Forty-seven years ago, on 18 July, CWM was inaugurated as a mission organisation. To commemorate the special day, staff members of the Singapore office made a special visit to the Singapore Life Church, where they spent time with 40 senior citizens in activities including exercises, a short quiz, and a singalong session where all belted out classic Christian hymns in praise of God.
The mostly Mandarin-speaking senior citizens were a part of the Life Recreation Centre – a social concern initiative by the Singapore Life Church that provides a safe space for the elderly to interact with their contemporaries and be engaged in Christian fellowship. The centre has been operating for 12 years and ministers to a thriving community of over 100 senior citizens who hang out from 9am to 4pm, Tuesdays to Fridays.
The Singapore staff arrived early in the morning at the centre and were immediately given a warm welcome by the elderly members. The celebrations then kicked off with an invigorating round of exercises that saw many staff being challenged in sets of movements that required a keen sense of coordination and focus – qualities that were surprisingly present in the spritely group of old folks.
Rev. Julie Sim, CWM Mission Secretary for Mission Programme and Partnership, gave a brief but succinct presentation of how Singapore Life Church is intrinsically linked to CWM through ties formed from early Presbyterian missionaries who were sent to Singapore by CWM’s organisational predecessor, the London Missionary Society. The church was the result of decades of faithful church-planting by the Presbyterian community that also yielded the close relationship that is still shared between the denomination and CWM to this day.
“Coming here is akin to returning home,” described Sim as she also quizzed the elderly participants on a series of questions where prizes were given out to the competitive old folks who were eager to give the right answers amidst raucous laughter and wide smiles.
The seniors were also treated to a lively skit by Rev. Amelia Koh-Butler, Mission Secretary for Education and Empowerment, who regaled the audience with her skills in theatrics as she retold Jesus’ parable of the Good Shepherd.
CWM General Secretary Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum presented a special gift to Elder Wang, the founder of the Life Care Society, a community outreach ministry of Singapore Life Church—which was established in 1883 by the London Missionary Society.
The staff then broke for lunch with the seniors as they shared tables and exchanged stories with each other. The generations closed their gaps through conversations over a meal, ending a memorable event that highlights how life-flourishing communities can also be fostered in the golden years.
Every year, the CWM community commemorates CWM’s inauguration as a mission organisation on a Sunday close to 18 July.
In this year’s 47th anniversary celebration, CWM member churches and partners will commemorate CWM Sunday on 21 July using or incorporating the liturgical resources.
