Kuching West
Two new gospel points were explored this year: Trinity MC reached out to Kampung Kudei and has commenced Sunday School and Sunday Service while Malihah MC was carrying out visitations and evangelical meetings at Sungei Tengah.
There are six churches [Trinity MC, Matang MC, Siong Tau MC, Sentosa MC, Samariang (under Matang MC), and City Mall MC] that have BM Ministry. Due to its rapid growth and expansion, the District Conference gave its blessings for the setup of the BM Ministry Commission at the district level.
Currently there are three secondhand centres in the district, namely Dorcas Centre and Muara Tuang of Sentosa MC, and Second-hand Centre of Trinity MC.
Tabuan Trinity MC started BB ministry
this year and has officially registered
as the 13th Company in Kuching.
There are two accommodation centres,
one at Wisma Methodist and
the other at Sentosa MC.
Kuching East
The district had a total of 3580 worshippers this year; out of which number 3072 were from Chinese services, 303 from English services and 205 from BM services.
In theological training, 4 persons took up the Local Preacher Course in English.
3419 people were visited and cared for through hospital visitation ministry. Among them, 3 were baptized and 116 accepted Christ as their personal Saviour.
For Hakka Ministry, 102 families received aids from the churches.
Sarikei
Although the average attendance of Sunday Worship dropped from 2068 to 1986, there was an increase in the number of Sunday School for children and for adults from 674 to 716 and 597 to 622, respectively.
Meanwhile, new-born Christians were added to the church with 66 children baptisms and 58 adult baptisms.
In gospel expansion beyond their current parishes, Methodist Town Church adopted the area of Pusa, Kwong Eng MC and Wan Fu Tak Teck MC took up Petai area, Yien Sung MC to Debak area while Bee Eng and Ter Ong MC and Unity MC jointly extended to Sari and Meruton.
Bintangor
To reach out to youngsters, a youth centre is ready to provide interesting programs like board games, chess, manicure & beauty course, and a variety of matches.
The total worshippers this year read 964, among whom 263 people in average attended prayer meetings. About 120 people joined the district night school.
Sibu West
There was an encouraging increase in prayer meeting attendance this year by 26, reaching an average of 379 people. For new baptisms, there were 77 children and 106 adults.
As far as campus ministry is concerned, En Tao MC reached out to students of KLT and UCTS.
Four churches have a BM ministry, namely Sing Fu MC, Tien Tao MC, En Tao MC and Ching Ang MC. In 2020, the urban BM ministry will be shouldered by Tien Tao MC, while interior ones by Ching Ang MC.
Sibu South
Five churches participated in XEE evangelical training: Xin Fu Yuan MC, Tien En MC, Wan Ming MC, Logos MC and Masland MC.
Five churches are devoted in BM Ministry; they are: Masland MC, Xin Fu Yuan MC, Tien En MC, Logos MC, and Jaya MC where only Children Sunday School is being carried out at this stage, assisted by Ai Ming MC and Wan Ming MC.
In long house adoption ministry, only Masland MC and Xin Fu Yuan MC are participating. Masland MC adopted 4 long houses: Rh Jerit, Rh Manggi, Rh Nyalai and Rh Gani; while the latter adopted Rh Puji.
Tien En MC started “Dorcas Service Centre” at 2B Lorong 2, Jalan Sukun in March this year to lighten the financial burdens of the poor.
There were 181 child and 136 adult baptisms in the Chinese congregation while 12 children and 20 adults were baptised in the BM ministry. For Sunday Worship attendance, we saw 6367 people in the Chinese congregation and an average of 215 in the BM congregation.
Sibu North
In evangelical ministry, it is encouraging that Sing Ang MC alone adopted 23 long houses and continue to locate new possibilities.
Noting that Sunday Worship using Foo-chow dialect in individual churches was vanishing, the district took up the responsibility of preserving the dialect by having a joint Foochow Sunday Service at Sing Ang MC from 9:30-10:45am every Sunday. It has been well-received with an average attendance of 50.
In light of the formation of English District Conference, Wesley MC resolved to move on to two separate entities, with the Chinese one being known as Wesley Chinese Methodist Church while the English remains as Wesley MC.
Peace MC launched its kindergarten with 30 intakes. Peace MC also worked with Sibu Municipal Council in setting up a recycling station within the church premises.
Kapit
Kiew Ong MC held its Worship services on Saturdays, while the congregation of Tieng Lee Preaching Centre met for Sunday Worship twice a month.
There was an increase in worshippers by 45 with an average attendance of 646.
In campus ministry, Ik Ong MC, Kiew Ong MC and Fu Ling MC were conducting regular character classes, student fellowships, motivation sharings at schools within their respective parishes. Financial aids were also given to students in need, 15 students by Fu Ling MC and 1 by Kiew Ong MC.
“No Apologies” in BM was held at SMK Selirik in October with a good turnout of 99 students.
Bintulu
The Sunday Worship attendance in this district recorded 2789 in Chinese service, 247 in English service and 92 in BM service. 112 adults and 91 children were baptised. About 90 people participated in the24-hour Issachar Watchmen Prayer Network with each taking up half an hour of prayer watch.
There were 26 people attending Theological Education by Extension in Christian Ethics and 16 in Exegesis. Meanwhile 9 people took up the Local Preacher Course.
The district was active in reaching out and building up ministries in the following areas: Ulu Selangau Long Houses, Mafrica Oil Palm Mill, Samalaju Industrial Area, Borneo Agro Oil Palm Mill and Sg Plan.
Among them is an interdenominational church “Gereja Borneo Agro” set up by Borneo Agro Resources Sdn Bhd where Methodist churches have been invited to lead Worship services. The Worship service first started in August on Saturdays and most of the worshippers were workers from Indonesia.
In enhancing the academic capacity of the indigenous children, there are two community service centres in operation, one at Sebiew with about 58 students, and one at Beverly Hill with about 25 students. Meanwhile there are 3 Pusat Khidmat Kasih Methodist rendering services through selling of second-hand goods.
Miri
The average Sunday Worship attendance read 3903 (Chinese), 559 (BM) and 298 (English). Meanwhile, there were about 1115 children attending Sunday School every week.
For new baptisms, there were 185 adults and 186 children added to the Lord’s kingdom.
In BM ministry, various courses and camps were organized to cater for different needs, such as Alpha Marriage Course, Dedication Camp, Life Game, Retreat & Training for Sunday School Teachers, Local Preacher Course.
Compiled by Saffrolee