We've Only Just Begun (Guild Induction Ceremony 2017)

Written by Eunice Tan, Toh Jern Yoong, and Ranen Chan
Reflections by Jern Yoong, Charis, Ian, Ranen, Jern Ling, Eunice, Danelle, Jonique, and Jodie.
Compiled and edited by Charis Chen
June 4th, 2017

"I am so honored to be inducted alongside with my fellow Student Leaders. I can see how all of us have grown in wisdom and in stature. As the chapter chair, I am very very proud of my team. I want to also thank my guild interviewer, Coach Choong Ming. I really had a good time answering those questions and sharing my views and my journey to people. I believe that this not the end of a journey, but the beginning of something more exciting and fulfilling. To all my coaches and comrades, thank you for making ICC a safe place to grow and learn to be Ready For Influence!" - Jern Yoong, Chapter Chair

"Being inducted into the Guild with my fellow Student Leaders was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I have never been more blessed than when I was able to experience God's work throughout these three years of my YSG journey. My three years in YSG can be summed up in the abbreviation, G.R.O.W.T.H. I grew in the Groundings of God's Word and in a Biblical worldview. I have learnt the importance of Receiving Feedback, Overcoming my fears and challenges as I wrote and presented my speeches, and persevering in Writing and Rewriting my speeches. I appreciated the Togetherness that our chapter shared. And last but not least, I treasure the lessons on Humility and being totally dependent upon God. When I was called onstage to receive my guild pin, memories of the three years in YSG of journeying alongside my hardworking friends came flashing back. The pin really reminded me of the blood, sweat, and tears that I went through, writing each speech and sharing at various platforms. Every step of the way, it was really God's hand which was there, guiding me wherever I was, in every speech I gave. All glory to God!" - Jern Ling, Assistant Chapter Correspondent

"YSG. Three letters. Three words. Three years. Being inducted into the Young Speakers Guild, once something seemingly so prestigious and unattainable, was now reality. These three years have truly been a challenge, and many a time I found myself not only worked to my limits, but also torn between my commitment to ICC and to my Boys' Brigade company.  However, through the trials, many valuable experiences were also gained - learning to be more expressive, less self-conscious, working through trying situations and emotional times with fellow speakers, speaking to university students, reaching out to the underprivileged - all these have reminded me again and again of God's providence in this journey, and I am reminded even more so of His hand in my life as He provides miraculously for each ICC event that I attend. The biggest thing about the ICC journey is really the trust that it takes. It's a journey of hanging on, not letting go, hoping for the glimmer of that silver lining behind the clouds that hide the dream. Sometimes the dream comes true, and sometimes it doesn't. It's a journey of self discovery, coming to the startling realisation of how much of the things I love I need to give up for something I believe in. It's really a touch of living life as a Christian in today's culture. It's been a journey of walking, often blindly, trusting that He will lead. I am immensely grateful to the coaches and speakers in Words ALIVE who patiently guided me and bore with my uglier sides, who tried their best to help me even though they, too, were struggling, who laughed and cried with me through the triumphant moments and the terror-ridden ones. These people have helped me to learn about the world beyond my home and community, and I can't thank them enough!" - Charis Chen, Media Coordinator/Historian, Assistant Chapter Chair

"I am so honored and glad to be inducted along with my fellow Student Leaders. It has truly been a wonderful journey. During the Guild Induction Ceremony, I was nervous and excited. When answering the questions, I had a time of reflection and was glad to share my perspective of the formula P3+R3=YSG and the words of advice. I would like to thank all the Coaches and Speakers who encouraged and mentored me. I believe that my journey has only just begun..." - Ian Chan, Chapter Correspondent

"Finally getting inducted into the Young Speakers Guild and receiving the Guild pin has been one of the proudest moments of my life. To me, the pin signifies 3 years of hard work and sacrifice. It reminds me of all the late nights and the activities I had to forego because of ICC. That pin also makes me think of all the experiences I had: conferences, tournaments, arduous work in completing my portfolio, community projects, and retreats, and of the friends I have made, both here and overseas. These are things which I am truly grateful for, as they have helped me shape my mindset, and sharpened my skills, to be an effective and authentic communicator for Christ. I would also like to thank my fellow speakers and the coaches in my chapter for being a constant inspiration and encouragement to me throughout my ICC journey. It has been a great privilege to have been in the same chapter. Last but not least, I would like to thank God for granting me these opportunities and sustaining me through this challenging period.

This journey has not been a walk in the park, but it has certainly been worth it. To those who have yet to complete the Young Speakers' Guild curriculum: Don't give up! Push on, and your efforts will be rewarded. You too will be equipped for life, and be ready for influence." - Ranen Chan, Assistant Media Coordinator/Historian

10...9...8...7...6...5...4...

This was it.

This was the end.

The end had just begun.

Six speakers lined the first side row of the hall, all present for one purpose: to commemorate one of the greatest achievements in their lives.

Photo by Eliza Tan

You guessed it...

Welcome to the Words ALIVE ICC Guild Induction Ceremony 2017!

Guests settled down on their seats in anticipation, as they joined Coach Wai Hong in an energetic countdown to the start of the program.

3...2...1!

The lights flashed on, and Coach Joseph and our ICC alumnus, Eliza opened the celebration with a skit. 

Photos by Nathanael Chong

They portrayed the inarticulate generation of young Christians today who are not equipped to stand up for their faith. This effectively depicted the relevance of our mission to become ready to influence our culture as Ambassadors for Christ. This lively and relatable opening definitely started the ceremony on a meaningful note. Thank you, Coach Joseph and Eliza for working on this amazing introduction! 

Photo by Nathanael Chong

Eliza then shared her personal testimony of her journey in ICC. She shared how it not only helped her become more confident, but also to better understand and form her own beliefs and convictions, learning how to speak for Christ in a world that is ignorant and full of lies. She has just  completed her first year of university, and ICC has greatly helped her as she has gone through this new stage of her life.

Following this, a video entitled "Be Not Typical" was screened, reinforcing the goal of ICC in an impactful, concise style.

After the video ended, Charis and Jern Yoong energized everyone with a cheery, interactive icebreaker! They got everyone familiarized with the ICC claps, examples of which are the fireworks, golf, and special donut claps! Thanks for that wonderful activity, Charis and Jern Yoong!

Next up, Speaker Jern Yoong introduced our Sponsor Coach Joseph, who heartily welcomed all who were present!

Photos by Eliza Tan

He thanked them for taking the time to join us on this momentous occasion! In a concerned and sincere manner, he shared that the future of our world is very bleak-- a world where no one dares to speak the truth or take the lead scares us. Seeing the way the next generation has degraded in their communication skills, this may well be the world we will one day live in. Coach Joseph voiced that it is ICC's mission to make this future brighter--to empower next generation Christians to lead.

After our Chapter Sponsor's punchy welcome, Speaker Charis led us in welcoming Mrs. Cassandra Shepherd, the Area Coordinator for East Asia. 

Photos by Eliza Tan

We were so thankful and honored that she willingly came all the way from Singapore to attend our guild ceremony! It truly was a blessing having her with us.

Mrs. Shepherd shared words of encouragement and gratefulness to God and others for their sacrifice throughout this ICC journey, while sharing her personal experience with her girls who have grown tremendously in ICC. Additionally, she explained that a guild was, in medieval times, a group of craftsmen working together to improve their work conditions and quality. In the same way, she said that those who enter the ICC Guild become part of a group that strives to become better Ambassadors for Christ through more leadership and learning opportunities to come.

Subsequently, Coach Joseph introduced our Assistant Sponsor, Coach Choong Ming, also thanking him for his hard work and sacrifice put into growing our speakers!

Photos by Eliza Tan

Coach Choong Ming started off the next section by introducing ICC's formula for the YSG journey-Pˆ3+Rˆ3=YSG. Through a series of interviews with each of the Guild Inductees, we shared with the audience what the formula was about.

During her interview, Eunice talked about the first letter of the formula. Purpose. She incorporated many insightful stories as she explained to her interviewer, Coach Choong Ming about how purpose is such an important part of the process of learning to be a Communicator for Christ. After her session, she promptly introduced the second speaker, Charis Chen, who explained what the second P in the formula, Prepare, was about. Her words really struck me - that preparation goes beyond a speech, and helped her learn more about herself. The third speaker came; it was me. I spoke about the third P, Present. Presenting is not about showing off our skills in a speech, but rather sharing what God has instilled in our hearts to impact another person's life. After all, it is about the audience, not ourselves.

We took a short break, during which Ian and Jern Ling led us in a quick energizer by giving them a question to ask amongst ourselves. " What is your favorite childhood story and why do you like it?" It was a great refresher and opportunity to connect with the people who had come to celebrate the day with us.

Following the icebreaker, Jern Ling began with a new letter in the formula- the first R, Rate. Grateful that she received both encouragements and criticism, she was determined to do her best. It was then she learned that Rate does not just simply mean being evaluated for the sake of 'getting feedback' but rather, taking it to a deeper level to analyse and be humble to accept it with a cheerful heart.

Ian then shared how Respond includes thanking people who helped him in his journey, because it was not by his strength that he completed the speeches but also having people around him who gave him the opportunity to speak. Responding with thanks and gratefulness helped him develop deeper relationships with both God and people. Finally, Ranen was called up on stage to talk about the last letter R in the formula, Record. Quoting the words of many speakers about how portfolio work was tedious, he said that despite feeling the same way initially, he learnt that it is actually essential to record the journey as a way of maintaining accountability and being encouraged by the progress one makes. He shared how he did not record the sources he used for his Computer Aided and ended up having to spend much more time finding the articles again. This taught him to be more thorough in recording and taking note of the little things needed for his own speech.

After the interviews, our founder and CEO, Dr. Teresa Moon, addressed us East Asia inductees personally in a video.

Then it was time for the long-awaited pinning ceremony! Each speaker went up, received their certificate of achievement, and had a guild pin affixed to their jacket. The parents of the inductees also went onstage to share a few words of affirmation of their speaker(s) and how they have seen their speaker grow. Each family posed briefly for a photograph, taken by our alumni member Eliza.

Mrs. Cassandra Shepherd then proceeded to pray for the inductees, and everyone sat down thereafter. Suddenly, the silence was broken by Jern Yoong, who stood up and began, "I believe in one God." The other inductees, seated in different parts of the room, stood up one at a time, taking turns to continue the recitation of the Nicene Creed, which is ICC's statement of faith. As they spoke, they paced slowly toward the stage, until, standing in one line onstage, they completed the recitation.

The Nicene Creed:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. AMEN. 

After the Nicene Creed Flash Mob, we had another energizer conducted by Ranen and Eunice. Ranen taught us some body percussion which created a very lively atmosphere.

The YCC, YSG 1, and YSG 2 speakers were then presented with their certificates. A hearty congratulations to those speakers! Keep up the good work and never give up!

First, we had Jonique who completed her Phase II of the Young Speakers Guild.

"During the guild induction ceremony, I was surprisingly not nervous at all. As I saw my brother being inducted and having that cool ICC pin, I suddenly wanted it. I challenged myself to get that pin and my goal is to have achieved it by the next ICC semester. I was proud and glad to receive my certificate because I had spent many nights on completing my portfolio and the speeches. I am eternally grateful for my parents' help in guiding me during my whole YSG journey because without them and God I would not have improved. Truthfully, I had a lot of struggles in my YSG 2 journey, but I really thank God for helping me to be determined in finishing my speeches and being there when I felt like giving up. God has truly played a very important role in my YSG journey and my life. At the end, I was glad to finally start YSG 3 and be a Student Leader. Although I am the only one in YSG 3, I will be forever glad that God is always walking beside me." - Jonique Chan

Next, we had Danelle and Jodie who completed their Phase I.

"I've worked hard during the year to finish  my portfolio, so I was glad when I received my certificate as proof that I've completed YSG1. I've achieved it!

It wasn't easy but I managed to drag myself through the ICC year. It was a good experience, I look forward to getting my next cert." - Jodie Tan

My experience of receiving my YSG1 certificate was an experience, from walking up to the front to walking back to my seat. When the piece of paper was handed over to me, all I was thinking at that time was “I feel awkward being here...” Then while my dad gave his more than a minute speech, I stared at the back wall, nodded my head now and then as I listened to bits and pieces of his speech about how I’ve improved in public speaking this past year.  Finally we had our photographs taken, and I slowly went back to my seat, disappearing into the velvety chair, while thinking to myself in relief, “No more limited preps, no more speeches, until YSG2 that is, which is not too far away.” -Danelle Tan

We then had Lee Xin and Lee Rui, who worked through YSG 1, as well as our YCC speakers Carlson, Lafayette, Lee Yuan, and Lee Yi.

And with that, we closed our 2017 Words ALIVE Guild Induction Ceremony with a prayer.

It truly has been a wonderful time watching younger speakers like Lafayette who said he would definitely be inducted one day. The other speakers, including the Guild inductees, were also motivated by their fellow speakers to never give up on their Guild dream. 

As ambassadors of Christ, we are reminded to be able to give an answer for the hope that is in us with gentleness and respect. (1 Pet 3:15) We are honored to be inducted along with our fellow Student Leaders and are grateful for the safe environment provided in the Chapter. On behalf of the Student Leaders, the speakers, and the coaches, thank you for journeying alongside us and for making this Ceremony possible!

The journey has just begun... :)

"Three phases. Two parts to a formula. One ceremony to remember it all. Silently, I sat on my designated chair, fingering the schedule slip detailing the events of the induction. A smile spread over my face, as I watched relatives and friends flood in and find their seats. A teasing and yet strong sense of peaceful joy filled me, and with it, a hint of strangeness. It was strange-- strange that I sat, smiling there, satisfied and calm, not fidgeting or rehearsing lines over and over again in preparation for what could be one of the most important speech events in my life. Sure I felt nervous, but I was not afraid. Reaching the end of my ICC journey, I came to the shocking and overwhelming realization that every single speech and event I had worked on, all the tears and feedback graciously given by my parents and others, had been a part of God's significant plan. And it all led up to this. God placed a certain queer, and gratifying peace in my heart that told me everything will be alright. I felt ready. As I received my guild pin, it stood as a reminder of God's providence in my life and all the wonderful people who have journeyed along with me. It will also always remind me that an Ambassador for Christ holds on to God's truth and is not afraid to be a voice in a crowd of bystanders. At the end of the entire induction ceremony, after presenting my interview and taking care of my other responsibilities, it hit me-- I had reached the end. But somehow, I felt a God-given glimmer of hope that in His grand plan, we had just begun." - Eunice Tan, Community Ambassador