TAIPING: BEC Leaders from the Taiping Catholic Church came with their Core Team members full of enthusiasm to learn how to activate their. one hundred and seventy five participants gathered for the AsIPA Workshop conducted by the Penang AsIPA Diocesan Team. The workshop was carried out in three languages: English (by Lazarus and Maria), Tamil (by Selasthin, John Das and Tracy) and Bahasa Malaysia, mainly for the 3 BECs of the Armed Forces (by Bernadette Teh).

Parish Priest, Fr Jude Miranda, thanked the Team for their time in sharing the technique based on Jesus' methodology. He was glad that the Leaders and their Core Teams came as a ‘Family’ for this programme. He further added that God has a purpose for ALL and advised the participants to open their hearts to receive His goodness; as Leaders they will bear fruits for the glory of God.

Session 1 was on Community Building. This started with an activity on how to build a community, sharing the joys and sorrows of their life. This session indicated one's patience in listening and at the same time having an interest in what the other is talking about, showing trust and respecting confidentiality. The second activity required them to form a line according to their height, weight, age, all in silence.

The message to them is that in order to build a community, we not only know our BEC members through physical looks but one needs to talk and relate with one another. Communication is important in community building. For the BEC to grow, the members are to show concern and care. Every BEC member is called to be a missionary, being Jesus to the family they are visiting. The Core Team will share the same commitment as the Leader.

Session 2 was on Spirituality of the Catholic Church. The participants were led to recite the Nicene Creed slowly to derive the 5 Marks of the Church from the following texts:

Mk 4 : 20 (a) - Word of God

Jn 13 : 14 / Phil 2: 7 - Service

Matt 28: 19 - Mission

Jn 17 : 21 - Community

Matt 4: 10 / Lk 22: 19(b) - Worship (Pray)

The 5 Marks are also the characteristics of the BEC which is a community to Pray together, read the WORD of GOD, do SERVICE in whatever way that is needful to the BEC and with a Mission to evangelize. The next session, The Elements of Mass as practised in the BEC which are:

Welcome - into the home

Forgiveness/ reconciliation

Listening

Breaking of Bread / sharing of food

Intercession where the members pray for one another

Thanksgiving

Sending

The last Session was The Role of the Christ-like Leader. The text was taken from Mk 9:33 - 37 where the participants were asked to pick out the leadership qualities of Jesus. They recognized the qualities which Jesus exercised. His leadership is: inspiring, enabling, animating, up building, guiding, evangelizing.

The day ended with a Closing Prayer by Lazarus. Valerie, on behalf of Fr Jude and the BEC Leaders, thanked Lazarus and his Team for spending their time and expertise with the Taiping Catholic Church. — By Valerie Angus