By the grace of God, the Board of Elders assigned me to assume the role of the Combined Fellowship /Neighbourhood Bible Community (NBC) Coordinator in the new Session term, taking over from Elder Chia who has retired from the Session.  While getting to know the recent developments, I was told the best way to start is to begin with an article.

This fondly reminded me of how I used to submit Fellowship Update articles during my younger days to promote the Youth Fellowship (YF).  During that time, I had the opportunity to serve in the Combined Fellowship/NBC committee, with its occasional meetings on weekday nights at 8pm.  Together, we launched the first version of the TSMS song book (the white cover version).

Never Cut Yourself from Service
At the inception of this committee in the early 90s, the format then was for each fellowship group to compile the Fellowship Update articles on a rotational basis.  I was assigned to help once.  On one occasion, I approached the Young Adults Fellowship Chaiman by phone to remind him of their article submission.  That was pre-email days.  During the tele-conversation, he shared a testimony of an episode that took place when he was in the YF.  He cut himself himself from all forms of service during his final year of the university.  He stopped attending Sunday School, fellowship meetings and Church events, with the sole intent of using the extra hours to do well in his final year.  However, he did not get the grades that he wished for.  The lesson he learned was that it is a folly to rob God.  To rob God of the time and talents that He has given us to serve Him.  Let’s take heart that the Lord will reward us for the labour of love.  He will not shortchange us.

Get Yourself and Others Involved
Today, this Combined Fellowship/NBC committee is operating alongside the Adults Ministry.  Together with Bro Mok and Dn Shawn Lim, we are thankful to the Lord for sustaining the Fellowship Groups (FGs) and NBC ministry all these years.  Going forward, we could consider reviving some of the time-tested traditions of combined events to strengthen Christian bonding.  We welcome suggestions to improve the existing work.  As we serve, let us not forget to exercise the gifts of the Spirit for the purpose of building up the Church, as stated in Ephesians 4:12: ‘For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ’.

I have listed the existing FG/NBCs.  To all Lifers and visitors, please join us and also invite others to experience the joy of fellowship.  Let’s pray that the Lord will lead us to create more FG/NBCs with more active involvement.

Yours in the Lord,
Eld Roger Lim
(July 2026)