30 May 09 - 6th SCC Awareness Day (Zone D: Toa Payoh Blocks 17-23 &  34-75).

12 Jun 08 - Ephesus SCC was formed. 

31 May 08 - 5th SCC Awareness Day (Zone E: Toa Payoh Blocks 1-15, 213-235, 155-157, 911, 913 & 700) 

02 Dec 07 - 4th SCC Awareness Day (Zone A: Braddell View Estate Blocks 10A-10R and Toa Payoh Blocks 107-115, 199-209 & 236-240).

01 May 07 - 3rd SCC Awareness day of recollection for ministry groups, entitled “Deeper Meaning of Ministry” on the AsIPA’s New Way of being Church.

31 Mar 07 - 2nd SCC Awareness Programme.

30 Nov 06 - Bethany, St. Dominic and Galilee SCC’s were formed.

05 Oct 06 - SCC Parish Team was set up.

06 Jul 06 - 1st SCC Awareness Programme to introduce a New Way of being Church.

20 Apr 05 - Parish Pastoral Council formed a Small Communities Workgroup in response to pastoral needs of the parish.

Feast Days & Solemnities on weekdays of 2009:

01 May - St. Joseph the Worker

14 May - St. Matthias, Apostle (feast)

21 May - Ascension of the Lord (solemnity, Holy Day of Obligation)

19 Jun - Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (solemnity)

24 Jun - The Nativity of St. John the Baptist (solemnity)

29 Jun - SS Peter and Paul, Apostles (solemnity)

H.E. Most. Rev. Oswald Georg HIRMER, Bishop of Umtata ( SOUTH AFRICA )

The Seven Steps Sharing is not another Bible-study method but a continuation of the Liturgy of the Word at the Eucharist. This way of using Scripture has proved to be a key of encountering Christ himself in the Word of the Bible. In Bible study groups we usually “talk about Jesus” whereas in Seven Step Gospel Sharing we try to get “in touch” with the Lord. Small Christian communities and neighbourhood groups use the Seven steps as their spiritual basis, connecting life with the Word of God.

The secret of the Seven Steps lies in the fact that the Word of the Bible is not taken as a mere information about Jesus but as a sacramental sign of Christ’s presence among us.
In short:

In the First Step we invite the Lord as the two disciples did on the road to Emmaus. Step Two and Three help the faithful to “sit down” with Jesus and remain with him as Mary of Bethany did.  In the silence in Step Four, the faithful allow Jesus to touch them with a word which has become important for them.

The silence is followed by personal sharing, without preaching down on others or starting a discussion on an issue which would destroy the prayerful atmosphere. St. Paul is our example for personal sharing. “What is life? To me it is Christ”, he shares for example with the Philippians (Phil 1:21). In step Six a group asks the question: “What does the Lord want us to do?” Step Seven gives a chance to everyone to pray spontaneously.

The Seven Step Gospel sharing, if well celebrated, can renew the faith in a parish and revitalize grass-root communities from within. It can become a school for deep listening to the Word of God; a school for articulating the faith and strengthening one another in the faith; a school how to learn the art of silence and experience the mystery of Christ’s presence among us.

The Seven Step Gospel Sharing will as well help the faithful to pray better privately and to experience the Eucharist in a deeper and more meaningful way.