KUALA LUMPUR - The Methodist Church in Malaysia is organising the Methodist Prayer Convention (MPC) 2007, which will be held at the Sunway Convention Centre on Aug 31 and Sept 1.


Some 3,500 Methodists from all the Annual Conferences are expected to attend. This will be the first gathering of Malaysian Methodists on such a big scale, and it poses a challenge for the logistics committee.


The closing session on Sept 2 will pose a bigger challenge as it will be held at the Shah Alam Indoor Stadium, which has a capacity of 11,700 people.


This time of celebration and thanksgiving will be opened to all the Methodist congregations, especially those in the Klang Valley, to fill the stadium for a historic gathering of Methodists in Malaysia.


Taking up the challenge is the logistics committee headed by Mr William Phua.


When the idea was mooted to have the closing session at the Shah Alam stadium, it was thought that that would not be possible. When approval came for its use it was an occasion of great joy. By then thinking of rounding up 3,500 people at the convention centre was no longer an issue compared to the logistical challenge of gathering 11,000 people.


Providing 11,000 cups for the Holy Communion that morning, for example, highlights the kind of things the committee needs to resolve, the scale of which has not been attempted before. But members of the committee are working together in a well-coordinated structure.


Working together with Mr Phua are two people in the Conference Secretariat - Major Tan Hock Hin and Ms Chang Meng Chien - and a Chief Coordinator, Mr Steven Sekhar, with eight sub-committees covering all aspects of the organisation - registration, guests, security, transportation, stage, ushering/Communion, medical and refreshments. - Pelita Methodist.

MR WILLIAM PHUA:
Faces a huge logistics challenge.
- Pelita Methodist picture.