By 2020, our Adult Fellowship had a 45-year history (1975–2020). According to the Chinese Annual Conference's brief history of adult ministry, this work began at Seremban Methodist Church in April 1960, but the initial effort was short-lived. The Conference began actively promoting Adult Fellowship ministry in the early 1970s, when the Seremban fellowship was dormant.
On 1 September 1971, the Adult Fellowship of Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Methodist Church was formally established through the efforts of Rev. 方中南, then president of the Singapore–Malaysia Chinese Annual Conference, Rev. 陈恩成, Rev. 林荣民 and a group of devoted brothers from that church. These pastors and members subsequently travelled to churches in other states to encourage the establishment of Adult Fellowships and develop adult ministry.
In early 1975, our church's church officers and a group of members who had passed the Youth Fellowship age limit of 24 responded to Rev. 卫连胜, chair of the Chinese Annual Conference Christian Education Department, and his call to establish an Adult Fellowship. A discussion was held at the parsonage on the evening of 2 April 1975. The initiators were Rev. 李前军, church worker 陈秀音, Church officer 洪辉德, 杨昭铭, 朱振兴, 黄为福 and 刘顺荣. The fellowship's inauguration and first general meeting took place in the sanctuary on the evening of 6 July 1975, when its first office-bearers were elected.
The Adult Fellowship was formed to give those who had left Youth Fellowship, entered working life or established families a suitable community in which to continue growing as Christians. It sought to build close relationships in Christ's love and unity in the Lord: bearing one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), loving one another earnestly (1 Peter 4:8), encouraging and building one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and helping those in need (the historical account cites Acts 11:14, 28–30). Fellowship would continually equip believers for faithful service to Christ, offering their God-given gifts, building up the church in unity, sharing the gospel, leading people to the Lord, glorifying God and blessing others.
Over the years, the fellowship has valued spiritual growth, wider knowledge and social concern. Alongside its scheduled monthly gatherings, it invited different pastors and church leaders to preach and teach, and encouraged members to attend Bible studies, discipleship courses and extension theological courses. Occasional demonstrations of floral arrangement, cooking and handicrafts helped members develop practical skills. Talks covered medicine, law, nutrition and health, further education, and banking and postal services. Social concern included visits to homes for the elderly, prayer for the sick, food sales, and donations to charities and Christian organisations. Members also supported fellow believers' education and medical expenses, individually or through the fellowship. Some quietly counselled young people facing questions about studies, work and relationships.
Each Chinese New Year, the fellowship presented academic achievement awards to members' children, encouraging diligence in their studies so that they might one day offer their abilities to the church and society, bless others and glorify the Lord. It often organised church-wide gatherings for special occasions such as Parents' Day and Christmas, bringing believers together in joyful thanksgiving. In this way, the Adult Fellowship became a bridge between different parts of the church, drawing fellowship members closer to one another.
The fellowship also participated in Northern District adult ministry, encouraging members to attend district gatherings, family days, anniversaries, talks and singing competitions. These activities strengthened relationships and cooperation with Adult Fellowships in other churches, making their shared service more fruitful.
May every member live out the words of 1 Peter 4:10: “As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.” (WEBBE)
Adult Fellowship provisional committee, 1975
Adult Fellowship office-bearers, 1995–1996
Adult Fellowship Activities 1975-1995
Group photograph after the Adult Fellowship's first exploratory gathering at 食风楼 in Tanjung Bungah, before its formal establishment, 1975
The Adult Fellowship's first general meeting, 6 July 1975
The president and vice-president cutting the first anniversary cake, 1976
Visit to Jubilee Home, 5 March 1978
Fifth anniversary celebration, 1980
Visit to the school for deaf children, March 1980
Adult Fellowship, 1987
Fundraising sale for social concern ministry, November 1987
Family Day, 30 May 1988
National Day dam-climbing competition, 1988
Visit to a Penang home for the elderly, 1993
Adult Fellowship, Methodist Women and the Boys' Brigade visiting a home for the elderly, 1993
Adult Fellowship 19th anniversary, 1994
New Year thanksgiving and appreciation gathering, 1 January 1994
Adult Fellowship 20th anniversary, 1995
“Happy Family”, photographed in the sanctuary, 7 May 1995
“Happy Family” with the youth and junior fellowships at the Methodist station on Penang Hill
Group photograph, 31 May 1995
From 1996 to 2020, the Adult Fellowship experienced both low points and seasons of growth. Leading a fellowship is never easy, particularly for busy adults balancing work and family. We needed a compelling reason for them to return to church once more each week for fellowship.
We cannot record every blessing received over these 25 years. Instead, we offer several highlights to give an overview of the fellowship's growth during this period.
- In 1996, seeking to put love for our neighbours into practice, the Adult Fellowship formed a care group and began regular hospital visits.
- In the late 1990s, alongside its monthly fellowship activity, the Adult Fellowship held an adult Bible study group every Sunday to support the spiritual growth of adults in the church.
- On 15 July 2000, the Adult Fellowship held a thanksgiving gathering for its 25th anniversary. At the end of that year, it published “My Fellowship, My Testimony: Adult Fellowship 25th Anniversary Testimonies”, enabling members serving in different parts of the church to share their personal testimonies and memories of fellowship life.
- Although the Adult Fellowship met only once a month during this period, it regularly helped organise church-wide activities, including fellowship days, Lantern Festival celebrations, Easter thanksgiving gatherings and trips, inviting the whole congregation to participate.
- In 2001, the Adult Fellowship established a blood donor team open to all church members, encouraging and coordinating support for people needing transfusions both within and beyond the church. The original care group was also opened to members of every fellowship and became a church-wide ministry. Renamed the Methodist Care Team, it was led by Sisters 骆慧珍 and 林彬彬. As its work developed, visits extended to homes for the elderly. The team bore many encouraging testimonies for the Lord, and a number of elderly people chose to place their faith in Christ before the end of their lives.
- At the end of 2003, difficulties in succession and internal disagreements led the fellowship to suspend its monthly meetings for a period from late 2003 to early 2004. Closing the Adult Fellowship was even considered. The Methodist care ministry begun in 1996 also ceased because of members' health difficulties.
- With Rev. 黄's encouragement, the Adult Fellowship resumed activities in March 2004, setting aside an hour after the Friday-evening prayer meeting for relaxed talks on everyday life. These fortnightly gatherings attracted many new members. Adults newly joining or returning to church found a home in the fellowship, and this new group became a driving force in its subsequent growth.
- In 2005, alongside twice-monthly church meetings, the Adult Fellowship began occasional home gatherings and visits, deepening friendships. Attendance continued to rise, averaging more than 15. Recognising the need for a more suitable time, the fellowship moved its meetings to Saturdays at 8.00 pm from August that year. Members also arranged informal outdoor activities such as hiking, bungalow stays, outings and trips.
- From 2005, the Adult Fellowship participated every year in Eden Handicap Service Centre's fundraising sale. Besides supporting the centre, working together strengthened the fellowship's unity.
Adult Fellowship New Year family camp in the Cameron Highlands, 2006–2007
- By 2007, the fellowship held two Saturday meetings at church each month, one monthly home gathering and one round of member visits—four regular activities a month. With this emphasis on relationships, attendance grew to around 30.
- As the fellowship grew, members also developed a stronger commitment to the church. The Adult Fellowship encouraged everyone to hold a regular place of service, and many became Sunday School teachers, choir members, worship ushers and servants in other ministries.
- With growing attendance, the fellowship decided at the end of 2007 to move its weekly activities to the second floor of the 80th Anniversary Building. These former kindergarten classrooms had stood empty after the kindergarten moved to the Century Building. Following a thorough cleaning, the Adult Fellowship began meeting there in January 2008. Having a place of its own deepened members' sense of belonging. The space was later converted into the lay training school in 2009.
- To consider the fellowship's future, a co-workers' consultation was held on 18–19 May 2008. In particular, the pastor-in-charge hoped the Adult Fellowship could help energise other fellowships. During two days and one night of discussion, sharing and prayer, co-workers expressed differing views. Some feared that dividing members into increasingly narrow age groups would hinder future development and weaken connections within the body of Christ. Eventually, they reached agreement in the Lord to support the pastor in introducing a church-wide model of integrated gatherings with age-based fellowships. It was formally launched on 8 November that year. This integrated approach became a distinctive feature of our fellowships and continued until 2020, when the new pastor-in-charge proposed a cell-group ministry. Adult Fellowship members then joined the various groups in support of that plan.
- On 26 July 2008, our Adult Fellowship hosted a visit by Annual Conference Adult Fellowship officers. This marked the beginning of its more active involvement in Conference activities.
- From 30 May to 1 June 2009, about 40 members travelled by chartered bus to Lumut for the Annual Conference Adult Fellowship family camp, “Love My Family”. The Conference then invited our fellowship to help organise the next camp. We hosted “Love My Family 2” in Tanjung Tokong from 5 to 7 June 2010. The camp concluded successfully, with approximately 300 participants.
- On 31 July 2010, the Adult Fellowship celebrated its 35th anniversary.
- Feeling that growth had reached a plateau in 2010, the fellowship held another co-workers' consultation on 11 October, entitled “Exploring the Heart: Rediscovering the Motivation for Fellowship”.
- In 2011, Mr and Mrs 秦兴久 from mainland China joined the fellowship. Having settled in Penang, they devoted themselves to reaching other Chinese nationals living here through Malaysia My Second Home. Inspired by their initiative, members helped newly arrived Chinese residents settle in, cared for them and invited them to church. Under Brother 秦's leadership, many Chinese nationals came to faith and were baptised in the church each year.
Adult Fellowship members sharing a meal out, 2012
- On 21 July 2012, the Adult Fellowship again helped the Annual Conference organise an evangelistic meal for businesspeople and employees, attended by about 140 people.
- In 2013, the Adult Fellowship extended its community outreach through premarital and marriage guidance courses and an Educational Assistance Programme for pupils from low-income families. The marriage courses were open to the public, following the government-prepared LPPKN syllabus and taught by church members. The assistance programme distributed educational vouchers to pupils selected by local Chinese primary schools. Both initiatives aimed to welcome non-Christian neighbours into the church. The marriage course ran only once because of insufficient enrolment, but the assistance programme continued each Christmas until 2018. With many other organisations later providing similar aid, and some school-nominated beneficiaries found not to be from genuinely needy families, the fellowship redirected funds towards groups with greater need of church support, such as homes for the elderly and orphanages.
LPPKN premarital and marriage guidance course, 2013
Adult Fellowship at the church's 120th anniversary, 2015
Singing at the thanksgiving service
- In 2015, to encourage spiritual reading, the Adult Fellowship established a small lending library with around 20 books.
- Alongside home gatherings, day trips and seasonal celebrations, the Adult Fellowship recognised a need for another setting, such as an adult Sunday School, where new adult believers could learn biblical foundations systematically. Discussions with the Local Church Executive Committee and pastors did not result in an adult Sunday School, but they contributed to the church's introduction of the Alpha course in 2017, a ministry the Adult Fellowship actively supported.
- In 2018, average attendance was only a little over 20, and the fellowship struggled to strengthen unity and move forward. We thank God for his faithfulness: he did not abandon us in our weakness, but continued to lead us for his name's sake. When we were unsure what to do, 郭明美, the wife of Rev. 黄约辉, suggested learning praise exercises for a Parents' Day presentation on 6 May. Members practised enthusiastically and performed “Let All Nations and Peoples Rejoice” at the fellowship meal. Praise exercises became a regular activity, strengthening friendships and physical fitness. The group also performed at church events, visits to homes for the elderly, and the 2019 thanksgiving lunch marking Rev. 黄's retirement after 41 years of ministry.
Praise exercise presentation, “Let All Nations and Peoples Rejoice”, on Parents' Day, 6 May 2018
- In early April 2018, we were saddened to learn that our dear Sister 郑淑心 had uterine cancer. The fellowship's care team visited her at home. The diagnosis was a severe shock to her and her husband, 庄恩顺. Although distressed and full of questions, they did not blame God, but continued serving and trusting him. With their consent, we formed a prayer group specifically for her condition. At her follow-up appointment in July, tests brought the joyful news that no cancer cells were detected. We thanked the Lord for allowing us to experience his healing power together as the LORD who heals, and gave him glory. The group was subsequently renamed the Intercessory Prayer Group and shared prayer requests each Wednesday. Her cancer returned in mid-2019. Though deeply saddened, she remained steadfast in trusting the Lord. When Malaysia's Movement Control Order began on 18 March 2020, she suggested praying together through the pandemic, using one Bible verse each day for a particular prayer concern, reminding one another to focus on God's promises and our relationship with him. She sent prayer letters for 72 days, stopping only when her condition worsened. Her love for the Lord inspired the group to continue daily prayer for 100 days before returning to a weekly rhythm.
- God continued to guide us towards renewal. Reflecting on 2 Chronicles 34, we understood that renewal begins with each of us: in the fellowship's illustration, each person is like a match that must first be lit before a larger fire can grow. With renewed enthusiasm, we began planning the fellowship's direction and goals. At the gathering on 6 October 2018, themed “Fellowship: Hopes and Blessings”, members shared their dreams for its future. Recognising adults' busy lives, we agreed to meet three times a month. To build closer relationships, members would also be divided into small groups with designated leaders, deepening mutual understanding through regular interaction.
- In 2019, the committee hoped to help members become rooted in faith over the next two years and grow closer to God and one another. A Bible-reading plan was introduced, with a daily devotional reading shared in the group. Members were encouraged to post reflections and favourite verses, fostering encouragement, support and regular Bible reading, and to join the intercessory prayer group. Three groups—Peace, Faithfulness and Joy—were formed, each with regular leaders and members. The 12 leaders named their own group “Elim”, drawing on its abundant springs as an image of biblical truth and its upright palms as an image of spreading the gospel. They hoped to lead members into deeper faith, witness to the Lord and share the gospel together.
- The president shared the fellowship's difficulties and members' wishes with Rev. 黄约辉. With his agreement, the programme changed: joint meetings with the Young Adult Fellowship, Senior Fellowship and Methodist Women ceased, and the Adult Fellowship held three monthly gatherings instead. These were: a Bible study series, “Exploring Wisdom for Life”, led by Rev. 谭; small-group sharing on Romans under the title “一锅熟”; and “The Parables of Jesus”, led by Sister 胡丽卿. During the week without a formal meeting, members practised praise exercises, met in homes or visited fellow members.
- On 16 March 2019, our church hosted a Northern Adult Fellowship exchange gathering. Forty Annual Conference representatives and Northern fellowship members met in the sanctuary for warm and encouraging sharing. We also experienced a miracle: the meal budget was short by RM658, and that evening's offerings came to exactly RM658. We gave thanks for the abundant provision of the LORD who provides.
Dinner for Northern Adult Fellowship members and Annual Conference representatives, followed by a group photograph, 16 March 2019
- At the joint Easter Eve worship gathering on 20 April 2019, a special interactive activity invited members to reflect on attitudes and actions needing change. They wrote these on cross-shaped notes, attached them to a large cross on the platform, and received a heart-shaped card bearing a Bible verse. The activity symbolised bringing our sins and old selves to Christ, sharing in his death and resurrection, and receiving forgiveness through his love. We had expected only a few people to come forward, but, beyond our expectations, everyone present participated.
- In July 2019, members contributed RM7,400 towards the expansion of Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM). In October the following year, learning that funds were still insufficient, they generously contributed a further RM10,000.
- On 18 December 2019, the Adult Fellowship received permission to distribute Christmas gifts to all children in the paediatric oncology department of Penang General Hospital, regardless of ethnicity or religion.
Distributing Christmas gifts in the paediatric oncology department of Penang General Hospital, 18 December 2019
- The year 2020 brought a crisis for which none of us was prepared, as COVID-19 spread around the world. We thank the Lord that we could still hold a Chinese calligraphy and potluck gathering on 22 February, leaving us with warm and lasting memories. About 70 attended. We began with a warm-up exercise dance, followed by hymns, a shared meal, testimonies, calligraphy and prayer for two sisters battling cancer. Members' lives offered an encouraging witness: “Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,” (Hebrews 10:24, WEBBE). As the pandemic intensified, the Prime Minister extended the Movement Control Order and all in-person gatherings ceased. A joint meeting planned for the evening of 14 March, at which the principal of Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, 萧帝佑, was to speak on “The Significance of Theological Education”, had to be cancelled. The fellowship subsequently met in three small groups on Zoom, each gathering weekly to discuss “The Challenges of Pastoral Ministry in the 21st Century”.
Chinese calligraphy, a shared meal, exercise dance, hymns, testimonies and prayer, 22 February 2020
- In 2020, the church was also in a period of pastoral transition: Rev. 黄约辉 retired and Rev. 张振祥 succeeded him. Rev. 张 hoped to develop the church through cell groups. In response to the pandemic and in support of his direction, the Adult Fellowship decided to transition, ending its activities at the close of 2020 so members could join the church's small groups. They nevertheless stayed in touch and continued to hold occasional social gatherings.
Looking Ahead:
Over the past 25 years, the Adult Fellowship developed from one meeting a month to activities every week by 2020, both within and beyond the church. For busy adults, this was a precious achievement and an enduring commitment of our fellowship.
Our gatherings also moved from being programme-led to placing relationships first, with programmes in a supporting role. We believe fellowship exists to build a family in the Lord. We come to fellowship not because its programmes attract us, but because this is our home.
Love + Sharing + Understanding + Care + Encouragement + Intercession + Learning + Service + Growth
1975to2020A total of25terms of Adult Fellowship presidents and vice-presidents/Fellowship Leader
1975
President: 朱振兴; Vice-President: 杨昭铭
1976
President: 朱振兴; Vice-President: 杨昭铭
1977
President: 朱振兴; Vice-President: 杨昭铭
1978
President: 李国庆; Vice-President: 黄为福
1979-1980
President: 李国庆; Vice-President: 黄为福
1981-1982
President: 李国庆; Vice-President: 黄益民
1983-1984
President: 黄益民; Vice-President: 李国庆
1985-1986
President: 黄益民; Vice-President: 李国庆
1987-1988
President: 林苏虹; Vice-President: 黄益民
1989-1990
President: 林苏虹; Vice-President: 黄益民
1991-1992
President: 章守必; Vice-President: 林素芬
1993-1994
President: 林素芬; Vice-President: 黄春福
1995-1996
President: 林素芬; Vice-President: 陈业隆
1997-1998
President: 曽如安; Vice-President: 郑丽蓉
1999-2000
President: 曽如安; Vice-President: 余右军
2001-2002
President: 余右军; Vice-President: 曽如安
2003-2004
President: 余右军; Vice-President: 谢小云
2005-2006
President: 余右军; Vice-President: 伍万政
2007-2008
President: 余右军; Vice-President: 吴德耀
2009-2010
President: 胡丽卿; Vice-President: 吴德耀
2011-2012
President: 余右军; Vice-President: 胡丽卿
2013-2014
President: 陈主胜; Vice-President: 庄恩顺
2015-2016
President: 陈天德; Vice-President: 胡丽卿
2017-2018
President: 陈天德; Vice-President: 李相国
2019-2020
President: 沈葵兰; Vice-President: 李相国