Songs for Christmas 2012

Midnight Mass

• O Come All Ye Faithful
• What Child is This
• It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
• Angels We Have Heard on High 
• First Noel
• Silent Night
• O Magnum Mysterium
• Joy to the World
• God Rest Ye Merry 

Pageant

• Matin's Responsry  
• Come Thou Redeemer
• O Come, O Come Emmanuel
• Lo How a Rose
• Gaudete
• Ave Maria
• God So Loved the World 
• Adam Lay Y'bounden

Nativity Feast Day 2012

Thank you everyone for coming today. Our carnival stall was a huge success! We actually sold out and the kids loved it. It was great having so many people around again. Special thanks to:

• Brian, Berenice, Beatrice and Marilyn for turning up every Saturday without fail to do the necessary prep work;
• Samuel, Matthias, Unc Sam, Amanda, Sean, Sandy, Kelvin & my parents for helping out with the box-making;
• Michael, Beatrice See, Amanda, Nicholas, Kelvin, Sandy, Brian, Unc Sam, Marilyn, the BBBs and Sean for staying till the end;
• Priscillia, Samuel, Isabel and Shirin for taking time off their busy schedules to help out;
• Unc Sam, Marilyn and the Aunties for providing the presents;
• Bryan, Selene, Ignatius, Nicol, Laoren and Aunt Kat & her family, families and friends for coming down to support and help out;
• STAC, for making this yet another memorable Feast Day.

 God bless and see you all the week after next!

Hope, Home & Heart

Important Dates in September

1/9 - Sees' Anniversary / Funfair Stall Set-up / Latin Mass

2/9 - Nativity Funfair
8/9 - KBox Outing (Brian's Birthday Celebration)
9/9 - Feast Day Procession
10/9 - Brian's Actual Birthday
13/9 - Beatrice See Flying Off
15/9 - Berenice's 21st Celebration
16/9 - Samuel's Birthday
19/9 - Marilyn Flying Off
20/9 - Michael Flying Off
25/9 - Berenice's Actual Birthday
28/9 - Ivan's Birthday

Reflections - Birth of John the Baptist

1. John was called by God from the moment he was in his mother's womb. We, too, are called from the moment we are conceived. Let us work towards discovering what that call holds for each of us.

2. Everything about us leans towards the vocation God has set us aside for.

3. Not properly living out our vocations could lead towards a superiority complex (judging others, stereotyping, pride) or an inferiority complex (jealousy, envy, self-loathe).

4. God created each of us for something, giving us both gifts and weaknesses for that purpose. Learn to love your true self as God loves you.

5. The name 'John' means 'God's graciousness'. What does your name reveal about God's plan for you?

Reflections - 11th Sunday

1. Nature is the biggest manifestation of God's power. Like the sower, we should allow nature to take its course after sowing our seeds, then reap the rewards of the harvest.

2. We don't always need to know how our crop grows work in order to reap a good harvest.

3. The Christian faith has survived and grown over 2000 years of persecution, trials and hardships regardless of mankind's actions. God alone makes such growth possible; allow yourself to grow in Him.

4. Patience and participation are key to personal growth.

5. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed; the smallest actions--a smile, a word of comfort--could make all the difference in the world.

6. Don't let a small obstacle stop you. Similarly, do not allow small victories to distract you from the bigger picture.

Reflections - Corpus Christi

1. Covenant-making (the Law) is an external experience. The Eucharist, however, is internal, which means we participate in it fully, body and soul. Are we Catholics by Law or by Spirit?

2. The blood on the altar and the blood on the Israelites binds them together. Similarly, the blood Christ shed for us binds us to Him.

3. As we were baptised and bound to Christ, we are no longer our own person. Rather, we must hold ourselves accountable to our 'owner', who is none other than Jesus our Saviour.

4. "Where is my dining room?" Make a room for Christ when you come to receive Him during the Mass.

5. Adoration is the act of opening our eyes from the material world to the spiritual as we kneel before the true presence of Christ.

6. While wanting things is not wrong, materialism is a disease that prevents us from looking beyond the physical, into the spiritual where God dwells.

7. Whatever we do at Mass, be it sit, stand, kneel or bow, we must do it deliberately and with reverence, knowing that each action has its own weight and meaning.

8. Each time we participate in the Mass, we enter a timeless period and are conjoined with the hosts and powers of Heaven, where a constant Eucharistic celebration is being shared. Therefore, we must participate fully and with great reverence for the true presence of Christ.

Reflections - Trinity Sunday

1. God is a Mystery, and our devotion to learning more about Him reflects our desire to deepen our love and understanding for Him.

2. There will never be a definitive answer to our questions about God, but the journey of discovery is a joyful one that we should not be afraid to undertake.

3. Since we are made in God's image, we are mysteries in our own right; don't be afraid to discover that you don't know the people you love all that well.

4. We have a lifetime to learn about God, and a lifetime to learn about those around us.

5. Christ is God's adventure among mankind, His desire to be with us on our journey of life.

6. Religion is not a matter of feel, but a continuous act of love.

7. To love is to undersetand: loving someone is the highest form of understanding them.

8. The Way assures us of our Destination; as long as we keep trying, we will never venture too far from God's plan and, ultimately, the rewards He has set aside for us.

The Father is the light that shines upon us.
The Son is the light that shines among us.
The Holy Spirit is the light that shines through us.

Happy Easter!

Today's the day! Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

It was a day of great joy and celebration today. Many thanks to BBBs and family for inviting us into their home and preparing all that food for us. The waffle party was nothing short of fantastic.

Let no soul be downtrodden this day, for it is a day of immense JOY. Praise the Lord!

'By loving us, Christ has made us loveable.'

Anniversary 2012

On the 4th of February, STAC celebrated its 38th Anniversary at the green house in Nativity Church. It was a joyous evening shared by one and all. We thank the organisers--Priscillia, Belicia, Vanessa, Sean and Matthias--for planning the event and coming up with the crazy games. Lastly, we thank GOD for all He has blessed us with the past 38 years. Happy Feast Day, St Thomas!

Farewell to Anthia

Today marks the last Mass and Sunday we have with Anthia, who is flying off tomorrow to pursue her studies in Australia. We thank her for all the memories she has shared with us in the past years, and the commitment she has shown as a beloved member of STAC. God bless, Anthia, and may you find joy and love in all you come to do. You will be dearly missed. Bon voyage!

Anniversary Party

Hello all! This is the information for our 38th STAC Anniversary Party:

Venue: Green House (in church)
Date: 4 February 2012 (Saturday)
Time: 6.30pm - 10.00pm
Things to Bring: FOOD! And some disposable cutleries.

We'll be having potluck as well as Pelican Pizza, so please let Priscillia or Belicia know what you're bringing! Here's a list of stuff we already have:
Fries - Suzette
Drinks - Shirin & Samuel
Cake - Bongs
Salad - BBBs
Fried Rice, Noodles, Bee Hoon - Matthias & Weixiu
Finger Food - Bernard
Pork Chops - Zachus & Yendall
Yu Sheng - Priscillia

God bless and hope to see you all there!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy anniversary, St Thomas Aquinas Choir, and a very happy feast day to our patron saint as well! As we look back on 38 years of ministry, we recall with fondness the members who have come before us. We wouldn't be here without them. So let's take this occassion to thank the pioneers who first formed the family that is STAC, and the new members who will continue to mould and shape the choir for, hopefully, many more anniversaries to come.

God bless STAC!

CNY Resolutions

Happy Lunar New Year, dearest choir! Hope everyone's having a great time visiting relatives, playing cards, munching on goodies and enjoying themselves. Amidst our celebrations, let's not forget that the New Year is also a time for us to reflect on all that has happened in the past year. Of course, one thing that comes with such reflections is the making of resolutions, so to help you start out, here are a few friendly suggestions on resolutions you might consider making this year:

1. Count Your Blessings
Before you sleep each night, make an effort to list out some of the blessings God has given you during the day. Try to name at least five incidents in which God made His presence known to you. Thank Him for even the smallest of miracles: that you crossed the road safely, got to school on time, met up with close friends etc. You'll be surprised at how wonderful life can be with a simple shift of perspective.

2. Offer Up Your Day to God
Before you begin each day, lift up a prayer to the Father, offering your entire day to Him. Teach yourself to have no expectations--do not ask anything of Him, except for the peace and courage necessary to accept all that He has prepared for you, even if His plans may seem to go against your intentions at first sight. Offer up your day, have no expectations, and see what God can do for you when you place your life in His gentle hands.

3. Say a Prayer Before Every Task
Even when performing the simplest of tasks--such as going to school or starting on your homework--make an effort to whisper a short prayer to God, asking Him to guide you in all you do. Who knows what wondrous results one tiny action might produce when God is the one prompting it?

4. Praise the Lord Before Others
One simple way to evangelise is to show others how much you appreciate God and how wonderful it is to be loved by Him. When you feel a desire to praise the Lord, do so confidently, even in front of your non-Christian friends. You might just pique someone's curiosity that way, and inspire him to learn more about this God that you are so joyously giving praise to.

5. Read the Word of God
Take some time every day to read the Bible. You could read it from cover to cover, or say a little prayer ('Speak Lord, your servant is listening.') before flipping to a random page and start reading from there (I personally do the latter and often find myself surprised by what God has to say to me). Listen to all He has to say to you and equip yourself with the Word and wisdom of God. Only then can you be prepared to go out and spread the Good News.

Happy holidays everyone! May you find joy, prosperity, love and success in the Lord in the year ahead!

A Trip Back to 2011...

As the new year begins to unfold before us, let us take a moment to pause and reflect on the year that has just passed. 2011 has been an awesome journey for STAC indeed; we have gained new and wonderful members and shared many unforgettable experiences together. Let us never forget that every passing moment is a gift from God, even the times of pain or sorrow. Praise the Lord, and may all of you have a blessed 2012!