KUCHING — A crowd of 25,000 nightly is expected to attend Pentecostal Night this weekend, 14-15 September at the Jubilee Ground.
Heads of churches and senior clergy have called on Christians from various denominations to participate in the first interdenominational gathering of such a mammoth scale in Sarawak.
Thousands of faithful from Sabah, Brunei, Kuala Lumpur, and Indonesia are expected to attend the gathering themed ‘Roh Kudus dan Penuaian’ (The Holy Spirit and the Harvest).
“We must work together, for we are one in the unity of Christ and one in the celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit,” said Association of Churches in Sarawak chairman Archbishop Simon Poh in a press release yesterday, 10 September.
Poh, who is Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching, said the unity that celebrates peace, love, and harmony must be imbued in local Christians as they prepare themselves for Pentecostal Night.
Bishop of the Anglican Church in Sarawak and Brunei, the Rt Revd Danald Jute, said he is pleased that a large number of Christians from the Anglican church would be coming to the gathering, with many joining forces with Christians from other denominations to serve as ushers and prayer warriors.
The Methodist Church will also send a large team of volunteers to Pentecostal Night.
Hundreds of Methodists from across Sarawak will also converge on the Jubilee Ground, with many accompanying sick relatives and friends to seek the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit for healing.
Methodist Church Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference president Revd Dr Tie King Tai said they would continue to pray for revival among churches and Christians through the power of the Holy Spirit.
He attributed the growth of the church and its success in making inroads to the hundreds of Dayak longhouses to the power and workings of the Holy Spirit throughout past decades.
Also reiterating the call for unity of the faithful was Borneo Evangelical Mission president Revd Datuk Dr Justin Wan.
He said Pentecostal Night would serve as an excellent avenue to bring together Christians from all denominations and ethnic groups, in celebrating the gifts of the Holy Spirit and glorifying God.
Justin called on all churches to join in prayer for religious freedom, peace, and harmony to prevail in Sarawak and Malaysia, as well as for the Holy Spirit to pour down on Pentecostal Night and set open the way for revival.
He thanked the Sarawak government for its continued support and assurance to churches of religious freedom and an environment of peace, tolerance, and harmony.
Methodist Church Sarawak Iban Annual Conference president Revd Steward Damat said Pentecostal Night would provide a great awakening for Christians, especially for the Dayak community from rural areas.
“The experience of the Holy Spirit would enable them to have an in-depth experience of God and its impact on discipleship,” he said.
Steward said he looked forward to the revival and transformation of churches in the aftermath of Pentecostal Night, reiterating, “let their hearts be filled with the Spirit, and their lives transformed into the likeness of Jesus”.
The speaker for the two-night gathering will be Pastor Philip Mantofa from Mawar Sharon Church in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Widely known for being blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, Philip has a burning passion and commitment to ignite the fire within the younger generation.
Clergy and representatives from the Baptist Church, Presbyterian Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Lutheran Church, Bethany Church, Latter Rain Church, and a host of other independent churches have also assured their support for Pentecostal Night.
Apart from attending, many of their members would serve as volunteers and prayer warriors.
In the weeks leading to Pentecostal Night, churches of different denominations across Sarawak have given wide publicity to the event in their parish news, church bulletins, and online portals. Intercession prayers have also been held.
