2 days @ Trinity @ Payalebar

Went to Trinity @ Payalebar yesterday , for Sunday service. supposed to meet amanda's leader(s), but apparently cos the schedule was too packed so i only said hi to Sister Qiuyan. meh

It's a pretty charismatic service, with everyone jumping around and stuff. Oh, it was a pure youth service, so worship band everybody were all youths from 13-19 years old. Their band was a full band, with like 3 backup singers. Think 'Hillsong concert' and you'll have the mental image.
They even had like flashing lights and stuff. Like those kind that can change color. and they keep on/off the lights to make this concert effect. I thought this was kinda distracting though. But i guess it adds to the mood.

I liked the sermon!! the pastor speaking was really good, i think his charisma lent alot of weight to what he said, and he was able to capture everyone's attention and gave an interesting message.
I can kinda see why people fall asleep in my church's sermons though :/ Kinda mean to say it, but it's true! I'm not saying that NOONE was sleeping there, (can't really tell the hall so big) , but it would be pretty hard to sleep with such an engaging speaker.

It was about Focus. Like we're all in a race (isaiah something got this verse i think. lazy to go check) , and we have to focus on the endpoint in order to prepare adequately and appropriately and run a good race. Like tell us to have the right attitude and stuff la.

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Returned there today (or yesterday. or last year :p) for their Watchnight service. amanda invited me so i go la =)
The band this time was all adult, and they were pretty darn good! the drummer was quite zhai la. was watching him for the first part of worship.. and apparently i was quite obvious in doing that cos amanda said so. ha.
Their transitions were so.. fluid! like movement into one song into another. i dunno how they do it so fluidly. And it's not like the worshipleader doesn't stop to talk. he does. But he seamlessly starts on the next song still.

There were some testimonies shared, then sermon by the senior pastor. I couldnt shrug off the feeling that the testimonies were slightly propagandaish.. but i guess.. it's a good thing? that everyone gives God the glory. but ya they also praise 'the Trinity family' alot. as in the church la. k la i dunno . ignore this paragraph

anw, one interesting point - the service started at 9pm.. but by 815 the whole hall was packed. Then by 850+ or so it was FULL. And their hall is like..3-4 times the capacity of my church's main worship hall. and the aisles were all taken and stuff.
But what struck me was not about the large size of the congregation, but rather the attitude. They are so early! (i quote the speaker - 'dont be kiasu singaporeans, but kiasu christians') Then for our church service start at 830 but people stroll in at 845 -_-
hmmph.

And surprisingly, they had countdown this year!(amanda said they never had countdown, and usually service ended at 1230. this year it ended shortly after the benediction prayer)
this ex-Senior pastor lady gave like a benediction prayer with 1 minute left and she ended just nice 3 seconds before midnight. they had a countdown timer on the screen(s)
(oh they had one big screen in front, 2 bigger screens on the sides, then 2 LCD widescreen TVs for those closer. rich :/ )
So happy, got to spend the 1st second of the new year with the one i love =)

Then after service amanda's parents sent me home :/ i kept telling them to drop me off on the mainroad and i can walk in but they insisted on sending me home all the way. so nice :) i was quite tense in the car though. ha. then amanda poke me halfway and mouthed the word 'relax'
Thanks uncle aunty! ok why i thank them here as if they'll read. nvmmm.

Ok , 2008, 11 days to army, gg pwnd ktnxbai.

i <3 amanda =)