National EC Teachers’ Day Dedication Service 2026 - ARISE

On 22 August, about 500 Early Childhood (EC) educators and ministry workers from across 100 preschools, churches and related ministries gathered to seek God together at the 8th National Early Childhood Teachers’ Day Dedication Service (TDDS).

It called Christian and Catholic believers serving in the preschool ministry, to a deeper faith, a renewed calling and direction.

Church leaders from across churches joined hands to bless and minister to God’s children. It was an encouraging sight.

ARISE! CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS & PRESCHOOLS!

Themed ‘Arise, Let God’s Glory Shine!’, this year’s service was anchored upon Isaiah 60, where God was calling His people to arise and reminding them of His promise and covenant.

It is jointly organised by the Methodist Church in Singapore, the Christian Preschool Alliance and various churches; and the venue was at Foochow Methodist Church.

HAPPY TEACHERS’ DAY!

Every year, participants of the TDDS receive a special Teachers’ Day memento to celebrate every teacher and bless them with a present to remind them of God’s calling for them.

The Teachers’ Day memento this year is - a wooden Christian key/ bag charm with the word ‘SHINE’ or ‘ARISE’.

As we carry the memento with us, let us be encouraged and reminded to ARISE for our Lord. We are the vessel that God will use to SHINE His love and light to the world!

Worshipping God as One Body in Christ!

The worship team from Toa Payoh Methodist Church first led us into a great time of praise and worship together, exalting our Lord and tuning our hearts to Him.

Scripture Reading by Preschool Children

Courageous students from a Christian preschool took the stage to recite aloud the Scripture passage for the service in English and Chinese. Their courage reminded many of us of our purpose of our ministry. In their recitation, we saw the unseen - how seeds of God’s love is planted for eternity!

The Sermon that Reignited Many’s Calling

Pastor Low Kok Guan, Deputy Senior Pastor of Bethesda Bedok-Tampines Church, encouraged all with a powerful sermon.

For those who have served in the Christian preschool ministry for many years, the circumstances can be sometimes discouraging. “You look at the situation and you wonder: What is going to happen? Is what we are doing really making a difference?”, he asked.

But circumstances are not the measure of whether God is still at work, he said.

“Do you still trust God to see you through?” Ps Kok Guan asked. “Perhaps God is saying to some of us today: Arise. Do not give up.”

Christians are called to walk by faith and not by sight, he reminded those in attendance. The world may grow darker and circumstances more difficult, but God continues to call His people to arise.

Referencing the familiar children’s song This Little Light of Mine, Ps Kok Guan challenged the educators: “We can sing about shining, but the question is whether we actually shine. Don’t just sing. Shine.”

Serving in a Christian preschool is also about more than simply doing a job. “We are also answering a call that God has given us,” Ps Kok Guan said.

Part of that calling is allowing children to encounter Christ through our care. “They see Jesus through the way we speak to them. Through the way we respond to them. Through the way we teach. Through the way we love them. Through the way we continue to show up for them.”

The light that Christian educators are called to display does not originate from themselves. “It is the glory of God. It is God working in us and through us.”

Pointing to Isaiah 60:22, Ps Kok Guan said: “We are called to arise. We are called to shine. We are called to be faithful. But God is the One who makes things happen in His time.”

This dependence on God must begin with educators’ own time with Him, he stressed. Amid lesson preparation, meetings, documentation and the everyday demands of caring for children, time with the Lord keeps those serving focused on why they are there, he said.

Ps Kok Guan ended his sermon with an inspiring testimony. His story reminded us that - we may not immediately see the fruits of our labour in our daily work, but the seeds we plant will bear fruit one day. When we share biblical truths and God’s love to children, we may not know what is happening in that child’s heart. But God knows and is working in the spiritual realm. He said. “Jesus will use what you have given to Him far beyond what you can imagine.”

Check out his full bilingual sermon below!

(Credits: Adapted from Salt&Light’s article.)

How God Moved in SG’s Christian Preschool Ministry

Brother Fred from the Christian Preschool Alliance shared with the congregation - how God had been moving in SG’s Christian preschool ministry for the last 8 years to strengthen and revive this ministry.

So that, we can all see what our almighty God is doing at a whole-of-SG level, besides what’s going on in our own centres.

Strategic strengthening by churches, forming of preschool organisations and birth of a Christian preschool funding project were some of the key movements by our Lord. And in the latest Partner Operator (POP) 3.0 scheme in 2025, God paved the way to allow Christian preschools in church and landed premises to receive POP funding, enabling centres to be more affordable for families while improving operational sustainability.

Brother Fred also shared about how God brought together a Kingdom partnership between Christian Preschool Alliance, Thirst Collective and Jesus The Light Grant-Making Project, to birth a new vital national initiative to advocate about the goodness of a Christian Preschool Education.

Rededicating Ourselves to God

This had been a key segment for all TDDS. Led by Rev Jasper Ngoh, all who came rededicated ourselves to the Lord for the preschool ministry through reciting a Covenant pledge together as well as being prayed over by church leaders.

Many hearts were ministered to and lifted, renewed our calling with God. God was moving.