Contributed by YL Erica Yong
April 27, 2014 was a big day for the 1st Kuala Lumpur Girls’ and Boys’ Brigade Companies as we hosted a combined enrolment service in conjunction with our 60th Anniversary Celebration. The theme for this silver jubilee is “Go Shine.” Taken from Isaiah 60:1, it reminds all Brigadiers that God has not forgotten the mission He has called to.
The Enrolment Service is an annual tradition of the Girls’ and Boys’ Brigade. It is a time at which the Company and the Church unite in reminding each other of their objectives and services to one another. It is also an important event for all current members – Boys, Girls, and Officers – to formalise and rededicate their membership with the Company by promising to be a faithful member of their sponsoring Church.
Pre-Enrollment Day
Preparation for the big day began about a month ago. Every week leading to Enrolment Sunday, all Boys and Girls of 1st KL came together to practice for the parade. Since the Guard of Honor and combined parade are done only during special events, they were new to many young recruits.
The handbell and brass band started their practices even earlier. All the handbell and band members pulled together extra practices to fine tune their featured song for the Enrolment Service, “Amazing Grace.”
Learning the Meaning of Worship
I was a co-leader in the worship team, which was formed by three Officers, two Boys, two Girls, and a former member. To me, it was an honour to serve God on such an important occasion. Nonetheless, I was really nervous and worried when I was chosen to be a part of the worship team. I was thinking to myself: What if I sang off-key? What if I got the lyrics wrong? The thought of standing on stage got more intimidating as the day drew nearer.
However, during the initial practice, my worship leader, Lt. Jonathan Chan, reminded the team that worship is not about the congregation, Officers, or friends and family… but for God. And we should focus on doing our part for Him! At the end of the day, regardless of the size of the congregation, our only audience is God. Lt. Chan’s reminder really stuck with me and helped to calm my nervousness.
After that, the team had the chance to sit down and introduce ourselves. We were also asked to share about our week and the practice started soon after we prayed. The team spent an hour and a half practicing the songs and experimenting, finding alternatives to sound better as a team. Overall, it was fun and I had improved my singing.
The High-Spirited Day
Weeks later, the long-awaited day finally arrived. My day started with checking the younger girls’ uniforms, making sure that all was in order. After that, I headed to the auditorium for a sound check with the worship team. Everything was all set. I was ready – eagerly waiting for the service to start.
One of the perks of being on the worship team is that I could see everything. I could see the parade marching in; I could see the other members entering the auditorium; it was a beautiful sight. All members were wearing their uniforms, making them look really smart.
The service began with the marching-in of the Colours, as the worship team sang, “Shine, Jesus, Shine.” Then, the team led the congregation in praise and worship. I sang with all my heart, forgetting that there were a lot of people. It was a great experience.
The rest of the service went very smoothly. A few Officers from BB and GB were appointed. YL Queenie Yin was promoted to an Auxiliary Worker.
As expected, the handbell team and brass band performed seamlessly on their rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
A handful of Girls, Boys, and Officers were chosen to share their testimonies as members of the Brigades.
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Mr. William Kwong was the preacher at our service. He shared a powerful message about Jesus suffering and dying so we may live. It was a good reminder for me that I need to put God first in my life and be a good testimony for Him.
The service ended with all Boys and Girls marching on off the auditorium while we sang “Onward, Christian Soldiers” on the stage.
As the contingents marched back to the school field, a photo session was in place. We formed a “60” posture in the field and took photos to commemorate our celebration. After that, both the companies took group pictures before we were dismissed.
In retrospect, I think the effort everyone put in was worth it. Our combined Enrolment Day was a success. Happy 60th Birthday, 1st KL! May you have another 60 years of nurturing Girls and Boys into the God fearing leaders of tomorrow!
