Ministry Update FebMar 2017

So we have quickly flew past two months into this “new” year. I think many of us are still reeling from New Year or Chinese New Year. Now, entering into the Lent season, churches are gearing up for Easter preparations.

February was pretty busy. With the CNY festivity end Jan/start Feb, the festivity in the air breathes “laziness” into most of us. The ASOD team went into the villages n it was a refreshing “break” for me to commune with the “jungle” at the start of this “new” year. Then we had the Northern Clergy Retreat at a beach hotel in Penang. It was good to be “pampered” in comfort. Getting in touch, networking, n fellowship with fellow ministry workers was refreshing. After the retreat came loads of work!

SAM Penang SP is continuing their first course of the year in Cultural Anthropology. I seized the opportunity to stay at a nearby hotel when the class was held on the eve of the Thaipusam break. Well, it was boring. SP has nothing much to offer. The budget hotel I stayed at was pretty unique actually. Its deco carries the Middle Eastern theme but the wi-fi speed was so slow I didn’t manage to get into the internet at all. Classes will conclude at the close of March.

SAM Ipoh held two classes in February. At the start of the month was a two-weeks nightly class for certificate students n towards the end of the month was the intensive one-week day classes for diploma students.

SAM Penang Prai will begin their academic year with the study on Christian Discipleship tonight (27Feb).

Elsewhere, our signed MoU with STS to offer the Master in Ministry program in BM, also begins our planning towards the first module to be offered in June in Ipoh. Do pray for us as we need a minimum count of 10 students for the class to commence n thus far we hv 7 with a few undecided/pending inquiries.

Prayer items:

1.         Expansion of partnership/networking with other churches/Christian organizations in areas of finance, training, ministry, etc

2.         Expediting process of creating a new bank account accessible by SAM central committee for a more efficient responses in financial matters

3.         SAM leadership: unity, wisdom, perseverance in ministry

Thank you for your partnership in ministry

Ministry Update JanFeb 2017

Festivities, though very much toned down this year, still have an effect to cause laziness in many of us. I am one of those affected. January had been a fast-paced month. It moved so fast n suddenly we have arrived at the close of the first month of the year.

SAM Penang academic year began with a class in the Sungai Petani center. I am teaching there for this first slot. We are studying Cultural Anthropology, which is a subject close to my heart. Why? Because I majored in Anthropology & Sociology for my undergraduate study; graduated without fully understand what anthropology really is; finally in Seminary discovered those undergraduate years were “foundation” years to my current major in Missiology! God orchestrated everything beautifully, as always. As the class in SP is at night, I usually spent the night “camping” in the church n only drive back Penang early the next morning. However, from the start of class this year, a student managed to persuade me to spend the night in her home. Well, it sure is more comfortable – proper bed n no noisy “mickey mouse football match on the roof” or clattering of utensils at odd hours as neighboring shops begin preparing for the next day’s business. Praise God for His providence!

SAM Penang Prai center will only begin its academic year with its first class in Discipleship end of February. I hope the earlier enquiries will translate into actual attendance as majority of the current students will be ready for graduation by end of this year. They may miss this year’s convocation and I am still looking at options and possibilities to enable the accumulation of enough academic credits so they can make it before deadline to graduate this year.

Elsewhere, SAM Ipoh will open with a certificate course of intensive 2-weeks nightly classes at the start of February and an intensive one-week day classes towards the end of February. The courses offered will be “Church Growth” and “Corinthian Letters” respectively. We are also anticipating some new students for the certificate modules this year.

Prayer requests:

1.         Teaching team: travels, preparations, good health

2.         Students: dedicated, teachable, committed

3.         Administrative team: well organized, attentive, focused

4.         Financial matters: task of “transferring” SAM fund from Bagan Jermal Anglican Church Penang into a new bank account that can be easier accessed by other SAM committee in Ipoh/Gopeng. This is on-going n please pray for St Peter’s admin team assisting us in this with the required paper works n liaising with various parties

5.         More OA to thirst to be well-equipped to serve effectively n willing to “sacrifice” comfort, time, convenience to attend classes n complete assignments

6.         This weekend, 3-5Feb, the Anglican School of Disciples (ASOD) participants will be visiting the OA villages. Pray for the participants to learn, enjoy, n be “bitten by the ministry bug” to carry the burden for OA work. Join us to pray for journey mercy, good weather, n fruitful time of ministry in Kampong Sungai Poh/Kampong Kepayang, Kampong Ulu Kampar, and Gereja Shalom Gopeng. Pray that it will be an “eye-opener” for the participants as they experience a different lifestyle from that of urban context

7.         The first class of Bishop Certificate of Ministry for Upper North Archdeaconry to prepare candidates to serve officially as lay ministers in the Anglican Diocese. I’ll be teaching the first module in “Bible Overview” over the 18-19 Feb weekend

8.         The Northern Clergy Retreat in Penang 20-22 Feb: that it will truly be a time to “relax” and fellowship with fellow workers in ministry

Thank you for your partnership in ministry

SBTan