive and effective. Your elders thank you all for your love, care and continued fervency in the Lord’s work. Do continue to do good, to go the second mile and to labour tirelessly. Your work will not be overlooked by God.
There is more to be done. The work is plenteous, the field is white unto harvest but the labourers are few. Let us together look to 2025 with renewed vigour, filled with enthusiasm and hope. As we close the year, may we take this time to thank God for His goodness in our lives. He has answered our prayers, showered us with His abundant blessings, and He continues to watch over us. He is ever kind, loving, gracious and merciful.
Let us continue to give thanks for all that we receive, persevere, and fight the good fight, that we may finish the race victorious. God bless us all as we commit ourselves to the work of the church.
– Written by bro. Eng Kim Leng on behalf of the Kota Kemuning church of Christ Elders