PELITA - The Methodist Church Newsletter
Listed below are articles abstracted from past issues of PELITA
October 2006 - Almost Heaven
Opening Night of the 4th Wesleyan Seminar, Sibu
Organized once every two years by Methodist Theological Seminar (MTS) Sibu, the 4th Seminar was held from 4-6 September 2006. There were invited guests and representatives from Sabah Provisional Annual Conference, Tamil Annual Conference, Sarawak Iban Annual Conference, Methodist Bible School and Methodist Pilley Institute.
The Seminar kicked off with a Musical and Worship Night. It was arranged in a way to lead the audience to gather in God's name with the hymn "O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing" and then to adore Him with the piece "Mass in G" by Schubert.
Folk music and cultural presentations bearing testimony and exalting God followed. This included the Iban Taboh ensemble dance, Iban pantun, Malay and Taiwanese folk songs.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. "The Mass in G" was above standard. I just love this kind of music," said one of the audiences.
Towards the end of the concert, the main speaker of the Seminar, Professor William J. Abraham, shocked everyone by dancing spontaneously up on stage along with the music. His cheerful spirit and musical talents gave the participants a glimpse of a different expectation of the seminar coming up the next day.
Sitting in the chapel hall of MTS singing some hymns, I thought I almost heard the songs of heaven. While singing "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" four parts came out spontaneously from the audience. It was like a heavenly choir. And as the almost-heaven-like music faded away, the first talk of the Wesleyan Seminar began.
SM Chan
From Connection (30 Sept.2006)
The invited speaker for the Wesleyan Seminar this year was Professor William J. Abraham. Dr. Abraham is the Albert Cook Outler Professor of Theology and Wesley Studies at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University and also Distinguished University Professor of SMU.
(Editor's note).