A Memorable JWCG Meeting – With a forgetful fellow
This is an account of the meeting our Jurong West Care Group (JWCG) held on the evening of May 9th, 2025.
The fellowship commenced at 7:45 p.m., and we warmly welcomed our beloved sister Sim Sim, who was joining our gathering for the very first time. Though a newcomer to our cell group, she is a familiar and cherished face within the JCC community; and with characteristic kindness, she came bearing gifts – not tangible ones, mind you, but three wonderful blessings she was eager to share with us.
Her first blessing? Progress in her job under the MOE Adjunct Teaching schemes—an experience she described with positivity. Sounds like she is really shining!
Second, she spoke about her relief upon discovering that certain troubling heart symptoms she had weren’t as serious as initially feared.
And her third blessing? Well, let’s just say my memory decided to take an unscheduled sabbatical at this juncture, leaving me utterly unable to recall the specifics. I am quite certain it was something uplifting and meaningful, but the details elude my grasp. Alas, the vagaries of my aging memory cells!
Testing Memory
Anyway, you know our ever-patient Care Group Leader (CGL), Martin Cheah. He tried to keep our spiritual swords sharp by testing our recollection of three key Bible verses. These aren’t just any old verses; they are the heavy-hitters you need when you encounter folks with… let’s just say… questionable interpretations of scripture, either accosting you on the street or ringing your doorbell with a different gospel.
He reminded us of gems like:
- Jesus’ straightforward declaration in John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Handy for when someone suggests there are multiple routes to the top!
- The comforting truth of Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” A gentle reminder that we cannot earn our way into heaven with good deeds alone.
- And the absolute classic, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Now, thankfully for my increasingly porous memory, Martin is a kind and understanding soul. He knows that relying on me to recite these verses perfectly would be an abject disappointment. But, again thankfully, several other members in the group were in top form, recalling the verses with admirable confidence.
Lessons from Luke
We also dedicated time to delve into Scripture and grow spiritually. This time, we explored Luke Chapters 10 and 11:
- Luke 10: This chapter challenges us to be like the Good Samaritan, showing compassion and mercy. It also highlights the importance of prioritizing spiritual nourishment, as shown in Mary’s choice to sit at Jesus’ feet.
- Luke 11: Persistent prayer, spiritual clarity, and avoiding hypocrisy are key themes here. Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees reminds us to align our inner beliefs with our outward actions.
These chapters inspire us to embrace humility and authenticity, living out God’s Word in our daily lives.
A Numbers Game and the Sweet Truth
As the evening drew towards its close, Martin, with a glint in his eye, put a line of numbers on the screen. Here, I join the numbers together to form this sequence of digits: 10141623 …
Suddenly, the math fan in me sprang to life. I was convinced that our good-natured CGL was orchestrating some clever intellectual exercise, embedding a secret numerical code that subtly linked these seemingly random digits to specific Bible verses. My brain, in its eagerness, was undoubtedly overthinking, perceiving patterns where likely none existed.
For John 14:6, I thought, “Aha! Fourteen is right there! And maybe the 6 … if you squint a bit and do some mental gymnastics… could relate to another number!”
For Ephesians 2:8-9, my mind was imagining some multiplication and potential hidden constants. And for John 3:16, the 16 was obvious, leaving me pondering the cryptic significance of the number 3.
And then… the rather anticlimactic truth was revealed! Martin simply announced that these numbers represented the birthdays of various members within our group who were celebrating in May.
Cue the sound of my intellectual bubble bursting with a soft “pop,” followed by our collective enjoyment of the delicious cake that Martin and his thoughtful wife, Joo See, had so kindly provided. It served as a delightful reminder that sometimes the most straightforward explanation is the very one our minds stubbornly overlook.
Join a Cell Group
Why am I sharing all this? Well, it all boils down to this: You should join a cell group!
Cell groups are so much more than mere meetings. These aren’t just stuffy gatherings. They are little pockets of spiritual family where faith grows, friendships flourish, and imperfect folks like me (with aging memory cells, for example) can find their place without worry. Whether it is sharing milestones, studying Scripture, joining our voices in hymns and prayers, offering one another words of encouragement and support, or just enjoying cake and camaraderie, these gatherings remind us of the joy in belonging to a spiritual family.
So, what are you waiting for? Join a cell group! And trust me—your memory (or lack thereof) will never be a barrier to belonging.
Responses