To meet the needs of the congregation, Rev. 黄 established the church's Men's and Senior Fellowships in early 2009. Church officer 吴永远 was appointed president of the Men's Fellowship, and Church officer 宋凤莲 president of the Senior Fellowship.
At that time, each fellowship had approximately 20 members. The month after its establishment, the Men's Fellowship organised a day trip with Methodist Women and the choir. It also invited representatives from non-governmental Christian organisations to share at subsequent meetings. In March, the Men's Fellowship held its first medical talk to improve members' health knowledge. In April, its president invited Dr 卓志耀 and Ms 黄婷风 from Penang Adventist Hospital to speak about rheumatic conditions and physiotherapy. Sister 陈瑞娟 spoke about diabetes in May. In December, the Senior and Men's Fellowships visited a home for the elderly and infirm at Green Lane.
A gospel film was screened at the joint gathering in January 2010. Early that year, the fellowship joined Methodist Women and the Adult Fellowship in visiting 恩惠爱老院, providing dinner and gifts. Church officer 刘芬芬 prepared several dishes for everyone to share, and Sister 李文爱 helped trim the residents' hair. In February, the Senior, Women's, Men's and Adult Fellowships held a joint talk on the art of tea. In March, members visited the Cameron Highlands and stayed at the Methodist building. That month, Dr 吴学勤, a specialist from Island Hospital, gave a medical talk entitled “I Want to Be Healthy”. The Men's Fellowship also encouraged participation in badminton and table tennis competitions, inviting its patron, Dato' 杨清辉, to present prizes. May brought a lunch discussion at 仙景楼 and a talk on arthritis by an Island Hospital specialist. Four lunchtime testimony gatherings were held between June and September.
In March and April 2011, the fellowship held two lunchtime gatherings, with Rev. 林金海 and Brother 李廷奇 as speakers. A dinner gathering in April included a medical talk on stroke prevention. The Annual Conference seniors' camp was held in Sitiawan in July. In August, the fellowship held a fellowship meal with the Adult Fellowship and invited three gospel ship crew members to share their testimonies. In September, our church's fellowship organised a six-day, five-night trip to Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
In February 2012, the fellowship invited Dr 刘进顺 to speak about menopause, followed by dinner together. Members took a day trip to Langkawi in May. Sister 陈瑞娟 spoke on healthy eating in September. Two speakers were invited in November: Dr Kelvin Tan from Mount Miriam Hospital on breast cancer, and Dr 郑永成 on issues affecting older people.
In January 2013, the Men's Fellowship joined the Senior Fellowship, Methodist Women and the Adult Fellowship for dinner and a talk entitled “When Traditional Chinese Medicine Meets Theology”. The Senior Fellowship held a lunchtime gathering at Penang's 龙城 Hotel in March. Dr 郑永成 returned to speak on health matters in June. In July, members attended a seniors' camp in Ipoh, and our church's 李国庆 Cup badminton tournament began. Over the next two months, Ms 蔡丽春 taught patting and stretching exercises, and Mr 杨福才 spoke on “Worrying Trends in Health”.
Dr 黄依慰 shared a testimony at the joint gathering in January 2014, followed by Dr 洪丽卿 in February. In March, Brother 谭伟良 spoke about green buildings and environmental protection. Brother 骆胜坚 introduced basic health concepts in April. The district seniors' retreat was held at Flamingo Hotel by the Beach in Tanjung Bungah in May, with Dr 王锦保, an orthopaedic specialist from Gleneagles Hospital Penang, speaking on the prevention and treatment of bone spurs. At the joint fellowship gathering in October, physician 孙忠实 spoke about managing cancer risk.
In May 2015, the fellowship joined the Adult Fellowship and Methodist Women for a day trip to Penang Hill. That month, Officer 邱学新 conducted training at our church, and members attended the dinner marking the 50th anniversary of Mr and Mrs 曾国生. In June, members hosted a concert by the Petaling youth choir. Ten seniors from our church then attended the sixth seniors' camp in Melaka. Another joint day trip with the Adult Fellowship and Methodist Women took place in July, this time to Taiping. Members also supported Dr 黄雯雯's musical evangelistic meeting. In September, the fellowship shared a meal and fellowship with the seniors from 美安堂 Methodist Church in the Miri District of Sarawak.
2015Senior Fellowship Activities for the Year
In January 2016, the president attended an Annual Conference Senior Fellowship meeting in Kuala Lumpur. Medical talks were held in January and April, with Dato' Dr 余添山 and Dr 郑永成 as speakers. Members also formed visitation teams. In July, the fellowship attended Dr 黄雯雯's music-sharing session. In August, members attended our Youth Fellowship's 70th anniversary thanksgiving gathering and took a three-day, two-night trip to Thailand. In December, they visited Sekinchan for three days and two nights.
In 2017, our church discontinued the separate Men's Fellowship and renamed the “Men's and Senior Fellowships” as the “Senior Fellowship”. Church officer 吴永远 was appointed president and continued in office at the time of this account. A welcome gathering for new members was held in February. Professionals spoke about wills in March. In April, members attended a Northern District seniors' lunch at Vouk Hotel Suites, with blood tests provided by a specialist hospital and Dr Amir Shah speaking about cancer's causes, treatment and prevention. The fellowship visited 恩惠爱老院 in Paya Terubong in May. In June, ten members attended the seventh Annual Conference seniors' camp at Kinta Riverfront Hotel in Ipoh, themed “As the Years Pass, Grace Abounds”. In July, the fellowship hosted seniors from 感恩堂 in Miri, Sarawak, for singing, testimonies and dinner. Dato' Dr 余添山 also spoke that month on preventing dementia. In August, teachers from our church explained how to understand and use smartphones. In September, physiotherapist 张逸松 of TAGS Spine and Joint Specialists spoke about lower back and knee pain. On Senior Sunday, 8 October, members sang “有一恩手” and shared a thanksgiving lunch in Dorcas Hall, also celebrating the pastor's birthday. At the end of the month, they visited food and curtain factories in Lunas, followed by shopping at Design Village in Batu Kawan. In November, members took a three-day, two-night trip to the French village and Japanese Tea House at Bukit Tinggi, also staying two nights at Genting Highlands and stopping in Taiping and Ipoh on the return journey. A Christmas buffet lunch and gift distribution were held in December.
In January 2018, Sister 谢理容 shared her testimony, “The Most Beautiful Blessing in This Life”. A Chinese New Year thanksgiving meal followed in February. Brother 江国强 led “Understanding and Using Smartphones, Part Two” in March. Birthdays were celebrated at the café of Penang's 龙城 Hotel in April. In May, members took a half-day trip to Desaku in Kulim, followed by dinner at 风味 Restaurant. Seventeen members attended the eighth Annual Conference seniors' camp at Morib International Resort in Banting in June. That month, Gleneagles Hospital staff also provided free health checks at our church, and Dr 郑永成 spoke on understanding stroke and heart disease. In July, members visited 恩惠爱老院 in the Pulau Betong area and 梦田 leisure farm. Birthdays were celebrated at 中华小厨 on Burmah Road in August. In September, members travelled by luxury coach to Hat Yai and Songkhla, Thailand, for three days and two nights.
Brother 吴永远 shared a testimony in January 2019. Chinese New Year celebrations in February included a thanksgiving meal and reflections from Our Daily Bread. In March, young people taught seniors to use WhatsApp groups. In April, members attended a Northern District seniors' day camp, where Dr 庄瑞福 from 卢源来 Specialist Hospital spoke on common health conditions in older people, and dietitian 马丽萍 discussed nutrition and ageing. After lunch, Northern District Superintendent Rev. 王有福 and Annual Conference Senior Fellowship President Brother 黄松生 witnessed the inauguration and installation of the first Northern District Senior Fellowship. We thank the Lord that our president was elected its first president. In May, members joined the Parents' Day lunch organised by Methodist Women and took a two-day, one-night trip to Ipoh and the Cameron Highlands. They visited Design Village and IKEA in June. In July, the fellowship visited 恩惠爱老院 in Balik Pulau, singing and praising God together before Sister 崔玛利 shared a testimony. In October, members attended Rev. 黄's thanksgiving service and lunch marking 41 years of pastoral ministry. A day trip to Padang Besar followed in November.
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic spread across the world. Malaysia's government introduced the Movement Control Order to contain it, and all in-person gatherings were suspended. The fellowship moved to online meetings every two weeks, led by Rev. 谭.
In January 2023, Rev. 张 gave a short message at the fellowship's Chinese New Year thanksgiving gathering. Brother 陈凯祥 shared a testimony in February. In April, our Senior Fellowship held a joint gathering with the Air Itam Senior Fellowship at our church, inviting St John Ambulance Malaysia to demonstrate cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillators (CPR and AED). That month, a birthday gathering was held at 玉宫 dim sum restaurant. In May, Dr Choo Jing Yi of TAGS spoke about back pain, degenerative spinal conditions and physiotherapy. Gifts were presented to participants for Parents' Day in June. Members visited 恩惠爱老院 in Balik Pulau in July, and celebrated birthdays at 中华 seafood restaurant in August. In September, the Northern District Senior Fellowship organised a health talk, “From Weakness to Strength”, by clinical psychologist 陈翠燕. Following Senior Sunday worship in October, members shared lunch at 喜洋城 Restaurant. That year, the fellowship contributed RM12,000 towards repairs to the sanctuary's air-conditioning system.
Church officer 吴永远, 2009–2024
Church officer 宋凤莲, 2009–2016
Fellowship Aims and Objectives:
1. To offer and encourage Christian fellowship among older believers and their friends, and lead them to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour.
2. To share love, care and concern, and nurture a sense of belonging.
3. To organise activities that benefit members' physical, emotional and spiritual well-being and overall development.
4. To provide a channel for evangelism and social service through the Senior Fellowship.
5. To draw on older people's rich knowledge and experience in fulfilling the Methodist Church's wider mission.
6. To organise talks and discussions that benefit members.
7. To arrange trips and other activities of interest.
2023 – 2024 Senior Fellowship Office-bearers
Advisers: Rev. 张振祥 and Rev. 李仁民
President: 吴永远
Vice-President: 骆清海
Honorary Secretary: 陈秋菊
Honorary Treasurer: 谢理容
Devotional Life Officers: 黄秋雁 and 陈月英
Programme Officers: 吴亚华 and 孫佳音
Welfare Officers: 骆莲宝 and 施清凤
Social Concern Officers: 毛美霞 and 周秀云
Accompanists: Mrs 周 and Mrs 李 (pastors' wives)
Meeting time: Last Saturday of each month, 11.00 am
Average attendance: 70