There has been a very good response to the Cathedral Bible Studies. For a start, the teaching will be anchored by the core team. Once the template is firmed up and vision/values established, and with the team-teaching approach, we are planning to include more on the teaching or facilitators panel. The team has worked very hard to plan this and more work lies ahead. This is very much about the life of the Cathedral and the responsibility of helping members to get into the Word. In a busy society like ours, this needs a consistent and sustainable focus and dedication.
If CBS is where we dig deep in the Word, it is in our Connect Groups that we grow, serve and learn with a part of His Body. If you are not in one, please do consider joining one.
In evangelism, we are blessed with the ministry of the Alpha Course. This weekend, Pastor Hambali and Joel Tan will be attending a special pastors training exposure in Holy Trinity Brompton, London. We want to continue to invest in our younger leaders as we seek to refresh the Alpha ministry. The new eleven:30 Service is also seeking to twin with the use of the Course to reach the unchurched.
The eleven:30 Service is barely a month old but it has been doing very well as it meets in the refurbished Prayer Halls. They celebrated their first Holy Communion together last Sunday. While it was set up primarily to create space for the younger among us to lead and serve, it is a Service which is open to all. In one of the Sundays in February, we hope to organise an official launch.
I was privileged last weekend to be at most of our Weekend Services. I am reminded again of the diversity in each Service but they share some important common values. I am heartened to see the effectiveness and faithful ministry of the Service Pastors and their leadership teams (both staff and lay) as they seek to do their best to build effective and strong Services.
I sat in the Cathedral Women Fellowship (CWF) meeting last Saturday. It was good that we were able to have some discussions as they seek to find areas of needed service and ministry with changing times. If you have any thoughts and suggestions do let us know. With effect from 20th of January, the Coffee Corner at Graham White Library will be closed due to lack of volunteers and how some of these needs are already being met through the Cafe. We should pause and give thanks for how this Corner has served so many over the years, bringing a bit of home and warm hospitality in what is largely a cold historical building. We are grateful to CWF for anchoring this ministry.
The Graham White Library has a multipurpose use and we have added one more role for it: as a base for the Nave Tour ministry. In the weekdays, we hope to set up a simple lounge so that visitors can gather and have conversations about history and of course, the faith. We are also planning to refurbish the kitchen so that it is better able to serve the current needs of our community and ministries.
