Anglican Church to consecrate and enthrone new Bishop

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Rev Danald Jute

KUCHING: The Anglican Church in Sarawak and Brunei, which is known as the Diocese of Kuching, will hold the Consecration and Enthronement Service for its 14th Diocesan Bishop tomorrow.

Bishop-Designate, the Rev Danald Jute, was appointed by the House of Bishops of the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia to succeed Rt Rev Datuk Bolly Lapok, who has retired.

The service will be held at St Thomas’ Cathedral, Jalan McDougall here, starting with a procession at 4pm from the Parish Hall.

The Chief Consecrator will be the Archbishop of the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia, Most Rev Datuk Ng Moon Hing.

Some 2,000 Anglicans, including guests from Hong Kong, the UK, the Philippines, Myanmar, the US, Singapore, Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Labuan and Brunei are expected to attend.

Heads of churches under the Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) including the Roman Catholic Church, Methodist Church, Borneo Evangelical Church, the Seventh Day Adventist, and Salvation Army, are also expected to join the service.

There are approximately 138,000 Anglicans in Sarawak and Brunei.

Danald, who turns 51 this November, said his ministry’s objective would be ‘to serve God’s people and lead them to a greater knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and deeper relationship with Him by feeding them with the Word of God, and shepherding their hearts, to better equip the saints to do God’s work and purposes, and to share with others how to find true life and freedom in Jesus Christ’.

In his personal statement, Danald said among the areas that he is passionate about are ‘Church Renewal, Relevance of Worship, Discipleship Training, Youth Ministry and the Empowerment of Lay Leadership and the whole Body of Christ, the Church’.

He was Vicar of The Good Shepherd Church, Lutong in Miri, and served as a member of the Diocesan Standing Committee, coordinator-conductor for Local Ordained Ministry (Northern Sector), member of the Provincial Liturgical Committee, and lead member of the Harmony Group with Masjid An Naim, Lutong in Miri.

From 2007 to 2009, he was Rector at St Oswald’s Church, Kings Park in Glasgow, Scotland; while from 2003 to 2007 he served as Associate Rector at St Andrew’s Milngavie, All Saints Bearsden and Drumchapel Congregation in the Diocese of Glasgow.

Danald was also Assistant Priest at St Thomas’ Cathedral here from 1998 to 2002, lecturer at the House of the Epiphany Theological College from 1992 to 1998, and Pastoral Assistant at St Thomas’ Cathedral from 1988 to 1989.

He holds a Bachelor of Divinity (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and a Diploma in Missiology from the Australian College of Theology via the House of the Epiphany Theological College, Kuching.

Danald is married to Julita Jack Sunggul, and they are blessed with four children – Izra, Iona, Ian and Ingrid.