Sandakan: The Star of Yahweh Covenant Community (SYCC) commemorated its 26th anniversary with a thanksgiving mass at 7.30pm, Thursday 19th August 2010 in the St. Mary’s Cathedral Chapel. The Community is a group of lay Catholics, whose members bind themselves to one another and to the group, and made the covenant to live a righteous life.
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Michael Lee |
Michael Lee, the presiding elder of SYCC in his sharing said that the day was special not just an occasion for celebrating the SYCC anniversary but also to witness members pledging their re-commitment to start anew and become a shining star that God intends them to be.
Recalling the past 26 years in the community, he thanked and praised God that the community is still around, running a race as what St. Paul did. He had his share of strengths and weaknesses, of lights and darkness. Yet despite his flaws, he pressed on to the goal and bore great fruits.
He went on to say that being in brotherhood and sisterhood for such a long time, they have established a bonding love and commitment with one another and they have learnt to accept one another weaknesses and faults.
He ended his sharing by quoting Pope John Paul II in his address to the brotherhood of Covenant Community in Rome that says the Covenant Communities are the great spiritual resources to the Church and to all humanity. He called upon the members to live up to the calling and serve one another with God’s love for the glory of God.
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Phillip Mosinoh |
Philip Mosinoh, one of the founding members of SYCC shared that the ups and downs in the community life is part and parcel of a journey of faith in the covenant community and through practice of prayerful life, have strongly united them in the community.
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Mary Lee reading the letter from Alice Chew |
Alice Chew, a single mother of eight, who is currently working in Singapore, recommitted herself to the community through her letter to the presiding elder. She wrote that the Covenant Community through its ladies cell group and formation talks, were her actual training ground for her spiritual life. She acknowledged that in difficult times, the brothers and sisters were there to support her. Indeed, she added that they are her family in Christ and will rejoin the Covenant Community on her return to Sandakan.
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Fr. Thomas Makajil |
In his message, the Rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral Father Thomas Makajil congratulated the community for the past 26 years of serving one another, serving the Lord and serving the communities through the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood.
“By the act of re commitment or re consecration of oneself to the Lord, in spite of all the challenges and difficulties, will draw us closer to one another and to God in order to fulfill the great mission of Christ.” said Fr. Thomas.
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Fellowship |
The event concluded with a dinner fellowship at the Cathecetical room.
Dallius LL
Parish Soccom