Board of Executive
The Board blessed Xin Fu Yuan MC in purchasing a nearby semi-detached house for nursery school purpose.
The BM congregation at Taman Tunku MC held its first meeting on 4 March this year from 11:30am-12:30pm. The Board approved its upgrading to BM Service.
The Board accepted the motions from Board of Property Management that the Centennial Memorial Park be managed by Board of Laity, while Bukit Lan Outdoor Activities Centre by Board of Youth Ministry.
English Ministry Committee – There are 11 English-speaking churches/congregations in total and 15 licensed local preachers with 6 pursuing the Local Preacher course. One from Trinity MC is expected to be licensed this year. The Sarawak Methodist Youth Convention 2018 will be held from 12-15 December 2018 at the Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club, Miri. A total of 148 youths, 13 advisors and 2 pastors have signed up.
Board of Finance
Collections for the 4-item Offering totals RM17,736,022.60 and is RM1,069,014.57 (6.41%) more than last year. Meanwhile the total tithes received this year is RM16,373,715.45, an increase of RM1,030,757.30 (6.72%).
Both the clergies and the SCAC staff will enjoy another round of salary raise effective January 2019.
Board of Laity
Save the dates for the coming Methodist Conference scheduled on 3-5 June 2019 at Kingwood Hotel, Sibu. The speaker is Rev. Dr. Patrick Y. Tang. The Board targets 3,000 participants.
To walk hand in hand with Prayer United, “Prayer in the Air” through Whatsapp was set up under “Issachar Watchman Methodist”. The prayer watch starts from Wednesday Night throughout Thursday mid-night. District Prayer Coordinators are responsible to post the prayer requests to the relevant group chat and the prayer chain is thus activated by half an hour time slots. Records show the number of participants as follows: Kuching East 54, Sarikei 141, Sibu South 36, Bintulu 40, Kapit 55, Peace MC 80.
A prayer booklet “Call Unto Him 525” (52=the whole nation is divided into 52 areas; we focus on praying for one specific area every week; 5=continue up to 5 years) is available to carry the prayer movement to a wider horizon.
Starting from 2019, short-term mission school previously handled by MTS will be taken over by this Board.
TOP1 has been translated to Bahasa Malaysia by Rev Bulan Yong and has been printed for use.
Board of Ministry
Two pastors submitted their resignations: Pastor Winnie Ting Ke Yinn because of family matters, Rev Mok Ing Khang wished to further his studies.
There are 5 pastors seconded from BEM: Ladeq Mutang, Jerry Garang, Roslind Rosy Anak Merang, PatrickTaie and Ibrahim Anggip.
Meet the new pastors: Charles Tiew Geu Jung, Lau Hie Ding, Wong Huong Hann, Chai Chang yap, Chong Kong Sem, Siaw Ming Ching, Vincent Lau Lik Wee, Arin Manja, and Hon Jiew Foh.
Board of Missions
There are 36 on-the-job missionaries with 2 pursuing theological training at MTS, one of whom will return to the mission field in Cambodia next year.
Three missionaries changed to pastoral ministry this year: Hii Ngiik Ha (Masland MC, Sibu), Lau Yi Chyi (Field Director of Board of Missions, HQ office), Dorothy Hung Siew Yiing (Matang MC, Kuching)
Eight new missionaries will be commissioned this year.
Board of
Evangelism
The MOU’s with BEM and Life Music were renewed and signed on 28 February this year.
Imelda Meredith Chee Pei Pei and Lim Wee Nee will be joining the Board as the Ministry & Publicity Coordinator and Training & Supervision respectively in Longhouse Ministry. They will take office on January 2019.
Two retired teachers volunteered as missionaries to the long house Ibans: Jason Siew Sin Ann and Nguang Sii Khing. Ting Mee Hung applied to be a home missionary to the indigenous people at Sibu Jaya and was accepted by the Board. Meanwhile, Chai Kian Ching and his wife Chai Sheau Hong were approved as home missionaries to Hakka Chinese in Kuching. All five will be commissioned on 28 November during this Annual Conference.
In the area of Penan Ministry at Lawas Care Centre, the first batch of SPM graduates Liliani and Robina are now taking their Early Childhood Education at MPI, Sibu.
To date, SCAC churches have adopted 105 Iban long houses across Sarawak.
For the BM Ministry, the first BM Lay Preacher Course will be entering Module 3 next year. It is hoped that BM theological program will be established at MTS in or before year 2021. A sub-committee on Economic Empowerment has been set up to help enhance the financial capacity and living standard of the BM congregations as a whole. Ten churches are encouraged to start up voluntary tuition classes focusing especially on BM, English and Mathematics. Annual subsidies of up to RM54,000 are available.
Board of Education
There are 1 college (1087 students), 2 secondary schools (2073 students), 3 primary schools (1922 students), 46 kindergartens (503 children) and 3 nurseries (116 children) under this Board. These numbers however show a downward trend. There are even 6 kindergartens reluctant to use the textbooks published by the Board. Concerns expressed are that these textbooks carry too much of religious flavours which might have caused the decline.
Board of Evangelism is subsidizing teachers teaching in suburban kindergartens that have indigenous majority in attempts to build up the spirituality of indigenous children.
Board of Christian
Education
In line with the church theme, the Board published a bible verse booklet on “A church after God’s own heart” this year. A similar booklet on “A disciple after God’s own heart” will be published next year. The bible study materials for 2018 and 2019 are on the Book of Revelation.
There are 42 companies of BB and 46 GB to date. For GB, 283 girls accepted Christ as their personal Saviour. The total GB membership stands at 5,357.
BB takes the BB Love Box to a new height this year by extending it to the whole of Sarawak.
Board of Medical
The Mobile Medical Team of the Health Bureau has stopped rendering service at Methodist Clinic at Tulai, Bintangor since the inception of Satu Malaysia Clinic in April in the vicinity.
There are two part-time staff in-charge of the Hospital Ministry in Kuching, namely Mr Ong Siew Hui the Executive Officer and Mr Chiew Khun Seng the Assistant Officer. Together with Rev Wong Siew Ung, the Voluntary Pastor in Hospital Ministry, they have ministered to 3,385 people from October 2017 to September 2018.
The Board is working in collaboration with BM Immanuel in Longhouse Medical Short-term Mission Ministry in terms of financial aid. The medical team has reached out to Sg Lengan, Sg Lassa, Sg Sebayang, Sg Paloh, Sg Stalon, Sg Bruit, Sg Tusok and Sg Passin.
Board of Family Wellness & Counselling
There is a counselling centre in each of these 4 districts, namely, Sibu, Kuching, Miri and Bintulu. Apart from rendering of services in counselling, these centres also organize various courses and programs for couples, fathers, teenagers, singles and etc.
Board of Archives &
History
The Board continues to collect church history related relics and to conduct oral history interviews with retired pastors. An interesting seminar on the church history of East Malaysia held on 11 September drew 43 participants. There were six talks relating the Methodist church to agriculture, indigenous ministry, medical ministry, impacts on the society and education.
In the coming year, the Board will be making videos on the history of the migration of Foochows and Henghuas.
Board of Youth Ministry
The “No Apologies” program has reached out to 3,884 youths this year, including 2,144 in BM, 1,617 in Mandarin and 123 in English. Meanwhile, “Life Game” continues to bring impact on the youths, totalling 941 this year.
Meanwhile, MY Centre continues to offer a variety of table games and ball games like basketball, futsal, tchoukball , etc.
Board of Social Concerns
Owing to the similarity in ministry, Board for the Disabled is to be merged with Board of Social Concerns effective January 2019.
The ministries carried out by the Board include: Inmates ministry, Homeless ministry, Response to disasters, Victory Home.
The Board for the Disabled has 3 care centres: Kuching Methodist Care Centre, Sibu Methodist Care Centre and Miri Methodist Hope Centre. Meanwhile, Inclusive Education is also one of their core concerns.
Board of Christian
Literature
The number of all the publications continues to drop to: “Chinese Methodist Message” 7350 copies, “Connection” 1070 copies, “the Upper Room” 4800 copies, “Children’s World” 3800 copies, “Beyond” 1830 copies.
Pastors and leaders are thus encouraged to push their respective church members to subscribe and to promote reading culture in the church.
The Board took a bold step this year by translating books to BM. Hii Kiew Hung and Ting Ting Mee have completed translation of “Sermons on Jonah” originally by Rev Tie King Tai to BM. Rev Wong Kee Sing is now translating “Know and Experience the Holy Spirit”, also by Rev Tie.
Methodist Children
Home
There are 3 Children Homes: Sibu MCH with 65 boarders, Miri MCH with 19 boarders and Bintulu MCH with 16 boarders.
Methodist Book Room
For the embezzlement case, the Board of Directors resolved that since justice has been done, they will no longer file a civil lawsuit against the litigant nor hold the bank responsible on the issue. The case is considered closed. Meanwhile, they also resolved to replace the audit firm with Crowe Horwath.
Methodist Theological
School
There are currently 416 students with 61 of them full-time. The number of full-time new intakes for 2019 includes 10 for theology program and 1 for Worship & Music program.
The first batch of i-STMS is expected to run from July to September 2019. Meanwhile, the first Clinical Pastoral Education will kicked off next year from January to May.
The theology program in BM is anticipated to start in 2021.
Compiled by Saffronlee