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The aim of this event is to establish healthy social-emotional learning and build positive relationships through interaction On Saturday, 26 Nov 2022, the team members from SU were each assigned a child to accompany them from their place of residency to the location of the event. This provided an opportunity to spend quality time with the children while journeying to the event site - the “Far East Organization Children’s Garden. "The aim of this event is to establish healthy social-emotional learning and build positive relationships through interaction. Upon arrival, the children were overjoyed to see they were in for a treat at the water play area! As they bond through the activities organized by the team, everyone, including the SU team and volunteers had a splashing good time and a fun-filled day! We empower children and youths by surrounding them with a caring community in Care Club, where volunteers befriend & mentor them through one to-one tuition, counselling, games, art and music. Special outings and family bonding activities are also school holiday highlights. For more details, please visit: https://pfs.org.sg/family-care Want to be part of a caring community? Check out our SU website for more initiatives at: https://www.su.org.sg/programmes

The campers were indeed Fire Up! when they came for the day camp held in two locations in November 2022. SUPA Camp ran in the East and West of Singapore so that more children from different parts of Singapore can join the nearest camp to them. It was really heart-warming to see past campers coming back with much enthusiasm and also to see new campers joining in and having loads of fun. Here are some comments from parents, campers and leaders: If you have a heart for children and would like to help out at camp, join us this year at SUPA Camp 2023!

A WONDERFUL testimony to the impact of Scripture Union was shared by the famous theologian Tom Wright, looking back on his time at school in England. Head of Scripture Union England and Wales , Myles MacBean, wrote, “Our context may have changed, but the mission of SU England and Wales remains the same: to create opportunities for children and young people to explore the Bible, respond to Jesus and grow in faith.

“Asked what helps him make Bible reading part of his daily routine, Tom Wright (a.k.a. N.T. Wright) explained how Scripture Union introduced him to the importance of daily prayer and Bible reading! He mentions the inductive ‘Scripture Union method’ that is still displayed at the front of every copy of SUEW Bible reading guides.”

Premier Radio "Ask NT Wright Anything" #166 - full episode is available here: https://bit.ly/SU_NTWright

Easter Bible Storybook by Maggie Barfield Hard Cover [Usual $10 - Easter Promotion 20% off ] Easter Bible Storybook by Maggie Barfield Paperback [Usual $6 - Easter Promotion 20% off ] The Easter Bible Storybook to meet Mary in a garden, Peter and John, friends out walking and, most of all, Jesus! The Easter Bible Storybook is a truly delightful retelling of the Easter story, especially for under 5s. It features full-colour photographic spreads of the much-loved Bible Friends characters from the award-winning Big Bible Storybook. Available BOTH as a full coloured board book and paperback versions; it is perfectly sized for small hands, with short text for a parent or carer to read to the child. Easter Puzzle [Usual $10, limited copies on promo at $5] Crack the code, enter an Easter Day garden maze and explore the Easter story as never before! Bible Codecracker Easter contains Bible verses to help puzzlers read the story for themselves. Happy Easter! More Easter Cracked [Usual $29 – limited copies promotion price $18] Excellent resource for Sunday school teachers and adventurous parents to keep young minds engaged and think about Jesus during this Easter season. Growing up in Jesus [Usual $1.50, Easter promo bundle set of 30 at $30] A must-have for new Christians, a simple guide book to help new believers to grow in faith as they walk closer with Jesus. This book offers useful tips for cell group leaders a systematic approach to this exciting journey. Don’t miss this Easter promotion and grab a set today! Jesus Loves me! [Usual $6 – Easter promo at 20% off] Asking Jesus to be your Lord and Savior and forever friend is the most important thing you will ever do. To become a strong Christian, you will want to read your Bible. Let this booklet guides children to read through the Gospel of John. This is an effective bible study tool as they come to knowing that Jesus loves us! Thank you Jesus Discovery book [Usual $5, Easter promo at 20% off] Want to be in God’s Family? [Usual $1.50, Easter promo at 20% off] We all belong to our own family. We also belong to the family of human race. But this booklet tells you how you can belong to the most fantastic family ever known – God’s family. Brilliant news or what?
For enquiries, kindly contact resources@su.org.sg

God’s call for me in my life had always been crystal clear – to serve Him wholly. It was something I could never run away from (believe me; I have tried). The precise, specific ministry He wanted me to be in, was set out right from the beginning. I grew up in a dysfunctional family. My biological dad left my 18-year-old mum after he found out that she was carrying me. She then left me in the care of my maternal grandparents from birth. Shortly after, she disappeared and I grew up wondering what had happened to her, as no one would disclose anything to me. The constant feeling of being an outcast, an outsider was ever so real. My grandparents would often remind me that I would be thrown out of the house if I were to misbehave. I struggled to find love and a sense of belonging even in school. My teachers would often attribute my poor performance and inadequacies to my upbringing – one who was abandoned by his parents. As you would have guessed, I grew up with lots of anger in me; and an enormous sense of low self-esteem. Through it all, the Lord continued to watch over me. But by His grace, I was led to study in a mission school where I came to learn about the love of God. However, I was too self-absorbed as a young boy and was not open to the Gospel as I continued to abide in my sinful ways. Eventually, both my grandparents passed on. That was the ultimate wake-up call for me, as I no longer had anyone to rely on. The need to juggle my studies and work become an inevitable reality for me. At 18, I entered the Singapore Polytechnic and that was the beginning of my encounter with Jesus. I vividly remember walking past the different CCA (CO-Curricular Activities) booths when I came across a strange middle-aged man who had a prominent pair of sunglasses, in the hall. He was playing his guitar and singing out loud. Honestly, he looked too old to be a student. Nonetheless, I brushed that thought aside, believing that it was possible for someone his age to be taking his Diploma and being in a CCA. I was strangely attracted by his weird demeanour and I approached the booth thinking it could be the guitar club. With the widest smile, he told me he was from the Poly Christian Fellowship. Upon hearing his introduction, I began to plan my exit as I did not want any associations with a religion; especially one that proclaims that God loves us. However, through his caring persuasion, I relented and gave my contact to him. That strange man eventually became my mentor and close friend to this very day. Many weeks passed on, they invited me to attend their meetings. I entertained that invitation as I wanted just to have fun (and while at it I wanted to wreak some havoc). After many weeks, the leaders struggled with me as I would continuously interrupt their Bible studies sessions by bombarding them with bewildering questions that would rattle even the foundation of their own faiths. A couple of months later, I was invited to join them in a youth camp at Saint Andrew’s Village. On the very last day of the camp, I had a supernatural encounter with Christ that completely changed the course of my destructive lifestyle. That encounter transformed me completely and I came out of the camp “a new creation in Christ.” A few months after the camp, I received God’s calling for me to go into full-time ministry. Over the course of six months, God’s call for me was affirmed by four individuals who were either pastors or full-time ministers, and they were not acquainted with one another. As they were praying for me, they heard God calling for me to fulfil my call to serve Him full-time and to stop running from this calling. So eventually, I surrendered and embraced the call from God. Thereafter, I went to a Theological seminary to take a Bachelor’s degree and eventually obtained my Masters, while serving as a minister in church. The Lord’s call for me to serve primarily in the Youth Ministry became so overwhelming that I had to take a leap of faith to leave the church ministry behind, not knowing what was next for me. By His divine appointment, I was invited to join Scripture Union Singapore and have been there since 2016 till today. Even with my 17 years of experience in the youth ministry since my Polytechnic days, I would still feel inept in youth ministry work. This inadequate feeling often spurs me on, to study, and read further so that I can be more effective in the ministry. Through my life experiences, I am able to better empathise with youths who are hurting and struggling with low self-esteem. One reason why many youths are leaving the church today is because they do not feel loved and accepted by the church community. They have yet to comprehend what it means to be loved wholeheartedly by God. Therefore, my personal encounter with God and how He could save someone like me became a driving force to reach out to these youths.
At the end of the day, I am passionate about raising a God-fearing generation through intentional discipleship. I firmly believe in the importance of training youth leaders so that they can be better equipped in reaching out to the next generation. Children and youths are the leaders of tomorrow, so what we do today matters. P.S. If you want to hear more about my life story and my encounter with God, you are most welcome to have coffee with me! 😊 Photo: Luke Zachary with wife Katherine and son Ashton.

To me, children are an important asset for the next generation. There was a clip
I saw ‘You’re Losing Us’ that struck me and taught me how important children are. I was a Sunday School child despite my family not being Christian. Though I had yet to believe in Jesus Christ during Sunday School days, the Living Word remained in me until one
day at age 18 the Holy Spirit touched me and guided me, to understand the truth that we are all sinners. That helped me experience the love of God who died on the cross for our sins which changed my entire life; coming to know, to love and serve Him. Back in Indonesia, I served in the main congregation in a rostered team to help prepare the one-year sermon topics and schedule the guest pastors, as well as serving in the teens’ ministry. However, moving to Singapore there was a call to serve in the Children’s Ministry. A few years later I learned about SU and I thought I needed ‘something’ to evaluate myself and seek guidance. I, therefore, signed up for the CPCM program. Since then
I am a regular volunteer with SU and later, my wife joined me as well to volunteer with SU. Though it is tiring, there are many blessings and joys when serving God, especially when seeing the children want to know Jesus and grow in Christ. When volunteering with SU, the brothers and sisters supported one another, making each event a unique and memorable experience. As a volunteer, I learned a lot from Brother David Leong, Pastor Flora, and Sister Monica. There was a time when Brother David Leong and I volunteered in the Holiday Trek Program in Desaru, Johor. The electricity went off from afternoon till night but we still carried on with the program, thanks be to God! David Leong told me we needed to roll up our sleeves and ‘play by ear’.
Praise the Lord, the children were attentive and enjoyed the games and the teaching, all under the dim emergency light near the main lobby. One memorable lesson I have learnt from SU is that if you cannot control the children, the children will control you. So be prepared always, pray and experience the love and the power of God.

It was 26th May 2022. Matthew had just returned from school while I received a WhatsApp message from Ms. Faith regarding Audio Bible Contest (ABC) 2.0. I read it out to him and he immediately jumped in excitement saying he wanted to take part. Last year, Matthew had participated and placed third in the finals in his age category. My mind raced back to the difficult days of making him carve out time to prepare for ABC 1.0. Yet, I didn’t want to quench his desire so I agreed but reminded him to work for it. We prayed that God’s Word be implanted in his heart while he prepares for the contest, registered for the contest and notified Ms. Faith within the next half an hour. Though we planned Luke’s bible study for June holidays, we could barely complete a few chapters. When schools reopened, we sincerely integrated this study in our morning devotion as the contest was drawing near and was able to cover the whole book. During these preparations, we were richly blessed by the prayers recorded in Luke, the beatitudes, the miracles of Jesus and His compassion towards people. It strengthened our faith in Him and our prayers became more Word-centred. The letter to the Philippians was embedded with precepts of Christian living and built us more. Praise be to God!! Participating on the day of ABC finals was a memorable experience. To see participants from 5 different countries and singing different translations of the worship song, praising God, it was like a prelude to Heavenly Worship of the saved, from every tongue and every nation. We could see the intricate planning and hard work of the organisers and volunteers behind the scenes- All done for the love of God and reaching out to children at this tender age amidst a worldly generation. Matthew didn’t get placed in the Top 5 of the Finals of ABC 2.0. I was gently prompted in my mind, that this contest was much more than winning. It was a little difficult to accept that he lost by a fraction of a second and came in sixth. The following Sunday, we gave thanksgiving at the Church with a rejoicing heart for everything: the ability, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, memory power, as all providence comes from Him. A few days later, we were informed that they were awarding a winning prize to Matthew and organiser, Ms. Faith shared these beautiful verses from Psalm 37: 5-7: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him. And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light. And your justice as the noon day.” His ways and thoughts are higher and He blesses His loved ones and His Faithful ones. God works in mysterious ways and beyond our comprehension to renew and to transform us. “His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding ev’ry hour. The bud may have a bitter taste but sweet will be the flow’r” - William Cowper (1774) I thank God for this wonderful initiative by “Faith Comes By Hearing Asia” who have ministered to the children and their families by organising this contest to sow God’s Word into the heart of these young ones. We were blessed through this journey! Closing with one of Matthew’s favourite verses which has become his prayer: “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” Phil 2:15. Later on, Matthew was overjoyed to learn that the grand prize was a headset as that was what he had wanted to get from his dad. 😀😀 Mrs. Grace Tabitha Manikandan (Mother of Matthew Cornelius M., ABC 2.0 Contestant from Singapore) From right: Matthew, Matthew’s mother, older brother and father.

When God impressed upon our hearts to conduct the camp physically, most of our peers and leaders thought we had gone mad. With the ever-changing list of restrictions and safe distancing measures that we would have to impose on the campers, how could it even be possible to run a youth camp; let alone one that is fun, exciting, and meaningful for everyone? Many were primarily concerned about the safety of the campers and how feasible it could be. But the team remained obedient to God's calling and ran the camp with caution. To begin, the team is young and lacked experience in running camps. Yet amidst the adversity, the team prayed intensely, worked really hard to raise funds, and planned the programs meticulously, with such passion! By God's divine grace, both camps were AWESOME!!! And YES, we did have 2 camps! The reason is so that we could accommodate as many campers as we could (and even so, we still had a long waiting list of those who could not join us for the camps due to the maximum capacity and safe distancing measures imposed). Even though the team was young, they were such willing vessels and God worked through every one of them mightily. They gave nothing but the best of themselves in their service, and God honoured them by making both camps a success. Their hearts were so open to God, that He spoke to each individual and encouraged them throughout the entire journey. The lives of the leaders and campers were touched. Some who have wandered away rededicated themselves to the Lord, while some who were sitting on the fence turned to Jesus and accepted Him into their lives. Some campers who displayed zero interest in God at the start began to ask questions along the way as they experience God and the fellowship of His people during the camp. All these are made possible solely because of God. So thank You, God! May You continue to work in the lives of everyone whom you have touched in the camp. To God be the glory! 🙌 – Luke Zachary Ng Camp Committee Leader Everyone has their own spiritual gifts, and we need not fight or feel bad for not being able to do as well as others. I also learnt how much GOD loves me and that I have been accepted in a family of believers. And although we are not the same, I am learning to play my part no matter how small to support those who are leading and to learn from their example. I also found the water paddling very meaningful. I have experienced city life for a long time, so I never completely understood the phrase "the waves and winds". But GOD taught me what it means through the activity. The waves are always pushed back to shore. To overcome I need to first kneel and humbly paddle till I am a good distance away from shore then can I stand. Even when I manage to stand, I can still fall because of the waves. When I got my balance and stood still the waves kept pushing me back to shore because I wasn't paddling. What I learnt from this is first be humble before the LORD, kneel and go the distance. When I stand, I must hold on tight to the foundation that GOD has given me. And I cannot just stand, I must paddle forward so that the gospel can be shared with the world. Not my will but YOURS be done. Not by my strength but through HIM who strengthens me. Praise and Honour be to GOD, in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. – Abel Lai (Camp Leader) God wants me. it's me who pulls away. so, I need to take one step towards God. also, God can use anyone so I should not despise others who have seemingly hopeless lives. – Rongzi (Camp Leader) That God is more powerful than I already thought he was. God work is many different ways and at his own timing. we should not compare our journey with God to anyone else, as we are all created uniquely and differently by God. we will all have different experiences with him, which shows how amazing he can be. everything will happen in God’s timing according to his plan, which is always the best for you. everything we have is a gift and blessing from him. – Janelle Tay (Camper)

My first memory of volunteering with Scripture Union, if I remembered correctly, took place in 2004/5. How this started I don’t remember, but it marked the start of my volunteering journey with SU. My name is Poh Hoon, and I have 4 children- 3 girls and one boy, aged 25-32. When I started volunteering with SU, I was working as a dentist, but have since retired to help look after my 2 granddaughters. Though I started volunteering with SU in 2004/2005, it was an “on-and-off” stint, as the demands of bringing up 4 children without a helper did not enable me to volunteer much especially when the children were younger. I am thankful for the support of my husband (who had to look after the children when I am away in camps) and also for my children. My best memories of volunteering with SU were on the trek church camps. I remember serving alongside Morna, Meenaci, Lai Kin and her daughter in the beginning. They were really helpful and welcoming to this newbie. They guided me and taught me many things as I served as a co-leader and we had a lot of fun together too. I even brought my youngest daughter with me, and she helped with the worship slides, song actions and games. Since then, I have volunteered and served alongside Ps Flora, David Leong and so many other faithful volunteers, not just for the treks but also for SUPA camps. It is always a joy to see the children respond to the lessons/truths taught, to see how much they enjoyed the camp and the love they show as they respond to God and to us volunteers.. all these bring lots of joy and smiles to my life as a volunteer. I have been a regular face at the training talks organized by SU and have really benefitted from the teaching and sharing by the different trainers. One of the reasons why I chose to volunteer with SU is to “give back a little/pay it forward”. I believe God has given me a passion for children and serving with SU children’s programmes enables me to use this passion and the gifts that God has given me, as I strive to obey God. (1 Peter 4:10 “ Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve other, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”) I remember feeling inadequate and “lost” when I started, and even later on, after many years of serving. But through God’s grace and in His strength, with the help of so many other experienced staff and volunteers, I learnt to enjoy myself as I serve, knowing that God is faithful and will always grant me His wisdom and guidance. I even managed to step out of my comfort zone of leading the pre-schoolers to lead the primary children. So, just offer your “ 5 loaves and 2 fish” and see how God can multiply and use what you offer to bless others and be blessed by God as you see His mighty hands working through you. All praise and glory to God!

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Did you know that Scripture Union's trio of Essential books are now all available on the free Bible app, YouVersion? This free app can be downloaded onto your tablet or smartphone, or online at Bible.com. Written by President Emeritus Whitney Kuniholm, the three Essential books are a must-read. Subscribe to one of the plans today! The Essential 100, E100, helps you get an overview of the Bible...without getting bogged down. The Plan guides you through 50 Old Testament passages and 50 New Testament passages — The Essential 100 — so you can see the big picture of God’s Word and form a daily Bible reading habit in the process. Each day’s commentary reads like a letter from a friend. Whether you’re a new or experienced Bible reader, you’ll gain a fresh appreciation for the big picture of the Bible, and in the process, you’ll be meeting with God every day. The Essential Question is a fast-paced journey through the book of Acts and is broken down into 10parts on YouVersion. In 50 carefully selected passages
from the Bible, you will discover the essential question Paul asked the Lord while he was traveling to Damascus: “What shall I do, Lord?” Have you ever asked yourself, “What difference am I making with my life?” On some level, we all struggle to find our own answer to that fundamental question. The Essential Jesus is like having a friend walk you through the Bible's greatest stories of Jesus. Along with the 100 readings is engaging devotional commentary, prayers, personal application questions, group discussion questions and more for all Essential Jesus passages. Prefer to read The Essential Series in print? Order your copies at store.scriptureunionresources.com Versions for teens also available for E100 and Essential Jesus.
Encounter with God Together • A podcast on Anchor