1st PJ Girls’ Brigade Enrolment

A Word from the Captain

We want to praise God for the Girls’ Brigade (GB). We are indeed very privileged to be part of this organisation that has touched the lives of many girls.

Do spare me some time to introduce the Girls’ Brigade to you. The Girls’ Brigade was started in 1893 at Dublin, Ireland. In Malaysia, GB has existed for 74 years. At Trinity Methodist Church Petaling Jaya (TMCPJ), the 1st Petaling Jaya GB Company was started 52 years ago under the leadership of Mrs. Khoo Onn Soo. At the time of its founding, there were 23 members, 22 from Kuala Lumpur and one from Petaling Jaya.

It all began with Mrs Khoo who was an active brigadier herself from the 1st Penang Company. She thought that it was an excellent idea to start GB at TMCPJ. She also mentioned during an interview that the LORD had impressed upon her heart to ‘feed His sheep’. The GB meetings were held henceforth every Saturday and were of the typical GB meetings, beginning with Prayer, followed by Worship, Bible Study, Badgework and Drills.

We thank God for His faithfulness as He saw us through the low and high times and we want to thank Him that today, 1st PJ is able to minister to 120 girls. In August 2008, God had impressed upon us to reach out to girls of the Methodist Primary School as an extension to reach out to more girls.

We would like to honour past and present chaplains, captains, officers and helpers who have served in the 1st PJ GB simply because they love God as well as the girls. To all the ex-GB girls, the doors are always open for you to come back and serve.

For your information, a majority of our members are not from TMCPJ. The doors are also always open to any interested girl. The girls’ parents believe that GB can provide an avenue for holistic growth in their children. In fact, girls joining us are as young as five years old and as old as 18 years of age. Whatever the age, we assure you that our programmes and training are able to cater to their level of needs.

GB has also been a place where the girls learn teamwork and social skills. At GB, they will engage in more beneficial activities than just occupying themselves with computer or electronic devices which are prevalent these days. Through the activities and the assigning of responsibilities, we cultivate the girls’ talents, good character and behaviour.

Currently, we have art and music lessons for those who are more artistically and musically inclined. Besides that, we have inculcated memorizing Bible verses through the giving of badges. This year, we encouraged the younger girls to read the Bible with their parents and the older girls to cultivate the habit of reading of the Bible during their devotion time.

Pioneer girls, those aged 15-17 years old, are being challenged to grow in their responsibility as squad leaders, squad mentors and also to run some of the GB programmes as a team. With God help, we aim to groom a generation of respectful and honourable youth who will impact society. Even our officers are challenged to aim for their Pioneer Pin, which is the highest national award, as we believe that the officers will give their best to be exemplary role models to the girls. I would like to congratulate A/W Khong Mei-Yan for achieving the Pioneer Pin on 10th June 2012.

We are also working towards a higher level of discipline in the company through drills and drill competitions. We find that drill improves the girls’ character as it demands a lot of focus, teamwork and discipline.

Dear parents, thank you for believing in us by bringing your girls to GB meetings weekly and we honour that, and I believe God will honour that too. We need your understanding and patience as the outcome may only be seen in much later years. We are always willing to work alongside with you in whatever situation or journey your girls are going through.

Our theme this year, which is Cross Over, Move On, reminds us not to stay stagnant but to move towards the greater plans that God has for all the girls.We covet your prayers to make these girls, a generation with a “Difference”. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Lastly, our heartfelt thanks to our Almighty God who has blessed us beyond what we are able to accomplish and do in the 1st PJ Company. All Praise and Glory be unto Him.

Please feel free to approach any of the GB officers or myself if you have any need for further clarification.

Thank you.
Captain Tan Hzu Fernn