Recovery & Progress

For three weeks in a row now, our Sunday services are almost full (90 adults capacity). Now we have reached half of our average attendance pre-Covid 19. It is in the process of recovery and we praise God that the finances are also recovering with members giving more generously though not a few have lost their jobs or given no-pay leave for 3 months or more. Better still, I feel there is progress in spiritual growth. Twice in recent weeks, members of the church actually clapped spontaneously when I spoke.

A couple of weeks ago I shared how I was the only Chinese leader in the history of SIB church, a largely indigenous church in Sabah and Sarawak. My name is inscribed the copy of Certificate of Incorporation as one of the Trustees when I served as Treasurer many years ago. I spoke on this in the light of our country's struggle to create a truly multi-racial society and I told my congregation that only a multi-racial church could be a beacon and a light to the nation, if we accept everyone from every race and do not practise any form of discrimination as it is done in the world. With the State Election coming up in 5 days' time, yesterday my congregation also clapped when I taught about the Jewish New Year Greeting (shanah tovah - good year) as Rosh Hashana was celebrated last Saturday, being the first day of Tishri, the holy month in the Hebrew calendar. As they spoke "Shanah Tovah" an evident joy came about and they clapped in God's glory without me telling them or prompting them to do so. After the teenage class that went for almost 1 and a half hours, I attended out church council meeting from 2pm to 5.40pm. We discussed a number of things and praise be to God that leaders were unanimous in everything I proposed as I expected some opposition. We are signing a new lease for our third shoplot and praise God that due to the pandemic the rental rates have fallen and we managed to get a good deal. But owning a property which we used only once or twice a week is somewhat not cost effective. So we discussed how to raise fund to purchase the third unit, but no concrete decision is made until we have raised at least 30% of the property value, so that we can consider taking a loan from the bank. But I have other ideas which I am keeping to myself now at the moment and wait on the Lord for a couple more weeks before sharing with my elders how to go about building a church (people not building) and how to expand our reach (spiritually not physically) and God is not fixed to a place as I have taught in my Teenage's class based on John 4 - "it is not on this mountain nor in Jerusalem that one should worship the Father".