“I don’t belong here.” “No one understands me.” “Do I have a place that I can fit in?” At some point in our lives we may experience this feeling of disconnect with the people around us. These feelings may arise at the workplace, family, community, and even in church. We feel alienated, alone and we …
“Peace be with you” is the salutation we use to greet each other during our church services. But what does peace really mean? I know what peace feels like after digging into a sumptuous buffet and having a food coma. I also know when I don’t have peace, by just simply checking my blood pressure. …
by Clarice Wong The idea of establishing a BLC garden sprouted in late 2014. The idea was to create a space for members to spend time beyond the four walls, and to explore how to integrate a garden into a worship space. It was an experimental project, blessed by the church council. The garden plays …
Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September, 2022. She was the longest serving monarch in British history. She is loved and deeply respected by many. There was a tidal wave of outpouring of grief; with flower tributes, notes, cards, Paddington bears and marmalade sandwiches. There were queues of people coming from all over the globe, …
Ever heard anyone say it’s easy to be a Christian? I have. Many times, in the 40 plus years I’ve tried “to follow Christ.” I’ve never found it easy. What makes a Christ-follower (“disciple”) different from non-disciples? If your answer is “a disciple is confident her sins are forgiven and she’ll go to heaven when …
LOL! Laugh out loud. We laugh at jokes, comedies. We laugh when we are happy. We also laugh to bond with the people around us. Laughing out loud with another person or in a crowd makes us feel good. What about laughing to oneself, a secret laugh? No one knows but the person laughing. Is …
The government of Malaysia spends billions to build mosques. And hundreds of millions to train, deploy and support Muslim clerics and officials. The chief organ for such work is JAKIM, the Department for Development (“promotion” may be more accurate) of Islam, with a budget of RM1.4 billion in 2021. JAKIM is at the Federal level. …
Recently a top politician said “There is even an expression that there are three types of truth. Your truth, my truth and the truth. Truth is God’s Word.” When I read that statement, my heart sank to the depths of despair. Are there really three types of truth? Have we as a nation sunk so …
Five years on… It has been 5 long years since Pastor Raymond Koh was suddenly taken away in February 2017, yet it seems like just yesterday. So much has happened since. We now know Pr. Raymond was abducted by the Special Branch of the Malaysian police, just like the Shiite activist Amri Che Mat, in …
The lectionary readings for Sunday include Hebrews 12:18-29. Chapter 12 is the second to last chapter. In these verses, the writer, a pastor, offers the basis for the command he issued in verse 14: Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. The goal of life …
