JUNE 12, MIRI – The 4th Miri Boys’ Brigade (BB) held its annual Enrolment Sunday and Re-Dedication Service at its sponsoring church, Grace Methodist (GMC).
Also present were 4th Miri BB Chaplain Tan Kok Chui and Hon. Capt. Frederick Wong. Miri District BB Helper Reymond Tiong and his wife Ling Ling, and Caleb Cheung, teacher- in-charge of BB 66th Singapore were invited guests.
The solemn Color March-in and March-out were received and given by Chaplain Tan.
Highlights of the event included a testimony by L/Cpl. Jonah Lau, a drama, awards and promotion ceremony.
In his testimony, 16 year-old L/Cpl. Jonah said that he had been a BB for more than half of his life. He confessed that as a Pre-Junior (7 years old), he was naughty, rebellious and uncontrollable.
“I remember that I got scolded almost every week for doing something mischievous which resulted in me getting told off and receiving punishment from the Officers and Seniors. And I’m grateful that happened. Well, the Boy’s Brigade has molded my character in almost every way. From our BB object, the character traits that I took in would be of Reverance, Obedience, Self-respect, Discipline and all that tends towards a true Christian Manliness. But of course, I am still learning and the Boy’s Brigade is still molding me here and there now. I would also like to thank my parents, for bringing me into the Boy’s Brigade and encouraging me not to quit when times were hard and when I was tired from all those drills. But thank God, I received all those drills and punishments because I learned from all these was to obey every command and be disciplined,” shared L/Cpl. Jonah.
The Seniors and Juniors acted in a short drama that was inspired by the Founder’s story on the formation of The Boys’ Brigade in 1883. Led by Lt. Raymond Tie, the drama depicted the journey of how Juniors became Seniors guided by the twin pillars of The Boys’ Brigade; Religion and Discipline.
In the Scholastic Award, Nigel Tay received the Bronze badge (4A and 1C, UPSR) and the Silver badge went to L/Cpl. Jonah Lau (8A and 1B, PT3).
L/Cpl. William Chen was promoted to Cpl. while Pte. Hebert Chui and Pte. Jonah Lau were promoted to L/Cpl.
Hon. Capt. Frederick delivered a sermon entitled ‘Do you want to be made well?’. The guiding verses were taken from John 5:1-9. The key points of the sermon were: 1) Jesus comes to heal; to address our suffering and lead us to new places of life and hope. 2) God wants to lift us out of all the issues and diseases that plague us. 3) Jesus invites us to ground our lives in the promise that nothing separates us from God’s love.
“There is a teaching in every miracle Jesus performed,” says the 61-yearold Hon. Capt., who is also GMC Lay Preacher. He summed up his message by saying: “Jesus asked the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda – do you want to be made well? He is speaking to you and me as well, because to be made well is to be made whole, and to be made whole is to experience the gift of life in all its abundance. He is saying, do you want to experience life in all its abundance?”
Following the sermon was the Re-Dedication of Officers. It was conducted by the Chaplain, and witnessed by the Hon. Capt. and congregation.
by James TC Wong, 4th Miri
(This story was first published at gmc.org.my on June 14, 2016).