“When are you going to change? Do you really want me to die before you change?”

Jensen (on his mother’s lap) with his six siblings and his parents. He was the youngest in the family and was doted on by all.

Jensen, who was in his late 30s then, had already been to prison nine times for drug-related offences. Despite being the well-loved youngest of seven children, he had gotten into drugs in his teens.

Jensen (seated, left) with his brothers.

From the age of 20, he was in and out of prison so much that he had never held down a job. When he needed money to finance his drug habit, he turned to his family. Once, when he asked his mother for money, she tearfully told him she had none and offered her jewellery instead. He took them and pawned them to buy drugs.

“She was very disappointed in me because she loved me a lot,” said Jensen, now 57.

Changing lives  

Not long after that conversation, his mother went to the block of flats beside theirs and leapt to her death. Her health had been failing and she had been fretting over his future. She was 79.

“I was in my room that day and I sensed something was wrong. I went to look for her in her room and, when I couldn’t find her, my instincts told me to go to my kitchen window.

Jensen (second from right) was the only person living with his mother when she passed away. His father had passed on years earlier and all his siblings had gotten married and moved out.

“When I looked out, I saw police cars downstairs and a small tent covering a body. From that moment, I knew that the person lying inside was my mother.”

But Jensen did not turn over a new leaf. Instead, he sold the three-room flat they had been living in and used the money to support his addiction. 

Three years after his mother passed away, he was imprisoned for the 10^th time.

“When I stepped into prison on the first day of my sentence, I thought: This time around, my mother is no more. Who else will come and visit me? I regretted day and night.”

Sobered, he signed up for the 18-month Christian Intensive Religious Counselling Programme (CIRCP) run by Prison Fellowship Singapore (PFS).

“Every day, different counsellors will come in from PFS. They taught me about God and that’s when my life totally changed.”

PFS also reached out to Jensen’s family through the Angel Tree Project (ATP). He was encouraged to write a letter to ask his family for their forgiveness.

Volunteers delivered the letter along with sponsored gifts to his third sister, and also taught her how to support him and welcome him back into the family.

Angel Tree Run & Ride 2022 was organised to raise funds for Angel Tree Project, an initiative launched in 2005 to help inmates and their families reconcile. Every Christmas, inmates write letters asking for forgiveness from their families. The letters, along with gifts sponsored by individual and corporate supporters, are then delivered to the inmates’ families.

On the day of his release, his family went to the prison gate to receive him.

“I was surprised. All the other nine times, no one came to fetch me. I asked them, ‘Why did you guys come?’

“They told me PFS had asked them to come to the gate to encourage me. That really helped me in my recovery journey.”

Jensen never went back to drugs. In 2013, he became a PFS staff member and is now the Integrated Ministry Care Manager.

He also got married and has a six-year-old daughter.

Jensen (right) packing food to be distributed to the families of those in prison.

“Who I am today, my mother didn’t get a chance to see. I have no opportunity to tell her that I love her or hug her.

“She is the one I love so much but I didn’t have the opportunity to tell her.

“Now when I counsel people, I tell them, ‘While your mother is still living, change. Don’t wait until your mother cannot see it.’”

Caring beyond prison walls

This year, the Christian prison ministry celebrates its 70^th anniversary.

The work began in 1952 when Methodist minister the late Rev Khoo Siaw Hua became the first Honorary Prison Chaplain. Some 20 Christian leaders volunteered alongside him to counsel inmates.

In 1985, the prison ministry became affiliated to Prison Fellowship International (PFI) and became known as PFS.

Today, PFS ministers to some 800 inmates and 200 ex-offenders, as well as 100 families, providing them with a Christian community that embraces and shows God’s love and transformative power. Of its 24 staff, six are ex-offenders. To date, their work has embraced over 1,100 volunteers from 189 churches and 15 partnering organisations. 

Through its Integrated Ministry which encompasses Incare, Aftercare and Family Care, not only is the individual cared for from incarceration to release, so is his or her family.

Children learning to bake at Care Club which provides support to children whose parents are incarcerated.

“Our work focuses on restorative justice to help individuals find a safe place to reflect and share what they are going through, and encourage them to seek reconciliation and make restitution rather than retributive justice, which focuses on sentencing alone,” said Executive Director of PFS Chua Kok Wan.

Executive Director of PFS Chua Kok Wan (in the swing) with the staff of PFS.

As its focus is on rehabilitation and reintegration, 182 of its volunteers, or 16%, are ex-offenders. There is a need for more volunteers because PFS helps not just ex-offenders but their families as well. 

Food packed and ready to be distributed to the families of those in prison.

“We are only reaching 10% of the prison population. We need another 1,000 more volunteers to support Aftercare and Family Care,” said Kok Wan. 

Come September 1, there will be gala dinner to mark prison ministry’s 70^th year and raise funds for the work they do.

“We want to celebrate with our partners in the ecosystem,” said Kok Wan.

Forgiven, not forsaken

The theme for the anniversary is Forgiven, not Forsaken, something which resonates personally with Kok Wan.

In 2018, he was sentenced to three weeks in prison for fatally hitting an e-scooter rider at a zebra crossing. He had been on his way to a Bible study class.

“I cannot rationalise or reconcile why the fatal accident happened. I believe I will not be able to do so in this lifetime.”

For a long time, Kok Wan struggled with guilt. He played out that fateful drive in his head again and again, wondering what would have happened if he had stopped, or had seen the man coming.

He was not allowed to speak to the man’s family and wondered how the family was coping with their loss.

“I felt going to prison would help make up for my wrongdoing.”

In 2020, PFS invited Kok Wan to come on board as Assistant Director. Though reluctant at first, he accepted the position because he wanted to make meaning of what he had gone through.

Kok Wan (left) receiving the Charity Transparency Award and Charity Governance Award 2022 on behalf of PFS.

“I used to serve God in this ministry, then I became the beneficiary of the ministry. Some things are very difficult to reconcile.

“But now, when I speak to inmates, they cannot tell me I don’t understand them. I do. No one wakes up in the morning and plans to go to Changi Prison. The truth is that there is no difference between inmates and us except that our circumstances are different.”

Kok Wan with volunteers ready to distribute food to the families of inmates.

So Kok Wan gave up his finance business to join PFS as a staff. Within a few months, when the Executive Director had to leave for another post, Kok Wan took over.

“I found it very difficult. If God wanted to call me to full-time, it didn’t have to be by such a drastic way.

“But I hold on to the truth in Proverbs 3:5-6 on the how and accept that I am indeed forgiven, not forsaken.”

The post “No one wakes up and plans to go to Changi prison”: 800 inmates being cared for by prison ministry because they are forgiven, not forsaken appeared first on Salt&Light.

This includes all restrictions affecting the F&B industry, nightlife establishments, as well as large events with more than 500 participants, such as religious services.

Prior to this, Vaccination-Differentiated safety management measures still applied to congregational worship services involving more than 500 persons at any one time, which meant that attendees had to prove their vaccinated status via the TraceTogether app or other means.

“We have learned to live with the COVID-19 virus, having weathered several infection waves and progressively lifted safe management measures. As we resume normalcy in our daily activities, we will lift the vaccination-differentiated safe management measures fully from Oct 10, 2022,” CNA quoted the MOH as saying in a press release.

However, with COVID-19 numbers on the rise in recent days, the Health Ministry reminded those in Singapore to continue to remain vigilant and take the necessary precautions. Should the situation worsen, measures may be reinstated “at short notice”, it added.

The post COVID-19: No more vaccination-differentiated measures from Oct 10, Health Ministry announces appeared first on Salt&Light.

However, worshippers will be encouraged to “exercise responsibility and caution, such as wearing masks when in crowded places”.

These relaxation of rules is in line with what Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced at the National Day Rally on Sunday (21 August).

“Our safe management measures have protected us well throughout the pandemic,” said Mr Lee at the National Day Rally. “With our situation stabilising, we will reduce the mask requirements further to prevent people from getting tired.”

“All worshippers and performers can sing and play instruments without wearing masks,” announced MCCY.

While the requirement for masks in indoor settings such as church services has been removed, MCCY said there will be no change to existing Vaccination-Differentiated SMMs (VDS).

This means that for services involving more than 500 persons (excluding staff and volunteers), worshippers must be fully vaccinated, while churches have to conduct checks on their vaccination status. 

The capacity limit for congregational worship services and other religious activities has also been lifted. There is no need for safe distancing between each worshipper or performer, MCCY added.

The same rules apply for wedding solemnisations and funerals.

There is also no capacity limit on communal meals, though VDS will apply for any activity exceeding 500 attendees. Food or beverages need not be served in individual portions.

CONTINUED CAUTION ENCOURAGED

From 29 August, churches and other religious organisations need not seek MCCY approval before resuming worship services and religious activities, as long as they abide by the prevailing safety management measures.

MCCY said it reserves the right to suspend a church’s activities “if there are gaps in the SMMs and until the necessary rectifications are made”. Action could be taken against religious organisations for any lapses and breaches.

“This further easing of SMMs is a significant milestone towards living with COVID-19,” said MCCY.

“While many SMMs are no longer mandated, we urge religious organisations and their worshippers to continue to exercise personal and social responsibility, and to remain vigilant as the situation can quickly change with the emergence of new virus variants.”

Worshippers are hence “encouraged to continue exercising responsibility and caution, such as wearing masks when in crowded places, or when visiting or interacting with vulnerable persons”, as well as to maintain “good hygiene practices such as avoiding sharing of personal items and cleaning any items that are for shared use, such as microphones.

The post From 29 Aug: Masks not mandated, vaccination status checks still required for services exceeding 500 appeared first on Salt&Light.

So said Rev Dr Tan Siang Yang, who was in Singapore, speaking on the first night (July 7) of the Christian Mental Health Conference (CMHC) 2022. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. This is a wakeup call – according to the World Health Organisation – to all countries all over the world to step up mental health services and support,” said Rev Dr Tan, in his talk Helping People in Need, Being a People-helper.

Rev Dr Tan, a retired senior pastor, is also the senior professor in psychology at the Graduate School of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. 

There are not enough professionals in the world to meet the substantial increase in mental disorders, even with the push towards digital means of therapy and counselling, he said.

In the last year, there has been a call for more lay counsellors to meet this tremendous need.

“The call for lay counselling comes from professionals in the field – not by Christians, not by churches,” he added.

Where does the Church come in?

“The Church has to play a central and crucial role because God has called us to love our neighbours as ourselves, to care for one another, to carry each other’s burdens,” said Rev Dr Tan, who also spoke about the biblical basis for counselling (read about it here).

The talk drew an abundance of questions from the 800 viewers over live-stream and an audience of 200 who were present at the conference held in Bethesda (Bedok Tampines) Church (BBTC).

Rev Dr Tan Siang Yang (left) with Ps Chua Seng Lee at the Christian Mental Health Conference 2022.

Rev Dr Tan addressed the questions (below) that received the most votes via Slido. 

Rev Dr Tan is well-placed to speak from both roles as pastor and psychologist, said Ps Chua Seng Lee, who hosted the session. “He understands the tensions of a pastor and he understands the science behind psychology.”

Ps Chua is co-chair of the CMHC, and Deputy Senior Pastor of BBTC. 

(The following Q&A has been edited for clarity and brevity).

1. What is the role of mental health professionals in supporting the mental health needs of the Church?

Rev Dr Tan: We should refer the most severe cases to mental health professionals. They should also support pastors, and they should also be involved in training lay counsellors, giving seminars and conducting workshops for the church and so on. It must not be one sided.

So that’s why this conference is so important: We are all networking. We work hand in hand.

Ps Chua: Many professionals are the best-kept secret the church; the church pastor doesn’t know they exist.

So it’s important for you to come out from hiding to identify yourself so that your pastor knows how to get you involved in this matter of work. 

2. How can church leaders support Christians who may be on the verge of suicide and self-harm? Where do we draw the line?

That’s a tough one.

We no longer say someone “committed suicide”. That suggests “you committed a crime”. Suicide is not a crime. It is a very painful thing. When people take their own life, they are not in the state of mind to think straight. They are often deeply depressed, they are not rational.

When somebody comes to you and says: “I’m feeling so bad, I have no hope anymore. I’m going to kill myself. I want to end it all”, don’t just say, “Eh, you’re pulling my leg, ah?”

You’ll have to ask some questions – questions that lay people often dare not ask because they think if they ask those questions, you’ll make people engage in suicidal acts. No (that is not true).

Ask: “Tell me more. You say you want to take your own life. How often do you think about this? How intense it is?”

If the person says: “I think about it every day, 10 times a day. And when I think of it, I almost do it”, that is serious.

Then ask the most important question: “What plan do you have?”

If they say: “Oh, I have a bottle of 100 sleeping pills” or “I’m going to jump down from the flat”, you cannot take that lightly.

Immediately, as much as you can, take them to the emergency department of a hospital, get them assessed by a psychiatrist there. They may need to be hospitalised. That is the best favour you can do for them to save their lives.

If they refuse, you will have to alert certain people. You may have to call the police if it’s an emergency.

We need to take suicidal intentions seriously, because if we don’t, that person might take their own life the next day and it’ll be too late. 

3. What are your thoughts on mindfulness based therapy?

Rev Dr Tan: The latest development in the field of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT is Rev Dr Tan’s area of expertise) is mindfulness based therapy. It has at least four major approaches; all have common elements:

1. Acceptance: Let the thoughts come, let them go, don’t fight them.

2. Mindfulness: Paying attention to the here and now and your breath, for example. 

They are not necessarily based on eastern mystical approaches, though some are. Most don’t involve blanking out your mind.

The main emphasis is on concentrating on your breath. 

You are slowing down and focusing on the present, with no judgement, with no censure. You are not stuck in the past, you are not worrying about the future. 

Overall, research shows that the mindfulness approaches are quite effective. They help people slow down, they help overcome anxiety, depression and stress. So it’s not a bad thing, except it depends on the version of mindfulness.

In Christian mindfulness, you’re not just concentrating on your breath. You’re concentrating on the Lord (“Lord have mercy”); on a verse (“Be still”, Psalm 46); or peace from Christ (“Jesus my peace”), or the Jesus Prayer based on Luke 18. (“Lord be merciful to me, the sinner.”), for example. And repeating these phrases.

Try that sometimes when you cannot pray. Sometimes if you can’t even say 12 words or five words, just say: “Jesus help me.” 

Jesus did not speak against repetition. Jesus spoke against vain repetition. 

Mindfulness is not a bad word. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Three authors have written books on Christian mindfulness: Joshua Knabb, Regina Trammel and Dr Fernando Garzon. 

4. When should we step in to help a depressed individual who is passive?

Rev Dr Tan: When people are really depressed, don’t tell them: “Just snap out of it.” It’s not so easy. If it was so easy, they would snap out of it.

In major depression and also in schizophrenia, suicidal risk is the highest. You have to be careful. You listen, you support. But it’s true – you must not reinforce too much passive behaviour.

So you can tell the person, for example: “I can understand now that you’ve told me more. This must be very hard for you. Are you seeing someone for some medication?”

If they say: “Yes, I’m taking the anti-depressants”, ask “How long has it been?” 

Then: “How do you feel?”

They may say: “As bad. If not worse”.

There are often side effects, such as dry mouth and sweaty palms.

Antidepressants take anywhere between three to seven weeks to work. But be careful when anti-depressants kick in, and the depressed patient suddenly feels very good but still not good enough. Their energy has suddenly gone up. That’s the highest risk for suicide because they have enough energy to do it. Before that, they’re so down, they are thinking about it but have no energy to do it.

Ps Chua: As caregivers, our guard comes down because we think they have recovered when say they feel better after taking medication. We need to continue to monitor them. 

Rev Dr Tan: Some of the anti-depressants have the side effects of increasing suicidal ideation in Week One or Two, and they feel even more suicidal. So it is important to keep in touch with the person you are helping and tell them to call their psychiatrist if they feel worse.

A good psychiatrist will change the medication or dose. If you are not a psychiatrist, don’t tell them to change the dose or medication – that would be malpractice.

Suggest baby steps to help them overcome their passivity. Don’t suggest something that takes enormous amounts of energy to do because you’re going to set them up for failure and they’ll feel worse.

I encourage all my patients who have depression or anxiety to exercise … small baby steps at a time. Don’t ask them to run three miles. Encourage them, slowly but surely, to walk everyday – just three yards or one block. Walking is one the best exercises.

Encourage them also to eat properly and practise good nutrition.

The latest research shows is that your gut health affects your brain health which affects your mental health. So probiotics are important.

If you don’t want to spend 50 bucks for a bottle of probiotic pills, eat more kimchi, yoghurt or pickled stuff. They all contain probiotics.

Supplements like fish oil or Omega three fatty acids can also help. 

There is such a thing called “loving care-frontation” (coined by author David Augsburger) of depressed people. Do it in a gentle and caring way, bit by bit.

5. Certain aspects of self-care appear to encourage a level of self-empowerment. How can Christians adopt a more biblical approach? 

Rev Dr Tan: The biblical perspective eventually is self-denial, surrender to Jesus – not self-effort or self-improvement.

So the first step of therapy is to help them to come to accept themselves more and to empower them to take baby steps to improve self-confidence. At the same time, if they are Christians, I pray with them to take the next step of surrender to Jesus. So you can combine the two right from the start.

But what if you’re counselling a non-Christian? They don’t believe in Jesus. You cannot bring Jesus into the picture. You cannot disciple them.  You still counsel them; you are still compassionate and loving enough to help them feel a bit better.

When I’ve helped a non-Christian feel better, sometimes they say: “Thank you, Dr Tan, for helping me. You are the most loving doctor. So what’s your secret?”

Then I would say: “You really want to know? It’s Jesus.” If they give me permission, I will tell them about Jesus. Usually, I would refer them to a church to a pastor.

You have to be careful of the dual role and power differential. You’re not there to convert people.

Counselling is not the same as evangelism. But there is a place for gently sharing the Gospel.

6. How do you help someone who is struggling mentally or emotionally, but is in denial?

Rev Dr Tan: If they are dangerous or at suicidal risk, you can bring them to the emergency section of the hospital, even if they don’t want help. 

But if they are troubled or emotionally unstable, but still have their rational mind, you cannot force them to get help, especially if they have their faculties intact.

Sometimes you just have to wait until they’re willing to get help. But meanwhile, don’t give up. You either have to encourage them or persuade them to get help. Or talk to their parents. Or if you have the permission, see whether other people can convince them (to get help).

If they get worse, they might be desperate. That’s why there’s an approach to therapy called motivational interviewing (MI is developed by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick).

They spend a lot of time in the first two sessions empathising with their clients, saying things such as: “So this must be very hard for you, you have a lot of ambivalence whether you want to change or not. In fact, you really don’t even know whether you want to seek help.”

You empathise with them, you give them a lot of support. And when they trust you and feel you understand them, they might say: “Maybe I can try one step.” Then you can do more. So you have to be very patient.

I would also say, pray for the client, that the Holy Spirit will somehow touch them. 

Ps Chua: Having mental health issues is a double whammy; the person is in need, and may not have the willpower to seek help.

That’s why the Church must be equipped to have this conversation. So when the person appears in our lives, we can proactively reach out to the person and practise the skills we’ve learnt. I want to encourage you (viewers) to get trained.

Rev Dr Tan: You can learn some important basic skills for lay counselling in a weekend or sometimes in two to three months if you have the time.

You are learning to listen, to come alongside someone, to ask good questions. Those things can be taught in a short period of time. (See below for a organisations that can equip you.)

It would be very helpful for the church to organise say an adult class, or a four-week module or seminar on learning listening skills. 

7. At which point should we refer the person to seek medical treatment, rather than relying solely on prayer and dealing spiritual roots?

Rev Dr Tan: It’s okay to start with spiritual and biblical counselling and prayer. But after about three weeks, if the person is not getting better but worse, or the depression is getting worse and suicidal ideation increasing, you need to refer them to seek medical treatment. 

It’s wise to say: “I sense something beyond me. It’s not just a psychological or emotional thing. It may be a biologically-based depression.”

When you refer, don’t put down the client. Don’t say: “You are beyond redemption, I cannot help you.”

Instead say: “I’m just a lay counsellor/pastor” or “I don’t have enough experience or expertise in this area, but I know someone who specialises in this. I think he can help you more. But I’ll continue to follow up with you, and pray with you.”

Don’t abandon them.

There is training where you can learn when to refer, how to refer, who to refer to. All these are skills.

Whenever someone comes to see me in private practice, after four to five weeks, they usually get better. But if they get worse, I’ll refer them to a psychiatrist or a medical doctor to get some medication.

I’ll explain to them rationally: “You need better help than I can give. I’m not a medical doctor, so I cannot prescribe. Try it together with counselling – it will be more effective.”

8. How do you help someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

Rev Dr Tan: If you are a lay counsellor, don’t diagnose.

The best thing you can do is to refer them to a professional. 

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a difficult diagnosis to make. It doesn’t mean the person is selfish. We are all narcissistic to a certain extent; narcissism, selfishness, self-centredness is a major characteristic of the sinful nature of man. 

But Narcissistic Personality Disorder is much more severe. If the person is very self-centred, cannot think of other people, they might need help. But the real narcissist is the last person to seek help because he thinks he’s god’s gift to humankind. “You need my help. I don’t need your help,” he might say. Don’t try to argue with him.

A person with NPD is not just someone who is not other-centred. This person may have suffered tremendous injury to their sense of self when they were growing up. Because of harsh parents, authoritarian parenting, abuse, neglect, for example, they became narcissistic – not because they are so selfish, but because they are so broken.

Once you understand that, you become more empathic toward them, rather than just thinking: “This guy the most selfish person I know”.

You may not know their background, how much they suffered as a kid, but you’ll become more patient with them.

That’s why therapists who are good with NPD are very patient. Is it easy to help them? No. As with other personality disorders, they are very difficult to help.

Watch Helping People in Need, Being a People-helper on YouTube here.

Some of the material from the talk is from Rev Dr Tan Siang Yang’s books: Lay Counseling: Equipping Christians for Helping Ministry (revised and updated in 2016); Shepherding God’s People: A Guide to Faithful and Fruitful Pastoral Ministry; and Counselling and Therapy: A Christian Perspective.

Where you can get equipped

The Association of Christian Counsellors is in the midst of setting up a lay counselling training framework. They are looking at partnering with pastors and churches to help them develop training programmes for lay counsellors. Interested pastors and churches can register interest here by July 31, 2022.

The following secular organisations offer equipping in basic skills to individuals and groups:

• Character and Leadership Academy: Its QPR Gatekeeper workshops teach inter-religious organisations (including churches) and secular groups suicide prevention skills. The three-step QPL method stands for question, persuade, refer. Ps Chua Seng Lee is its founding chairman of CLA. Contact them via Facebook or via their website: characterleadership.sg
• Caregivers Alliance: Training programmes for caregivers help attendees understand different mental health issues including depression, anxiety disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia and dementia. They aim to increase communication and problem solving skills and teach coping strategies. They also give workshops on trauma informed care. Website: cal.org.sg
• Caring for Life: LIFE Training is a half-day (four-hour) training programme that equips participants to engage persons who might be having thoughts of suicide, and connect them with community resources for suicide intervention.  Website: caringforlifesg.org
• Samaritans of Singapore: SOS offers a range of training programmes and workshops for the public. They also offer in-house training (regular workshops or customised programmes) for organisations. Topics include responding to someone who may be suicidal, active listening, and empowering the elderly and their caretakers to seek help. Website: sos.org.sg

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Ironically, none of them had anything to do with his job. In fact, the now Commandant of the Royal Malaysia Police College in Kuala Lumpur has been in the police force for 35 years without incident.

Dato Tan had the title of “Dato” conferred on him by the Sultan of the State of Pahang.

“My father was a policeman. So, I was probably influenced by my environment. It was my first and only job after I graduated with a degree in Anthropology and Sociology from the University of Malaya,” he told Salt&Light over Zoom.

Instead, each near-death experience – he almost drowned, was seconds away from being crushed by a falling flyover, went into a coma because of Covid – happened while he was going about his normal life.

While others may chalk each episode up to coincidence and each save to good fortune, Dato Tan, who has been a Christian since his university days, believes God spared his life each time.

“I don’t know why God sustained me and gave me a few chances in life. But I believe God gave me this opportunity and that He has planned for me to do something for His kingdom.”

Dato Tan, who is turning 60, thinks that all this might be God preparing him for a new season of ministry when he retires in a month.

The first save

Two years ago in January, Dato Tan was on a work trip with fellow officers. During their recreation time, the group decided to go scuba diving off Mabul Island, a tiny island off the southeastern coast of Sabah, Malaysia.

While spending some time off on a work trip, Dato Tan encountered difficulties while scuba diving and nearly drowned.

He was 50 feet (15m) underwater exploring a shipwreck when he decided to have a closer look at the deck of the sunken ship. So, he signalled his intention to his dive buddy.

“When I went on the deck, I saw two big holes in it. The moment I saw the holes, it felt like the hole was trying to suck me in.

“I lost control and I felt like my whole body was spinning like I was in a washing machine.”

His dive buddy noticed he was in distress and caught hold of his hand to steady him.

“It happened within seconds. I just felt hopeless. I didn’t know what was happening to me. It had never happened to me before.”

Before Dato Tan could collect himself, he found that he had been hauled to the surface. His colleagues helped to remove his regulator and face mask.

“I felt a gush of wind blow onto my face. The spinning in my head disappeared and I was back to normal. I don’t know what happened or why.

“I did ask my sergeant, ‘If you had not pulled me up, what would have happed to me? He said, ‘Then Dato mati (die).’

Dato Tan (right, seated) with his wife Anna (left, seated) and their three sons aged 21 to 30.

“That one really shook me. As I reflected back, I realised that life can just be taken away within one or two minutes. I could have drowned.”

After that brush with death, Dato Tan made it a point to share his story whenever he can.

Seconds from being crushed

On March 3, 2021, Dato Tan was being driven home after a day at work. It had been raining heavily and they had waited for the rain to ease before hitting the road. As his car travelled past a flyover under construction, he heard his driver yell out to him.

“By the time I turned around to look, I couldn’t see anything. There was no other car behind. The bridge had collapsed onto the road behind me.”

Dato Tan would later learn what happened.

A flyover for pedestrians was under construction along Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Expressway (SUKE). That fateful evening, an overloaded trailer crashed into the temporary steel scaffolding of a segment of the flyover. This caused a steel beam and the scaffolding to collapse onto both lanes of Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2). A van with five people travelling on the road at the time was crushed.

The collapsed flyover caused a road congestion that lasted hours. Altogether, 23 firemen, three fire engines and two emergency rescue service vehicles were dispatched to the scene.

Two women in the van died on the spot. The driver and two other passengers were severely injured. It took firefighters hours to extricate them, with the help of three cranes.     

By mere seconds, Dato Tan had missed being crushed.

“I was the last car to pass before the bridge fell. This was the second time God had protected me.”

Then came Covid

Two weeks after the narrow escape, Dato Tan contracted Covid.

The Movement Control Order (MCO) had been lifted on March 15 and in-person training at the Royal Malaysia Police College had resumed. So, the college was abuzz with people and Dato Tan was “busy running around”.

Two days later, he started to feel unwell. “I had sore throat, joint pains but no fever.”

When he tested himself with the Antigen Rapid Test (ART) the next day, he was shocked to see two lines emerging on the test kit, indicating that he was Covid-positive.

A flurry of activity followed. Dato Tan had to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at a clinic and quarantine himself in his office while he waited for the results.

Dato Tan sharing his near-death experience at an annual prayer service held for Christians in the Malaysian police force. He is the chairman of the Royal Malaysia Christian Group which organises these prayer services.

When the clinic confirmed that he had indeed come down with Covid, Dato Tan thought that he only needed to continue to self-quarantine at his office.

“Don’t know what prompted me but I decided to call the doctor in charge of my area to talk to him. When I told him that I am diabetic and have hypertension, he told me to go straight to the hospital to be quarantined.”

By then, Dato Tan was five days into the infection and still feeling fine despite the sore throat and body aches.

“I was still breathing okay. My oxygen level was still acceptable.”

But early on the morning of Day 7, his condition worsened. The oxygen level in his blood dropped and he had to be admitted into the ICU.

Dato Tan with his son at the hospital just before he was admitted to the ICU.

“I could feel that it was a bit difficult to breathe but I didn’t think it was that serious.”

“You all need to get ready”

Three days into his ICU stay, the doctors called his wife Anna to ask for her permission to intubate him. His conditioned had further worsened.

During intubation, an endotracheal tube (ETT) is inserted into the mouth or nose, past the voice box and the trachea. The tube keeps the airway open so oxygen can get to the lungs. The patient is usually sedated throughout the experience.

Because of Covid safety measures, Anna was not allowed to be with Dato Tan. So, she mobilised a prayer group for him. Friends from his church and Anna’s friends from other churches, even some in Australia, united in prayer for Dato Tan’s healing.

“I was in a coma for five days because of the intubation. But my brain was still working. During that time, I spoke to God three times. 

His wife Anna, seen here with Dato Tan, got their friends and loved ones, some as far as in Australia, to pray for his healing when he was in ICU.

“I told Him, ‘If it’s Your will for me to go back to You, forgive me of sins. I am ready to do back.’”

While unconscious, he also saw a vision of himself dying.

“I saw a casket in my house and a hearse parked at the hospital ready to take me back.”

Meanwhile, on the third day of his coma, doctors told Anna that Dato Tan’s chances of survival were slim. The virus had attacked his lungs to the extent that he had become critically ill.

His pulse had plummeted to just 30-odd beats a minute. Normal pulse rates are at least 60 beats a minute. The oxygen level in his blood had also dropped to 40%. Anything below 90% is considered a clinical emergency because it can lead to hypoxia where vital organs become irreparably damaged.

“The doctors said, ‘You all need to get ready.’ My wife could only cry and pray.”

Brought back to life  

On the fifth day of his coma, at 3am in the morning, the wife of Dato Tan’s friend heard a voice in her sleep. When she woke up, she saw an image of Dato Tan in her bedroom. She knew she had to pray for him there and then.

At the same time, a pastor friend from a church in Kuala Lumpur was also awakened by the voice of God. He was given a specific Word from God: “Bring him out from the jaws of death.”

“It shocked him when he heard this because he knew I got Covid but he didn’t know how serious it was.

“He prayed for a good half hour till he felt peace. Then, he went back to sleep,” recounted Dato Tan who found out about this only much later.

Some two hours later, Dato Tan opened his eyes at the ICU. It was 5.30am.

“The nurse was shocked. She shouted, ‘Dato woke up! Dato woke up!’ They were not expecting me to wake up.”

When Dato Tan regained consciousness, he did not know if he was dead or alive. “I was still blurry.”

When the nurse asked to clean him up, he readily agreed, thinking to himself that it was better to be ministered to by the nurse than the undertaker. 

He then asked to go home.

“I told the nurse that everybody was waiting for me at home. The nurse told me, cannot, because I had not fully recovered.

“But I told her I had seen the casket in my house. I told her, “The hearse is ready to roll at 7am.’”

Dato Tan fell asleep after this exchange.

When he video-called his wife later, he asked her: “Dear, is my grave ready?”

When she answered “no”, he said: “Why not? Where do you want to bury me?”

“I thought I was already dying,” he recalled to Salt&Light.

It was only after Dato Tan had fully recovered that he found out something else that confirmed that his healing was not a matter of chance or luck.

A sister-in-Christ he knew had the habit of gathering with others to pray every morning at six. On the morning that he awoke from his coma, she saw a vision. In that vision, Jesus was standing on the right side of Dato Tan’s hospital bed and it was 7 o’clock.

“I don’t know how it happened and why the timing. I only knew I was alive the next day.”

That day was April 2 – Good Friday. By Easter Sunday, he was well enough to sit up and listen to the Easter service on a handphone.

“I got to hear of God’s resurrection, just as how I was ‘resurrected’.”

He was discharged after being in the hospital for 21 days.

Five words from God

When Dato Tan returned home, he realised that he could not walk without becoming breathless. The oxygen level in his blood also began to fall.

A week passed before he went to the hospital for a check-up. A few tests and a CT scan later, the doctors found a blood clot on the right side of his lung which explained his condition. Blood thinners and steroids were prescribed.

During his stay in the hospital, Dato Tan received a word from God each day.

“On Day 1, it was ‘Be still’, to listen to His voice, know that His presence is there and He would be there for me.

“On Day 2, it was ‘Be prepared’. The next day was ‘Be calm”, then ‘Be certain’. Two days later, it was ‘Be sufficient’.

“Then, the last sentence was ‘Do not be afraid to move on.’ I added it up – seven days in all.

“He gave me this word to prepare myself for something. I don’t know what yet but maybe after my retirement. He may be opening a new avenue, but I am still seeking Him about that.”

Meanwhile, he is taking every opportunity to share his story, whether it is to his colleagues or to those he meets.

‘This Covid experience gave me the opportunity to share God’s grace, healing and miracles to all races as it is an experience that happened in my life. All praise be unto God for this opportunity.” 

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The post The deputy commissioner of police who was rescued from death three times: “I already saw a casket in my house.” appeared first on Salt&Light.

The move is in line with the national easing of safety measures which will bring Singapore “almost all the way to how things were” before the COVID-19 pandemic, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on April 23.

On April 25, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, which oversees religious bodies in Singapore, called this round of easing “a milestone in our progress towards living with COVID-19”, though it also cautioned for continued social vigilance as the situation “can change quickly in the face of new virus variants.”

MCCY announced the following SMM (Safe Management Measures) for churches, which essentially translate to the pre-pandemic status quo in every way except for needing masks indoors, vaccination needed for large events … but no self-serve buffets.

NEW GUIDELINES FOR CHURCHES FROM APRIL 26, 2022

1. No safe distancing requirements.

There is no need for safe distancing between each worshipper, said the MCCY. The safe distance requirements between those on stage and the congregation have also been removed.

2. No vaccination-differentiated measures, unless events exceed 500 attendees.

All activities in churches – from worship services to classes – are no longer subject to VDS (Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures), except for those with a projected attendance of more than 500 persons at any one time, not including staff, crew and volunteers. At such larger events, churches must conduct VDS entry checks to ensure worshippers are fully vaccinated.

3. No group size limits, no zones, no capacity limits.

There will no longer be a group size limit – previously, churches had to arrange attendees in groups of 2, 5, 8 or 10.

The capacity limit of 75% for worship services and other mask-on religious activities involving more than 1,000 persons has also been removed. However, for services and events of more than 500 attendees, individuals must be vaccinated (VDS applies) – see Point 2. These same rules also apply for weddings and funerals/wakes held in places of worship.

4. No TraceTogether/SafeEntry needed, except for large events.

Those attending Churches will no longer need to check in using the TraceTogether application or token. However, in the case of events with more than 500 attendees, TraceTogether must be used to ensure all attendees are vaccinated (see Point 2).

5. No restrictions on number of people involved in conducting worship services.

There will be no restrictions on the number of performers and crew, or the number of performers allowed to unmask for live performances, even if they are singing or playing wind instruments.

6. Masks are still required indoors (and encouraged outdoors).

Everyone indoors, except children below 6 years old, must continue to wear a face mask at all times except to take them off for the duration of the stated exceptions (speakers or singers on stage, or while eating). Face shields are not permitted as substitutes for face masks. Young children are still strongly encouraged to use a mask, especially in crowded areas.

While mask-wearing is now optional in outdoor settings, individuals are encouraged to exercise precaution and continue to wear their masks in crowded outdoor areas.

7. Singing allowed in all situations (but keep your mask on).

Singing by worshippers is allowed, with their masks on, including at religious classes and other events beyond the worship service. Worshippers are to remain masked when giving verbal responses, MCCY added. 

8. Food can be served – but not at self-serve buffets.

Food and beverages served in places of worship need not be served in individual portions, MCCY confirmed. Those eating are encouraged to be stationary while consuming their meals. Safe distance will not be required between individuals, but participants should put on their masks as soon as they have finished eating or drinking. 

However, self-serve buffet formats are not allowed. Also, communal meals involving more than 500 people are subject to VDS – all attendees must be vaccinated (see Point 2).

These same rules also apply for weddings and funerals/wakes held in places of worship.

9. Continued caution and cleanliness encouraged for shared items.

Church-goers are strongly encouraged to avoid sharing of equipment – such as microphones for singers, or offeratory bags for attendees. If this is unavoidable, the equipment should be thoroughly cleaned before being used by others. Worshippers are strongly encouraged to bring along their personal worship items, such as their own Bible.

10. All church staff can return to work onsite.

All employees who can work from home may now return to the workplace. Prior to this, there was a cap of 75% of employees being on premises at the same time.

BUT A WARNING FROM SCRIPTURE …

For those of us who had to deal with church service planning over two years of neverending changes, the end of most SMMs is a huge relief. It brings to mind a similar situation in the Bible, when Cyrus, King of Persia, allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem after years of exile.

In Ezra 9:8-9, the Scribe emotionally describes the scene thus:

“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 

“Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia. He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.”

In many ways, our present situation echoes that of the returning exiles.

We were in bondage of sorts – stuck at home for months, then unable to attend church on-site.

The doors to the sanctuaries, the churches, have since reopened, by the grace of God; He has granted us new life.

And now we are a returning remnant – most churches, bar a handful I’m aware of, have reported lower attendances post-pandemic. 

No sooner has Ezra detailed the emotion, though, that he issues a warning. While in exile, the people of Israel disobeyed the command not to intermarry with the people who knew not their God (read the complete chapter of Ezra 9 for details). “God, what can we say? For we have forsaken the commands you gave,” he cries (Ezra 9:10-11).

Then a man named Shekaniah – whose name roughly translates to “where the Presence of God dwells” – says:

“But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands.” (Ezra 10:2-4)

As we return to the House of the Lord – where the Presence of God dwells – let’s heed the call of Shekaniah.

We need to get serious about our faith.

Some suggest the events of the past 2 years were something of a foreshadowing or a dress rehearsal of real tribulation to come. In any such a trial, any such shaking, sadly, many will fall away.

“Intermarriage” in this moment may not be literally with foreign wives, but rather by allowing other gods and idols to crowd out our altar which should be reserved exclusively for God.

As the pandemic stretched on, for example, many may have found ourselves married to fear; hopelessness; spiritual apathy; church apathy; a critical or complaining spirit; or an anti-authority spirit.

And, distracted as we are by these wives foreign to God, God takes a backseat. The book of Haggai details how it took them 18 years for the Israelites to make the House of God their top priority again.

As the nation reopens, as do your church doors, if you haven’t done so yet, it’s time to get serious about God.

Time to make a covenant with God. Time to send away anything that has occupied His space in your life. Time to make Jesus the centre of your heart, soul, strength and mind – lest He come again only to find that space taken by another.

Rise up, Christian. This matter is in your hands.

The post 10 things to note as Churches reopen to new guidelines this week – and 1 warning from Scripture appeared first on Salt&Light.

According to an article by Christianity Today (CT) published yesterday (April 13), based on the personal experiences of local church elders in the city, believers are donning personal protection equipment and risking catching the virus to serve their neighbours in need.

Residents of Shanghai have been holed up in their homes since the start of the month after the government imposed its largest city-wide lockdown. The move came after the city recorded its highest number of daily cases since the start of the pandemic.

But the strict measures seem to have done little to slow the spread of the virus. On Wednesday (April 13), Shanghai recorded more than 26,000 cases, setting a daily record for the 11th time in 12 days. 

Clearing rubbish, cooking meals

With the majority of residents prohibited from going out to buy food, people are relying on volunteer groups formed by neighbours to have their groceries and necessities delivered, though there have been complaints on social media about food shortages and rising prices.

As part of a neighbourhood volunteer team, Pastor Xue* from GB Church*, whom CT interviewed, has been collecting rubbish from the doorways of 72 homes in an apartment building and helping his neighbours make online group purchases.

Another believer, Elder Jiang*, also volunteered to organise Covid-19 tests and distribute supplies, even though the lockdown was a chance for the pilot to spend time with his wife and young son, said CT.

Though he and his wife ended up testing positive for the virus and had to be separated from their three-year-old son who tested negative, he did not regret his choice, according to CT.

Yet another individual, Sister Tang*, has also been running errands and making late-night phone calls to help dispense and purchase medication for those in need in her residential block.

On top of that, she also cooks home-cooked food and delivers it to those who are pregnant or single.

When asked why she chose to do this, she told CT: “Their parents are away, and at this special time, I want them to taste double the love because our heavenly Father loves us this way too.”

Pastor Xue added: “The benefits we seek for our community in this life cannot be saved for eternity, but it is worth doing. For when we love our neighbours, we show them what God is. We manifest God’s love. And when we not only love our neighbours but commit ourselves to our communities, we testify to God’s principles and manifest his wisdom.”

In CL Church*, which is in another area of the city, members have been even more generous with their offering during the lockdown, “unexpectedly surpass(ing) the previous few months”. This has allowed the church to bless those who are in need.

According to CT, the leadership team has plans to use some of the funds to support the poor and vulnerable in the city, as well as affected missionaries, ministries and preachers.

Authenticity as a form of Christian witness

Churches and believers have not only been extending practical help to others, but spiritual and emotional support too as residents battle emotional and financial pressures as a result of the lockdown, according to CT.

CL Church have been urging its members to pick up the phone to pray for and with those in need, including non-believers.

The church’s pastor, Pastor Han*, also encourages those who are not sure how to pray to do so according to God’s word.

“When our refrigerator at home is full, our spiritual condition is not necessarily better, but when our spiritual condition is better, we will not have inner anxiety when we see the refrigerator empty. God speaks to us every day through the Scriptures, and we need to think and respond to him in prayer,” he told CT.

There has also been a “significant” and unexpected increase in attendance at their half-hour morning prayer meetings since the lockdown, including many non-Christians, said CT. 

“The seekers appreciated the sincerity of the church even more because they had heard Christians share honestly about their anxiety and insecurity during the lockdown,” said the article.

This authenticity has been a powerful form of Christian witness.

“In the midst of the pandemic, members of (Pastor Han’s) church, who used to hold each other at arm’s length and were predominately elite white-collar workers, shared for the first time their anxieties about the epidemic, their worries about the lack of supplies at home, and their problems in child-rearing and marriage,” said CT

“Because of their authenticity, non-Christians no longer turned away from Christians, but can come before God as sinners with real needs and call on God’s love.”

Said Pastor Han to CT: “We may be going through the biggest crisis in the two years since we planted the church, but this particular experience has also shown us that what was planted before the epidemic is now blossoming.

“As we enter the last week of Easter, I am especially reminded that the hope of the resurrection determines our state at this moment. The more we believe in the resurrection, the lighter we look at the hardships of this moment.”

*Names have been changed to protect identities.

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The post Christians in Shanghai helping neighbours, offering prayers, during city-wide lockdown appeared first on Salt&Light.

Is there any need for onsite church anymore? Can’t we just carry on?

Two years into Covid, here are my simple reflections as to why I believe we need church onsite:

1. We are created to worship together

Honestly, I found it hard to worship with church online. Yes, my family was with me. Yes, I did sing aloud at times. But, somehow, it didn’t feel the same. And I discovered I was not alone in this experience.

Many whom I spoke with also found it hard to worship online. It’s not that the worship leaders or musicians or worship set was bad. Indeed, they were often excellent. Yet something was missing.

What was it, I wondered.

Then when we were allowed to be back onsite for worship, albeit without singing, I found the experience different.

Even though we could not sing aloud, just being present with others in the sanctuary, with live worship happening on stage, I found my spirits lifted. I was not alone. Others came who also needed the presence of another.

We needed each other to remind ourselves that we were not alone.

We were created to be part of something larger than ourselves, even beyond our families. What was missing was other people! God redeemed for Himself a people who would gather to worship Him – we were created to worship, and to worship Him as a people.

This week we had our all-staff worship. For the first time in two years, we were allowed to sing!

We sang with all our hearts (and with our masks) – boy, was it awesome!

Our spirits stirred towards our King and His Kingdom! He is coming soon and we, His people, are preparing ourselves by singing aloud as one voice in worship.

So why do church onsite?

I need it; we need it! We are created to worship our Creator together!

Indeed, that is our eschatological vision (Revelation 7:9-12).

2. We are created to be a witness

There is something powerful when people gather. In our pre-pandemic days, crowds gathered for soccer, concerts, National Day, and so forth. It never really dawned on me that the gathering itself was a testimony to the draw of the event! 

The crowds were a demonstration of the significance of the occasion.

So, during the pandemic, when crowded events were thinned out and rare, I began to notice crowds at certain places on certain days. Cars, motorcycles and bicycles would be parked along roads, with people streaming towards certain places of worship. I thought, wow, what a powerful testimony! What a witness to the significance of their worship!

When we gather regularly (beyond our small groups) as a people at our places of worship, we are bearing witness to the importance of the One who is worshipped.

To a watching world, it becomes a powerful witness of our God. Yes, they need not necessarily believe what we believe, but it would stir their hearts to see people who do believe in this God make the effort to gather as His people to worship.

So why have church onsite? Our regular gathering is a powerful communal witness to a watching world of the reality of our God.

3. It pleases the Lord 

It pleases our Heavenly Father that His children gather as a spiritual family to worship Him together.

In the Old Testament, three times a year the Lord called His people to come to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles (Exodus 23:14-17).

It’s interesting that the Passover has been transformed into the Lord’s Supper, and Pentecost has been transformed by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as first fruits. We await the transformation of the Feast of Booths when our Lord returns to the tabernacle with us. (Zechariah 14:16)

This gathering of His people to celebrate and enjoy His goodness brings joy to our Father’s heart. This is not to say we can’t please God in other ways (for example, in obedience and yieldedness).

But He longs for His children to be one before Him (John 17:20-23). Worshipping before Him is certainly one way we can demonstrate that.

So why have church onsite?

It pleases our Heavenly Father that His children worship as one before Him!

So then, even as the Covid situation improves in our land (thank You, Lord!) and there is a relaxation of safe management measures, let us return to church onsite. We need it, it’s a powerful communal witness and it well pleases our Father.

See you in church!

This was first published on Rev Chung Kai’s Facebook page and has been republished with permission. 

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The post Why come back to church to worship God in person? appeared first on Salt&Light.

The changes, which will take effect from Tuesday (March 29), are part of a slew of relaxed measures first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong earlier this week, with the wave of cases of the Omicron variant gradually subsiding.

Changes announced by MCCY, effective March 29, 2022:

1. Congregational singing with masks on will be allowed.

From 29 March 2022, singing by worshippers will be allowed, as long as they keep their masks on.

“We had previously taken a strong position against such group vocalisation activities, like mass singing, because of the higher risk of transmission. But given we are now in a different position, we will start easing this restriction,” said Mr Lawrence Wong, co-chair of the nation’s Multi-Ministry Taskforce in a press conference following the Prime Minister’s address.

“So long as masks are worn throughout such activities, we will allow for congregational singing, cheering by audiences at events, as well as singing in general settings, including our schools.”

2. Masks optional outdoors, but still mandatory indoors

Everyone present in an indoor setting – except children below 6 years of age – must wear a face mask at all times, the MCCY said.  Face shields are not permitted as substitutes for face masks. And while mask-wearing will be optional in outdoor settings, the Government encourages people to still wear their masks even when outdoors “for personal protection and to protect others, especially in crowded areas”. 

3. Safe distancing is not mandatory, but encouraged

Churches should avoid chokepoints and spread worshippers as evenly as possible, the MCCY advised.

4. Capacity limit for large venues up to 75%

The capacity limit for congregational worship services and other mask-on religious activities involving more than 1,000 persons will be increased to 75%, up from the previous 50%. This limit also applies for weddings and funerals conducted on church premises.

5. ART for singers, staff no longer mandatory

From March 29, Rostered Routine Testing regime will cease for those involved in the conduct of religious activities. Performers who are singing and playing wind instruments in front of an audience will no longer need to conduct additional testing, MCCY confirmed. “However, there can be no singing or playing of such instruments, unless all performers and crew, are fully vaccinated or exempted from VDS,” the Ministry added.

6. No cap on number of unmasked performers or crew

From March 29, there will be no restrictions on the number of performers and crew, or the number of performers allowed to unmask for live performances, MCCY announced.

Static performers – those in the same position throughout the live performance – may be in groups of 10 persons. If none in a group is singing or playing wind/brass instruments, or if all performers in a group are masked, there is no need to maintain safe distance from other groups. However, if there are any unmasked performers in the group, they must maintain at least 1-metre safe distance from other groups. 

There must be at least a 1-metre setback between persons involved in the conduct of live performance elements and worshippers. 

7. Food & Beverages now allowed on church premises

From March 29, consumption of Food and Beverages is allowed in places of worship, with VDS in place – in other words, if all on premises are fully vaccinated or exempted from VDS.

Food must be served in individual portions, and individuals must be stationary (regardless of whether they are seated or standing). Participants should put on their masks as soon as they have finished eating or drinking.

As F&B consumption is a mask-off activity, participants (fully vaccinated) must comply with 1 metre safe distancing between individuals or groups of no more than 10 persons per group, with no intermingling between groups, MCCY said.

The capacity limit for communal meals involving more than 1,000 persons will be 75%. 

8. Up to 75% of staff allowed to work on premises 

From March 29, up to 75% of employees who are able to work from home can now return to the workplace, up from current limit of 50%. Social gatherings at workplaces will be allowed to resume, subject to prevailing safety management measures.

Churches should primarily engage staff to support religious activities, but can deploy volunteers to support if necessary, MCCY said.

9. Capacity limits up for funerals held in churches

Funerals held in religious premises are subject to the same capacity cap as the premises, regardless of vaccination status. No reception with food or drinks are allowed. From 29 March, visits to columbaria at places of worship for up to 10 persons will be allowed regardless of vaccination status. Visits should be kept as short as possible, MCCY said.

10. Other religious activities still subject to Vaccination-Differentiated SMMs

From March 29, churches and other religious organisations can allow one group of up to 10 persons, regardless of vaccination status, at any one time to conduct private worship in the place of worship, said MCCY. Any religious worker interacting with them must be fully vaccinated.

However, VDS (Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures) will continue to apply for other religious activities. From 29 March 2022, religious rites that are not part of a worship service, and other religious activities such as pastoral services) will be allowed with similar capacity conditions.

Mask-on classes (without VDS) can proceed without being subject to any capacity limit, subject to prevailing fire safety and room capacity requirements, said the MCCY.

“Remain watchful” 

Churches must submit a form acknowledging the new conditions for religious activities imposed before commencing the activities from March 29.

The relaxed guidelines for churches are in line with other changes the Prime Minister announced, which will kick in from next Tuesday. These include:

• Group gatherings can include up to 10 people, up from 5
• Mask-wearing outdoors will be optional, but remain mandatory indoors
• Up to 75% of workers can return to the workplace, up from 50%
• A simplified Vaccinated Travel Framework allowing all vaccinated travellers to enter Singapore

Mr Lee sounded a word of caution that Singaporeans must “remain watchful” and not “throw caution to the wind”, with the reinstatement of more stringent measures a possibility should cases rise again.

“If you feel ill, test yourself. If you test positive, isolate yourself at home. If you test negative, and decide to go out, please wear a mask to protect others, even outdoors, just in case,” said Mr Lee.

“Let us all continue to exercise personal and social responsibility.”

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The post Food allowed, more capacity, ART not mandatory: 10 guideline changes for churches from March 29 appeared first on Salt&Light.

In a “decisive step forward” towards living with COVID-19, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced a slew of relaxed measures with the wave of cases of the Omicron variant gradually subsiding.

For churches, this includes allowing congregational singing with masks on, which has previously not been allowed.

“We had previously taken a strong position against such group vocalisation activities, like mass singing, because of the higher risk of transmission. But given we are now in a different position, we will start easing this restriction,” said Mr Lawrence Wong, co-chair of the nation’s Multi-Ministry Taskforce in a press conference following the Prime Minister’s address.

“So long as masks are worn throughout such activities, we will allow for congregational singing, cheering by audiences at events, as well as singing in general settings, including our schools.”

These changes will take effect from March 29, Mr Wong confirmed. Further details will be provided by the Government.

“Remain watchful” 

Among the other changes Mr Lee announced, which will kick in from next Tuesday:

• Group gatherings can include up to 10 people, up from 5
• Mask-wearing outdoors will be optional, but remain mandatory indoors
• Up to 75% of workers can return to the workplace, up from 50%
• A simplified Vaccinated Travel Framework allowing all vaccinated travellers to enter Singapore

Also, venues with more than 1,000 seats can take in up to 75% capacity, up from 50%. This may impact larger church venues. Confirmation is expected from the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) in the coming days.

Mr Lee sounded a word of caution that Singaporeans must “remain watchful” and not “throw caution to the wind”, with the reinstatement of more stringent measures a possibility should cases rise again.

“If you feel ill, test yourself. If you test positive, isolate yourself at home. If you test negative, and decide to go out, please wear a mask to protect others, even outdoors, just in case,” said Mr Lee.

“Let us all continue to exercise personal and social responsibility.”

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