31st Session Trinity Annual Conference 18-21 November 2006, Kuantan
As I reflect on the 31st Session, TRAC, certain phrases in Charles Wesley’s hymn “All Praise to Our Redeeming Lord” come to mind. Indeed, we want to give all praise to our redeeming Lord for a Spirit-led conference. The business sessions, elections, and teaching sessions were conducted smoothly and many will concur that there was the Lord’s presence and a sense of greater unity among all present at this conference.
Unity in Fellowship
According to that hymn, it is the Lord ‘who joins us by his grace, and bids us, each to each restored.’ This was highlighted by the President in his address where he stated that “we must never stop growing in our fellowship and overcoming relational barriers.” He elaborated that there must be “the highest level of fellowship in the Holy Spirit, so that we can individually and communally practice and experience sincerity, healing, humility, honesty, mercy, forgiveness, confession, restitution and then ‘synergy through unity.’”
The Bishop Dr. Hwa Yung at the ordination service also touched on unity in the sermon entitled “Love One Another.” The world is looking at the church and if people see love and unity, they see the reality of God. The call is for Christ’s love to be at work in our midst where we are willing to give of ourselves in humble service, to love the weak, to forgive others and be able to say ‘I’m sorry.’
Conference Lay Leaders
Dr. Samuel Ong Boon Leng was elected Conference Lay Leader, Mr. Peter Desmond Wee and Mrs. Judy Chin Associate Conference Lay Leaders. Dr. Chan Kook Weng served as Conference Lay Leader for three terms during which he gave invaluable support to the TRAC President. Dr. Chan’s cheerful disposition, positive attitude and rock solid confidence in the Lord’s providence and goodness, helped tremendously during difficult times in TRAC. He continues to serve in the Executive Board.
The Last, the Least and the Lost
In the President’s Opening Communion Service message entitled “Inerasable Image, Unchanging Worth”, he reminded us that God’s inerasable love is implanted in us and we have that love connection with Christ that cannot be disconnected. Being thus connected, we are capable of giving that love to others, especially to “the last, the least and the lost.”
With that emphasis, Rev. Pax Tan from Malaysian Care enlightened us on the ministries of this parachurch organization with 64 full-time staff. It is involved in awareness programmes of HIV/AIDS and Prison/Drug Ministry, leadership training and the Orang Asli project called ‘Ladang M-Care’ near Kampar. The latter is a project aimed at improving the lot of the orang asli by teaching them better methods of husbandry and agriculture. Rev. Pax Tan rightly emphasized that we do not have to reinvent the wheel. Our churches can partner with Malaysian Care in carrying out God’s Kingdom work.
The Power of MentoringDr. John Ng from Eagles Communication conducted three lively, informative sessions on ‘mentoring’. Our Lord Jesus Christ showed the importance of mentoring for even though he ministered to many, he focused on a few, changing them through the method of deliberate and intentional mentoring. We are called to follow the example of Christ’s life and work while taking on the same qualities that characterized his perfect life.
Dr. John Ng defined mentoring as “a trust and synergistic relationship that seeks to support and develop individuals in their personal growth to be God-centered persons, helping them in holistic personal development and improved performance.” To be most effective as mentors, let us remember to develop the same qualities that characterized Christ’s perfect life ourselves – honesty, gentleness, self-discipline, strong communication, encouragement, servanthood, the willingness to confront and love.
The conference sessions may have been tiring and energy sapping at times but it was always a joy to see and hear the love and grace of God flowing in and through our TRAC churches. It was also a joy to meet and fellowship with those whom we get to meet only once a year.
“And if our fellowship below in Jesus be so sweet, what height of rapture shall we know when round his throne we meet!”
Lily Ch’ng
TRAC and Pelita Methodist
Board Member
