The sound of caroling filled the air, mingling with the excited squeals of children playing games at makeshift carnival stalls. Nearby, some elderly residents tried their hand at glass painting, while a group of volunteers decked out in red shirts helped guide a few young children with their handiwork.

Some 40 befrienders had come together to organise a mini carnival and Christmas party as part of PLMC's efforts to bless the surrounding community. The week before, a team had gone around inviting residents to join in the fun, and about 130 had shown up.

One of them was the mother of three, Huang Hui Ping, who was spotted painting tiles with her children. "The volunteers came round to invite me, and I thought, why not? The children had fun painting and colouring, and I would come back for more of this."

Director of Outreach Mary Chai described the carnival as a means to host the presence of God in the community around the church. "We want to show them the love of God, and if we have an opportunity to minister to them and if they want to come to our church, we will be more than happy."