CMCA Methodist News 243 (Eng)

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esumed during the Annual Conference session on Friday 23 November 2018, and after another seven rounds, Rev. Dr. Albert Wong was elected as the new Bishop for the Quadrennium 2019-2022 with a clear two-third majority. Rev. Dr. Wong joined the CMCA in 1991 and left in 1992 to join an independent church as Pastor. Later he went for further studies in the U.S.A. in 2000, he re-joined the CMCA as Deacon, and was ordained as an Elder in 2002. Following a thanksgiving speech, Bishop Dr. James Kwang presented the Bishop-Elect with the Bishop’s clergy shirt, thereby signifying the passing of the CMCA leadership baton for the next four years. The 17th Session of the Annual Conference continued with the business of receiving reports (from various boards, districts and mission districts), the election of chairpersons and board members for various boards, and concerned discussion on presented proposals. Bishop Rev. Dr. James Kwang was conferred the title Bishop Emeritus. The 17th Session finally concluded at 4.30pm on Saturday 24 November 2018. The invited guests who were present included: Bishop Chen and wife (Methodist Church in Taiwan), Bishop Rev. Dr. Chong Chin Chung and wife (Methodist Church in Singapore), President Rev. Dr. Adrian King (Provisional Annual Conference, Chinese Methodist Church in New Zealand (CMCNZ)), Rev. Khoo (General Secretary of the World Federation of Chinese Methodist Churches ), as well as the lay leader and representatives from CMCNZ. The Retirement Service for Bishop Rev. Dr. James Kwang immediately followed at 5pm in recognition of the retiring Bishop’s service. Bishop Rev. Dr Chong was the invited speaker with Rev. Elijah Chew acting as his interpreter. He drew from Philippians 3:7-16 and preached humorously on the different stops on our life journey. However, there is no stopping halfway in serving God. Pastors and delegates reflected on and expressed their appreciation ofthe service which Bishop Rev. Dr. James Kwang and wife had rendered for the past eight years with love hugs. The Bishop-Elect, Rev. Dr. Albert Wong, presented the retiring Bishop with a souvenir as a token of appreciation for his service. Finally, the service concluded at 6pm, and Bishop Rev. Dr. James Kwang formally retired from the itinerant ministry of the CMCA. Conference of the CMCA was held at Goodwood Methodist Church at 9am on Sunday 25 November 2018, and the service was led by Rev. Dr. Gloria Ling. The pastor choir presented “My Covenant” (composed by Mrs. Nee) after the Goodwood Methodist Church choir presentation. The pastors, their wives and local preachers sang with joy, zeal and dedication. It represented a sincere reliance on God and humble dedication in following Him as well as being diligent in ministry. The invited speaker was Bishop Rev. Dr. Chong while the interpreter was Lay Preacher Jacob Law. Bishop Rev. Dr. Chong preached from Mark 10:35- 45 and expounded on the topic “Not to be served but to serve”. Pastors were extolled to be humble and to have asacrificial spirit in their ministry. Rev. Dr. Albert Wong was consecrated as the Bishop for the Quadrennium 2019-2022 by Bishop Emeritus Rev. Dr. James Kwang, Bishop Rev. Dr. Chong and Bishop Chen in the presence of his family. Once the newly consecrated Bishop Rev. Dr. Albert Wong was presented to the congregation, Rev. Dr. James Kwang was conferred Bishop Emeritus and Bishop Chen led the congregation in prayer for him. This was followed by the ordination of Rev. Christina Cheong as an Elder. Then, all the District Superintendents (Rev. Dr. Albert Chiew, Rev. Alexis Lui and Rev. Elijah Chew),including the mission district (Rev. King Ming Ngu), announced the appointment of pastors. Bishop Rev. Dr. Albert Wong presented each pastor with the banner of the church they were appointed to. Brother Philip Hii represented the Board of Courtesy to thank the host church for their diligent and relentless efforts, as well as all the pastors and delegates for their attendance and fellowship. Bishop Rev. Dr. Albert Wong announced that Trinity Methodist Church of Melbourne would be the organising church for the 18th Session of the Annual Conference of the CMCA and duly declared the 17th Session of the Annual Conference closed. All pastors, delegates, and those who attended were treated to a scrumptious lunch prepared by the host church. The Closing Ceremony of the 17th Session of the Annual E18 CHURCH FEATURES HOPE MC There came a point in time when Immanuel Methodist Church in WA was faced with the (wonderful) need to accommodate a growing English-speaking congregation. Naturally, this led to the proposal of starting a second worship service, with the long-term aim of planting a new church. Under the leadership of Rev. James Kwang Melissa Ting • (current Bishop of CMCA) and the Local Church Executive Committee (LCEC), a group of 40 brothers and sisters started the Murdoch Preaching Point (MPP) at the Multi Faith Centre at Murdoch University in 2010. After 3 years, MPP was constituted as Hope Methodist Church (Hope MC) at the CMCA Annual Conference in December 2012.
Our first service as Hope MC was held at Corinthians Park Hall, Shelley on 6 January 2013, with Rev. Allen Su as our minister-in-charge. We worshipped at this location for 6 months before moving to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Parkwood, where we continue to worship to this day. Pastor Michael Ting was appointed as Hope MC’s supply pastor (part-time) in 2017. We currently have a congregation of about 45 to 50 people, consisting of families, young parents, working professionals, university and high school students and toddlers. Indeed, all thanks and glory be to our God Almighty for the 5 years that Hope MC has been through thus far. While it is such a blessing to be able to celebrate our 5th anniversary, the last few years have not G1st Anniversary Cake been without struggle and difficulty. As we look back and reflect on the past events that have helped to shape Hope MC’s history, we can only thank God for His ongoing providence and mercy, as well as for His spirit of love and unity among the brothers and sisters of this church, who stepped up when the need arose. May this short account of Hope MC’s history be a testimony of God’s goodness and grace and an encouragement to everyone. 2013: In the Beginning… Starting out as a small church without our own church building, finding an appropriate worship venue within our budget was a challenge. The Multi Faith Centre at Murdoch University provided a strategic location in our 2 years as a preaching point (i.e. located within a university, ample parking, near a train station), but apart from having a keyboard and table, the empty hall meant that church members had to bring from home all other items required for our Sunday service to run. These included a portable screen and stand, a projector, speakers, DI boxes, mic stands, cables, and a guitar, to name a few. These items would have to be set up in time for our 4pm service, then packed away into cars at the end of service and stored in garages or spare rooms at home, only to be brought back again the following week. We realized very quickly that the ability to leave items permanently on stage was a luxury, something many of us took for granted. It was a tedious and tiresome task, but necessary. We truly thank God for the dedicated group of church members who faithfully and tirelessly helped out in this area week in and out. Furthermore, we faced the issue of not having a proper Sunday School area. While we only had two Sunday school children when we first started, not having a proper classroom meant that classes had to be conducted in the hallway between the doors of the main sanctuary and the entry doors to the building. This was not conducive as people would be coming and out of the doors to access the building. These issues continued when we moved to Shelley for cheaper rent. Sunday School classes being conducted at the back of the hall could sometimes be disruptive for the service. These issues were only resolved once we moved to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in July 2013, after enquiring at about 30 different places. To be able to finally find a worship venue that suited all our needs was a big milestone! We thank God for providing for our needs and for giving our leaders the faith to persevere in finding the right venue for us. Here we would like to acknowledge and thank St. Luke’s Lutheran Church for their warmth, generosity and hospitality. Not more than seven months after we started out as Hope MC, illness befell Rev. Su’s wife, Sis. Laura. She was unexpectedly diagnosed with a brain tumor after undergoing checks for blurry vision, and needed urgent medical review and treatment by the neurosurgery team at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Sis. Laura went on to have numerous operations, some of which involved complications and close monitoring in ICU. She required an extended hospital stay, and Rev. Su was granted emergency pulpit leave to care for his wife and his two young children. It was truly heartbreaking to see and to imagine the pain and agony that Rev. Su and his family had to endure. But we could also see God’s spirit at work among his people. Church members, leaders and prayer warriors from Hope MC and all other WA District churches were praying fervently for Sis. Laura’s recovery. WA District pastors and ministers volunteered to preach at Hope MC in Rev. Su’s absence despite the short notice. A group of church members from Hope MC, Kingsway MC and Immanuel MC banded together and came up with a cooking roster to provide meals for the Su family every day for at least 4 weeks. This was truly love in action! And God is good! He heard and answered our prayers - Sis. Laura’s condition eventually stabilized enough for her to participate in rehabilitation at Shenton Park. Even in the months that followed, there were many medical appointments to attend and various therapy sessions to undergo. It was definitely not an easy task for Rev. Su to juggle church and family duties, but we thank God for providing him with the strength to press on, and for the leaders and LCEC of Hope MC who stepped up to assist as and when it was required. G2014 Congregation Hope MC spent the next 18 months settling into our new premises at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and establishing various ministries such as the Adults Cell Group and the
Page 1 and 2: English 243 2018 12 ISSUE 期 YEAR
Page 3 and 4: E3 BISHOP’S EXHORTATION EXTRACT O
Page 5 and 6: knows my heart and yours. And He wi
Page 7 and 8: etc. The purpose was to emphasise c
Page 9 and 10: to the price we pay. Level 1: The P
Page 11 and 12: E11 AMYC SHARING REFLECTION The fir
Page 13 and 14: E13 AMYC SHARING REFLECTION This is
Page 15 and 16: We, by human nature, are corrupted,
Page 17: the previous day’s devotion), but
Page 21 and 22: MC, we will not only be helping our
Page 23 and 24: 27 Faith Methodist Church 信恩
Page 25: 崇拜时间 Sunday Service: 9:3

CMCA Methodist News 243 (Eng)

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