2019 Report on the First RE Counsellors Spiritual Nurture, Meeting & Review
The 1st RE Counsellor Spiritual Nurture and Review meeting was held for one and a half days from 26-27 October 2019 at the GA office. It was attended by 11 RE counsellors from the Northern, Central and Southern regions. The main objective of this meeting was to review the progress of counselling work, especially in the proper and correct recording of the counselling profiles. The main instructor was Deacon Aaron Tan and Sis Chin Phei Chen.
Sis Phei Chen devoted the first day to review the proper recording of the Counselling Profile form. This includes the proper filling of information/data required in the Profiling form, standardisation of codes used in the counselee’s file, password usage, updating of family tree, counselling and follow-up cases, etc. The review was very beneficial and timely as some of us had not been able to fill in the forms properly. There was a practical demonstration on the procedures too. It was a good learning process for all of us as we gained a better understanding.
Deacon Aaron Tan lectured us on RE Counsellors and Cultivation. He touched on the importance of equipping ourselves for counselling work. This includes having an abundant life, a heart of a parent, a complete faith, the servitude of Christ Jesus, humility, self-examination, professional knowledge on counselling as well as being filled with spiritual wisdom. A successful counsellor ought to have these characteristics: 1. Adaptability and flexibility, not easily influenced by others, 2. Good spirituality, 3. The gift to nurture the faith of a person, 4. Faithfulness, 5. Good time management, 6. Servitude that is built on submission. Lastly, he reminded us of the vision and hopes of counselling work. It was a very encouraging and edifying lecture for all of us to reflect and review our objectives as a RE counsellor.
Sis Kathy Foo was appointed as the Secretary for the Counselling Team (Team of Love & Hope). A working committee for the writing and compilation of the RE Counselling Manual was also set up.
In addition, a review of our work assignment was discussed, especially in terms of the punctuality of submission of quarterly reports and the 2019 Written Assignment. New topics for the 2020 Assignment were also discussed.
We thank the Lord Jesus for guiding us. This Review Meeting was very useful to help us improve on our counselling work. Amen.
2019 Senior Classes Religious Education Teachers Seminar
Thank the Lord for yet another opportunity to participate in the National Senior Class RE Teachers Seminar together with my fellow co-workers on the 24th and 25th August this year. Although it only lasted one and a half days, we had the opportunity to learn how to care for students, understand their mentality, discover some activities we can conduct to learn with them, develop management skills, and learn more about the mind of youths.
1) Learning
The speakers shared their experiences, spiritual wisdom and knowledge in great detail. Not only did we learn from their efforts towards the children of the household of God, we also learned about the responsibilities as a teacher. For the sake of the Lord’s sheep, some co-workers were willing to sacrifice their time and effort to travel long distances to participate in this seminar, demonstrating good examples for us.
A lively combined learning activity session served as an encouragement for teachers that on top of prayers, we should also make ample preparation for lessons and activities so that the students may acquire Biblical teachings during such interactive lessons. Whenever we notice strengths of other co-workers during such learning activity sessions, we should admire and learn from each other. On the contrary, if we happen to notice shortcomings, we should exercise tolerance with love and accept their weaknesses with empathy.
More challenges await young students in the end times as compared to the past. Therefore, we as teachers should strive to understand the psychological and physiological changes of students. The modern world brings upon various mental impacts on our students and therefore, we should make sure that they are well-equipped to remain as soldiers of Christ as tertiary students or working youths and have the ability to defend themselves against difficulties and attacks.
2) Reflection
After we gained a better understanding of the mind of students, I wondered if I was truly concerned about the students. Am I diligently carrying out the will of God to tend His sheep because of my love for Him? What kind of spiritual food do the sheep in my class need? Will the actions of each and every sheep, be it inside or outside the classroom, bring glory to God and edification to men? As teachers, what changes can we draw in order to guide the students into understanding more about their own faith and become independent from their parents’ faith? After much reflection, I realised that I owed God much. I wish to better fulfil this ministry with all my mind, heart, soul and might.
3) Gratitute
Seeing the passion of the teachers who came for the seminar, I give thanks to God. He has moved His servants to bear this responsibility as shepherds. I am grateful to my teachers for their sacrifices in providing spiritual food to us and for their intercessory prayers. I am all the more thankful for the preservation of our Lord Jesus, that we can continue the work of our predecessors and pass it on. Lastly, I thank the speakers for their efforts in preparing the various contents for the seminar. May the Lord remember your labour.
The National Youth Education Teachers Seminar is held biannually by the Religious Education Department. Its purpose is to allow the teachers to be trained and to reignite our zeal to serve the Lord. This year, many co-workers were unable to participate possibly due to their busy schedules. It is hope that everyone can gather together once again to share our reflections on working as the stewards in God’s household in another two years’ time.
2019 National Malay-Speaking Bible Camp
1st Jun – 6th June
After sending off a group of young faces, Olive Garden then received another group of students with eager faces. The 2nd day after the National Junior Youth & Intermediate Youth Combined Bible Camp had ended, marked the start of the National Malay-speak- ing Bible Camp, which lasted for 6 days, from the 1st to the 6th of June. This camp was organised for the younger brethren who speak Malay language. The speakers were Pr Nehemiah Ooi and Dn Isaiah Chang. There were 28 Junior Youth students and 29 Intermediate Youth students in total.
2019 National Junior Youth & Intermediate Youth Combined Bible Camp
25th – 30th May
We thank God that the National Junior Youth & Intermediate Youth Combined Bible Camp has taken place smoothly in Olive Garden, Port Dickson. There were a total of 102 Junior Youth students and 56 Intermediate Youth students who came from churches around the country. Everyone gathered together in Olive Garden and spent 6 days and 5 nights of community life. The speakers were Pr Hosea Hoo, Pr Nehemiah Ooi, Pr Ezra Chong, and Sis Phei Chein.
Northern Region – RE Teacher’s Dialogue
The 2019 Religion Education (RE) Teacher’s Dialogue kicked off in the Nothern Region. The main target audiences of this dialogue were the RE regional person-in-charge, the local RE chairperson and the RE teachers. The two speakers were Deacon Aaron Tan and Sister Chin Phei Chein (Pr. Ezra Chong’s wife).
5 January – Ths first stop was held at Sungai Petani Church with a total of seven RE teachers who attended the symposium.
6 January – The second stop for the Northern Region was held at Bayan Baru Church, where there were a total of 17 participants.
The sessions of the RE Teachers’s Dialogue were sharing, relationship-building activities, discussions, review of the 2018 Education Affairs Department and the programmes for the year 2019.
Thank God for His guidance, the Northern Region Teacher’s Dialogue went smoothly. May all glory be unto the Lord’s name.