Amplify Fridays!

Come join us in this month for the season of Love and Celebrations!

Happy Valentines Day and Happy Chinese New Year in Advance!

Eden Lounge

Eden Lounge

Complete Bliss ~ Delight ~ Peace ~ Connection

A blissful gathering place before & after Amplify Fridays from

7.30pm to 7.55pm
9.45pm to 10.45pm

An absolutely wonderful place for fellowship!

Eden

Dear All,

Do check out the recent talk of the town! More to come!

with permission of use from thebaker - Cheryl. Thanks!

I don't quite believe in horoscopes but I have got to admit that as a Leo, I fit the said personality to a T. Especially my passionate nature. It's true, I have various passions, all of which I pursue with great zeal and the most obvious one is self-explanatory - which explains the existence of this humble food blog.

Seriously, FOOD is like my second name. That's what most of my friends know me for, my great passion for food - both producing, appreciating and consuming it. I am not really sure how to properly explain it, but let's just say that I take immense joy in using my humble talent to make others happy. I enjoy it when I see others enjoying their food, especially if made by me and I just gotta say - food goes beyond feeding one's hunger. Some of you might have noticed the various occasions when I post about me baking or cooking for an event of some sort at Amplify (the youth ministry I'm in) and well, this post itself has alot to do with that.

You see, I've decided to take my passion for baking and cooking to a higher level. I recently assumed the role of Food & Beverage head at Amplify. I won't deny that it's going to be loads of hard work, but really, I've been thinking about it and I think God couldn't have made it clearer. I want to use my skills for the benefit of others and to spread His love at the same time. It's a belief of mine that one can actually taste food and notice the difference - whether it's cooked with love, or not. Sounds utterly cheesy, but seriously, it's usually rather intangible but that's just one way I see food.

Wait, there's more...

At Amplify, the hospitality team (of which the F&B dept. works very closely with) has recently launched Eden, a lounge area at the foyer where we reside. So before session starts, this area will be a place of fellowship where youths will gather and enjoy good food, music, and company. Doesn't it all sound uber exciting? Well I think it is. I seriously can't think of a better way to utilize the space and turn it into a haven. Though the lounge isn't a permanent fixture, I think it's a great start - to have it every Friday before session!

Amplify holds what we call Amplify Fridays (it usually consists of lively praise & worship - the band rocks! + inspiring teaching, etc) every weeknight at CSC (Catholic Spirituality Centre) and we just had our first Friday of the year this week! It also marks the opening of the lounge area. I've got to take my hats off to Lydia (head of the hospitality team), Flo, and Winston for coming down super early to set up the place. Also, to the rest of the hospi team: Larris, Nat, Vivian, Rebecca, Lynette, Thelma etc... Thank you! It is not easy to set up and then clear up the place all in one day. It couldn't have been done without each and every committed person in Amplify.

Now, I've said so much, now let's see what's all this hoop-la about!

Welcome! This is the menu display (yea, the Eden name is not up yet because the designer is still printing the signboard I think .. haha ) and as you can see, I baked cookies for sale, chocolate chip cookies to be exact. Yep, and now every week I have to rack my brains to think of what to sell at Eden.



The area looks so dreamy and 'lounge-like' right? I love it! Most of the furniture we got at Ikea and the red sofa is actually from our room. Haha.




Look at all the buzz. It's amazing to see the area when it's full of activity. It's only the first week and the response has been really good.




Here's some of the hospi team at work, rearranging the stuff. We actually bought nice glasses and mugs from Ikea to serve our drinks. Oh and, check this out:



HUGE cookie jars. I adore them. They were from Ikea and they just fit right in. This is what I call a real cookie jar! :)

Gosh, I really have loads to say! I'm really anticipating what 2007 is going to bring. God is just so good and I feel really blessed in more ways than one. Having an opportunity to hone your baking and cooking skills - I mean come on, to me it's a dream come true. Nothing gives me more joy than knowing that I'm able to serve and give to others what God has given to me.

On a different note, ahhh... yes I've been busy busy busy, also because school started this week. Haha, yea I know what some of you are thinking - NUS starts school next week don't they? Well yes, that's true but this semester I'm actually studying at SMU. Yep, I applied for the local exchange programme. I know it sounds silly at first, but I mean seriously, I'm curious to know how things run at SMU. I love challenging myself and I really am going to make full use of this semester there and learn as much as I can. Besides it's nearer to my home and it's in town! I'm able to walk to Orchard Road or Bugis from SMU!

P.S. For some of you who are wondering what I've been going on and on about - Amplify, etc. Well, just for those who don't already know, I'm Catholic and I've been serving in Amplify, a youth ministry since 2002 and our mission statement is : To spread a love for Jesus Christ and His Church to every young person. Yep, well if you're curious, you can find out more at our blog.

Happy New Year!

Join us this Friday, 5 January for the first Amplify Friday of the new year!

There will be free food and drinks for those who come between 7:30 to 7:45pm.

We look forward to seeing YOU there!

Love,
Amplify

Christmas Party 2006

What You See Is What You Get

Today, our coordinator Leonard Koh spoke about how importance of our sight and how it determines the direction of our lives

He used the teaching from Luke 11:33-36 :
___________

33 "No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a bushel, but on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is sound, your whole body is full of light; but when it is not sound, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light."

___________

What he highlighted was the power of the eye.
* What we gaze at has an impact on our lives
* It determines the direction of our lives
* Eye = Lamp of your body
* If your eyes are good (a clear 20/20), you will be able to see your environment
* If your eyes are bad, it affects the body. (with reference to Spiritual eye)
* See to it then that the light within you is not darkness
* How great it would be if our life is filled with bright light

There are 3 implications:
1. What comes through our eyes will impact the way we see the world
- if we are not careful, what we see can distort/skew our vision of things
2. What comes through our eyes impacts our sensitivity to the truth
3. The best way to understand darkness is to walk in the light.

Conclusion
As mentioned in the bible, if your left eye sins, gorge it out.
Look at things that will bring honour to God.
Be aware of what you are exposing your eyes to.

Mosaic - Art in Me (CJC Retreat 2006)

Amplify and other various youth ministries will be helming the upcoming CJC J1 Retreat this Friday, 20 October 2006. It's a one and a half day event that will end on Saturday night.

We need your prayers and spiritual support! Pray for us :)

Will update you on how it went...

My Glorious!

For the past two Fridays, we had Leonard Koh (a.k.a. Amplify's Coordinator) to share with us about the Greatness and the Glory of God.

The first part (6 Oct) covered the immense greatness of God and how crucial it is to worship him and magnify Him all of our days.

Leonard used a simple analogy - the microscope & telescope example. It is easy to overlook how God despite being so BIG, cares about each molecule and atom of our body. We may be miniscule creatures in the entire world population, but God knows us personally. Instead of taking God for granted, we should magnify and recognise Him as the Alpha and Omega, the Source, the Originator. The one who makes all things.

We are all of God. God is for You not against You. It's important to trust in Him. He knows what we need and all we have to do is to give to Him freely. For Him, to Him, through Him.

The second part (13 Oct) is all about the Glory of God. It's up to us in our humility to reach out to Him - to live our life for Him. Our purpose is His purpose - the alignment of our lives with what He wants us to do.

Leonard quoted A.W. Tozer:

"Now, if it right for men to have the Glory of God as his goal, can it be wrong for God to have the same goal? If man can have no higher purpose than God's Glory, how can God?

If it is wrong for man to seek a lesser end than this. It will be wrong for God too. The reason it cannot be right for man to live for himself as if he were God its because he is not God. However it cannot be wrong for God to seek His own Glory simply because He is God." - A.W. Tozer

Surrendering to God might seem like a long stretch but think about when He sent his son to die for mankind. No one will give up what's precious to them. No one but GOD. The crucifixion was a permanent display of God's love for us.

If God can use our sins and leverage it for His glory, imagine what He can do with your life. Your weaknesses, failures, inadequencies - lift it up to God. Surrender and trust Him. Live for God.

For a more detailed lowdown on what Leonard covered, here's some links that best summarised what he talked about:

My Glorious!
The Purpose of His life: His Glory

Do swing by his blog at www.creatsia.blogspot.com for more inspirational reflections, teachings and quotes! :)

God & Work/Studies

Hola!

Hope the weekend was a blast for you :)

Here's a short recap of what was covered last Friday during the session helmed by the forever comedic Charles Lim. This was the fourth instalment of the God & Life series and here's what was covered:

_______________________________________________

In life, it's all about letting God take charge. Our plans are a cross we carry. God's plan was a cross for Jesus. It is up to us to see our cross, grab it and follow him.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 talks about chasing after the wind and gaining nothing

Jeremiah 29:11 speaks of the plans God has for us

It is hard to chase after a goal you cannot see and even more so if we rely on our own human strength. That's why God calls on us to seek Him in prayer to allow him to guide us in our journey through school and work. Our lives might seem mundane if we just concentrate on the surface and fail to see the deeper meaning of the reason we are here. We are God' children and He has a plan for us all. Therefore it's up to us to see it and surrender to His will.

________________________________________________

This friday (29 September 06, 8pm, CSC) is the fifth instalment of the series and Fr. William Goh will be sharing on God & Family so see you there! :)

God & Prayer

This week, we had His Grace Archbishop Nicholas Chia come to share with us about God & Prayer, the third instalment of the God & Life Series.

He shared about the importance of prayer and how do we as individuals ensure that we are praying the right way. Here's some notes you might find useful:

________________________________________________

What is PRAYER?
* Prayer is not just external ritual.
* Prayer is a dialogue – more listening than speaking. Story of Samuel. Speak lord your servant is speaking not the other way round


Forms of PRAYER:

Praise: Worshipping in the highest most personal way, worshipping God’s greatness and love

Thanksgiving: Offering our prayers in return for God’s gifts to us. Gratitude for body, mind and life. Am I grateful or do I complain?

Confession: Telling God about our sins, failures, sharing these to experience forgiveness, examination of conscience, daily repentance.

Petition: Asking for needs of healthy, strength, and Christians. Praying for the sick, our enemies, those who witness Christ and those who need Him. Asking God to teach us to live Christian lives, solve problems we can’t solve alone. Offer sacrifice for others, people who have no one to prayer for them.


When shall I PRAY?

Anytime: God doesn’t have office hours. God wants to be in communion with us, knocking at the door of our heart.

Alone: when you have time for personal mediation. Be still and know that your spontaneous flash prayers during the day are God

At special times: Religious holidays of remembrance of Joy. In time of tragedy or need.

In fellowship: with your congregation in prayer groups. At home with you your family.


For effective PRAYER:

1. Be prepared in mind & heart; put away other tasks and read scripture before praying.
2. Realise the presence of Christ in your life, feel His nearness (Matt 28:20)
3. Beconfident, pray with faith, and expect your prayers to be answered (Matt 21:22)
4. Devote yourself to God with all your love & desire, put yourself totally in His control, surrender your life to Him
5. Discipline yourself in your daily life, be consistent, be persistent
6. Be receptive to God’s message to you, accept His wisdom, don’t preach to God. God knows what is right & best to us because He is a loving God.

_________________________________________________

God & Life Series - Part 2

poster designed by dorothy pang.

Last Friday (8 Sept), we had the 2nd instalment of the God & Life series.

Freddy Gomez came to give a session on God & Me.

As usual, Freddy gave a thoroughly enriching and helpful perspective on how we should live a victorious life.

___________________________________________

Here's a summary of what he covered:

If St. Paul can rejoice despite being imprisoned, so can we >>> Phillipians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say again, Rejoice!

* Your response to challenging situations will determine your outcome. It's about being victorious for Christ. We are more than conquerors. Undesired events might deter us from being positive but our response is detrimental. It decides what state you'll get into.

* It's always easy to blame it on the environment and to complain or get upset but it only leads to more grievances.

* Ultimately, the way you react to situations determines the state you'll be in. So try to be resourceful and see the upside of events that might not necessarily be too rosy and you might not feel so miserable.

____________________________________________

I hope you found that recap useful!

For this week, we'll be having His Grace, Archbishop Nicholas Chia here at CSC to speak to us about God & Prayer.

We'll be combining our meeting with the adult group at CSC and there will be mass as well. So you're all invited to come down! I'll see you there!

Please note that this Friday's meeting will start at 7:30pm sharp.

Where: Catholic Spirtuality Centre, 1261 Upper Serangoon Road
When: 7:30pm, Friday, 15 September 2006
What: God & Prayer

God & Friends

Yesterday night, we kickstarted the first session of the God + Life Series.

The topic was God & Friends. Amplify Co-ordinator Leonard Koh gave a very enriching sharing and he brought home the fact that most of us are influenced by our friends and we all tend graviate towards those the people who are most accepting of us. If that friend is a good role model then all the better, if not, then we should be aware and make a wise decision.

This verse sums it all:

Proverbs 13:20 - "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."

At the end, our friendship with God is most important and good friends encourge and do not hinder our relationship with Him.


This God + Life series is made up of four parts, and the following three will be on subsequent Fridays as such:

8 Sept: God & Me
15 Sept: God & Church
22 Sept: God & Work/Studies

Freddy Gomez will be helming next week's session and he'll be touching on how we as individuals can live a Christian-centred life; one that's victorious and good.

We hope to see YOU there! :)

Where: Catholic Spirtuality Centre, 1261 Upper Serangoon Road. Click HERE for directions.
When: Fridays, 8pm
What: God + Life Series
Who: Amplify Ministries.

Cheers!

Amplify Service Team PARTY - 9 Aug

YOU are invited to Amplify's Service Team Party happening next Wednesday, 9 August!

We promise you lots of good food, company, plus plenty of fun and laughter. Trust me, when it comes to letting our hair down, we know how to do it with style and pizazz!

Here's more details:




Here's a map to guide you to the location:




Still don't know how to get there? Not to worry, here's a Sotong's Guide to the party's exact location:

(*Click on image to enlarge*)





So we'll see YOU there ya?

How to get to the Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC) ?

Hi! For those who are coming for Amplify Fridays or YISS, you might be aware that it's held at the Catholic Spirituality Centre on 1261 Upper Serangoon Road. It's actually beside Punggol Park.

We're also aware that most of you want to come but have no idea how to get there. Well, fret not, here are two location maps that will hopefully guide you:






To see the map clearly, click on the image.



We hope the maps have been helpful! See you there tonight at 8pm :)

Blood Convenant Wallpaper

In light of the 4-part Blood Convenant Series, our coordinator, Leonard Koh has designed a beautiful wallpaper you can use on your desktop:



Feel free to save it and enjoy this work of art! :)

Blood Covenants - Part One

And so, today marked the first installment of Blood Covenants - a 4 part series helmed by Freddy Gomez.

We're sure you left CSC (Catholic Spirituality Centre), enriched and refreshed. It's good to see so many of you gathered together to praise and hear His word.

Isn't it just nice to come together like one big family after a long day at school or at work - after an entire week! I certainly felt the love. With new faces and the familiar, it was such a joy to see so many people of God.
I'm really really excited. I'm excited because the next 3 weeks are going to be a blast too!

You know, I look forward to coming to Friday prayer meetings every week simply because I know God is there waiting for me to recharge in his goodness and I love to be with more of God's people. I'm just filled with anticipation!

To all those who weren't there, not to worry, it's still not too late to come for the rest of the series! It's really worth coming for, trust me, with a dynamic speaker like Freddy, who can resist coming.

So don't forget, next Friday, 8pm sharp, we'll see you there! :)

Blood Covenants

Coming soon, a 4-part series on the Blood Covenants. Dynamic speaker Freddy Gomez will be helming this 'love story of epic proportions'. Check out the trailer:



Want to know more about the speaker? Read his blog HERE.

YOU are invited to be present for the series. We meet every Fridays, 8pm at the Catholic Spirituality Centre (1261 Upper Serangoon Road).

Birth of Amplify Blog

This is the official blog site of Amplify Ministries.

We intend to use this humble site to reach out to the masses and hopefully amplify God's word throughout the nation & the world.

Check out our main website: Amplify Ministries.