Good Friday Service at Suntec Convention Centre

This year, Little Olive Tree joined 15 English Presbyterian churches at the Good Friday service at Suntec Convention Centre, where nearly 4,000 people gathered to remember the love of God shown through Jesus Christ. 

And somewhere in that sea of worshippers, prayers, and families, the children stood out, welcomed into the life of the church, right in the middle of it. 

That is significant because being part of the larger Presbyterian community means our children are not growing up alone. They are growing up surrounded by a bigger family of faith. A community that remembers them, makes space for them, and believes they belong in the story of God’s people from the very beginning. 

One especially memorable moment came during the children’s sermonette. It was a short play about a boy who was completely hooked on reading Dog Man — that wildly popular character who is half dog, half man. It was funny, familiar, and instantly relatable for the children and adults alike. 

But from there, the message turned to someone far more wonderful. 

Not half dog, half man. But God-man. Fully God and fully man. 

In a way children could begin to grasp, they were introduced to the person of Jesus in a simple and meaningful way. Not just as a good teacher or kind friend, but as the Son of God who came near to us, became fully human, and gave Himself for us on the cross. 

The service was also marked by Rev Srimal Marthenis’s sermon on following Christ in His suffering. It was a timely reminder that Good Friday is not only about remembering what Jesus endured, but also about what it means for us to walk in His way. To follow Christ is not always to choose comfort, ease, or applause. It is to walk the path of love, obedience, sacrifice, and hope, trusting that even in suffering, God is at work. 

And that is part of what makes moments like these so precious. In the larger Presbyterian community, our children are not only included in worship. They are lovingly taught, faithfully shepherded, and invited to encounter the truths of the Christian faith in ways they can understand. 

When Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me,” He was not speaking about convenience. He was revealing the heart of the Kingdom. A kingdom where children are seen, received, and deeply valued. 

For our Little Olive Tree families, moments like these remind us that preschool is only one part of the journey. Your child is part of something larger than a classroom. Larger than a single centre. Larger than one programme. 

They are part of a living, worshipping, intergenerational community. 

That is what shapes a child deeply. 

For many church members, this was also an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of our ministry. At Little Olive Tree, we are intentional about nurturing the whole child by way of forming character through stories from the Bible, cultivating a sense of stewardship in caring for God’s creation, and fostering meaningful intergenerational relationships. We also seek to support children with diverse developmental needs, while providing programmes such as Explorers, a preschool adaptation of the Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade, to build discipline, resilience, and a spirit of service from a young age. 

So when we say Little Olive Tree is part of the Presbyterian community, we do not just mean shared history or affiliation.  We mean your child is held within a bigger story, a bigger family, a bigger faith community. 

A significance so dear to us.