By Lau Quanhan

CN PHOTOS: Bernard Soh, Daniel Poh and Gary Sim.

To the uninitiated, Arise & Build may seem to be no more than a building fund campaign, raising money to pay for a physical structure. While the “hardware” of a church is important, for City Harvest Church, whose motto for this season is “My Church, My Life”, it is the “software” that is far more important.

When Kong Hee, senior pastor of City Harvest Church preached about Arise & Build on the first weekend of Nov. 2011, he shared that the church was really building for “LIFE”, an acronym for love, intercession, family and eternity and encounters. The church understood that Suntec Singapore is not just a venue, but also a spiritual home where “in-reach” (members connecting with members) and outreach (members connecting with the unchurched) takes place, where mountain-moving prayers are prayed, where lives are transformed.  CHC is a spiritual home for many members, the place they found God, experienced transformation in their lives and now live for the Lord. This season,  Arise & Build echoed the call in 1 Peter 2:5 (GNB): “Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple…” The call is not just to build the house of God, but through that process, to have one’s own life built up as well.

In November, CHC members pledged their faith amounts over four months—the Arise & Build season culminates at the end of February.

In the words of Kong, “we can never out-give God”—some members, such the ones below, have already experienced the goodness of God in their lives during this season of giving.

The Obedient Will Eat the Good of the Land

Sharon Tan, 26, calls Arise & Build 2011/12 a time of stretching her boundaries of faith in order to trust God and obey His voice. “When one obeys, the act of obedience ignites greater passion in God and opens a brand new dimension of what it means to live a vision beyond oneself,” she tells City News.

Tan has been faithfully pledging and giving to CHC’s almost-annual Arise & Build campaign since 2003. Last November, she pledged an amount that was 220 percent of one month’s salary. Shortly after making her pledge, Tan received a promotion and a pay increment. Her promotion to marketing communications manager at multinational business solutions company NICE Systems was all the more significant as she had, at that point, worked fewer than 10 months in the company. Her team was awarded Best Support Team in Asia Pacific and Tan was nominated for Best Support Personnel in Asia Pacific at the company’s recent awards.

A Rhema Word From God

Jasper and Shirlena Tong, both 37, experienced God’s blessing during the Arise & Build season, weeks after they pledged a faith amount that God had placed in their hearts. As Christians they had always tithed and given their offerings, but mostly of obligation and duty.

Last year they joined City Harvest Church and were moved by God to participate in Arise & Build. God impressed upon them separately to give S$13,000, the largest offering they had ever given in their lives. “Because we love God, we would have fulfilled our pledge even if those blessings did not come,” said Jasper. But the blessings did come.

Shortly after they pledged the amount in obedience, Jasper’s supervisor recommended him for a promotion and he received a three-month performance bonus—all the more amazing given the economic conditions. Shirlena too, received a three-month performance bonus. On top of that, they sold their investment property in January for a 30 percent profit.

For them, an act of simple obedience through a pledge of S$13,000 brought in return the blessing of God amounting to S$190,000. More than the financial blessing, the couple felt that their faith in God had been greatly strengthened.

February is the final month of this season of Arise & Build—the members of City Harvest Church are eager and excited to finish this season strong, and to bear witness to God’s goodness in their lives.

By Jonathan Teo

CN PHOTOS: Bernard Soh, Christopher Teh, Joshua Teo and Kenneth Lee.

What is a church?

In a hilarious skit performed by City Harvest Church’s drama ministry, members of a fictional cell group, W007, described the church as an army of God, a body of Christ, and a place to fellowship and build relationships. Although each “member” exaggerated every meaning for comic effect, there was some truth to every point.

The drama was the lead-in to the sermon, the final instalment in the four-part Church Introductory Course that senior pastor Kong Hee had conducted since the start of the year.

The CIC is the first Bible study course that new members undergo when they first come to CHC, and it has two purposes. Firstly, it helps members to commit to Christ; secondly, it helps members to commit to CHC by helping them to understand the why, what and how of CHC—the reasons the church does what it does.

The early lessons covered in CIC dealt with salvation and the works of the cross, (LINK http://www.citynews.sg/2012/01/church-intro-class-the-work-of-the-cross/); CHC’s purpose and mission, namely fulfilling the Great Commandment, the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate; and the essential beliefs of CHC and the different groups of people it reaches out to.

What is the Church?

Kong opened the final session by sharing from Psalm 92:13. The verse declares that those who are planted deeply in church will flourish in different areas of their lives.

Referencing 1 Corinthians 14:33 and 40, Kong likened the structure of CHC to be like the human skeleton: it is invisible to the naked eye, but it exists to keep the rest of the body intact. In the same way, the church structure exists so that everything can be done in a fitting and orderly way.

In 1 Samuel 8:5-7, Israel demanded a king from the prophet Samuel. The people wanted things to be done the world’s way, but in the end, the kings that reigned over them caused them much pain. Kong explained that the church is a not a business and should therefore not to be managed like a secular corporation. The success of CHC should not be measured by how wealthy or famous the church becomes. Instead, it should measures success by the number of lives it has helped and changed for the better. It is important that CHC structures itself in Biblical fashion.

The Nature Of A Church

1) The Church is a Fellowship

In Acts 2:42, the disciples devoted themselves to teaching the doctrines and fellowship. As such, the top priorities in a fellowship are unity and harmony. The Scripture backs this up by stating the importance of walking together in Amos 3:3. A place of agreement is a place of power.

Disunity poses great danger to a church. Kong, quoting a number of Bible verses, explained that a good structure downplays division and promotes unity. He gave the example of the Corinthian church which met very often, but because of the divisions among the people, the meetings did more harm than good.

“The Church is only as strong as its ability to unite,” Kong summarized.

2) The Church is a Family

Ephesians 2:19 says that all Christians belong to God’s own family, and as a family the church should operate on basis of relationship, not rules. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 talks about the importance of maintaining good relations within a family and in church.

3) The Church is a Body

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:27 that every Christian is a vital and important part of the body of Christ. As a body, CHC functions on the basis of spiritual gifts, not on random appointments.

In CHC, every member is a minster while the pastors are administers. This means every member has a role to play in the church and the pastors’ job is to take care of them and help them excel in their ministry.

4)  The Church is a Flock

Like a flock of sheep, the church is tendered by shepherds. Every church is led by the pastor whose focus should be on pastoral care, not control.

There are three different Greek words used to describe a leader: Poimen, which means pastor or shepherd, is the role of caring, Presbuteros which means an elder of spiritually maturity and Episkopos, an overseer. In the Bible, the function of all three are interchangeable, Kong explained.

While CHC does not use the titles such as “Elder” or “Bishop”, there are cell group leaders, ministry leaders and board members in place to serve in the same function.

5)  The Church is an Army

Unlike a military army, the army of God downplays egotism and focuses on discipleship.

There are three levels of Christian development in CHC. Firstly, there is the “buddy system” where members are encouraged to stay accountable to a friend in church who has the same spiritual maturity. Secondly, there is mentoring where a senior member in a ministry trains his junior to grow in skills. Lastly, there is discipleship, where a pastor or a spiritual leader imparts to a younger Christian, helping him stay in line with the commandments of God and to become more Christ-like.

Kong wrapped up the course with a call for visitors and non-members to join CHC as a committed member and ultimately a disciple of Christ.

Many members felt that the course gave them a clearer understanding of what CHC is really like. For 29-year-old telecoms system engineer Carlos Huang, CIC served as a reminder of what CHC is all about.  Undergraduate Timothy Seet, 20, felt that he “learned a lot about my role in church and how I can be more committed to God and to CHC.”

Student Marvin Ng, 18, said, “Sometimes as we go through life, we forget the basics of what we have learned. CIC really helped me to go back to our roots, to our purpose and calling.”

Kong has declared that 2012 is a year of relationship and discipleship. More than giving new members an understanding of what CHC is all about, CIC helped the entire church to comprehend and remember the reason for its existence, and the need for every member to be fully committed to the church and to Christ, laying a strong foundation for this year of discipleship.

By Esther She

A demonstrative sample of Rabbit Ray-2. Photos courtesy of Esther Wang.

Few childhood experiences are more traumatic than those involving medical procedures, which is why 24-year-old City Harvest Church member Esther Wang has hit the nail on the head with her creation, Rabbit Ray.

For her final year project, the product design graduate from the Nanyang Technological University’s Faculty of Art, Design and Media created a rabbit soft toy that uses the concept of play to explain simple medical procedures to child patients to reduce their anxiety. The project, a collaborative effort with the National University Hospital Child Life Programme, was selected to be on display at NTU’s School of Art, Design and Media Show 2011 last July.

It soon caught the attention of the media, including CNN, and was shortlisted as one of the top 15 contenders for the prestigious James Dyson Award (JDA) Global, an international student design competition based in the UK. Despite not winning, the exposure opened more doors for Wang, among which was the support from the DesignSingapore Council.

Last November, she was also invited to present at the third annual International Arts and Health Conference, an organization that aims to enhance and improve health and well-being in the community through creative activity. It was attended by industry experts and authorities from the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. Rabbit Ray was well-received and drew response from interested parties ranging from safety recommendations to cultural differences in international healthcare.

With medical director of the Pediatric Palliative Care Service Dr Gerri Frager.

The opportunity to meet and network with professionals from international hospitals proved an invaluable experience for Wang. She learned the importance of empowering child patients and reaching out to the psychological needs of dying children from Dr Gerri Frager, who has served as the medical director of the Pediatric Palliative Care Service in Canada for the past 16 years.

Wang With Dr Peter Spitzer, Australia's first "clown doctor" and medical director of the Humour Foundation.

Wang also made the acquaintance of Dr Peter Spitzer, Australia’s first “clown doctor” and medical director of the Humour Foundation, as they discussed the various pain relief strategies available to child patients and the value these strategies add to the healthcare system.

Wang hopes to commercialize Rabbit Ray one day—currently, she is working on a business plan to obtain funding and also to form a team, after which she will source for a manufacturer and work on product development by collaborating with doctors. In fact, Rabbit Ray may only be the first in a new range of products in the market.

Wang’s journey has been marked with challenges that include surmounting the safety aspect of the design on her own, without much industry knowledge. As Rabbit Ray grows into something larger than just a school project, Wang says it has become a reminder that good design is not just about fame or profit-making: “Good designs change lives by giving people greater independence, thus improving their self-esteem and quality of life,” she says.

By Yong Yung Shin

If you’re looking for a book that predicts when the Second Coming will be, The Divine Code: From One To 2020 is not the book you’re looking for. But if you’re looking for something that unearths the hidden messages and Biblical codes and helps you arrive at your own conclusions about the times we are living in, this makes for a fascinating read.

The author, Steve Cioccolanti, is the founder and director of Australia-based Discover Ministries, which has a mission to empower believers through the teaching of the Word. Holding a Masters of Education, Cioccolanti, who pastors a church in Melbourne, Australia, is known for presenting complex concepts in simple, practical ways.

While the book explores the patterns and meanings of “popular” numbers in the Bible, it goes beyond merely ascribing symbolism to the numbers; after all, it is not the head knowledge that counts, but the application of it to our faith. For example, 1 signifies unity, but it also explains the triune nature of God and why 1+1+1=1.

Given the phobia some believers have toward getting too engrossed in numbers, Cioccolanti adroitly states from the onset, “Studying the stars is astronomy, but following the stars is astrology. Studying numbers is Biblical numerology, but following numbers is idolatry.”

Instead, he points readers to the fingerprints of God in nature and creation through the studying of numbers, such as the biological make-up of man himself: “Before modern scientists understood atoms and atomic numbers, a Bible reader could have made an accurate prediction that whatever element man was made of, it should be linked to the number 6. As it turns out, scientists now understand from the periodic table of chemical elements that man is made up of mainly carbon; and its atomic number is…6!” Using numbers, he also makes a strong case for creationism while asserting the illogicalities of evolutionism.

Other “popular” numbers such as 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and of course, 666, 2012 and 2020 are also given due attention, fleshed out with substantive research in their individual chapters; if nothing else, the revelations presented all point to the Bible as a work of astounding symmetry and consistency.

Particularly interesting are his explanations behind seemingly random numbers such as the 153 fishes caught in Peter’s net after the resurrection of Jesus and the 276 lives saved on the ship carrying Paul. In unraveling the codes, Cioccolanti’s safety-check is in the main and plain: the deeper messages unearthed should never contradict the established truths of the Bible.

While it is not a terribly theoretical read, it can be challenging to digest at parts—which makes it all the more rewarding for those who want to see Scripture through fresh lenses. As Cioccolanti writes, “…people who don’t understand the Bible’s plain text (words) should not venture into the subtext (numbers and codes). The subtext exists only to authenticate, confirm and magnify the main message of the text, which is Christ!”

The Divine Code: From One To 2020 retails for S$28 (S$23.80 member price) at Attributes.

By Dawn Seow

Dr Robi Sonderegger is a renowned clinical psychologist who specializes in the psychology of marriage; he is also an advocate of strong family relationships. His passion leads him to deliver hundreds of keynote presentations and workshops to thousands of individuals each year.

This Australian has had a surprising career: in the last 15 years he has gone from being a celebrity snowboard instructor to Europe’s high society (among his students were Prince Charles and Prince Harry of Wales) to a Pride of Australia Medal finalist for his work as a humanitarian activist for child soldiers and sex slaves. He is married with three children.

On the first weekend of February, City Harvest Church will be meeting this dynamic and entertaining presenter for the first time, when he speaks at the church’s Relationship Seminar (Feb. 3-5). Together with CHC’s senior pastor, Kong Hee, Sonderegger will be speaking on building strong relationships in marriages, families and also workplace issues.

In this interview with City News, the good doctor reveals his inspiration and how his faith in Christ and psychological training work in tandem.

City News: Your passion lies in promoting strong marriages and strengthening families. What sparked your passion in this area? Was there a particular incident that inspired you to make a difference in marriages?

Robi Sonderegger: Working as a clinical psychologist has opened my eyes to the crumbling state of many marriages and families. Behind the pleasant smiles we put on for one another, there is often a silent desperation. There are very effective ways to build, repair or even salvage relationships. The Bible tells us why sustaining relationships is important, and research tells us how to go about doing it. I am passionate about bringing a message of hope: to tell my audience what Scripture and science have to say about love and living life to the full.

What are some common psychological reasons that drive men and women to give up on their marriage?

Beyond the common themes of betrayal, frustration and un-forgiveness lies a much more sinister influence called “popular culture”. Our modern throw-away culture says, “If it’s defective in some way, cash it in and get an upgraded model.” As such we give up at the first sign of difficulty because that’s the norm, we are told. The truth is, some of the best marriages we see have survived the very worst disasters. I believe that with God, all things are possible. What the enemy intends for evil, He will turn around for good, if you let Him.

How do your role as a psychologist and your faith as a Christian work together?

My faith tells me what and why I need to do what I do and my profession is the passionate pursuit of understanding how to do it well. Both theology and psychology tell us that we humans are designed for relationships, and (both) offer practical instruction as to how we can nurture, protect and repair our relationships. I love that modern science seems to continually validate what the Bible has been saying for thousands of years.

As a Christian, what do you believe is God’s will for husbands and wives, as well as for families?

The institution of “marriage” and “family” is God’s idea. He has designed us to live in relationship with one another and He has given us the Word of God as instructions for healthy living and strong relationships. The Bible is like a big therapy manual outlining God’s will for us to live in unity and harmony. When we do, He commands a blessing and when the going gets tough, Jesus is described as our Almighty Counselor who specializes in redemption, repair, rehabilitation, reconciliation, and restoration!

Having counseled many couples and families, what is a common trend you see in broken families?

We live in a self-centered, pleasure-driven era where the institutions of marriage and family are under attack from many fronts, ranging from the common busyness of life and not having enough time for one another, to prolific consumption of internet pornography and sexual misconduct. People’s lack of priorities and selfish pursuit of pleasure is often coupled with mental health difficulties like anger, anxiety, depression, addiction and so on, which makes matter worst and eventually causes families to fall apart.

What were some lessons you learned from watching your parents, as a child, which you have applied in your own marriage and family?

Unconditional love, serving one another, emotional stability, looking out not only for our own interests, but also for the interests of others are some of the tips I get from my parents to maintain a healthy relationship.

In your course of ministry, what was one significant/memorable incident that has left a deep impact in the way you do ministry?

In 2008, I was listening to Pastor Brian Houston from Hillsong Church address an audience in Kampala, Uganda. He reminded us that Jesus said “I will build my church”, not “I will build my humanitarian organization”. These words flew off the stage and hit me with full force. There and then I realized that God was going to use my skills and profession to help equip and empower the Church to mend the broken-hearted and proclaim freedom for the captives.

You travel widely to teach. What are some of the most interesting countries and churches you have been to or interesting cultures you have experienced?

I love teaching in developing nations (from Africa to Central America) because the people are so hungry to learn. I love going to Eastern Europe because a ray of light is beginning to break the darkness, and people who find God are learning to smile again. However, I have to say my most unique church experience in the past 12 months was in Konstanz, Germany—out of the cracks of spiritually dead concrete grow the most delicate, beautiful Spirit-filled flowers! In this next season, I am so excited because Asia is calling! It has been a longheld desire and prophetic dream (of mine) to go there—and where better to start 2012 than in spectacular Singapore. God is going to do amazing things!

PHOTOS: 光年创意

梁文福第二张纯音乐专辑《华月心谣》强调以华乐曲风来弹奏新谣歌曲。专辑制作人玖健在受访时告诉记者：“‘华月’是指月亮，而‘心谣’则是心中的歌谣，去年在我录完音回家的路上好几次仰望华而明亮的月亮而深有感触。让我体会到月亮真的有种让人“触景生情”的魔力。《华月心谣》这张专辑就想藉由月景和音乐来牵动人的美好情绪。”

这张专辑巧妙地结合传统与现代的华乐曲风再加上流行元素，重新打造16首本地著名音乐人梁文福的经典新谣作品，表现出具时代感又怀旧的跨时代音乐，让人有老歌新听的意味。

其实梁文福和玖健并不是第一次合作，上一张《请你告诉她》专辑中就收录了一些梁文福的近期流行歌曲《担心》、《喜欢你》等。相比之下，《华月心谣》改编的多是梁文福较早期的作品，如：《一步一步来》、《新衣那有旧衣好》、《亲亲你念着谁》、《羞答答的玫瑰静悄悄地开》等耳熟能详的歌曲。

本地乐坛十年前开始新谣的足迹逐渐减少，但其实新谣音乐算是记录新国当时的人文与社会现象，拥有极宝贵的价值。

玖健说:“新谣具本地人文色彩。不纯粹只是情情爱爱，也透过歌词提及社会与环境的壮况，就算讲到情感也不只在男女爱恋关系徘徊。新谣具赤子之心的情怀是现代流行歌曲所缺乏的。之所以用华乐来演奏，是因为文福的这几首歌曲都散发着东方亚洲韵味，以华乐演奏更能诠释出其精神。

另外我希望通过这张专辑让更多人认识本地有潜质的音乐人、音乐工作者，尤其是幕后的音乐人，因为他们往往被大家忽视，但没有这些编曲人及乐手，再好的作品都没办法呈现给大家。上一张《请你告诉她》偏向西乐，这张就希望能介绍许多华乐音乐人让大家认识。所以就尽量在这张专辑中与比较多的音乐人合作。”

玖健因此邀请新加坡著名华乐团“鼎艺团”、本地华乐界著名指挥郭勇德、得奖英国籍作曲家Eric James Watson 、本地资深编曲人吴庆隆、冯文甫、陈家荣等近四十位音乐人联合制作这张专辑，阵容不容置辩。

虽说是新谣又是华乐，但专辑听起来却不俗气。玖健说：“我在这张《华月心谣》中尝试将传统的华乐改造成有流行元素的风味。像大家比较熟悉的《新加坡派》，初听之时想让它比较有band的感觉，所以决定交给比较擅长这方面编曲的Ryan Wong来负责。注入新精神在这首十多年前的老歌里，成为适合时下年轻人会听的音乐。希望让没听过新谣的人听了也会喜欢并发现这原来是新加坡的音乐，然后开始发掘其他本地的音乐，又或者让听惯新谣的人发现原来新谣也可以这样的新鲜！”

今年2月11日（星期六），光年创意将与鼎艺团在旧国会大厦艺术之家有两场《华月心谣》演奏会。购票热线6332 6919，网上购票http://www.bytes.sg，也可到旧国会大厦艺术之家1 Old Parliament Lane售票处买票。欲知更多详情，请上网www.ko-nen.com。

By Yong Yung Shin

The exterior of 7Adam at night. PHOTOS COURTESY OF 7Adam.

Even the most ardent shopper knows that you can’t buy art in a hurry—and this is the concept underpinning 7Adam. Perched atop a slope at Adam Park, the newly opened art gallery-restaurant (part of the NUSS Guildhouse) offers interested art buyers a relaxing environment within a black and white colonial bungalow to admire art pieces while relishing bistro bites and beverages.

The art exhibits are works by both local and regional artists, and the exhibits change every eight to 10 weeks. Currently, artworks by Singaporean child artist Dawn Kwan and well-known batik artist Sujak Rahman are on display till March.

Paintings adorn the stairway to the main dining hall upstairs.

The paintings and sculptures fill the premises, adorning walls, standing along the staircase, perched on pedestals, and displayed in various sections of the restaurant. This allows for interested patrons to better visualize how the artworks will look in their homes.

On the food front, the menu features modern bistro food by Chef Jimmy Chok that blends Eastern elements with Western. The starter of Pan-fried Foie Gras (S$18) took our attention off the art for a while with its buttery fullness tempered by tart apple slices while the scrumptious Duck Confit With Szechuan Pepper Salt (S$24) rewarded us with a fiery kick with every crunch of a Szechuan peppercorn in the mouth. Sweet-toothed ones will not be denied their gratification, with options ranging from Chunky Peanut Chocolate Mousse (S$12) to Chocolate Souffle (S$12) and Poached Pear In Red Wine (S$12).

Duck Confit With Szechuan Pepper Salt.

If a bit of tipple is needed to facilitate the decision-making process, cozy up at the bar area where leather sofas and colorful stools beckon. The alcohol display is charming, with old-school glass louvres framing the shelves.

Available are cocktails like the Creamilicious Kit Kat (S$23) a concoction of Bailey’s, Crème de Cacao and milk with Kit Kat-flavored ice-cream, and Ladies’ Desire (S$22) a pretty yet punchy mixture of vodka, elderflower syrup and lychee liqueur, alongside an array of wines, champagnes, whiskeys, brandies, sakes and other liqueurs.

Art appreciation workshops and thematic talks will also be organized throughout the year.

7 Adam Park
Singapore 289926
+65 6467 0777 (Restaurant)
+65 6463 0777 (Gallery)

By Yong Yung Shin

Josephine Turalba wears her artwork, Mighty Ballistic, onto the streets. PHOTO: George Lara.

From Feb. 15-26, the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2012 will be showcasing an array of theater, dance, music, visual arts and mixed media performances and exhibitions by local and international artists. The theme for this year’s edition is Art & Faith. City News interviews one of the featured artists, Josephine Turalba from the Philippines about the concept and origins behind her entry, Mighty Ballistic.

Tell us about Mighty Ballistic.

Mighty Ballistic: Singapore Walk is a “guerilla” type performance that entails walking at a ritual pace at the venue, engaging people along the way. The bullet armor dress intends to first seduce and subsequently alarm, when the viewer realizes it is completely made of bullet casings.

What sort of response/ reaction do you hope to elicit?

Any kind of response is good—I especially love the impromptu reflections on current events that reflect violence. Most people are amused by the performance. Yet, many are touched by the poetic beauty of the performance, as it resonates with their own memories.

One of the most interesting reactions I received was in Muenster, Germany when one lady shouted across the plaza square saying that what I was doing was “not beautiful.” That encounter made me feel very sympathetic, as I wondered where she was coming from. What made her flail her arms so angrily, denouncing my work? Did memories from some trauma she experienced haunt her upon seeing my work? I wished she could have calmed down and shared her sorrow with me.

What triggered this piece of work?

It was triggered by a personal loss, when I lost my father to four bullets in 2007. As I processed my grief, my artworks evolved.  Questions gnawed at me. How can a piece of metal that is less than one-inch long take a life? More than revenge on those who pulled the trigger, I was beset with issues of protection and destruction.

My work came as I explored the juxtaposition of the androgenic bullet and oestrogenic body. Then, my inquiries expanded to the function of a clothed body—the body, enveloped with gun shells, being a site for my work.  When I finished weaving the sculptural armor dress, I knew I had transcended my grief, rechanneling the tragedy from a source of destruction into a genesis of creation.

In the process of creating this work, I learned to forgive the one who pulled the trigger on my father. I understood that the force which led him to do that act exists in all of us. As I questioned why I live to experience such grief, I remember the beautiful moments with my father when he was alive. The appreciation of those happy times came together with that traumatic one as polar opposites being interconnected and interdependent, one necessitating the existence of the other.

How do you think your personal experience with violence has influenced your outlook as a Filipino artist?

During the funeral, many stories of abuse and violent traumas surfaced. Countless violent incidents, both political and just plain personal, have continuously happened in broad daylight in my country since the beginning of our history as a nation—from colonial times to today.  “Life is cheap,” said one of the audience members about my work in Manila. This reveals the obvious yet tolerated reality in our country. The Maguindanao Massacre in the southern province of the Philippines, where 57 people (including 12 journalists) were abducted, abused and killed, brings to the forefront the brutality of human nature.

As a Filipino artist, I see that there is much to be done with my fellow countrymen. I create works that bring critical reflections of our land and ourselves while questioning and constantly re-defining our identities.

How did you obtain the bullet casings and shotgun shells, and how many are there?

For Mighty Ballistic, I used almost 4,000 shells.

I found the first batch of empty bullet casings in an old box, as I was cleaning the storage room of our home. When I asked my husband about it, he instantly grabbed them from me, saying that they were waiting to be reloaded for his next round of practice shooting occasion at the range. This piqued my interest. Needless to say, the casings did not end up with the reloader.

Some of them came from a friend who is part of the National Skeet Shooting Competitive Team. After her team practices, she drops off a few bags of empty shells at my place. Previously, those once-fired shotgun shells were thrown away. Recently, though, people have found a way of reloading these and are now selling them.

With our new President (Benigno Aquino III), the government has tightened security and military-grade bullets that used to be sold in the black market to consumers are now being accounted for and sent back to their camps, resulting in a limited supply of these.

Did you weave them yourself? How long did it take for you to complete weaving one whole dress?

Yes, I wove Mighty Ballistic myself. It took me about a month to weave the dress and another month to solder together the headpiece. For the succeeding dresses, I trained an assistant to help me.

After all’s said and done, what do you hope to achieve as an artist?

I hope to be contagious in art-making, inspiring others to see life from different perspectives for a broader understanding of those different from ourselves. Being compassionate, for me, is a way to live in peace with another. This sentiment comes when one understands and empathizes with the opposite.

When one begins to see another way of perceiving things, the appreciation of opposites (that are not necessarily divergent) comes into being. In my little way of contributing to mankind, I hope my artworks can inspire compassion in others.

Josephine Turalba is an inter-disciplinary artist living and working in Manila, the Philippines. Mighty Ballistic is featured from Feb. 18-19, 6 p.m at the Esplanade Waterfront. Free Admission. For more information on the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival, log on to www.singaporefringe.com.

By Dawn Seow

CN PHOTOS: Andreas Lucius, Koh Meng Kwang and Yzanne Lim.

The institution of family has always been vitally important to God. “He was the one who initiated the first family unit in the Garden of Eden where He placed Adam and Eve, making them Man and Wife. God Himself is called our Heavenly Father,” said Kong Hee, senior pastor of City Harvest Church at its Chinese New Year service on Jan. 21.

Kong explored the concept of family in the context of Chinese New Year. Traditionally, this is a time for the Chinese to rest and enjoy the harvest with their family.

“Without Christ, we Chinese can become very superstitious,” quipped Kong. “Where there is no hope, all people go after is money and luck.”

Traditional Chinese live their lives by the horoscope, and that includes decorating their homes in a way that would “bring good fortune”, so they believe.

But even before these traditions took root, God gave the guarantee of prosperity and long life in His Word thousands of years ago. Quoting Ephesians 6:1-4, Kong reminded the members that God has promised,as long as there is honor and respect in the family, everyone can enjoy the prosperity and long life they are looking for.

With this, the senior pastor gave the congregation six practical ways to treat their families with love and honor. Each way began with letters spelling out the word “family.”

What is FAMILY? 

• F is for Forgiveness

“No one is perfect and we all make mistake,” said Kong, “and when we do, we want to be forgiven completely.”

Kong drew from Ernest Hemingway’s short story The Capital Of The World, to illustrate a powerful point. A Spanish father’s relationship with his son fell apart and the son ran away from home. Years later, desperate to find him, the father put up an advertisement that simply read: “Dear Paco, meet me in front of the Madrid newspaper office tomorrow at noon. All is forgiven, Daddy loves you.” The next day, 800 young men named Paco turned up at the office, each seeking forgiveness from his father.

God promised His people in the Psalms that His forgiveness has no limit. In the same way, Christians should forgive others, especially their own family, without limit. There is a need to create a culture of forgiveness in the family, and it all starts with a gracious tongue. Kong encouraged everyone to exercise grace and forgiveness this Chinese New Year.

• A is for Affection

Paul told the Christians in Ephesus to be “kind to one another, tenderhearted” (Ephesians 4:32); being tender-hearted means being affectionate and sensitive.

Many pride themselves on being straightforward. But their tactlessness is not smart, it is insensitive. Kong joked that if God were to talk to him in a straight-forward manner, he would be in depression! “But God never does that,” he continued. “He says that He loves us with an everlasting love.”

Kong shared the touching testimony of Gan Tiong Wan, an ex-gambler, whose live was transformed by affectionate words. At the age of 70, Gan was disowned by his children because of his life-long gambling habits and the debt he had accumulated. A member of CHC, Kong Choy, befriended him and showed him love, using affectionate words to encourage Gan. Eventually, Gan became a Christian, kicked his gambling habit and was reconciled with his family—before he passed away last November.

• M is for Mindfulness

Philippian 2:4-5 taught Christians to “look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Kong proclaimed that “God is thinking about us 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour! The Bible says He is always mindful of us, thinking and remembering us all the time. We need to be thinking of others too.”

The opposite of love is apathy, which means to ignore and be indifferent, and that is the worst form of rejection. Kong encouraged the members to be mindful of their aging parents, and siblings who may not be doing well, in the midst of busyness.

• I is for Integrity

People with integrity do what they say and say what they do!

The words we speak reveal our nature and character. “Our name is only as good as our words, if others cannot count on us to keep our word, our name, or our reputation is no good and others cannot trust us,” the senior pastor advised.

Kong used the example of a man who promises to bring his son cycling on the weekend. But he ends up breaking his promise because of work. The child, not being able to differentiate a broken promise from a lie, learns to think of his father as a liar.

“Our word is our bond! That’s why Jesus said that one day; you will have to give an account for every idle word that you say,” said Kong.

• L is for Loyalty

Faithfulness is the cornerstone of our character, as is loyalty. In Genesis 9, Noah got drunk, took off all his clothes and lay in his tent naked. His youngest son Ham chanced upon this and told everyone about it, shaming his father.

“It’s not a sin to see our father’s nakedness, but it’s a sin to broadcast it,” Kong explained. Noah’s two other sons, Shem and Japheth, took a robe, walked backwards into the tent so as not to see their father naked, and covered Noah.

1 Peter 4:8 says that love covers a multitude of sin. Kong encouraged the members to honor their parents, no matter how much of their weaknesses and imperfections they have seen.

• Y is for Yieldedness

To be “yielding” is to give way, to be flexible. 1 Timothy 5:1-2 teaches Christians not to rebuke the elderly but to treat them with respect.

Kong reminded members to love their parents even when they are weak and frail. Drawing from a classic Grimm’s fairy tale, he told the story of a couple who lived with their old father and their four-year-old son. The daughter-in-law despised her father-in-law for being unable to eat without spilling his food, and so she made him eat his meals out of a wooden trough, just like a pig. One day the couple saw their son carving something out of a piece of wood. The boy explained that he was making a wooden trough for them to eat out of when they grew old. Only then did the couple realize how badly they had treated their father.

Kong’s sermon was perfectly timed to prepare the church members to love and appreciate their family during the Chinese New Year holiday season.

By Esther Yap

PHOTOS COURTESY OF W345.

The many enjoyable aspects of Chinese New Year include having reunion dinner and lo hei with one’s family, and visiting the homes of relatives and friends. But there are some tasks that fail to invite as much enthusiasm—one is queuing an hour for bak kwa, and the other is the much-dreaded spring-cleaning.

So it is doubly impressive that a group of young people specially made time to sweep homes this year—and these are not even their own homes!

Twenty-four members from City Harvest Church, under the pastoral care of Goh Yock Kiang, took advantage of the festive occasion to be a blessing to their community by helping to spring-clean four HDB flats belonging to low-income families. The members, who are mostly tertiary students and young working adults, spent eight hours scrubbing fungus off the walls and painting them, and also cleaning the homes.

Most people detest the idea of cleaning, but this team with a different spirit expressed its joy to be able to participate in this exercise, for the strong bonding they enjoyed, and the sense of fulfillment they received being able to contribute to society.

“I think it is fun to do things together and to work as a team to help our community,” says Sean Chua, 21, an undergraduate from National University of Singapore.

Theresa Tan, 20, a student from Temasek Polytechnic, said, “It is a very novel experience for me because this is my first time doing cleaning, and I am glad to have been able to volunteer for such a meaningful cause.”

It proves that any project can be fun as long as it’s done with friends—even spring cleaning!