The Summit Challenge... By: The Boss No comments

Nope, we're not talking about hiking up Bukit Sapu Tangan...

We're not talking about Mt. Kinabalu or Mt. Tahan (not yet, at least...)

We're not talking about climbing up trees around your neighbourhood...

Its back, friends!

The Summit Rock Climbing Challenge...

The last time we were there, it was a blast! This time the challenge gets tougher and the walls' gotten higher...Are you in? Are you game for it? Come join us this Saturday at the Summit Climbing Gym for a great time of physical challenge and an awesome time fellowshipping up and around the wall! For the E-rangers, please take note that this is part of your Rock Climbing Merit.

Details as following:

Venue: Summit, USJ (Summit Climbing Gym)
Time to meet in church: 12.30pm (pls be punctual)
Cost: Bring along RM20 per person
Expected to arrive back in church around 6pm

Age: 15 and above only!

Attire: RR T-shirt, shorts/trackbottom, and sports shoes!

For those certified belayers out there, dont forget to bring along your Certified Belayer's Card to entitle yourself for a discount! Here's some pics from the last Rock Climbing trip way back in March 2005! Man...some of you have really grown!

The group in action...

Lisa hoisted up the wall...and getting stuck there!

Not too sure what's up with Daniel...

I have to say this...Cmdr. Kenny does resemble a lil' like our household lizards...

One big happy family...The E-Rangers back then in 2005!

So friends, if you're still thinking twice...STOP! Come join us this Saturday for a day filled fun a whole lot of physical fun and challenge...Royal Rangers style! For more inquiries, please contact Cmdr Reuben (016-2150186). Please confirm your attendance latest by Fri 30th Mar 2007. First come first serve basis, so please confirm your participation.

Till then, God bless and looking forward to see you this Saturday!

Monday Blues... By: The Boss 4 comments

With an aching body and sleepy mind...Good morning, everyone!

Bet a few of you out there are going through the same thing as I am...man, I had such a fun time in rangers yesterday that it hurts and aches so much! :) Yup, its been a while since we had such crazee fun under the sun, literally! For those of you who aint too sure what we're talking about, I'm referring to the latest high-action sport that slowly catching up in popularity among our youths...FRISBEE! Haha...

Yea, I know what you're thinking...many of you are going like what??? Of all games??? Haha..well, that's exactly what I thought when we started to introduce this game to the youths and rangers. Its like...sort of a beach game eh? These days, its not all about throwing the frisbee from one end to the other, played between a few fellas. Over the years, this game has evolved into a physical, challenging, high-action sports...as experienced by us yesterday! :) Man...there were crunching tackles, high jumping, mud kicking, body tackling, etc etc...Awesome fun, I'm telling you!

After loads of complaining from the rangers about how hot the malaysian sun is, and how muddy the field is...we finally found a spot that's playable...as in 90% mud-free and dry grass. Kids these days are getting too pampered, I must say! :) After all the pre-match talk and boastings, it was time to get down to business. The E-rangers we're divided into 2 teams, a bit one-sided I must say...on one end we had the so-called stars...the Kota Kemuning gang and some school basketball players, and on the other team, they had the secret weapons...the Commanders! :) Well, I gotta say...age is certainly catching up. These kids can certainly run like wild chickens...

Even as the game got underway...the Malaysian summer was certainly taking its toll on us. It was draining out there! Physically and mentally...Daniel Raj was the biggest casualty of the day. Running to catch the frisbee, he failed to take note of the tree branches growing out of the ground in front of him...and next thing we know...he's out! Lying motionless on the ground, many came forward and offered to give him CPR...but to their disappointment, he got up, caught his breath and was off and running. Haha...poor fella. Lesson of the day - Always look at what's ahead of you! Daniel had his 2nd tumble of the day in less than 10 mins...this time it was courtesy of The Boss...haha. I call it body contact! My buddy ended up taking a dip in a puddle of mud-water...I told you its a physical game!

At the end of the day, as expected...the all-star team claimed their well-deserved victory. The final scoreline read something like 11-6. It was a good performance by both sets of players...everyone giving their all and sweating it out for the sake of the team. That's what we want to see! And when the full time whistle was finally blown, it was handshakes and smiles all around. Fantastic to see the game played in good spirit. After a dreaded walk back to church from High School field, it was time to say goodbye.

This time the victory song belongs to the winning team...but I can assure you, the next time around, it'll be a whole different story...:) Enjoy the win, while it lasts!

On behalf of the commanders and rangers of Selangor #6, we'd like to take this opportunity to wish our beloved Cmdr. Lilian a biggie biggie Happy Birthday! May God continue to use her to bless and shape the lives of young women all around her, for His kingdom! God bless, cmdr! Come back soon...the rangers miss you!

Have a fantastic week ahead...as for me, its Yoko-Yoko time! Arghh...

God bless!




*Football still rules...*

The Life We've Been Called To... By: The Boss No comments

Hello friends,

Where do I even start...so many things has happened ever since the last blog entry and yes, my apologies for the late updates. Everyone's been busy with one thing or another...but then again, its a good sign. Everything's picking up and gaining full momentum. Full-speed ahead, boys and gals! I'm still recovering from the bulletshots I got during the camp...2 of them, in fact! I'm a survivor...

I had an amazing time last week during the school hols in March. Man, seems like these school kids are having a feast eh? School holidays seem to be popping up every now and then! Things were different back in my days...during the 20th century. Anyway, last week a whole bunch of us went for a Lifegame Camp, which was awesome and so totally different from any camp we've ever attended! The underlying and basic principle/purpose of this camp was to help youths, teenagers and adults to understand God's purpose for their lives. Everyone tried their best to succeed in life, each having their own goals, methods and dreams. But life ain't that simple, easy and predictable, just as in reality. Just when everything seems steady and secure, you'll never know what lies ahead beyond the curbs and roads ahead! Are we prepared for it? That was the question that lingered in each of our hearts after going through this game.

Like many of us out there, we all want the basics in life...good education, good jobs, good life-partner, a lovely family, fantastic retirement plans, the prestige that comes with country clubs and platinum cards...and in the midst of all these 'attractions' and 'distractions' in life, many failed to see what's coming and prepare for His coming. In the end, I asked myself, "Was it all worth it? Living this life to just to be a part of the race to gain all these worldly possesions and satisfy my greed?" It kinda' like puts your life back into proper perspective. Makes you think and evaluate on what's important and what matters in the end. And for the many of you who share the same school of thought as me, irrespective whether you made it to heaven or not in the game, I think this camp has served its purpose.

Many in the past have asked this simple, yet profound question: What is my purpose in life? You see friends, along the years we've all attended some sort of philosophical session with someone telling us to search within our souls, evaluate our thoughts, understand the person that we are, know our inner-person, and a whole load of other suggestions in order to understand our purpose in life. The main point of reference is basically ourselves! But friends, if you think logically for a moment...how could we ever understand our purpose in life by looking at or evaluating ourselves and our thoughts??? To illustrate my point, suppose an inventor were to show you his latest invention. Would you be able to know the purpose and function of the invention simply by looking and referring to it? You might, but you wouldn't understand its full purpose of creation. The only was to truly know is to refer to the inventor himself!

Humans beings are not the creation of our own hands. And the only way to know the purpose and destiny of our lives is to ask the very one who created us...God. For too many times, we've been searching for answers in the wrong places - looking within ourselves. To understand the reason you were born at such a time like these, there's only one place to look for the answers... i pray that each one of you will take the time to think and reflect and ask God to reveal the plans and purpose that He has in store for each one of you. To live for His purpose and walk in His path...it's the life we've been called to. Let's get excited, friends!

IMPORTANT!!! 31st May - 2nd June 2007!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR DATES!

Be prepared for the Adventure Camp of the year!

Have a great weekend ahead and God bless! Will see ya all this Sunday in RR meeting...

Living the Royal Rangers Life... By: The Boss 1 comment

With divorce on the rise and extended families increasingly distant, a strong Royal Rangers ministry is a must for every church that values the strength of its young men and women. Some of our finest, sharpest, and most innovative leaders serve others through Royal Rangers. Why? Because we are living in the fatherless generation. We are living in times where there is an urgent and constant need for direction.

Since the local church now serves as the family where many young men and women find their role models and security, the Royal Rangers ministry can not be a second thought or just "a good idea." Instead, it is the core of what many young people need in order to discover God's plan for their lives. We highly value Royal Rangers, and because we do, this ministry is producing strong, godly young leaders who will serve in His kingdom throughout their lifetimes in various ministries within the church.

Glad Tidings Klang has had the Royal Rangers program for 20 years, about half the history of our church. The program was a gradual success, and it has grown every year. Today, over 130 young men and women, as well as leaders are involved with the program at all levels, from Ranger Kids to Expedition Rangers. We are a church of about 500, so that means roughly 20 percent of all our members are Royal Rangers - a phenomenal rate.

It is not hard to see why the program is so attractive to our boys and girls, though I do appreciate how the many older, established men and women, busy with jobs and other priorities, see the opportunity and value in giving so much of their spare time to the program. But the draw is obvious, and the call is clear. On Sundays when the Royal Rangers are in uniform roaming about the church, talking together excitedly or serving together in some way, they are a walking advertisement for the value of relationships and discipleship, the basis for what this ministry stands for.

The mature are leading the immature. Young boys and girls are becoming men and women by interacting with their leaders, and that process is exciting and inviting to every member of our church. We all love watching it happen, and the attraction of that powerful leadership dynamic ensures that Royal Rangers continually grows.

That rate of retention speaks volumes about the power of the Royal Rangers program. It builds valuable relationships for young and old alike. The 20 commanders in our outpost today shape one another as much as they shape the lives of young men and women. Leaders remain and become more and more committed because they develop relationships with one another. Their entire lives, the people they love, the functions they attend, and the contents of their photo albums begin to revolve around the Royal Rangers and church community.

I love our Royal Rangers program. I think it is one of the healthiest, most effective ministries at our church. It produces quality leadership, both in the boys and girls who get involved and in the men and women who volunteer to help run the program. From the initial initiation through the ongoing training to the regular opportunities for adventure, the boys and girls, as the leaders are all fashioned into the powerful men and women of God that they are called to be.

I pray that this ministry will continue to change, bless and impact your life, the same way it changed my life...God bless!

*Adopted from an article by Ted Haggard*

The Weekend That Was... By: The Boss No comments

Howdy Rangers!

God is good all the time, amen? Its been a fantastic week so far, I must say...but what a fantastic weekend I had! I'm not sure about you, but there's many things to talk and write about concerning last weekend's happenings. It was like a pot-pourri of emotions...bitterness, joy, ecstatic celebrations, heart-piercing moments for some, hope, etc etc...just to name a few. I hope everyone's havin' a fantastic day so far yea?

Just thought I'd share a lil' something about what I observed over the weekend during RR meeting. As usual, on every 1st Sunday of the month, the rangers gathered together in our patrols for the combined opening ceremony. Everyone looked nice and tidy in their uniforms (most of them, at least!), and proudly paraded their very patrol standards. And when it was time for the song and yell presentation, everyone did their very best to belt out their self-composed boyband patrol songs and yell! What a sight it was seeing the little ones to the oldies doing their thing! Keep it up, rangers. Looking forward to hear your new song and yell in the coming month, yea?

I've often asked myself, what makes a succesful patrol? What does it take to be one? There are many ways to look at it, and based on my observation, here are a few pointers I've come to discover...

A successful patrol will always display exellent patrol spirit! What's a 'patrol spirit', you might ask? Its about the core of the patrol, the values it stands for, the togetherness of its members, the unity displayed in the patrol, the sharing of joys and failures together, always striving to improve ourselves for the benefit of our patrol, proud of the patrol and its uniqueness and diversity, respect for one another....

What does it take to get there? Its takes time, dedication and commitment. 3 simple words,yet so profound and true. And my prayer is that each one of you will continue to strive to be a better ranger, not only for your patrol and outpost, but also for our Master Ranger! Enjoy the pics...

Hey, where's the big bluey sharketeers?

Point to note: If you go missing, make sure the whole patrol goes with you! :)

The Adventure Boys waiting anxiously for their turn to present...

Ahhh...the Elephants are in town! Opps...something missing..

Discoevry Boys leading the way during the opening act...

Lesson to learn: If you planning to do something funny, always do it together with the other members!

Noticed someone left out in th pic? or rather partially visible? For better patrol spirit, always stay CLOSER to your mates...you'll definitely be in the picture also!

Try your very best to look the same, as shown by the Bizzare Bear patrol! Dress the same, move the same...definitely an important part of developing patrol spirit!

The most important lesson....always keep your elephant informed of the whole song and yell! :)

Wooooooooow....COW! I like this patrol. Cool standard, good team spirit, togetherness, kept their cow informed! Way to go, Wow Cow!

Cute eh? They were inspired after looking at their commanders' faces...and oh btw, they have a message for us: Save the Cow! Save the Cow! Eat more chicken...

Oooo....panas...its the Sizzling Syok Shark! And yes, save the sharks too, my friend! Go for chicken...or beef...or swine...

Check out the little fella in the middle...being flanked by the other bigger ones! That's what I'm talking about...patrol spirit! You may be little, but when you're together (with bigger fellas), you're definitely stronger! Hehe...why do you think I always try to hang around Collin??

RR Selangor #6 opening ceremony family photo!

Some people display patrol spirit through closeness and togetherness. It what we call bonding. Some prefer to form really small circles...

Some like circles facing the inside...it gives them a sense of security...

While some just like being migratory birds and form the V shape stance! No matter how you do it, it speaks of patrol spirit...

Some take it to the next level by putting their arms around each other....never letting go of one another...must be a guy thing!

The E-rangers listening attentively to Cmdr. Andy as he share about significance of the Bible in modern times...

The Adventure Boys taking a breather to pose for the cam!

The Adventure Girls busy taking notes about Compass merit. Its always enlightening to be able to find direction and navigate your way thru life! Thanks to RR, now we can show you the way!

The Discovery Boys going thru the God and Family program. Just to let you know, they're the first age group in Sel #6 to carry out this program. Well done, lads!

The Discovery girls too had an interesting day learning about Firecraft!

Here we see Cmdr. Lih Woon paying close attention to her ranger as they go thru the merit together.

Cmdr. Shie Yee's in the mood for some partying as the ranger kids had a b'day celebration! Before play, work must be done! :)

I wonder how Cmdr. Eric would look like in those party hats together with his clown nose!! :D

PHOTO(S) OF THE WEEK

This week, the honour goes to our very own Cmdr. Sheila! This is her running away after realizing that the entire outpost is watching her posing for the camera...Clap clap...so shy, konon! :)

And last but not least...

For those of you die-hard English football fans....here's one specially for the sorry-looking Scousers, the depressed Kop section, and heart-broken Reds... specially brought to you by the 'other and better Reds', the Mancs! Dont you just love stoppage-time drama??

It truly is the weekend that was. Have a great week, rangers and friends! I'll be seeing you soon enough...

God bless!