The Sunday School and Children’s Worship Hour
Jemima Khoo
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:4). The Sunday school and Children’s Worship at True Life BP Church seek to train children in the way of the Lord by leading them to a saving knowledge of the Lord and then to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus said in Mark 10:14, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God”. Children are a gift from God and they are not to be neglected. The Children’s ministry is an important one for little ones can be saved at a young age.
The Sunday school hour at True Life runs from 9:15 to 10:15 am every Sunday. We have 5 main classes and a team of dedicated teachers instructing the children every week (see table below).
We start with a time of Scripture memorization while the children stream in for the opening session. Scripture memorization is important as the Word of God gives life (John 6:63), direction (Psa. 119:105) and guides our conduct (Psa. 119:11). We follow a systematic memory verse programme for the whole year from the nursery level up, which includes Bible ABCs, Bible Bees, God Loves Me, God Made Me, God Speaks to Me, God Offers to Me Eternal Life, and a Scripture memory plan from Five Smooth Stones for those in the upper primary level. If the children go through the whole programme with us, they will complete 9 books of memory verses.
After the memorization of Scripture, we have a time of singing praises to the Lord. By God’s grace, we have come up with a new Children’s Song Book with 100 songs and choruses. These are conservative songs with a salvation emphasis. After the collection of the offering, the children go to their respective classes. The syllabus which we use is the Regular Baptist Press Sunday school materials.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
| CLASS | AGE GROUP |
TEACHERS |
ROOM |
| Kindergarteners | 3 – 6 | Hedy Ho, Chan Sok Sin | 602 |
| Primary 1 & 2 | 7 & 8 | Jean Koh, Alice Chng | 602 |
| Primary 3 & 4 | 9 & 10 | Ruth Tan, Soh Whee Kheng | 603 |
| Primary 5 & 6 | 11 & 12 | Jenny Kan, Samuel Eio | 604 |
|
Young Teens |
13 – 16 |
Elder Koh, Jenny Kan, Clement Chew, Joycelyn Chng, Patricia Joseph |
1704 |
The young teens studied Pastor Tow’s book on the Gospel of Life last year and are now studying the book of Acts using the Pattern for Church Growth and Missions.
Church worship begins at 10:30 am. All the children join in the worship service with the adults until the offering time. They learn to sit quietly in reverence during the church worship. They then go to the 6th floor for the Children’s Worship Hour around 11 am. We have 4 main groups.
The Children’s Choir, comprising the primary school kids in church, have been singing and ministering to the people in church under the leadership of Mrs. Tow, Lai Suat Pek and Wayne Koh. They present special numbers for occasions like Easter, our Church Anniversary and Christmas.
We thank the Lord for a committed team of helpers aiding our main teachers every week. They assist during the singing time, art and craft time and are there for the younger children.
Sunday school teachers’ workshops are also organized before the Vacation Bible School so that helpers from the VBS can benefit from our workshops.
CHILDREN’S WORSHIP HOUR
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Once a year, a Sunday school Teachers’ lunch is provided to thank all our helpers and teachers for their hard work in the service of the Lord. We are thankful for brother Tan Tong Hai and sister Pollyanna for lovingly providing for this luncheon for the past 2 years.
Sunday school outings are organized so that families in church can get together with the Sunday school teachers. Past outings include indoor miniature golf, bumboat ride down the Singapore River with a visit to the Asian Civilizations Museum and prawning in Punggol.
Christmas is a special time of the year and the Sunday school Christmas party is held in conjunction with the Adults’ Gospel Rally on the Saturday before Christmas. While the adults have their programme, the children have their programme too where Christmas carols are sung, the Gospel is presented, the children make a craft to take home, and we end with a time of gift exchange and fellowship around food.
The Lord has been good to all of us at True Life BP Church and we can only give thanks to Him and praise His name. “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” All praise and glory to the Lord!
