GRACE MANDARIN SERVICE
32ND ANNIVERSARY
(21 March 2010)

Pastor's greetings to the Grace Mandarin Service:

We wish you a Blessed 32nd Anniversary! The Lord has been gracious and good to you in preserving and blessing this ministry. I am especially happy and thrilled to see the steady growth and maturity of the members. You have made great efforts to reach out to the many lost souls, especially the foreigners.

32 long years of service does not come easy. I believe, however, that "he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1: 6). This is the Lord's work. We are all only His servants, and when we have done the task which He has assigned us to do, we must always be ready to say that, "we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do" (Luke 17: 10). All of you, who serve the Lord in the Mandarin Service, are only doing it out of your duty and as His servants. I encourage you to give your best to serve the Lord as the Church enters her 33rd year of service.

Time is short, Jesus is coming again! While we still have life and stamina, let us serve the Lord NOW. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might" (Eccl. 9: 10).

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The Mandarin Service has come a long way since 1978. In those days the ministry was managed by the late Rev Lin Tah Mon, a retired civil service court translator. He was in his 60s. Thank God for the faithfulness of Rev Lin. Although he was a little slow in movement, he was a man who loves the Lord. He travelled faithfully to serve the Lord in Grace Church from Serangoon Gardens. In those days public transport wasn't that efficient as it is today.

Thank God also for the many faithful preachers and full-timers who came by to help establish this work. One of them was Rev David Wong, the pastor of Kulai BPC today. Another fervent helper was Rev Pang who is now the missionary in Saipan and Guam. We also had Rev Caleb Low who is now with the Baptist ministry in Penang and many others. How can we forget these brethren who have been a part of this ministry?

I have seen the growth of the Grace Mandarin service since its inception in 1978. I thank God for sustaining this ministry. There were times of trials and trouble, but the Lord has preserved this work. Thank God that this is His work and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.

Pastor