As we look back over the years of God’s gracious dealings with the Gethsemane Filipino Fellowship (GFF), our hearts are filled with thanksgiving. What began as a small gathering of Filipino believers in Singapore, drawn together by a common faith and a longing for fellowship around God’s Word, has been nourished by the Lord into a vibrant ministry of our church.
Since its inception in 2001, God has been pleased to use GFF to reach out to the Filipino community in Singapore with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and nurture those who come to us in His Word and fellowship. The brethren from GFF have been instrumental in helping our church establish mission works in the Philippines—through men trained in FEBC.
Through seasons of trial and transition, the Lord proved His faithfulness. Truly, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Psalm 127:1a). We thank God for building up the brethren through the faithful preaching of His servants in GFF. Every step forward in the ministry has been the Lord’s doing.
As we give thanks for GFF, let us pray for all our mission stations in the Philippines, the ministers of the Word in those Gospel stations, and their congregations—that through them, His kingdom may spread across the nation. May the Gethsemane Filipino Fellowship ever remain a shining testimony of God’s faithfulness, a people redeemed by grace, united in love, and steadfast in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be glory forever. “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory” (Psalm 115:1).
A Call to Join Our Daily Vacation Bible School
Each year, our church rejoices to open its doors and heart to welcome children for the Daily Vacation Bible School (DVBS). Three days (26th–28th November 2025) are set apart for sowing the seed of God’s Word into young hearts. This ministry is not a mere programme to fill the holidays, but a sacred labour to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the new generation that God has entrusted us with.
In a world filled with confusion, distraction, and spiritual darkness, let’s be committed to bringing our children to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd early. They need to know the Saviour who saves them, who loves them, and who hears them when they pray to Him. This upcoming DVBS provides that precious opportunity.
Here are our biblical goals for DVBS:
At the centre of all that we do, stands the glorious Gospel of grace. The lessons, songs, crafts, and activities are not designed merely to entertain, but to present the truth of Christ clearly and joyfully.
Children will hear that though they have sinned and come short of God’s glory, they can be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again. The Gospel is not beyond a child’s reach. The Lord Himself said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).
In DVBS, we seek to bring the message of salvation by faithfully expounding the Word of God to children in ways they can understand. We also pray earnestly that the Lord will open their hearts to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ by faith.
While DVBS is evangelistic, it is also edifying. Many of our children who attend Junior Worship on Sundays, already profess faith as they come from covenant homes where God’s Word is taught.
For them, the 3-day DVBS becomes a time of spiritual growth and renewal. They are reminded that the God who saves also calls His children to commune with Him in prayer. They will be exhorted: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).
Through Scripture lessons, hymns, and fellowship, they learn that obedience, prayer, and love for God’s Word are not burdens but blessings. In every class and song, children are taught that following Jesus means that they are blessed with the privilege of talking with Him anytime in prayer. “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12).
DVBS is not an isolated project, but a ministry of the church, under the oversight of the pastor and elders. Our preachers who teach the children, the helpers, and the volunteers serve not as entertainers, but as instruments of God’s truth, pointing each child to Christ and His covenant mercies.
We believe that God is pleased to use His Word, faithfully taught and joyfully received, to draw little hearts to Himself: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
Parents and members alike are encouraged to pray earnestly for this ministry — that the Holy Spirit may bless every lesson and conversation, that the Word may be planted deep, and that the fruit may remain.
Timothy, “from a child”, had known the Holy Scriptures, which were able to make him “wise unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15). Many servants of Christ trace the beginnings of their faith to Sunday School Classes, Children’s Bible Studies (like the DVBS), where they learned the Gospel that ushered them into a close communion with God. We believe the same God still works through such means today. May the truths that our children now learn become the anchors of their adult faith and service to our God. May the songs that they sing in their childhood exuberance echo through the years (cf. Psalm 78:4–7).
We warmly invite you to register your children for this year’s Daily Vacation Bible School. Come, and let your children hear the Word, learn the truth, sing the praises of Christ, and experience the redeeming love of God. Let us pray that the Lord would bless this year’s DVBS abundantly, that young hearts may be converted, believing children strengthened, and Christ glorified.
