Provincial Sunday 5th February 2017 Isaiah 58:1-9 1 Cor 2:1-12 Matthew 5:13-20 Province of South East Asia • Diocese of Singapore (Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia & Nepal) • Diocese of West Malaysia • Diocese of Kuching (Brunei) • Diocese of Sabah • The Province of South East Asia was formed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Dr George Carey, on February 2, 1996 Bishops First Anglican Presence • Anglicanism was first introduced with the establishment of the British East India Company's settlement of Penang Island in 1786. • George Caunter, a local magistrate, was appointed as a Lay Clerk/Acting Chaplain in 1799 under the jurisdiction of the See of Calcutta. • In 1819, the first Anglican church building, the Church of St. George the Martyr, was consecrated by the Bishop of Calcutta, Thomas Fanshawe Middleton. Singapore Story • In 1826, the Mission Chapel of the London Missionary Society (LMS) started services in Singapore and the first church building in Singapore was built in 1837. • In 1842, a missionary of the LMS started the first girls school in Singapore, now known as St. Margaret's School Borneo Adventure • The work in Borneo started in 1848 when a group of missionaries led by Francis Thomas McDougall was invited by James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak. • In 1849, a wooden church was built in Kuching. • In 1851, this church was consecrated by Daniel Wilson, Bishop of Calcutta in honour of St Thomas the Apostle. Sabah Segment • 18 October 1855, Fr Francis McDougall was consecrated Bishop of Labuan. • The Diocese of Labuan included Sarawak, North Borneo (now Sabah), Brunei, Singapore, Malaya and Bangkok. A large part of the ministry was to provide a chaplaincy to the European expatriates. Work also began among the Hakka Christians from Hong Kong and China. • Bishop McDougall wanted to use Labuan as a base to reach out to the Dusuns in the Interior. • The Church of Our Holy Saviour was consecrated in 1866, and has the longest history of any parish in the Diocese of Sabah. Church of Our Holy Saviour Challenges Facing the Anglican Church in the Province Archbishop rebukes Muslim slurs against Christian missions to Borneo 1 Feb 2016 Sharia Law Push for Malaysia " 20 Oct 2016 Syariah Court! • Syariah laws apply for every Muslim in Malaysia • Islamic religious law having jurisdiction upon every Muslim in Malaysia is under the Syariah Court which exists in Malaysian legal system • In matters of family law & religious observances and can only pass sentences of not more than 3 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to RM 5,000 and or up to 6 strokes of the cane. • Article 145 of the constitution says the Attorney General of Malaysia has no power over matters related to the Sharia courts. Shariah laws already affect non-Muslims, SIS says " Nov 26, 2016 Allah in Alkitab! Malaysia: " 35,000 Bibles released in 'Allah' The Malaysian governmentrow has said! it will release 35,000 Bibles that have been impounded for months for using the word ‘Allah’ in reference to God. The Bibles were printed in Indonesia for Christians in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. Muslim groups protested against the Christian use of the word Allah, saying it is an attempt to make Christianity appeal to Muslims. Malaysia's constitution promises freedom of worship to all faiths, however Malay-language Bibles containing the word Allah have repeatedly been blocked at customs over the years even though they have been using the word Allah in Bibles since 1963, before Malaysia was formed as a federal state. Rising Malay and Muslim consciousness, sparked by Malay nationalist groups seeking political power, has brought the issue to the fore in recent years, but we can praise God that His word will be spoken, read, sung, and prayed in Malaysia regardless of opposition The Rise of ISIS " in South-East Asia" TOPICS: Children Recruitment ISIS South East Asia Terrorism! ISIS Has Launched a Newspaper to Recruit Southeast Asian Fighters! • The publication al-Fatihin — the name is Arabic and means the Conquerors — was launched on June 20, in the holy fasting month of Ramadan, with the tagline: “The newspaper for Malay-speaking migrants in the Islamic State.” The articles, bringing updates from Iraq and Syria, were mainly written in the Indonesian language, which is comprehensible for many Malay speakers in Southeast Asia.! • According to a report in CNN Indonesia, ISIS has a brigade called Katibah Nusantara, which is based in Syria and comprises Malay-speaking militants from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.! • Apart from serving these jihadists, al-Fatihin also seeks to target its supporters in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, southern Thailand and southern Philippines — areas that overlap with the territory of a Southeast Asian caliphate envisioned by JI! Pahang Mufti ‘Kafir harbi’ Call Reminder! • Christianity is not a private religion. ! • I am not just a Christian for me only. ! • Christianity has a vision to change the world ! Salt of the Earth" Mt 5:13! Salt Facts! • Salt is a purifier, a seasoning and a preservative. ! • Food is judged by how little or much there is salt in it.! • Without refrigeration – salted fish ! • So how are we:-! – Renewing the world! – Retard its social & moral decay.! Salt Facts! • Salt only produces its effect when it is totally merged with the food. ! • Salt on the side of the plate! • Fringes of society and no impact! • Salt is indistinguishable from the rest of the food but its presence or absence is very obvious. ! • As Christians we are to contribute to society and gives it an unmistakable taste! ! Salt Facts! • A parish just concern with it’s own spiritual well being! • No effort to reach out! • Shortage of Christians in the commercial, industrial and entertainment industry! • But we are warned not to be so enmeshed with the secular that we have nothing to give! • Tasteless salt is good for nothing! Light of the World! • That is our calling! • Shine ! • Words! • Action (Mt 5:16)! • Some do not like light - preferring darkness! • Some want to put out the light – persecution for the gospel’s sake! ! City on a Hill! Lamp on a Lampstand! What Should be Seen?! • What is the point of being baptised then be submerged/invisible to others?! • Relatives?! • Neighbours?! • Colleagues @ work?! • Socialising friends?! Isaiah 58:6! • To loose the bonds of injustice…! • to undo the thongs of the yoke…! • to let the oppressed go free…! • to break every yoke…! Isaiah 58:7! • Is it not to share your bread with the hungry?! • And bring the homeless poor into your house?! • When you see the naked, to cover them?! • Not to hide yourself from your own kin?! Isaiah 58:8,9! • Verse 8! • Then your light shall break forth like the dawn and ! • your healing shall spring up quickly! • Verse 9! • Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;! • you will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am’…! GOD is not intimidated! Malaysia Rules Muslim Man Can Convert to Christianity" Judge's landmark decision offers hope to Malay Christians amid Bible seizures and 'Allah' bans.! Azmi Mohamad Azam Shah! is! Rooney Rebit! POSTED 3/30/2016 11:03AM! ! My name is Tarmizi and I am an ethnic Malay from Malaysia! As a follower of Hazrat 'Isa in a Muslim community, I have to be careful in expressing my belief. The Muslim community can be quite belligerent toward those who leave Islam, and terribly unreasonably so. Fearful, oppressive and punitive repercussions are all brought to bear upon detractors of Islam and those who even dare to consider alternatives to Islam! All kinds of terrible consequences are conjured up for those who are considered 'apostates'.! There have been some significant changes in my beliefs since I started following Isa Al-Masih. ! When I was a Muslim, God was a feared Being, a Punisher.! Now I see Him differently. He is still most supreme but He is also someone loving I can talk to and share things with. I know He is listening and he is very close to me. For me, Isa Al-Masih is Savior and God. This I always remember when I pray.! Lina Joy, Malay convert " from Islam to Christianity. " Born Azlina Jailani in 28 July 1964 in Malaysia to Muslim parents of Javanese descent, she converted at age 26.! Provincial Response! • People be drawn to God! – Give space to live a life of inclusiveness ! • Point people in the direction of God! – Give time to go to Surabaya to teach English (Sept)! • Proclaim our experience of a loving GOD! – Give support to our Alpha outreach (July – Sept)! .