Anglican Youth Council Miri

Light of Truth

2012-01-10T10:22:00.000+08:00

Young Adults 'Into the Wild'

2011-11-02T18:22:00.000+08:00

Are you stressedout?

Bored & need a break from the daily routine?

Come join us...into the Wild!

The Young Adults Ministry is organising a two dayone night weekend trip to the Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort on 26-27 November 2011.

Registration fee is at RM65 per person.

There will be great activities such asflying fox, guided night walk, water park fun, jungle trekking, trip to thewaterfall and lots more other exciting activities lined up for you.

You can getyour registration forms at the booth in front of the school hall after serviceevery Sunday.

Bring your friends too! See you there!! :D

For more info contact Magdalene @ 0198558520 or email us at anglican.youthcouncil@gmail.com.

Young Adults Gathering

2011-11-02T17:59:00.000+08:00

Hello there! About a week ago, on 23rd October, the young adults had a gathering at Fr. Cheong's place. The place was filled with young people, great food & lots of laughter. It was indeed a great time which we had together... Here are some pictures to share!

Porkylicious! ;p

Time for charades!

Act it out!

HOW TO BECOME A CONFIDENT CHRISTIAN

2011-11-02T17:02:00.000+08:00

DON'T LET YOUR FEARS STOP YOU FROM STANDING UP FOR JESUS

What are you afraid of?

I’m afraid of lots of things. Heights, spiders, the dark, static electricity, failure, awkward silences.

As a Christian, one of the big fears that we seem to have in common, is the fear of standing out. A lot of who we are and what we do makes us really different to people who are not Christians, so the temptation we face is to shrink back; to minimise the differences so that we don’t stand out – but so that we blend in.

Thinking of shrinking?

There’s a Superhero called The Atom. Look him up on YouTube, he’s pretty funny. His special power is shrinking … he can shrink to such a small size, that he’s able to go around unnoticed by his foes.

And you know, I think us Christians face the temptation to do the same – not shrink to atomic size, but to minimise our faith in Jesus, to effectively shrink back, so that we go around unnoticed. It just seems easier that way – no hard conversations about Jesus/faith/religion and other controversial things.

You can have confidence

Hebrews 10:19-39 was written to the Christians in Rome, to urge them not to shrink back. To be confident. The chapter talks about confidence in three areas:

1. Confidence in your relationship with God – because of what Jesus has done for us, we can (and should) approach God confidently. Approach him in prayer. Approach him in his word. And make time for that! Someone once said that if you’re too busy to pray, then you’re too busy.

2. Confidence in your relationships with other Christians – make it a commitment to meet with your brothers and sisters in Christ, even when life is getting really busy and hard. 6-7 hours a week for Church, youth Group and Bible Study is not a huge ask, but they all go such a long way to helping you stand firm in your faith. Go to church confidently, to be an encourager!

3. Confidence about who you are amongst your non-Christian mates – don’t shrink back like the Atom. Stand up for your faith at school. Write about your faith on facebook. Invite mates to youth group even if they laugh at you. Because Jesus doesn’t want facebook fans, he wants committed followers. He doesn’t want people to click the ‘become a fan’ button, he wants us to deny ourselves, take up our cross – be willing to get hurt for him, and follow him.

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while,

"He who is coming will come and will not delay.

But my righteous one will live by faith.
And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." (Hebrews 10:19-39)

Article written by Matt Jacobs (fervr.net)

Treasure your parents before it's too late by Dr. Chris Anthony

2011-03-04T16:18:00.000+08:00

It is better to give them a little now than to give them the world when they are gone

The world is full of sons and daughters like you and me

I had a marvelous mother, who loved me, sacrificed for me and helped me in every way possible.

In all of my growing up from childhood through school and eventually marriage, my mother was always at my side.

And when I needed help with my little ones, she was there for me.

A few years ago, we buried this wonderful woman. Can you imagine how I felt when I returned home and

Found poem in her drawer written by my mom.

The time is now
If you are ever going to love
Love me now while I can know
The sweet and tender feelings
Which from true affection flow

Love me now while I am living
Do not wait until I am gone
And then have it chiseled in marble
Sweet words on ice-cold stone

If you have tender thoughts of me
Please let me know now
If you wait until I am sleeping
There will be death between us
And I will not hear you then

So if you love me, even a little bit
Let me know while I am living
So that I can treasure it

Your loving mum

Now she is gone and I am sick with guilt because I never told her what she meant to me. Worse yet, I did not treat her as she deserved to be treated. I found time for everyone and everything else but I never made time for her.

It would have been easy to drop in for a cup of tea and a hug but my friends came first.

Would any of them have done for me what my mother did? I know the answer.

When I called mom on the phone, I was always in a hurry.

I feel ashamed when I think of the times I cut her off, the times I retorted back to her,

The times I glared at her in an angry mood when she wanted to correct me and guide me through the correct path.

I remember too, the times I could have included her in a trip out and did not.

My children loved Grandma from the times they were babies. They often turn to her for comfort and advice.
She understood them.

I realize now that I was too critical, too short-tempered, too stingy with praise.

Grandma gave them unconditional love.

The world is filled with sons, daughters and a child like me. I hope they see themselves in this letter and realise from it.
Reflections
This story highlights that we must do whatever we can when our parents are alive to appreciate what we say or do, however little that may be.

Very often we are willing to spend thousands to give them a grand funeral with the most elaborate preparations and expensive coffins and so on. We are willing have memorials without fail year after year. We give alms in memory of our late parents but we could not afford to spend some time with them when they were with us before their death. We were too busy with our lives.

How much do we treasure our parents? They may not be perfect but it is undeniable that they deserve more than what we are doing for them now.

We may be cruel to them or we may even be criminals but to our parents we are still good children and they continue to justify why have become bad. They blame everybody else for their children being bad except them as they believe their children cannot have gone bad by themselves.

Nobody in the world does that. Many will flock to us when we are in a position to give but none when we are down and out. Our parents are the only ones who will be there with us and for us whether we are good or bad, up or down till their last breaths.

Let us search our hearts to see where we have placed our parents in it. If they are not in our hearts it is time to make a place for them there now. If they already there as in many of us, it is time to give them a little more. Let us not do something or fail to do it that we will regret later as it will be too late.

Xposed Camp 2011!

2011-03-01T12:56:00.000+08:00

Calling all teenagers age 13-19 years old!

AYC is organising a teens camp just for

YOU!

When?

18th-20th March 2011 (School Semester Break)

Where?

St. Columba's Primary School

Fee?

RM25.00

What XPOSED CAMP is all about?

Life as a teen can be challenging. EXPOSED camp is about developing and shaping one’s character according to the likeness of God and family. The Bible clearly stated in both 1 Samuel 2:26 and Luke 2:52, Samuel and Our Lord Jesus' lives are a great example of growing in faith and are able to overcome any troubles and doubts in their lives.

What will the teens gain from this camp?
At the end of this camp, we expect all participants to understand and to face challenges in their life development of maturity in faith and in their life as Christian witnesses.

Why parents should encourage their children to join XPOSED CAMP?

Teens are at the stage of exploring. They are eager and curious to know everything especially in knowing their faith and having that believe that they hold on from their Christian families. Therefore, this is the chance for them to learn and be EXPOSED. We also believe that this camp is a great opportunity to make their school holiday special!

Note:

We will be opening a registration booth at the entrance of the school hall before & after Sunday Services. :)

For more details:

Email: anglican.youthcouncil@gmail.com

Call: Timothy at 019-847 2569

Time for Funbowl!

2011-02-24T13:11:00.000+08:00

We had a fun time playing bowling at Megalanes, Bintang Plaza on 15 February 2011. There were about 30+ young adults who came to join in the fun. Even Ven. Solomon & Revd. Alfred played too! Little did they know that the bowling game that they're gonna play is somewhat altered or rather a creative improvisation of the usual game. This altered version is called "The AYC Funbowl" hehe. Here are some pictures which were taken on that day. We had 10 teams with pretty interesting names i.e. Bagak, Harimau Malaya, Mayat Hidup, competing against each other.

Jangan pandang belakang

Take a bow

Busy bowlers

Sit & bowl

Focus...focuss...

Hmm...a strike or masuk longkang, Shirley?

Steady, aim...bowl (rather roll)!

After the bowl, it was time for some refreshments, prize giving, mingling and photo sessions.

We do hope that by having this sort of event, we would get more young adults to be introduced and get involve in the youth ministry! :)

Til next time, God bless all.

Youth Gathering 2011

2011-02-23T16:10:00.000+08:00

On 30 January 2011, the youths had a bbq + movie gathering at St. Columba's Parish Hall for some fun-filled fellowship with one another as we welcome the new year 2011! We had some games before the event started, followed by a short sharing by Ven. Solomon to encourage the youths and then proceeded to our movie session!

Listening to the instructions

Game on!

Say my name!

For the movie session, we turned the Parish Hall into a mini cineplex, using the church projector and our screen was the big white wall..hehe, and with about 40+ youths as audiences. The movie of the day was Despicable Me. This movie's about Gru, a crminal mastermind who uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme, but then he finds himself profoundly changed by the growing love between them. It's funny, goofy & everyone could relate to the moral of the story which revolves around family, love, sense of belonging & purpose. A good watch indeed! The Parish Hall had never emitted that much noise before (especially those loud laughters from the audiences)!

After the movie, it's time for makan! Eventhough it rained very heavilly (with strong winds & all!), we managed to get the bbq done but half of our manoks have to be fried instead of panggang! Haha!

The Not-so-Junior Master Chef Bajeng & his chicks

..and sidekick Blackie the church dog, faithfully guarding the coals. Could you even tell the difference? :p

After dinner & mingling, next on the program was an exchange gift session among the youths...

Some received back-to-school gifts, though some are no longer students but

I guess it's also very suitable to be used at the office too. Haha.

By 8pm, its time to call it a day! Everyone had a great time and we hope to have more to come! :D

Career Talk

2011-01-28T17:02:00.000+08:00

On 15th January 2011, Saturday, AYC organised a Career Talk at St. Columba's Parish Hall . This talk is especially targeted to the youths who have just finished their SPM examinsations and also for fresh graduates. We invited various speakers to share on various topics on career paths, choices & what to expect from the working world. We have Ms Felecia Ngalih from Curtin University, Mr. Kong from Angela Educational Consultant and Mr. Martin Entamin from Sarawak Shell, whom have shared their knowledge and experiences with us. We do hope hope that the youths that have attended this session, went back with better knowledge on what to do next in their study/career choices! :) Here are some pictures to share....

12 Things I Wish I Knew At 25

2011-01-14T16:16:00.000+08:00

Happy Friday, friends! We would like to share this with y'all. This is a sharing by Rev. James Martin, an American pastor, on his 50th Birthday.

For a lark yesterday, on my 50th birthday, I Tweeted 12 things that I wish I had known at 25. Or more accurately, 12 things that, had I put them into action, would have made my life a lot easier. Some are bits of advice that wisdom figures have told me and took years to sink in. Others are the result of some hard knocks. A few are insights from the great spiritual masters that I've adapted for my own life. Maybe a few will help someone you know who's 25. Maybe one or two will help you.

1. First up: Stop worrying so much! It's useless. (I.e. Jesus was right.)

2. Being a saint means being yourself. Stop trying to be someone else and just be your best self. Saves you heartache.

3. There's no right way to pray, any more than there's a right way to be a friend. What's "best" is what works best for you.

4. Remember three things and save yourself lots of unneeded heartache: You're not God. This ain't heaven. Don't act like a jerk.

5. Your deepest, most heartfelt desires are God's desires for you. And vice versa. Listen. And follow them.

6. Within you is the idea of your best self. Act as if you were that person and you will become that person, with God's grace.

7. Don't worry too much about the worst that can happen. Even if it happens, God is with you, and you can handle it. Really.

8. You can't force people to approve of you, agree with you, be impressed with you, love you or even like you. Stop trying.

9. When we compare, we are usually imagining someone else's life falsely. So our real-life loses out. I.e. Compare and despair.

10. Even when you finally realized the right thing, or the Christian thing, to do, it can still be hard to do. Do it anyway.

11. Seven things to say frequently: I love you. Thank you. Thank you, God. Forgive me. I'm so happy for you! Why not? Yes.

12. Peace and joy come after asking God to free you -- from anything that keeps you from being loving and compassionate.

We hope that you find this sharing helpful. Tell us what do you think of it? And do share it with others! Have a great weekend ahead!

Interesting Toons

2011-01-12T19:16:00.000+08:00

Shared by Bro. Malachi Ningkan

A Special love for a special You!

2011-01-12T10:44:00.003+08:00

Shared by Uncle Andrew Unal

“A SPECIAL LOVE FOR A SPECIAL YOU”

Bai Fang Li, died 93 years old, lived in poverty. Yet, he donated an aggregate sum of RMB 350,000 to universities and schools in Tianjin to help 300 poor children in need. For almost twenty years, he paddled his tricycle earning Yuan by Yuan to save up for his donations.

His lunch was two buns and plain water. Luxury to him was the sauce he put into the water. Dinner was a piece of meat or an egg. What he wore was what he picked from the dump. Any extra piece was luxury.

He paddled 365 days a year every year, in the snow and in the soaring heat of 50 degrees C. He started at 6 in the morning and finished at 7 or 8 at night.

“It’s alright I suffer,” he said, “But let the poor kids go to school.”

90 years old, he arranged his last saving of RMB500 neatly in a box and handed to Yao Hua School, saying, “I cannot paddle any more. I am not able to donate any more. This shall be my last …”

All teachers in the School wept …

The last image people had of him was his photo inscribed, “A special Love for a special you.” (last photo shown)

Pictures showing the students from Yao Hua School paying tributes to their benefactor.

Indeed God has work in him to help others. How wonderful our God is! May his good deeds be an example to us that we will also be able to help others in need and also to spread God's love.

Hello 2011!!

2011-01-11T10:45:00.000+08:00

Wow, can you believe that we're now in 2011! What a year 2010 was for AYC! And it went by really fast! This year, AYC is gearing up to live up to its theme, which is Go MAD (Make A Difference) for Jesus! We do hope to get the support we need from the youths, parents & congregation!

To start off our activities this year, we're having a Career Talk this coming Saturday. Details are as below:-

Date: 15th January 2011
Time: 830am-330pm
Venue: Parish Hall
Speakers: Mr. Martin Entamin (HSE Advisor for Shell), Mr Kong Shaw Onn (Educational Agent of Angela Educational Service) & Ms. Felecia Ngalih (Marketing Officer of Curtin Uni.)
Objectives: To equip uni. graduates to face the working life, to help the senior secondary students to plan their futher studies and understanding courses offered in universities.

*Registration is FREE.
*Lunch & tea break are provided.

Do make yourself free to attend this talk. Parents, do encourage your children to come for this.

See YOU there! :)

Buzzing with Activities!

2010-12-10T18:28:00.000+08:00

Hello friends! We've been like little bumble bees buzzing about with lots of activities for the past few months! Whooh! We praise God that He has guided & provided for us the whole way through! We are indeed very blessed! Here are some of the pictures that we want to share with y'all. :D

Fellowship with PGA Youths at St. John's Chapel.

We had a great time with the PGA youths at their newly opened St. John's chapel. It was our first time there! We introduced to them what is AYC all about, had some ice-breaking session & a game. In addition we also had a session with the little kiddies. We taught them "I love you Jesus" action song. And they presented it in front of everyone. How adorable is that! To wrap things up, we had a light refreshment thereafter. This will be the first of many trips to the youths of St. John's Chapel ,PGA.

PGA has been put in plan to be AYC's mission field for next year! We hope to groom youth leaders & get the youth group there growing in faith! :) Do uphold us in your prayers..

Priest Appreciation Night at Mega Hotel Ballroom

On 30th October, we had a chance to say a big Thank You to our beloved priests...Ven. Solomon Cheong, Revd. Alfred Damu & Revd. Ramdan Mejem! These three wise men of St. Columba's church have been working extremely hard & they are very dedicated to their work & ministry. We have indeed seen wonderful changes and improvements been brought to the church..and we are ever so grateful to have them as our shepherds. Above all, the youths feel very privileged to have them as they are very supportive to the youths & our activities. This was our opportunity to show our appreciation!

Praise & worship by the SCEC Taman Tunku Youths. Great job!

Our priests presenting a song together! Bakat terpendam..

The AYC presented a video presentation which required several weeks of preparation (lotsa brainstorming sessions & getting the right editting software etc) and involved a group of creative & talented bunch of youths (including Blackie, the church dog). We couldn't show you the video here...it's a tad too big, hmm..we'll figure out how to show it ya! The video shows a series of interview we did with random people from the church and we gave it a lil fun twist & made it into an original piece of work... Our very own AYC production and it comes with a cover too, which each priest was given a copy!

Miri Christmas Bazaar 2010

On 4th-9th December, a Christmas Bazaar was held at Dewan Suarah Miri. AYC set up a stall selling handmade crafts (courtesy of Live-Love-Craft), maruku, books, CDs, t-shirts, decorative items from Crossway Bookstore and also calenders! It was a hectic week but we managed pretty well. Praise God! There were many other stalls set up by various churches as well. And every day we have a different church to perform songs on stage to entertain the people. It was pretty awesome to see that many churches are able to come together to take part in this bazaar!

Too tired to Pray

2010-11-22T17:38:00.000+08:00

Have you ever been in the midst of an ongoing challenge of life whose sting never ceased? As one day faded into the next, you wondered how you would have the energy to make it through. You looked for direction asking, "What can I do that will make my situation different?"

I have been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt. I am a survivor of some tough challenges. Challenges that stole my energy, zest for life, and belief that things could change. In fact, I am currently living such a challenge and have been for several years.

During difficult days my godly friends offer wise counsel. They point me to scripture with aspirations of encouraging me and bringing hope to what I deem hopeless. My friends hold me up in prayer. They remind me to pray. However, there are times when the weight of my circumstances are so heavy, when I bow my head to pray I find I am just too tired.
I am tired of moving forward one day, only to run into another obstacle that prohibits progress the next day. I am tired of expelling my energies trying to make a difference, only to find myself right back where I was before. Because this situation robs me of spiritual, mental and physical energy, I feel too tired to pray.

I am too tired to pray until I remember a man in the Bible. This man found himself in a challenge that had the potential to rob him of spiritual, mental, and physical strength. He ran into one obstacle after another and worked hard each day trying to make a difference. Unlike me, this man was not too tired to pray.

The man is Nehemiah. He wept and mourned over the condition of Jerusalem after the exiles returned from Babylon. He was motivated to help his people rebuild. Having the favor of the king and the presence of God on his side, one would assume the assignment would not be a challenge. However, government officials Sanballat and Tobiah, made it their personal business to undermine the rebuilding progress. Nehemiah responded to each insult and obstacle the same way: he prayed.

Nehemiah and the Israelites found praying was the needed prescription to revive them, restore their energy and continue building! Through the power of prayer their enemies were defeated and the wall was rebuilt. What a wonderful lesson for anyone struggling through life's challenges, too tired to pray. Let's examine this prescription for those who are overwhelmed.

We can simplify Nehemiah's prayer prescription as SAP (Stop and Pray). According to Dictionary.com the word sap means energy and vitality. Vitality is defined as exuberant physical strength or mental vigor; power to live and grow. Nehemiah had it right. He made prayer his first choice, not his last resort. He discovered prayer would revive his spirit and restore the mental and physical energy needed to overcome challenges.

Do you find yourself facing a challenge? Have you felt just too tired to pray? Join me today as I SAP— stop and pray. Let's allow the power of prayer to revive our spirit and restore our physical and mental vigor. By following Nehemiah's example we will have the energy needed to defeat the enemy and thrive in the midst of our challenges.

Dear Lord, through the power of prayer, today's challenge can be tomorrow's victory. Forgive me when I make prayer my last resort instead of my first choice. Help me remember the truths You have taught me today. Help me SAP when adversity comes my way. Thank You for prayer and the power I receive when I turn to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Application Steps:

Write the word SAP and its meaning (energy and vitality) on several note cards. Place them in your home, car, work and Bible, to remind you to SAP.

Each time a difficult situation occurs, no matter how small, SAP.

Reflections:

How do I feel about my prayer life?

Am I willing to SAP whenever a situation occurs? If not, why?
Am I currently in a tough life challenge? Do I really believe prayer can change it? Why or why not?

Power Verses:
Daniel 9:19a, "O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act!" (NLT)

Habakkuk 1:5, "Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." (NIV)
Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." (NIV)

Romans 8:26-27, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." (NIV)

Devotion taken from: Encouragement for Today by Proverbs 31 Ministries

Gone too soon...

2010-11-19T09:24:00.003+08:00

The sky is a darker shade of grey on this day...sadness & grief is felt in the hearts of many youths today. We have lost a great friend, a dear brother....Billy Joe. He left us to be with the Lord. It was tragic, the way he left us..so sudden & we are all in shock & are deeply saddened. But, we know, above all things, God is in control & He has plans for everything. What God's plan is in this, we may not know but we rest in the assurance that we shall see him again because of that hope we have in Jesus...we are promised victory over death and the grave!

We will always remember you in our hearts, Billy. We will always remember you for that great smile you have, that goofy funny side of you, your great voice, your big heart for the youths, your even bigger heart & love for Jesus! We are thankful to God that we indeed had a chance to know you and we are proud to be your friend. We take comfort that you are now with Jesus and in a better place where there's no more pain & suffering.

Until we see you again someday soon...you will be greatly missed.

We pray that God's strength, peace & comfort be upon his family at this time of loss.

May you rest in peace, Bro. Billy...

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

God is always there

2010-10-20T09:01:00.001+08:00

Do You Believe This ???

A girl went to her friends house and she ended up staying longer than planned, and had to walk home alone.

She wasn't afraid because it was a small community and she lived only a few blocks away.

As she walked along under the bike trail Diane asked God to keep her safe from harm and danger.

When she reached the alley, which w as a shortcut to her house, she decided to take it.

However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end as though he were waiting for her.

She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for God's protection.

Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped round her, she felt as though someone was walking with her.

When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely.

The following day, she read in the newspaper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley just twenty minutes after she had been there.

Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and the fact that it could have been her, she began to weep.

Thanking the Lord for her safety and to help this young woman, she decided to go to the police station.

She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story.

The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a lineup to see if she could identify him.

She agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before.

When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down and confessed.

The officer thanked Diane for her bravery and asked if there was anything they could do for her.

She asked if they would ask the man one question. Diane was curious as to why he had not attacked her.

When the policeman asked him, he answered, "Because she wasn't alone.

She had two tall men walking on either side of her".

Amazingly, whether you believe or not, you're not alone. People will not stand up for God..

PS: God is always there in your heart and loves you no matter what.

Comissioning of the AYC Committee Members (2010-2012)

2010-09-29T15:28:00.001+08:00

Last Sunday was the comissioning of the new AYC office bearers after our last AYC AGM. We have new faces and we pray that by God's grace this new committee will be able to achieve the objectives of AYC, and to also grow both spiritually and physically.

The Ven. Archdeacon Solomon also invited all the young people aged 12-35 who are part of the AYC to stand up and we all prayed together for our young people in the parish.

Since it was also a Family Service and in conjunction with the AYC Comissioning Sunday, the AYC lead in the praise and worship led by Bro. Bajeng and the readers and intercessors were also from the youth.

To encourage the young people to come together and to show the support from our leaders, the PCC sponsored us with a BBQ lunch right after the service. We had BBQ at Fr. Cheong's house and invited the youths and clergies to have fellowship with us.

Everyone had a good time, enjoying the good food too. :-)

St. Columba's Carnival Sale

2010-09-17T10:56:00.000+08:00

On the 4th September, the church organised a Carnival Sale to raise fund for our church building renovation. Since our church has been eaten by termites and even all the electrical wiring are also all eaten, the ceiling may collapse anytime therefore we have to move to the St. Columba's Primary School Hall for our church service for the past few months.

Anyway, the AYC were involved in the Carnival Sale and opened up two booths. One is selling crafts and the other one selling cakes, pastries, jellies, etc. Here are some of the photos taken during the Carnival Sale.

More photos can be found on facebook!

AYC AGM 2010

2010-08-29T20:33:00.001+08:00

Finally, the final term for the AYC Committee Members of the term 2008 - 2010!! The AYC AGM was held this afternoon at 1.00pm and were attended by members from the PCC, Taman Tunku, Lambir and also from our mother parish. The attendance were about 30, not as good as last year but it will not discourage us, in fact, it will motivate us to really play a role as part of the AYC and to fulfill the real objectives of the AYC as per written constitution.

We started with an opening prayer from Archdeacon Solomon Cheong followed by his message for all the young people. We were then encouraged by our very own AYC Advisor, Bro. Derek Cornas together with his new proposal for the new AYC structure.

A great challenge by the Chairman of the AYC, Bro. Bajeng where he challenged the next elected office bearers with "dare to transform" message. Indeed it's a very big calling but with the grace of God everyone will be able to transform! AMEN!

Elsa was our dedicated chairperson for the meeting...

And Magdalene, a faithful Multimedia and Publicity minister who handles the slides...

Apart from the messages, we have reports from the Secretary, Treasurer and representatives from the various extension centres and ministries.

From left : Diana, Evonne, Bajeng and Elsa...the former Ex-Co for the term 2008-2010.

Once all the representatives presented their yearly report, we have election of the new office bearers. It's women dominated this year, and lets congratulate our new AYC Executive Committee for the term 2010 - 2012.

From left : Magdalene (Asst. Secretary), Elsa Iyok (Secretary), Evonne Mendu (Chairlady), Diana Diewo (Vice Chairlady), Karen Emma (Treasurer) and Victoria Jane (Asst. Treasurer)

The 7 committee members are representatives from the various ministries/extension centres. They are among the youth from Lambir, Taman Tunku, Liam, Boys and Girls Brigade, Chinese Service Youth and also the Young Adult Ministry.

May God guide the newly elected committee that we will be able to fulfill the objectives of the AYC and we will be able to cater the needs of our young people in the church.

Anglican Youth Council Annual General Meeting 2010

2010-08-17T15:19:00.000+08:00

The AYC will be having our Annual General Meeting 2010 on :

Date : 29th August 2010
Time : 1.00 pm
Venue : Parish Hall

All youths (aged 13 -35) are encouraged to attend this very important event and we also would like to invite parents and church leaders to support us in this event. This will also be an opportunity for all to know the various activities organised by AYC to all the young people of the parish.

We will also be having election of the new office bearers for the term 2010 - 2012.

Do come and join us!!

Diocesan Youth Sunday Carnival Celebration

2010-08-05T09:45:00.000+08:00

On the 25th July 2010, all the youth throughout the diocese celebrated the Diocesan Youth Sunday. As per our promotion, the AYC organised a Diocesan Youth Sunday Carnival Celebration at Padang Pusat Belia. We thank God for a good weather, though it drizzle a little bit in the end but we still have fun! Thanks to all who helped a lot in the preparation of this event.

However, we started with the Praise and Worship in the church, for all Iban, English and Chinese services. The Iban Service was lead by Bro. Timothy and his worship team.

For the English Service, it was lead by Sis. Melissa together with the same worship team.

Sis. Evonne was doing the Epistle reading

Sis. Magdalene leading in intercession

On top of that, we have the participants from the Children Bible Camp to perform with a few songs taught during their bible camp on the 23rd - 24th July 2010.

The Youth Carnival only started around 2.00pm at Pusat Belia.

Registration

Hampers for everyone

Our Chairman, Bajeng doing the opening prayer

Archdeacon Solomon giving us the encouragement

Aerobic session to warm up

And one last group photo

Too bad we were not able to upload all the pictures here, but you may find more photos in our Facebook. If you have not added us, find us by using our email: anglican.youthcouncil@gmail.com or you can also type AYC Miri.

Anyway, we really enjoyed ourselves especially having this opportunity to be together with all the youths from Lambir and Taman Tunku. Thank God for answered prayers and guiding us throughout the preparation of this event.

ADYC Prayer Week Day 7

2010-07-25T08:24:00.004+08:00

Today, we want to thank God for the ministry work of ADYC. May God continue to use the ADYC to help build up the ministry to the young people and the church in our diocese. We pray for all ADYC upcoming activities:

BGM 2010 in Bintulu (September)
One Voice Revolution in Bintulu (September)
Youth Leadership School in Kuching (November)
Ministry Equipping Conference in Kuching (November)

Today we pray for all the young people in the diocese, pray for God's hand upon us as we celebrate the Diocesan Youth Sunday.

We pray for the 6 ADYC Regions, pray that each of the region will continue to develop opportunities for their PYFs/AYC to share and learn from each other.

ADYC Prayer Week Day 6

2010-07-24T08:19:00.006+08:00

Today, we want to pray for our Province, the Province of South East Asia. (Dioceses of Kuching, Sabah, West Malaysia & Singapore)

For the ArchBishop, the most Rev. Dr. John Chew; for the other bishops and assistant bishops, clergy and lay staff of the province. Pray that our Province will continue to grow in spirit and in truth.
For PYNET (Provincial Youth Network), which comprises of the youth network in the four dioceses that are part of the Province. Pray that all the four dioceses would be able and ready to lead the Joshua generation.
for PROSEAMS (Province of South East Asia Mission Services) as they work on the Great Commission for the province.

ADYC Prayer Week Day 5

2010-07-23T09:27:00.000+08:00

Today, we weant to pray for ourselves, our family, our parents, our friends, our neighbours and all who are dear to us.

For ourselves, pray for firm foundation in Jesus. Pray that God would help build our life on the word of God. Pray that we can be examples of/for Jesus Christ, to strive to be like Him each day.
For our parents and family, pray for a solid, God centered relationship among our family members
For our friends, neighbours and loved ones, pray that God will give us opportunities to share the gospel of Christ to them

ADYC Prayer Week Day 4

2010-07-22T08:12:00.000+08:00

Thursday, 22nd July 2010
Today, we want to pray for our Parish Youth Fellowship (PYF)/Anglican Youth Council (AYC) and Youth work. We also want to specially pray for the OneVoice Revolution 2010 preparation.

For our PYF chairman and the other youth leaders, we pray that God will grant them the wisdom, insight and creativity as they lead the young people. Pray that God will empower them with the Holy Spirit to carry out God's will more effectively.
For the young people in our church, we pray that they will open their hearts and minds to Christ and ask that they will carefully weigh that they are taught according to the wisdom that can only come from God. Pray also for them as they continue to reach out to their peers and grow strong in God.
For our ministry work to the young people, pray that God would bless this work by leading and using it to impact the lives of others in the church and outside.
For the OneVoice Revolution 2010 preparation:

The Working Committee, pray for their Chairman, Steve Mackenzie and his team as they prepare and finalize logistics and accomodation for the event. Pray for God's guidance and direction in their preparation. Pray that they will be focused on God in everything they do.
The ADYC President, Benjamin Lim and all ADYC leaders and Revolution Team who will lead the programme/workshops that they would lead things wisely and fully depend on God's strength and insights.

ADYC Prayer Week Day 3

2010-07-21T10:53:00.001+08:00

Let's get excited about this week. We encourage you to spend time with God and enjoy your time with Him. If we want to see tranformation in our land, we must begin praying for our diocese, churches, community and our country now.

The One Voice Prayer Movement was initiated by the ADYC and it started in 2004. It is a call to prayer to all the young people in our diocese.

ONEVOICE stands for the following :

O - We will pray with ONE mind, ONE heart, ONE agenda
N - To say NO more to the evil one in our diocese
E - To declare that the ENEMY is already defeated! Jesus did that for us on the cross
V - To remind ourselves that we have the VICTORY in Jesus.
O - and that victory is OVERCOME the work of the evil one in our kampungs and towns
I - That we will operate IN the power of the Holy Spirit
C - With CHRIST at the centre of it all
E - We will pray that the church would become EFFECTIVE in our lands

Prayer point for today, Wednesday 21st July 2010
Today, we want to spend time to pray for our church, congregation, communitites, schools and workplace.

For our vicar & priests in our church/parish. Pray that God will put His hand upon them for the things of God and that He will use them to do His will. Pray that they shall live a fulfilled life in Jesus' name.
For our PCC and the church leaders, pray that they will continue to be led by God in making any decisions for the parish.
For our congregation, pray that our church will be the salt of the earth and light of the world (Matthew 5:13) in our areas. Let God's word take root in our lives and that we will deepen our relationship with Jesus. Pray for holiness in our churches"...holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever." (Psalm 93:5, Jer 2:3) Pray also for the expansion of God's kingdom in our communities and Christ's fullness in His churches.
For our school (if you are studying), pray that our school will be impacted by the gospel.
For our workplace (if you are working), pray that we would be able to glorify God at our workplace and bring his words to our bosses and colleagues.

ADYC Prayer Week Day 2

2010-07-20T09:48:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was the starting for the ADYC prayer week. We started with the theme "Giving Thanks" as per the ADYC prayer points and gathered together in the parish hall to pray and thank God for the many blessings that he has showered upon us.

It started with a singspiration led by Bro. Bajeng, then we had our corporate prayer - thanking God and we also prayed for the upcoming Diocesan Youth Carnival this Sunday.

From today until Friday, we will pray at our own pace at home. Our prayer points for today :

Today, let us pray for those in authority in our diocese and in our country. In 1 Tim 21:1-2 teaches us to pray for those in authority.

For our Bishop, Rt Rev. Datuk Bolly Lapok, pray that he will lead the diocese with wisdom that comes from God.
For the Asst. Bishop, Bp. Aeries Sumping as he assists Bp. Bolly to serve and lead the diocese
For our diocese, we pray that our diocese will continue to grow and advance the cause of the Gospel in the field of mission and evangelism
For our government, state and federal cabinet, pray that they may rule our country, Malaysia with wisdom, justice and righteousness. Pray for a good political, economic and social condition.

God bless.

Leaders Retreat & Open Session with Rev David Rajiah

2010-07-15T11:12:00.002+08:00

Our Church organised a leaders session with Rev. David Rajiah on the 9th July 2010, and the open session on the 11th July 2010. He visited the Lambir Church on the 10th July 2010 and shared the word of God there. Indeed it was a very interesting session. The leaders session he was sharing on "Called to Serve" and there were a few youths attended.

The AYC were also asked to lead in the praise and worship session and thereafter Rev. David shared the words of God. We are all serving God in many various ways but there are few other things that we need to bear in mind when we serve God.

Based on the few key points he shared :-

1) Call to Serve God with your Gifts (Time) - Exodus 6:23

- We need to find time for God daily. Make time for God.

- Prayer and work needs to be there

- What are we doing with our time and talent?

2) Call to Serve God in Tithing (Malachi 3:10)

- Give Tithes!! It's not an option, it is a requirement

- Are we giving our donation, stewardship, subscription, membership but not tithing?

3) Call to Serve God with Fellowship (Acts 2)

- We need one another and we should come together regularly (Heb 10:25)

- Do we have time for lost souls?

- Do we have time for each other?

4) Call to Serve as a Watchman (Ezekiel 3:17-21)

- We need to have the fear of God

- Wait and watch for what God would command and give in warning

- Warn the people for God!

- Do we care about our church?

5) Call to Serve God by Carrying the Cross (Matthew 16:24)

- Following Jesus is a true commitment, it is WORTH it

- The Cross is the answer, the solution, the hope

- How would we respond if a member asks help from us?

6) Call to Serve God as an Ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20)

- Stand up for the truth!!

- We need to learn God's will (Jeremiah 37:3-10)

- Grant a safe passage (Numbers 20:14-21)

- Settle Disputes (Judges 11:12-28)

- Arrange business (1 Kings 5:1-12)

- Be a spy (2 Kings 20:12-19)

- Are we bold enough to share the Gospel?

7) Call to Serve Him as a Soldier

- Victory is mine because I serve a victorious King, we will conquer

- Battle has won when Jesus died for us, it is time for us to expand our territory

- Be an onward Christian soldiers, not backwards!

- Are we a loyal and faithful soldier?

Then on the open session on Sunday (11th July 2010) the youths from Taman Tunku lead the worship. This session, Rev. David Rajiah shared on the Spirit Filled Christian based on Ephesians 5:18.

We also spent time praying for our priests

Praying for Archdeacon and his wife

Praying for Rev. Alfred and his wife

And a token of appreciation for Rev. David

As for the evening session, he shared that to be a spirit-filled Christian, we need to be :-

1) Devoted

- By studying the word (2 Tim 2:1, Psa 119:9-11, Jos 1:8)

- By surrendering ourselves to Him (Rom 12:1-1, 1 Cor 6:19-20)

- By separation to the desires of the world (2 Cor 6:17, 7:1)

2) Dedicated

- Loving God (2 Cor 11:24-27)

- Looking to God (Heb 12:1,2)

- Longing for God (Phil 3:10)

3) Determined

- Testimony (Acts 20:24)

- Endure Testing (Gal 6:9)

- Going through trials that come our way (James 5:11)

- Endures temptation (James 1:12)

4) Detained

- There must be a time of waiting before God in prayer (Isa 40:31)

- Plea to Prayer (1 Tim 2:8)

- Personal Prayer - secret to Christian life (Mat 6:6)

- Patient Prayer (Acts 1,2, Luke 24:49)

- Prevailing Prayer - should always be in the attitude of prayer (1 Thess 5:17)

Indeed we are all blessed by God with the presence of Rev. David Rajiah. By God's grace, perhaps we could invite Rev. David Rajiah again to speak to the young people in the church so that all of us could walk together in the journey of going to God's heavenly kingdom.

Diocesan Youth Celebration

2010-07-12T10:49:00.000+08:00

"For I know the plans I have for you," Declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you

and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" - Jeremiah 29:11

Let's all uphold this event in your prayer. Pray for smooth preparation, good participations and also for good weather.

The Cry Of A Father's Heart From Genesis To Revelation

2010-07-11T09:26:00.000+08:00

Father's Love Letter

My Child…
You may not know me, but I know everything about you
…Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up
…Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways
…Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered
…Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image
…Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being
…Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring
…Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived
…Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation
…Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book
…Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live
…Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made
…Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb
…Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born
…Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me
…John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love
…1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you
…1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father
…1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could
…Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father
…Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand
…James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs
…Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope
…Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love
…Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore
...Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing
…Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you
…Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession
…Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul
…Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things
…Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me
…Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart
…Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires
…Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine
…Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager
…2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles
…2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you
…Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart
…Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes
…Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth
…Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus
…John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed
…John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being
…Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you
…Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins
…2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled
…2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you
…1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love
…Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me
…1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again
…Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen
…Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father
…Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…Will you be my child?
…John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you
…Luke 15:11-32

Love,
Your Dad. Almighty God

ADYC Region 2 BGM

2010-06-30T14:02:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday, 19th June 2010 the ADYC Region 2 had our BGM at Imperial Hotel Apartment. About 20-30 youths from the northern region came together and attended the meeting. It started with reports from Holy Trinity Lambir, AYC, St. Thomas' Bintulu and then Good Shepherd, Lutong.

After the election, our new executive committee for the ADYC Region 2 are as follows :

Region Coordinator : Bro. Frankie Wranthye (St. Thomas' Bintulu)
Asst. Coordinator : Sis. Rose Seman (Good Shepherd, Lutong)
Secretary : Sis. Victoria Jane (AYC, St. Columba)
Treasurer : Sis. Christy Jowen (Good Shepherd, Lutong)

The three representatives from our parish are :
1. Bro. Frankie Nanta
2. Sis. Elsa Iyok James
3. Sis. Liza Ijam (Taman Tunku)

Three representatives from St. Thomas' Bintulu are :
1. Bro. Steve Mackenzie
2. Bro. Billy Joe
3. Sis. Marilyn

And three representatives from Good Shepherd parish are :
1. Bro. Nick William
2. Bro. Aaron Stanley
3. Bro. Matthew

In the evening, everyone gathered together once again to pray for the elected committee. Do uphold the Region 2 committee into your prayers, that God will use them mightily for His kingdom.

Diocesan Youth Sunday is coming up!! We will update you more on the upcoming activities soon! Stay tuned!

Patronal Celebration

2010-06-21T11:04:00.000+08:00

On the 20th June 2010, the church organised the Patronal Festival cum Confirmation Service at Mega Hotel Ballroom. The hall was packed with over 1,200 parishioners including 200+ new confirmants. Most of the youths were involved particularly the Teenz, Boys and Girls brigade as well as the worship team from Taman Tunku - who led the praise and worship.

Our Teenz, BB & GB

The Confirmants

During the Praise & Worship

Bro. Davidson who led the worship

Anderson, Nana and Andrew - the musicians

Also presentation from the Sunday School

It was indeed a wonderful and meaningful worship, with all the encouraging message from our Lord Bishop. May all be blessed with his message.

Youth Service

2010-05-21T10:45:00.000+08:00

Once a month we will have a Youth Service to cater the needs of our young people. It's a complete service where we have praise and worship, intercession, scripture reading, sharing the word of God and also holy communion.

Do come and join us for this Youth Service!! If you have any queries, don't hesitate to contact us at AnglicanYouth.Council@gmail.com.

Boys and Girls Commissioning

2010-05-09T16:14:00.000+08:00

This morning during church service, we had a commissioning service for the Boys and Girls brigade. It was held during the English service.

Combined Easter Concert

2010-05-09T16:00:00.002+08:00

On the 8th May 2010 the Association of Churches Sarawak organised a combined Easter Concert for all the denominations. It was held at the Mater Dei, Roman Catholic church and we received an overwhelming response from the various churches in Miri.

The Teenz Ministry presented a dance on behalf of the St. Columba's Church.

Opening prayers by Pastor Hii

Entrance

Our Youths!

Praise and Worship by the Roman Catholic Youths

Speech by Archdeacon Solomon, Chairman of the Association of Churches

Presentation from the Roman Catholic Church

Our Teenz performing their dance

Presentation from Good Shepherd Church, Lutong

SIB Bahasa Kayan

Seventh Day Adventist Church

Closing prayer by Fr. Andy of Roman Catholic Church

Pastors/Priests from the various denominations

God always answers prayer

2010-05-06T11:33:00.002+08:00

YAGA (YOUNG ADULTS GETAWAY) 2010

2010-05-04T15:11:00.001+08:00

Date : 1-2 May, 2010

Venue : Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club

Theme : More than Conquerors (Romans 8:37)

Attendance : 48 young adults from all over the diocese joined

MONTHLY YOUTH SERVICE

2010-05-01T15:03:00.000+08:00

The youths meet monthly for the Youth Service, every 2^nd Sunday of the month, 8.45am-10am at the Parish Hall. The service is organized by the youths, for the youths! Come and join us for a great time of message and uplifting praise & worship.

EASTER CELEBRATION 2010

2010-04-10T14:58:00.005+08:00

For Easter celebration this year, the Teenz performed a body worship to the song “At the Cross” by Hillsong. The team consists of Phoebe, Corina, Timothy J., Justine, Kenneth, Keith, Georgina, Sherlene, Verenni and Xavier. They started learning the song and practicing in March and this is their first time performing. They all did a splendid job! Keep it up guys!

POST NEW YEAR GATHERING 2010

2010-02-09T14:47:00.009+08:00

On 30th January 2010, the youths had our post new year gathering 2010 at the church. Our theme was “Renew, Rejuvenate & Rejoice in the Spirit of God!” It’s time to come as one big family for the New Year and a have fresh start renewing, rejuvenating & rejoicing together! And what better colour to choose for our theme than Green! All the youths are encouraged to use something Green…be it green shirts, green pants (green jeans anyone??), green shoes, green hair (eek!) or even green accessories! Go Green! Hehe. And so, we came as green as we can be, hehe.

There were about 60 over youths that came that day, which also included the confirmation candidates. Awesome! Our event started off with an opening prayer by Sis. Lydia, praise & worship by the Teenz and followed by a word or two by our vice-Chairman, Bro. Doz. We also had some games to wake and shake them up a bit on a hot Saturday afternoon! After all the crazy games and music, (and they’re all awake now) came the more serious part…indulging in the Word. The sharing was done by our very own Vicar, Ven. Solomon Cheong. Through his sharing, he gave words of encouragement, inspiration and challenge to the youths. After the sharing, we had some light refreshments, where the youths get to fellowship more with one another.

The event was a great one indeed, even though we had some hiccups along the way, but we managed! For this, we praise & thank God for His goodness, guidance, providence & blessings! May this fellowship, bring the youths closer together and to get them to know that they ARE part of the AYC and that they matter. J

Here are some pictures we would like to share with y’all! Enjoy!

Carrot, Egg and Coffee

2010-01-14T09:19:00.000+08:00

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word..

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma the daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter.. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?

Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy..

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.

Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you (I JUST DID); to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life.

If you don't send it, you will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's day with this message!
May we all be COFFEE!!!!!! !!

Caroler's Night

2010-01-11T16:51:00.000+08:00

This year's Caroler's Night was held on the 9th January 2010 with the theme "Red Christmas". All the carolers are asked to dress up in red and we encourage everyone to be as red as possible.

We had fun - lots of games, quizzes and prizes to be won. We have praise and worship, ice-breaking sessions led by the Youth Group.

And these are the faces of the hardworking youths

We had some "makan-makan" (of course lah! hehe)

Presentations from the various Caroling Group and the highlight of the event was the best dressed woman and best dressed men competition. Here are the shortlisted candidates...

...and I will not disclose who is the winner here. Hehe..

Last but not least, one for the album

New Year New Parish Hall

2010-01-11T16:31:00.001+08:00

Hello everyone!! December has been a very busy month and there's way too many things going on - in church, family, weddings and many other activities. Anyway, It's the 11th day of the year 2010 and we believe it's still not too late to wish everyone a blessed New Year 2010. May this year brings greater blessings to each and everyone of us and let us also not to forget seeking God in our everyday lives.

Finally, our new parish hall is complete and we've officially used it for our Caroler's Night held on the 9th January 2010.

Will post something on the Caroler's night later on. Till then! God bless.

AYC Newsletter 2nd Edition

2009-12-14T12:03:00.000+08:00

Sorry for posting this a little bit late. The second edition newsletter was distributed a couple of weeks back, however for those who have missed it, you may also download it here.

Enjoy!

Miri Christmas Parade & Concert

2009-12-14T11:19:00.000+08:00

The Christmas Parade & Concert has always been the highlight every year for all the Christian community in Miri. This would be the time we were all gathered together and walk around Miri City to share the good news of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We gathered at Miri City Fan at 5.00pm and it was such a great joy to see everyone came in unity for our Lord Jesus. We were entertained by some presentations - praise and worship and also the combined choir from all the various churches in Miri.

While waiting for the time to walk around Miri, everyone linger around and fellowship with one another.

The Anglican were presented by the St. Columba's Parish and that's including the various extension centres (Taman Tunku, Lambir and Tudan) and also from the Good Shepherd Parish, Lutong. The AYC worked together with the PYF GS Lutong to perform a very compact presentation - choir + dance (tambourine and ngajat) + sketch in about 5 minutes.

Visit to the Sg. Liam longhouse

2009-12-12T10:28:00.029+08:00

On the 11th December 2009, some of our youths went up to Sg. Liam longhouse together with the Operafest Children choir to sing carols to those who dwell in the longhouse. It was fun to be together with them and indeed the fellowship was very meaningful to them.

We left the church around 5.30pm and arrived in Sg. Liam longhouse around 6.30pm. There were 11 cars drove together to Sg. Liam.

We had scripture readings, singing of carols and also presentation from the Operafest Choir.

After the presentation from the Operafest Choir, Archdeacon Solomon taught all the kids from the longhouse the J.O.Y song again. Then we distributed some party packs to all the children and we were also given some light refreshment from the people in the longhouse.

We went back around 11pm and arrived home past midnight. However, we really enjoyed the short trip together.

Children Christmas Party

2009-11-29T10:01:00.003+08:00

On the 28th November 2009, the Miri Women Fellowship organised the Children Christmas Party and the AYC helped out with the aerobics and also games for all the kids.

The party begins with an opening prayer by Archdeacon Solomon Cheong and he taught the children one song that uses the "Jingle Bells" tune.

The song was called J-O-Y and the lyrics goes like this..

J.O.Y J.O.Y this must surely means
Jesus First
Yourself Last and
Others in between.

Then we had the praise and worship lead by our Aunty Peggy the sunday school teacher. The teenz helped with the music and back-up.

After the praise and worship, we had the aerobic session lead by Lydia Melice.

While enjoying the aerobics, suddenly Santa Clause came with his big bag full of candies. All the children were so excited and gathered all around him. This year, our very own youth advisor acted as the Santa Clause.

After the aerobics with Santa Clause, the children were divided into various age groups and we had the game sessions with all of them.

Soon after the games ended, everyone gathered for some makan and the party ends with the distribution of party packs to all the children by Santa Clause.

On the very same day, our dear brother, Makos and sister Rose were solemnized in the Good Shepherd church. We would like to wish them all the best in their marriage live and may God continue to bless them as they make this step in their life. Congratulations from the AYC!

Teenz Fellowship

2009-11-28T09:50:00.019+08:00

On the 27th November 2009, the Teenz group organised a Teenz Fellowship at Taman Selera. There were approximately 40 turn-ups from Iban Service, English Service and Chinese Service Teenz. We had a great time together, and among our activities are Praise & Worship, Ice-breaking, games, photo session, food and of course the best was to get to know each and everyone of them

We thank God for the good weather and great fellowship. After the fellowship, some of the Teenz went to the church and helped out with the decorations for the Children Christmas party.

Priest Appreciation Night

2009-11-02T17:30:00.000+08:00

On the 31st October 2009, the SCEC organised a Priest Appreciation Night to appreciate our dedicated priests who has been serving in the church of St. Columba.

The evening started with some singspiration lead by the Taman Tunku Youth.

Upon the arrival of all the priests, they were called to stage and all the sub-deacons, lead by SD Roland Rayang together with the crowd prayed for our priests.

We were entertained with many presentations from all the various church organizations too.

Taman Tunku Youth Ministry

Cutting of cake by all the priests

From left : Archdeacon Solomon, Revd. Alfred, Revd. Dunstan, Revd. Ramdan and Revd. Arundi

Presentation by the Taman Tunku Women Fellowship

Taman Tunku Men Fellowship

Singspiration from the Miri Women Fellowship

Choir presentation by the Taman Tunku Youth Ministry

And the highlight of the event was the presentation from the priest

Archdeacon Solomon doing the harmony and Revd Alfred was the lead singer

Revd. Dunstan Chua on the keyboard

Revd. Ramdan on guitar, Revd. Arundi on bass and Timothy helped with the drums.

So the priests have their own worship band too now ha? LOL! Anyway, it was a well organised events and the AYC would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the priest who helped us in all the ways that they can. Thank you so much!

Young Adult Weekend Getaway

2009-11-02T17:01:00.000+08:00

Our Young Adults Weekend Getaway was held over the weekends and all of us benefit a lot from all the three sessions. We were spiritually filled, physically filled and of course socially filled. Indeed we had a great fellowship with one another - with all the fun times and laughter.

Our first session was on "How to choose a life partner & What to expect of married life" and it was shared by Archdeacon Solomon Cheong. Since we started late and had our dinner at the canteen, we've decided to start the first session there.

Archdeacon stressed on the importance of choosing a partner of the same faith. He also shared on things that may lead to broken marriages and what to anticipate before getting married.

After the session ended, we had a great experience going up and down the hill going to our villa. There were no street lights and we have to depend on our car lights to move. As soon as we settled down, we had a short briefing by Revd. Alfred after the session on what to reflect on for our devotional on the next day.

The next day started with a blessed rainy day. Some of us actually bath in the rain!! After the personal devotion and group devotion time, we need to stretch a little bit and play some games.

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

We were asked to invent our own recipe using all the ingredients provided. Well, not that we're literally cooking...it's just on paper.

Once done, we were all asked to present our recipe.

Group 3 : The Cheesy Cranberry Curry

Group 2 : The Jumble Rainbow

Group 1 : Le Salad La Depres

While the presenters are presenting, the group members were busy listening and enjoying the yummy delicious newly invented recipe. Even the kids enjoyed it too! LOL!

After the good laugh, we had our second session with Revd. Dunstan Chua. His message was on "Alone but not lonely". It's on serving God as a young adult/single. We were also asked to list down what are our priorities in life and share our thoughts.

In the afternoon, after lunch we had our short poco-poco session lead by Sis. Shirley Gren. With the good cooling weather and good food, we may fall asleep before the next session starts. That explains why we need to do some "exercise" to enable us to wake up a little bit.

Finally, our last session was conducted by SD Augustine and he shared on Managing your Finance. All our money belongs to God and we are his stewards. Therefore, it is important for us to manage our finance and not to spend beyond our own capacity.

The session ended with a corporate prayer lead by Bro. Bajeng. We also spend some time praying for those in need and Revd. Alfred oficially closed the event with a prayer.

It was indeed a fun and exciting weekend for us and surely this will not be the only one. Hopefully, by God's grace we will have more people joining us for the next sessions.

Do you believe this?

2009-10-27T11:16:00.000+08:00

A girl went to her friends house and she ended up staying longer than planned, and had to walk home alone. She wasn't afraid because it was a small community and she lived only a few blocks away. As she walked along under the bike trail Diane asked God to keep her safe from harm and danger.

When she reached the alley, which was a shortcut to her house, she decided to take it. However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end as though he were waiting for her. She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for God's protection.

Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped round her, she felt as though someone was walking with her.When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely.

The following day, she read in the newspaper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley just twenty minutes after she had been there. Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and the fact that it could have been her, she began to weep. Thanking the Lord for her safety and to help this young woman, she decided to go to the police station. She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story.

The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a lineup to see if she could identify him. She agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before. When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down and confessed.

The officer thanked Diane for her bravery and asked if there was anything they could do for her. She asked if they would ask the man one question. Diane was curious as to why he had not attacked her.

When the policeman asked him, he answered, "Because she wasn't alone. She had two tall men walking on either side of her".

Amazingly, whether you believe or not, you're not alone. People will not stand up for God..

PS: God is always there in your heart and loves you no matter what.

Updates on Young Adult Getaway Weekend!!

2009-10-13T08:14:00.029+08:00

Please be informed that registration fee for one person would be RM 25 per person and that's inclusive of meal, accomodation and materials.
You may download the registration form from HERE

Those who are interested, please contact Anglican.YouthCouncil@gmail.com or you could register yourself at our registration counter in front of the church starting this Sunday.

Young Adults Getaway

2009-10-12T08:17:00.000+08:00

Calling out to all Young Adults (aged between 20 - 40)!! The Anglican Youth Council is organizing a Young Adults Getaway Weekend on the 30th -31st October 2009 at Soon Hup Villa. Among the topic that will be shared are :

Choosing a life partner
What to expect of married life
Serving God as a single/young adult
Managing your finance

It doesn't matter whether you're married, engaged, single...you are most welcome to join us and let's all walk hand in hand to serve God in the Young Adult Ministry. This ministry has been the missing gap and we are all responsible for God's ministry.

Details (e.g Registration fees, Materials, etc) will be published at a later date. Meanwhile, if you need further information or you would like to register yourself, please send an email to Anglican.YouthCouncil@gmail.com or you may just leave a comment on this blog and we will contact you.

God bless.

Sister Rosty's Wedding

2009-10-05T17:46:00.000+08:00

We were so blessed to witness one of our dearest sister from Lambir who finally took a step ahead in her life on the 3rd October 2009. Most of the AYC members went all the way up to Holy Trinity Church to witness one of her memorable day.

Congratulations to Rosty & Danggat. We pray that God's abundant blessing with continue to pour upon their lives. The AYC are all very happy for you!

How to manage stress

2009-09-29T15:06:00.001+08:00

"Life is not always the way it's supposed to be.It's the way you cope with it that makes the difference."

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

Pray
Go to bed on time.
Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
Delegate tasks to capable others.
Simplify and unclutter your life.

Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
Take one day at a time.
Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
Get enough rest.
Eat right.

Get organized so everything has its place.
Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
Write down thoughts and inspirations.
Every day, find time to be alone.
Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
Make friends with Godly people.

Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
Laugh.
Laugh some more!
Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
Sit on your ego.
Talk less; listen more.
Slow down.
Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed;for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Faith doesn't get you around trouble, it gets you through it!

Annual General Meeting 2009

2009-09-28T14:04:00.007+08:00

Since the parish hall is currently under major construction we had our AGM in the church this year. Unlike any other years, we started the meeting at 1.30pm instead of 11.00am. We have representatives from the various centres and ministries and indeed we received an overwhelming response this year. We pray that God will continue to touch the hearts of our young people to serve Him.

The praise and worship was led by Zara, together with the teenz group. It's a good opportunity for them to be exposed to worship leading and build up their confidence in leading worship.

The guitarists : Bartholomew, Daniel and Melvin

Ven. Solomon Cheong has always been supportive towards the work of the youths. We are also blessed that members of the PCC, Uncle Edwin & Subdeacon Augustine gave their full support and also assures us that PCC is always at the back of the Youths and that surely encourage us to organize events to cater the needs of our young people in the church.

Areeykino was appointed to be our master of ceremony for the AGM

The executive committee..from left, Chairman (Bajeng), Diana (Treasurer) and Evonne (Secretary)

Indeed we had a great time of fellowship with one another. Before the representatives from the various ministries present their report, we were given some motivation and inspiration from Ven. Solomon - our patron, Bro. Tommy Voon - our youth advisor and Bro. Bajeng - our chairman.

Ven. Solomon emphasizes on our theme which is "Stand up! Stand Out! Stand Firm!" and tells us the importance of being firm in our faith. He quoted some examples and tells us stories which I'm sure everyone could learn from it.

Bro. Tommy encourages us with the five characters of a youth leader.

1. Put God as the centre in our heart

2. Have a servant heart

3. Have big shoulder - be concern about one another

4. Have a sense of responsibility

5. Have a positive attitude

Whereas our Chairman kept his message simple by quoting 1 Timothy 4:12-13. He encouraged and challenged all the young people to serve God, where God has given everyone the gift or talent and how can we contribute to the ministry of God by using our talent. On top of that, he reminded us to always have a servant heart.

Overall, it was a wonderful fellowship.

AYC Newsletter Edition 1

2009-09-25T13:45:00.004+08:00

Our first edition of the AYC newsletter was out during the Diocesan Youth Sunday (26th July 2009). We distribute the newsletter to all the young people of the church - free of charge. Now you can download the softcopy of the newsletter here...

Teenz on Sunday

2009-09-25T11:41:00.003+08:00

This was the old poster, however it is still applicable except that the venue has changed to the Brigade Room. All teenagers aged 13 and above are most welcome to join us every Sunday. If you are interested to help facilitate the teenz group, please send an email to Anglican.YouthCouncil@gmail.com. Your support is very much appreciated.

Please also check out our church website here : http://www.st-columba.com

The AYC will have a link from this website under the ministries tab. Currently it's still under construction, but we will let you know once it's been updated. If you have any articles, sharing or testimonies that you'd like to share, please send it to publicity.multimedia.ayc@gmail.com

God bless!!

AYC Annual General Meeting

2009-09-25T11:23:00.003+08:00

It's been so long since this blog has been abandoned. Please accept our apology, however updates can be found in Facebook. Do add AYC in your FB list yea!!

Attached herewith, is notice for our upcoming AGM. Please invite your friends as well as your parents to this very important event. Your attendance is very much appreciated.

AYC Leader's Retreat

2009-03-31T09:13:00.005+08:00

Lambir Youth Sports Ministry

2009-03-31T09:12:00.002+08:00

Sunday School Teaching Seminar

2009-03-31T09:09:00.002+08:00

AYC Committee Fellowship

2009-03-31T08:57:00.006+08:00