CG Christmas Thanksgiving Lunch cum Birthday Celebration 2025

For the past two years, our CG Christmas cum Birthday celebrations were held at my home (Read here for 2023) and (Read here for 2024). This year - 2025, our CG leadership decided to do something different by holding the gathering at a local restaurant. The celebration took place in the early afternoon of 19.12.2025 and was attended by twenty-two people, including Monica, an ex-member who joined us as a guest.

Seeing Monica again after the passing of her late husband, Gerald, on 30.09.2025 (Read here), was heartwarming. Her thoughtful contribution of two home-cooked dishes of Bai Zhan Ji (white cut chicken) was a pleasant surprise which complemented the food we had ordered and was very much appreciated by everyone.

As the years pass, we have grown more aware that organising gatherings at new locations - especially those involving longer drives and more walking - has become increasingly challenging for many. 

That afternoon, we were fortunate to be the only customers inside the restaurant’s air-conditioned section. Once everyone was gathered and comfortably seated, we sang the familiar Christmas hymns, exchanged warm greetings, and the air was filled with joy and laughter, heightened by the Christmas season. In that timeless moment, it felt as though the years had gently faded away.

White cut chicken from Monica.

*************************************************

Taking advantage of the gathering of the full CG, my wife expressed her heartfelt thanks on behalf of SIEC (Sabah Inter-denominational Education Council) for the monetary gifts extended by our CG to two of its staff members in year 2025.

***************************************************

As with the previous two gatherings, the group encouraged me to share again my thought and reflection written in my blog posts. Though hesitant at first, I agreed. During my sharing, I mentioned a recent gathering with old friends who had once served in the church Children Sunday School and later in the Praise Kids ministry (Read here). To my surprise, I discovered that among our CG members were former Praise Kids teachers and van drivers.

This naturally brought back memories of the van drivers, including the late Vincent Lee (Read here). They were a dedicated group who served faithfully behind the scenes. Every Saturday afternoon, they would start early, driving across a wide area of Kota Kinabalu to pick up children from their homes. After the gathering, they would send the children back, return the vans to the church compound, and only then head home themselves. They were always the last to leave, quietly serving with commitment, sacrifice and love.

On a more personal note, I also shared about my grandson’s very first shave on 21.11.2025 - a small yet significant milestone marking his transition into adulthood. This drew spontaneous laughter from the audience as they marvelled at how swiftly time has passed. The little boy they once saw when my daughter returned to KK for the holidays from WA is now stepping into adulthood, a poignant reminder to all of us of just how quickly the seasons of life move along.

*************************************************

Left photo: With Jessie, a former teacher of Praise Kids.

Right photo: Former van drivers: Hyen Siong, Peter Tai and Jimmy Wong.

*************************************************

Each year, we hold several rounds of birthday celebrations, grouping members according to their birth months. This round, we honoured members born between October and December, with the exception of my wife - an August baby - who was given the honour of a belated celebration as she was unable to attend the earlier gathering.