23 Aug by Donna Uning CM-
The National Day Prayer Service here in Kuching saw Christians from all denominations braving the rain to worship at the Christian Ecumenical Worship Center.
With the theme from Luke 4:19, “Proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favour,” the annual event by the Association of Churches (ACS) was hosted by the Romans Catholic Church.
This year marked the 50th year of the formation of Malaysia, also described as the year of the Jubilee. Rev Fr Simon Poh in a statement said the theme, from Leviticus described the jubilee.
Leviticus 25:8-10 says, “Count off seven Sabbath years—seven times seven years—so that the seven Sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years. Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan.”
“The service will be filled with prayers and hymns in jubilation of God’s mighty and wondrous blessing to our state and country,” said ACS secretary general head elder Ambrose Linang earlier. Similar services would be organized by all ACS branches throughout the state.
The event was aimed to foster the spirit of unity among Christians and reflect how valuable a peaceful nation is for all Malaysians. Archbishop of Kuching the Most Rev Datuk John Ha from the Roman Catholic Church delivered the reflection.
The prayer focused on freedom and harmony, healing and reconciliation in our country, for our leaders and peace in the world.
Participating churches include the Anglican Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church SCAC (Chinese Conference), Sidang Injil Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Salvation Army, Sarawak Baptist Church and Christians from all denominations throughout Sarawak.
The service which started at 7:30om was conducted mainly in English with hymns, readings and prayers in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, Iban and Bidayuh.
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