By PETER TEO in KUALA LUMPUR

THE Rev Dr Hwa Yung, Director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia at Trinity Theological College, Singapore, has been elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Malaysia. The election was held on Sept 22 during the 8th Session of its General Conference in Kuala Lumpur from Sept 20 to 25, 2004.


It was one of two significant events at the conference, which was held at the Royale Bintang Hotel. The other was the acceptance of a petition from the Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference (SCAC) to change the Sabah Mission Conference to the Sabah Provisional Annual Conference.


The petition, tabled by the Rev Ting Daik Choung, President of the SCAC, was accepted within 10 minutes without any debate or opposition.
To roars of approval and loud applause, Bishop Datuk Dr Peter Chio Sing Ching said: "We want to glorify God. We want to extend His Kingdom. So, let us all continue to work together.


"Let's share our care, love and concerns with this little brother of ours."

The consecration of the Rev Dr Hwa Yung as Bishop of The Methodist Church in Malaysia for the quadrennium 2004-2008. The officiating bishop, Bishop Datuk Dr Peter Chio, is being assisted by Bishop Dr Robert Solomon. - Chinese Methodist Message, Sarawak picture.	The Rev Dr Hwa Yung (extreme right) being congratulated on his election as Bishop by, from right, Dr Chan Kook Weng, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 8th General Conference; Dr Anthony Row, Chairman of the Finance and Administration Council (Peninsular Malaysia); and the Rev Ong Hwai Teik, President of Trinity Annual Conference. - Methodist Message picture.

The Rev Dr Hwa Yung was elected on the third ballot. At 4 pm sharp, the incumbent bishop, Bishop Dr Chio, with a smile, announced: "We have an election."
As soon as the results of the election were declared, applause broke out and delegates sitting near the Rev Dr Hwa Yung at the back of the conference hall got up to congratulate him.


He was immediately invited to the front of the hall to sit at the Presiding Table with Bishop Dr Chio, Bishop Dr Leo Soriano of The United Methodist Church of the Philippines Central Conference, Bishop Dr Robert Solomon, Bishop Emeritus Datuk Dr Denis Dutton, a former bishop of The Methodist Church in Malaysia, and the Rev Jim Jones, the Fraternal Representative from The Methodist Church in Britain.


The Rev Dr Hwa Yung was seconded to the Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia by The Methodist Church in Malaysia in July 2001. He is returning to Malaysia to assume the post of Bishop. The centre conducts research and post-graduate studies on the state and growth of the church in Asia, with degree programmes up to the doctoral level.


In his acceptance speech, he said: "I thank you for your support and the way you voted.


"I have never seen myself as bishop. I am happy where I am and I enjoy doing the work I do." Yet, as a Methodist minister, he said, he had to respond to the call of God.


"I thank God for calling me to you and for calling me to serve Him."


To ripples of laughter, he said he is not an easy-going, social person, but "I'll try" to be one. "Please pray for me … and my wife."


The theme for the six-day General Conference was "Wesleyan Spirit: The World Is My Parish". Except for the last day, Bishop Dr Soriano was the speaker for the morning worship for the entire conference.


The conference opened with a welcome dinner at a downtown Chinese restaurant on Sept 20. This was immediately followed by the Opening Thanksgiving and Holy Communion Service at Wesley Methodist Church at which Bishop Dr Solomon was the speaker.


The Rev Dr Hwa Yung was consecrated at Tamil Methodist Church, Kuala Lumpur on Sept 25.


Bishop Dr Solomon handed a congratulatory letter dated Sept 25 to the Rev Dr Hwa Yung. He wrote: "It is indeed wonderful news and The Methodist Church in Singapore joins me in sending you our heartiest congratulations. We pray that under your able leadership, The Methodist Church in Malaysia will grow from strength to strength. May God grant you His wisdom, strength and grace."


The letter incorporated an invitation to the new Malaysian bishop to attend and speak at the 8th General Conference of The Methodist Church in Singapore (which was held from Oct 18 to 23).

What makes a bishop tick?
Bishop Dr Solomon:
Knowledge of majesty
and mission of God
Bishop Dr Solomon, who was the guest speaker at the Consecration Service of the new Malaysian Bishop, preached on the topic "Strive Together With Me", based on Romans 15:14-33.


He said that it was "no easy thing to be a bishop, and he must turn to God".


"No amount of church titles or university or seminary degrees can ultimately make the difference, important as they are. What makes the ultimate difference is the grace of God. That is why we are here. And that is why we must pray for the bishop. And he must remain close to God."


What makes a bishop tick? Knowledge of the Majesty of God and the Mission of God, he said. This is a high calling, and that is why in the early church people were reluctant to become bishops.


There are three episcopal functions - teaching (against errors and heresies, defending the church), preserving unity (connectional work), and mission leadership. Each of these is inspired by the majesty and mission of God.


Said Bishop Dr Solomon: "In the globalised world we live, the church faces immense stresses and influences. It is in such a situation that we need leaders in the church who have a good sense of the majesty of God and who commit themselves to declaring that majesty and seeing it cherished, respected and experienced in church."


On the mission of God, he said: "We need to be clear about this mission entrusted to us. Leadership in mission is required to inspire the church to remember its calling.


"Paul understood the mission of God well. It involved building up the church of Christ, creating Christian communities everywhere and building them into maturity.
"Paul's mission statement included proclaiming the Gospel of Christ among the Gentiles, perfecting God's people, and propagating the Kingdom of God."

Peter Teo is the Editor of Methodist Message.