MY SPIRITUAL ‘38TH PARALLEL’

< All Church Weekly

E H Eio

The Korean War of the 50s has always been a reflection of my spiritual life. In order for you to appreciate what I am ‘talking’ about, you need to know the sad happening that took place during the period June 1950 to July 1953 in the Korean Peninsula involving the Soviet Union, China, North Korea on one side and South Korea, the United States and the UN on the other. It is a long story but I shall mention only the gist of the event as follows:

(1) On 25th June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea but they were repelled by US and UN forces.

(2) UN forces led by US launched counter offensive against North Korea but they were repelled by China and North Korea supported by the Soviet Union.

(3) The Soviet Union, China and North Korea then invaded South Korea again but they were pushed back by US and UN forces.

For two years, the war was a ‘ding dong’ scenario fought up and down the 38th parallel and neither side could claim significant victory. Finally, the war ended on 27th July 1953 with an armistice agreement. The bitter fighting cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers on both sides.

In like manner, my spiritual life had also been a ‘ding dong’ ever since I embraced the Christian Faith acknowledging Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. Becoming a Christian was not an issue but to live a successful Christian life was a tall order. As the hymn goes, “The world behind me, the cross before me.” It’s about denying self and carrying the cross. Since conversion, I wanted to move forward and upwards in my spiritual life, but Satan would not leave me alone. He always tempted me to “look back” as what Lot’s wife did or he would remind me of the “good life in Egypt” as he did with the children of Israel when they were in the wilderness. Many a time, I was not able to resist the devil because I trusted in my own strength and, as a result, I was pushed backward like the South Korean army. I could not understand why until I found the answer in Joshua 7:11, “Israel hath sinned.” Indeed, if we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us (Ps 66:18) and we will lose the battle to Satan. But thank God for His love, mercy and grace for me as reflected in the following verses:

“My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Cor 12:9), “I will not fail thee nor forsake thee” (Josh 1:5), “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jer 33:3), “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me” (Ps 23:4), “but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able” (1 Cor 10:13).

With the above assurances, I can confidently say, “When I fall, I shall arise” (Mic 7:8), for the Lord is my Shepherd and He has laid down His life for me (John 10:11).

Struggles of a Christian

Hear the Apostle Paul, “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Rom 7:14-24).

TERMS OF THE SCHEME

Allocation and Maintenance of the Premises at 9, 9A, 10 Gilstead Road

At the hearing on 24 July 2014, the Judge informed parties that she has decided on what the terms of the Scheme should be. She then proceeded to outline those terms, and directed parties to prepare a draft Scheme document to record the terms. The draft is then to be placed before the Judge for her final approval.

The terms of the Scheme as outlined by the Judge dealt with the following 2 main issues: (1) allocation of premises, and (2) maintenance.

Allocation of Premises

With regard to allocation of premises, the terms are as follows:

Sanctuary

The whole of the Sanctuary is allocated for LBPC’s use, subject to the following:

(1) FEBC is entitled to use the main hall of the Sanctuary on:

(a) the morning (8:30 am to 12:30 pm) of the first Monday in January every year (for FEBC’s opening day of prayer);

(b) the morning (8:30 am to 12:30 pm) of the third Monday in July every year (for FEBC’s opening day of prayer);

(d) every weekday morning (8:30 am to 12 pm) of the 1st week of May every year.

L-Annex

(1) The whole wing of the L-Annex where the kitchen and FEBC hall are located (i.e. all the floors making up that wing) is allocated to FEBC.

(2) As regards the other wing of the L-Annex:

(a) The whole of the ground floor (where the kindergarten and including the bookroom) is allocated to LBPC.

(b) The whole of the 2nd and 3rd floors are allocated to FEBC.

Conserved Building

(1) FEBC is entitled to use the 1st floor of the Conserved Building on weekdays from 8:30 am to 6 pm. Subject to this, the 1st floor is allocated to LBPC.

(2) The whole of the 2nd floor of the Conserved Building is allocated to FEBC.

New Building (the 5-storey block)

(1) The MPH on the 1st floor of the New Building shall be generally for LBPC’s use. However, FEBC may (by request made one month in advance) use the MPH for a maximum of 12 five-day weeks (i.e. weekdays, from 8:30 am to 6 pm) every year.

(2) The 2nd and 3rd floors of the New Building are allocated to LBPC.

(3) FEBC is entitled to use the 3 classrooms on the 4th floor during weekdays from 8:30 am to 6 pm. Subject to this, the whole of the 4th floor will be for LBPC’s use.

(4) As regards the 5th floor of the New Building:

(a) The so-called Warden’s Quarters and the 2 small lecture rooms are allocated to LBPC.

(b) The 2 other bigger rooms that flank either side of the toilet are allocated to FEBC.

Carpark Areas

(1) 3 lots in 9/9A will be reserved for LBPC.

(2) 3 lots in 9/9A will be reserved for FEBC.

(3) All other lots (including lots on 10 Gilstead Rd) available on a first-come first-served basis.

Maintenance

As regards maintenance, the terms are as follows:

(1) Areas allocated to the exclusive use of a party are to be maintained by that party.

(2) As for common areas (e.g. roofs, walls, drains, carpark, etc) and shared areas (e.g. MPH in new building), maintenance costs are to be shared on a “proportionate basis” according to each party’s “share value”.

(3) Jones Lang is to take into account allocation of areas and work out the applicable “share value” for each party.

(4) A General Maintenance Fund (“GMF”) is to be set up, with an initial deposit of S$10,000. Each party is to contribute to this S$10,000 proportionately by reference to each party’s share value. As and when the fund falls below S$5,000, the parties are to top up to S$10,000 in the same proportion based on each party’s share value.

(5) The monies in the GMF are to be held in a joint account, which will be operated by one signatory from each party.

(6) If there is any disagreement in relation to maintenance and/or use of GMF funds, the following dispute resolution procedure (the “Resolution Procedure”) shall apply:-

(a) Parties are to take part in mediation under the auspices of the Singapore Mediation Centre.

(b) If mediation does not lead to a resolution, the dispute is to be resolved by ad hoc arbitration by a single arbitrator appointed by the Chairman of the Court of SIAC (Singapore International Arbitration Centre). Any such ad hoc arbitration is to be completed within 2 months of the arbitrator being appointed (note: this is to ensure that the dispute is resolved quickly).

(7) The GMF funds are to be used for routine and usual maintenance work.

(8) If any major work (i.e. not routine and usual maintenance work) is required, parties are to discuss and agree upon what work needs to be done and how. If parties cannot agree, the Resolution Procedure (described above) shall apply.

Next Steps

The Judge has directed that the draft Scheme document is to be submitted to her by 15 August 2014. We will then need to appear before the Judge again. The date for that hearing has tentatively been fixed for 19 August 2014 (4 pm).