294. AVCF to the clergy

The Bishop writes on the All Saints’ Cathedral Sunday bulletin of 26^th of August, 2012 when he was acting Dean of ASC.

I am deeply saddened by what I heard happened at the 7.30am English service where a member went to the microphone at the lectern, without the permission of the Rector and shouted the objection to the Si Quis.  Whilst the Si Quis invites those who may have reasons to object to the ordination of any of the candidates, they are to “declare” it in an orderly and peaceful fashion as befits the honour given to the Lord in public worship.  Even in the exercise of spiritual gifts we have to be orderly, 1 Cor 14:33 gives the reason:  “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”  There are certain individuals who have taken upon themselves to disregard the spiritual authority of the Rector and would not listen to him and his instructions.  I heard some even clapped.  This is very wrong before the Lord.  When we are presumptuous to show contempt of the Lord and create disorderliness in worship services, we are in danger of God’s action against us.  I repent before the Lord on behalf of the congregation. I urge us to do the same.  Normally, to declare your objection means “to make it known” – and if reasons are given, they should be given in writing to the Diocesan Bishop.  Our Constitution gives the Bishop sole discretion to ordain candidates who have clear calling and are sufficiently competent to fulfill their ministry outside of some of those guidelines.  This is true for all our Dioceses in the Province.  But if there are objections, the Bishop will receive the objections and he will weigh those objections seriously and prayerfully.  They are not matters to be debated.  Time and space must be given to the Bishop to consult, to weigh and to consider his decision.  If the substance of the objection is not factually correct or not weighty, then the  ordination will proceed. If the objections are substantive, then the Bishop will decide to delay the ordination.  But the sole discretion in this decision is the Bishop’s.  Once the objection is made known, the job of the objector is done unless the Bishop wants to consult  him/her to clarify.  It is not right to apply any kind of pressure on the Bishop when he is considering the objections. When Canon Thiam Choy convened a meeting for me to clear some of the misconceptions in a written objection submitted to the Diocesan office, someone published in a local paper another meeting of a “dialogue” in the name of Anglicans of Sabah Diocese inviting all Anglicans to attend.  I have never agreed to any such meeting.  We were forced to call off our original meeting to avoid confusion.  That was very unfortunate.  And it was also presumptuous for anyone to publish a notice in the newspaper in the name of Anglicans of the Sabah Diocese.  He/she has no right to represent all our members without consulting us.  I ask all our members to maintain a high level of courtesy and mutual respect in dealing with our church matters.  Even if there are disagreements, there are guidelines in the Bible how to deal with them.  To publish in the newspaper, to bring matters to Court (where an unbeliever is asked to rule over us) and to shout in the worship service are certainly not what the Lord approve of.  Let us all help to build one another up for the common good.  Let us not easily believe gossips and allegations that are untrue.  Let us show ourselves matured and not be easily deceived by loose talks.  In all that we do and say, let us remember to do everything in the fear of the Lord and in the spirit of peace.

                                                                          

Joshua says:  Why is the bishop shouted in his meditation?  Why did some or most clergy clapped??

 
If the Celebration Centre on ASC ground is started with RM16.5m (half of the fund) then this can happen to ADOS and ASC land - another scam.  Very sad indeed.
 http://wismabandarayasabah.blogspot.com/


The building costing RM33m would bankrupt the Anglican Diocese of Sabah and All Saints Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu so that the Bishop would sell the land there to an already known buyer
http://thetrutheng.com/2014/01/25/bishops-address-to-the-clergy-part-1/comment-page-/#comment-9378 


4. Bishop’s Final Legacy?


Bishop Albert Vun is adamant to launch the building of Celebration Center this year. In the next Standing Committee meeting, he will ask the Standing Committee to top up the funding so it will have at least half of what’s budgeted for the controversial RM33 million project.
The purpose for this project is unclear. Bishop Albert Vun said he had to “speed things up” due to his illness, but later claimed he wanted to build Celebration Center because the Lord told him through Isaiah 54 to “enlarge his tent”. So is this a dying man’s wish or is this the divine will of God to spend RM33 million and up for a building? Because someone claims to have heard from God, the Diocese will spend RM33 million? Is that how decisions are made? Is this how money is spent?
The Bishop said he hoped the Stand Comm would allocate up to half of the required fund. Does the Stand Comm have the mandate from the Synod to spend RM16.5 million for this building? No! The Standing Committee must remember that they are elected by the Synod to carry out the mandates of the Synod. They have a fiduciary duty to the Synod and whole Diocese, not just serving the wishes of a dying man. With painkillers, morphine, chemotherapy and pancreatic cancer in the Bishop’s body, how do we know he is in the right frame of mind to make such an expensive and far reaching decision?
Bishop Albert Vun sounded as if the Lord had spoken to him recently from Isaiah 54. This sermon is neither recent nor new. He had preached it in other fundraising events or building projects. There is nothing about Christ in the Bishop’s address to the clergy, it was all about his suffering, dying wish, illness, vision, and tent enlargement.