By the end of the year 2018, the Church in Kota Samarahan held the annual thanksgiving meeting on 30th December 2018. On that day, we gathered to give thanks to our Lord on our blessings that He had blessed us with throughout the year. Psalm 118:1 says, “Give thanks to Jehovah, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is forever.”
Saints as well as gospel friends started to come around 5:30pm. Altogether, there were 207 attendees who attended this thanksgiving meeting, including non-local saints who are from Kuching and a couple from Japan. Attendees of the meeting also included children, youths, campus students, young working saints, elders as well as the responsible brothers.
The love feast started at 6.00pm.The love feast table was being laid with a variety of colourful dishes containing food of different flavours that was prepared and brought by the saints as a share for the love feast. As I saw this, I was being enlightened that each one of us has been given an allotted portion of Christ, and if everyone shares their portion, it will result in a rich feast that is full of Christ. During love feast, the saints as well as the gospel friends had the opportunity to blend with one another besides enjoying the delicious and scrumptious meal.
After the love feast, the thanksgiving meeting began at 7.00pm with an enjoyable hymn entitled, “To Jesus Every Day.” Through this hymn, I enjoyed that the Lord is dearer than He was the day before, which reminded me to experience Him as the dearest One; I need to have a closer walk and intimate fellowship with Him day by day. When all the attendees enjoyed the hymn singing session to a certain peak level; then, it came the highlight of the meeting which was the exhibitions.
The first exhibition was the children exhibition. The children exhibited two hymns, recited New Testament contents and some gave testimonies on what they had gained during the children meeting throughout the year.
Next, the youth presented two hymns which were a Chinese hymn and an English hymn entitled, “If God Leads You to Walk a Way.” Through this hymn, I am being enlightened that it is only when we are thrown into unknown paths that will cause us to have conversations and intimate fellowships with the Lord. In this way, we are being brought to a closer walk with Him which will result into an everlasting memorial between us and Him. Other than that, the youths also share their testimonies. When the youth exhibition ended, there was a multimedia presentation. The video showed the joyful church life of saints in the year 2018. It mainly described the children meeting, youth activities, campus work, the God-man practices, gospel work and shepherding as well as the young working saints’ blending.
Campus students share their testimonies right after the multimedia presentation. They testified on what they had experienced through living in the brothers and sisters house, shepherding the lambs as well as how they enjoyed Christ through spiritual pursuit and various specialized services. I was particularly being enlightened by a testimony in which a sister shared that the living in the sisters’ house helped her to be restricted and to redeem her time as she gained and enjoyed Christ through pursuing numerous spiritual books with different companions. Between the gaps of testimonies, campus students also exhibited two hymns which were a Chinese hymn and an English hymn entitled, “Oh That Christ May Make His Home.”
Then, the community and young working saints exhibited 2 chinese hymns, one of which is related to consecration while the other hymn is entitled, “Jesus Lord, My Best Love Thou Art.” The community saints and young working saints also presented testimonies on how they enjoyed and experienced Christ through their working life.
Before the meeting ended, Brother Zhang, who is one of the elder and responsible brothers from Kuching gave some concluding word. He said everything that happens is under God’s merciful and sovereign arrangement. Besides, he encouraged especially the young people to read and finish the entire Bible during the campus period as well as to keep His Words as our deposit. Other than that, Bro Zhang mentioned that in order to enjoy Christ as our jubilee, we need to touch the Spirit in the Word. Only when the Word becomes Spirit can it become our power and life. This is the true and genuine way to enjoy Him.
Lastly, all the saints and gospel friends were enjoyed the thanksgiving meeting. The meeting was full of the exhibition of Christ from the saints of the Church in Kota Samarahan.
