Features
01 Sep 2015

A Celebration of the Church

Source/Author: By Rev Lenita Tiong, Grace Methodist Church, Miri

Malaysia Day Service - SCAC News

Malaysia Day was celebrated on 16 Sept in Miri. The Association of Churches, Sarawak chose the theme : Working Together As One Body taken 1 Cor 12:12 and this was used throughout the whole state.

The Methodist Church was the hosting church and the multi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-colour service was held at the Mei Ann Methodist Church. That evening, all
the Methodist pastors were in “uniform”,
shirts made from the beautiful blue batik material given in by the Bishop Dr. Ong Hwai Teik at our National Pastors School in April this year.

The service started with the Captains of the Girls and Boys Brigade of the 1st Miri Companies bringing in the National and
State flags and these were received by the
Bishop Richard Ng from the Roman Catholic Church, who is also the Chairman of ACS Miri together with Bishop Solomon Cheong, Assistant Bishop in the Diocese Of Kuching of the Anglican Church. Together we then sang both the National and State anthems.

Then a team from Grace Methodist Church led us in a time of tri-lingual Praise and worship. There was so much exuberance in our
worship as we sing “Soraklah, Haleluya”. As we sang “Spirit, Touch your church”, our hearts cried to our Heavenly Father to save this dying land.

Scripture was read in Kayan, Lun Bawang and Bahasa Malaysia and prayers were prayed in Kelabit, Iban, Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, English, Bidayuh, Kenyah by pastors and leaders from the member churches of the ACS. Although most of us did not understand what was read or prayed, it was very heart-warming to hear and know that God is being worshipped in so many different languages. Truly the church expressed all her cultural richness.

The youths from the Tudan Methodist Church sang the beautiful song Harapan Bangsa and two brothers : Jack and Jackie Bilun played Ku Mahu Cinta Yesus on the sape and guitar.

As the congregation sang “We are one in
the bond of Love”, we held hands across the
aisles and together in one voice we sang, Ya Allah, Ya Bapa, ini aku anakmu”.

The
Miri District choir, wearing different cultural attire sang the song of hope that inspired all of us.

“To believe in a day,
When hunger and war will pass away,
To have the hope amidst despair
That every sparrow’s counted
That You hear their cries and listen to
each prayer
Hear each cry and listen to each prayer
Help us do Your will oh Father
In the name of all that’s true
And we’ll see in one another
The loving image of You

The sermon based on the theme was delivered in Chinese by Rev Simon Ting Chu
Yih, the District Superintendent of the Miri District of SCAC and it was translated into BM by Rev Ling Biu.

The service ended with the Bishop Solomon
Cheong leading in the Benediction with the leaders from the different denominations standing behind him.

Indeed it was an evening of celebrating the
church as one body with many different parts. All Glory be to God.