A first for Council of Churches at general assembly

Bishop Lapok reminded delegates the church must be true to its vocation.

FOR the first time, Kuala Lumpur Catholic Archbishop Rev Julian Leow attended the Triennial General Assembly of the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), which was in its 15th edition.

At the assembly, leaders from the Lutheran Church of Malaysia, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malaysia, Basel Christian Church of Malaysia and Protestant Church of Sabah, together withthe Bishop of the Methodist church in Malaysia, and the Roman Catholic Bishops of the Kuala Lumpur and Penangdioceses came together to commemorate the joint declaration on the Doctrine of Justification.

Rev Dr Hermen Shastriwelcomed Archbishop Leow,saying it was a historic honour to have him present alongside Penang Bishop Rev Sebastian Francis.

In his speech, Rev Leow hoped it would be a new beginningfor all churches in Malaysia to stand together in faith and nation- building.

The gathering of 74 national church leaders was held in Penang after an absence of 15 years, with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in attendance as guest-of-honour.

World Council of Churchesgeneral-secretary Dr Olav Tveit had also sent ecumenical greetings to the assembly, which was also a landmark for the Malaysian church in the run-up to the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation.

CCM president Bishop Datuk Bolly Lapok also extended his thanks to past president Bishop Philip Lok and past members of the board of management and the executive committee for theirdedication and wisdom.

In his presidential address, Bishop Lapok said each assembly had something to teach its generation and the next, serving as a forum for reflection of ethical and public questions.

He reminded delegates that the church must be true to its vocation and addressed the assembly’s theme for the next three years “What does the Lord requires of you?” from Micah 6.6-8.

“Combined with the studies of Dr Vincent Ooi and Father Gerard Theravium on the theme, we came together encouraged to mobilise our congregations to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly,” he said.

The assembly also endorsed the statement from the Association of the Churches of Sarawak on Autonomy and Fundamental Constitutional Rights, dated April 26, 2016.

It reiterated the guaranteeof religious freedom was afundamental constitutional right and urged the Government to uphold its duty to guarantee this right for Malaysians.