KUCHING: The Iban Methodist Church has officially opened a new preaching point in Kota Samarahan, expanding its reach to serve the growing Methodist community in the area.
The Gereja Methodist Iban Kota Samarahan was formally launched during a ceremony held at 3 pm on Aug 2, which included a ribbon-cutting and dedication service.
The new church operates under the care of Gereja Methodist Iban Bandaraya Kuching.
Among those present were Methodist Church in Malaysia bishop Reverend Dr T Jeyakumar; Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) director Datuk Georgina Apphia Ngau; Sarawak Iban Annual Conference (SIAC) president Reverend Bonnie Sedau; District superintendent Reverend Olyver Broken; and pastors-in-charge of Gereja Methodist Iban Bandaraya Kuching Reverend Steward Damat and Reverend Lau Lee Lam.
Also in attendance were church leaders and committee members from the Bandaraya Kuching and Kota Samarahan congregations. A total of 99 individuals witnessed the opening.
In his sermon, Bishop Jeyakumar urged the congregation to remain steadfast in prayer and service, describing the new church as a beacon of hope. He also presented the book As God Wills, commemorating 140 years of Methodist mission in Malaysia, to Georgina in appreciation of UNIFOR’s support.
Reverend Ezra Kong of Grace Methodist Church Kota Samarahan also presented a commemorative frame to mark the occasion.
Local Church Executive Committee chairman Wallace Paul said the new facility addresses the long commute previously faced by Iban-speaking Methodists in Samarahan, particularly students and young families who had to travel to Jalan Pisang in Kuching for worship.
