BY DEACON AARON CHAN

Today, we warmly welcome seven new members to our family in Glory Presbyterian Church. For guests of our new members, and for anyone here for the first time, welcome too!

I grew up in Glory Presbyterian Church and have spent most Sundays in the past 20 years climbing this same slope you hiked this morning. Many others have been part of this spiritual family way longer than I have, while others are intricately intertwined as literal family members for generations (every once in a while, I still find myself amazed when I learn how some people are related).

BY REV GOH YONG KUANG

Have you ever heard a doctor congratulating a mother for giving birth to a born loser?  Healthy baby boy/ girl…yes!  Loser…no!

Is there really such a thing as a born loser?  But some people actually believe that they are born to be losers!  They feel that nothing will ever turn out right for them nor can they do anything right.  Even though God never created us to be losers, yet we can end up as one…by the way we choose to think or act. 

By Rev Goh Yong Kuang

Trials and blessings often accompany faithfulness.

For their faithfulness to God, Daniel’s three friends became human barbeques Well…almost, if not for God’s divine intervention. Can’t say the same for the guys who threw them into the flame! (Dan.3) For his faithfulness to God, Daniel almost became food for the lions (Dan.6).

Daniel’s faithfulness not only brought him trials – but also brought him God’s blessings. For their faithfulness, God promoted Daniel’s three friends (Dan.3:30) and prospered Daniel during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian (Dan.6:28).

By Rev Goh Yong Kuang

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. - Psalm 121:1-2 (ESV)

Lately, this hymn has been playing over and over in my head…

“O God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Our shelter from the stormy blast,

And our eternal home.”

This, along with many other old time favourites, are often sung at church services around the world usually at the end of the closing year or at the beginning of the New Year.

By Rev Goh Yong Kuang

The Bible tells how the birth of Jesus took place. Mary and Joseph travelled to their ancestral town in Bethlehem for the census (Luke 2:1-5). When they arrived, Mary was about to give birth. They tried to search for a place to settle down for the night but there was no room left in the inn (Luke 2:7).

By Pr Evangeline Cheong

I was sent a meme that spoofed the Christmas Nativity scene, replacing those around the manger with Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker, Obi Wan and  

 Darth Vader, and the baby Jesus with a baby Yoda. Though part of me violently rejected Darth Vader’s presence around the manger, since he was the villain in the Star Wars series, it got me thinking of who really

was around Jesus that first Christmas.