MIRI: The Borneo Evanglical Mission (BEM) Church or any worship house in a city or settlement offers a place of worship and a platform for its believers to foster unity.
Pointing this out, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau added the Bahasa Kayan church at Taman Tunku had played that important role since it opened its door on February 22, 1998.
“From a humble beginning, it has now grown into a church with almost 2,000 registered members excluding the visitors from longhouses,” he said.
Unity among members of a church must be upheld at all times to attract those who needed a place to worship their God, he added when officiating at the 21st anniversary of the church yesterday.
Dennis challenged the church pastors and leaders to make it grow further in the next 21 years and beyond.
“God places this church here in Taman Tunku with purpose and you must realise that and make God presence felt here,” he added.
Dennis revealed that there were around 20,000 Kayans among the 400,000 residents in Miri .
“Therefore, the Kayan church in Miri City must do long term planning from today to cater the expected growing needs.
“We thank our state leaders for creating the Unit for Other Religion (UNIFOR ) in the Chief Minister’s Department to look after the needs of other worship houses in the state including churches in Telang Usan.
“In 2018, we received RM600,000 which we have distributed among 19 BEM and Roman Catholic churches. For 2019, we have submitted some more requests,” he added.
At the event, Dennis announced a Minor Rural Project (MRP) grant of RM50,000 to upgrade the parking lots and toilets at the church.
