[ACNS, by Gavin Drake] Christians from many denominations joined together in the Samarahan district of Sarawak for a united prayer service ahead of Malaysia’s National Day tomorrow.

More than 500 people attended last Friday’s service at St Francis’ Church in Samarahan. The Revd Canon Fred David, chaplain to South East Asia Archbishop Moon Hing, preached a sermon on “working together as one body” from 1 Corinthians 12.

The service began with the raising of Malaysia’s national flag, the Jalur Gemilang, along with the state flag of Sarawak by deputy chief minister Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and deputy state secretary Jaul Samion.

More than 500 Christians from the Association of Churches in Sarawak, Samarahan branch attended the service, from Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Seventh-Day Adventist and Sidang Injil Borneo churches.

In a move reflective of the different tribal groups and cultures in Malaysian Borneo, the service was conducted in Iban, English, Bahasa Malaysia, Bidayuh Biatah and Mandarin languages.