In this quadrennium (2013-16), we follow the four areas of the General Conference Road Map to plan our ministries. Now, it is time for us to give thanks and reflect on what we have done in these four areas.

Evangelism and Church Planting

In these four years, the Chinese churches have planted Uni-Central City Methodist Preaching Centre and Samarindah Methodist Preaching Centre in Kuching East District. Sentosa Methodist Church and Kuching City Mall Preaching Centre were planted in Kuching West District. Sarikei District developed Sare Methodist Preaching Centre.

For the English churches, Faith Methodist Church started English speaking congregation in Uni-Central City in Kuching East District. Trinity Methodist Church planted a congregation by using the premises of Chin Daw Methodist Church in Jalan Song of Kuching West District. Wesley Methodist Church of Sibu North District started Sunday worship service and Sunday School in Permai Garden. In Miri, Grace Methodist Church planted a preaching centre in Jalan Airport.

BM ministry grows fast. Now we have 21 worshipping points (8 in Kuching, 6 in Sibu, 2 in Bintangor, 1 in Bintulu and 4 in Miri).

For the targets of 2,500 baptisms and confirmations each year, the results are as follows:

Up to now, we have 43,790 infant baptisms; 26,679 adult baptisms; 43,242 confirmed members, with a total of 113,711 believers.

Discipleship

Strengthening the faith of our members is an inevitable aspect of discipleship. Since our General Conference has drafted the Membership Handbook and is going to publish it next year, our Conference decided not to publish our own Membership Handbook.

In 2013, we started the Disciples course in BM. Our Christian Education Board has decided to translate all the Disciples programs into BM. In these 4 years, our churches have trained 994 facilitators for Chinese track, 61 facilitators for English track and 26 facilitators for BM track. Since 1995 when we started the Disciples course, up to now, 1,081 facilitators were trained; 7,819 members participated in these courses.

Apart from this Disciples course, TOP program and church prayer meetings are implemented. The table below shows the total numbers of participants in various courses from 2013-16.

From September 2014, 3,000 church members participated in M24-7 prayer chain, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, continuously praying for our nation for 2 years.

From 2013-16, we organized more than 40 gatherings for our members to give testimonies on how God works through them in marketplaces. We complied their testimonies to publish a book called “Colourful Life”. Dr. Anselm Grun came twice to speak on marketplace ministry. Marketplace ministry seminars, facilitated by Dr. Song Yu Hua, were held in Sarawak.

In 2013, the theme of our Methodist Convention was “A New Paradigm Shift”, motivating our members to be disciples of Jesus, witnessing in marketplace, and actively engaging in evangelism and mission. In 2016, Methodist Convention was held with the theme “Be disciples of Jesus”, keeping watch over ourselves, our family, our marketplace, our nation and our church so that we can function as the light and salt, bringing transformation to our marketplace and society.

Church and Society

In order to meet the different needs of our society, in 2013, our church worked together with Life of Music Christian Organization and Borneo Evangelical Mission to establish Lawas Care Centre. We set up the first Community Centre in Bintulu. In 2014, we set up Methodist Care Centre in Kuching, Methodist Children Home in Bintulu and Tudan Dorcas Social Service Centre in Miri. In 2015, Methodist Dorcas Service Centre was set up in Sentosa, Kuching. In 2016, second Methodist Care Centre was established in Kuching. Early Childhood Intervention education was started in Sarikei. The Board of Christian Social Concern planned to build a new Victory Home in 10 miles, Oya Road, Sibu.

In 2014-15, our church assisted financially in rebuilding Methodist Light and Life Church in Tacloban, Philippines. This year, we contributed US 100,000 for rebuilding the Methodist Theological Seminary in Nepal.

Various churches have held social awareness forums, e-Kasih talks, Dialogue with police, Environmental public forum, and other social actions through “Good Neighbors” projects.
In order to help our senior citizens to live an active and happy life, we have set up 4 Methodist Senoir Learning Centres in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri. Up to now, these centres have total number of 453 students and 127 teachers.

From 2011-2015, three primary schools and two secondary schools received Government grants of RM4,085,538.50.

From 2014-2016, our Board of Education has given financial aids of RM69,561.18 to those who need help to pursue their Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma.

Recently, Kuching East District got the license from Education Department to operate 2 new kindergartens in Stutong (Chin Seng MC) and Samarahan (Chin Daw MC) next year. So we will have 44 kindergartens. There are 6,724 students and 455 teachers under SCAC kindergartens. But less than 5% of the teachers are ECE diploma or degree holders. In response to our needs, Methodist Pilley Institute (MPI) offers ECE courses. Now, there are 170 ECE diploma students and 19 ECE degree students in MPI.

In September, 2013, the Ministry of Education (MoE) in Malaysia made known its “Malaysia 2013-2025 Education Development Blue Print”. It mentioned that all kindergarten teachers must at least have ECE diploma qualification. This year, the MoE announced that all kindergartens must employ teachers with ECE diploma. By 2020, all teachers must hold diploma in pre-school education in order to help raise and improve their standard. Up to now, there are 6,965 kindergartens registered under MoE, with 25,000 teachers throughout Malaysia. 93% of them, i.e. about 23,000 teachers, are having SPM qualification. In another words, only 7% of the teachers have diploma in ECE.

Therefore, we need to pay special attention to the training of qualified kindergarten teachers. In order to upgrade the ministry of teachers, from 2017 to 2020, special ECE classes are offered in Mandarin, every year during holiday times in March (1 week), in May (2 weeks), September (1 week), and December (3 weeks). We appeal hereby to all the churches and Boards which are involved in kindergarten ministry, and teachers to act on this training program. Grasp this golden opportunity for training!

This year, we are offered by some developers to build Methodist private school villages in Bintulu, Kuching and Miri. On 18 October, this year, we signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Samalaju Properties S/B to buy 10 acres of land to build a school village which includes kindergarten, primary school and secondary school. On 26 September, MJC New Town Development Kuching had a dialogue with us on the possibility of setting up a Methodist private school village there. On 25 October, we are offered by Pantal Bayu Indah S/B Miri to explore the possibility to set up a private school through joint venture in 6.4 acres of land near Miri Bypass, East Wood Valley. We are now preparing the necessary documents and conceptual planning for further exploration on the land price or joint venture, and the possibility of building schools there.

We have to reclaim the mission to the society and schools through education!

Missions

From 2013 to 2016, the number of short term missions (STM) is listed below:

For local missions, in 2014, in order to strengthen the indigenous people mission, we reorganized the Indigenous People Group Committee. “Indigenous People Group Committee” focuses on indigenous evangelistic and educational ministries in rural areas or longhouses. “BM Committee” concentrates on the gospel missions among the indigenous workers or students who move and stay in the towns. At present, we also work in PaAdang and Ulu Belaga. In 2015, we built a new sanctuary in PaAdang. Up to now, 24 Chinese churches are involved in evangelistic and worship ministries in 94 longhouses, with 89 infant baptisms and 113 adult baptisms. From 2013 to 2016, 21 Chinese churches have BM services, having 243 infant baptisms and 278 adult baptisms. This year alone, there are 89 infant baptisms, 113 adult baptisms and 113 confirmations. 1,160 people join the Sunday worship service. There are 636 Sunday school students.

As for overseas missions, we have sent out 34 missionaries to 10 countries. We have started new mission fields in Japan and Indo-China. 2 missionaries were sent to Japan, with 1 missionary in Indo-China. At present, there are 15 students taking missiology course in Methodist Theological School. By God’s grace, we still move towards our goal to send out 100 missionaries by 2020, fulfilling the great commission of Jesus to make disciples of all nations.
We must acknowledge and thank all other Boards, Districts and churches who have served faithfully.

Looking into the future: Strengthen internally, Connect externally

1. We need to enhance the roles of the music directors. Apart from being music directors, they can be upgraded in their theological training to fulfill the qualification of being pastors, and even be ordained as ministers.

2. We have long affirmed evangelization, church building and social services as our church mission. Now, we are glad to the chance of developing education again through setting up schools as one of the means in caring for the society. Especially, establishing schools in Samalaju, MJC New Town Kuching and Miri Bypass in Miri gives us such a golden opportunity.

3. For the past few years, we planned to construct our Annual Conference Headquarters in Jalan Aman, Sibu. It is good news that we are granted permit to build now. This building is used for ministry, administration and co-ordination purposes for various Boards to connect with districts and local churches so that ministries can be implemented more effectively.

4. We must pay special attention to those children who do not receive Holy Communion, and to the decline of children Sunday school attendance. Serious actions must be taken. At the same time, we need nurture our young people to be disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders.

5. In order to preserve the church historical records, documents and archives, building a history and archives centre is necessary. Let us pray that the plan to construct the Methodist History and Archives Centre in No.51, Jalan Tun Hj. Openg, will be successful.

6. Since there are so many international, national and social challenges confronting us, we as a church must work together as partners with Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS), Christian Federation of Malaysia(CFM), Malaysian Council of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBHST), Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), Council of Churches in Asia (CCA), World Federation of Chinese Methodist Church (WFCMC), World Methodist Council (WMC) and World Council of Churches (WCC) so that we can act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)

Our General Conference has set the theme for 2017-2020 as “A Church After God’s Own Heart”, expressed in 3 ways: Every Methodist personally renewed in his or her first love for Jesus; Every Methodist congregationally revived as in the Book of Acts; The General Conference to be nationally refocused and reframed after the Word of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit. GCEC next February will confirm the Chinese and BM translation of this theme so that we can use the same translated theme wordings.

Lastly, let me and my wife thank God for the partnership and participation of all the District Superintendents, pastors, church leaders at all levels and all church members. You have helped me serve as Annual Conference President for 12 years joyfully and fruitfully! May God bless all of you abundantly.
By Rev Dr Su Chii Ann
President of SCAC, 2016