SharonBPC-50thAnniversaryMagazine

SINGING FOR May we continue to be faithful servants
THE LORD of the Lord in the many years to come!

Praise the Lord for blessing Sharon B-P Bryan Hui
Church with 50 wondrous years! It has
been a joy to grow up and serve in Sharon
BPC as part of the choir and singspiration
team. Having grown up in this church, I
have been blessed with the wonderful
company and lifelong friendships made.
My favourite memories of contributing to
Sharon must be acting in the two musicals
that we performed. God has blessed us
with talents and these musicals have united
the church as one, to spread the Gospel.

GROWING IN HIM the church choir where I am able to
BY HIS GUIDANCE cultivate my love for music and singing. He
has also blessed me with good friends and
I joined Sharon B-P Church because my fellowship groups to continue growing and
father transferred his membership to serve helping others grow in Him.
in the church. In Sharon, I was involved
mostly in the music ministry and Some say that God is very present in
participated in the mission programme their lives, they can feel His grace daily and
once. I enjoy being in Sharon because feel Him working in their lives. I, on the
Sharon gives opportunities for members to other hand, sometimes struggle to feel that
try new things (within reason, of course). way. What I feel instead is Him allowing
Sharon is not afraid to explore. Be it a big me to grow in Him in my own way, taking a
project like a musical or a smaller sug- backseat and letting me steer myself
gestion like composing an original song, we before stepping in when I need His
are allowed to at least try and give it a shot! guidance the most, to bring me back to Him.
His grace comes to me through the
I will always remember my times at the guidance and encouragement of the
Vacation Bible Camp (VBC). The VBC is people around me and I am thankful for that.
an annual camp conducted at the end of Happy Anniversary Sharon BPC!
the year for teens and below, and it has
always been something I look forward to “And be ye kind
every year! Whether I was just a participant one to another,
or involved in the planning, VBC has tenderhearted,
always been the time for me to enjoy the forgiving one another,
presence of my friends while learning les- even as God for
sons from God’s word. Each year the camp Christ’s sake hath
is tailored to the young people and thus I forgiven you”
find that the lessons learnt from VBC have (Ephesians 4:32).
always been applicable to my daily life.
Caleb Ho
To me, music plays a very important part
in my life and I thank God that He has
blessed me with the opportunity to serve in

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KEEPING I am grateful to God for Sharon BPC as
CALM it is a place that allows me to calm myself
after a busy week and gives me time for
Sharon B-P Church has always been in self-reflection when listening to the
my life as I was born into a family who are messages. I am also grateful to Sharon
members there. I will always consider it to BPC and their members for comforting my
be my church as I feel the most comfortable family during my brother’s funeral; the
there. Whenever I go and visit other emotional support was needed and
churches, especially those of other appreciated.
denominations, their style of worship feels
weird to me. Currently in Sharon BPC, I
help out in the worship service by bell
ringing and operating the laptop to display
the sermons on the Zone-B TV of the
church.

THE HEART Abraham Leo
UNCHANGED Khoo Wen-en

Much like many of the youths in Sharon
B-P Church, I have attended this church
since I was born. While a congregation can
worship anywhere, and a church building
can sometimes be seen as a glorified
shelter, this place has become my mental
image of what Sundays have always
looked like for me.

Over the years, much has changed,
from a sand pit to a patch of grass, the
playground, the way we park our cars and
even the pews we sit on. I even remember
that all of us youths used to sit at the back
and were asked to move to the front to
make us listen more attentively (Haha!).

But even through all these changes,
every Sunday as I made my journey to
church, I knew this community would still
be the same at heart. I knew that I would
still hear God’s word as it was intended.
I am grateful for everyone who has
contributed to Sharon in one way or
another. Happy Anniversary!

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ONLINE WORSHIP Thank God, online services happened.
SERVICES Though busy, I was allowed to listen to
God’s words of encouragement and love.
I believe that Covid-19 has been tough My soul finds rest in the Lord.
for everyone. However, amidst this, God
has blessed me in many ways. So, even when times are really tough,
God can still grant us peace and rest. I am
One such blessing is this. I was flooded sure that no matter what comes my way, all
at work as we took on a government project. I have to do is pray. Thank you for taking
My time was as good as the company’s as the time to read my testimony. God bless.
I did not have any rest day. We were
opening containers and these containers
have never once stopped coming in. I was
afraid of missing out on church as my
Sunday saw me working as well.

Phua Jiayi

MY SPIRITUAL
BIRTHPLACE

Sharon B-P Church is the birthplace of I have come to experience God’s
my faith in God. My friend invited me to this
church, where I have had the opportunity to goodness here through the love that others
see how people live in Christ. It was here
that I found guidance, encouragement, love, have given to me, even though I know I
and above all, God, when as an don’t deserve it. I believe that love is
impressionable teen, I could have been motivated only by Christ’s love.
easily led astray. Without coming to know
Christ, I would have gotten into a lot more
trouble as a young boy and who knows
where I’d be now?

Prem
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SERVE ACCORDING Jane Kwa
TO OUR STRENGTH

Growing up in Sharon B-P Church
alongside family and friends, is really nice.
More than anything, I am very blessed to
be able to serve God through the choir and
singing, to do something that I love and
exalt God at the same time. It has always
been to me that Sharon allows everyone to
serve to his strength, which proves
invaluable in understanding my place in
spreading the Word of God the way we can,
and grow in the process.

MY MAINSTAY

Sharon B-P Church is where I have I think Sharon serves the true purpose
come to know God. I may have been born of what a church should be and I’m thankful
into this church and I may have grown up for all that I have received and even more
here, but it’s only God who has been my so, for the privilege of giving. Sharon has
mainstay. My family and the friends I grew helped me to nurture that personal
up with have left, but I stay because this is relationship with God and I do pray that we
where I have learnt to sit at the feet of will continue to be that kind of church for
Christ and listen to Him. This is where I future generations.
wait on God to know His purpose for me.
This is where He has placed me and where
I believe I should remain. Things can come
and go very easily, and I think it is a sure
act of God that allows a church to remain
abiding in truth and in Christ for any amount
of time, much less half a decade!

Rebecca Ng

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James Tan Soon Kim [1923-2006]

By Rev. Peter Chua

Beloved James Tan was introduced to James’ love for missions and God’s
me by Irene, his daughter-in-law, in 1986 at work was exemplary. At one of the church
the home of his eldest son, Dr. Tan Yew thanksgiving anniversaries, he handed me
Ghee in Sarkies Road. Soon Kim was a a thanksgiving offering with a note saying,
friendly man with an unassuming dis- “Thanks be unto God for another year of
position. Often, I addressed him as Mr. Tan, grace”. When the call was made to give to
but he corrected me repeatedly by saying, the Bangalore mission, James was most
“Just call me James”. God had honoured forward in giving.
him with three sons and ten grandchildren.
He had the joy and comfort of having On 31st October 2006, James suffered
Phoebe, one of his granddaughters, stay a massive heart attack and immediately
with him for a brief period before the Lord had a triple bypass. His condition took a
called him home. This was of the Lord’s change for the worse on 12 November. On
provision for his loneliness. Phoebe can Monday evening, 13 November, the family
say in her lifetime what a privilege it is to be members including all the grandchildren
nourished by her grandpa’s strong moral prayed together. I learnt that there was an
and spiritual values. James’ grandchildren amazing transformation in the family after
might not have inherited all of their their prayers. The family displayed a calm
grandpa’s talents but they would have acceptance of death. Their faces took on a
absorbed his moral and spiritual values. new glow, and from their lips came words
of testimony and praise.
In October 1998, his beloved wife
departed after a heart attack. Her sudden They knew that their father and grand-
and unexpected loss brought him closer to father belonged to God, and had the
God and his family members. Since then, assurance that he would soon be with
he had been a regular worshipper at Jesus in heaven. It was the work of the
Sharon B-P Church. He had always Holy Spirit who gave this assurance to
acknowledged his own sins, and never them with the voice, “the Lord gave, and the
ceased to testify of the saving grace of our Lord hath taken away; blessed be the
Lord Jesus Christ. He maintained his Name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Thus, the
regular reading of the Bible, and he family decided to call the funeral a
delighted in hearing the CD of hymns and thanksgiving service. God called James
songs sung by Rev. Philip Heng. “What a home in his sleep on 27 November 2006.
friend we have in Jesus” was one of his May all members of James’ family and the
favourites. generations to come follow the footsteps of
James’ humble and faithful service of the

Lord Jesus Christ till He returns.

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I
will give thee a crown of life”

(Revelation 2:10).

May all glory and
praise be unto the
Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost. Amen.

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Koa Keng Seong [1936-2016]

By Rev. Peter Chua

If there is one word for me to epitomise remained with the church since then. A
Mr. Koa Keng Seong, it is the word “grace”. year later, Keng Seong was called upon to
He was born on 22 February 1934. As the serve as a deacon of the church. Although
son of God-fearing parents, he was he was serving in Sharon Church’s Session,
nurtured in the knowledge of the Holy his loyalty to Muar Trinity Church took
Scriptures from early childhood; and this nearly six years for him and his family to
knowledge paved the way to make him transfer their membership to Sharon Bible-
“wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Presbyterian Church.
Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). At the age of eight,
he was spared from the bomb in Muar In his eighties, Keng Seong was still
during the 2nd World War; and in his later fruitful and useful because he had placed
years, he overcame three major surgical his faith in God’s love and Word. His
procedures. God in His grace had given lifetime of rich experiences with the Lord
him the power to overcome challenges for enabled him to teach and mentor the
His glory. younger ones. He constantly reminded
and taught his children and grandchildren
Keng Seong was an English teacher in to remain faithful to God.
a Chinese primary and secondary school in
Muar. As a young man, he had served as Keng Seong was always mindful of
Youth Fellowship secretary at Muar Trinity members who were absent from church
Church in 1956. Later, he migrated to worship services. He would call to enquire
Singapore with his family as a model maker. of their physical and spiritual welfare. He
was concerned for the welfare of those in
It is my joy and privilege to have known the Lord’s service. He testified that the Lord
Keng Seong for more than 46 years. I had used his forefathers in fulltime pastoral
knew him first as a worshipper in the church, service.
later as a Session member, and finally as a
close friend. Whenever I visited him, we Keng Seong and his wife Siew Leng
talked as friends. In one of my visits, his have spent much of their time and
son, Eng Kee, hinted that I should address resources to record the various church
his dad as Keng Seong and not as Mr. Koa. activities, like church anniversaries,
God not only blessed Keng Seong with the weddings, funerals, ordinations, baptisms,
gift of service and self-sacrifice to the Lord gospel meetings, Easter and Sunrise
but also the gifts of friendship and devotion services, Bible camps, and church picnics,
to his family. compiling them into various albums. The
video recordings on these church activities
Through my years of fellowshipping with are kept for our future generations to
Keng Seong, I have learnt to give and take remember God’s goodness, grace,
and to know each other’s strengths and guidance, and growth. May the Koa family
weaknesses. I have regarded him as an continue to be a blessing to the church and
elder brother offering faithful service to the may God reward them richly.
Lord Jesus Christ. What shall I render unto
God for sending such a godly man to us? I I would like to take this opportunity to
will praise and testify that God had given share what I remember most about Keng
him the spirit of love and fervency to serve Seong during his period of trial. He was a
faithfully in Sharon B-P Church and our man who had courageously and quietly
Lord Jesus Christ. fought his ailments till the Lord took him

It was through Rev. Quek Kiok home at the age of 82 on 19 October
Chiang and Rev. Timothy Tow that I 2016. The faith of Keng Seong gives
came to know the Koa family. I visited us assurance that he shall be
them in their new home in Toa Payoh resurrected at the second
Central to invite them to the coming of Jesus Christ, and we
inauguration service of Toa who are still alive will be caught
Payoh Bible-Presbyterian up in the air to be with the
Church (English Service) Lord. Thanks be unto God
on 12 September 1971. that we will see each
They responded and other again. Amen.

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37th Church Anniversary Poem

Written by Amos Leo [1987-2012]

The years have gone and quickly passed Through the years of struggle and strive
Just like sand in an hour glass. We still (by God’s will) managed
Thirty-seven a number that’s not too small to survive.
And Sharon B-P Church still stands The wiles of the world grow ever strong
ever tall. But Sharon’s light shines
through the wrong.
Remember the years when we first started
Small and meek we were often taunted. The banquet feast by grace we are invited
The other churches all big and tall In life we run the race till we are departed.
Ours was just growing, weak and small. Sharon Church our haven on earth
The blessed refuge sent
Pastor Chua was just a man from our Father above.
With a daunting task right on his hand.
The burden was great For every anniversary
and labourers were few We must be reminded
But God was there and he always knew. of our church history.
The struggles we will forever face
We started off in Toa Payoh Until the day we are in God’s embrace.
A small shop house that was untold
Members were few but that didn’t matter
For strength in numbers
was not God’s agenda.

Small we were, we still stood tall
Following God’s will that was above all.
Unity of the church was the only key
For peace among brethren
was Pastor's plea.

The other churches fell one by one
through squabbles and strive
that had begun.
One by one some started to leave
For the rest of us we could only grieve.
For peace among brethren
was Pastor's plea
During the times of such uncertainty.

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