Posts by Dr Agnes Tan

A New Identity and Mission (1 Peter 2:9)

This is a story about Rabbi Akiva, a renowned and revered Jewish rabbi of the first century. One late afternoon, Rabbi Akiva was on his way home to Capernaum. As he walked, he was also meditating and reciting the Scriptures.  He was so focused that he didn’t realize that he had taken a wrong turn.…

Liturgy of ORPC

Starting next week, our morning service will restore some of the worship elements that were temporarily stopped during the pandemic. Nevertheless, our worship structure remains unchanged: God speaks, and we respond. So let us review our liturgy and understand the reasons why we do what we do when we do it. Our liturgy is divided…

Joyful Celebration

Today we celebrate our annual Lessons and Carols service and also the fourth Sunday of Advent—Love— for “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). In Jesus, we have eternal life, hope, peace, joy and love. As we respond in…

Faith & Work

Martin Luther King Jr said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper…

Resurrected Lord and His Church

“Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was…

Give Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his mercy endures forever (Ps. 136:1). As the choir leads the congregation in worship this morning, my heart is filled with thankfulness as I reflected on the music ministry these past two years. Early in the pandemic, when singing was identified as a high-risk activity in…