Reported by Dalius LL

Sandakan: The Star of Yahweh Covenant Community (SYCC) celebrates their 40th years of establishment in the St. Mary’s Parish Sandakan with a thanks giving mass on 19th August 2024 at St. Joseph church. The mass was presided over by Fr. Simon Kontou, and concelebrated by Fr. Raymond Lee and Friar Crispus Mosinoh of Penang Diocese.

Covenant Community is a religious Catholic Fraternity group, whose members bind themselves to one another and to the group, and made the covenant to live a righteous life. Covenant Community come under CHARIS, a body established by the Holy See in 9th June 2019. The CHARIS emphasise three dimensions: the spread of Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the unity of Christians and service to the poor. These dimensions are at the service of evangelisation, to which the renewal was called by the Holy Father and to which it is committed.

In his homily, Fr. Simon praised the community for their perseverance and he believes that during that long period the community has faced many challenges and difficulties in their journey of faith, as what Moses and the Israelite experienced in the desert for 40 years. In his word of encouragement, Fr. Simon said, “Look not what service you have rendered to God but instead look at what God has given to you.”

The invited guests

In commemorating their 40th year of establishment, the SYCC hosted a dinner fellowship with the attendance of around 250 people, in one of the well-known restaurant in Sandakan. In attendance were the Bishop of Sandakan Diocese, Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom, the Rector of St. Mary Cathedral Parish and Assistant Priest, a Friar from Penang, Religious Nun, Covenant Community Elders from Kota Kinabalu, Papar and from Sibu Sarawak, Parish Pastoral Chairman, Sandakan Diocesan CHARIS Chairman, Chairperson and Leaders of the many Parish Ministries and parishioners of St. Mary Cathedral.

Cake cutting; Bishop Julius Gitom and the Elders of Star of Yahweh Community, Sandakan.

Ladies from the Star of Yahweh Covenant Community presenting their action song “ This is the day that the Lord has made”

SYCC Presiding Elder Philip Mosinoh, in his welcoming remark, is grateful to what the Lord has done to the community for the past 40 years, through ups and downs and yet the community is still steadfast in serving the Lord. He said, “Living as a community with common set of norms is not an easy task, it is a process that needs to be nurtured in one’s personal relationship with God.” He reported that 23 people have registered as associate members of the SYCC after attending the Life in the spirit Seminar last year. At the same venue, the SYCC paid tribute to the first Presiding Elder, Henry Solibun through the guiding of the Holy Spirit brought the covenant Community to Sandakan and together with the assistance of the Covenant Community in Kota Kinabalu (The Light of Jesus Covenant Community) and blessing of the Late Fr. Tobias Chi, had founded the Star of Yahweh Covenant Community 40 years ago in Sandakan.  He was not able to attend the function due to health issue but narrated to the current Presiding Elder that one notable achievement, considered to be the first fruit of the community was that when their founding members were very much involved in the evangelisation of the people of Paitan. In the early 80s, the place was so remote that only assessable by river transport at that time. SYCC then collaborated with another Covenant Community known as Light of Jesus Christ Covenant Community in looking after the Paitan Mission. Both Communities was under the Diocese of Kota Kinabalu then before the erection of Sandakan Diocese in 2008. Their initiative has bear fruit and now known as the Paitan Mission, is under the purview of Sandakan Diocese and is blessed with a full-fledged residential priest.

Elder Philip Mosinoh gives his speech and welcoming the guests for this auspicious event.

Bishop Julius in his congratulatory note, appreciated the role of its members in the service of the many ministries in Church. He stressed that this services are in line with that synodal Church whereby the laity are very much involved in journeying together in faith with the church. Currently the community has produced two Nuns and a priest.

Bishop Julius Gitom gives his opening speech

The 40th anniversary thanksgiving dinner was made lively with the performances by the youngest member of the community to the oldest ladies dance performances. In between entertainments, a slot of sharing was given by Friar Crispus Mosinoh, OFM; a member of SYCC in the 90s, on his journey of faith. He is currently serving in Risen Christ Church, Penang. A slide show down memory lane was also presented to the audience on the many activities of the community which covered the CHARIS three dimensions: the spread of Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the unity of Christians and service to the poor.

As the theme statement, “Come, let us give thanks and celebrate”, the SYCC members have every reason to rejoice to God for never abandoning them in their 40 years of journey.