After we welcomed the newcomers, we engaged in a Kahoot quiz, led by Nicole and Jolene Sia. The quiz tested the youth on how well they knew the Youth Ministry, and the fastest fingers won. Following the laughter and competitiveness, it was time to calm down to hear God’s word. Rachel Loh, Bernice Toh and myself went to share about the message of Tenacity. I shared the background of how the theme was derived, while Bernice and Rachel shared their respective definitions of “tenacity”, which were “highly retentive”, “holding fast”, and “holding together”.

The crux of the message was that as youth, there are many trials and distractions that we face, but the answer to all of them is to stay rooted in Christ Jesus. This comes in the form of building a firm foundation in His word, and spurring one another on to do good work. This meaning was further expressed through a dance choreographed by Crystal Tan and Beatrice Hew. The dance encapsulated how we, the church, are called to be the “hands and feet” of Jesus, and to “be the difference that we’re called to be.”

Following the dance, the congregation was divided into their respective age groups, or clusters. They were encouraged to write down their individual hopes and dreams for the ministry, then pray collectively as a group. The prayers were displayed on stage, and representatives of each cluster came on stage to say a prayer of declaration over the generation.

The celebrations concluded with a carnival, which included snacks, and a variety of games that were prepared by the youth leaders and older cell groups. It was a wonderful experience watching the older youth caring for the younger. Truly, God delights when we invest in the generation that comes after us. We give glory to the Lord, who has been the cornerstone of this ministry, and we thank Him for the work He continues to do among us.