Rev Dr Patrick Tan

Dear friends at Ebenezer,

Thank you for taking the time to remember my father. Ebenezer was the last church that he served at before retiring and he loved all of you dearly. Many of you have worked with him and remember him in your own ways. Today, I’d like to share with you the 3 P’s that he taught me not so much in word but by his example.

1. Patience

In his busy schedule, Dad always found the time to answer my endless questions and to explain everything in detail to me and even to his grandchildren. When I was anxious about exams, he would always remind me to wait on the Lord. He will answer my prayers in His time and in His way, not necessarily what I asked for but what was best for me. Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

2. Peaceful

Although he was a soldier and was ready for battle, his goal was always to find a peaceful resolution to every situation. His verse to us as a family was Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ sake has forgiven you.” He wanted us to remember that no matter what differences we had in opinion, ultimately, kindness and love for God and each other was to prevail.

3. Persevere

In every endeavour Dad undertook, he would work on it till completion no matter how many hurdles he encountered. He would press on and never give up. We could see this in the MCF (Military Christian Fellowship) he started, the various churches he pastored both in Singapore and overseas, and the missions that he was passionate about. My Dad’s life verse which will be engraved on his tombstone is Revelations 3:8 “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”

I hope these lessons will become as valuable to you as they are to me. Thank you.

Phebe

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Thank God for Rev. Dr. LTC. Patrick Tan, a good, faithful and humble soldier for Christ and a true friend to many. Mrs Anne Tan, Clement & family, Phobe & family - May our Lord bless and comfort you and your family during this time of grief. Please accept our sincere condolences. Alex Chng, Choo, Grace and Luke

Dear Mrs Tan

We are saddened to hear about the home going of Pastor Patrick when we were away.

Our heartfelt condolences to you, Clement and Phoebe.

Pastor Patrick will be missed dearly by us.

Our prayers are with you and your family.

WeeBoon and Belinda Tan

Dear Ann I regret missing Patrick's funeral. I have happy memories of Peck Lin and I fellow-shipping with Patrick and yourself in Melbourne. I learned many things about faith and leadership from his candor and wisdom. I was very touched by your attendance as a couple at Peck Lin's memorial service. Your were a serving couple and the good Lord knows your every need as you soldier on alone. Because He lives we know we'll never walk alone.

Dear Mrs Anne Tan,

My wife Damai and I would like to convey our deepest condolences for the passing of Rev. Dr. Patrick Tan. May our Lord comfort you and the rest in the family.

We thank the Lord for knowing your husband as a man of God. I remember the first time we met him in Kenya (Africa) before 2001. Then, together with a big team in May 2014, he came with you and Dr Clement for a mission trip to Nias (Indonesia). That was the last time I met him.

But we will meet him again anyway, when we all get to heaven.

Famachoi

Received the news through someone overseas.

Indeed, I can personally say that Dr Patrick Tan had been an exceptional encourager especially to me in the Pre-NS Camp initiative. He is the one that pushed me on in my 1st year as Chaplain and CPT of a Boys Brigade Company. He gave me the confidence of how to start a Ministry with the Lord being my sole dependent, just like he did to found the MCF with so few encouragers.

ﹰBro Patrick ﹰTan is indeed the "good man" whose steps I should pick up, because his steps have been ordered by the LORD and He delighteth in his way. Psalm 37:23 & 24. Many of us know this song too. All glory to His name! Amen.

Peter & Janice Lai

Dear relatives and friends,

Thank you all for coming to Dad's send-off and burial services. Thank you for all the kind words and condolences delivered in person and in writing. Your friendship always meant a lot to Dad and we are comforted by your kindness.

Praying all of you will know the joy of the Lord in your service for HIm.

Anne,

Clement & Cheng Yeen; Phebe & Yew Loong,

Ethan, Ezekiel, Evangelyn; Nathaniel, Nicholas, Natalie

AMEN

Eulogy for my father, Rev. Dr. Ltc. Patrick Tan Kang Ping

Dear relatives and friends,

Thank you for being here with us today. Many of you were a part of Dad’s life, his family, his friends, comrades-in-arms. Thank you for being his friends. He certainly treasured your friendship through his life.

Most wakes are to remember the departed. We will all miss Dad. He was a great husband, father and grandfather. He was a loyal friend, trustworthy soldier, but above all a faithful servant of God. He touched many lives and all of us have good memories of time spent with him.

But Dad would be uncomfortable with receiving the praise of man and would have wanted all of us to be gathered to praise God instead. (And I think he would have wanted us to praise God for the following: )

1. Dad would want us to praise God for Salvation.

Dad was called to salvation as a teenager and marks the date of being born again as Easter 1955. He was most concerned for the souls of men and took every opportunity to witness for Christ. The Military Christian Fellowship and all his years of service in the church were an extension of that desire to witness for Christ. If any of you here do not yet know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, it would be Dad’s prayer that you would turn to Christ.

2. Dad would also want us to remember that Sanctification is a process

The verse Dad left us, as his family is Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” He wanted us to remember to love one another. And I think he wanted us to remember that sanctification is an ongoing process. And on this side of eternity, God is continually moulding us. Dad always tried to help those who were weak in their faith, those who were failing in their Christian walk - to the point we were often worried he would be taken advantage of. Whenever we discussed the plight of those who had fallen into sin, he would remind me of 1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

3. Dad would want us to devote ourselves to Service

Dad’s life verse was Revelation 3:8 “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” As he grew more ill and weak, he wondered if he had done enough. I reminded him of all his years of service for the Lord – starting the MCF, ministering in Grace, Life, New Life Church (in Singapore and London), Ebenezer BP churches. We reminisced about some of the ministries he helped pioneer – like the 8am service, missionary fellowship and NBC at Life BP, the mission to Kenya. Many of these were new ministries and some were difficult ones. I often joked with him that he had been an entrepreneur for Christ. But his response was simply that he took every opportunity as it was presented to him.

And I think this is the message he would have for us – that we should bravely seize all opportunities for service that God presents us with, pressing on in faith as good soldiers of Christ.

So once again, thank you for being here today to remember Dad and to praise God together with us. May God bless all of you as you serve Him.

Clement

Dear Mrs Tan, Clement, Phoebe, Cheng Yee, Ethan n all Rev Tan's grandchildren

The Lord Jesus comfort your hearts that Rev Tan is with Jesus enjoying His presence where pain n suffering are not there.

We will all b reunited one day.

From the Woks( jimmi/ josephine/elizabeth/

ruth n sharon)4

Dearest Anne and family,

Sharing your grief at this time.

We are inspired by Rev Tan's faithfulness and dedication to serve our Lord Jesus all these years in the ministry. Indeed, he has fought a good fight and finished what our Lord has committed him to do.

What a blessed hope to be now in the presence of The Almighty God.

Our prayers are with you and family.

With deepest condolence,

Rev & Mrs James Chan

A faith giant who answered the call to carry on the missionary work of Tom Hamblin of the withdrawing British forces. A Joshua in the SAF whose steadfast trust in our Lord helped him to meander through the valleys of secular policy constraints pertaining to religious practices. Worked quietly with diligence and humility always not wanting to give God his leftovers.

But he left a legacy MCF would always remember with gratitude. He left behind to future generations of believers and would-be believers in SAF an opened door to God's kingdom. Praise God for Dr Tan's work and life

Dear Mrs Tan and family our deepest condolences to you and your family on the home going of Dr Tan. He has touched many people's lives .He was my husband's Sunday school teacher and he also gave us marriage counselling and married us off.Indeed Dr Tan had ran a good race on earth and is now safe in the arms of Jesus in eternal peace .

From Leo and Marie

Dear Mrs Tan and family.

We want to thank our Lord for Rev. Tan’s ministry. We were privileged to have him as our Pastor in Ebenezer BPC for several years and are grateful for the time we had with him. Reverend and Mrs Tan always made us feel welcomed, supported and were our “family in Melbourne”. Our prayers and thoughts are with Mrs Tan and family. While we do mourn for his passing, we celebrate that he is now with our Father for eternity.

John, Josephine, Stephen, James and Sophie Wong.

Adelaide Australia

Dear Mrs Tan, Clement, Phebe and all your loved ones,

We praise the Lord for the testimony of service and sacrifice with a humble servant's heart that was Rev Tan's. We remember through the years his gentle and gracious heart, a ready smile on his face always and his quiet confidence even near the end of his exhausting battle with illness.

"Another soldier's coming home, Another warrior hears the call he's waited for so long, He'll battle no more, But he's won his wars, Sing a welcome song, another soldier's coming home." Lyrics that so aptly describe LTC Tan's glorious homegoing to be with his commander-in-chief. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of this faithful soldier. One day soon, we will all be reunited again.

Edwin, Barbara, Beverley, Gordon & Allison Seow.

Dear Mrs Tan, Dr Clement Tan & Family

Rev Dr Patrick Tan had been a great blessing to many of us since the YF days. He had taught us to be gentle, patient & respectful. He’s now safe in the arms of Jesus.

God be with you all.

june lim

Dear Pastor Patrick,

Farewell good and faithful servant and soldier of the Lord. Thank you for your gentle shepherding and teaching us the truth, the way and the love of the Lord through words and deeds.

Till we meet again at the feast of the Lamb.

To God be the glory!...forever and ever...

in Christ Jesus,

Keat & Lily

Ebenezer BPC, Melbourne, Australia

Dear Mrs Tan, our deepest condolences to you and family on the home-going of Dr Patrick Tan. I remember him well first through the Pre-NS camp, later as fellow students in BJU, and then as fellow ministers in the Gospel work.

I remember best Rev Tan for his humble disposition. When he was in BJU, he was already in his 50's much older than most students, and having to share room, sleeping on bunk beds with men young enough to be his sons was not an easy thing. But he embraced that experience, took it in good stride. Sunday evening was always fun. BJU kitchen is closed on Sunday. After lunch, students were given cold sandwiches and a fruit packed in a brown paper bag for dinner. To make up for the lack of a hot meal, Sunday dinner after evening church was instant noodles, and good fellowship.

The church will miss a good and faithful soldier. Rev Tan has set for us a good example to follow. Today, we praise the LORD for him; the comfort is that one day -- soon -- we will praise the LORD together with him.

Isaac and Rebecca, and Anna-Joy

Thank God for Pastor Patrick Tan. All at Kiluani New Life Secondary School, Kenya who have met him remember him warmly for his love for them.

I would like to share a photo here of Pastor and the pioneer class of 1999. Many have sent their condolences to Mrs Tan and the family.

May the Lord comfort and strengthen you Mrs Tan. We will all see him again on the other side.

Lilian Lee

Grace Church's first Pastor, Rev Patrick Tan 

The Lord brought Rev Patrick Tan to Grace Bible-Presbyterian Church with the late Rev Timothy Tow in 1976. They came with 30 Lifers to establish a church in the eastern part of Singapore. Grace BPC was started by both pastors. Rev Patrick Tan stayed on as the first pastor of Grace BPC. He pastored the church till 1981 when I was ordained and became the second pastor of Grace BPC.  

It was my joy and privilege to serve with him from 1978 to 1981. He was a fervent servant of the Lord, active in the Military Christian Fellowship and in church work, both local and foreign missions. 

Grace BPC is always grateful to the founding pastor, Rev Patrick Tan, for his time and service in laying the foundation of this new work in those early days. We will not forget what he has done for us. Praise God for his part in our work.

In this time of bereavement Grace BPC extends her deepest condolences to Mrs Anne Tan and family.  

"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)

Rev Tan Eng Boo 

On behalf of Grace Bible-Presbyterian Church