Sandakan Inter Church Christmas Celebration

The 70 member Choir of St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral

Sandakan : The Sandakan Inter-Church of 14 member churches successfully organized the annual Christmas celebration held yesterday, Sunday December 5, 2010 at the Yu Yuan Secondary School Hall., some 6 kilometres from the town centre. 

Participation at this yearly ecumenical activity, with a packed capacity of some 1,500 people, held on the first Sunday of December each year,  aimed at greater Christian unity and cooperation,.was overwhelming.

Kicking off the event was a lively musical item, a medly of Christmas songs presented by the youth from the Calvary Church. The presentation brought the audience to soaring heights, singing along, swaying to the rythm of the music and clapping away, fully absorbed in the Christmas spirit.

Left - Right : Ven. Canon Moses Chin and Pastor Antonio Tang

The theme for this year's celebration centred on 'Jesus - The Star of Great Joy' - an event filled with a host of presentations in store for all. Ven. Canon Moses Chin of the Anglican Church of Good Shepherd shared on the theme, translated spontaneously into Bahasa Malaysia by Pastor Antonio Tang of the Charismatic Calvary Church with the Chinese version projected through LCD.

They began by taking Genesis 1:6~7, God began to work upon the earth while it was without form, void, and in deep darkness. “Let there be light. ...

Jesus Christ is the reason for the Christmas season. ... saw a star shining in the East, beyond them far and to the earth it gave great light. ...

Christ is the light of the world and He lightens our path so that we may walk in the path of righteousness and peace.

The 70 member choir of St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, led by Leonnie Degullacion drew its strength of membership from the various Basic Ecclesial Communities and presented four Christmas songs, Oh! Holy Night, Christmas is a time to love, Gloria and Yesus, Raja Damai. It had the largest representation and their numbers occupied the whole stage and  last year around, St Mary staged a 100 member choir.

A presentation from the Covenant Santuary

A dance by Children of the Methodist Church

The audience in 'Praise and Worship'

Another dance from the Anglican Church of Good Shepherd

Sketch by members of the Basel Church

Fr Thomas Makajil, Deacon David and Patrick Seah with pastors and elders of other Churches

The evening's event was beautifully ecumenical, bringing Christians of all denominations together in such big number, sharing one another's company through a memorable flow of songs, dances and sketches.

Let us continue to be bearers of the Light, making known and sharing it to all.around us. As we carry forth doing His will, may we be drawn closer to one another building His Kingdom as one body as in John 20 : 17

"I pray not only for them, but  for all  who will believe in me through their word, as you  are in me and I in you ,may they be one." 

ds