CWM celebrates its Anniversary 46th

Every year, the Council for World Mission (CWM) community commemorates CWM’s inauguration as a mission organisation with a renewed missional ethos on a Sunday close to 18 July. This year’s 46th anniversary celebration was held in Chen Li Presbyterian Church in Singapore on 16 July 2023. It was based on the theme “Break down the Walls of Division” (Ephesians 2:14), and attended by church members, CWM staff, and Presbyterian Church in Myanmar (PCM) representatives.

The service commenced with a beautifully melodious worship led by CWM Director Deacon Sarah Phua supported by the Chen Li Presbyterian Church worship team. This was followed by a video message by the CWM General Secretary Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum. Dr Keum explained that CWM Sunday marks the transformation of CWM into its present form, with a renewed ethos based on equal partnership and mutual sharing of resources, making a contemporary transition into a community of churches in mission where “equal partners empower one another as authentic, creative, and interdependent missional churches”. In responding to its calling as a community of peace and reconciliation, the CWM General Secretary emphasized the power of love, reconciliation and unity in Christ that triumphs over hatred and division in a polarised world.

During the service, PCM Women Secretary Mrs Hming Sangi gave the prayer of thanksgiving for missionaries, healthcare workers, educational institutions and programmes, and prophetic voices and action for justice and wellbeing. Subsequently, PCM General Secretary Rev. Pek Muan Cuang brought greetings and expressed PCM’s gratitude for CWM, which he described as “a backbone for PCM”, and who had been part of Agape Hospital’s inception in 1989. He also expressed profound thanks for CWM member churches, as PCM has received their participation over an extended period.

Rev. Pek went on to deliver the sermon, elaborating on how tearing down the walls of division moves us from hostility to peace through the sacrifice of Christ (Ephesians 2:17); from strangers into God’s family; and from schism to unity. He spoke about how human differences can alienate and cause fractures, but these God-given gifts of diversity can also unite them to become stronger together, accomplishing what would be impossible to achieve alone (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

CWM General Secretary Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum jointly administered the Holy Communion with the Acting Senior Pastor Rev. Ang Eng Hoe, and an offering was specially collected for the people of Myanmar. All offerings collected from the CWM communities will go towards PCM’s Agape Hospital, which provides basic healthcare to an under-served community in Chin State.