The CCR needs to rediscover the its basic Charism and God's insight in shaping our mission in the Malaysian Church . It is God the Father's desire that every Baptised/unbaptised person enter into a personal relationship with Him to discover the beauty, joy and peace of being His Child. I believe Jesus' death and resurrection was not to limit us but to set us wondrously free to experience this relationship, through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit bears fruit according to our availability , some thirty, sixty and some a hundred fold.

We need to focus on the growth in the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is the fruits of the Spirit that will attract people to a new way of life. Ezekiel 47:12 says, “ On the banks, on both sides of the river there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will neither wither nor will their fruit fall but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the Sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.” We know that the Life giving water is the Holy Spirit.

We need to find new expressions to live and draw thirsty, hungry, hurting persons to this river. Individuals are being led to false assumptions, that by focusing on your inner self and needs one will find fulfillment, without building relationships either with God or others. Marketers and advertisers have capitalised on this and offer materialism, masquerading as freedom.

Only when ‘roots' are planted at the banks of the river will they be nourished and healed by God's Spirit and in turn bear good fruit.

With this in mind, we in the CCR especially Core team/DST members need to be constantly seeking IN the Holy Spirit, to gather people to this “ river of Life .” The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of creativity who constantly inspires and opens doors to meet the needs of God's people. Our greatest challenge in contributing to the profound hunger of spiritual life will be to seek ways to develop a spiritual way of living that is effective in today's times. It is not only about programmes but how to sustain growth in the Life of the Spirit. This will truly be a great contribution to the Church in Malaysia .

Fr. Rufus in the cover story indicates some areas that we need to look at and act upon .

Please keep the Melaka/Johor DST and the ( Penang ) PDST in prayer as leaders are elected for a new term of office. The PMST will also be holding its elections in June.

Let us prayer that the new leaders will be filled with ‘passion' for the CCR and for God's people.

Serving you,

Gerry Pereira.

The fruit of the Spirit not the gifts get you to heaven and make you Godlike. The gifts are tools. Judas had the gifts but I'm not sure he made it upstairs. The fruit is the key to paradise and more than that , the key to a good life here on earth. So do your job because the world needs you.

Fr. Tom Forrest