Written by Nathanael Goh
About a month ago, the youth and a few young adults from our congregations had the privilege of visiting the Ipoh congregation for a short yet memorable trip. Our purpose went beyond a casual visit—we sought to deepen our understanding of Christian care and fellowship, and to serve alongside our brethren, encouraging one another in faith and love.
What We Did: Lessons, Service, and Fellowship
Care is the essential bond that holds the church community together as we journey together in the Christian race. Life’s challenges can easily draw us away from God, but He has graciously given us a church family to support, encourage, and uplift one another in times of need. When care diminishes, the sense of belonging within a congregation weakens, creating fractures that threaten the health of the community. With this understanding, we took the opportunity to explore the vital theme of care—its meaning, its practice, and its power to keep us united.
The trip was carefully planned with a series of interlinked lessons and activities designed to inspire and equip participants to embody care in practical ways. We began with a Youth Fellowship entitled “Why Caring Matters,” featuring a heartfelt devotional by bro. Benjamin Tay—his first!—followed by deep personal sharing from the youth and young adults on how they had received care and the impact it made. This set the tone for a genuine reflection on the power of caring relationships.
On Sunday, bro. Calvin Chan delivered a sermon titled “United in Care — persevering together as a strong and loving community,” also his first message, reminding us that perseverance in faith flourishes best in a community bonded by love and mutual support.
During the Sunday Bible class, bro. Benjamin Tay continued the theme with “Living Out Care — practical ways to care for another,” helping us translate love into action through tangible steps.
We are grateful for all members who supported the spiritual and logistical aspects of the trip which includes bro. Calvin Tan, our song leader, bro. Benjamin Tay and bro. Caleb (Led his first collection prayer), our prayer leaders and sisters like sis. Kaitlyn, who helped teach Sunday School and captured precious moments through photography, sis. Eunice for the thoughtful planning, and sis. Emily for preparing the handmade gratitude and birthday cards. A special thank you to the Ipoh congregation for providing our youth with the opportunity to serve, teach, and preach, sis. Ai Luan for her warm hospitality and the genuine encouragement she extended to our youth, and to Hiu Lok for joining our home fellowship on Saturday, bridging our congregations even further.
Key Results: Two-Way Encouragement and Service
This visit became a platform for two-way encouragement. Our young members eagerly taught and preached, experiencing firsthand the joy and challenge of service. Meanwhile, we were uplifted by the Ipoh brethren’s hospitality and words of encouragement.
Personal Reflections and Takeaways
As an organiser and participant, I am grateful to witness how our youth and young adults stepped up to teach and encourage. The trip highlighted Christian service as a team effort, reminding us that ministry goes beyond age and experience when hearts are aligned towards God’s will.
Reflecting on the trip, these are my three key takeaways:
- Have a genuine heart for others (Philippians 4:6): True care requires investing time and resources—whether guiding younger members in lesson preparation or simply showing hospitality without hesitation.
- Bear one another’s burden (Galatians 6:2): Care is not about titles or designated positions but about willingness to recognise a need and respond, supporting one another proactively rather than waiting to be asked.
- Regularly check in on one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11): Simple acts of checking, encouraging, and supporting go a long way in building a loving community.
Conclusion:
Over the course of our meaningful visit to Ipoh, we have come together to explore the heart of Christian care – why it matters, how to live it out, and the power it holds to unite and strengthen our church family. We learned that genuine care requires more than words or sermons; it demands a willing heart and concrete actions—proactively serving beyond titles and consistently encouraging one another. Most importantly, we experienced how care builds lasting bonds that help us persevere faithfully as one body in Christ.
As we close, take a moment to reflect:
- What is the most memorable act of care you have received, and how did it impact you? and what is one thing you can do today to extend that same care to someone else?