Sushi Tei’s spring menu is a haul of seasonal ingredients and pleasant reinventions.

Sushi Tei’s spring menu is a haul of seasonal ingredients and pleasant reinventions.

While tropical Singapore has nothing by nature to mark the coming and passing of the seasons, seasonal delicacies herald the arrival of spring, such as Sushi Tei’s Sayori Sashimi(S$12), a Japanese needlefish with a delicate taste and texture best accentuated by a dash of shoyu sauce.

The stir-fried Tako & Shirasu Taki Udon(S$13.50) was one of the surprise hits during our media tasting of the restaurant’s spring menu as well. Bits of shirasu (baby sardine) and Yakisoba sauce make it a flavorful, somewhat Chinese dish, tossed with juicy bits of octopus, cabbage, capsicum and bean sprouts.

Those who love their pork will enjoy theKagoshima Miso Yaki Pork (S$11.50), grilled pork loins marinated in miso sauce with just the right amount of buttery fat. Kagoshima pork, from the prefecture of the same name, is prized for its sweet flavor, juiciness and fragrance.

The Kagoshima Pork Nabe ($15) offers four soup bases—shoyu, miso, spicy and sukiyaki, with mixed vegetables and slices of Kagoshima pork belly. Perfect as a high protein meal in itself for those who want to lay low on the carbs.

Finger food-wise, the typical dumpling undergoes a well-justified reinvention with sweet crab meat in the Kani Gyoza (S$6), served with vinegar and chili oil dip, but theAmaebi Karaage (S$6) is our favorite—deep fried shrimps, shell, head and all, were polished off the plate, leaving not the smallest crumb behind.

The fact that its desserts are flown in from Japan is no gimmick—taste-wise, they are almost fail-proof. The Shio (sea salt) Ice-cream balances creaminess and saltiness to perfection, and the powdered cubes of Nama Chocolate as well as Matcha Ice Cream($4.80). We weren’t able to try the seasonal desserts such as the Cheese Stick Ice Cream ($3.40), but if the other choices are anything to go by, it must be delicious as well.

The Spring menu is available till June 15, 2013.

Sushi Tei

391 Orchard Road, #05-30/31,

Podium Block,

Ngee Ann City,

Singapore 238873

Tel: +65 6737 8878

Smashing stereotypes are the nine pioneering female members of the City Harvest Church Security Ministry.

Smashing stereotypes are the nine pioneering female members of the City Harvest Church Security Ministry.

Since April 1, attendees of CHC may have spotted nine new female faces with a security tag, standing around the church premises during service weekends. They are CHC members just like you and me but make no mistake, for they are not your average Jane. The nine are the pioneering batch of ladies to join the ranks of the men who serve in the mostly-male Security Ministry.

Since its inception back in 1995, CHC’s Security Ministry has come a long way, ensuring the smooth running of church services week in week out. The addition of the nine brings the total ministry member count to 218 (Security personnel).

And no, these ladies are not “tomboys”. The nine are feminine and attractive, a few of them are married and one has two children. The nine had to undergo a standard six-week basic ministry training, a rite of passage for all who desire to join the ministry.

So why does CHC need female security personnel when the male ones are doing such a good job? The nine ladies fit in the ministry and in the service of the church in more ways that one can imagine. “The addition of ladies gives a softer side and image to the ministry,” explains CHC pastor Jimmy Sng, who oversees the ministry.

In what sort of scenarios would the women be employed? One would be positioning them at Kids@Play area instead of men. Another would be having the female security members stand at the main doors during the church’s big days, when there is a big chance that attendees need to be channeled to the overflow room due to lack of seats in the main auditorium. “It lends a more feminine touch to the experience,” Sng points out.

“Also, they add value to the ministry in that they are better suited to take on certain circumstances. It is also for propriety’s sake,” says Sng. “Even the patrol teams of the Singapore Police Force has a lady attached to them to correctly handle certain situations involving females.”

Female security personnel are free to select their choice of clothes and do not need to be dressed in the Security Ministry’s standard-issue black polo tee, as long as it does not restrict them from carrying out their duties. Like their male counterparts, the ladies serve two consecutive weeks, followed by a week-off.

Dorothy Koh, 26, a pharmacist, was one of the nine who signed up with the Security Ministry. Prior to this, Koh was serving with the visual communications or Chorus Board Ministry for about five years, but stopped for a year to prepare for her wedding. Koh’s cell group leader, Pauline Kong asked if she was interested to join the Security Ministry. Kong thought that the former looked firm and fearless.

“At the end of one church service, I had an impression from the Holy Spirit that as the Body of Christ, everyone has a different function for the same goal, which is to further His Kingdom. Not everyone will become pastors or preachers, or go into the mission field but as we serve in church, we will inherit a portion of the same reward that God gives to the Church, and that reward will be great. This helped me to make the decision to start serving again, especially at a time like this. Since there was a need in Security Ministry, I went for it.” Koh answered sincerely.

Koh acknowledges that the ministry may not be all that glamorous and it can sometimes be thankless, but it opens her up to being exposed to another side of church—the huge effort it takes to make service run smoothly every weekend. The Security Ministry is part of that effort that ensures a pleasant experience in church for all every weekend. Koh shares, “There is so much to learn, one of which is to ‘confront’ people. Ushers and greeters help attendees feel welcomed but when a security personnel approaches, more often than not it is for other reasons. Such reasons range from stopping attendees from bringing food into the church hall for reasons of cleanliness to handling attendees who may potentially disrupt service. Of course, we try to be as friendly and as tactful as possible, which takes skill.”

Kudos to the nine who hold their weight in the predominantly-male ministry. “It takes some getting used to whenever we open the door to the Security room and find ourselves the minority gender,” says Koh. “For now, there are only three to four of us serving each weekend, as compared to about approximately 60 male security personnel, but the guys are friendly and willing to show us the ropes. It’s also exciting to have the possibility of getting up close and personal with female guest speakers or leaders in the future.”

Women who are interested in joining the ministry must look presentable, just like their Usher counterparts, but they also have to possess a “strict disposition” when necessary. “She needs to be mature, slow to anger, outspoken, able to free up her time to serve and believe she has something to contribute,” Sng describes.

The ministry looks forward to recruiting more ladies and multiplying their female membership to more than twice its current size. Although admission into the ministry is strictly by recommendation from zone supervisors and cell group leaders only, members who are keen or have a friend to recommend can express their interest with their respective leaders.

Dr. Chan Kim Kwong, executive secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council, seeks to bring the Asian Christian experience to the West, with a study on City Harvest Church.

Dr. Chan Kim Kwong, executive secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council, seeks to bring the Asian Christian experience to the West, with a study on City Harvest Church.

“When people mentioned ‘mega church’ is mentioned, most people will instantly think of a few famous ones in the west because so much has been written about them; yet, there are many things happening in Asia and in other parts of the world but are rarely talked about,” says Dr. Chan Kim Kwong toCity News in an exclusive interview.

That is why the executive secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council seeks to present a case study on the movement of Christ in Asia.

“I have been doing research on the megachurches in the Christendom and I notice that there are a number of new things and new churches, new manifestations of the Christian experience coming out in Asia,” says the academic. “These are under-reported by the Western academics and press.

He adds, “I feel that there are things (in the Asian churches) that can be learned from, not only for us Asians but also for the Christians all over the world. There is a need to share these experiences and how God worked in us.”

Chan is focusing on his study on City Harvest Church. The findings of this academic study will be presented at a symposium, Global ReOrient: Chinese Pentecostal/Charismatic Movements in the Global East, organized by The Center on Religion and Chinese Society at Purdue University. The symposium seeks to assess the status and characteristics of Chinese Pentecostal-charismatic movements worldwide, with a special focus on East and Southeast Asia.

“Chinese are much more suppressive and much less expressive; much more obedient and much less individualistic; much more conform(ing) to order and much less ‘free-flow’,” describes Chan. “How would the Pentecostal trend mix with the Chinese culture? The symposium thus focuses on Chinese Pentecostalism. Some very top-notch people, who are researching on this area, will gather to discuss this topic.”

The study will be done through the academics’ participation in each church’s services, speaking to the church’s leadership and studying its background and history.

“I was looking at places (to base my research on) and somehow I encountered your church. I spoke to pastor Kong (Hee, senior pastor of CHC) and asked if it was possible to see what kind of work God is doing in this place,” Chan explains.

“I’ve been doing some studies and also documenting the current trend of missions and church development, and I feel that there is something new going on here, something unique and something that I have not seen in other parts of Christian spectrum.

“For example, your growth rate has been phenomenal in the last 25 years. Also, the group of church attendees differ from the traditional churches: youth and teenagers, in this generation, seem hard to be retained. How  people experience Christ (in CHC), are transformed, and then how they express (the experience) in a very new style— which is the Crossover and all that—I want to take a closer look at that.”

Another aspect of CHC that caught Chan’s attention was its experience of the Holy Spirit. “There are certain Pentecostal phenomena, say speaking in tongues, and being Spirit-led. You are not rolling on the floor and all that, but you have something else, other forms of manifestation in the church life among the charismatic group.”

Chan plans to visit the church several more times this year, in August and September.

“There’s something unique (about this church) but I cannot pin-point it, so I have to do a very objective analysis, try to depict the theological background and put it in an academic setting. I feel that your church is at the cutting-edge of church development. There’s something that is very new here that others can learn from in the international academic world.”

Chan grew up in Hong Kong and is trained as a nutritionist. After reading the Bible verse “man shall not live by bread alone”, he sought to be a “spiritual nutritionist” by studying theology. He is a holder of two doctorates, one in economics and political studies, the other in Church history and systematic theology. He has taught in seminaries and universities on various topics in China, the UK, the US and Hong Kong for the past 20 over years. 

While Chan is a man of many trades, his main focus is the ministry of God. “All the other tools are just helpful to the ministry,” he explains. “For example, when I do research on churches, I will sometimes look at it in the economic perspective. I can look at it from maybe a different perspective that will give me a different reading.”

Believers are to walk in faith, but equally important is the spirit of understanding and wisdom in order to react the right way to trials.

Believers are to walk in faith, but equally important is the spirit of understanding and wisdom in order to react the right way to trials.

“Success must be created. It is not an accident. And once it is created, it must be protected.”

Speaking at the Leaders’ Meeting at City Harvest Church’s Jurong West building on May 14, CHC’s advisory chairman Dr AR Bernard spoke of the need for Christians to be clear about the realities of life and their image of Christ which will then affect the way they live their own lives.

Reading from the book of Nehemiah, Bernard highlighted that the men from the city of Jerusalem were rebuilding its walls with one hand while the other hand held a sword.

This was because of their enemies who were threatening to destroy them while they work. Similarly, there are forces in reality that will come to destroy (“the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy”). Success has enemies—jealousy and envy, those who want success but are not willing to pay the price.

Reminding the congregation of what the world system runs on— force (threat), greed, selfishness, ambition, and pleasure—Bernard said that there is a marked difference between God’s kingdom and the system of the world.

Culture is man’s attempt to organize society and define effective and correct ways to live in it. The problem is that not everybody agrees on how to create culture.

Bernard went on to talk about the differences in understanding Christ from two Scripture verses. Philippians 2:5-7 paints a picture of Jesus as a humble servant who put aside power, subjecting Himself to the powers of this world. The focus is on growth in the individual believer.

Colossians 1:15-17 describes Jesus as a cosmic ruler of the universe, and that all things are subject to Him.

The first image is one of submission, and the second, power. It is this contrast that our speaker explained how whatever image one has of Jesus will determine how one lives out the Christian faith in this world.

“They were first called ‘believers’ before they were called ‘Christians’. And for the believer, the crisis is never a crisis of finance or anything else; it’s always a crisis of faith,” he explained.

Paul was praying that the Colosse church would get an accurate image and understanding about God and apply wisdom to engage the world they are in. “When we get this understanding, we can keep praying like Paul did, that God will give us knowledge, spiritual understanding and wisdom to bring us through every situation,” said Bernard.

For system programmer Jeremy Kuang, 29, the meeting reminded him of the faith the believer is first called toward. “The church is bigger than any individual,” he noted. “We tend to place focus on our own ministry and our own strength and forget what God’s original calling upon our lives is.”

It was the last CHC leaders meeting held before the trial involving key leaders of the church began on May 15.

City Harvest’s pre-marital workshop prepares soon-to-be-wed or newlywed couples on the timeless pillars of a strong, everlasting marriage.

City Harvest’s pre-marital workshop prepares soon-to-be-wed or newlywed couples on the timeless pillars of a strong, everlasting marriage.

Many couples often forget that the wedding day is not the “finale” of their wedding preparations; on the contrary, it is the beginning of a new journey.

In order to help Christian couples with both the practical and spiritual aspects of planning a wedding and marriage, City Harvest Church’s pre-marital workshop, Happily Ever After, was organized during the first quarter of 2013.

Each series comprises five different sessions held weekly, touching on topics such as Christian marriage, the concept of leaving and cleaving, roles and responsibilities of husband and wife, dealing with the in-laws, sex and husband-and-wife communication.

Presented in a classroom setting with a Q&A session at the end, the sessions are conducted by pastors Yong Te-chong and Jeremy Choy, drawing from not only textbook teachings but also their own experience of married life, the latter of which occasionally drawing much laughter from the students.

“For a great marriage, every couple needs to be committed to growing, changing, communicating and working on their relationship no matter what happens,” says Choy.

In order to help couples understand and appreciate each other better, students are encouraged to undertake a DISC profiling test, a behavior assessment tool. By understanding each other’s personality traits, spouses are more likely to avoid conflict and be more sensitive towards the needs and desires of his or her partner.

Toward the end of the five-week session, couples on the procedures of wedding planning. He also touched on the intricate details in the area of financial planning such as from the market rate to give to a helper for the actual wedding day to various tips for a debt free wedding. Such real issues often arouse interest and curiosity in the session, as most of the couples will be getting married this year 2013 and are already in the midst of their wedding preparation.

For customer service officer Dan Lee, 30, and his wife, Wen Xi, 25, who got married at the end of March, the course was a good refresher of the keys to a fulfilling marriage, one of which was learning to put each other before self.

“It is important for us to know how to bond as a couple and what to expect in a marriage, which is an unknown path. We need to know our roles and responsibilities and we are glad that the workshop has helped us learn to pave our near future as husband and wife,” shared Lee.

“The Happily Ever After workshop is a useful tool in preparing couples to be mentally prepared for questions such as, ‘Why do I want to be married?’ and ‘What do I expect in marriage?’  It will save both parties in a relationship a lot of heartache if they understand the biblical perspective behind marriage,” says Choy.

When Luke Met Catherine

Luke Chee and Catherine Soon attended a Tic Tac Toe event organized by CHC’s Singles Committee, now known as City Connexions, in 2009. The fine dining event was held at The Legends at Fort Canning Park. Before the event, participants mingled and exchanged contacts, and that was when Chee met Soon. He was smitten. She was beautiful, approachable and friendly. He plucked up his courage and asked for her number.

After nine months of communicating through MSN chat and SMS texting, Chee decided to take the friendship further and asked Soon out on a double date with another couple from church. It was Chee’s sincerity that touched Soon. When it was her birthday, he waited patiently for her to finish her celebration with her friends, just to pass her a birthday gift.  Although their personalities were different, Soon felt very comfortable with Chee.

One day, while they were chatting, Chee suddenly brought out a bunch of roses, went down on his knees and asked Soon to be his steady girlfriend. After two years, the couple tied the knot in October 2010, both of them in their early thirties.

They are both grateful and appreciate what the City Connexions team is doing for the singles in City Harvest. Says Chee, “Without meaningful events like these, I would never have met my wife. Thank you for all the effort you’ve put into building lives!”

Congratulations to CHC zone supervisor Daniel Lim Joon Hian on graduating with a Master of Divinity from one of Asia’s foremost seminaries.

Congratulations to CHC zone supervisor Daniel Lim Joon Hian on graduating with a Master of Divinity from one of Asia’s foremost seminaries.

For City Harvest full-time staff member Daniel Lim Joon Hian, embarking on a master’s degree at the Trinity Theological College gave him the opportunity to drill deep into the Word Of God.

A father of two, Lim, 37, was conferred the Master of Divinity by the TTC on May 18 in a graduation service which saw another 44 master degrees, two doctorates and 10 bachelor degrees awarded.

The graduation service, TTC’s 63^rd since it opened its doors in 1948, was held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Backed by local Methodist, Anglican and Presbyterian churches, it aims to “develop in students a mature understanding of the historic and biblical faith” through an “academically rigorous, spiritually and vocationally formative curriculum that reflects a variety of church traditions from an Asian perspective.”

The three-year course gave Lim the opportunity to understand various doctrines better in a historical and theological context, which he hopes will empower him further in his current capacity as a zone supervisor at CHC as well as assisting with preparing church-wide Bible study materials.

TTC’s alumni include many bishops from mainstream denominations in Singapore as well as City Harvest’s pastors Bobby Chaw, Tan Kim Hock and Edmund Tay.

His biggest takeaway? The friendships forged with fellow classmates and teachers. “It is both important for us to know them, and for them to know us,” says Lim. After all, these individuals will be the future church leaders of the different Christian denominations in Singapore, and he will be working hand-in-hand with to glorify the kingdom of God.

Lim was also heartened by encouragement from his teachers at TTC, who frequently tell him that they are standing together with the church in prayer. He adds that his teachers know and acknowledge CHC to be a fully theologically-sound church.

For Lim, maintaining balance was especially important throughout the three-year course, as he was juggling both work and studies concurrently. He admitted to feeling “greatly stretched” on many occasions but believes that it will enlarge his capacity in serving in his ministry.

Lim attributes his success at the end of the journey to his family, his fellow pastoral staff as well as deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, who sowed a love for the Word of God in him. Additionally, he thanks SOT’s dean, Bobby Chaw and his wife Cindy, who helped him in exploring study options at TTC.

Undergraduate Kenneth Yau shares what it’s like to prepare for one of the world’s most challenging endurance footraces—the Gobi March.

Undergraduate Kenneth Yau shares what it’s like to prepare for one of the world’s most challenging endurance footraces—the Gobi March.

How far would you go for an experience of a lifetime—and do good while you’re at it?

Second year political science student Kenneth Yau, 23 is part of an eight-man team which will take on the 10^th edition of the Gobi March, a 250km, seven-day footrace in the Gobi Desert in China on June 2.

Organized by sporting event company Racing The Planet, the Gobi March is one of the world’s top endurance races traversing grasslands, dry riverbeds and mountain valleys in extremely windy conditions with temperatures reaching 40°C.

The team Tembusu Globe Trekkers, named after Tembusu College at National University of Singapore comprises a resident fellow, two graduate fellows and four other undergraduates.

Their aim: to raise S$100,000 in funds for the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, which provides pocket money for students from low-income families. A related program, STep UP, enlists volunteers from tertiary institutions to provide free tuition services in family service centers.

Being able to adapt to the adverse climatic conditions will be key to their success, as is the skill to manage personal resources, most of which will be borne by themselves on the move. Yau shares with City News how training and preparations have been before the team departs on May 29.

How was the team formed?

I met my teammates at Tembusu College, a hostel where we live and study. One of our friends, Nianjia, asked if we would be interested in doing Gobi March. He didn’t think anything was going to materialize from our discussion but eventually, we all decided to do it.

What was the motivation to do the Gobi March for the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund?

Firstly, we want to bring back a good story to share with others and inspire the youth to engage in endeavors which can benefit the community. I strongly believe in the value of having a proper education. It’s very heart-warming to see that the charity has benefited children from poor families.

Do you and other team members have relevant sporting experiences?

Three of us have completed a marathon; the others are more involved in other sports like triathlon and track and field. In terms of scale, none of us have done something similar to this—my closest experience would be a 70km maneuver during my army days!

What were the responses of your family and friends when they knew you were going to do the Gobi March?

The most drastic response would be, “Youxiao, ah?!” (“Are you crazy?!” in Singlish) However, most of our family members and friends are encouraging and they have even donated to the charity that we are supporting.

What’s the general sentiment among your teammates?

Some of them are not sure if they are able to pull through the entire length of the race. However, we can still finish the event as a team as long as three members are able to complete all stages of the Gobi March.

Given the tough conditions expected in Gobi, how have you been preparing for it?

Last week, we went on an 80km hike around Singapore. Our team also completed a two-day 70km hike to and from Desaru, Malaysia, Occasionally, we do stair-climbing at a tall HDB flat in Clementi. Other than that, we view past event videos and read testimonies from previous participants to know more.

Give us an idea of your overall game plan.

We won’t be running throughout the whole event. We will keep to a comfortable walking pace of about six kilometres per hour and take five-minute breaks in between.

Has there been a change in your diet, due to the physical demands of the race?

We simulate race-condition diets during our 80km hike by consuming energy bars and water, and experiment with field ration packs.

What were some other non-training challenges faced during the course of preparing for the race and how did you deal with them?

For a period of time, it was challenging to get sponsorship. As there are several Christians in the team, we continually prayed for a breakthrough. Sometimes, there are conflicts of personalities within the team; I will turn to the Word of God to help resolve these conflicts.

What would be your go-to Bible verse when the going gets tough?

Isaiah 40:28-31, part of it which says, “…those who wait on the Lord shall renew theirstrength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

The 5^th day of the race, which covers 80km, is described as the “long march” before the home stretch. How do you intend to deal with this section of the race?

We will try to complete it in one straight-out attempt, given the urgency to finish before the cut-off time. Our main concern is mainly to keep to the right path, especially at night.

How do you think you will cope with the prospect of not having a bath for close to a week?

Given the less sandy conditions and low humidity of the environment, personal hygiene will not be too hard to maintain. Wet wipes should suffice for me.

What would be the first thing you will do upon completing the race?

Fall to my knees and give thanks to God for pulling me through the entire seven days of the event!

To support the Tembusu Globe Trekkers, you may donate to the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund through the Give Asia donation portal athttp://www.giveasia.org/movement/by_youths_for_youths_tembusu_globe_trekkers_gobi_march13If you are a student, you can also sign up to be a volunteer coach for STep UP.