Aldersgate week
Two very important things happen this Monday in Singapore.
First of all, it's a public holiday (Vesak Day), so everyone gets to sleep in, unless you are a devout Buddhist celebrating the ancient prince's birth, enlightenment and Nirvana.
Second, and more important for me, it is the beginning of Aldersgate Convention. It runs from from Monday until Saturday night at Wesley Methodist Church, with five evening talks and two morning seminars all culminating in the Aldersgate Service on Saturday night. The theme for this year's event is "The Road to Glory: The Future in Wesleyan Perspective."
The two featured speakers are Ben Witherington, III, from Asbury Theological Seminary and Ezra Kok, Semari Theoloji Malaysia. Dr Kok will speak tonight and tomorrow night in Mandarin, while Dr Witherington will follow on Wednesday. Both will speak on matters relating to eschatology. Dr Witherington has written numerous commentaries, including one on Revelation, which has also been translated into Chinese.
I have lived with this convention since May last year when Bishop Solomon forwarded to me his email conversation with Dr Witherington and asked me to arrange details. Ihave held this role every year since 2002 when we held the first Aldersgate Convention. In the past, Methodist churches in Singapore have celebrated Aldersgate Day in some fashion, but the convention is more novel. In fact, the idea is now spreading, since the Gerega Methodist Indonesia is also having an Aldersgate event this year.
Each year the production efforts for Aldersgate Convention get a little bigger and more complicated. Each year we pray for good results.
One of the challenges to doing such an event is to keep it as a high point in the spiritual life of the church, and not just a professional production. We have done great promotions via the church's own print, Internet and email channels. The logistics and IT are well-covered. What we must never forget are the twin roles of personal contact and prayer.
May God's grace be manifest in Aldersgate Convention 2008.
--georgos
First of all, it's a public holiday (Vesak Day), so everyone gets to sleep in, unless you are a devout Buddhist celebrating the ancient prince's birth, enlightenment and Nirvana.
Second, and more important for me, it is the beginning of Aldersgate Convention. It runs from from Monday until Saturday night at Wesley Methodist Church, with five evening talks and two morning seminars all culminating in the Aldersgate Service on Saturday night. The theme for this year's event is "The Road to Glory: The Future in Wesleyan Perspective."
The two featured speakers are Ben Witherington, III, from Asbury Theological Seminary and Ezra Kok, Semari Theoloji Malaysia. Dr Kok will speak tonight and tomorrow night in Mandarin, while Dr Witherington will follow on Wednesday. Both will speak on matters relating to eschatology. Dr Witherington has written numerous commentaries, including one on Revelation, which has also been translated into Chinese.
I have lived with this convention since May last year when Bishop Solomon forwarded to me his email conversation with Dr Witherington and asked me to arrange details. Ihave held this role every year since 2002 when we held the first Aldersgate Convention. In the past, Methodist churches in Singapore have celebrated Aldersgate Day in some fashion, but the convention is more novel. In fact, the idea is now spreading, since the Gerega Methodist Indonesia is also having an Aldersgate event this year.
Each year the production efforts for Aldersgate Convention get a little bigger and more complicated. Each year we pray for good results.
One of the challenges to doing such an event is to keep it as a high point in the spiritual life of the church, and not just a professional production. We have done great promotions via the church's own print, Internet and email channels. The logistics and IT are well-covered. What we must never forget are the twin roles of personal contact and prayer.
May God's grace be manifest in Aldersgate Convention 2008.
--georgos
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