Dear COA Family,
I am often amazed at how open people are to the beauty and love of Christ, and sometimes even more
than I expect them to be!
Just this past Friday morning, we conducted our first Holy Communion service at St Andrew’s
Nursing Home (Aljunied) which was open to all the residents. A total of 21 residents came for the
service, including some who were not Christians.
Yet at the service, every participant, as far as I could see, was open to the work of God in our midst.
All of the residents sang enthusiastically and used the musical instruments that we distributed to
praise God. One resident even shared with me that he felt the presence of God so strongly in the
service that he was thankful to us for organising it.
In particular, there was an elderly lady who attended the service who was not a Christian. Ps Jocelyn
remembered that when she first came into the home, she did not want Ps Jocelyn to share
about Christ with her. Yet she eagerly participated in the service and was open to our prayers for
her after the service too!
She was not alone. Other elderly residents who were not Christians were similarly eager and open
in their hearts to receive prayer. It seems that the love of Christ shown through the Chaplaincy,
volunteers and nurses to them in the Home has made a great impact in their lives.
This reminded me of the Paul’s writing in his letter to the Corinthian Church:
“For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who
are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life”
2 Corinthians 2:15-16.
The love and testimony of Christ is so compelling; it is like a sweet-smelling perfume which
generates positive responses towards it. People cannot help but be drawn to its beauty. As we live
out the example of Christ, we too will attract the people around us to Christ.
Let us be such an aroma to the people around us this week and be God’s instruments to reach out
to our friends for Jesus!
Blessings,
Revd Ian