So quickly we celebrated our 40^th anniversary. So quickly it ended. The pressing question is - what is next? We have suffered much loss in terms of manpower due to job transfer and other career changes. Brother Elberd Boo has been transferred to JB due to a promotion to Bank Manager. Thanks Elberd for your dedicated service. We will miss you. We are thankful to God for our dear Pastor Teo, who in spite of her busy work schedule and commitments as the AG EXCO member, has done much to motivate brethren to be involved. We could see good changes - Sister Lilian is now in charge of the Youth Alive ministry. Assisting her is our brother Lee Kuan Hock. Taking the lead for the Sunday School is our brother Gilbert Khoo. Bro Jai (yes, the same wonderful brother who used to be some of our Geography cikgu) is taking over the Music & Worship team. Bro Lee Kee Hwa is looking into the setting up of a Berean community activity center. We are happy that Choon Ann is back to lead a cell group. Recently we purchased a RM40K second hand 12-seaters van. Bro Ter has so graciously offered his tender loving care to attend to the van. We have drivers availing themselves. Thanks, Bro Chiew, Bro Choon Ann, Bro Ter (and others whom I may have missed out!) for willing to take over the wheel. The Chinese department has also started a youth group headed by Sister Lay Tiang. The departmental guys will come together on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to get the ball rolling. Bro Soon Siak (ie yours truly) will be the assistant departmental co-ordinator for the English section. We hope there will be a greater work together and ownership of the church vision to press on. On hand there is much work to be done. With this arrangement, hopefully Pastor Ruth can enlarge the coverage for the Chinese work.

Dearly beloved in Christ, may you experience His strength and enabling as you venture into this new year. The challenges are always there before us, frail human beings (and as Joo Kuan said, we are also getting older!). But the gentle and comforting consolation from our Lord Lord is this - My Strength is made perfect in YOUR WEAKNESS! because without Him, we can do nothing. Praise Him!

When I first came to know Jesus, it seemed so easy. Last year August 14, we just had two nights of meeting with Dato' Chua Jui Meng, the ex-health minister. Quite a privilege to have him. First time speaking in Batu Pahat. The Lord has done some fantastic things in his life. Am sure some of you might have heard his testimonies. I think I would rush forward to receive Christ after hearing such testimonies of a powerful God! On Saturday, we have close to 300 people and on Sunday, we have 500 people attending the dinner at the Summit Ocean Restaurant. Powerful testimony. Good food. Everything good. Came the altar call. Non went out. Wonder why. Could sense the general atmosphere was rather tense. The conviction of the Holy Spirit was clearly lacking. I thought it was quite a personal breakthrough that my own family members occupied more than half of the table! My mom, dad, two brothers and sister-in-laws accepted the invitation to the party. Obviously we were missing something.

You will never know who are the people you have blessed in what you do. Thanks so much for those kind words to those who wrote. Lately I have been so busy. Looks like most of us are busy too. Choon Ann has done a business trip to China. Pastor Teo is set for an oversea mission trip. Opps forgotten to where. Talking about getting old. Pastor Bill is all packed for his Indonesian trip from 9^th till 19^th of this month. The place he is going is in Southern Sumatera. Sounds familiar? Yah, the region affected by the recent earthquake! Pray that our dear brother and his team will come back in one piece and that God will grant them great success.

We have been getting ourselves busy in reaching out to the community. Started the remedial classes for those standard one to three children. Now we are overwhelmed with more than thirty students. More than ten of us are involved, trying to the best Cikgu or helpers we can be. Hehe. Pray that this will bring Berean to be the talk of the town - in a good sense-lar. Someone else is also trying to start an outreach to the Vietnamese workers. Had our first meeting last Sunday… No I am not involved though I would love to. Have to learn to say NO. Already so busy what. Nanti kena burnt out then you know.

Chinese department has resumed her Sunday School (SS). For those in the dark, Chinese department has been merging their children with the English SS for the past three years or so. Guess it is a good for them to resume it. Will value your prayers lor.

Am sure that some of you may want to know what is happening around in BP and Berean. Much has happened actually as far as the church is concerned. Talking about church administrative staff. Bro Lee Fock has left for KL. He has been helping out the church part time. A great computer graphic designer and help. Earlier we have Nirmala who was helping for almost a year and then left to get married. Opps, I mean to get another job. Will miss him much. Choon Ann has tried working some three months as the church administrator and left for greener pastures. Left the lone ranger, Priscilla Raman trying to figure out what to do seeing pile of office work around. Any takers from the readers? ;)

We are sure glad that Pastor Teo (PT) has been a great blessing to us after MIA for the past four years. MIA? Oh! Missing In Action in Berean lah. We have requested her coming back to BP seeing that our dear Pastor Ruth (PR) has been so overwhelmed by 1001 things to do. PT must be greatly rewarded in Heaven because she chose to settle in BP though she has had much better offers elsewhere. Maybe we have better "magnetic" power. Hehe.