By GRACE FONG
ON A cool Friday evening, Aug
11, 2006, about 1,300 staff members from all the Methodist schools
in Singapore gathered for the annual Methodist Schools Staff Get-Together.
We were privileged to have Bishop Dr Robert Solomon as our Guest-of-Honour,
who was also the speaker at the worship service. With the theme,
"One Heart, One Voice", the aim of the event was to
bring together all staff of the Methodist Schools in Singapore
for an evening of meaningful fun and fellowship.
Held at Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, this year's get-together
was one with a difference. Participants were grouped according
to the departments they belonged to. Various venues of the school
were set up to welcome the participants, complete with buffet
stations and an informal setting to create a relaxed atmosphere
so that all the staff would not only eat, but also get to rekindle
old ties with one another, make new friends and network amongst
themselves, according to the subjects they teach.
True to expectation, at all the various dinner locations of the
school - be it the basketball court, courtyard, foyer, or the
parade square - under elegant marquees, teachers were seen greeting
their old friends enthusiastically, with many conversations taking
place while dinner was going on, no doubt about students and school
life.
The dinner was a delectable buffet spread which left many going
for seconds, and even as participants were busy tucking into the
food, light music was played to create an informal ambience. Teachers
were encouraged through games to go around introducing themselves
and sharing their teaching experiences with one another.
School board members
and staff given awards
At the same time while dinner was going on, pupils of Fairfield
Methodist Primary and Secondary schools put up items at the dinner
locations. There were performances by the FMSS choir and band
quintet, as well as sneak previews of "A Bright New World",
a musical based on the Fairfield Story.
At the worship service, Bishop Dr Solomon gave his message on
the theme "With One Heart and Voice". This year, the
highlight of the service was the launch of the Educational Missions
Brochure, a document that marks a milestone in the history of
The Methodist Church in Singapore and schools.
The brochure highlighted the history of the Methodist Mission
in its service to the community through education, providing support
through fund-raising and focusing on character-building through
the Word of God. It also traced the growth and development of
the Methodist schools in Singapore.
At the launch, every staff member of the Methodist schools received
a copy. The launch was therefore a significant reminder of the
high calling that each staff member of the Methodist schools has,
be they teachers, administrators or support staff.
Awards were also given to staff who had served their schools faithfully,
as well as to outgoing Board members for their contributions to
the work of the Methodist schools. In all, a total of 22 staff
members received Long Service Awards (for 20 years or more), 11
received Retirement Awards and six Board members were recognised
for their contributions.
Special mention must be made of Mrs Mabel Chee Kim Neo of Anglo-Chinese
School (Primary), who has served her school for 40 years, and
Mrs Wan Yuet Ming of Methodist Girls' School, who has retired
after 44 years of teaching. A special tribute was paid to teachers,
in the form of a montage of photographs showing them in action,
either with their pupils, at work or at play.
There was no doubt that all who attended had left the get-together
with fond memories of having renewed friendships, made new ones,
and most of all, been blessed by God's presence.
Grace Fong is Level Head/Character and Leadership Education at Fairfield Methodist Secondary School.