I remember when I was attending the Chinese Annual Conference in Kuantan November 2010. It was my first conference with CAC, thus it was an eye opening experience on the way the conference was run. There were some issues about finances! Well, it is most of the time we Chinese always talk about money issues. Well.. I just attend the conference as a practical student, although at times, I would love that STM could brief students like me who are going out for a year practicals.
During a break period at the conference, I was approached by a young Reverend. He told me that the board of ministry posted me to his church! Wow! I thought in my heart. You really get the news fast! And he told me that I was to help in the English Worship in Pandamaran CMC. So it was that time I have to prepare myself to serve for a year as a student pastor in PCMC. As I get prepared I need to do some research on the church that I was going to be serving. So, I searched the website and call a few friends to ask about the condition of the church. To my surprise, this church is different. Different because the English worship doesn't follow the Methodist Conduct.
I was excited as well as afraid of what is to come as I serve in PCMC. Rev. David Boey will always remind me not to speak so much and just do whatever I needed to do. The first week, itself I was asked to be the chairman and help in the Holy Communion which was not so bad. The following week, I am to preach! Wow... And I've prepared my 30min sermon, which STM have taught me to do... "30 mins is more than enough.. 45mins is the maximum length of your sermon" said my lecturer in STM. But it was not the case here in PCMC, when I was about to end my 30mins sermon, from the pulpit I saw one of the leader looking at the watch and I could sense that he say "That was fast, we usually take more than an hour for a sermon."
It was when I first join the pastoral board meeting for the English worship that really give me an enormous shock! It is like 2 different church in a church. The Chinese worship (CW) have the LCEC which is practiced my Methodist Churches. And the teachings in the English Worship (EW) are very similar to the way DUMC taught and they are more towards the Charismatic side. Where speaking in tongues are practiced openly. Sometimes I think they overemphasized the Holy Spirit more than the person in the Trinity that we should emphasize more! I know we need to be spirit filled but without Jesus' sacrifice it would be meaningless! Up to this point I should say that I am quite a traditional Methodist, although I am from an English Church in the CAC circle.
My ministry here in PCMC-EW was mostly serving in the Youth Fellowship and Worship. My year serving here in PCMC-EW have got me attached to the youth. Being with them scolding them and teaching them. Funny thing is that the more I scold the more they are attached to me. Now my ministry here is coming to an end. I will be finishing after Christmas, I just wanna thank God because His grace is sufficient for me. I thank the church for giving me this opportunity to learn and serve with them. All glory give to the Lord.
愛是不保留 Unreserved Love
常聽說世界愛沒長久，哪裡會有愛無盡頭？
塵俗的愛只在乎曾擁有，一刻燦爛便要走！
而我卻確信愛是恆久，碰到了你已無別求：
無從解釋、不可說明的愛，千秋過後仍長存不朽！
誰人受痛苦被懸掛在木頭？至高的愛盡見於刺穿的手；
看！血在流反映愛沒保留，持續不死的愛到萬世不休！
惟求奉上生命全歸主所有，要將一切盡獻於我主的手；
我已決定今生再沒所求，惟望得主稱讚已足夠！
[ Unreserved Love ]
I've always been told love won't endure.
Nowhere can one find love long and true.
The world just thinks love comes and passes through.
"Don't make promise" is the rule...
But I still believe love can last long.
Your unfailing love has made me strong.
You are the one I can depend upon.
Come what may, you'll love me all along!
Who died on the cross and took away my curse?
Great is your love, I don't think I should deserve.
Your bleeding hands proved your love unreserved.
You're my only joy and treasure on the earth...
Giving everything to you is all I pray.
Use my life to serve you truly every day.
I'll hold your hands and give you all my praise.
Let the whole world know your love and grace!
塵俗的愛只在乎曾擁有，一刻燦爛便要走！
而我卻確信愛是恆久，碰到了你已無別求：
無從解釋、不可說明的愛，千秋過後仍長存不朽！
誰人受痛苦被懸掛在木頭？至高的愛盡見於刺穿的手；
看！血在流反映愛沒保留，持續不死的愛到萬世不休！
惟求奉上生命全歸主所有，要將一切盡獻於我主的手；
我已決定今生再沒所求，惟望得主稱讚已足夠！
[ Unreserved Love ]
I've always been told love won't endure.
Nowhere can one find love long and true.
The world just thinks love comes and passes through.
"Don't make promise" is the rule...
But I still believe love can last long.
Your unfailing love has made me strong.
You are the one I can depend upon.
Come what may, you'll love me all along!
Who died on the cross and took away my curse?
Great is your love, I don't think I should deserve.
Your bleeding hands proved your love unreserved.
You're my only joy and treasure on the earth...
Giving everything to you is all I pray.
Use my life to serve you truly every day.
I'll hold your hands and give you all my praise.
Let the whole world know your love and grace!
its july!
Time passes very fast
Yesterday was past
Now look forward for hope
In the future!
Yesterday was past
Now look forward for hope
In the future!
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Prayer Letter 2-2011
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
It is coming to 6 months since I started serving in Pandamaran Chinese Methodist Church, and I know God have a purpose for me to be here. I’ve learned a lot through my service here. There are some hard things to learn and some easy. Although sometimes, my philosophy of ministry and Theology was challenged but it is still a good learning experience for me. Most of all I need to be F.A.T in my ministry here! Faithful. Adaptable. Teachable. And most importantly Humility.
A lot of times as I serve here, I am always watching and learning what is needed for a shepherd to do in the church and with the help of the English Church’s pastoral members / leaders they have been guiding me all the way for 6 months now.
Basically, I am involve with the preaching of the word once every month for the English Church and once a month in the Chinese Church Saturday worship. Currently I am doing an exposition on the Letter of Ephesians. It was God’s direction for me to share and do an exposition on Ephesians to further strengthen the faith and doctrine of the church and to teach practical Christian living for the church. I am also involved with visitation to homes and hospitals, which is one of the requirement of being a shepherd.
I am also involved fully with the English Church’s youth fellowship and I’ve setup a small group with the youth for Bible Study which can help strengthen their bible knowledge and by doing so improve their knowledge about God and also have a closer relationship with Him. During youth fellowship time I am always around to help with sharing, bible study for Youth Fellowship. And the coming months I’ll be organizing a Youth Camp and No Apologies® workshop for the youth.
Some other ministries I am involve, leading Cell Group, Praise and Adoration, Teaching guitar, Prayer meetings. Now as I enter to the next half of the year, there are more activities that are coming up. I also praise God for giving me the opportunity to conduct a memorial and funeral service by myself. It was really a time for me to learn although I have seen Pastors conducting it but it was a different thing all together when I am doing it myself. PCMC is constructing a new Church Building and I have the privilege to observe and be involve in the committee in the planning and direction of the project.
With this I will end here. Please do continue to pray for me and my ministry here in PCMC.
Praise Points:
· Thank God for 6 month of service in PCMC
· Praise God for all the learning and experiences in serving
Prayer Points:
· Continue to pray for my ministries
· Pray that God will continue to help and give me wisdom to learn and minister in PCMC
In-His-Service,
Kevin Wong
Pandamaran Chinese Methodist Church
After 2 weeks settling into my new area of ministry! Pandamaran Chinese Methodist Church....
Moving into the apartment and making it my new home for this one year here in Pandamaran! It is a big church with 2 congregations; Chinese and English.. I'll be pastoring the English Ministry congregation here.... the people here are nice and friendly. Hope God will use me to minister to His sheep in PCMC and to proclaim His name here so that people will know that He is God.
Pandamaran Chinese Methodist Church
My office!!
One office just for me to work!!
Me working in my office!
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