Ward Splits are the Pits

Nobody likes a ward split but sometimes it just has to happen.  Our church building was bursting at the seams. Bens age group born in 2004 had 24+/- children, mostly rambunctious boys, making two classes of twelve which really should have been three classes of eight but there aren’t any ROOMS for them to meet in.  The hallways have so many people I just pray Jacob doesn’t sneak off between the legs of the adults because I may never see him again.  Parking was a mess and we tried to arrive at least 20 minutes early just to get a spot so we didn’t have to walk from a neighboring shopping center on the busy road with little children.  Everything here in Singapore is small, including the space in buildings and parking.

 

The time finally came and the ward was split three weeks ago. Yesterday was our last week meeting together before we actually separate and it is sad.  There are now two English speaking Expatriate congregations on the island. We get the new chapel which should have its perks but logistically it’s harder to get to – it takes three trains and two transfers to get there instead of direct from our neighborhood to the building.  Sort of a bummer.  I’m grateful we have a car in our package but not everyone has that luxury and when I say luxury I mean it because the cost is more than a mortgage in many places in the states.

 

Mostly I hate to say goodbye to good friends and the kids don’t want to lose their friends either. Not that we can’t be friends still, but the truth remains that those people you cross paths with often tend to be your inner circle of support and those you don’t see in your regular path of life often fall out of close contact because logistics and busy schedules keep you apart.  This morning I downloaded the updated roster onto my iphone and was sad to see I had been moved to the Singapore 4^th Ward and the Singapore 1^st Ward is planning to carry on without all of us Woodlands folks and everyone else on the East side of the island.

 

In the end the split will be just fine.  What it really means is that more people are hearing the message of Jesus Christ and accepting Him.  So is there really anything to complain about? No.  It’s a happy day to see Christ’s church grow in Singapore and we can always make new close friends who believe the same things we know to be true and share the love of God with others in their everyday lives.