FOR INTERNAL & PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY A Quarterly Newsletter of Sungai Way-Subang Methodist Church
Sept 2012
EBENEZER
t was a tremendous and humbling sight to behold - a gathering en masse of God’s different people from di churches across denominations in Klang Valley. For the first time, SSMC could not contain within the main sanctuary, the multitudes which overflowed into the foyer, adjoining Agape visitors’ room and even the Children’s Church hall upstairs. Thanks to an impromptu AV set up, we could beamed “live coverage” to all the rooms and halls. One would be accustomed to seeing thronging crowds at a concert or rally, but this was a prayer meeting!
different churches of all cities and towns on Sept 16 and 17. It was even reported by the media as “...an unprecedented move with churches in Malaysia coming together to hold a nationwide prayer for the Malaysia Day celebration on Sept 16 and the upcoming 13th General Election.” Indeed, the Malaysian Church has never been more united and single minded as we are witnessing today.
n ancient Israel, the Year of Jubilee was the name given to the fiftieth year, a year heralded with the blast of a trumpet. It was a year to be hallowed, a year when liberty and release from debt was proclaimed throughout the land. In this year all slaves were set free. All debts of the poor were cancelled. Those that had been oppressed into poverty for any reason were commanded to return home to their family and repossess their inheritance. It was a year of new beginnings, an economic recovery for everyone in the land.
The word “jubilee” comes from the Hebrew word yobel, the ram’s horn trumpet which was blown to inaugurate the year. “Yobel” became associated with the Latin term “jubilum” (from jubilaire, to rejoice, to exult) and so entered our English Truly God is moving His people in unison in this kiaros time and season language as “jubilee”. The Hebrew word for liberty, even as the nation ushers in its “deror”, comes from a root word Jubilee - a celebration of 50 year of nationhood. For God’s elect, Jubilee which means “to live” – to live a promises to be the year of God’s full life, to live in every The main Christian umbrella favor, when captives are set free and dimension. To proclaim organisations in Malaysia, including debts canceled, and the land rights “liberty” throughout the land the Council of Churches of Malaysia are restored. We pray for this to be (CCM), the National Evangelical means to proclaim a “full life ” Christian Fellowship (NECF) as well fulfilled in the spiritual and also the for every person. This is only physical sense. as those in Sabah and Sarawak are possible by canceling united in this prayer movement aptly You can catch a sense of the oppression and restoring the dubbed ‘Prayer United'. This will intensity and fervency of our cries freedom and heritage of the culminate in nationwide prayer and prayers in the photo montage on people. gatherings that will be held in the back page.
EBENEZER, SEPT 2012
1