A small seed of prayer grows into an international initiative that has been adopted by 56 nations around the world.

C0ntributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

Hundreds of believers joined their hearts to intercede for national leaders.

Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

The sense of God was among the people gathered in the cozy church of Wesley Uniting Church in the heart of Perth’s Central Business District on Tuesday, Oct. 25. The event was part of the Commonwealth Prayer Initiative—a biennial event that was spearheaded by Wendy Yapp in 2009.

CPI aims to unite the churches in Perth to pray for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Western Australia. It is a time where believers from different denominations gather as one body of Christ to intercede for their government leaders as well as the heads of state of the Commonwealth nations.

Praying for Singapore. PHOTOS: Timothy Chan Ken Ee.

This year’s CPI, called SHINE, Converge, took place from Oct. 24 to 30 and involved a prayer chain that lasted 24 hours the entire week. The movement was the brainchild of Yapp, who after hearing that CHOGM was coming to Perth, was struck by the vision to gather 54 churches in Perth to adopt each of the 54 Commonwealth nations and to pray for them.

Yapp, who is originally from Scotland and who now lives in Perth with her husband, felt led to bring the local churches together, despite the different denominations, to pray for all the heads of countries. Charismatics, Catholics, Presbyterians, Coptic Christians, Pentecostal and Mainstream Christians were just some of the denominations involved in this prayer initiative.

“I was already working across the city, collaborating with some pastors through my ministry, so we decided to get 54 churches and that spilled out to getting schools involved, and then that spilled out into getting other nations involved,” shared Yapp who runs her own ministry called Daughters of Destiny. To her surprise it snowballed into not just 54 churches but 56 countries adopting the prayer movement.

In India alone, there are currently over 4,000 churches involved with this prayer movement and there are 435,634 people registered online at the group’s website (www.commonwealthprayer.org) as of today. “The level of excitement in Perth is quite palpable,” said Yapp about the response to the prayer initiative. Her initiative to start a prayer movement was not just supported locally and overseas, but was also greatly appreciated by the head of CHOGM, Terry Crane.

ASIA NIGHT

On Tuesday, as part of the 24-hour schedule of prayer, Wesley Uniting Church was filled with people gathering to pray for Asian countries in the Commonwealth.

That excitement was seen on Tuesday night where Christians of all denominations gathered to pray for Singapore, Malaysia, Maldives, India, China and the other Asian nations in the Commonwealth. Hands held high, voices raised and hearts opened, the people in the church began to pray after a spirit-led worship by a team from Zion Praise Harvest.

Thereafter, a pastor or church leader, who each represented a nation, led the congregation in prayer accordingly. Prayers were also made for other Asian nations, which were not part of the Commonwealth, such as North Korea. It was an unforgettable moment in that church: voices echoed in prayer as more than 200 people interceded for the favor of God to come upon the countries, for poverty to be eradicated, and for strength on the people of the nations.

Heng Weijing, 20, a student at the University of Western Australia, served as an usher for the event. He said of the atmosphere of the room, “You could feel how joyful everyone was, like they really loved being there just to pray for one another and for the nations.”

Joyce Chen, the associate pastor in Zion Praise Harvest, which was involved with the preparation for the event, added, “She [Yapp] may not be a pastor, but she’s been given so much favor from God.”

It only took two years for this seed of prayer to grow into an initiative that has now developed into a worldwide event. With the recent success of the Asia Night, it is no doubt that this movement will continue to impact more lives in the years to come.

Visit http://www.commonwealthprayer.org/ for more information.

There were no fancy flowers or showy gifts at City Harvest’s Father’s Day service last weekend, but a drama and a sermon that touched every father’s heart.

Contributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

CHC’s Father’s Day drama, Project Fatherhood, reiterated the importance of family ties.

This year’s Father’s Day weekend service at City Harvest Church was celebrated in a heartfelt way with a special drama production dedicated to fathers.

Project Fatherhood depicted the lives of two fathers and their less-than-perfect relationships with their children. Mike, played by Bernard Loh, is a documentary director working against the clock on a film on fatherhood. When his interviewee plays him out, he is forced to rope in his own father (Jace Lee) for the documentary. Though his father exhibits strange behaviors, such as wandering off in the middle of a shoot, or forgetting what he said two minutes ago, Mike is too caught up in his work to notice that anything is wrong. It is only when Mike’s pregnant wife (Low Shun Ai) brings his father to the doctor that they discover the old man has dementia. The stress of the situation causes Mike’s wife to go into labor, and it is only at the waiting room of the hospital that Mike and his father reconcile and reminisce about the close-knit relationship they had when Mike was a little boy.

The play was not without laughs: the auditorium rocked with laughter at foiled romantic attempts of Mike’s two interns in love, Sam (Lucas Chia) and Chloe (Maxcelin Tan), which included a sexy MSN webchat gone severely awry when Chloe’s over-protective father (Nelson Tong) chances upon his daughter’s laptop.

Mike’s story struck a deep chord in the hearts of many who were in church that day, particularly fathers who often find themselves so busy at work, they cannot find the time to spend with their children.

Prayer and blessings for the fathers during the Father’s Day weekend. CN PHOTOS: Cristopher Teh & Ryan Ng

Lawrence Yeo, 45, a business consultant said he could really relate to Project Fatherhood. “The drama was very touching; it showed the pain of parenting and raising children, and how sometimes when your child doesn’t understand, their negative words can hurt and wound. But we try to be unconditional fathers and keep on loving. The drama really triggered that painful process.” Yeo, who attended service with his wife, has a 17-year-old son.

CHC’s senior pastor Kong Hee preached a short but power-packed message on the five Cs that great men (and women) possess: Compassion, Consistency, Cooperation, Commitment and Courage. These five Cs are what God is looking for, said Kong, quoting from 2 Chronicles 16:9, “’For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.’ The greatest challenge is how to live for God 100 percent in front of everyone.”

His fortifying Father’s Day message boiled down to this question: “How can I live in a way that I am a man of God to my family and my children?”

It was certainly a thinking point for the men in the church. Keith Lee, 32, said, “It taught me to be a stronger man for my family, and also a stronger man in relation to the church and to my wife as well.” Lee is a father of an 11-month-old daughter.

Kong ended the service with a prayer of blessing for all fathers and every man in the service.

Contributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

What was supposed to be a wet and wild adventure turned out to be a dull and dry drag through an aging franchise.

This fourth instalment of the widely popular Pirates series follows Johnny Depp’s iconic portrayal of the kooky but brilliant Captain Jack Sparrow on his journey to the Fountain of Youth.

After a sloppy introduction, Captain Sparrow is thrown onto Blackbeard’s (Ian McShane) ship with Jack’s long-lost love Angelica (Penelope Cruz) and chased by a bunch of Spaniards and his old enemy Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). All are gunning for the Fountain of Youth, and on the way they encounter mysticism, a bunch of mermaids and zombies.

Sounds exciting, right? The film comes off long-winded even as it seems hastily put together. The pirates are mostly trudging through the jungles (aren’t they supposed to be on ships?) and getting lost in caves. Sparrow’s antics, which I once considered very amusing have become annoying and frankly, serve no purpose in advancing the narrative.

The love story between Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan (Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, who are sorely missed) that played out in the first three installments weighed heavy on my mind as I watched the desperate attempts at romance between Sparrow and Angelica. A second romance, which ran as more of a sub-plot, between a captured clergyman and a mermaid was pathetic, with the clergyman winning the title of the most useless hero of all time.

Captain Sparrow and gang, you have overstayed your welcome. That ship has sailed, mateys. You guys need to get off this sinking ship and make sure it never returns to the big screen.

Rating:

Fake tears, forced anguish and knotted nerves marked the auditions for Jack Neo’s new movie I Not Naughty.

Contributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

Jack Neo (left) sets the direction.

Local film director Jack Neo is on the hunt for the stars of his next movie. Over the last weekend on May 14 and 15, he held auditions in the hopes of finding suitable actors and actresses for his new movie, I Not Naughty, at Suntec Singapore. The pre-public auditions were open to City Harvest Church members and publicized on his blog as well.

There was no shortage of interested parties, as the meeting rooms on level two of Suntec Singapore quickly filled up with teenagers, children and young adults—all between the ages 10 and 20—as they waited to showcase their acting talents.

I Not Naughty is about importance of understanding between parents and their children. “We don’t realize that a lot of the things that we do as adults hurt children, for example, not giving them praise when it is deserved,” Neo explained. “We also want to show the kids that they can’t think that just because they’re not shown affection, it means they can act out. We want to show that they also have to stay strong.”

Aspiring actors were given either an English or Mandarin script, which was put in front of a camera. A casting director presided over the auditions as various parties tried their best to give an emotional delivery of the monologue. But messing up one’s lines wasn’t the only worry they had to overcome; they also had to contend with the distractions coming in from the other corner of the room, where another round of auditions was taking place simultaneously.

Long queues of hopefuls. CN PHOTOS: Maggie Chng

Vevien Ong, 16, had that problem. “I’m a very easily distracted person!” she said. She had requested to re-audition after being distracted by another actor auditioning next to her. Having performed before in several local musical productions, she managed to keep her calm and deliver her lines. “I think I did better than I expected; I was nervous at first because I thought there would be a panel of judges, but it was just one camera, so it wasn’t that bad!”

The script given to the aspiring actors was an emotional one, calling for them to shed a few tears. While there were those who managed to achieve just that, such as Jazmin Quek, 16, seen wiping her red eyes dry after her turn, others, like Lim Chu Yeang, had to employ other methods. The 11-year-old didn’t manage to shed a tear but impressed the casting director nevertheless by dropping to his knees while delivering his lines to drive across his anguish.

Neo himself was impressed by the standard of auditions he had seen over the past two days, “I feel that City Harvest Church has a lot of talent!” he said. “We have already found quite a few potentials.”

Contributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

Is Hollywood really that bereft of good material? This “modern remake” of the classic fairytale Beauty And The Beast reeked of poor direction and an even more banal script.

Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four) takes on the role of Kyle Kingston, the high school’s Mr. Popular who crosses the line when he offends a fellow student-cum-witch, Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen). She turns him into a beast and places him under a curse: if he doesn’t find true love by the end of next spring, he’s doomed. In trots the indisputably cute Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame as Kyle’s schoolmate Lindy Taylor, the “beauty” of the story. Drama happens and love blooms.

To be fair, the cast’s performance isn’t that bad. It’s not their fault that their acting is stunted by a weak and laughably predictable plot; the lines, which I will not quote for fear of marring your sensibilities, are entirely cheesy and forgettable. Compared to another recent movie based on a classic tale, the delightful Tangled, Beastly is about as witty as dried bear poo.

The biggest plus point of it all is the charming casting of Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) as Kyle’s stay-home, blind professor who teaches him a few life lessons. And while the film had its moments, it mostly bombed. But just to end things on a not-so-bitter note, I shall merely say that nothing beats the original Disney animated version, which is definitely worth watching again on DVD.

Rating:

What happens when a 15-year-old walks into your life and claims she is your daughter?

Contributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

We all know that mother-daughter relationships can get a little complicated at times. But when adoption and long-lost ties come into the picture, “complicated” becomes an understatement. Such is the drama 15-year-old Lux finds herself in with her “instant” mother, Cate Cassidy.

Combine the familial comedy of Parenthood with the wit and charm of Gilmore Girls and you get Life Unexpected. After having shuttled herself from foster home to foster home her whole life, Lux (Britt Robertson) decides to become an emancipated minor. She finds her father, 30-something Nate “Baze” Bazile (Mad Men’s Kristoffer Polaha) who is shocked to discover that that he has a teenage daughter. He leads her to her mother, radio star Cate Cassidy (Roswell’s Shiri Appleby) who had given her up for adoption.

Having heard Cate’s voice on the radio from young, Lux feels an immediate connection to her mother and hopes for a perfect family reunion. Things aren’t so simple; Baze owns a bar but is more aging fratboy than responsible father material, and Cate is engaged to her colleague Ryan Thomas and in no way prepared for a teenage daughter.

Watch the drama unfold as Cate struggles to get to know Lux better, who in turn finds it easier to connect with her father. Lux also has to learn to balance between keeping her old friends from her life in foster care, and her life with her new family and a whole new school. Be guaranteed of some big laughs, touching moments and amazing life lessons from Lux and her “instant” parents Cate and Baze.

Season 2 of Life Unexpected is currently airing every Tuesday at 9 p.m. on DIVA Universal on Starhub TV Channel 522.

This group of dedicated individuals from the Audio Ministry works tirelessly behind the scenes to enhance every churchgoer’s experience in church.

Contributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

The crew work hard to ensure the best sound from stage each week. CN PHOTO: Gay Sen Min

Romans 10:17 declares that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” It is on this biblical basis that City Harvest Church’s Audio Ministry believes its role in the church is to ensure every churchgoer gets to hear the word preached every weekend, and hear it well.

Having good sound may not be the most obvious element about the church, but it is an integral part of the CHC experience. There is a “CHC sound” and we’re not talking about the music, but the audio quality in every service in the church.

The church’s Audio Ministry has over 50 active members from all walks of life. Most have little to no experience with audio engineering, but as they gain experience, with on-the-job training, they are soon able to help run the audio aspects for a church service and ensure that worshippers have an optimum and meaningful worship experience.

Every weekend, the dedicated members of this ministry serve the audio and technical needs in CHC—from the music and preaching on stage in the main English services, to the extended meetings of the Children’s Church, Indonesian Service, Chinese Church and even in the Interpreter’s Room. Most of the time, they ensure that the sound is balanced between the high (treble) and low (bass), the volume in the hall is clear and comfortable to the ears, and the overall sound mix is at its optimum level. Prior to this, proper sound checks and calibration are done before the service starts.

More than just providing the technical know-how of audio mixing, each member of the ministry also has distinct roles to play in the running of the church services and events. Some of the crew are assigned to the sound console where they adjust the individual channels accordingly to achieve a good sound mix on the microphone and house speakers.

Others are stationed in front of the stage to ensure the monitors and speakers provide a clean and clear sound at all times in the service. Another group of sound crew assists the stage users, including the pastors making announcements, worship leaders, musicians and the choir. They communicate the required audio settings as requested by the stage user to the main sound controller at the console, who in turn adjusts the various levels accordingly.

SERVING WITH DEDICATION

Lee Shuxia, 29, a ministry leader in the Audio Ministry, said, “I am definitely proud to be identified with a group of people who serve tirelessly covering not just the main English service and ministries, but also weddings and funerals for the church.”

She explained that during peak wedding seasons in the church, the team has to provide sound support for about two weddings every weekend at different venues across Singapore. For funerals, only a few hours’ notice is usually given, but members of the Audio Ministry regularly offer their assistance at the drop of a hat, demonstrating a level of commitment to serve the church and its congregation in any way possible.

It takes a calm and steady head to manage the sound console. CN PHOTO: Alvin Loh

Apart from this, when CHC holds large-scale events like the Asia Conference or drama productions for Easter and Christmas, the entire ministry is mobilized to support the different aspects of the event. For example, the team provided support in multiple meetings which were conducted simultaneously during the 2010 Asia Conference.

Naresh Vijayakumaran, 27, who will be graduating in July 2011 with a double major in Information Systems and Management, and Corporate Communications from the Singapore Management University, was part of the crew that served during the Asia Conference last year. One of his main responsibilities was to be attached to some of the key speakers of the conference. He ensured that every technical or sound requirement from these speakers was met; whether for the main conference event or workshops they were involved in.

Naresh also explained how the members of the Audio Ministry were stretched so lean during that event and yet, everyone displayed a willingness to serve and cover each other’s back when necessary. “There were many workshops scheduled in the afternoons, most of which were back-to-back. Each seminar had different sound requirements and we had very little time to prepare the room for the next workshop. So what we did was to plan a day ahead and prepare the resources that were needed way before the session started,” he recounted.

IT”S ALL ABOUT TEAMWORK

Part of an Audio Ministry member’s job is to be the first to arrive to set up the venue, and the last to leave after packing up, especially during major church events.

Although the crew from the Audio Ministry are not in the spotlight, unlike the singers from the Backup Vocalist Ministry who are seen on stage, they are of equal importance to the church. It is a backstage ministry, where one has to work hard, sometimes work long hours, and do his or her best working in a team to help support the many other CHC ministries.

Charis Wee Pei Shan, 26, joined the ministry in 2002 and has been serving faithfully every week. One thing that she loves about being part of this ministry is the level of teamwork among her peers.

She shared, “In many instances, we are scheduled for different duties. But at the end of the day, it is all about teamwork. The little things we do make a big difference even though we do not realize it. Moreover, I love the people I serve with because they put in their best in everything they do. When I see the volunteers coming together, their team work and their sacrifice make me want to be part of it all.”

You don’t need experience in audio engineering. The Audio Ministry is looking for people who are teachable and willing to commit time and energy to learning new things. To join, send an e-mail to [email protected].

A rejected blood donor reports from the sidelines at the recent blood donation drive.

Contributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

The theme of the recent blood donation drive was Pirates Of The Caribbean.

They say rejection is a painful thing. But the rejection doled out by the doctor at a blood donation drive had more of a bittersweet feel. After mustering up the courage to overcome my fear of needles while doing good at the same time, I was unfortunately turned away at the City Harvest Community Services Association’s blood donation drive held on March 6 and 7.

I did not know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. On one hand, I would not need to go through the ordeal of having a needle in my arm; yet on the other hand, I was missing out on an experience that everyone should have at some point in their life.

In any case, I decided to stick around *SCAPE at Orchard Link, where the first of CHCSA’s blood donation drive for the year 2011 was being held. With plans to hold 12 drives throughout the year, the association is targeting a total of 1,200 donors for 2011.

My fear of needles goes all the way back to when I received my BCG vaccination in primary six. It was quite the ordeal for a 12-year-old like me. Yet, assured Irene Ho of CHCSA who helms the blood donation drives, “It’s only as ‘painful’ as an ant bite; you may not even feel it.”

I felt faint, but bravely, decided to walk through the process of giving blood.

You start out by filling in a questionnaire designed by the Singapore Red Cross Society which determines if you are suitable to donate blood. According to the SRCS website, the following individuals may not be suitable to donate blood—persons infected with Hepatitis B & C; persons infected with HIV or are at risk of getting HIV; persons with a history of drug abuse; those with chronic illnesses requiring medications such as hypertension, heart, lungs, kidney disease, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.; expectant and breastfeeding women; women who are menstruating.

Once you’ve filled up the questionnaire, you can then head over to the counter to register with the Health Sciences Authority nurses who will promptly send you to the doctor for a medical screening.

This was where I got rejected. Aside from what SRCS has listed, apparently if you had fallen sick less than a week ago, you can’t give blood. Not only that, you have to be over 45kg and not have gone for any surgery in the past three months (this includes wisdom teeth extraction). Since I was officially off the donor list this time, I sat longer with the doctor to learn more about the blood donating process.

“Blood donation is a civilized form of bloodletting,” explained the doctor from HSA. Bloodletting is an ancient medical practice of withdrawing considerable quantities of blood from a patient to cure or prevent illness and disease. You can imagine the pretty picture he painted. “It’s actually beneficial to donors as well.”

CN PHOTOS: Jammy Cheng

Hard to believe but true, Ho explained that blood donation “helps to generate new blood. And when new blood is generated it helps your whole body to feel more alive again.”

It turned out, Jeremey Jeevan, 17, a Republic Polytechnic student was also afraid of needles. But he was a lot braver than I was. “I was very scared at first, because I’m terrified of needles and blood,” he confessed as he sat on a cot giving blood. “I thought it would be painful, but actually it’s not!

“It’s good to conquer our fears!” he added cheerfully.

Jeevan, who at 17, needed the consent of his parents to donate blood, had come down with his friend to donate blood together for the very first time. “I was surprised at the fact that it was quite simple and that it didn’t hurt. It may look quite menacing when you see them taking out all the tubes and equipment but the nurse reassured me and it turned out to be fine.”

I watched as another donor sat down to his turn. The nurse swabbed his arm with a cleaning agent before pulling out a tiny needle full of anesthesia, to help numb his arm, then she pulled out a 16-gauge needle that sent blood into the 450ml packet that could save three lives.

“Does it hurt?” I asked. “No,” came the quick response which proved to me that donating blood really didn’t hurt at all. It was a simple process that took less than an hour. After your packet is full, you’re given a colorful bandage and sent on your way after taking some refreshments.

Though I wasn’t able to participate in donating blood this time, I’m looking forward to the next upcoming drive. Pain? Just a memory. Watching others donate blood with nary a worry killed my fear.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” Ho encouraged, “There’s always a first time, be bold to step out! And once you take that first step you will ultimately want to be a regular donor.”

Total number of participants who registered for the blood donation drive over both days: 176

Total number of blood packets collected over both days: 127

The second Singapore National Cheerleading Championships 2011 saw teams from all over the island battle it out for a spot in the regional championships.

Contributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

Winning team Gusto delivers an electrifying performance. PHOTO COURTESY OF SINGAPORE SPORTS COUNCIL

The image of a cheerleader is usually one of short skirts, abs you can bounce a coin off and really shiny, silky hair. But behind the glossy exterior is a punishing amount of effort, training and teamwork, all of which culminated in the seemingly gravity-defying stunts that were on display at the Singapore National Cheerleading Championships 2011 on March 19 and 20 at the Jurong East Sports Hall.

Team Gusto from Singapore Polytechnic walked away with the top prize in the High School category after its exciting performance on the cheer mat which featured stunts executed with accuracy and finesse. Gusto is scheduled to go on to compete against other squads around the region at the 5th Cheerleading Asia International Open 2011 in Tokyo, Japan this May.

Said Yeo Song Rong, Gusto’s president, “We trained for slightly over half a year for this event. We didn’t expect to win because our stunts are quite difficult and we didn’t really perfect them up till a week ago.”

The second National Cheerleading Championships to be held since last year, the event saw overwhelming support as over 2,000 fans turned up on both days to cheer their favorite teams on. The first day saw teams from all over Singapore competing in events such as the Partners category, where teams tried to outdo each other in pairs, and the All-girls Team category, where five-member squads took to the mat to show-off their cheering and stunt-performing prowess.

The All-girls Team category saw the debut of Kosmos, a team formed by cheerleading enthusiasts who had met during the Asia Conference’s Parade of Schools. “We don’t expect to win, but it will be a good experience,” said Ezekiel Wong, 25, who choreographed the stunts and mixed the music for the team. “We only decided to participate about a month ago.” Despite the short duration of practice, the members performed their stunts with the confidence of professionals and big smiles on their faces. The top place eventually went to Rexas, the team from Republic Polytechnic.

The second day saw teams in the Primary School, High School and the Open category taking to the mats. Shooting Stars from St. Hilda’s Primary School came out tops in their category, while Wildcards, the winners of last year’s Open category, defended their title successfully.

If you missed out on the Cheerleading Championships 2011, you can catch the broadcast on SuperSports Arena on StarHub Channel 201 on April 7 and 10, 2011.

The TV Ministry bridges the distance between the action on stage and those seated in the first to the very last row in the service hall.

Contributed By Amanda Jayne Lee

During CHC events, the TV Ministry volunteers work hard to familiarize themselves with every single cue.

Each weekend, City Harvest Church’s TV Ministry performs a pivotal role in ensuring that every attendee is able to see and follow everything that transpires on stage, from praise and worship to the preaching of the Word.

The TV Ministry comprises three teams. The technical team, is in charge of organizing each setup and teardown. It also ensures that video recordings such as Harvest Highlights are properly broadcast.

The video camera crew forms the bulk of the ministry: they are the ones stationed in the hall, either swiveling the long arm of the video camera cranes above the congregation or scurrying around to capture

the best shots. Most of the video camera crew have little to no experience working with cameras, but pick up skills as they go along. Volunteers are given training by the trainers and coordinators.

Finally there are the producers and directors, “the brains of the ministry.” They are the ones who guide the camera crew and select the best shots to be shown on the screen. “It’s a very on-the-go position where split-second decisions have to be made,” explains ministry leader Danielle Ho. The groundwork entails much personal preparation and creatively visualizing how the shots are to be sequenced to enhance the service. “They also help lay the vision of TVM before the crew—to capture what God is doing during a service, and inspire them to capture moments that help build the atmosphere during services.”

CHARTING NEW MILESTONES

They may not be seen but they have a crucial job to do. Standard operating procedures include ensuring that all equipment is serviced and in excellent working condition, and that all potential overflow areas are covered. During big-day events, rehearsals can run up to a full week, as the crew familiarize themselves with every single cue. Sometimes, rehearsals start from 6 a.m. and last all the way till past midnight.

Plus, the members support various other services. “The TVM supports all the different ministries that could be having their own big day concurrently,” says Ho. “This means that many TVM volunteers serve in multiple services for one big-day event.”

In 2008, at the inaugural Asia Conference, the Ministry made the big leap to High Definition television. The operational overhaul, which included setup, training and hands-on trials, took less than a month.

Last year, the TV Ministry started an all-youth team with members under age 25. This succession plan was necessitated by its older members having family and career commitments

It also set up its first ever Chinese Church team last year. “It was a challenge because many of us are not strong in Mandarin, more so when we have to speak in technical terms.” Much training over the past 14 months, however, has allowed the members serving Chinese Church members to successfully anchor their own services. Today, they not only serve at their own services but also support the operations during English services.

Amazingly enough, most of the members of the TV Ministry started out with no experience at all, except for an interest to be part of the team. For them, a job well done “is when people watching the services are blessed. The right kinds of shots at the right time can help build faith in the viewers,” says Ho. And that, ultimately, is the aim of the TV Ministry.

The volunteers of the Visual Communications Ministry have to be alert at all times. CN PHOTOS: Michael Chan

Whatcha Lookin’ At?

Working hand-in-hand with the TV Ministry is the Visual Communications Ministry, which is in charge of what the congregation sees on the screen: worship lyrics, video graphics, announcements, and sermon pointers. This ministry exists to present relevant, visually arresting, and on cue content to enhance the churchgoer’s experience in City Harvest Church.

From the days of overhead projectors, this ministry (formerly known as the Chorus Board Ministry) has progressed and expanded to include video graphics and visual effects that add a “wow” factor to what everyone is watching.

Seems like an easy job but the ministry is 60-strong and requires three teams: the live production crew ensures the timely delivery of information on screen. The pre-production crew produces the content and graphics. And the technical crew maintain and upkeep the ministry equipment.

Sometimes 60 isn’t even enough. “During big-scale events such as Asia Conference, many volunteers would come and help us. Some would take leave from their jobs to serve at the event, enduring long hours of technical runs and rehearsals in order to master every sequence of the various programs. Their flexibility and willingness to serve is what makes this ministry a joy to serve in and be a part of,” says ministry leader Juslin Guo.