By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — The Emmaus Servant Community successfully conducted a 2-weekend Youth Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) on 27-28 November and 4-5 December 2021, for Blessed Sacrament Church Sunday School youths preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation.
48 youths comprising mostly Form 4 and a few Form 5 students, accompanied by two (2) teachers attended the online seminar via Zoom.
Traditionally, members from the Emmaus Teaching Ministry conduct LSS for Confirmation students and RCIA candidates every year at the parish hall. As a physical seminar was not yet possible, it was decided to prepare this year’s intake to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit online, as they are scheduled to receive the sacrament of confirmation in this month of December.
Format and Topics for the Seminar
The seminar format was specifically tailored to adapt to the current situation and a total of 10 facilitators comprising younger Emmaus members, present and former parish youths, were roped in to help facilitate small workshops in ‘breakout rooms’ after every Talk.
The Talks presented covered topics on God’s Love, God’s Plan, Sins and Effects of Sin, Jesus Saviour and Restorer, Repentance, Inner Healing, Who is the Holy Spirit?, Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and New Life and Growth.
As a follow-up after the explanation of Inner Healing and Baptism of the Holy Spirit, participants were led into ‘online live’ sessions where they could experience God’s healing touch, and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on them.
Members from the Emmaus Teaching Ministry who presented the Talks were Pauline Lim, Christina Eng, John Wong, Thomas Ngu, Juliana Kuek, Adeline Bong, Ivonson Kwee and Ivy Chai. Sunday School teachers James Noik and Juliana Teng helped to facilitate the students. Rector of Blessed Sacrament Church, Fr Patrick Heng appeared briefly to give a few words of encouragement to the participants.
Testimonies and Feedback
Students were later asked to share their live ‘Before and After’ testimonies, and to complete feedback forms after the seminar. Below are some comments of their experience taken from their ‘live testimony’ (screenshots) and from feedback forms.
- I experienced peace and goodwill. Gift of praying in tongues.
- God loves me. God loves us all. I learnt that God loves me and to stop looking at my imperfections.
- The 7 deadly sins. I look back on my past sins and want to repent. I experienced the presence of God during the praying in tongues.
- I learnt that God loves me so much and values me more than I actually see it. He gave my life a new meaning and purpose and encouraged me not to be ashamed of confessing my sins and to repent.
- God’s love exists in everything, everywhere all the time. Opened my eyes to be more appreciative and to be a loving person.
- God is always next to me, accompanying me. I am never alone. God gave me a purpose in life. I now know that as long as I am still alive, I still have something I have yet to fulfill. When everyone was praying in tongues, I really FELT something. That sensation and feelings were very new to me. I have seen people praying in tongues before but have never felt anything. I am glad I got to experience that feeling.
- God loves me unconditionally and I can depend on him.
- Many things I had learnt at LSS. For someone like me who doesn’t know how to communicate with other people, I suddenly didn’t feel afraid or scared to talk to other people, like there’s something urging me to share my feelings. I even felt relieved after the healing and repentance prayers as I felt I had been growing further away from Jesus. And I have been living my 2021 life with bad and hurtful memories. After the healing session I felt light. I felt all the things I had been holding on being lifted away. And my anger, hatred, disappointment, replaced by joy, happiness and relief. I guess my life will be better from now on. Someone told me that healing is a process and I believe it.
- Honestly the LSS was beyond my expectations. I was hesitant to join as I expected it to be boring. But I am glad I did participate.
