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M E S S E N G E R
Diocese of West Malaysia
KDN : PP11463/05/2013 (032185)
Fostering Ventures
APRIL 2015
Editorial
And He said to them, “Go into all
the world and preach the gospel
to every creature” - Mark 16:15
It is always exciting to see God work and
to be a part of what He is doing. God
does not want to stop working, so it is
important for His people to discover what
He wants to do. The way to discover how
He wants to work is to venture out in faith.
Bearing this in mind the Diocese of West
Malaysia has embarked on this ambitious
theme of ‘Fostering Ventures.’
This theme is a continuation on the themes
of sowing, nurturing, optimising and
guarding the Yield, ‘the rationale being
that one must now be ready to engage
in strategic partnerships or ventures that
will develop the harvest to its greatest
potential.’ To this end six key areas
have been identified in which churches
in the Diocese can foster ventures
within the Diocese as well as with other
denominations and organisations outside
the Diocese. This first issue for 2015 of
the Anglican Messenger will focus on the
area of ‘Mission and Evangelism’ and see
how individual churches and the Diocese
are currently engaged in strategic
partnerships to develop and bring in the
harvest.
In response to the mandate given by
our Lord Jesus Christ to go into all the
world and make disciples of all the
nations, strategic partnerships have
been initiated with the Church of the
Province of Myanmar and the Church of
Bangladesh and to a lesser extent with
individual churches and clergy in Medan
Indonesia, Chiang Mei Thailand, Nepal
and Cambodia. This partnership has
taken the form of financial assistance
for different needs, a variety of training
programmes for both laity and clergy and
in the seconding of priests to countries
that have made a request for them.
To churches that have jumped onto this
bandwagon, our prayer is that you will
continue to seek out fresh new ways in
allowing God to do what He wants to do.
To churches that have yet to embark on
such ventures, God has a work that He
desires to do, and He is simply looking
for His people who will step out in faith.
May our churches and clergy catch this
vision of venturing out in faith and giving
themselves over as instruments through
which God can do what He wants to do.
Blessed Easter
The Editor
Features
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Coming Events
Editorial Board
• Chinese Board AGM at St. Gabriel’s
K.L. – 1 May
• Tamil Board AGM – 4 May
• STM AGM – 6 May
• Diocesan Children Ministry – 8-10 May
• Diocesan Women’s Conference –
1-3 June
• Diocesan Worship Conference –
4-6 June
• Tamil Youth Camp – June
• Diocesan Golden Circle Conference &
AGM in Ipoh – 10-12 June
• Lay Readers’ School – 20-22 July
• Diocesan Synod in PJ – 18-20 August
• Persidangan Belia Anglikan – August
Adviser :
The Rt. Rev. Datuk Ng Moon Hing
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Private Circulation Only
M E S S E N G E R
Diocese of West Malaysia
KDN : PP11463/05/2013 (032185)
aPRil 2015
Members :
Esther Richards (Editor)
James Chee
Prakash Mukherjee
Alan Chong
The theme for the first issue in 2015 is ‘Fostering
Ventures’.
The Editorial Board welcomes articles and photographs
that focus on the theme for the coming issue. Please
submit articles in Word document and not PDF and
relevant photographs in JPEG format of less than 1 MB
by 8 March 2015 to:
The Editor,
Anglican Messenger,
e-mail to [email protected]
The Synod of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia
No. 16 Jalan Pudu Lama, 50200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel : 03-20312728 / 03-20313213
Fostering Ventures
The circle of coloured figures around the globe
represents the various races in partnership
toward achieving a desired goal.
The Hope Of Easter
by The Rt. Rev. Datuk Ng Moon Hing
E
ASTER always means HOPE. In
the recent turn of events of the
unfortunate loss of aircrafts, the
killing of innocent lives by extremists, the
abuse and torture of ‘refugee’ migrants,
the loss of properties and businesses in
the floods and the trauma and suffering
under unjust regimes and political
leaders, it is extremely difficult to convey
the message of HOPE to these victims
and their families. Nonetheless, lives
must go on and the message of HOPE
must be ushered in.
In the first Good Friday, there seemed
to be NO HOPE when the disciples saw
their master, Jesus, crucified and buried.
When Easter came, there was JOY and
HOPE with the news of their risen master
but it was short lived. They were told to
wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit at
their special Pentecost. They lived in fear
and trembling, locking themselves in an
upper room, waiting and praying.
The first light of dawn broke through the
darkness, like a walk in the long dark
tunnel and coming out to see the glimpse
of light. Suddenly the disciples were filled
with courage, joy and HOPE when they
saw the work of the Holy Spirit on the
3,000 brought into the kingdom of God
at the preaching of the Apostle Peter.
Their HOPE was transformed from a
verbal hope of resurrection and power to
a visual, tangible and experiential hope.
Faith
Strength
Love
Hope
This was not the end.
This transformed living HOPE will need
to continue to grow and be perfected with
the patience of FAITH and the labour
of LOVE in Christ Jesus our Lord, as
encouraged by the Apostle Paul to the
Thessalonians. The early church faced
much of the same atrocities like many
today. It was their LOVE, FAITH and
HOPE that kept them in Jesus Christ
from generation to generation.
Without sacrificial LOVE, there is no true
HOPE; without genuine FAITH, there is
no living HOPE. AM
to light the darkened sky,
to carry on,
to touch and heal the soul,
to grace the dawn.
3
Rev. Canon Emeritus Luke Ooi
1931 – 2014
by A. Annamaney
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.
Psalm 116:16
Standing solemnly at the lectern on Sunday,
21 September 2014, our beloved Father
Luke Ooi announced to the congregation
at St. Paul’s, “It is official. I have cancer.”
As the shocked congregation grappled with
the somber news, tongue-in-cheek, Rev.
Luke added, “I have a new name – Lukekemia”, causing the subdued congregation
to burst into laughter. That is how we will
always remember the Rev. Canon Emeritus
Luke Ooi – with a smile, even when we feel
sad. Almost a month later, on St. Luke’s
Day, 18 October, 2014, our beloved Father
Luke was called home to his Heavenly
Father.
4
Canon Emeritus Luke Ooi, or Father Luke
as he liked us to call him, was ordained
in 1957 and served as an Anglican priest
for over 50 years in various parishes.
Among the parishes he served were
St. Paul’s Church, Petaling Jaya, Christ
Church, Malacca, Christ Church Jinjang
(visiting St. Mark’s Sg. Buloh New Village
and St. Francis Sg. Buloh Leprosarium),
St. Mark’s Church, Seremban and after
his retirement, he was acting vicar of St.
George’s Church, Penang. Also, from
1963 -1964, he was Acting Chaplain at
Christ Church, Bangkok. Father Luke also
served as Rector in the Anglican Diocese
of Sabah at St. Michael’s and All Angels in
Sandakan and was also the Archdeacon
for the East Coast and the interior for 4-5
years just before coming to St. Paul’s PJ
in 1974. After his ‘proper’ retirement, he
returned to St. Paul’s, Petaling Jaya and
continued to worship and serve there until
he was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks
before his passing.
Priest, not Pastor
Father Luke was a priest with a pastoral
heart. He was offended when people
referred to him as ‘Pastor Luke’. He was
proud to be an ordained priest with the
title of Reverend of the Anglican Church
and knew the difference between ‘priest’
and ‘pastor’. Being a pastor was the care
of the people but being a priest was more
than the care of the people. It included
the higher and sacred nature of his calling
and duties. He understood the Anglican
liturgy and treated it with respect and
understanding. He was always careful to
ensure that the servers understood the
aspect of sacredness and had due respect
for the consecrated bread and wine as they
served at the altar. To this end, he ensured
that they were well trained in their duties. In
his own words, he wrote, “Hope all Servers
understand this, otherwise we will be just
errand boys and girls of the church. We
are Servers of the Church. Note the capital
letters S and C, both alive and live in Christ
and in the Body of Christ….”
Cyber Padre
Many may not be aware that Father Luke
was way ahead of his time in the cyberworld. He was internet savvy at a time
when many people did not even know how
to surf the net. In the mid-1990’s while he
was at St. George’s Penang, he began
broadcasting his sermons as CYBER
PADRE, ‘C.P.’, his Facebook name.
A Man of the People
Father Luke was popular with the young
and old, rich and poor. After service,
children would run up to him to be hugged.
Many people have photos of themselves
together with some celebrity or person
of status but I could hardly find any such
photos of Father Luke. However when the
news of his death broke, the social media
was flooded with ordinary people posting
photos of themselves with Father Luke.
Many called him ‘friend and mentor’ and
almost all said they would miss his ‘bear
hugs, big smile and encouraging words’.
Personally, there is so much I want to
share. My mind is flooded with thoughts of
Father Luke but I cannot put them all down
on paper. My first memories of Father Luke
was when I was a little girl and he was a
deacon in St. Mary’s Cathedral. My older
brother was a server at St. Mary’s and often
mentioned the young deacon. But I got to
know Father Luke better when he became
the Vicar of St. Paul’s in the 1970’s.
I can still remember one of his early
sermons when I was a young girl and it has
affected my life-style ever since. He said
that whatever we give to the Lord should be
the best. He illustrated this by saying that if
we were giving a 50 sen coin for offertory, it
should be the cleanest, most shining coin.
Likewise with the ringgit note – it should
be as clean and new as possible. The way
to do this is that, throughout the week, we
should be looking out for the clean coin/
note and putting it aside for the offertory.
That means throughout the week we are
thinking of what we are going to offer to
God. This aspect of ‘sacredness’ in our
giving has never left me and it ensures that I
give my best only for the Lord. In the 1970’s
when I shared with him about my calling
to full time ministry, he encouraged me in
every way possible. Later, when I moved
to the Day Training Centre, he continued
to link me with people I should know and
courses I should attend, including the
Clinical Pastoral Education course which I
completed last year.
To Leslie and Leonard, thank you for
sharing your Dad with us. He has blessed
our lives in so many ways. May God grant
us grace to follow his example. AM
A. Annamaney was the pioneer Coordinator of St.
Paul’s DTC, a training centre for the intellectually
challenged.
Bishop Ng Moon Hing preaching from the Gospel of John
Fostering Ventures
Launching Of The Diocesan Theme 2015
by Rev. Dr. Vijendra Daniel
T
he first Sunday of every January is
set aside for the launch of the new
Diocesan theme for the year. This
year it was held on 4 January 2015 in the
setting of a Holy Eucharist service at the
Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin in Kuala
Lumpur. The Diocesan Bishop, The Rt.
Rev. Datuk Ng Moon Hing, the Cathedral
Dean, Rev. Dr. Andrew Cheah and Pastor
Vincent Murphy presided at the service
which was attended by approximately 100
people.
In his address, Bishop Moon Hing reflected
on the unfortunate events and tragedies of
2014. These included the tragic loss of lives
in three aircraft incidents, the raiding of AlKitabs from the Bible Society of Malaysia’s
headquarters and also from certain rooms
of college and university students and also
the worst floods ever seen in the East Coast.
“What does the year 2015 hold for us?”
asked Bishop Moon Hing rhetorically. “Will
things get better or will things deteriorate
further?” The Bishop went on to say that
if we were to look at the Bible, especially
in Matthew 24, we should expect things to
get worse, much worse, before the Lord
returns.
Expounding from the Gospel reading of the
evening from John chapter 1, Bishop went
on to reveal the experiences of the Apostle
John. John, writing his Gospel and Epistles
towards the latter part of his life, had also
endured many trials and tribulations. There
were the antichrists, the wolves in sheep’s
clothing, and there were also those who
were disillusioned with Christianity and
were leaving the faith. However, in the
midst of all these difficulties, the Apostle
held onto the core, the centrality, of his
faith:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He was with God in the beginning.
Through Him all things were made; without
Him nothing was made…In Him was life,
and that life was the light of men. The light
shines in the darkness, but the darkness
has never put it out.” (John 1: 1-5)
“The most important venture we must
foster, is our original venture with God”,
declared Bishop Moon Hing. “Everything
around us will change, but God never
changes. We must go back to the Creator!
We must go back to the Word! We must go
back to the beginning and not let go of that
Bishop Ng blessing the 2015 Diocesan Theme
Banners
venture. The venture must go on. We must
expand it! We must extend it! In doing so,
we shall let our light shine in this dark world
and the darkness will never put it out.”
After the Holy Communion and before
the blessing was pronounced, Rev. Dr.
Vijendra Daniel gave a brief description of
the Diocesan Theme, ‘Fostering Ventures’.
Bishop then blessed both the English and
Bahasa Malaysia versions of the Diocesan
Theme Banners.
The Launch ended with the great and
wonderful hymn, ‘God is working His
purpose out’ and a lavish dinner at the
Cathedral courtyard. AM
5
Fostering Ventures
In Mission Outside DWM
by The Rt. Rev. Datuk Ng Moon Hing
T
he Diocese of Malaysia has
entered into partnership links with
a number of dioceses.
Since 1988 DWM has partnered with
the Diocese of Lichfield in the United
Kingdom and the Diocese Qu’Appelle in
Canada. A number of exchange teams
has gone between Lichfield and DWM
and currently there are three SCVP
Volunteers in the Diocese of Lichfield.
DWM’s representatives to Lichfield - Deaconess
Yit Ching and Stephanie Yong
The DWM would like to encourage more
young people to take up this challenge
as SCVP Volunteers. More visits will
take place next year between the two
dioceses. The link with the Diocese of
Qu’Appelle however was terminated
during the tenure of Bishop Lim Cheng
Ean over the issue of homosexuality
which had caused a rift within the
Anglican Communion.
6
In 2008, the partnership link with the
Church of the Province of Myanmar was
established. Each of the Archdeaconry
is linked with one of the six dioceses
in Myanmar – the Upper North
Archdeaconry with Sittwe Diocese; the
Lower North with Myitkyina Diocese, the
Upper Central with Mandalay Diocese,
the Lower Central with Toungoo Diocese,
the Southern with Yangon Diocese and
the Eastern Archdeaconry with Hpa’an
Diocese. DWM aims to partner with CPM
in three main areas -the training of Laity
in Mission & Evangelism, the training of
Clergy and the upgrading of Clergy in
theological studies.
In 1996 when the Province of South
East Asia was established, PROSEAMS
(Province of South East Asia Mission
Services) was formed to help develop
mission work in the Province. The most
needed areas then and now are the
Deanery countries - Indonesia, Thailand,
Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Nepal.
Our aims are - to plant churches in the
deanery countries, help develop the
deanery countries into becoming a
national diocese each, raise workers and
funds within and without the deanery
countries for mission. In order to hasten
the mission task, the Diocese of West
Malaysia was asked to help in Medan
and South Thailand, Kuching Diocese
in West Kalimantan and Sabah Diocese
in East Kalimantan with the remaining
deanery countries to be shared among
the dioceses.
has returned home. In Cambodia, DWM
sent Rev Isaiah Chaw for three years to
Phnom Penh as priest-in-charge of Good
Shepherd Church Phnom Penh. Two
young adult mission workers were sent
for a period of 6 months each to assist
in teaching English in a private school.
In Laos, one member from St Mary’s
Cathedral was stationed at Vientiane
in ARDA Language Centre teaching
English for two years. In Nepal a number
of mission teams, including a medical
mission, took place a few years ago to
Kathmandu and its surroundings areas.
Rev. Albert Walters being commissioned for
Bangladesh
Rev. Alex Kok (L) with Ps. Tambuhan Hasoan
and his wife in Medan
In Indonesia, DWM is encouraged to
plant a church in Medan. Over the
past 20 years, DWM has sent in many
mission teams to Medan and some to
South Thailand to help and assist the ongoing work in these areas. In Thailand,
four years ago DWM seconded Rev.
Wong Chee Seong as mission worker
first to Bangkok and later to Chiang
Mai. He has completed his term and
In 2012, the partnership link with the
Church of Bangladesh was established.
Rev. Albert Walters is DWM’s first mission
worker to Dhaka. He has been sent as
Principal of St Andrew’s Theological
College. Our aim is to train the laity and
clergy of the Church of Bangladesh.
PROSEAMS wishes to have more
mission workers and mission teams to
visit and sent to these deanery countries
regularly. These deanery countries need
lots of funds to help support the ministries
and mission work. AM
Dovedale House is owned by the Church of England and is part of the family of organisations linked to the Diocese of Lichfield. It was a former Victorian
vicarage and was opened as a residential centre in 1962.
Found in the Stillness
by Christopher Soe
with back home but now coming to the
end of my stay, I realize I have done more
cleaning in these months that I have ever
done in my past 20 years of life.
Christopher with the Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby
O
n 16 June 2014 I embarked on
a journey that I never thought
would make such a huge impact
in my life. Being placed in Dovedale
House under the St Chad’s Volunteer
Programme, I discovered another part
of the world which I had only read in my
bedtime storybooks.
Situated right in the middle of the country
as a residential centre mainly for young
people but open to all others as well,
Dovedale House is in the beautiful
National Peak District. The team of
Dovedale House consists of six people
and all welcomed me warmly. Being part
of the team, I was assigned to help out
in the cleaning and cooking. I found this
quite challenging at first because this
was something that I was not familiar
During my first two months I had the
privilege of joining in some events and
particularly my favourite one - the Soul
Survivor. This is a 5-day camp with
approximately 5000 participants camping
together on a massive field. It was truly
a new and spectacular experience for
me, meeting new people from different
places, doing things that I had never
done before with the Bishop of Stafford The Rt. Rev. Geoff Annas and last but not
least listening to the awesome seminars
that gave me the chance to explore my
spiritual life in a different context. Most
importantly, I managed to take a selfie
with the Archbishop of Canterbury, The
Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby
when he came to visit some of the
campsites! Such luck! me a different perspective on life,
discovering the other side of busyness
and also exploring the meaning of life.
It made me realize the kind of person I
was and motivated me to change for the
better, slowly but surely. I experienced
God in a whole new different level than
when I was in Malaysia. His Creation
never fails to amaze me. Again and again
I was reminded of how big our God is and
how awesome He is. From the evening
stroll in the woods, to the gentle breeze
that caressed my cheek, I felt God’s
presence stronger than ever.
With the Bishop of Stratford
The Rt. Rev. Geoff Annas
The rest of my stay here was definitely
pleasant as I got to experience the quiet
village life away from the hustle and bustle
of the city! From the joy of being woken up
by the church bells at 10.30 in the morning
on Sunday for church, to the Monday
bowls with the locals from the next village
made my time here slow, but rewarding.
I am grateful to everyone who made this
happen and I am truly blessed to be
reached by God in this beautiful place. It
is He who reaches out to us every time,
but it is up to us to respond to His love.
For a whole eight months this place
served me well. This slower pace gave
Christopher is one of three SCVP volunteers to
the Diocese of Lichfield under the partnership
between Lichfield and DWM.
AM
7
St. Paul’s (PJ) Partnership with the Church of
the Province of Myanmar
by A. Annamaney
This was the start of many mission teams
over the next 15 years. To date, a total of
11 mission trips have been undertaken by
the congregation of St. Paul’s to Myanmar.
This year on 6 March, a team will leave
to witness the graduation ceremony of
the theological students from Holy Cross
Theological College in Yangon and
to carry out a teaching programme in
Taungoo. In September 2015 the young
adults in the Music Ministry in St. Paul’s
will leave for Myanmar to conduct Praise
and Worship sessions.
The Most Rev. Stephen Than Myint Oo
6th Archbishop of the Province of Myanmar
and the 13th Bishop of Yangon from 2008.
Holy Trinity Cathedral, Yangon
T
he Partnership of St. Paul’s Church
Petaling Jaya with the Church of
the Province of Myanmar began
in November 1997 when the then
Vicar, Canon Charles Samuel, with
the permission of the Bishop of West
Malaysia, Bishop Lim Cheng Ean and the
Archbishop of the Church of the Province
of Myanmar, Archbishop Andrew, invited
a clergy from the Diocese of Mandalay
for a 3 month placement in St. Paul’s
Church. Rev. Philip Aung Khin Thien
arrived in November, 1997.
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Upon his return to Mandalay, Rev. Philip
kept in touch with St. Paul’s and informed
the church of the needs of his church, St.
Mary’s, Mandalay. Mr. Edward Cheah,
the then Chairman of the Mission and
Evangelism Committee, encouraged
the parishioners of St. Paul’s to look to
Myanmar as a mission field and establish
contacts with the church in Myanmar on
a long term basis. To help Rev. Philip
Aung in his ministry, St. Paul’s bought
a computer for the church office and a
motor bike for his personal use to enable
him to lecture in the Bible School in
Pyn-Oo-Lwin, a hill resort some 70 km
away uphill. At the repeated invitations
of Rev. Philip, St. Paul’s sent its first 6
member Mission Exploratory Team in
November 2000 under the leadership of
Rev. Charles Samuel. The team visited
Yangon, Mandalay and Toungoo.
In 1999 and again in 2006, St. Paul’s was
asked to host 2 other Myanmar clergy
on exposure placement in Malaysia.
Rev. Francis Sein was sent in 1999. He
was later consecrated and appointed
Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Sitwe
and in 2006 St. Paul’s received Rev. Eh
Gay Say. From time to time St. Paul’s
has had visitors from the Diocese of
Mandalay, including Rev. Joseph Yin
Oo and Rev. David Nyi Nyi Nyaing the
present Bishop of Mandalay.
In 2005, the Church of the Province
of Myanmar Mothers’ Union asked St.
St. Paul’s PJ 2014 Mandalay Mission Team
• Cont'd from page 8
St. Paul’s (PJ) Partnership with the Church of the Province of Myanmar
Annam with Tina Meyer (OMF Missionary) and Nang Khin Sein
Paul’s to host 2 leaders for 3 weeks in
Malaysia. They were Josephine Daw Roi
Seng of Myitkyina Diocese and Agnes
Daw Hoi Yi of Sittwe Diocese.
In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar
devastating the Delta region. Rev. Fred
David and Canon Andrew Khoo visited
the Church of the Province of Myanmar
and on behalf of the Bishop of West
Malaysia offered financial and material
help to the new Archbishop to help rebuild
destroyed church property. Following
Cyclone Nargis, the partnership of the
Church of the Province of Myanmar
(CPM) with the Diocese of West Malaysia
was established with Rev. Fred David
being the principal training personal for
the laity, theological students and clergy.
Nang Khin Sein with the children from the ophanage
In 2001 St. Paul’s
started
supporting
Nang Khin Sein a
foot soldier to the
Shan people. Nang
lives and works in an
area not accessible
to foreigners, so
the locals have to
minister to each other.
Many children live in
Sponsored Seminarians with the Principal, Rev. Dr. Samuel
areas dominated by
San Myat Shwe (L)
insurgents and they
do not have proper
schooling facilities. They move to the HOLY CROSS THEOLOGICAL
nearby towns, like Linkhe, and stay in COLLEGE, YANGON
hostels during term time. Nang takes this Individual members of St. Paul’s Church
opportunity to teach them the Christian have been sponsoring seminarians at
faith and help them at the same time. St. Holy Cross Theological College, Yangon
Paul’s supports Nang with RM 3,000 a (HCTC) from 2003. The present group
year for her hostel graduating is the 2011 – 2014 batch.
ministry to the Currently 13 seminarians are being
Shan children. A sponsored by individuals in St. Paul’s.
generous donation The graduation ceremony will take place
of US$ 12,000 by a on 7 March 2015.
couple in St. Paul’s
resulted in the St. Paul’s also supported Rev. Alan
construction of the Kyaw in 2007 for an additional year of
orphanage for 50 study in Master of Divinity. In 2013 at the
children. In 2007 request of Bishop David Nyi Nyi of the
St. Paul’s members Diocese of Mandalay, Esther Lim Pe Nain
sponsored a visit was sponsored for her final year in the
by Nang Khin Sein Ministry of Divinity programme. AM
and Sheba Movin,
A. Annamaney is the Coordinator of St. Paul’s
her translator.
Members of the Mission Team 2009 visiting Daniboke in the Delta region where
39 out of 59 parishioners perished during Cyclone Nargis.
mission trips to Myammar.
9
Focus On Bangladesh
by Rev. Dr. Albert Walters
From left: Rev. Hemen Halder, Bishop Paul Sarker, Rev. Dr. Walters and Rev. Shourabh Pholia. Photo taken after the
Induction Service of Rev. Dr. Walters as Principal of SATC
What made you take this step to go to
Bangladesh?
Opportunities are like sunrises, if you
wait too long you can miss them (William
Arthur). Here was an opportunity I felt I
should not miss. Having been engaged
in full-time theological education and
seminary training for almost 15 years,
first at St Mark’s Theological College,
Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania and then at
Seminari Theologi Malaysia (Petaling
Jaya & Seremban) I felt it was time to
harness my varied teaching and learning
experiences for the glory of God and for
the benefit of the Christian community in
Bangladesh.
10
My interest in serving the people of
Bangladesh goes way back to when
I was a seminary student at Bishop’s
College, Calcutta from 1983 to 1986. As
I had to transit overnight in Dhaka on my
way to Kuala Lumpur sometime in 1985
I visited Bishop B D Mondal, the then
Bishop of Dhaka and the first Moderator
of the Church of Bangladesh. My mentorpriest in Malaysia, Rev. K Jambunathan,
a former student of Bishop’s College and
my classmate, Paul Shishir Sarker had
encouraged me to see the city even if it
meant just for one day.
As I travelled from the airport to St
Thomas Cathedral in Old Dhaka
where Bishop Mondal was staying, the
overwhelming poverty on the city streets,
similar to that in Calcutta, struck me at
once. That evening, after evensong the
Bishop drove me in his old rickety Toyota
car to visit church members and a sick
person in hospital and I had a glimpse of
what life was like in Dhaka.
Fast forward to October 2011 - While
attending a World Council of Churches
conference in Geneva, I met my former
classmate Paul Shishir Sarker, now Bishop
of Dhaka and Moderator of the Church
of Bangladesh (CoB). He issued the
invitation to take on the post of Principal
at St Andrew’s Theological College.
Fascinated by the prospect of enhancing
and advancing theological education
with all the challenges Bangladesh
has to offer I agreed. I realized that
sometimes when God calls, the calling is
to work in partnership with Him in the most
inconvenient and difficult of situations.
With Bishop Ng Moon Hing’s blessing
and approval, the partnership between
DWM and CoB began. In January 2014
I was seconded by the DWM to work
as a mission partner with the CoB at St
Andrew’s Theological College, Dhaka.
Incidentally, the idea of partnership with
a Church in a Muslim majority country
like Bangladesh was first initiated at the
Diocesan Synod in 2007.
Bangladesh is incredibly beautiful, full
of lovely people, but visibly affected by
intense poverty. Despite the economic
poverty and all that goes with it, the
people have a well-known reputation
for Bangladeshi hospitality. All of these
impressions make for a fascinating mix
and have convinced me to spend some
years as a mission partner in Bangladesh.
The Church of Bangladesh (CoB)
has two dioceses; six deaneries; 101
congregations; 4764 families; and a total
membership of 20,160. There are four
bishops (including 2 retired), 47 priests
(including 10 retired) and 45 catechists.
There is also an English-speaking
congregation (mostly expatriates) which
meets every Friday for Holy Communion
service at St Thomas Church, Dhaka.
When I visited CoB in 2012, my
immediate question was: “How can a
tiny Christian population in Bangladesh,
facing huge challenges, witness Christ in
a predominantly Muslim environment?”
• Cont'd from page 10
Focus On Bangladesh
Opening Service Procession at the Revival Meeting.
Hospitals; 2 Nursing Training Institutes; 4
Trade Schools and Craft Centres; and 22
Community Health Care Clinics.
food and spend the cold winter nights
with minimum facilities with only one aim,
i.e. to attain mercy and blessings from God.
Can you share with us instances within
the church and outside that have
impacted you?
What has been remarkable so far in
CoB is that my input is valued. I have
been able to bring new perspectives to
issues and integrate approaches that had
not been suggested in the past. I now
realize that not only am I contributing to
upcoming and ongoing projects but I am
also helping to shape them. I am not done
yet but my experience so far tells me that
I have had an impact in CoB and SATC.
More importantly, I have been impacted,
and I will carry these lessons and insights
with me forever.
The challenges facing the Church are:
growing oppressive poverty that largely
affects the Christian minority, limitation
of the Church to address the present
diverse socio-economic crisis, increasing
inequality in accessing resources,
increasing temptation to self-satisfaction,
wide-spread increase in corruption,
theological divide, emergence of
extremists, population explosion, climate
A Garo (tribal) choir at Haluaghat Revival Meeting
Although the Christians in Bangladesh
are a microscopic minority, the churches
are quite active. The contributions made
by missionaries and Christians in different
fields are a lasting tribute and witness to
Christ. In the midst of all the pressing
challenges, Christians in Bangladesh are
trying hard to live up to their calling as
disciples and in the process are making
disciples. I realise that the strength of
the Church is rooted in her faith in Jesus
Christ and the unity of the community.
Furthermore, there is strong acceptance
in society of the church’s work through
the various institutions and committed
ministries.
The Church of Bangladesh Social
Development Programme’s (CBSDP)
mission statement reads: ‘To advocate for
and work alongside the people affected
by poverty and injustice and are striving
for emancipation and empowerment to
claim their rights for sustainable better
living.’ CBSDP includes residential
hostels (5 girls hostels and 10 boys
hostels); 5 Community Intervention
Programmes (CIP); one Vocational
Training Centre; 8 Child Sponsorship
Programmes (Supported by Compassion
International); 50 schools (pre-primary,
primary, junior high and high schools); 2
A section of the CoB clergy
change and leadership needs at different
levels.
How can the Church in Malaysia and
in particular the local churches help?
One of the annual CoB activities that
is of great significance to the Christian
community in Bangladesh and that has
impacted me very much is the ‘Revival
meetings.’ These ‘Spiritual Revival’
gatherings are usually organized in the
six deaneries over 2-3 days in February.
Each deanery selects its own theme and
special speakers (bishops, priests and
others) are invited to address the topic.
The number of people attending these
meetings could range from about 1,000
to 5,000, including many who are not
of the Christian faith. They gather from
neighbouring villages and towns and
many of them come to the venue on foot
walking long distances. They eat simple
• You can support by standing in
solidarity with CoB and especially the
ministry of St Andrew’s Theological
College through prayer, moral and
financial support.
• For anyone interested in mid to longterm assignment (more than 3 months)
in Bangladesh, you are most welcome.
For Malaysian Anglicans, to be effective,
short-term placement is preferable in
fields such as theological education/
training, hospital and medical work,
social work, IT, etc.
• For more information you may want
to contact me [email protected] or
Rev Fred David the Bishop’s Chaplain.
AM
11
Medan Medical Mission
by Dr. Kamala Samuel
ways. She was our driver, tourist guide,
landlady and companion.
From top: Deborah, Kamala, Rev. Alex, Mike,
Evelyn, Joshua, Stephanie, Mala (in red).
In the centre is Jacynta.
O
n 14 November 2014, a team made
up of Rev. Alex Kok and his wife
Evelyn from Emmanuel Harvest
Church, Michael Wong from St. George’s
Church, Penang, T. Malathi from St. Philip
& St. James Church, Sungai Petani, Joshua
Sinnalagan from Full Gospel Church, Alor
Star, Jacynta Jeyaraj from St. Katherine’s
Church, Kajang, Deborah David from the
Wesley Methodist Church, Sungai Petani,
and myself, Kamala Samuel originally from
St. Philip & St. James Church but currently
attending St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Lahad
Datu, Sabah following my transfer there,
went on a medical mission trip to Medan.
12
The team met for the first time in a small
restaurant in Medan. Joining us was
Stephanie our contact, and her two children.
Stephanie, who has been assisting visiting
priests from Singapore, came to know Rev.
Alex when he and Evelyn visited Medan in
March 2014. We met with the purpose of
holding a medical camp in the two churches
that Rev. Kok had visited earlier. The camp
was his brainchild. The planning for this
camp, including recruitment of its members
started early in April 2014 and all planning
was done through facebook, emails,
whatsapp messages and prayers. We used
all the lines of communication available
to us, prayer being the most important.
Stephanie was an angel opening her home
and heart to us and helping us in so many
On 15 November, we made our way
to Sri Gunting Anglican Church in two
vehicles loaded with the medicine
we had purchased in Medan. Rev.
Augustien Alexander or Rev. Alex
of Sri Gunting Church was on hand
to welcome us. The members of Sri
Gunting Church helped us set up the
stations for our medical camp. Evelyn, Mala
and Mike helped in the registration as well
as in giving out goodie bags that had been
prepared for the children. The goodie bags
contained toys, balloons, lollipops, sweets
and a handmade book mark. They were a hit
with the children. Glove balloons decorated
with marker pens were also given out. One
little girl hugged her glove balloon and would
not part with it. It was a joy being able to
bring happiness to so many people.
Jacynta and Deborah who are pharmacists,
working in Government Hospitals were the
pharmacists in the mission team. They
helped set up the ‘pharmacy’ and dispensed
medicine, advice as well as love. Sharing
the love of God was an important part of the
camp that day. Joshua, a final year medical
student in AIMST University, Kedah and I
gave consultation, dressed wounds, and
checked the blood pressure as well as the
blood sugar levels of the adults among the
165 people who visited the medical camp.
While the medical camp was in full swing, a
prayer station was in progress giving much
needed spiritual power. Rev. Anggsit of Sri
Gunting helped in the prayer station. The
camp finished at 5 pm. In that short period of
time 165 people received treatment. It was
truly the work of God and not of man. Holy
‘Pharmacy’ at Sri Gunting
Communion service was then held. The text
of the sermon was from Joshua 24:14-24.
Faith strengthens when the family believes.
It was very encouraging to see Christians
from different countries praising God
together. Truly the church is one beautiful
family.
The next day, we visited the church in
Hamparan Perak on the outskirts of Medan.
The village was deep in the interior. There
were only dirt roads leading to the village.
It was one bumpy journey getting to the
church. The church building was small but
the hearts of the church members were
big. Rev. Tambunan welcomed us heartily.
The Holy Communion service was held
first followed by a similar medical camp. Dr.
Daniel, a local doctor who had just recently
graduated, joined us. A total of 67 people
came to the clinic. Rev. Tambunan was
overjoyed because a Muslim family from
the village had attended the medical camp
in church. We took turns to have lunch
prepared by the church members and had
a great time getting to know each other,
making new friends and taking loads of
photos.
We visited Lake Toba on 17 November and
the following day left for home. The presence
of God was so real throughout those days.
He gave us good health, safe
journey and the wisdom we
needed to deal with His people.
We were humbled to see God’s
power at work.
All praise to God for the spiritual
power He bestowed on us. AM
Kamala Samuel is a paediatrician at
Lahad Datu Government Hospital,
Sabah.
Rev. Anggsit (in batik shirt) helping out in the registration counter
at Sri Gunting Church.
Journey Into Thailand
by Rev. Wong Chee Seong
B
eing missionaries in Chiang Mai,
Thailand, was a journey full of
surprises, joy, and a demonstration
of the grace of God. It was amazing to see
this country and be a part of the church
that serves them. Unlike the rumours
we had heard, Thailand is not a country
filled with violent protestors threatening
to blow up everything; instead, it is a
peaceful and safe country, with tender
spirited people.
However, working with them was not
easy as we did not understand their
language. Thailand is very different from
Malaysia when it comes to languages
spoken. Malaysians speak at least two
languages and most speak English; but
the Thais speak only one language,
Thai. So we had to learn their language
otherwise there would have been no
way of communicating with them. We
were terribly depressed in the first few
months, as we were learning the basic
Thai alphabet. How could we preach if
we were only learning the ‘ABCs’? But
still, we gathered courage and soldiered
on, God being with us all the way.
With Pastor Puwasak (squatting beside Rev. Wong), his wife (lady in black Karen shirt standing six from
the left at the back) and the congregation of Pla Phu Dong, Omkoi after the first service in Chiang Mai
While we were in Chiang Mai we had the
opportunity to serve the Karen tribe in
Omkoi and the Lisu tribe in Pai.
Both tribes are in the mountains and
there are three churches about four
hours drive from Chiang Mai. We had
to drive a 4x4 vehicle to be there once a
The last group photo with the Chinese
congregation before leaving Chiang Mai on 15
June 2014
Our baby steps did get us somewhere,
and we were overjoyed to find ourselves
understanding what the locals were
talking about. It was a lot of hard work,
but through this journey of learning and
failing, we saw God’s hand guiding us
through every obstacle.
mainland China. More and more families
are migrating from mainland China for
various reasons and most of them have
young families of one or two children.
Group photo of the Chinese Congregation
in Chiang Mai Blessings Church after the
Chinese New Year service
The Mission Team from St. Stephen’s Church Yong
Peng visiting Sai Ngam Church
(the white wooden building) in Omkoi
month for each tribe, to serve them
Holy Communion and give God’s
Word and provide training all in the
Thai language with a local pastor
translating into their mother tongue.
Bishop Ng and Bisfe Siew Lan visited us in
Bangkok and shared in Shalem House
Before leaving Chiang Mai God
opened another door for us - to
start a Mandarin speaking service
to serve the Chinese community
who had recently migrated from
The needs are great and the harvest
is plentiful. We pray that God will send
more missionaries to Thailand and more
churches will be established in this Land
of Smiles. AM
13
A Disastrous Flood
by Bisfe Siew Lan
the first REACH (Relief Emergency and
Crisis Help) team to arrive bringing relief
to Kuala Krai after Kota Baru and the
cleaning of St Martin’s Church by the
ASOD (Anglican School of Disciples)
Bisfe Siew
Lan (in blue)
with family
members
O
n the night of 22 December 2014,
I called my father and alerted him
to the TV news reporting on the
floods in Gua Musang. He told me not
to worry and added: “Papa’s house is
on a hill and Papa’s shop is also on high
ground, and all these 60 years there have
been no floods in these places.” The
next morning when he woke, he found
the road and some parts of the low lying
areas flooded and he could not get to his
shop. There was no food in the house so
my brother got into a sampan and came
back with 4 packets of Maggie mee. Little
did they realise that the flood water was
continuing to rise, and they were trapped
in the house for 12 days. Each day my
father could only watch the flood water
rising and he knew that his shop would
definitely be covered by water. He was
restless as he could not go anywhere.
The food stock was depleting, electricity
had been cut off and no water was
flowing from the pipes. They depended
on rain water for drinking. They were in
a dilemma of how to pray – if they pray
for no rain then there will be no more
water to drink; if they prayed for rain, the
worry was that the flood waters would not
subside.
14
On 31 December, when one of the roads
to Kuala Krai was opened, I took all my
nephews, niece, my son and daughterin-law in two cars back to Kuala Krai to
see Papa and Mama. We brought two
carloads of provisions, portable stoves
and cash for my family and others. It
took us 6 hours winding through Kuala
Lipis way. Along the way, we saw much
destruction like a war zone – houses
washed away and collapsed, roads
destroyed by flood waters, rubbish
everywhere and the water marks on the
walls and houses depicting a scene of
single colour painting i.e. brownish.
Massive destruction seen in Gua Musang
team. After two weeks, the town Kuala Krai
was cleaned up but it will probably take
another 6 months before it can function
normally. The other REACH teams were
told to go to Gua Musang especially to
the Orang Asli kampongs which were
badly affected too. Rev. Lizune Bah
Chong was the link man on the ground
together with his people to receive many
Christian relief teams, including teams
from the Tamil Board, the Chinese Board,
individual churches, other churches from
many denominations and NGOs. Many
brought provision and aid, some brought
medicine and practical aids like canvass,
building materials, counselling, health
care, etc. The Diocese of Sabah relief
team through Dr Thien was most helpful
for their experience and encouragement
as well as presence.
My parents were overjoyed to see us
when we arrived. The cleaning job
began almost immediately. I assured my
parents, brother, sisters and their families
that we have been praying for them and
I gave them some cash donations from
church members as a token of assurance
and love. I cooked for them and they had
a cooked meal for the first time after 10
days without green vegetables, fruits and
meat. Other provisions and items like gas
stoves were distributed to others in the
community.
It was a difficult episode for the victims
but for the relief/crisis care-givers a
source of encouragement and hope
especially seeing so many Christian
groups and churches participating in the
caring and relief welfare. It speaks of a
sense of pride and maturity where the
churches in Malaysia are outward looking
and willing to go the extra mile. I praise
God for these outreach efforts. There is
still much relief work to be done in the
Orang Asli kampongs especially in Gua
Musang.
Gradually we saw relief teams set up in
Kuala Krai during our stay there.
On behalf of the victims, I wish to convey
our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all
who help us and especially my family
members. AM
Rev. Matthew Chay and his team was
Diocesan Youth Camp 2014
by Alyssa Marie Benny
T
he 62nd Diocesan Youth Camp
was held from 8 - 11 December,
at the Malaysian Bible Seminary
(MBS) in Rawang. 62 campers and 12
facilitators attended this camp. The camp
was officially opened by Bishop Ng Moon
Hing, who gave the keynote address. It
was a good opportunity for the youths
to hear of the events that became the
reason behind his devotion to God and
ultimately made him into who he is today.
The speaker was Victor Peh who is a
leader in his church and is also a personal
trainer. 2 Timothy1:14 was the theme
chosen, with the verse, “Guard the good
deposit that was entrusted to you- guard
it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives
in you.” The sessions by Victor Peh were
about how to guard this good deposit
that has been given to us. He showed us
Victor Peh taking a session
how easy it was to be deceived by false
teachings. Because of this, it was very
important that we make the Gospel our
treasure and that we guard it using truths
from the Bible. At the same time, we
should dedicate our lives and everything
we do to God.
During the camp, we also had two
A group photo with Bishop and Farshid Razee
workshops. The first workshop
was led by Farshid Razee. In this
workshop, he taught us how to answer
questions that were commonly asked
by non-believers so that we would be
prepared to answer them if asked.
The second workshop was led by
Marianne Liaw. The workshop was
about boy-girl relationships from a
Christian perspective.
We also had a Question & Answer
session with Victor, Marianne and
Daniel Chai. We were asked to write
down questions on anything about our
faith and the three of them were there
to answer our questions.
On the last night, we had a talent night.
Our groups were given the choice
between acting, singing and miming.
There were good performances by the 7
Fun time at the station games
groups but in the end, group 5 won with
their original song based on the theme of
the camp.
We had daily morning exercises led by
our facilitators, Sugin and Yogan. Sugin
and Yogan also led station games that
tested our fitness. During our free time,
some of us swam in the pool, while others
played football or frisbee.
Marrianne Liaw
leading in the
workshop
DYC 2014 was one where I personally
thought I learned more and I hope for
more to join next time around. AM
15
Diocesan Children’s Christmas Concert 2014
by Deaconess Ruth Ong
T
he concert themed ‘The Hope
of Christmas’ was organised
by the Diocesan Children’s
Ministry. This occasion took place
on Sunday, 7 December 2014 at the
CCM Hall, Petaling Jaya.
Hope is a feeling we have, when
we actually believe what we desire
is going to happen. Christmas
represents that for all of us: The
hope of peace on earth, the hope of
comfort and joy, the hope of deliverance,
the hope that there is a God in heaven
who loves us and with whom we can have
a relationship.
Hope meant all of the above for the people
who lived at the time of the first Christmas.
The Jewish people hoped to see the
promised Messiah, the One who would
come and free them from the bondage
under which they lived and establish a
new kingdom. All of their hopes were born
in that baby held by a young peasant girl
whom God chose to bear His Son, but
they did not recognize Him.
16
It was a time to remember the Hope,
God promised which came to pass in the
Christ Child. We celebrated that moment
in Scripture, Story, & Song.
To celebrate the fulfilment of God’s
promised Hope, a combined 50 strong
children’s choir ranging from ages 6 to
16 including the orang asli children from
Gopeng and urban children from the
Anglican churches in the Klang Valley,
St Barnabas Klang, St Mary’s Cathedral,
St Gabriel’s, St Paul’s, PJ, Emmanuel
Church, Cheras, Bethal Centre, Puchong,
Arch, Subang Jaya and International
Community Centre sang their hearts
out. They rendered several Christmas
carols both modern and traditional. The
children gave solo, duet, small group and
choir items which told the story of the
Chrismas Hope.
To add joy to the occasion we had the
guest for the evening, brother Ping Loong
a gospel song writer and singer from
Singapore to perform in his own creative
style.
More than 150 people had the chance to
enjoy the Christmas evening of carols.
AM
St. John’s Church, Ipoh hosts
LNA Golden Circle Gathering and AGM
by Simon Elisha
O
n 25 October
2014, the Golden
Circle of St John’s
Church, Ipoh welcomed
members of the Lower
North
Archdeaconry
Golden Circle to the
Annual Fellowship and
Annual General Meeting.
About eighty members
from six different churches
attended the function.
Two ‘heavyweights,’ to quote Rev. Tom
Cherian, from the Diocesan Golden
Circle Central Working Committee,
graced the occasion with their presence.
They were Simson Muthiah the President
and James Chee the Vice-President.
Following a welcome drink, the
participants were ushered into the church
for the Thanksgiving Service which began
at 10am. Rev. Tom Cherian officiated with
the assistance of Rev. Robin Arumugam.
He preached the sermon based on Mark
8: 36 ‘What does it benefit a man if he
gains the whole world but loses his
own soul’. The sermon was translated
into Mandarin by Rev. Frank Lin of St
Peter’s Church, Fair Park and into Tamil
by Mrs. Maneeammal Daniel of Holy
Spirit Church, Buntong.
Rev. Isaac Pandian of Holy
Trinity Church, Batu Gajah,
and Rev. Phillip Ong of
St Augustine’s Church,
Buntong, said the prayers
in Tamil and Cantonese
respectively.
The Congregation and the Opening Service
Ronald Palan leading in praise and worship. With
him is Rev. Tom Cherian and Rev. Frank Lin
testimonies were shared in each of
the three languages – Mary David
of St John’s Church, Ipoh, in English;
Deaconess Lee Ah Moi of St Michael’s
Church, Kg Tawas, in Chinese and
Pakithai Daniel of Holy Spirit Church,
Buntong, in Tamil.
The Service was followed by presentations
from the different churches. St John’s,
Holy Spirit and St Michael’s presented
song items in their respective languages.
The ladies of St Peter’s captivated the
audience with their awe-inspiring Praise
Dance, which could also serve as a
simple form of exercise for seniors, and
a Worship Dance, set to music of ‘The
Lord’s Prayer’.
After the presentations the Golden Circle
Annual General Meeting commenced
and was completed in 45 minutes. All
present then adjourned to the Church
Hall for lunch sponsored by St. John.
We thank God for His blessings on that
day, all clergy for their involvement and
all participating Golden Circle
members for their attendance
and kind cooperation. AM
Simon Elisha is the President of
St John’s Golden Circle
St John’s Church
St Peter’s Church
St Michael’s Church
Holy Spirit Church
The service began with
an inspiring time of Praise
and Worship led by the St.
John’s Church Praise and
Worship Team led by the
Music Ministry Coordinator,
Ronald Palan. During the
service, three inspiring
17
Ucawc ‘Drop In 4 Tea’
by Nesamani Alexandor
T
The ladies in prayer
Christ. Therefore our old, sinful nature
has been crucified and we now live by
the Spirit. So we are to keep in step with
the Spirit. This means we no longer are to
live the way we used to, instead we are to
develop a character more and more like
Jesus.
he Upper Central Archdeaconry
Women’s Committee organized its
first ‘Drop in 4 Tea’ programme on
Saturday 3 January 2015 at St. Mary’s
Cathedral Kuala Lumpur. 95 ladies from
13 Churches participated. The afternoon
started off with prayer round the table,
where ladies at every table had to pray on
a particular prayer item. Corporately, we
prayed for the Bishop, Clergy, Diocesan
Officers, Diocesan Ministries, Churches
and for the work of the women in our
Diocese.
After the prayer, we gathered for round
the table activity of ‘What’s in your bag’
and a verse puzzle. The ladies thoroughly
enjoyed themselves. There was laughter
and excitement all around.
Our spirituality is not about special
activities or experiences. It is living our
everyday lives as those who belong to
Jesus and are being led by His Spirit.
Judi Cheah
Mrs Judi Cheah shared on ‘Spirituality’
from Galatians 5:16-26. She reminded
us that our spirituality begins with our
identity. We are those who belong to
A large spread of scrumptious food was
prepared for the ladies and of course,
TEA Everyone enjoyed the food and
fellowship around the table. We are
thankful to Bharat Group, Cameron
Highlands for sponsoring 6 flavours of
their tea, which was packed in a beautiful
tin for the ladies. Along with the tea, the
ladies were also serve scones.
The feedback from the ladies was that
they thoroughly enjoyed the evening,
spending quality time with old friends, as
well as making new ones. We thank God
that we could spend time in prayer and
have fun at the same time. AM
18
Helping
themselves to
the food.
Nesamani Alexandor is the Chairperson of Upper
Central Archdeaconry Women’s Committee
Diocesan
News Bites
MALAM SEKOLAH AL KITAB MALAYSIA
A
‘Malam SAM Ipoh’ (Sekolah Alkitab Malaysia) was held at the YMCA last
Saturday to honour the graduates from STM recently. SAM Ipoh started 12
years ago to provide modular Bible and Theological studies in Bahasa Malaysia
at Sijil (Certificate) level to the .... Following the Certificate course some of the
students proceeded to further their studies at the Baptist Seminary in Penang,
Malaysian Bible Society in KL and more recently in STM in Seremban. So far 3
students have graduated in B Th, 8 in Diploma in Christian Studies, and at least 20
with have obtained the Certificate. Most of them are actively serving in the Orang
Asli churches in Perak and Kelantan. - Canon Dr. Teoh Soong Kee
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALL SAINTS CHURCH K.L.
A
ll Saints Church KL celebrated the 50th anniversary of its foundation
on 1 November 2014 with a gala dinner attended by 830 church
members, relatives and friends. The highlight of the dinner was the
reading of a letter from Mrs. Koh, wife of the late Bishop Roland Koh
the first Vicar of All Saints KL, expressing her joy in sharing this happy
occasion with the parishioners. The thanksgiving service was held on
2 November 2014 followed by an exhibition reflecting the growth of the
church over the 50 years. - Deaconess Chin Kho Nee.
St. Mark’s Golden Circle Charity Function
O
n Saturday 8 November from 12.30 pm to 5.00 pm around 100 children from
the Shelter Home, Bahau and the Joshua Community Centre, Seremban,
were treated to a pre-Christmas feast and games at Dewan St Mark’s Seremban.
The Christmas Charity Programme was organized by the Golden Circle of St Mark’s
Church Seremban. The event was graced by the presence of the Archdeacon
Venerable Charles Fraser. Following the singspiration a short Christmas message
on the birth of Christ was given by Samuel Yesuiah. The children then adjourned
to the Church Hall where they were treated to a sumptuous lunch by A & W
followed by a hilarious and rousing time with the Gospel Clown a.k.a. Spotty the
Clown. – Samuel Yesuiah
ENGAGE TEAM KL
E
ngage KL is an annual event organised by St. Mary’s Cathedral to
help train and equip Christian university students for life-long gospel
work by exposing and engaging them in some of our cathedral’s ministry.
Here is feedback from one of the participants:
“It has been a privilege and an eye-opening experience for us to see
the diverse ministry that St Mary’s is involved in, from Myanmar refuge
schools, Cheshire Home and Nepalese workers to a Gospel-centred Kids’
Church. We were also humbled by the pastoral team who so tirelessly
and faithfully serve the Gospel, and it makes us want to just stay back and
serve in St Mary’s. - Shirley Tan Chew Gee
19
‘He is risen’
20
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