SATURDAY PRAISE SERVICE 蔡竺耘
I’m a second generation Christian who was baptised in COR at the age of three. My parents made sure I attended Sunday School, and children’s camp was an annual affair. Unfortunately, I don’t remember much of the teachings that my Sunday School teachers painstakingly delivered. What I do remember though, were the heart-warming smiles, even when our angelic voices went beyond the tolerance level!
I spent my childhood in the “old Malan Road COR”, and I remember coming up with various ways to run away from Sunday School, only to be found by “Uncle Chi Shyan”, who was then serving in the Children’s Ministry.
I’m especially thankful for my friends in cell group and the Psalmist Ministry. Yashab (where I’m currently serving as a cell leader) has been a big part of my spiritual journey in the past four years, and it will continue to be. Psalmist Ministry is where I learnt how to worship God with my “five loaves and two fishes”, by doing my best and then trusting that God would multiply and bless the church.
Having “grown up” in Jeremiah, this cell group has journeyed through different life stages with me. It’s truly a blessing to have friends and cell leaders who were always ready to listen, to give and embrace, regardless of the circumstances. I’m grateful to have people like Zane, Carol, Hui Im, Jocelyn, Becky etc who would always nudge and encourage the younger ones in the cell group to walk faithfully with God. If not for Yashab, Jeremiah and the Psalmist Ministry, I wouldn’t be where I am now.
I must also make special mention of Pastor Chi Shyan and Wee Lee, who have been faithfully sowing into our lives and encouraging us to be anchored in God. As I look back, I’m glad to have spent the days of my youth with friends in this church. COR will continue to be an integral part of my life, and I hope that the younger generation we see running around in church will also call COR their home, and live lives rooted in God’s promises.
我是第二代基督徒，三岁时在复活堂受洗。父母确保我参加每星期的主日学和每年的儿童营会。遗憾的是，对于主日学老师含辛茹苦的教导，我没什么印象。我只记得的是他们温柔亲切的笑容，甚至在我们发出那难以忍受“天使般”的声音时，笑容依旧！
我童年时光是在以前Malan Road的复活堂度过。我记得当时的我想出了各种旷主日学的方法，但总是被当时在儿童部服侍的“Uncle Chi Shyan”逮着。
我特别要感谢我在小家和Psalmist Ministry的朋友。我目前在Yashab担任小家组长。Yashab小家在我过去四年和未来，仍然会是我属灵生命中的一个重要部分。Psalmist Ministry 则让我学习到如何用神给我的“五饼二鱼“来敬拜神，尽心尽力地，并且相信神会扩张祂的子民，赐福祂的教会。
另外，我是在Jeremiah小家长大。这小家陪伴我度过了人生的不同阶段。无论什么情况下，朋友和组长都随时听我倾诉，给于关怀与接纳，这真的是一个极大的福分！我由衷要感谢一班朋友，像是Zane, Carol, Hui Im, Jocelyn, Becky, 等等，他们时常会提醒并鼓励在小家的青年人，要忠心与主同行。若不是有Yashab小家, Jeremiah小家和Psalmist Ministry，我不可能会是今天的我。
我也要特别提起Pastor Chi Shyan 和Wee Lee，感谢他们忠心地孕育栽培我们的生命，不住地鼓励我们要在神里面扎根。仰首过去，我很庆幸能够在复活堂与我的朋友一起度过我的青春岁月。复活堂将会继续成为我人生中一个重要的部分。我也希望在教会里的青年人，会把复活堂当成他们自己的家一样，把他们的生命牢牢地系在神的应许中。
This article first appeared in Issue 20, December 2019 CHORUS Magazine.