It surely is promising to be an exhausting month to start the year with. But I'm quite sure that by the end of it all, I'm going to be whispering, "It was all worth it". My schedule for this month is as follows:

Writing a Research Paper
“Prospects for Ecumenism in the 21st Century”
World Council of Churches

04 (Friday)
Speaking on "The Meaning of Life"
Inter-Cultural / Inter-Religious Forum
International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia

06 (Sunday)
Preaching at Sunday Worship Service
Christian Life Gospel Centre, Petaling Jaya - Malaysia

12 (Saturday)
Academic Research & Personal Consultation
Singapore

18 (Friday)
Conversation Partner at "Conversation with F. LeRon Shults"
Jointly Organised by Friends in Conversation & RoH Malaysia
Bangsar Lutheran Church, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia

Here are two particular events to look out for:

1. IMU INTERCULTURAL / INTERRELIGIOUS FORUM
The International Medical University has organised an Intercultural / Interreligious Forum on "The Meaning of Life". Each religious group will be represented by a speaker who will share on the meaning of life from his or her particular religious perspective.

I'm honoured to have been invited to represent the Christians in this Forum. But of course, I'm not sure all people who call themselves Christian would approach this issue from the same perspective. So it'll be my "Christian" perspective. But I'm sure it wouldn't be too far off from the official perspective of most ecclesiastical communities.

Date: 4 January 2008 (Friday)

Venue: International Medical University, Bukit Jalil

Hall: LT2

Time: 4pm - 6pm

I'm told that a large crowd is expected at this forum, as it's an issue close to many people's hearts. This event is open to the public, except that visitors are required to get a visitors' pass from the guard at the entrance.

2. CONVERSATION WITH F. LERON SHULTS
LeRon Shults is a professor of theology at Agder University in Kristiansand, Norway, who has authored numerous books.

Friends in Conversation (Emergent Malaysia) and Revolution of Hope (RoH Malaysia) are honoured to be having him here with us for a day to have conversations with us pertaining to issues of discipleship, church, and evangelism.

This promises to be one hell of an event! Ahem...

Date: 18 January 2008 (Friday)

Venue: Bangsar Lutheran Church, Kuala Lumpur

Tentative Schedule:
0930 - 1230 hours     Becoming Human: Changing Lives
1330 - 1600 hours     Becoming God's People: Changing Churches
2000 - 2130 hours     Becoming Friends: Changing Evangelism

LeRon will be flanked by a conversation partner in each of these three sessions, and I will be the conversation partner for the first of the three.

If you would like to have more details on this event, please send me an email.

To January!