PELITA - The Methodist Church Newsletter
Listed below are articles abstracted from past issues of PELITA
王怀德：不能不祝福！砂华第四十届年会开幕礼
SCAC 40th Session Report
马来西亚卫理公会会督王怀德牧师 引民数记廿三章13-26节，以“不能 不祝福”为题勉励众人。
王会督提及最近令人关注的缅甸， 当年独立之时，要求英国人先行等 待，好让他们寻求占卜，选好良辰 吉日方才独立。1948年1月4日早上 4点20分，在这缅甸所选定的时间， 该国宣告独立。
他们如此寻求天上智慧为要得地上 富裕，是否可行呢？会督说，当年 缅甸为亚洲国家中第二富强之国， 但如今却成为东南亚其中一个最贫 苦的国家。
向天寻求祝福，正如同当年摩押王 巴勒透过巴兰所行之事。巴勒十分 惧怕以色列人，因其人数众多，带 给他们极大政治压力；为此，他要 寻求属天能力以图战胜。于是，他 找到巴兰。据1967年考古，在约旦 发现一个雕刻的石碑，碑文提及巴 兰乃当时富有能力且着名的巫师， 许多人寻求他的祝福。巴兰为叙利 亚人，靠与灵界沟通牟利，其虽是 多神论者，亦相信众神中有一位最 具能力之神。
巴兰既然不是一位信靠上帝之人， 又为何对巴勒表示，他不能违背上 帝呢？原因或有二：一，他知道耶 和华之名，其二，他想令巴勒知 道，他认识这神，亦能掌控祂。然 而，事实证明，他不能咒诅以色 列，只能祝福。
祂不说谎也不后悔
王会督藉巴勒侵害上帝选民一事， 提醒我们，过去如此，今日亦如 是。然而，即使我们未曾意识到许 多势力的侵害（这些年来，回教局 在砂拉越“投资”上千万进行伊斯 兰布道事工，在沙巴与联邦直辖区 同样如此。），但我们无需畏惧， 因教会历来都是站在公义与光明的 一边。所以，我们只要继续把眼目 定晴于上帝，行有智慧的事工。诗 篇一百四十九4亦告诉我们：“因为 耶和华喜爱祂的百姓；祂要用救恩 当作谦卑人的妆饰。＂
即使，以色列百姓在进入应许之地 前，面临最后一次试探（巴兰使用 美人计使他们献祭给偶像）而软弱 失败，但上帝并未停止不带领他 们，就如上帝未曾因大卫犯罪而遗 弃他。不会遗弃我们，是上帝给祂 子民宝贵的信息，正如巴兰所说： 上帝不是人，所以祂不会说谎；也 不是人子，所以不会后悔。当上 帝应许，无人能改变祂的应许，祂 说，就必成就；正像以赛亚书四十8 所说：“草必枯干，花必凋残，惟 有我们上帝的话必永远立定。”
王会督再次以历代志下七14勉励与 会牧者与代表们：“这称为我名下 的子民，若是自卑、祷告，寻求我 的面，转离他们的恶行，我必从天 上垂听，赦免他们的罪，医治他们 的地。＂
大马卫理公会砂华人年议会第40届 年议会按牧礼拜于11月25日晚假诗 巫爱莲街福源堂举行，共有5位传道 人被按立为长牧，另有9位传道人被 按立为副牧与本处副牧。
被按立长牧者为陈俊杰、卢爱玲、 阮文顺、林月仙与黄灵麒。6位被按 立为副牧，即姚惠惠、刘恩宏、林 顺开、江宗章、江宗慈与谢必浩；3 位为本处副牧，即林晶萍、余婉宁 与潘龙莺。
大马卫理公会会督王怀德牧师在 证道中引用提摩太前书3章1-7节， 以“连接性的呼召”为题，提醒牧 者必须做好本份，叫教会内外的人 都能在他们身上看见基督的美好品 格；而教会中年长的长牧亦应当扮 演指导及带领的角色，并呼吁教会 的弟兄姐妹们多多为牧者祷告。
王会督表示，保罗于宣教旅程中， 在路司得遇见了深受敬虔母亲影响 的提摩太。提摩太后来在路司得被 长老按立。之后，提摩太如助理般 跟从着保罗，并受托带领以弗所教 会。
在教会中，提摩太面对了抵抗假教 师的虚假教导，并要为信徒作生活 上的指引。
作为传道人，要处理好现实生活和 事工，展示谦卑受教及增长，求活 出真正的圣洁，在内无瑕在外被称 赞。
传道人要像提摩太，连接在教会这 属灵的家，以坚强的信心完成全 程，并以美好品格彰显基督。
卫理公会砂华人年议会第40届年议 会差遣礼拜共差遣了4位宣教士，前 往3个不同国家与地区进行宣教工 作，为主寻得更多的羊群。
4位宣教士分别是即将前往印尼西加 的张杏子、成为了威克里夫圣经翻 译公会翻译员的吴哲薇牧师，以及 准备到英国服事当地华人教会的阮 文顺牧师与师母余惠信。
The Opening Ceremony for the 40th Annual Conference of Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference (SCAC) was held at Wei Kok Hall on 25 November. The opening address was given by the Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia, Rev Dr Ong Hwai Teik.
In the opening address, with the Bible text taken from Numbers 23:13-26, Bishop Ong reminded us that we are living in a reality of unseen enemies and “unknown” powerful encounters. King Balak, the king of Moab, was terrified of the Israelites. The desperate king sought a way out - by summoning a dangerously powerful sorcerer named Balaam, to curse the Israelites.
But Balaam never could do so. Instead, that dangerously powerful sorcerer became an instrument of an undefeatable Sovereign God. Balaam might try, but he could not do what he was paid to do. He couldn’t curse but bless because God had spoken (Isaiah 40:8) For us today, despite the situation happening around us, Bishop Ong reminded us not to live with a “victimised mindset”.
We should focus on God because God takes pleasure in His people. God will protect us because we are His people. God can use evil for His own holy purposes. He still rules, watches over, provides for His people in this fallen world.
By Rev Candy Liong,
Faith Methodist Church
6 deacons 3 local deacons 5 elders ordained
The ordination service was held at 7:15pm, Masland Methodist Church on 25th November, 2015.
Six deacons (Jacqueline Yeu, Lau Ong Heng, Lim Soon Khai, Kong Choo Chiang, Simon Kong, Sia Pik Hao), three local deacons (Sency Ling, Nancy Yu, Phang Liong Eng) and five elders (Ling Nguok Sieng, Nicholas Tan, Wong Ling Kee, Lu Ai Ling, Nguang Ung Soon) were ordained.
In his sermon, entitled “A Call Connected”, Bishop Ong Hwai Teik reminded the newly ordained pastors of the importance to be connected. We can see this from the example of Timothy’s life.
Timothy grew to be a faithful servant of God through a prophetic message and by the laying of hands of the elders at Ephesus (1 Timothy 4:14). The prophetic message, the laying of hands of the elders, and Paul functioning as his mentor reflect the communal roles of the Christian community in Timothy’s ordination. Ordination is a communal affair. Bishop Ong cautioned that the pastor represents the entire local faith community. The pastor’s private life builds his public life. Therefore, humility, teachability and growth are to be demonstrated, as recorded in Micah 6:8. This verse marks the standard of a person growing spiritually in life and in ministry — through responding to God by acting justly, rightly and loving mercy.
We are to be “blameless inside, well thought of outside” because God has called us to deal with social creatures: people. We need to be blameless so that we can influence people for God’s kingdom. Being blameless is being effective for God.
Later on in his life, Timothy became the Bishop of Ephesus. Historians believed that he was martyred. Though Timothy was weak in body and constitution, he was strong in faith and finishing.
Bishop Ong ended his sermon by quoting two great men of the past, “Alas, I am like a poor painter trying to paint a handsome person” (Gregory the Great), but nevertheless, “Those whom God appoints to lead His people must be distinguished above all by their virtue,” (Gregory of Nazianzen).
This reminds us that as pastors our inward lives are connected outwardly. Each of us is connected to the church. This connection will enable our holiness to be seen in the society and thus be effective for God.
By Rev Candy Liong,
Faith Methodist Church
At the 40th Annual Conference, SCAC sent 4 missionaries to different countries and areas to carry out missionary work and to look for more sheep for the Lord.
The 4 missionaries are Joyce Tiong (West Kalimantan), Rev Nickie Goh (translator, Wycliffe Bible Translators Association), while Rev Nguang Ung Soon and his wife Yii Hie Sing will be serving in England.