JACKSON AHOY!
We begin our first worship service at PSB Academy Stem Campus, Jackson Square. How did we end up at Braddell?

In July 2018, Tabernacle Bible Presbyterian Church (TABPC) received an email from Changi Bethany Presbyterian Church (CBC) informing us of new policies involving the use of the premises. Some of the conditions include (1) No free parking for activities during time of use and (2) No using of CBC address for correspondence. This was followed by a notification in August 2018 that TABPC will be required to contribute about $8000 for the use of facilities in CBC. The Session of TABPC presumed that the amount of contribution was a miscalculation, and thus asked CBC for clarification.

However, on 2nd September 2018, CBC informed TABPC that the new rate of contribution for use of facilities is $135,720 per year, which works out to an average of $11,310 a month. On 15 September 2018, the Session of TABPC met with the pastor of CBC, Rev (Dr) Michael Phua. We enquired the status of an agreement made with CBC on 27 October 2016. In this agreement, TABPC agreed to pay $162,000 upfront rental by 1st April 2017 for three years’ use of the premises. This would amount to $4,500 per month for usage of facilities. However, on 8th March 2017, TABPC received notice from CBC that JTC’s notice of renewal had been delayed. It was stated in the notice that CBC would re-schedule the date of payment of $162,000 from TABPC once CBC receives the offer letter from JTC. Rev (Dr) Michael Phua informed us in this meeting that the agreement is now rendered null and void. CBC had thus unilaterally repudiated the 27th October 2016 Agreement. We were later informed that if we would continue to used Kabek Hall in the basement, it would amount to a monthly contribution of $14,603.33 for a four-week month.

On 22nd September 2018, TABPC informed CBC of her intention to stop using the premises of CBC within 6 months. CBC replied on 2 October 2018 that the new rate of $10,440 per month will be made effective from 1 October 2018.

On 30th September 2018, TABPC prayerfully formed the Premises Committee to to assist the Session in sourcing and negotiating a suitable place of worship for TABPC. How wonderful it is that the Lord led the Committee to the people at PSB Academy. They have been a joy to work with and have been most kind in helping us with our needs. This is truly of the Lord. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” (Prov. 21:1)

On 17th October 2018, TABPC wrote to CBC informing them of the TABPC’s decision to cease her operations in CBC. We have published this letter for the record of future generations. We praise the Lord for the smooth moving of logistics from CBC, and for brethren who helped. The Lord bless all who had laboured in love for Christ.

This is the story of how we ended up at the PSB Academy. May the Lord find it pleasing to bless our testimony for Christ here in Braddell. Jackson, ahoy!
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BE CONSIDERATE

As we begin worshipping at the premises of PSB Academy STEM Campus, let us be considerate in the use of the facilities. The Session will be working out a set of guidelines on how we can help keep the place neat and tidy. But for now, please observe the following:

1. Do not litter the floor. Throw all litter in the designated bins. If you spill anything on the floor, please try your best to clean up the mess.

2. There may be some students studying on the second floor. Please keep your volume down when you approach the study areas.

3. Smile and greet all the employees of PSB Academy STEM Campus, including the security and the logistic personnel. Do not take the service they have rendered for granted.

“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Col. 4:6)
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ARCHIVES

During the shifting of church items, we came across archives of previous years’ weeklies. While we would like to keep all of them, space constraints would mean that it is best to digitise them. Thus, some help to come up with a system to digitise and maintain these records would be most appreciated. We never know when we would need them. If you can help, please approach Pastor.

Yours affectionately,
Pastor Clement Chew
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17 October 2018
Changi Bethany Presbyterian Church
694 Upper Changi Road East,
Singapore 486824
To Elders and Deacons Court of Changi Bethany Church,

TERMINATION OF USAGE

We refer to the email dated 2 October 2018 regarding the new interim rate of $2,610/ week or $10,440/ month for usage of facilities in Changi Bethany Presbyterian Church (CBC) by Tabernacle Bible Presbyterian Church (TABPC) which you had proposed with effect from October 2018.
TABPC appreciates the circumstances faced by CBC in paying for her renewal of land lease.
However, after much deliberation, the Board of Elders has decided that TABPC will cease using the facilities of CBC for her Sunday Worship Services, Sunday School and Tuesday Prayer Meetings with effect from 31 October 2018. TABPC will continue to give its usual monthly contribution $4500 to CBC up till then. As a gesture of goodwill, TABPC will also leave the $4000 deposit which TABPC had left with CBC in 2012 as a further contribution.

Separately, merely as a matter of record, we note the following:

i. Prior to 27 October 2016, TABPC’s usage of CBC’s premises was an informal arrangement borne out of Rev Chau Soo Keong’s desire to maximise the usage of CBC’s premises for the extension of God’s kingdom and was not subject to the strictures of a contract. This informal arrangement eventually led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2012, which served as an aide memoire to the respective churches, and was not intended to create legal relations between the churches.

ii. On 27 October 2016, pursuant to prior negotiations which were focused on entering the churches into a formal landlord-tenant relationship, CBC con-veyed in writing its unqualified acceptance of TABPC’s proposal for three years’ use of CBC’s facilities from 1 September 2018 to 31 August 2021 for the total amount of $162,000. This would amount to $4,500 per month for usage of facilities. CBC requested that $162,000 be paid upfront by 1 April 2017. TABPC agreed. These communications formed the 27 October 2016 Agreement.

iii. On 8 March 2017, TABPC received notice from CBC that JTC’s notice of renewal had been delayed. It was stated in the notice that CBC would re-schedule the date of payment of the $162,000 from TABPC once CBC receives the offer letter from JTC. However, on 15 September 2018, we were informed in a meeting with Rev. Michael Phua that the 27 October 2016 agreement had been rendered null and void. CBC had thus unilaterally repudiated the 27 October 2016 Agreement.

iv. We hope that CBC understands that TABPC had acted in reliance of the 27 October 2016 Agreement, and CBC’s unilateral repudiation of the 27 October 2016 Agreement has put TABPC to loss. We are not seeking to recover any of this loss from CBC. We see fit to bring this to CBC’s attention so that such future inconveniences may be avoided.

v. In relation to the above, whereas there had been a practice of allowing a 6 month notice period between the announcement and implementation of a proposed change, in our view, the departure from this practice was the primary cause of the inconvenience suffered.

Finally, we would like to express our appreciation for the hospitality of CBC these six years. Our heartfelt thanks go to all who had made our time in CBC to be one that is most blessed and memorable. The Lord will surely bless the labour of love of those who sincerely minister to the saints in truth.

Yours sincerely,
Rev. Clement Chew
Pastor, Tabernacle Bible Presbyterian Church
On Behalf of the Board of Elders