2011
To nourish and equip members spiritually, especially young people, the church introduced the 顶峰 discipleship course on 15 February 2011. A character-education course followed on 19 March.
The Methodist Training School continued to offer a range of courses, providing members with different opportunities to learn.
As technology became more widely used, the church introduced an SMS service and an email address to help members obtain the latest church information.
In August 2011, the minister in charge, the Rev. 黄约辉, attended the World Methodist Conference in South Africa.
In September 2011, Sister 骆连宝 began working full-time at the church.
Recognising the importance of outreach, the church decided to try public Christmas carolling in shopping centres and public squares for the first time. Performances took place at Penang Times Square on 9 and 16 December and at 1st Avenue Mall on 23 and 24 December. Through this public Christmas outreach, the church hoped to share the gospel more widely across Penang.
2012
In an age of rapidly advancing information technology and material abundance, young people were a mission field in particular need of spiritual nurture. From 15 to 17 March 2012, the church held its first youth gospel camp on Penang Hill, praying that God’s love would transform the lives of young people who had not yet come to faith.
From 26 to 30 March that year, the Rev. 张振祥 undertook further study at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia.
As the church’s vehicle for transporting members had become old, the LCEC resolved to purchase a Toyota that year.
From 23 April to 5 May 2012, the Rev. 黄约辉 attended the General Conference of The United Methodist Church in the United States.
From 21 to 25 June 2012, the minister in charge, the Rev. 黄约辉, attended the 6th World Chinese Methodist Mission Conference in Taipei.
In August 2012, recordings of Sunday sermons began to be uploaded to Youku.
Continuing its commitment to outreach, the church decided to visit the home for older people and those needing nursing care on Green Lane through Christmas carolling. This ministry has continued annually without interruption. Thanks be to God.
As the minister in charge’s car had become old, the LCEC also resolved that year to replace it with a new Toyota for the Rev. 黄约辉.
2013
In 2013, the LCEC resolved to upgrade the sanctuary’s musical instruments for Sunday worship and praise.
As the pace of life increased, Christian families faced a growing range of challenges. The Methodist Training School therefore introduced a “Marriage and Family” course series and held a “Premarital and Marital Counselling” course in August. Through such training, the church hoped to help families build and sustain healthy relationships.
In August 2013, the LCEC resolved to purchase a new Nissan ministry vehicle to transport members and support outreach.
On 7 December 2013, the church actively promoted its “Caring School Assistance Programme”, providing school supplies to children from low-income families in Chinese primary schools. Through this Christmas initiative, it hoped to share God’s love with families who had not yet come to faith. The ministry has continued, benefiting dozens of Chinese children each year.
2014
In 2014, as many people from China came to Malaysia through the government’s Malaysia My Second Home programme, the church began a ministry among Chinese nationals. Working particularly with Mr and Mrs 秦兴久, who had moved from China to Penang, it offered companionship and practical assistance to newcomers and invited them to church.
From 13 to 18 March 2014, the minister in charge, the Rev. 黄约辉, attended a meeting of the World Chinese Methodist Church Council in China.
In March 2014, the LCEC resolved to purchase a terraced house in Batu Maung for use as a preaching point.
Batu Maung Preaching Point2015: established
From 19 to 25 May 2014, the minister in charge, the Rev. 黄约辉, joined a “Journey to Wesley’s Roots”.
The church established a children’s choir that year, with its first session scheduled for 5.00 p.m. on 16 August. Practices were held every Saturday at 5.00 p.m. The choir was led by church officer 刘芬芬, with Ms 李照罗 (the Rev. 白永基’s wife) as instructor, the Rev. 朴智允 as pianist, and Ms 李依媚 and Ms 吴路得 as assistant teachers.
In 2014, the LCEC discovered deterioration in the sanctuary’s twenty-year-old timber-strip ceiling and decided to renovate it. As weekly services would have to move to Dorcas Hall in the Methodist Century Building during the work, other necessary renovations were included. Because the works would take several months and Christmas celebrations needed to be held in the main sanctuary, the project was deferred until after the 120th-anniversary celebrations in 2015, allowing sufficient time for completion before Christmas.
2015
After a series of tendering procedures, the LCEC awarded the 120th-anniversary sanctuary renovation project to the lowest tenderer. Work began on 22 June 2015 and was completed before 30 September that year. The total project cost was RM488,419.80.
In the church’s 120th-anniversary year, associate minister the Rev. 张振祥 had completed ten years of pastoral service and was eligible for a one-year sabbatical. The Annual Conference therefore appointed a new evangelist, 谭鸣晖, to assist the minister in charge, the Rev. 黄约辉.
The Rev. 谭鸣晖
A series of training programmes accompanied the 120th anniversary. On 31 January, the Rev. 洪南明 from Australia led personal evangelism training for about 260 participants. On 14 March, Dr 黎保华 taught a course on personal spiritual disciplines, attended by about 156. On 4 April, the church joined other congregations in a thanksgiving and praise service. From 17 to 19 April, Dr 梁维正, a medical doctor, presented “Overcoming the Midlife Crisis and Enjoying the Golden Years”. On 23 May, ministry worker 邱学新 taught “Living Out the Gospel, Bearing Witness to Christ” to more than eighty participants. On 24 and 25 July, Dr 黄雯雯 led evangelistic meetings through song, bringing people to the Lord.
2016
On 19 March, Sister 黄依蔚, the eldest daughter of the Rev. 黄约辉, was married at this church.
In June, the World Chinese Church Music Association held a sacred music conference in Penang. The church choir and Emmanuel Choir took part in the choral presentations.
From 25 to 30 June, the Rev. 黄 and fellow members of the World Chinese Methodist Council visited churches in Shenyang and Dalian, China.
From 22 to 24 July, Dr 黄雯雯 led a song-based evangelistic programme, “A Life’s Journey of Love”, and educational talks entitled “When Twenty-First-Century Children Meet Twentieth-Century Parents” and “Rethinking Education for Today’s Students: The Four Essential Cs of the Twenty-First Century”. These encouraged members and their children and brought people to faith. The education programme drew 326 participants, and thirteen people raised their hands that evening to respond to the call to faith.
On 13 August, the Youth Fellowship celebrated its seventieth anniversary.
2017
Church officer 吴永远 was appointed lay leader.
On 1 January, the ministry among migrant workers from Myanmar began holding Sunday worship in the 80th Anniversary Building hall.
The church introduced cookery and Zumba classes. Cookery classes began on 4 March with more than eighty registrations, while Zumba classes began in May.
In May, a banquet honouring parents comprised thirty-six tables. A youth gospel camp was held that month at the Methodist Centre on Penang Hill.
On 22 October, Church Music Sunday also marked the choir’s eightieth anniversary.
Continuous rain on 4 and 5 November caused severe flooding in Penang. Many members’ homes and shops were inundated. The church actively provided relief and donations. Holy Communion scheduled for 5 November had to be postponed to 12 November.
In November, evangelist 谭鸣晖 was ordained as a church officer during the Chinese Annual Conference.
2018
The Alpha course began on 3 March with more than fifty participants.
On 6 May, the Women’s Fellowship celebrated its centenary.
The church published its 120th-anniversary commemorative publication.
120th Anniversary Commemorative Publication
On 9 May, the general election brought Malaysia its first change of federal government. We prayed that our gracious Lord would grant wisdom to the new government and allow the gospel of salvation to continue spreading throughout the country. The church donated RM10,900.00 to Tabung Harapan Malaysia.
In July, an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease forced the Sunday School’s preschool section to suspend classes for two weeks.
In December, the Emmanuel Choir made a week-long study visit to South Korea, from which participants benefited greatly.
2019
There were two significant changes in the LCEC. Church officer 林素芬 was elected chairperson for 2019–2020, and church officer 庄永祥 became treasurer. The new treasurer promptly purchased accounting software to improve financial records and management.
At about 11.00 a.m. on 3 March, while Hokkien Sunday worship and Sunday School were in progress, a short circuit in an electrical panel on the third floor of the Methodist Century Building produced thick smoke. Having regularly practised fire drills, the teachers calmly evacuated the children to safety. Firefighters arrived and inspected the panel, after which the smoke ceased. We thank the Lord that everyone and the building remained safe.
At 8.15 p.m. on Thursday, 2 May, the church began an evening service so that members unable to attend Sunday worship could gather to worship God.
During Sunday worship on 13 October, the church celebrated the Rev. 黄约辉’s forty-one years of ministry and retirement. Chinese Annual Conference President Dr 郭汉成 and Conference lay leader Brother 李祖国 attended to offer greetings and preach. Afterwards, guests and members enjoyed a lively lunch at 玉宫楼 Restaurant, with eighty-two tables.
In mid-October, the Rev. 黄约辉 moved out of the parsonage where he had lived for decades to allow renovation work to proceed. The work was completed in mid-December.
During the 44th Session of the Chinese Annual Conference that year, the church’s associate minister, the Rev. 谭鸣晖, was ordained as an elder. The Rev. 张振祥 was appointed minister in charge of this church.
On 10 November, Seniors’ Sunday marked the Seniors’ Fellowship’s tenth anniversary. A thanksgiving fellowship meal followed the service.
On 29 December, the Rev. 黄约辉 preached for the last time at Sunday worship as minister in charge. Although reluctant to say farewell, members wished him good health in retirement and continued diligence in serving the Lord.
At the end of the year, alarming reports emerged of an unidentified pneumonia virus causing deaths in Wuhan, China. Several Chinese cities subsequently entered unprecedented lockdowns as the outbreak worsened.
2020
The Rev. 张振祥 assumed office as minister in charge, while the Rev. 谭鸣晖 continued as associate minister.
At its January meeting, the LCEC resolved to celebrate the church’s 125th anniversary during Sunday worship on 3 May, followed by a fellowship lunch in Dorcas Hall.
The account records Malaysia’s first COVID-19 case in early February. Cases reached Penang in March, and the outbreak worsened while no treatment was available. To prevent transmission, increasing numbers of schools, places of worship, shopping centres, food courts, offices and other public places were forced to close. The sudden threat and disruption to daily life caused widespread fear.
An emergency LCEC meeting on 12 March resolved to disinfect the entire church on 14 March, while retaining Sunday worship and Sunday School on 15 March. However, the situation deteriorated rapidly over 13 and 14 March.
On 14 March, an emergency LCEC meeting was held online through a mobile-phone group for the first time. It resolved to suspend Sunday worship and Sunday School on 15 March. The Rev. 张振祥 immediately issued a pastoral letter informing members.
On 15 March, a prerecorded Sunday worship service was uploaded to the church’s Facebook page for the first time, enabling members to worship online.
On 16 March, Malaysia’s Prime Minister announced a Movement Control Order beginning on 18 March. The Rev. 张振祥 immediately issued a pastoral letter informing members that all in-person church gatherings would be suspended until 31 March.
During the Movement Control Order, the LCEC cared especially for older members and those needing help. The church supplied necessities and helped purchase food. To assist low-income people who had lost their income, it allocated RM25,000 to MCRD and donated RM2,000 to the 恩惠 home for older people, which urgently needed funds. An emergency assistance fund was also opened to applications from people outside the congregation.
Repeated extensions of the Movement Control Order forced the cancellation of the planned 125th-anniversary celebrations. Sunday worship, Sunday School and several fellowships continued online, while the Seniors’ and Women’s Fellowships had to suspend meetings. Online gatherings, working from home, face masks, temperature checks and MySejahtera scans became part of the standard procedures of the new normal.
When the outbreak eased, the government allowed places of worship to reopen under strict standard operating procedures. Sunday worship resumed several times with attendance limits and advance registration. Attendance remained very low, and the inability to meet in fellowship raised concern that members might become accustomed to absence and grow distant from the Lord. The church prayed for the Lord’s mercy, for strengthened faith and for members to maintain their personal devotions and draw near to him at home.
At year’s end, the Rev. 谭鸣晖 concluded six years of service at this church. In 2021, he was appointed to serve the churches in Tanjung Sepat and Banting, Selangor. Though saddened by his departure, members prayed that he would bring many more people to the Lord in his new field of ministry.