October is Pastor Appreciation Month! In this third part of our series, we celebrate the Church Without Walls pastors Pastor Eileen Toh, Pastor Glordia Goh, Pastor Lynn Tan and Pastor Maria Tok.
Church Without Walls was a City Harvest Church initiative started in 1996 out of the call of God to bring the love of Christ beyond the four walls of the church. Out of that, ministries like Harvest Kidz, the children’s church and the Dialect Service to bring Christ to the dialect-speaking elderly folks were birthed.
Pastor Eileen Toh oversees CWW ministries Harvest Kidz, Dialect Service and Jesus for All Minds Service, which supports the intellectually-disadvantaged. Pastors Glordia Goh and Lynn Tan are Harvest Kidz pastors who have helped raise generations of CHC kids, some of whom are teenagers and young adults today. Pastor Maria Tok heads the Dialect Service which looks after mostly elderly folks and meets their many needs, from the spiritual to the physical.
We invited cell group and ministry leaders to answer three questions about their pastors, and this is what they have to say.
PASTOR EILEEN TOH, AS DESCRIBED BY LENA CHUA
Pastor Eileen (left) with Lena
1. One thing my Pastor always says… is “Good night!” Whenever we say something ridiculous, she will reply “Good night!” It’s her affectionate way of teasing us. Even though we always joke around, we know that Pastor Eileen has confidence in us—she gives us space to grow and learn. And she is always around when we need her!
2. My Pastor’s favourite verse is…Psalms 136:1, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Pastor Eileen always reminds us that God is good in no matter what we are going through.
3. Most sacrificial thing my Pastor has done: Once, when I was not in Singapore, she visited my critically sick aunt at the hospital and led her to receive salvation! I’m ever so thankful to Pastor for reaching out to her in that way. My aunt passed away two weeks after Pastor’s visit and I know that she is safely with Jesus now!
PASTOR GLORDIA GOH, AS DESCRIBED BY LAELLE LOONG
Laelle (foreground) with Pastor Glordia
1. If my Pastor was a superhero…she would be Captain Marvel, because she is so efficient and effective at helping others, often in the nick of time!
2. An extremely dangerous experience my Pastor had…was when she went astray in her teens and led a gangster-like life before she re-dedicated her life to Christ again. She also did a thyroidectomy (removal of the thyroid gland or part of) in her teens which was quite risky.
3. I will always be grateful to my Pastor for…being more than a boss. I’m grateful to her for taking care of my well-being, and for going above and beyond what I even ask or think or imagine, just to be a blessing to me and those around me. Thank you, Pastor!
PASTOR LYNN TAN, AS DESCRIBED BY VICTORIA LIM
Pastor Lynn (left) with Victoria
1. My first memory of my Pastor… was back in 2017 when I was new in CHC. That was also when I first joined Harvest Kids as a volunteer teacher in the Tuition Ministry, and Pastor Lynn led the debrief session after class. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if she was a pastor or a teacher—she was eloquent in speech and was quick to give practical advice on classroom management. With her guidance, I soon learnt that the anointing of God enables us to be effective ministers and teachers both practically and over the children’s spiritual lives.
2. A Bible verse that my Pastor always quotes: is Jeremiah 17:8, “He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Each time she declares it, it is a refreshing reminder for me that when we remain anchored in Christ, leaning upon His sustenance, we can thrive through seasons in life, the ups and the downs.
3. I will always be grateful to my Pastor for…fulfilling the role of my spiritual mother, for looking out for me even though she has three children of her own! She is someone who understands me without me saying much, and she is that listening ear and a prayer partner. I’m grateful to her for giving me the space to explore my spiritual gifts and also nudging me in the direction God is calling me to in ministry. Most importantly, I am grateful for who she is—a godly woman, wife, mother who is reverent in behaviour, wholesome in speech, and faithful in living!
PASTOR MARIA TOK, AS DESCRIBED BY CHANTAL CHAN
Pastor Maria and Chantal serving together
1. If my pastor was a superhero he/she would be…Super(wo)man, because whenever people need help, she will be there to help.
2. The most sacrificial thing my Pastor has done is…that she put her life on the altar and was willing to be use by God for whatever He wants her to do. Because of that, she’s impacting lives today.
3. I’ll never forget when Pastor said…“Anything, just come find me.” She said that when I was going through a low period of my life. The “anything” included needs, problems, questions, and times I just wanted to share my feelings—she was there for me every time.
