Dear COA Family,
What is it in your life that has delighted you or given you great encouragement and joy this past
week? We are often told to delight in God’s work in our lives, but how about delighting in people?
For me, my delight was the 13 guests who joined us for our first session of Alpha. Their hearts
were so open to the Lord and fellowshipping with others that they shared readily with one another,
even though it was the first time that they met. It is truly God’s work of grace in their lives.
Yet I was even more encouraged by the many leaders and helpers from our own church who have
prepared and laboured tirelessly to make this year’s Alpha cycle happen. (You know who you are!)
They give of their time and effort to prepare and to publicise the event to many in our church. That
is why our Alpha has begun on such a good note. And I am sure that even more guests will join and
be blessed in the following weeks of our Alpha program.
The Psalmist wrote similarly of the source and inspiration of his delight in Psalm 16:2-3 –
“I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you…
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.'”
How many of us have actually delighted in one another in COA, who are the saints of the land that
we know of?
Yet the truth is that many among us, whether holding official titles of leaders or simply being members in
cell groups and ministries, have been labouring tirelessly for God’s kingdom. They have done so out
of their love for God and others, and have not minded the cost of serving. An example I can think
of is those who have regularly visited other members in need, paying for the costs of transport and help for
such members out of their own pockets. Without the saints of God serving selflessly and faithfully, Christ’s
church in COA will definitely not be able to grow.
So, this week, as we embark on the different church ministries, cell groups and outreaches, I want to
appreciate all of you who have served God with such great devotion. You are the saints in this
community in whom is my delight. I thank God for each one of you and praise God for all that He is
doing through you!
More than that, I also want to urge us all not to take our brothers and sisters for granted. Let us
• spend time to appreciate others for their good work and encourage one another to press on in
serving;
• change and repent of our hearts of ingratitude, criticism and grumbling against one another to
hearts of thanksgiving and praise; and
• take the effort to show our appreciation in practical ways, however small they may be.
After all, God is so gracious towards each one of us to bless us in ways more than we ever deserve.
Also, there is so much that God is doing through each one of us, more than we can ever know. So,
let us refrain from judging but build up one another in church.
As we grow in delight in one another, we will live together in love and unity and reflect the love of
Christ among us. In this way, the fragrance of Christ will be a most sweet-smelling one to others
and, most importantly, to God!
God bless,
Revd Ian