Churches Unite in Answering the Call of ‘Doing Good and Seeking Justice’ in Conjunction with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2023

 

In 1908, Paul Wattson proposed January 18th-25th each year as a time when churches in the Northern Hemisphere come together in celebration, thanksgiving, and prayer for Christian unity. 

Since then, this has been a very much looked-forward event for thousands of Christians globally. The celebration has extended back for more than a century. It serves as a valuable time of contemplation and commemoration of the strength and beauty in being part of a diverse yet united family in the global family of Christ, particularly as a new year arrives. 

 

 

The tradition in Malaysia similarly goes back many years, with the Anglicans, Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and Methodists all taking, in turn, the role of hosting an ecumenical prayer service where diverse denominations come together in one corporate worship. This year’s Ecumenical Prayer Service was hosted by Wesley Methodist Church Kuala Lumpur on the 19th of January, 2023.

 

 

Taking on the theme ‘Do Good, Seek Justice‘ and the text of Isaiah 1:17 as the inspiration for 2023, the Church took up the calling to do good together, to seek justice together, to rescue the oppressed together, and to defend the orphan and plead for the widow together. The prophet Isaiah’s challenge applies equally to us today, as much as it did in his day. In line with the theme, among the topics reflected on this year is the question of how we can live out our unity as Christians to confront the evils of our time. How can we as a community help the needy in our global family, and how can we engage in dialogue and increase awareness, understanding, and insight into the experiences lived by one another?

 

Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow.

 

Denominations participating this year included the Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Evangelical Lutheran, Orthodox Syrian, Anglican, Mar Thomas Church, and Presbyterian communities, as well as the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), the Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM), and the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF). The Cantus Musicus and Myanmar Children’s Choir led the worship.

 

 

This year’s Ecumenical Prayer service opened with a prelude consisting of the chorus from Handel’s Messiah, performed by the Myanmar Children’s Choir. The Call to Gather and Words of Welcome was then given by Rev Ashok Amarasingham from the Methodist community, setting the tone for the service. The Call to Gather included a prayer to God for His grace in overcoming our divisions and in uprooting systems and structures that have contributed to the neglect of the needy and the fracturing of communities. 

The service was highlighted by the Invitation of Confession and Forgiveness led by Rev Vijendra Daniel and the Anglican community, as well as readings of Ephesians 2:13-22 by Bishop Thomas Low from the Lutheran Church and Matthew 25:31-40 by Friar Dominic Tan from the Catholic Church. A responsive reading of Psalm 23 was led by Rev Richard Tok of the Presbyterian Church and followed upon by the congregation. 

 

 

Bishop Dr. T. Jeyakumar from the Methodist Church shared the sermon in which he spoke on the context of Isaiah 1:17, and the importance of a right relationship with God and our neighbours (good works), repentance, and justice in our Christian worship. His sermon presented three lessons:

1. Do what is good and right as individuals. It is not enough to say ‘I have done no evil’, we must have a passion to pursue what is good.
2. Actively promote justice (defending the orphan and widow, undertaking charitable projects, etc) together. Isaiah’s message was to the entire people, and it was a communal responsibility. Justice cannot be sought alone, it is a collective effort.
3. Genuine worship must lead to right living. God is more concerned about the condition of our hearts rather than our acts of worship. God wants us to live as authentic Christians. 

A memorable part of the service was the Stones and Stories in which Melissa Pereita and Shaman M. Gaspar from the Catholic Church, as well as Elder Steven Fung from the Presbyterian Church shared their testimonies, each one intertwined with Christ’s story as the cornerstone of Christian Unity. 

 

 

Another memorable part was the Prayers of Intercession near the end of the service, led by every denomination in one united voice (Anglicans led by Rev. Vijendra Daniel, Catholics led by Dr. Christopher, Lutherans led by Bishop Steven Lawrence, CFM led by Cor Episcopa Fr. Philip Thomas, Mar Thoma led by Rev. Matthew Punnoose, Presbyterian led by Pdt Danny Purnama, NECF led by Rev. Andy Chi, and closed by Archbishop Julian Leow from the Catholic Church). The service was then ended with the song One Voice led by Kingsley Row. 

 

 

As with every year since its inception, the Ecumenical Service was a powerful and encouraging time of worship, prayer, and fellowship among the various Christian denominations in our nation. It brought together many heritages from the Christian denominations in common worship.

 

 

Note: This is a condensed news article about the Ecumenical Prayer Service 2023, produced in commemoration of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The full service can be followed through the YouTube video below:

All pictures kindly contributed by Elder Steven Fung. For more pictures and videos from the event, you may visit the Council of Churches Malaysia Youth Network’s group page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ccmyouthnetwork 

 

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