They found Him in Bethlehem, worshipped Him and presented their gifts. They accomplished their mission.

In contrast, we have Herod.

When told that a King was born, Herod felt threatened and sought to eliminate the newborn King.

He pretended that he was also interested in worshipping the new King, and asked the Magi to keep him informed.

When he found out that the Magi had left for home without reporting back to him, he slaughtered all the babies in Bethlehem.

His purpose was to eliminate baby Jesus – if so, his mission was not successful. Jesus had been safely smuggled out of Bethlehem and into Egypt.

Between the Magi and Herod, we have a sharp contrast of how we can view Jesus, the One born to be not just any king, but the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

We can either receive with Him with awe and reverence, or we can reject Him and have nothing to do with Him.

Today there are still people like Herod around. They are troubled and threatened by the mention of another king. They want to run their own lives. They want to be their own lord. 

Thank God there are people like the Magi who acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and King. They go to great lengths to seek Him and find Him. And when they find Him, they offer their very best to Him.

Do you care?

There is a third group of people whom we often overlook in the Christmas story. We may call them “the others”.

They are overlooked, perhaps, because they appear and disappear just as quickly in the narrative, even though their role is not a small one (Matthew 2:3-6).

They are not like Herod who goes out of his way to destroy Jesus.

Neither are they like the Magi who go out of their way to find and worship Jesus.

This third group consists of the chief priests and teachers of the law. King Herod called them together and consulted them as to where the King of the Jews would be born.

These religious leaders knew the Scriptures. They quoted the right chapter and verse, and pointed Herod and the Magi to Bethlehem.

But did they do anything about the announcement of the newborn King? Nothing. They knew where He would be born – just a few kilometres away. But they did nothing.

They did not move a finger or a foot to find the King. They just knew where He could be found.

Could it be that many people in the world today are like that – including those in the church?

We know the Scriptures. We can even give advice from it. We are not far from where “church” is happening.

We are neither passionately for Jesus nor passionately against Him.

We are simply apathetic.  

This Christmas, which are you? The Magi, who sought out the King to worship Him?

King Herod, who sought out the King to destroy Him?

Or are you “the others” who knew what was happening, stood on the outside as spectators, and let events pass without affecting them in any way?

MORE CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS:

The grace of receiving: Let it abound

Feeling the loss of a loved one this “merry” season? Remember the Christ of Christmas

Let your hopes and fears meet the Christ of Christmas

The grace of receiving: Let it abound

The post This Christmas, are you receiving the King like the Magi, King Herod … or the others? appeared first on Salt&Light.

The rare neurological disorder causes progressive damage to the nervous system.

Nancy and her team were there to bring Amelia the gift she had put on her wishlist. “She was so excited that she opened her eyes,” said Catherine Lee, who leads The Blessing Project. 

“As they prayed for her, she blinked her eyes and swallowed her saliva – signs that her mother, Wendy explained were Amelia’s way of communicating.”

That was an especially meaningful visit for the team, as Amelia passed away just two months later on February 6, 2024.

Celebrating the little ones

The Blessing Project began in 2021 as a simple idea to bring birthday celebrations to children who have never or rarely celebrated their birthdays.

Some of these children come from difficult or underprivileged backgrounds, others have special needs.

Catherine, a pastoral supervisor with City Harvest Church runs the project with volunteers from the church. The Blessing Project is part of CHC’s Church Without Walls initiative, a church-wide effort to bring the love of Jesus to people and places who may never step into a church.

For Catherine, helming The Blessing Project holds special meaning. 

She told Salt&Light: “I was very excited to take on this project because I was adopted at birth, and my adoptive parents never celebrated my birthday. When I first attended CHC in 1995, my cell group members celebrated my birthday for the very first time. I was deeply touched by the love they showed me.

“To me, special dates and occasions hold significant importance and remembering them is a powerful way to connect and build genuine relationships with one another.

“Some people may have never had their birthday celebrated before, while others may not have the means to do so. The Blessing Project aims to show love and care to children and individuals with special needs from low-income and needy families by celebrating their birthdays with a cake and a gift. We want to let them know that they are special and valued.”

Catherine (in glasses) with her husband Adam visiting a child with the gift she wished for. Photo courtesy of Catherine Lee.

The Blessing Project has engaged over 200 volunteers from CHC in the last three years. 

“Currently, we have around 50 core volunteers who serve faithfully in this ministry: Some drive and pick up the cakes; others buy gifts and conduct the celebrations,” Catherine told Salt&Light.

Since the inception of The Blessing Project, all birthday cakes have been sponsored by The Cake Shop. To date, around 2,000 birthday cakes have been gifted.

The Blessing Project – Christmas Edition

On top of ongoing birthday celebrations, doors have opened the last few years for The Blessing Project to expand their reach through working with organisations like HCA Hospice and up to 2023, Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home (CSLMCH).

Since December 2022, The Blessing Project volunteers have been visiting children with life-limiting illnesses under HCA’s care aduring the Christmas season. They call it The Blessing Project – Christmas Edition.

“In this ‘special edition’, we work with the HCA team to gather wish lists from the children. With love and care, we purchase these gifts and visit each child, during which we create moments of connection and warmth. During our visits, we not only deliver the presents but also share prayers and blessings with those who are open. We want to impart to them a sense of love and community,” Catherine described.

Kimberly Chan, Senior Medical Social Worker from HCA told Salt&Light: “As part of The Blessing Project, CHC not only shares gifts with HCA Hospice’s patients, but also their siblings. Including the 100 children who are part of this year’s project, a total of 160 children – patients and siblings – have been part of TBP.” 

This Christmas specifically, The Blessing Project has brought gifts to visit 54 patients and 43 of their siblings.

“Our goal is to bring a little light into their lives, reminding them that they are cherished and never alone,” Catherine told Salt&Light. 

The gifts that the children wish for range from pillows and dresses to ukuleles and popular character toys like Baby Shark and Thomas the Tank Engine.

Thomas Tay, a facilities executive, took part in the Christmas Edition with his cell group. It was his first time volunteering with The Blessing Project.

“We visited on the child on December 10. The family had requested for a simple T-shirt for their child, and we brought them two shirts and NTUC vouchers,” he told Salt&Light.

It was an eye-opener for Thomas. The family had another child with the same condition that had passed away in July this year. “To be honest, I went there to make a difference to the child but then, he can’t respond to us. So we sat and talked to the parents and family and gave them our encouragement and support.”

Uplifting spirits, bringing compassion

“Through The Blessing Project, we strive to create lasting memories that uplift spirits and bring compassion,” said Catherine. “We want to make each moment together truly meaningful.”

As these are children in palliative care, it is not uncommon for circumstances to change. Sometimes a visit has been scheduled but the child suddenly needs to go to the hospital. 

There have been occasions where The Blessing Project has come in as part of an outreach to a family in need.

“A couple of years ago, Harvest Kidz, our church’s children’s ministry, went to one- to two-room flats (rental flats for the very low income) and knocked on doors. They encountered two siblings who were home alone. Their father was incarcerated. Their mother came from Vietnam and was in the midst of divorcing her husband. The family was in a challenging financial situation and in great need.

“The Harvest Kidz staff member began extending help to the family. They invited the family to church, and the boys became active participants in the Smartkids tuition class (a free tutoring service run by CHC). 

“The Blessing Project celebrated both boys’ birthdays. Their mother works odd jobs including working as a Grab driver. But she recently suffered an injury that prevented her from working. During our recent celebrations, she was deeply moved that we could celebrate her children’s birthdays with a cake and a present each.”

It may seem a small gesture but the “extravagance” of cutting a birthday cake and opening a birthday present can do wonders for a child who doesn’t have much, Catherine points out.

“Every child is a precious gift from God who deserves to be gifted with love and gifts!”

This month, the Christmas Edition has been in full swing for the third year in a row, and counting. To Catherine, it is rewarding on many levels.

“I always look forward to witnessing the joy on their faces. There is something incredibly heartwarming about seeing the immediate impact of our efforts.

“Also it’s heartening to see strengthened connections within our community and with partner organisations. These collaborations not only enhance our ability to make a difference but also foster a sense of unity and shared purpose.”

Kimberly said: “In the first year that TBP came on board, we were grateful to have the support of several charity groups and organisations in bringing Christmas blessings to our patients and their siblings. Over the years, TBP has remained our steadfast partner. We deeply appreciate their ongoing dedication to bringing festive cheer to our young patients and their families.”

Being a blessing to others also blesses the blesser, Catherine added. “I also look forward to the personal growth and reflection that comes this season. Each outreach activity serves as a reminder of the importance of compassion, empathy, and the power of community. It’s a time we reflect on our blessings and are inspired by the resilience and spirit of those we support.”

Catherine hopes to start new “special editions” in 2025. “We aspire to expand our efforts beyond birthday celebrations and create more impactful blessing projects, to extend our reach and bring joy to even more individuals.”

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The post They bring gifts and the love of Jesus to critically ill children this Christmas appeared first on Salt&Light.

David (left) and Esther (right, fourth) and their guests at the Christmas party for the lonely. Actress Rui En (left, second), a personal friend, dropped by to lend her support.

“During Christmas, the lonely get lonelier and the suffering suffer quieter,” David, 29, told Salt&Light.

“We just wanted to love people who were lonely and didn’t have anyone to spend Christmas with.”

There was no plan to evangelise, just a desire to love.

Those familiar with David will hardly be surprised. The manager at Christian artist Patrick Bezalel’s art gallery is known to go up to strangers to give a word of encouragement, share the Gospel or simply to pray for them, anywhere and everywhere.

To David, coffeeshops, the streets of Bangkok, Disneyland, bus stops, taxis, even petrol kiosks are all fertile ground for God’s message of love to be sown.

Once, on the way to church, he stopped a stranger who was limping, to pray for him. On his honeymoon with Esther, 28, early this year, he shared the Gospel with a waiter even though they were hurrying to catch a bus. While standing outside a store with Esther a few months ago, he stopped a woman walking by to tell her God loved her.

David noticed this boy had been sitting in the sun for a very long time, looking very sad. He went up and talked to him and discovered that the boy was stressed out about his exams.

But this young man who is so passionate about sharing the way to eternal life was once ready to “give up on life”.

Welcoming a lonely heart

David was 17 when he experienced his first heartbreak.

“It hit me pretty hard. I was very lonely, broken and sad. I felt like my life was colourless, nothing more to look forward to in life.”

In that state of despondency, he decided to “give Jesus a shot”. A friend was inviting another friend to church and David asked if he could go as well.

David at 17 when he decided to give Jesus “a shot”.

He was not unfamiliar with Christianity. His parents had sent him to a Christian student care centre when he was in primary school.

“When I entered the church and met the people, I felt they were very nice. The atmosphere and culture of the place were very different from what I had known. Coming to a place where people openly showed love and care, that did something to me,” he told Salt&Light.

So he returned week after week because he was “hungry for God and wanted more”. Within a year, he was singled out to be a youth cell group leader.

A Friend in the field

Leadership turned out to be much more difficult than David anticipated because he was so new to the faith.

“When I became a youth cell leader, there was typical teenager drama. I was left feeling rejected and alone, convinced that the people in church were the same as the people outside.”

Right by where David lived was a field about the size of five soccer pitches. One night while walking by it and feeling particularly rejected, he decided to go into the field to “spend some time with God”.

“It was so dark. I wanted to wallow in my self pity there. I was a bit dramatic like that,” he said wryly.

As he lay beneath a blanket of stars, he had an epiphany.

“I realised how small I was in the universe and yet God still loves me. So I asked God to show me a shooting star and He did. I asked Him to show me another and another. By the end of the night, it was 6am and I had seen seven shooting stars.

“In that moment, I knew that God saw me, saw my loneliness. In the dark, God loved me and spoke to me.”

From then on, David would go to the field every night with his guitar to worship God and talk to Him.

“In that field I found Jesus. Not a historical figure, not a religious figure but a Friend, a God who knew me and loved me in a very personal way. And I have tried to be a better friend to Him ever since.”

David was not alone anymore.

Beginnings of a street evangelist

Two years later when he was 20, he had another encounter that would point him to a new ministry.

“I was watching a YouTube video of street evangelist Todd White. He was going around preaching and praying for the sick, and people were healed on the spot. You could see people being moved to tears. There was something in there that was like, ‘Wow! If this is real, I need to experience it.’

“Something in me came alive. This is the thing about calling. When you see someone operating in that grace of the calling in which God is calling you, it stirs something in you. Deep calling to deep.”

So David started to pray for anyone he saw whom he thought needed healing.

He was buying shoes at this man’s store when he noticed that the man had a leg condition. David then prayed for the man.

David holding up a sign at a Bangkok market offering free healing. He was moved to boldly offer to pray for healing for people there.

“I was just trying it out to see if this is real, like a kid putting God to the test. I probably prayed for 100 people and 100 didn’t get healed.”

But he remembers the first person he prayed for who did get healed. It was a teenager David saw at a shopping centre who was limping along with a pair of crutches.

“I ran to him and said, ‘Can I try to pray for you and see if it works?’ At that point, he was sitting down and I prayed for him but didn’t have the guts to ask him to check if he was healed.”

The boy was waiting for his parents to pick him up. When their car arrived, he stood to walk to them. That was when he realised that there was no more pain in his leg.

“After you see the first healing, you forget about the 100 who were not healed. I thought: If this is real, I want to spend the rest of my life doing this.”

A ministry in healing  

Over time, David learnt to let the Holy Spirit lead him, like the time he was at a bus stop and the Holy Spirit prompted him to go to a coffee shop nearby instead. When he got there, there was only an elderly man who was blind in one eye.

The man told David that he had lost his right eye in an accident two years before and David asked to pray for him. But after praying three times, nothing happened. So they just exchanged contacts.

However, a week later, the man asked to meet David. His right eye was starting to see some light and he was also experiencing less pain in it. When they met, David prayed for him again. Again, nothing happened. Despite persisting for 20 minutes, healing did not take place.

Recounted David on his Instagram post: “Puzzled, I asked the Holy Spirit, ‘What’s up?’ He simply said, ‘Share the Gospel.’”

David did not think the man would respond because no healing had taken place. But he obeyed nonetheless and the man ended up praying to receive Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. Today, he sends David Bible verses and apologetics articles regularly.

On another occasion at a coffee shop, David saw a man limping to his car and the Holy Spirit told him: “This one.”

David prayed for him and the pain in his left leg completely disappeared. The healing opened the door for David to share the Gospel with the man who prayed to accept Jesus.

Said David: “People say I have the gift of healing. I say, ‘How do you know?’ They say, ‘Because you pray for people and people get healed.’

“I pray for 50 people, three get healed. Is that the gift of healing? Maybe if you prayed for 50, you might get 10. The problem is that you don’t pray for people.”

Taking the Message virtual

Because his faith is a large part of his life, David had always talked openly about it on his social media accounts. But during the COVID pandemic, he became more intentional about it, encouraged by his spiritual parents Patrick, his employer, and Patrick’s wife Lily.

Now David shares not only personal reflections but also sermonettes, prayers and testimonies of his street evangelism encounters. Most recently, he put up a post praying for those who had trouble sleeping.

The Instagram post that prayed for those with insomnia. Screengrab of David’s Instagram post.

“I felt God say, ‘Post content on this.’ I knew this would be content that would not do well, naturally because it was nothing fancy. But because I felt the nudging from God to do that, I did it.

“After I posted it, there were a lot of people ministered by it and I was surprised.”

In these last few years, David has become even more convinced of the power of social media to take the Gospel beyond church walls. Preaching the “same God in different settings”, the good news not only has a wider reach, transcending space, it also has greater permanence because the message stays online forever.

He tells Salt&Light about a girl who had tried to kill herself. She did not succeed and ended up in the hospital instead. There, she decided to give God another chance and began looking for a church. But the thought of stepping into one alone intimidated her. She decided to scroll through TikTok instead.

“She came across my account and reached out to me and my wife. We brought her to church.”

Another person, a teenager, was going through a very difficult time. He chanced upon David’s social media account and reached out. They started communicating online.

“After that, when he was more open, we met up in real life. Now he is in church serving,” said David.

“People follow people, not church accounts. We might be the only contact point between them and God.”

Which is why David is very careful about what he posts.

David’s social media is a mix of reflections about the Christian faith, his experiences praying for people and sharing Christ on the street, and short teachings.

“My first thought is not: Will this bless people? My first thought is: Am I promoting myself? Is this out of the flesh? I check my intention first. I don’t want to post something with the intention that it is about me even though it might bless people.

“The most important thing is purity of heart before God. Right before I post, especially the healing content, I am always in a fear and trembling mode. My wife and I always pray before.”

Opening doors in the real world

His online sharing has blended seamlessly with his face-to-face outreach efforts as well.

“I am at the age where all my friends are getting married. At the past few weddings, people will ask me, ‘Your thing on IG, is it real?’ I wasn’t the one who initiated it but I ended up telling people about Jesus.

“This is the power of the media. The world is watching and you are sowing seeds of faith.”

David’s popularity on social media made it possible for him to reach out to people for the Christmas party in 2022.

It is also because of his online presence that his Christmas invitation two years ago received such a resounding response. At the two pizza parties that eventually came out of it, there were people of various ages.

“They shared openly what they were struggling with. They were being vulnerable. People were tearing, hugging and we were all strangers. It encouraged a lot of people.”

Though they never shared their faith at the party and never intended to, one of the attendees said to them at the end it: “I know you are a Christian. The way you love people is so genuine. Which church are you attending?”

The couple are still in touch with a few of the people from the parties.

More importantly to David, his initiative inspired others to organise parties for the lonely as well. The ripple effect is exactly what he was hoping to see because if one couple can do this, imagine what many couples can do?

“Christmas is a time where you should see Christians in the streets as well because that is where the people are.”

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The post “We may be the only point between them and God”: On the streets and online, this young evangelist just cannot stop talking about Jesus appeared first on Salt&Light.

This year, instead of focusing solely on gifts for friends and family, why not share the love of Christ with others who may be struggling?

Here are seven heartfelt ways you can make this season brighter for all.

1. Restore the lives of trafficked girls: Hagar Singapore

Hurt, abused and taken advantage of all her life, Ayesha (not her real name), who was tricked at 14 into becoming a sex worker in Singapore, was deeply moved by the love of God shown to her through Hagar Singapore. Photo courtesy of Hagar Singapore.

At just 16 years old, Ayesha (not her real name) was trafficked from her home country in South Asia to Singapore and forced to be a sex worker in a nightclub along South Bridge Road.

She initially refused, but her traffickers locked her up, starved her and threatened to not let her return home. With no one to turn to, and no knowledge of English, she finally relented.

Though Ayesha was eventually rescued by local authorities, the damage had been done. She withdrew into herself, struggling to cope with all that she had been forced to do.

But when she met with the persistent love of staff members at Hagar Singapore, she gradually began to open up and heal.

“They gave me confidence, talked to me patiently and comforted me. They told me I have value and encouraged me to stand up,” said Ayesha in an interview with Salt&Light.

Today, she is back in her home country and supporting her younger sisters through school. The staff members at Hagar Singapore remain one of her strongest pillars of support.

She told Salt&Light: “I know that my mum gave birth to me, but Hagar gave me a new life.”

Hagar Singapore is a branch of Hagar International, which is dedicated to the recovery of women and children who are survivors of human trafficking, slavery and extreme abuse.

In Singapore, a popular transit point and destination hub for trafficking activities, it works to help and rehabilitate girls like Ayesha. 

If you’d like to help Hagar Singapore rescue trafficked girls and restore their lives, tap here.

2. Love the chronically ill: Singapore Christian Home

Nicholas Tham, 21, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and has faced multiple life crises, is designing a print (not shown) for merchandise to raise funds for Singapore Christian Home where he lives. Photo courtesy of Nicholas Tham.

When staff members at Singapore Christian Home (SCH) learned about Nicholas Tham’s gift and passion in art, they knew they had to empower him to use it for good.

So this year, they helped Nicholas, a resident who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), to turn his artwork into merchandise for sale. DMD is a genetic disorder in which muscles in the body are progressively lost over time. 

Proceeds from the sale will contribute to his bills at the home, and to support his family.

“We hope that this project will give Nicholas a sense of dignity and financial independence, as he transits into adulthood,” Moses Lim, an SCH staff member who is spearheading the project, told Salt&Light.

Empowered by this opportunity to contribute, Nicholas hopes that his work can encourage others with disabilities to discover their gifts and potential to give. “Don’t focus on something you cannot do, but do something you can do,” Nicholas said.

Founded by four Christian friends in 1960, SCH is a 240-bed nursing home that serves chronically ill patients from all races, religions and social economic status.

Known for accepting difficult and challenging cases that are generally refused by other institutions, SCH is also the only nursing home in Singapore with a dedicated paediatric ward for medically-fragile children and young persons.

If you’d like to love on the chronically ill, tap here. Donations are tax deductible. 

3. Support inclusion in churches: Koinonia Inclusion Network

Elliot, who has Down Syndrome, worshipping in church. The dream of his mother, Sherlyn Quek, is to see him serving actively in church one day. Photo from St James Church Superpower Kids’ Facebook page.

How can children with special needs be included in Sunday School?

How can small groups embrace those who are different? 

How can churches better support caregivers of those with disabilities?

With a heart for those who are differently abled, Koinonia Inclusion Network (KIN) asks and answers these questions as it strives to help Christian communities to be more inclusive.

Set up in 2019 by Leow Wen Pin, it runs courses, publishes resources and conducts research to equip and train churches to welcome those who are different, believing the the Church will be stronger for it. 

For example, its flagship training programme, called the Certificate of Christian Disability Ministry, sees participants learning more about how to include children with special needs in Sunday School, as well as provide pastoral care for persons with disabilities.

Wen Pin told Salt&Light: “Persons with disabilities do not disable the Church. Instead, they enable the Church to be what God wants His Church to be ­– one that reaches out to those at the margins, that bears with each other’s strengths and weaknesses, that loves sacrificially.”

If you’d like to help support inclusion in churches, tap here.

4. Inspire children of inmates to break the cycle: Care Club

Children of inmates often deal with guilt and shame in addition to often being in unstable home environments. Care Club is a ministry that works with these children, offering them counselling, tuition, mentoring and weekly activities. Photo courtesy of Prison Fellowship Singapore.

Ten-year-old Sean (not his real name) was always the life of the party.

But he would never talk about his family, especially his father. If he ever mentioned the man, he would turn aggressive and badmouth him.

As it turned out, the boy was hiding feelings of guilt and shame behind his smiles, as his father had been imprisoned for drug-related crimes.

Through the patient mentorship of his counsellor at Care Club, however, Sean became more accepting of the fact that his father was incarcerated. It helped that the other children at Care Club also had a parent in prison.

Since 2008, the Family Care Ministry arm of Prison Fellowship Singapore has been creating a safe space for children of inmates.

It aims to provide them with holistic support, including mentorship, frequent check-ins, tuition and short-term financial aid. PFS also ministers to their parents, both the ones in prison and the ones left at home.

Care Club staff member Robin Low told Salt&Light: “There are no bad children, only children in bad environments.”

If you’d like to inspire children of inmates to break the cycle, tap here.

5. Take the Gospel to the lost: Antioch21

The greatest gift we can give someone is the gift of Christ. Photo by Bill Wegener on Unsplash.

More than three billion people worldwide have not yet heard of the Christmas story and the hope that Jesus brings.

So this season, why not give them the gift of Christ? One way you can do this is by supporting Antioch21, a united movement by the Singapore Church to take the Gospel to the last, the lost and the least.

Last year, Antioch21 officially launched the Decade of Missions (2023–2033). Its purpose is “to raise a missionary force of all generations, within the next decade, to be launched into the gateway cities and least reached places, to reach the lost, the unreached and the unengaged people groups in Asia and beyond”.

It has three faith goals to be achieved by 2033, which will mark about 2,000 years since the Resurrection and Pentecost: 

• To mobilise 80% of local churches to engage in missions
• To place 1,000 Singaporean missionaries and 300 migrant missionaries in the nations for at least two years
  • To plant 500 new churches that will multiply
  • To adopt and actively engage 50 unreached people groups
  • To pioneer 100 holistic mission initiatives (including medical, education, business and community development)
• To raise S$10 million for missions work (including seed funding smaller churches to deploy missionaries and to provide post-field support for returning missionaries)

“Singapore, as an Antioch of Asia, must participate in this global endeavour, to contribute our part to fulfil Christ’s mandate to the global Church,” said the late Joseph Chean, who was the former Strategic Coordinator of Antioch21.

If you’d like to learn more about Antioch21 and how you can play a part in reaching the nations, drop the team an email here.

6. Treasure the elderly: St Luke’s ElderCare

At SLEC’s 25th anniversary gala dinner on November 7, 2024, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam met a few elders who participated in SLEC’s Golden Memories programme, where generative AI was used to transform their life stories into personalised media formats such as books, audiobooks and AI-generated videos. Photo courtesy of St Luke’s ElderCare.

By 2026, Singapore will be a “super-aged” society with more than one in five Singaporeans aged 65 and above. By 2030, this figure will be one in four, comprising about one million elders.

This is why St Luke’s ElderCare (SLEC), a Christian healthcare provider for the elderly, has launched its S$30 million Community Transformation Fund.

The fund will be used to support various initiatives in six areas, which will benefit more than 45,000 elders in the next five years. The initiatives include:

• Developing cutting-edge robotics rehabilitation equipment and revamping their Active Ageing Centres;
• Providing mentorship to equip existing leaders and attract young people to enter the community care sector;
• Improving programmes to include visual and performing arts, music with therapeutic components, thematic dining experiences and inter-generational activities;
• Continuing their CommCare Symposium, which helps healthcare professionals stay abreast of advancements in community care;
• Connecting with community care partners, like New Life Community Services and SingHealth; and
• Training professionals, volunteers and caregivers through their SLEC CommCare Academy.

Said Professor Ho Yew Kee, Chairman of SLEC’s Board of Directors: “In an impersonable and fast-moving world, human connections are priceless. At SLEC, we treasure each individual as a precious pearl.”

If you’d like to join SLEC in treasuring the elderly, tap here. Donations are tax deductible. 

7. Protect a vulnerable child: World Vision Singapore

In this year’s World Vision Gift Catalogue, you can gift a vulnerable child or family a taste of Christ’s love for Christmas. Photo from Keep the Light Alive.

In this year’s Gift Catalogue by World Vision Singapore, titled Keep the Light Alive, you can give a vulnerable child a leg up in life starting from S$35.

For S$35, you can help to educate 10 pre-schoolers on how to prevent Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, or combat child labour through awareness sessions.

For S$80, you can help 150 children in Bangladesh escape child labour and return to school. 

For S$100, you can help to rehabilitate 100 malnourished children in slums through a nutrition programme. 

For S$400, you can help to train refugees and crisis-affected families to gain new livelihood opportunities.

Lim Kah Seng, World Vision Singapore’s biggest child sponsor who sponsors 159 children around the world, told Salt&Light: “Outside the Singapore bubble, children are suffering out of our sight. It could be starvation, abuse, slavery, sickness and many other things that we don’t see in our city.”

“My prayer is for our hearts to continue to be broken for these things.”

If you’d like to protect a vulnerable child, tap here.

And why not … partner with Salt&Light to publish hope in the digital space?

Salt&Light is passionate about digital outreach and discipleship, and having conversations within the Church and beyond.

Have you been encouraged by an article, video or social media post by Salt&Light?

If you have, we are thankful. It has been our joy and privilege to share inspiring stories of God’s hand at work, and we hope to continue to do so in the years to come.

For those who may not know, Salt&Light is part of the Thirst Collective. The Collective first launched in 2016 with next-generation platform Thir.st, before kickstarting Salt&Light for faith-at-work conversations in 2018.

Over the pandemic years, we’ve added Stories of Hope and 还好吗 hhm.sg, websites publishing stories which share the Good News of Jesus Christ beyond church walls. We also launched Find A Church to help seekers identify churches to visit and settle in.

As you can tell, we are passionate about digital outreach and discipleship, and having conversations within the church and beyond.

The Thirst Collective is an independent organisation funded by the support of like-minded Christians.

If you’d like to support our mission to continue publishing Christ’s love and peace in the digital space, tap here.

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The post 7 meaningful ways to give this Christmas appeared first on Salt&Light.

Hospitality is one of the most important graces of the Christian life. The Greek word for hospitality is a combination of two words: philo, which mean love, and xena, which means stranger. 

Hospitality, therefore, is basically a love for the stranger. Although the Greek word that is translated as hospitality appears only about six times in the New Testament, the idea permeates the Scriptures.

Showing and seeking hospitality

In his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul urges his readers to “contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality”. (Romans 12:13) 

The writer of Hebrews exhorts the Jewish-Christian community with these words: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2)

When these two passages are juxtaposed in this way, several important truths about hospitality emerge.

Firstly, showing hospitality is not an optional extra for Christians, something they do when they have time to spare. It is part and parcel of the Christian life.

Secondly, the Christian must not only extend hospitality to members of the Christian community, but to strangers also.

The theme of hospitality is not only found in the New Testament.

God’s ancient people were also commanded to practise hospitality. In Leviticus, God instructed Israel to “treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34)

Transformative love

Jesus is the example par excellence of generous hospitality.

The One who “has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20) received children, fed the multitude, ate with sinners, and prepared breakfast for His disciples.

In practising hospitality, the Christian is simply following his Lord and obeying His command to love his neighbour (Mark 12:31; Leviticus 19:18).

Agapic love is the motivation behind Christian hospitality, the energy that drives it; agape is that uncommon love which sets no conditions and which does not discriminate.

The practice of hospitality is truly transformative. It enables us to see others in the way that we have never seen them before.

The practice of hospitality can therefore cure our spiritual astigmatism and open our eyes to see the other for who he truly is – as the bearer of God’s image, as the person for whom the Son of God died on the Cross, and as someone whom God loves unconditionally.

Seeing ourselves truthfully

But the practice of hospitality is also transformative in another sense. 

It also enables us to see ourselves more truthfully. It forces us to be honest with ourselves. It reveals our lamentable disinterest in our neighbours, our reluctance to reach out to them, and our unwillingness to serve our fellow human beings.

It reveals our chronic fear of becoming too exposed to the world. It brings us out of our comfort zone, and makes us feel insecure and vulnerable. In practising hospitality, we often risk putting our lives and our hearts on display. 

But it is precisely because it forces us to confront the truth about ourselves that the practice of hospitality presents an opportunity for us to grow spiritually.

By making manifest our carefully-camouflaged selfishness, ambition and pride, it brings us to the place where self-awareness can lead to repentance, renewal and maturity.

In this way, the practice of hospitality becomes the means of grace by which the Christian can be incrementally transformed into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve. (Matthew 20:28)

Pray

Lord Jesus Christ, You welcomed all who came to You into Your presence.

Grant me that grace to welcome others – my brother and sister-in-Christ, my family and friends, the stranger – with the love that does not set conditions and which does not discriminate. Amen.

Ponder

1. Why should the Christian practise hospitality?

2. What are some obstacles that you personally face in practising hospitality?

3. What are some practical ways in which you can begin to exercise the ministry of hospitality?

This devotion was first published in “Dwell: An Invitation to Rest, Reflect and Renew” by Blue Mountain Kelong (www.bluemountainkelong.com), and is republished with permission. 

The devotional book, which includes 25 reflections on Creation, Hospitality, Rest and Mission by such Christian leaders as Dr Tan Lai Yong, Leow Wen Pin and Rev Dr Keith Lai, goes towards the mission of Blue Mountain Kelong Social Enterprise, which strives to awaken hope and transform lives through community development.

Books can be purchased at $12 here.

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The post This Christmas, are we showing the generous hospitality of the One who had “nowhere to lay his head”? appeared first on Salt&Light.

This December, churches islandwide are offering a range of events that do exactly that in fun and creative ways.

Whether you’re looking for a musical, a festive concert, a children’s party, or a family-friendly carnival, there’s something everyone will enjoy.

For those who enjoy a good performance

If you enjoy catching performances, don’t miss these dramas and musicals that share God’s love in creative and engaging ways.

THE LION & THE SPEAR (Bethesda Bedok-Tampines Church)

Inspired by true events, The Lion and the Spear is a deeply moving story packed with action. Photo from Bethesda Bedok-Tampines Church.

Set against the violent traditions of the Waodani tribe, the drama follows three families who risk everything to befriend a group of people they barely understand.

Amid moments of pain, loss and grief, The Lion and the Spear is about finding hope and healing even in the darkest of times. Inspired by true events.

Where: Bethesda Bedok-Tampines Church
300 Bedok North Avenue 3, Singapore 469717

When: December 21 at 4pm;
December 22 at 10am and 4pm

Tickets: $5 each

A children’s programme is available simultaneously for those aged 3 to 9.

More details here.

THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF: A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL (City Harvest Church)

This Christmas Special by City Harvest Church reimagines a classic tale.

Nathan, the son of a rich mayor, goes through a whirlwind adventure with a most unlikely pal.

Amid scandal, betrayal and an encounter with a divine prophecy, Nathan must confront his own misdeeds and witness a miracle that will change the world forever. Will you take this adventure with him?

*On-stage interpretation in Mandarin will be provided.

Where: City Harvest Church
Suntec Singapore, Level 6, Halls 601-604

When: December 21 at 2pm and 5pm;
December 22, 10am

No tickets are required, but do arrive early to get a seat.

A STORY OF HOPE (Harvester Community Church)

A Story of Hope hopes to illustrate the importance of embracing your God-given purpose. Photo from Harvester Community Church.

Ryan is a talented young sprinter with dreams of becoming a national champion.

However, his aspirations are challenged when a sudden complication threatens not just his athletic future, but his sense of purpose.

Confronted with rejection and uncertainty, a teammate introduces him to hope that transcends the world of competitions.

Follow Ryan’s emotional journey of heartbreak and healing, rejection and redemption. Discover how, even amid life’s greatest challenges, embracing a God-given purpose can restore faith, inspire resilience and renew hope.

Where: Harvester Community Church
165 Sims Avenue
Harvest Care Centre, Level 2 Auditorium 

When: December 21 at 7pm;
December 22 at 2.30pm

A children’s programme is available simultaneously for kids aged 0 to 12.

No tickets are required.

COME ALIVE: MUSICAL PRODUCTION (Hope Singapore)

Christmas at Hope Church includes a musical production, a Christmas carnival and a children’s programme.

When life brings a crashing wave, Maya, a girl who befriended her childhood movie characters, goes on a journey with them. Come alongside her as she discovers that the beauty of dreams is even more magical than she imagined!

Where: At four Hope Singapore branches islandwide

When: December 21 and 22, various timings

No tickets are required.

There will also be a Christmas carnival at each branch featuring a photobooth, bakes and coffee, games, door gifts and claw machines. A children’s programme is also available.

THE MOST NOBLE GIFT (Cornerstone Community Church)

Great tidings to the citizens of Lilyvale! The long-awaited King is born!

The Town Crier invites one and all to the King’s, to present their gifts before him. Buck, Aderly and Milliot start on this journey, but soon face challenges.

Can they overcome their fears and disappointments to reach the Palace? And will the King accept the gifts they bring?

Where: Cornerstone Community Church (Katong)
Level 3, Main Auditorium
Odeon Katong, 11 East Coast Road
Singapore 428722

When: December 21 at 11am (bilingual service), 1.30pm (youths and families) and 5pm
December 22 at 9am and 11am

Come early and catch the pre-service strings quartet performance. Doors open 20 minutes before the programme begins.

Admission is free. No tickets required.

For those who want to hear the Christmas story anew

If you want to introduce your non-believing friends and family to the Christmas message, here are some special services that tell the story in engaging ways.

THE GIFT OF LIGHT (Kampong Kapor Methodist Church)

Countdown to Christmas with The Gift of Light. Photo from Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.

In this Christmas Eve service, enjoy songs and interactive moments that reflect how Christmas is often seen in the world, interwoven with short reflections.

Then journey to the heart of Christmas through the famous carol “Silent Night” and the story of Christ’s birth. A brief message about Jesus as Light of the World (John 1:1-5) will follow. 

The evening will conclude with a time of worship, featured carols like “O Holy Night” and “Joy to the World”.

Where: Kampong Kapor Methodist Church
1 Kampong Kapor Road, Singapore 208673

When: December 24 at 10pm
Come at 8pm for some light snacks.

More details here.

COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (Katong Presbyterian Church)

Katong Presbyterian Church’s Christmas Day service is open to all. Photo from Katong Presbyterian Church.

At this Christmas service, sing carols with a choir, listen to a sharing of the Christmas message and enjoy a time of fellowship over a free lunch.

Where: Katong Presbyterian Church
42 Joo Chiat Lane, Singapore 428102

(A shuttle bus service runs every 20 minutes to and from Eunos MRT station from 9.10am.)

When: December 25 from 10am to 1pm

More details here.

UNCHANGING LOVE: A MANDARIN EVANGELISTIC SERVICE (Faith Methodist Church)

This service is best for your Mandarin-speaking friends and family. Photo from Faith Methodist Church.

In the storms of life, there is always a love that never leaves you. All are welcome to experience this unchanging love.

Service will be conducted in Mandarin. Lunch is provided.

Where: Anglo Chinese Junior College
25 Dover Close East, Singapore 139745
Level 2, School Hall

When: December 25, at 10.15am

More details here.

THIS IS REAL LOVE (Trinity Christian Centre)

Enjoy a host of performances as you follow the nativity story at This is Real Love. Photo from Trinity Christian Centre.

In this family-friendly Christmas drama-musical, sing along to classic Christmas melodies and be enthralled by the retelling of the Christmas nativity story through animation, live-action scenes, original tunes, as well as dance, choir and ensemble performances.

Nursery services for young children aged 0 to 4 will run concurrently.

Where: At 3 Trinity Christian Centre branches

When: December 21 and 22, various timings

Full details here.

For the littlies

The Christmas season is the best time for your children to have fun as they learn more about the birth of Jesus. Be sure not to miss these children’s programmes that will delight and entertain kids of all ages.

AN UNEXPECTED GIFT: A CHRISTMAS MUSICAL (Living Sanctuary Brethren Church)

Find out what the unexpected gift was at this musical by Living Sanctuary Brethren Church. Photo from Living Sanctuary Brethren Church.

Sammie was searching for happiness until she discovered an unexpected gift. Come and witness a heartwarming tale this Christmas season!

For children aged 4 to 11.

Where: Living Sanctuary Brethren Church (L2 MPH)
2 Hougang Street 22, Singapore 538728

When: December 22 from 11.15am to 12.45pm

Admission is free.

(Living Sanctuary Brethren Church will also be holding a production for youths called The Table of Grace on December 21. More details here.)

A SUPERHERO-THEMED CHRISTMAS PARTY: AN EVANGELISTIC EVENT (LoveSingapore)

This hero-themed children’s party is a part of Christmas in Queenstown. Photo from Christmas in Queenstown.

This superhero-themed children’s Christmas party will be filled with fun, prizes and the Good News of the Gospel.

Stations include:

• Spider-Man Zone: Test your agility, speed and reflexes!
• Hulk Zone: Flex your muscles and smash your way through fun challenges.
• Frozen Zone: Compete in snowball fights and more!
• Creative Crafts: Make something special to take home and treasure.
• Superhero Skit: A new superhero is in town, and our heroes are worried about losing their jobs – who is he, and what’s his mission? Join us to uncover the twist!

For children aged 5 to 12 – and their parents!

Where: Church of the Good Shepherd
2 Dundee Road, Singapore 149454
(Next to Queenstown MRT station)

When: December 13 to 15, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm

THE MOST MARVELLOUS GIFT (Harvester Community Church)

The Most Marvellous Gift includes an immersive story and a fun hands-on activity. Photo from Harvester Community Church.

Step into Wemmicksville’s gift-making factory and join the finest gift makers on Maker’s Day, through an immersive story and a hands-on project.

Inspired by Punchinello’s heartwarming journey, come discover the joy of giving this season and celebrate the true spirit of Christmas – where perfection is not the goal, and love is the greatest gift of all.

For children aged 0 to 12.

Where: Harvester Community Church
165 Sims Avenue, Singapore 387606

When: December 21 at 7pm;
December 22 at 2.30pm

More details here. Registration is required.

THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY: AN INTERACTIVE PLAY (Cornerstone Community Church)

Celebrate the message of Christmas in this heartwarming play. Photo from Cornerstone Community Church.

This interactive play celebrates the message of Christmas and the joy of giving from the heart.

From the keen and innocent perspective of a young child listening to his mother re-tell the Christmas story, be transported to Bethlehem where shepherds, wise men and a little drummer boy gather to honour the newborn King. 

For children aged 18 months to 6 years old. (Children aged 7 to 12 are encouraged to join their parents in the Main Auditorium for the family-friendly Christmas production.)

Where: Cornerstone Community Church (Katong), Level 2
Odeon Katong, 11 East Coast Road
Singapore 428722

When: December 21 at 11am and 5pm;
December 22 at 9am and 11am

More details here.

For those who want to soak in the Christmas spirit

How better to get into the Christmas mood than to visit a Christmas carnival? This month, churches all over Singapore will be hosting carnivals for all to enjoy.

CHRISTMAS IN QUEENSTOWN

Christmas in Queenstown has been captivating Singaporeans since 2016. Photo from Christmas in Queenstown.

Since 2016, this European-style Christmas market has been a magnet for visitors from all corners of the island.  

It features a tall Christmas tree, “snowfall” at regular intervals, and wooden stalls selling gifts, crafts and more. This year, look out for a section that evokes the feeling of being in a marketplace in Bethlehem – the little town where Baby Jesus was born.

The market is also a great place to pick up unique and meaningful gifts for loved ones and friends – many go towards supporting the work of social enterprises.

Where: 2 Dundee Road, Singapore 149454

When: December 13 to 15, from 5pm to 10pm 

More details here.

CHRISTMAS VILLAGE@TAVISTOCK (Zion Serangoon Bible Presbyterian Church)

Free craft workshops at Christmas Village@Tavistock include wood log ornaments and personalised mini wreaths. Photo from Zion Serangoon Bible-Presbyterian Church.

Enjoy a wide variety of food, free craft workshops, a pop-up thrift store featuring pre-loved clothes, toys, books and electronics, as well as stalls run by local creative brands.

There will also be an original live musical from 8pm, after a pre-show exhibition featuring a Christmas Story Series by local artist, Dominique Fam, which captures five key moments from the birth of the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ.

Each coupon card costs $5, inclusive of five food items and a free photobooth session. All proceeds from the coupon card and thrift sales will be donated to Gladiolus Place, a non-profit residential home for disadvantaged teenage girls.

Where: Zion Serangoon Bible-Presbyterian Church
3 and 5 Tavistock Avenue, Singapore 555108

When: December 19 to 21, from 5.30pm to 9pm

More details here.

CHRISTMAS AT FAITH (Faith Methodist Church)

This neighbourhood carnival even features a water play area for kids. Photo from Faith Methodist Church.

In this neighbourhood carnival named Back to Bethlehem, enjoy delicious food, carnival games, Christmas crafts, local boutique merchandise and even a water play area for kids.

Don’t miss special performances by Jack & Rai, an acoustic/rock duo, as well as LAYYI, a local pop/R&B singer-songwriter.

There will also be something for the children, including a nativity performance (December 21 at 3pm) and interactive storytelling, games and crafts (December 25 at 11.15am).

Where: Faith Methodist Church
400 Commonwealth Drive, Singapore 149604

When: December 20, from 4pm to 9pm;
December 21, from 10am to 9pm;
December 22, from 12nn to 9pm

All activities are free.

More details here.

CHRISTMAS@CATHEDRAL (St Andrew’s Cathedral)

Christmas@Cathedral is back after a long hiatus. Photo from St Andrew’s Cathedral.

Back after a long hiatus, Christmas@Cathedral will feature an Instagram-worthy Christmas light-up from December 14 to January 5.

Enjoy a mini Christmas bazaar in the Welcome Centre, where various ministries and social enterprises will showcase their work, as well as music performances.

A docent tour on the history of the church will also be held. 

Where: St Andrew’s Cathedral
11 St Andrew’s Road, Singapore 178959

When: December 17 to 24

More details here.

THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS: A CARENIVAL (Queenstown Baptist Church)

This Christmas Day carnival is especially suited for young families. Photo from Queenstown Baptist Church.

At this carnival suitable for families, children can enjoy a bouncy castle, animal rides, balloon sculpting, face painting and art jamming.

Adults can also enjoy food and drinks, music performances, a nativity experience and hands-on workshops on parenting, physiotherapy and caregiver support.

Admission is free.

Where: Queenstown Baptist Church
495 Margaret Drive, Singapore 149305

When: December 25, from 11am to 4pm

More details here. 

LIGHT OF CHRISTMAS 2024: A GREENER CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION (Toa Payoh Methodist Church)

Light of Christmas is the flagship Christmas event of Toa Payoh Methodist Church (TPMC).

Since its inauguration in 2015, this event has been spreading the joy and hope of Christmas to Toa Payoh residents. Warmly received by the community, it has attracted an average attendance of 1,500 people in recent years, including 300 less-privileged beneficiaries – such as rough sleepers and residents living in rented flats – from the Toa Payoh Community.

This year, come and enjoy eco-friendly workshops, a flea market, a Children’s Programme, sustainable decorations, and festive performances.

Date & Time: December 21, 2 to 8pm
Venue: Toa Payoh Methodist Church, 480 Lor 2 Toa Payoh
More Info: tpmc.org.sg/light-of-christmas-2024 and on Instagram @tpmcofficial.

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The post Musicals, dramas, games and carnivals: 18 events to bring your friends and family this Christmas 2024 appeared first on Salt&Light.

Few things draw people together in fellowship quite like a table laden with wonderful food, even as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the true Bread of life. 

Here are 11 great Christmas feasting ideas:

1. Melbourne Café specials at Surrey Hills Grocer

No need to haul yourself to Melbourne for this one.

Surrey Hills Grocer, Australian-inspired boutique grocer and cafe, brings to Singapore Christmas specials in collaboration with the wildly popular Melbourne café ST. ALi.

One person will be blessed with a festive feast for four with Surrey Hills Grocer’s collaboration with highly popular Melbourne cafe ST. ALi. Photo by Surrey Hills Grocer.

The Christmas menu features Christmas porchetta and octopus salad, both ST. ALi signatures, as well as Surrey Hills’ specials, such as seared turkey, eggnog cinnamon roll French toast, a spiced winter sangria and a holiday fizz beverage.

Surrey Hills Grocer is also giving away a festive feast for four to bless someone this Christmas. For a chance to secure this feast:

• Like our Instagram post
• Follow @surreyhillsgrocer.sg
• ⁠Tag three friends you’d love to share this meal with

Giveaway ends 11:59pm on Monday, December 16. The winner will be announced December 17. 

Festive Feast menu is available till December 31, 2024 at all Surrey Hill Grocer outlets. 

Christmas specials

• Surrey Hills Festive Feast $16-$38
  • Christmas porchetta (ST. ALi special) 
  • Octopus salad (ST. ALi special)
  • Tender seared turkey
  • Eggnog cinnamon roll french toast
  • Holiday Fizz
  • Spiced winter sangria

How to buy: Dine in only at all Surrey Hill Grocer outlets. Make reservations here. 

2. Sweet treats at YPH Papua 

This Christmas, let your table shine with delicious treats that also support a child’s education in Papua, Indonesia.

Every purchase of a buttery soft panettone or a decadent rum-soaked baba au rhum helps fund the education of a child in Papua for an entire month. 

Order your baked goods from Yayasan Pendidikan Harapan Papua (YPH Papua), a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing education to children in 11 remote villages of Papua, a region in want of proper education and healthcare facilities. 

This Baba au rhum is a sponge cake soaked in a special syrup of manta rum and topped with Italian buttercream and strawberries. All proceeds go to funding a child’s education. Photo by YPH Papua.

Christmas specials

• Items that ship to Singapore:
  • Panettone (500g) $60 for plain, $65 for chocolate or rum. 
  • Panettone trio of original, chocolate and rum flavours (250g each) $90
  • Baba au Rhum (20cm diameter) $60

How to buy: Order by WhatsApp +62-811-979-5700
Delivery: $10 for each address in Singapore 

3. Chilli crabs at Penang Place

Christmas is the season of honey baked ham and tender turkey … and at Penang Place, chilli crabs. 

The free-flow of chilli crabs, which made its debut 10 years ago, makes a highly anticipated return to the restaurant’s Christmas buffet this year. 

Spicy chilli crabs are a departure from the Christmas tradition but the dish is an iconic Singapore delicacy “and we communicate love by giving our customers a dish they really like,” said Paul Ooi, Penang Place owner. Chilli crabs join a spread of Penang favourites including the restaurant’s highly acclaimed Penang char kway teow at the Christmas buffet. 

Free-flow chili crabs make a highly anticipated return to Penang Place’s Christmas buffet this year with a spread of Penang favourites including its famed Penang Char Kway Teow. Photo by Penang Place.

The chilli crab Christmas buffet is available December 14, 2024 to January 1, 2025. At $41.50 on weekdays, it’s a steal! 

If you’d rather throw your Christmas party at home, Penang Place has you covered with the Christmas mini-buffet featuring seafood doused in the head chef’s signature chilli sauce. 

Christmas specials

• Christmas buffet with free-flow of chilli crab $41.90/adult (weekdays) $44.90/adult (weekends) (20% discount for seniors 60 years old and above). 
• Christmas mini buffet $279 (1o pax)

How to buy: Reservations for lunch and dinner here or order the mini buffet here. 

Penang Place is at 3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City, #02-314 / 315 / 316 Convention Centre, 038983

4. Log painting and high tea at Café de Paris

Café de Paris, known for serving art jams with coffee, cakes and specialty bon bons, is putting log painting on its menu this Christmas. 

“As we celebrate, let’s carry the joy and gratitude of this season into our interactions.”

The dessert cafe has a Christmas package of high tea with log painting, a super fun way of bonding over Christmas. 

Log painting is a beginner-friendly activity that can be completed in under two hours. The painted logs can double up as Christmas tree ornaments.

The high tea set comprises of sweets in a floral theme and savoury snacks in a garden theme. Each high tea tray adorned with flowers is crafted by Café de Paris and no two are the same.

High tea and log painting at Café de Paris is a super fun way to spend time together this Chiristmas. Photo by Café de Paris.

“As we celebrate, let’s carry the joy and gratitude of this season into our interactions, letting it be a light that shines to others,” owner Ming Ming said. “May this be a time to remember our first Love—Jesus Christ—and to be vessels of His love, spreading kindness and warmth to everyone we meet.”

Christmas log painting special ends January 19, 2025. 

Christmas specials

• Floral blossom high tea set with log painting Christmas special ($45/pax)
• Floral blossom high tea set ($25/pax)
• Where to buy: Make your reservations here 

Café de Paris is at 313 Orchard Road, 313@somerset, #B1-37 Singapore 238895

5. Barbecue and Big Savings at The Book Bistro

The Book Bistro, the evening dining experience of the Book Café, is giving away festive discount vouchers on its Christmas menu when you dine in for an evening meal. 

“Find someone during this year end season who may be in need of some encouragement and bless them.”

If you cannot get your hand on those vouchers, you can grab the same deals when you show this article at an evening meal.

“Find someone at this year-end season who may be in need of some encouragement and bless them,” says Tim Wong, owner of The Book Bistro, quoting Acts 20:35.

For meat lovers, The Book Bistro’s festive meat board is a dream platter of hearty barbecued pork ribs, grass-fed steak, chicken and bratwurst.

Like any barbecue worth its salt, these come with unlimited (!) fries and salad, as well as a complimentary scoop of gelato for each diner.

The festive meat board at The Book Bistro is a dreamy platter of barbecued ribs, beef, chicken and bratwurst for meat lovers. Photo by The Book Bistro.

The vouchers are available until February 28, 2025. Festive boards will be served through Chinese New Year.

The Book Bistro is open for dinner Wednesdays to Sundays, 5 to 9.30pm. Pets are welcome in the outdoor dining area. 

Christmas specials

• Festive vouchers (show this article at a dinner at The Book Bistro to redeem these vouchers)
  • 1-for-1 deal for set menu 
  • 30% savings on festive meat boards 
  • $3 for any beverage with food order between 3pm and 5pm at The Book Cafe 
• Festive meat boards
  • The Book Bistro Board (2-3 persons) $68.80
  • Friends Board (5-6 persons) $148.80
  • Family Board (8-10 persons) $208.80
  • Over Board (12-14 persons) $288.80

How to buy: Make your reservations here.
Delivery: Order through Grab, Deliveroo and Food Panda.

The Book Bistro is at 20 Martin Road, Seng Kee Building, #01-02, Singapore 239070

6. Follow the star at Bakery Brera 

Italian sweet bread pandoro makes its debut in Bakery Brera’s Christmas catalogue. Pandoro is a bread originally made for the royalty of Venice (pan means bread and d’oro means golden), so called because only the rich could afford it.

Today, pandoro is a staple at every Christmas in Italy and is becoming a staple at Christmas in Singapore too.

Typically dusted with icing sugar to resemble the alps in winter, the eight-pointed star shaped bread is perfect for decorating into a mini Christmas tree and makes a gorgeous centrepiece for the holiday table.

A stellar lineup of Christmas bakes joins pandoro, Bakery Brera’s new offering. (clockwise from top left) Christmas tree pastry, pandoro, brioche Christmas wreath and Christollen German stollen. Photos by Bakery Brera.

Joining this star-shaped Christmas goodie is a stellar lineup of Bakery Brera’s signature Christmas bakes that have been the mainstay of the bakery. 

“I challenge everyone to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” Psalm 34:8”, said Thrina Low, Bakery Brera owner.

Christmas specials

• Pandoro (65 g or 200g) $8-$15 
• Panettone (fruit or chocolate) $35-$80
• Christollen (470g) $38
• Christmas Wreath (10 inches) $28 

See the full catalogue here.
How to buy: Order online here or email order.brera@gmail.com 

Bakery Brera is at #01-05, 8 Empress Road, 260008, Singapore

7. Guilt-free sweets from Camaca

Want your cake and eat it too? Camaca’s gelatos, swiss rolls, pound cakes are so good you’d never guess they are sugar-free.

The Camaca line of desserts was developed by a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan who wanted to create healthier options for desserts without sacrificing taste. 

Camaca’s Christmas bundle of sugar-free goodies makes a delicious gift for diabetics and those looking for less calories. Photo by Camaca.

The result is sugar-free desserts that are perfect for diabetics and for your friends and family members with a sweet tooth who don’t need the extra calories.

Available while stocks last.

Christmas specials

• Camaca Christmas Gift Bundle, $68
  • Chocolate Pound Cake
  • ⁠Figs Pound Cake
  • Orange Pound Cake
  • Whole Vanilla Swiss Roll
  • Classic Gelato
  • ⁠Nutty Tart
  • Brownie
  • Box of Nama Chocolates
• Camaca Special Christmas Bundle, $40
  • Choice of three tubs of sugar-free gelato from seven flavours: chocolate, hazelnut, strawberry latte, lychee coconut, earl grey, vanilla

How to buy: Call +65 6264 7787  or WhatsApp +65 8151 777 or pick up from EagleWings Loft 

EagleWings Loft is at 9 King Albert Park, #01-33/34/56/57 KAP Residences Mall, Singapore 598332

8. Celebrate abundance at EagleWings Loft

From the earth to the sea, the offerings on this year’s EagleWings Loft Christmas menu reflects the abundance of the earth and gratitude for the blessings received through the birth of Christ.

“The offerings celebrate the simplicity and richness of God’s provision, reminding us of the joy of sharing a meal with loved ones during this holy season,” said Jonathan Bowness of EagleWings Loft. 

“The verse that underpins our inspiration for the menu is Psalm 34:8: ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.‘”

The Christmas menu at EagleWings Loft reflects the abundance of the earth and gratitude for the blessings received through the birth of Christ. Photo by EagleWings Loft.

“The offerings celebrate the simplicity and richness of God’s provision, reminding us of the joy of sharing a meal with loved ones during this holy season,

Tuck into fully loaded baked potatoes bursting with the richness of the earth, truffle-baked oysters from the sea, baked short ribs and wagyu steak and finish off the meal with a mint log cake.

The Christmas Feast menu ends January 5, 2025. 

Christmas specials

• Christmas Feast 
  • Fully loaded baked potato $8.90 
  • Winter buratta salad $19.90
  • Truffled baked oysters $13.90
  • Yuletide braised short ribs $58.90
  • Christmas wagyu steak $53.90
  • Noël mint log cake $7.90/piece, $42.90/cake 
• Christmas Feast three-course set menu $78.90 
• How to buy: Order or make reservations for dining in at 6264 7787 or WhatsApp 8151 7777 

EagleWings Loft is at 9 King Albert Park, #01-33/34/56/57 KAP Residences Mall, Singapore 598332

9. A Peranakan Christmas by S17

The much-loved Peranakan-style stuffed turkey from social enterprise S17 Community Kitchen returns, this time accompanied by kueh salat and kueh lapis. 

S17 Community Cafe is offering kueh lapis and kueh salat this Christmas with its Peranakan-inspired stuff turkey. Photo by S17 Community Cafe.

The turkeys are available in a choice of two stuffings – buah keluak fried rice or nasi ulam. Both come with buah keluak sauce and sambal belachan.

At a hefty 5.5 kg, these turkeys will feed your entire family and then some this Christmas. 

The kueh salat comes with a side of durian pengat sauce. 

Deadline for ordering the turkey is December 20. For kueh salat and kueh lapis, three days’ advance notice is required. 

Christmas specials

• Christmas turkey: Choice of nasi ulam or buah keluak fried rice stuffing (5.5 kg) $188
• Kueh salat with durian pengat sauce (2kg) $60
• Kueh lapis (2kg) $45 

How to buy: WhatsApp 8023 4345 or dine in. 

S17 Community Kitchen is at 57 Lengkok Bahru, Singapore 151057

10. Christmas ham from Breakthrough Missions

Breakthrough Missions’ renowned ham baked by in-house chef Benjamin Tan with a secret recipe is a Christmas favourite, and part of the halfway house’s fundraising efforts. This ham is snapped up well in advance of Christmas. Delivery for Christmas eve is no longer available. 

The bone-in gammon ham from Breakthrough Mission baked with a secret recipe is a hot favourite every Christmas. Photo by Breakthrough Mission.

The ham is available only while stocks last. 

Christmas special

• Honey baked ham (3kg) $150
• Gammon bone-in ham (3.5-4kg) $250
• Gammon bone-in ham (5kg) $300

How to buy: WhatsApp Susan at 9233 9812
Delivery: Free
Email enquiries to enquiries@breakthroughmissions.org.sg

11. Giving back at Elsie’s Kitchen

“We aim to bring festive warmth to the community and show care to disadvantaged families.”

The spirit of giving is what drives Elsie’s Kitchen Christmas offerings and activities this year. The caterer supports its community by using locally sourced ingredients. It is also giving away Christmas gifts to customers: A reusable grocery tote for corporate buffets and, and a three-tiered festive tingkat (a layered food container) for household buffet orders. 

In that same spirit, Elsie’s Kitchen contributed 600 bentos, featuring some of the kitchen’s favourites to a Christmas carnival held jointly by Care Corner Singapore and five churches in Woodlands.

“Through the event, we aim to bring festive warmth to the Woodlands community and show care to disadvantaged families,” said Reuben Ang, managing director. 

The spirit of giving is the inspiration this year for Elsie’s Kitchen, which uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients to support the local community. Photo from Elsie’s Kitchen website.

Elsie’s Kitchen Christmas menus offer a spread of holiday favourites with an Asian twist: Gula melaka and pineapple glazed turkey ham, mushroom and turkey ham spaghetti with burnt miso cream, slow-cooked Vietnamese turkey consommé with beef bakso (Indonesian meatballs), Laksa-gna with santan bechamel with rempah turkey and shrimp ragu. For desserts, the Asian flavours continue into Vietnamese coffee ground log cake, matcha white chocolate croissant penyet and kaya muffin with pandan crumble.

Choose from five Christmas menus ranging from $24.99 to $44.99 per head. A minimum of 10 persons applies.

Christmas party menus are available December 16-31, 2024. 

Christmas specials

• Christmas holiday favourites (minimum 10 persons) $29.99-$35.80 per head
• Festive feast deluxe (minimum 25 persons) $44.90 per head
• Christmas menu (minimum 30 persons) $24.99-$34.99 per head

How to buy: Order here. 

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The post 11 Christmas feasts to celebrate the true Bread of life appeared first on Salt&Light.

The holiday season is an opportune time to share love, joy and the Good News of Jesus Christ with those around us who have yet to know Him.

As Christians, we are called to be salt and light, reflecting God’s love in every corner of our lives. But how do we engage meaningfully with our pre-believing friends and neighbours in a way that resonates with their hearts?

One practical approach is the BLESS model, a simple, relational strategy to bless those around us while planting seeds of faith.

The BLESS Model

B: Begin with Prayer
Start by lifting your friends and loved ones in prayers. Ask the Lord for wisdom, discernment, and opportunities to share His love. Depend on the Holy Spirit to guide your conversations and actions.

L: Listen
Be present and listen with an open heart. Instead of jumping straight into sharing, take time to understand your friend’s struggles, dreams, and perspectives. Listening with empathy paves the way for meaningful connections.

E: Eat
Sharing a meal is a timeless way to build trust and strengthen relationships. Jesus Himself often ate with those He ministered to, creating moments of fellowship and joy. Invite your pre-believing friends for a coffee, a meal, or even festive treats during this holiday season.

S: Serve
Serving others can be as simple as offering encouragement, providing practical help, or showing up when they need a friend. Acts of kindness reflect God’s love and often open the door for deeper conversations about faith.

S: Share
Finally, share your story of God’s love and grace. Your personal testimony, paired with the Gospel message, can inspire hope and transformation in others. When the moment feels right, don’t shy away from asking your friend if they want to receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour.

A Meaningful Gift for the Season

To help Christians share God’s love during this festive season, One For Jesus has created the “Love Comes Home” Evangelism Kit. This thoughtfully curated gift box is a wonderful way to bless your friends and family while sparking Gospel-centred conversations.

Each kit, priced at just S$14, includes:

• A ceramic cup inscribed with blessings in English and Chinese.
• A wooden coaster engraved with the attributes of God’s love (based on 1 Corinthians 13).
• Seeker-friendly tracts from Our Daily Bread, covering topics like happiness and money.
• A beautifully designed gift box to hold it all.

If you would like more materials to help you reach out, OFJ also has a Host Resource Kit complete with conversation starters, a creative gospel illustration tool, and festive evangelism resources.

This kit is more than a gift: It’s a conversation starter, a bridge for sharing faith, and a tangible reminder of God’s love. Click here to get yours.

As you step into the Christmas season, remember that the greatest gift we can give is the love and hope of Christ. Through prayer, empathy, fellowship, service, and sharing, you can bless your pre-believing friends and community in powerful ways.

Let’s embrace this season as an opportunity to make God’s love known, one relationship at a time. Let’s do our part to advance the Kingdom of God, one soul at a time. 

To purchase the Evangelism Kit and Host Resource Kit, click here. For details and queries, please email oneforjesus.sg@gmail.com.

The post How to give the gift of Jesus this Christmas? Learn to BLESS and use this Evangelism Kit appeared first on Salt&Light.

Look no further, here are some of Salt&Light‘s picks for gifts that keep on giving, whether in terms of social or “faith-full” impact.

A scented and experiential Christmas: Hi-story.page

Fancy some unique scents livening up your home this Christmas? Social enterprise Hi-story.page has hand-poured candles infused with frankincense and myrrh essential oils, set in either natural non-toxic beeswax or soywax. Frankincense and myrrh were royal gifts offered by wise men to a King who was born to save mankind. When warmed up together, they produce a divinely calming scent – perfect for a restful time of year-end reflection as we meditate on the truth of Emmanuel, God with us. 

Each candle slow burns for up to 16 hours – perfect for a meditative festive season.

If you are looking for something experiential this Christmas, join Hi-story.page’s workshop to enter into the world of an Afghan refugee living in Indonesia. After all, Jesus Christ was Himself a refugee running from Herod when he was two years old. Discover this refugee’s culture and stories of resilience and share the Lord’s heart for people who are forcibly displaced.

Hi-story.page is a social enterprise founded by Christy Chew, whose family has been serving refugees and the poor in the Middle East and Greece for years. The social enterprise sells eco-friendly handmade products and offers skills workshops conducted by people from vulnerable communities, such as refugees and human trafficked survivors. 

How much: Candles: $12 for a travel-size candle (50g) or $25 for a 100g candle (inclusive of postage cost). “Windows into Afghan Refugee Culture” one-hour workshop: $30/pax

How to buy: Order here by December 15. 

Love is in the air: Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love

You will be delighted by Salt&Light‘s latest book, Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love. This collection focuses on God’s heart for us in marriage, relationship and singlehood. As you read, may you experience life-giving faith in your relationships, even through times of testing.

Over the years, the most-read stories at Salt&Light have been – overwhelmingly! – from our Relationships section. As you read these stories of human connection, our prayer is that you’ll take away a lesson (or 33) on how to relate with God and others around us. Stories of love, authored by the God of love. 

How much: S$15 (early bird price. Usual price: S$20)

How to buy: Preorder here. Only orders made by December 10 will be delivered by Christmas. For queries or for bulk purchases of more than 10 books, please email shop@saltandlight.sg

Look back to step forward in faith: Deror Jewellery 

A new year will soon be upon us. As you behold the upcoming days, does fear, dread, hope or courage arise?

Wear a piece of courage from the “Twelve Stones” series from Deror Jewellery, which symbolises stepping into the unknown with courageous faith. The Twelve Stones necklace and earrings are inspired from the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River in the book of Joshua from the Bible. The Twelve Stones serve as a sign and a memorial to the people to remember the great miracle they had experienced when Jordan River spilt into two as the Israelites put their feet into the water in faith.

The Twelve Stones necklace are beautiful memorial stones you can wear.

“You can trust Him and step into the journey He has called you, for He goes before you,” said Ami Tsoi, who started Deror (Hebrew for “freedom”) Jewellery. The former investment banker now uses her jewellery brand to tell stories of God. 

Other interesting pieces from her brand include the Apple of His Eye necklace that speaks of the intense love displayed in the Song of Songs towards God’s beloved people. 

Apple of His Eye Necklace.

How much: Twelve Stones Necklace – $121, Twelve Stones Earrings – $115, Apple of His Eye Necklace – $103

How to buy: Purchase on its website here.

Project Fearfully & Wonderfully Made: Singapore Christian Home

As supermarkets and retail shops do away with providing bags for purchases in a bid to reduce waste, why not gift your loved ones some upcycled sling bags this Christmas?

Singapore Christian Home, the only nursing home in Singapore that cares for medically vulnerable children and young persons, is partnering athleisure manufacturer Bodynits to recycle its leftover fabric that are typically discarded.

“When placed in the right hands, these fabrics can be upcycled into merchandise that are beautiful and of value. This parallels the lives of our children who are ‘discarded’ by society, often perceived to have no value. However in Singapore Christian Home, they can live lives of great significance,” said Moses Lim, 37, Head of Community Engagement & Development at Singapore Christian Home.

The sling bags – made of upcycled athleisure material – are trendy and colourful, and useful for carrying small items around. They come in different designs – drawstring or zip – and different colours.

The upcycled sling bags come in various combination of colours.

The colourful drawstring bags.

How much: Donate $50 and you get to choose a sling bag of your choice (from four options).

How to buy: Visit the Singapore Christian Home Booth at the Christmas In Queenstown event (2 Dundee Rd, Singapore 149454) from December 13 to 15, 2024. Or get it online here. 

Hand-drawn canvas pouches: Nicholas Tham

Nicholas Tham’s muscles may be are getting progressive weaker, but his message of joy and love still resounds in his artwork.

Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder in which muscles in the body are progressively lost over time. Nicholas knows that he will eventually lose the use of his hands, which he now uses to draw.

Nicholas, 21, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and has been living in Singapore Christian Home’s ward for children and young persons for the past three years. In order to support his keen interest in drawing, the Singapore Christian Home, together with a volunteer, have collaborated with him to print his drawing designs on pouches. 

Spread some joy and love this Christmas by supporting Nicholas’ artistic and entrepreneurial journey.

The pouches come in two designs: Love and Joy.

How much: $10 per pouch. Two designs to choose from: Love or Joy. All proceeds will go to Nicholas. 

How to buy: Visit the Singapore Christian Home Booth at the Christmas In Queenstown event (2 Dundee Rd, Singapore 149454) from December 13-15, 2024. Or pre-order it online here. 

A different kind of bauble: The Commandment Co

Have yet to deck out your Christmas Tree at home?

Celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with The Commandment Co’s (started by former advertising agency designer Edwin Lim) wooden baubles that carry God’s promises. Each ornament is thoughtfully crafted and engraved with an inspiring scripture verse, reminding us of God’s unwavering faithfulness and love. As you adorn your tree this holiday season, let these promises inspire hope, joy, and trust in His perfect plans for you.

Deck out your Christmas tree with a different kind of bauble this year.

These versatile baubles are perfect for your Christmas tree, as wall décor, or as heartfelt gifts to loved ones. Featuring classic wood with vibrant details, these blend seamlessly into any festive setting. Let these promises not only dress up your home this Christmas but also guide and uplift you into the year 2025 and beyond.

How much: $6.90 each. Three or more at $6 each.

How to buy: Shop online here or visit its store at Bras Basah Complex, 231 Bain St, #04-41.

Seek and you will find: Toby’s Trove

Looking for fun presents for the kids this festive season? Head over to Toby’s Trove for its Seek and Find book series, which contain Bible stories on The First Christmas or from the Old and New Testament. 

Each seek-and-find activity book features eight different stories and contains more than 450 hidden things to find and count! Little ones will learn key truths about God’s character through the biblically faithful illustrations and retellings of Bible stories. With over 50 things to count on each spread, these books will bring your family hours of fun as you explore the truths of God’s word.

The Seek and Find series for children.

Adults who wish to steep themselves in Scripture or offer loved ones in their lives refreshing biblical truths can check out the Daily Strength and Daily Joy devotionals.

Each contains 365 devotions arranged canonically from Genesis to Revelation with short introductions to each Bible book. The devotions are written by pastors and counsellors for either men or women.

Daily devotionals for each day of the new year.

Located in the heart of Katong, Toby’s Trove, started by a couple, boasts a collection of carefully curated Gospel-centred resources, children’s titles, as well as gift items from local brands such as Hello Little Chompers, A Small Small World, Tickle Your Senses and more.

How much: Seek and Find book series ($18 each, 4 different titles in the series), Daily Strength or Daily Joy ($32 each)

How to buy: Purchase online here or visit its store at Roxy Square 1, 50 East Coast Road, #02-45.

Carry your Dim Sum: SABRINAGOH‘s Shumai bag

Drawstring bags are all the rage these days. Sabrina Goh, 40, the award-winning fashion designer of her eponymous label SABRINAGOH, offers her take with the Shumai Bag Collection. The design of the bags mimics the delicate folds of the Shumai (aka siew mai) from your dim sum table, and comes in a variety of trendy colours.

The Shumai Bag collection.

Your foodie and fashion forward friends would love to this accessory. Lightweight and sturdy, it is also sustainably made from 100% cotton.

How much: $79 for a regular-sized Shumai bag, $74 for the junior size and $69 for a mini one. Christmas bundle deal: purchase three Shumai Bags and save 30%, plus, get a gift bag (worth $6). 

How to buy: Get it online here, or at their retail stores at Raffles City, Great World, Tangs Orchard. 

Was Jesus Really Born on 25 December?: The Treasure Box SG

With the festive season becoming so commercialised over the years, the Christmas story is fast becoming the greatest story never told, say the Foongs who started The Treasure Box SG.

Thus, father-son duo Elvin and Nathan Foong have come up with a Christmas storybook that explores questions about the season, such as “Why do we put up Christmas trees?”, “How did Santa Claus come about?”, “Where and when was Jesus born?”

Titled Was Jesus Really Born on 25 December?, this is a heartwarming story about a pair of siblings who discover the true meaning of Christmas as they celebrate with their family. The book answers common questions that children have about Christmas in an engaging and lighthearted way. It encourages readers, both young and old, to think more deeply about what they know about Christmas.

This is a great gift for families with young children to read and enjoy together, for the curious mind or for pre-believing family and friends who have yet to hear the Good News about Jesus.

The Treasure Box’s Christmas storybook answers common questions that children have about Christmas.

If your children have further questions about the Christian faith, no fear. Get a copy of The Treasure Box’s 2025 Family Devotional Wall Planner, which is filled with short and simple devotionals each week to spark meaningful conversations and reflection.

Each month, families can use the planner to explore key questions about the faith, such as “If God is everywhere, why do we need to go to church?” and “If God is good, why does He allow bad things to happen?”

Start the new year well with a family devotional wall planner.

How much: $42 for the 2025 Family Devotional Wall Planner (Salt&Light readers get S$5 off with the discount code SALTLIGHTWP), $24 for the Christmas storybook. Bundle price available.

How to buy: Purchase online here. 

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Gifts for good: Local social enterprises to support this Christmas

The post Gifts that keep on giving: Thoughtful presents to bless others with this Christmas festive season appeared first on Salt&Light.

When Clovis Tan, 26, broke up with his then girlfriend in 2015, his church prayer mate Elina Er, 22, heard God’s soft, clear voice saying: “Just be there for him.”

So she acquiesced and was present whenever Clovis needed a listening ear. Over time, she noticed that whenever he was sad, her heart would also feel the ache. Was she falling for him?

 CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR COPY OF Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love

Thus began Clovis and Elina’s remarkable love story that involved unrequited attraction, separation, tearful prayers, prophetic dreams and, ultimately, the clarity of God’s hand in a journey culminating in marriage.

When Clovis and Elina finally walked down the aisle in October 2018 – in a wedding pulled together in just three weeks, no less – they felt compelled to share their testimony with the 400 guests present.

“When we said ‘I do’, it was not just to each other but also ‘I do’ to God, trusting Him to ordain the best for us,” says Clovis, now 34.

Their extraordinary courtship and wedding is featured in newly released book, Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love, now available for pre-order in time for Christmas.

We asked Clovis and Elina to give readers a peek behind the scenes since their story first ran on Salt&Light in March 2023. 

When you read your story in Salt&Light, did anything surprise you in seeing your story mapped out in this way?

It felt like puzzle pieces coming together. All the waiting and uncertainties, especially prior to our marriage, were not in vain. God was building, and continues to build, our faith and trust in Him, bringing us to a place of full surrender.

God truly knows us more than we know ourselves, and if the very hairs on our head are important to Him, what more our marriage life.

Don’t get us wrong, God doesn’t force us to do things or marry someone randomly, but we challenge you to yield your desires to Him and we pray the “free will” He so liberally and graciously bestows on us would be intentionally aligned to His will for us – to make His will, our will. Marriages are precious to the Lord.

How has your marriage been since that unusual courtship?

It has been enjoyable and fruitful to serve together as a couple.

We believe that most ministry leaders and volunteers would understand how much time and capacity are required of us to serve, on top of juggling family and a day job.

But building a ministry together as a couple makes everything so much more enjoyable and fruitful.

We not only take care of our children (twin daughters), we also take care of our spiritual children (ministry, mentees and the people who we serve alongside with).

We are strong advocates of serving alongside your other half. Not only would you be able to create avenues for spiritual partnerships, you can actually call out each other’s destiny in the process.

We get to spend time together while serving and this helps build our marriage as we allow Jesus to be at the centre of whatever we do.

In the lead-up to your wedding, God revealed a vision of you serving in a music ministry together. How has that panned out?

We believe that the Lord had truly planned everything ahead of us. We complement each other and lead in different areas in our worship and music ministry as our strengths are different.

It is also such a blessing that we both have similar interests and desires in the area of worship, music and songwriting.

Together with The Encounter (TE), we planned for and led two music workshops and outreaches to Cambodia where we ministered to and empowered local musicians/songwriters to be forerunners in their land over a span of two years in 2023 to 2024.

Locally, we also partnered Cornerstone Community Church (Tamil) to organise a songwriting workshop a few months ago and we are delighted to share that three new Tamil songs were birthed from it.

Building these spiritual houses of worship and igniting the hearts of these community leaders reminded us that it really only takes a spark to get a fire going.

What do you hope comes out of your music ministry?

We released our third EP, “Till Every Nation Comes Home”, in January 2024 in conjunction with TE’s anniversary, and a music single, “Welcome Home, Again”, on Good Friday.

We will continue writing songs to stir the hearts of Christians, prodigals and pre-believers and pray that, through our ministry, new anthems of praise will continue to be released. We will soon be releasing a new single, “Encounter Your Love”, in December 2024. This would be our 26th original song release since 2020.

Our hearts’ desire is to see every tribe and tongue encounter God through worship.

This is an ongoing goal and we need to be faithful and follow the Lord’s instructions when it comes to writing and producing new songs, creating spaces of worship and raising more next-gen leaders who would do the same in the nations and in our land.

One of the unique projects we embarked on since 2022 was to release a song in the languages of our land during Singapore’s National Day. Three singles have been translated and released in Bahasa Melayu, Mandarin and Tamil: “Praise You In The Storm”, “Adore” and “Till Every Nation Comes Home”.

There must be more and we can’t wait to see what the Lord will do through us and the ministry He has entrusted us with. We now have about 26 volunteers (TEFam) from different churches and denominations with the same hunger and vision.

What has the response been to your Salt&Light story? Why do you think it resonated with people?

We have friends, acquaintances, colleagues and even random people we do not know slide into our DMs or hit us up after events we were involved in (worship nights and so forth) to seek our opinion on matters regarding waiting for the right one and marriage.

We usually ended up praying with them, but I think our role really is to steward their faith and situation, and to encourage them to lean in closer to the Lord.

I expect there are some who feel that this whole “God-ordained and arranged marriage” is not for them – and that is totally fine! The Lord knows what is best for us and what we can or cannot handle. Everyone’s story is just as unique and different.

But we think in a world so clogged up with hatred, anger and hurt, these testimonies are a breath of hope and fresh air.

Our marriage story may seem like a scene from a Korean drama, but when you completely lay your desires aside and trust in the Lord, this can also be your portion.

Only if we are truly willing.

It’s not easy or straightforward but we just have to simply trust and obey, every step of the way.

Read Clovis and Elina’s extraordinary love story in newly released book, “Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love”, now open for pre-orders. Click here to place order before Dec 10 for delivery by Christmas.

The post “Our ‘Korean-drama story’ may be your portion too when you lay your desires aside and trust in the Lord” appeared first on Salt&Light.