COR E-Bulletin 19 - 20 December 2020

To build a God-fearing, Christ-centered and Spirit-filled Fellowship of Disciples, Committed to Worship, Prayer, Scripture, Evangelism and Church-planting, Blessing the Nations in Schools, Communities and Missions.

Bishop: Rt Revd Dr Titus Chung
Vicar: Rev. David Lee

Clergy: Rev. Dr Timothy Chong (Hon)
Rev. Joseph Goh (Hon)
Rev. Christopher Chan, Rev. Ian Chew
Rev. Jeremy Joe-Tan (On Study Leave)
Rev. Lee Kong Kheng (Chinese Congregation)

God our Redeemer, who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of Your Son: grant that, as she looked for His coming as our Saviour, so we may be ready to greet Him when He comes again as our Judge; who is alive and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?

“…and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”… 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).” Matthew 1:21-23

"…that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” The words of the angel must have sounded incredible to Joseph. An act of God was not what he had in mind for the crisis at hand! You can always explain remarkable healings, but a baby born without a human father was stretching things a bit. Or was it? If anything, the explanation of the angel was totally consistent with God’s ways with His people. Hadn’t God always intervened in ways beyond their expectation? Weren’t they also surprised by the parting of the Red Sea and the giving of the manna in the wilderness? Did God not bring forth creation from nothing? What’s more, the names to be given to the child affirm the character of the God Joseph worshipped.

“Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua” which means “God is my salvation”. As the name reveals, God’s nature is always to rescue people from their helpless plight. Just as Joshua succeeded Moses and led Israel into the Promised Land, Jesus would now complete what the law of Moses pointed to but failed to accomplish - leading God’s people from slavery to sin into freedom. And God would do this personally. Foretold in Isaiah 7:14 and 8:8, through this baby “Emmanuel” God had now come to His people to bring about this act of salvation. Everything that had happened in the world and in the lives of countless individuals ever since this baby was born serve to further validate the incredible words of the angel.

The meaning of the angel’s message is still relevant to us today. God comes to us when human possibilities have run out; He remains active in our lives, at times even in ways beyond our human comprehension. The story of the virgin birth may be sneered by the world, but like Joseph, let us receive the angel’s words into our hearts: miracles still happen today.

Monday (21/12): The Local Church - Ephesians 1:17-19
Pray that God will give members the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He called you what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power towards you who believe.

Tuesday (22/12): The Local Church
Pray that members would grow in genuine love for the Lord, for each other and for the world. Pray that God's grace will help all to abhor what is false and evil, and hold fast to what is true and good. Pray for protection from false teachings and unbiblical doctrines. Pray for greater devotion to the reading and study of the Holy Scriptures, and for the Word to transform lives.

Wednesday (23/12): Yemen
Over 40% of the children under five are suffering from malnutrition, and 360,000 severely malnourished children could die. Two thirds of Yemenis are hungry (Source: UN). Pray for assistance from the international community to be stepped up soon. Relief aid has been drying up because of the pandemic. Pray for an end to the terrible war there and for strength and wisdom to those working to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country. Pray for God's hand to be upon the growing community of believers who are undergoing terrible suffering even now.

Thursday (24/12): The Great Commission
Pray that God's Word may spread far and wide, drawing more people to Christ (Acts 6:7). Pray for greater and greater increase in the number of disciples especially among unreached people's groups. Pray for 5 persons you know who do not yet know Christ.

Friday (25/12): The Great Commission
Pray for laborers to go where the harvest is. Pray that God would lead Christians to the lost. Pray that Christians would faithfully carry the ministry of reconciliation to show God's love and preach the Good News. Pray that eternity would be awakened in the hearts of more and more people in these last days.

Saturday (26/12): The Sick
Pray for those you know who are sick and their caregivers that they may experience God's comfort, provision and healing grace. Pray for the recovery of those who are sick because of the coronavirus and for God to end the pandemic soon.

19 December 2020 (SPS)
20 December 2020 (SWS & MSS)
Matthew 1:18-25
Rev. David Lee

26 December 2020 (SPS)
27 December 2020 (SWS & MSS)
Get Up And Flee!
Matthew 2:13-23
Ps. Kelvin Chua

COLLECT FOR 19-20 DECEMBER 2020 ADVENT 4

SERVICE TIMINGS