(From front left) Steven, Danald, Chung, Chin, and Alfred join the singing of hymns and praise songs. – Photo from Facebook/Tom Kennedy Musa
KUCHING (Jan 6): The Anglican Church in Sarawak and Brunei, which is known as the Diocese of Kuching, held a consecration service for its new House of Epiphany ministerial training centre here today.
Over 2,000 faithful, including guests from the Anglican Province of South East Asia, attended the open air service held in front of the building.
Danald blesses the building with holy water. – Photo from Facebook/Larrie Hill
Bishop of the Anglican Church in Sarawak and Brunei, the Rt Revd Datuk Danald Jute, led the service, while the Venerable Moses Chin from the Anglican Diocese of Sabah read the passage from the Old Testament and the Epistle was read by the Bishop of West Malaysia, the Rt Revd Dr Steven Abarrow.
Archbishop-elect for the Province, Dr Titus Chung – who is Bishop of Singapore – read the Gospel, while the sermon was delivered by Assistant Bishop of Sarawak and Brunei, the Rt Revd Andrew Shie.
During the blessing of the building by Danald, there were various worship and cultural presentations including by the Ring Ladies from Bengoh Resettlement Scheme.
The Ring Ladies from Bengoh Resettlement Scheme perform during the blessing of the building. – Photo by Ian Danald
Children dance to the song ‘Everybody, Everywhere’. – Photo by Jasmine Wong
A section of the congregation queues for Holy Communion. – Screen capture from Facebook/Tom Kennedy Musa
The new RM11.5 million building was constructed with grants from the Sarawak government through the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor).
“Indeed, it will continue to be a training ground for equipping not only our clergy and full-time church workers but the training of lay people to serve in the various church ministries. Our mission is not merely to impart information but to cultivate a deep understanding of God’s word and to nurture the seeds of wisdom that will blossom in the hearts and minds of future generations,” the Revd Canon Alfred Damu Bulang wrote in the order of service.
Danald leads the benediction at the end of the service. From left are Steven, the Rt Revd Datuk Bolly Lapok, Chung, and the Rt Revd Aeries Sumping Jingan. – Photo by Ian Danald
The chairman of the House of the Epiphany board of management and warden said the building is envisioned to be “a spiritual oasis where one can find peace and flourishing out of the chaos of the day” as well as “a place of reconciliation with God as well as with one another”.
Its facilities include a chapel, library, heritage gallery, book room, cafeteria, and various types of accommodation.
The new building will be used to train clergy and full-time church workers as well as lay people to serve in the various church ministries.