Church Visitors (2)

I already wrote about some of the things we were able to do with this year's church visitors, my parents and Rev. & Jen Eriks.  Here are a few more pictures of some of the sightseeing things we did:

 

Enjoying visiting before dinner at Lau Pa Sat

Lau Pa Sat food--A city street is shut down at 7:00 p.m., and tables

and stools are set up in the road for people to eat dinner there.

A walk through our neighborhood market--

Notice the big shrine in the back of this stall.

Lunch after shopping in Chinatown

Singapore River cruise

Some kids were missing their own dad, who was in 

India at the time--more on that in a future blog, Lord willing!

Would you believe this is on the roof of a mall?!

Beach on Sentosa

Gardens by the Bay

Of course the visitors were not here only to sightsee!  The Thursday of their visit (March 26), the church visitors met with CERC's Session (council).  The men always go out for dinner together before the meeting.

Church visitors with the Session

Their last Sunday here, the youth hosted a dinner.  As in the past, the Americans got to play games for everyone's entertainment. :-) 

My parents had to play Charades.

The Eriks had to do Pictionary--Jen is drawing 

"Calvinism" here.  (The youth don't make it easy! :-) )

My dad and Rev. Eriks had to read poems to their wives, describing their great 

love for their wives in Singapore terms.  "How the Merlion spews its excess, is 

how I wish my love to express.  As the durian is fragrant and sweet, of it I think 

every time we meet..."

Jason, Iva, Isa, and Joanna

My husband and I had to do lip-reading.  Not easy. :-)

When we were finished, a couple of the young men had to give it a try.

Before dinner we gathered in the sanctuary for devotions and singing.  It is the custom 

with the youth here to sing a Psalter medley from Psalm 121 before visitors leave.

Group photo

"From every evil shall He keep thy soul, From every sin; Jehovah shall preserve thy going out, Thy coming in; Above thee watching, He Whom we adore Shall keep thee henceforth, yea, for evermore" (Psalter 347:4).

Church Visitors (1)

Every year the PRC sends church visitors at the request of CERC, to conduct the same church visitation that is done yearly in the PRC.  This year's church visitors were my dad (Rev. Key) and Rev. Eriks, both of whom brought their wives along!  They arrived early in the morning on March 20 and plan to head home early Monday morning, March 30, Lord willing.

Before they even went to church for their first Sunday here, they were able to visit with many of the members of CERC.  My parents renewed acquaintances, and the Eriks met many of the people for the first time.  The first morning they were here there was a Sunday School outing at the zoo, as it was a break week for Singapore schools.

Thanks to Bee Hua for this collage--She set up a game for

the kids to find different things throughout the zoo.

KFC lunch

 

The kids spent quite a bit of time in the water play area.

The next day, Saturday, there was a youth outing at Bishan Park.

Yang Zhi giving an exhortation before the games

Exhortation and singing

Warmups before the kickball game, which was played in pouring rain!

The fellowship with members of the congregation continued throughout this week as well. On Monday we enjoyed a trip to Pulau Ubin, although the day was very hot!

Yoon Chuan explaining to Jen Eriks some of the 

offerings and worship in a temple on Pulau Ubin

That evening we visited over dinner in the home of Chee Choong and Wan Teng.

On Friday we went to the Jurong Bird Park with Kong Wee & Dorcas's family.

The kids even got to feed the penguins!

Rev. Eriks feeding a penguin too

Megan and me among the flamingos after a show

Jen finding out how aggressive some of the birds can be!

Eric and Emily

Heading out of the park

I will post more later!  We have been really enjoying our time with my parents and the Eriks.

Jim VanOverloop

We were so glad that Jim VanOverloop could make his second trip to Singapore last month to visit our family and renew friendships with the people of CERC as well.  I already wrote about a couple parts of his visit, but here are some more:

We enjoyed a morning at the Jurong Bird Park with Kong Wee & Dorcas's family.

Waiting for a show with hawks, eagles, vultures, owls, etc.

Eric, Jason, Jael, Megan, and Jessica walking through the park

Six-year-old Elijah pushing the three-year-olds in the stroller

Peacock

Feeding birds

With Kong Wee

Two of the following pictures are from a trip to Malaysia in December but are included here with these pictures from the bird park so you can see that creatures of all kinds seem to find their way to my husband! :-)

One beautiful evening we spent a bit of time at Gardens by the Bay.

On a Sunday night a few families from church got together.

Jason, Jael, Megan, and Emily

Angela

Jim and Fai Chong

Isa, Bernice, and Jessica

Eric, Kong Wee, and Isaac

Finally, a few more random pictures:

Sunset on Sentosa

Visiting Ishu Mahtani's silk shop

Last evening with Megan and Emily

We had a great time with Jim and are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of my dad (Rev. Key) and Rev. & Jen Eriks for this year's church visitation!