The Best of all is God with us

  Rev. Benjamin Clough: Pioneer missionary of Methodist School-Education in Ceylon and Asia When Rev. Benjamin Clough arrived in Galle, Ceylon on 29 June 1814, he carried with him the Methodist mission’s vision of combining faith with school-education. Within weeks, on 25 July 1814, he inaugurated the first Methodist Day-School of Ceylon   at Doonberg Walawwa in Galle. This modest beginning marked the launch of the Methodist educational enterprise in Asia, and this Galle School would eventually grow into one of Sri Lanka’s most enduring and prestigious institutions, which is the Richmond College. Benjamin Clough was only twenty‑three years old when he arrived in Ceylon. The school he established in Galle was remarkable for its inclusivity. After serving nine months in Galle, he was transferred to Colombo, while his Galle School flourished, expanding into several vernacular and Anglo-vernacular branch schools This ensured that children could learn in their own language while ...

  🌹 Tribute to Mariazell Gunatilleke 🌹 Today I pause to honour the memory of the late Mariazell Gunatilleke , a beloved Sinhala pop artist of our generation. Her unforgettable hit “Kandy Lamissi” was always on our lips, a song that carried joy and rhythm into everyday life. My first personal encounter with her was about twelve years ago at a Sri Lanka Air Force Anniversary Christian Service , where she sang with grace and power. From that day, I discovered that Mariazell was not only a voice for lively baila songs, but also a soul who poured herself into spiritual and devotional music . Those songs touched hearts deeply and inspired many. She was even invited as a guest artist at the Christmas Programme of the President’s House , a testimony to her wide recognition and the respect she commanded. The last time I met her was in December 2025 at the Winsetha Hospital Christmas event in Punchi Borella , where I shared a Christmas message and she entertained the staff with her...

  When Hidden Guilt Surfaces: A Pastoral Reflection on Sri Lanka’s Current Unrest Sri Lanka is passing through a season of deep unease. Sudden deaths, unexpected confessions, and high‑profile interrogations have unsettled the national conscience. Beneath the political noise lies something more human, more fragile, and more spiritually significant: the eruption of long‑suppressed guilt and unhealed trauma . This is not merely a political moment. It is a psychological and moral moment — a moment that invites us to look honestly at the wounds we carry as individuals and as a nation. 1. The Burden of Suppressed Guilt Guilt is not an enemy. It is a moral signal — the conscience calling us back to truth. But when guilt is buried, denied, or silenced, it does not disappear. It becomes: a quiet fear of exposure a restlessness of the mind a tendency toward aggression a deepening sense of insecurity Psychologists call this suppressed guilt , and it of...

  Fasting Unto Death: What Do Our Religions Really Teach? The news of Suresh Salley’s decision to fast unto death while under CID detention has stirred strong emotions across the country. Whatever one’s political position, his act forces us to confront a deeper moral and spiritual question: How do the great religious traditions view self‑destruction and the choice to embrace death through fasting? Buddhism Buddhism places the highest value on ahimsa —non‑harm toward all beings, including oneself. Intentionally ending one’s life, even through fasting, is generally seen as an unwholesome act rooted in suffering, not liberation. The Buddha consistently discouraged self‑mortification and taught the Middle Path as the way to transform injustice, not self‑destruction. Hinduism Hindu thought also upholds the sanctity of life. While ancient texts mention prayopavesa —a disciplined fast unto death—it is permitted only under extremely narrow conditions: old age, terminal illness, and...

  Understanding “The Other’s World of Pain” — A Calling at the Heart of Pastoral Care In every pastoral encounter, we step into a moment that is sacred and fragile — the now of another person’s life. At that moment, the person before you may be living within what I call “their world of pain.” It is the space where psychological, spiritual, and physical suffering converge. It may not have existed last week, and it may be gone tomorrow, but here and now it is real, and it defines the person’s experience. Your task as pastoral caregivers is not to fix that pain, nor to rush past it, but to enter it with reverence . Pain is not simply a problem to be solved; it is a language to be listened to. It speaks of loss, fear, guilt, loneliness, and sometimes of hope struggling to survive. When you meet someone in their world of pain, you are meeting them at the most honest point of their humanity. When engaged in pastoral conversation — we must to be relentless pursuers of pain . This d...

  The Binding of the Son: A Shared Story of Obedience in Christianity and Islam Introduction In the past few days, our Muslim brothers and sisters around the world celebrated Eid al‑Adha , the festival that commemorates Abraham’s profound act of obedience and God’s gracious provision. As a Christian pastor and a fellow seeker of God’s truth, I write this reflection as a gesture of goodwill and friendship — honouring the deep faith of the Islamic community and acknowledging the sacred story we hold in common. At a time when our world longs for understanding and peace, this shared narrative of Abraham invites us to stand together with respect, humility, and mutual appreciation. A Shared Story of Faith Few stories in our sacred traditions carry the emotional weight and theological depth of the moment when Abraham is asked to sacrifice his beloved son. Whether told as the binding of Isaac in the Bible or the offering of Ishmael in the Qur’an, this narrative stands as one of the...

  The Episcopate in Methodism:  A Sri Lankan Journey Introduction “Methodists don’t have Bishops; they have only Presidents, Chairmen, and Superintendents.” This has long been the general understanding among Christians in Sri Lanka—until quite recently. But is it true? The answer is partly yes and partly no. According to statistics from the World Methodist Council, of the 73 Methodist Churches worldwide, fewer than half a dozen still follow the British model, where the head of the Church is titled “President.” Even the British Methodist Conference—the Mother Church of Methodism—has agreed with the Anglican Church that, in the near future, the head of the Methodist Church will be titled “President-Bishop,” exercising an episcopal ministry.¹ Early Encounters with the Title “Bishop” My second appointment as a probationary minister (the equivalent of a Deacon in Anglicanism) was in the Kandy Circuit of the Methodist Church, under the superintendence of Rev. Dr. Kingsley Mutt...

  Silence is Complicity: Why the World Must Demand Peace The silence is deafening. As bombs fall and children cry, the world watches with muted horror. Where are the voices that should be rising in outrage? Where is the moral leadership that should be calling for peace? In a time when suffering is broadcast in real time, silence is no longer neutrality—it is complicity. It is nothing short of tragic that the three Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—born from Abraham’s vision of blessing all nations, are now locked in cycles of violence. This is not faith; it is a distortion of faith. And while leaders argue, children die, families are torn apart, and nations collapse under the weight of war. The United Nations, entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding peace, has failed to bring the United States, Israel, and Iran to the negotiation table. Every day of inaction is a day of bloodshed. Every delay is a betrayal of the innocent. The consequences are global. Wars...

  The Silent Positives of the Sanga Samuluwa As a Christian who values building strong relationships with both clergy and laity across different faiths, I hold deep respect for interreligious harmony. To me, violent or unruly behavior — regardless of the faith it comes from — is incompatible with the spirit of true religion. It is from this perspective that I reflect on the recent Sanga Samuluwa held last week at the ACBC in Colombo 7, under the leadership of Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero. The gathering was expected to draw a large number of Buddhist monks. Instead, the depleted attendance revealed something far more significant: a quiet but powerful statement about the state of the Sangha today. Silent Dissent Speaks Volumes The absence of the majority of monks was no accident. It was a deliberate act of dissent, a refusal to endorse divisive rhetoric that blames other religions for Buddhism’s challenges. Their non-participation was a conscious choice to distance themsel...

  The Scriptural Principle When Jesus declared, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21), He drew a profound line between civic responsibility and spiritual devotion. His words remind us that while our ultimate allegiance belongs to God, we also live within earthly structures of governance that demand respect, accountability, and obedience. The Situation In Ceylon, during a time of epidemic, the Government entrusted a Christian Church with a 99-year lease of state land to operate a health facility. This was a providential gift, and the missionaries faithfully served the community through primary healthcare. Years later, the facility was transformed into a youth camp site under the stewardship of a respected Christian organization. Eventually, the property was returned to the Church. However, financial constraints made it impossible to sustain the camp site meaningfully for over three decades. Recognizing this reality, the Government ...

  On Saturday, 3rd January at 8.30 a.m., Ms. Devshani Samaranayake, an outstanding past student of Methodist College Colombo, was joyfully inducted as the 15th Principal of Methodist College, Kollupitiya. The induction service was led by Rev. Kingsley Weerasinghe, President Bishop of the Methodist Church Sri Lanka, together with Rev. S.S. Terrance (Secretary of Conference), Rev. Asiri P. Perera (Retired President Bishop), and Rev. Vasana Fernando (Chaplain). Methodist College holds a unique place in history as the only girls’ school retained by the Methodist Church when 177 schools were taken over by the Government in 1962. ✨ Devshani’s Journey of Excellence • During her school years, she excelled in both academics and sports, learning discipline, balance, and commitment. • Spiritually nurtured through morning prayers and the Student Christian Movement, she continues to inspire students to discover God’s love in every situation. • She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography, a...

  I'm inspired to write this on a day when all of us in Sri Lanka have been shaken by the arrest of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, a former President of our country. The emotional spectrum regarding this arrest is broad, ranging from profound anger and sorrow to unbridled joy. These responses are rooted in subjective political preferences.  I too feel a personal sadness at the arrest of Mr. Wickremesinghe. During my time as the head of the Methodist Church, he, as the Prime Minister of the Yahapalanaya government, intervened in a couple of situations where our Methodist Churches and church workers were attacked by anti-Christian elements. He ensured that the unlawful elements were brought to justice and provided a safe passage for us to continue our mission work.I pray that his health issues will soon be sorted out with a speedy recovery.  I hear a loud cry echoing, "This is political revenge." Yes, this has been a reality that people have experienced for decades after a regim...

In 1993, 32 years ago on Friday, August 13th, I understood the depth of God's call to Abram (Abraham). The call, "Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you," was a command to leave his comfort zone in obedience to God. Having been released by the Methodist Conference in 1984 to serve full time at Dev Suwa Sevawa, an institute founded by my late father for the ministry of healing, I intended to serve in the same place, comfort zone, for the rest of my life. A released minister in the Methodist Church means the person is full time committed to the work in the institute he serves; he is not appointed by the Methodist Conference to be in any committees; he is not appointed to hold any office in the administrative structures of the church; he is not transferable to any Circuits for pastoral work.  In 1989 and 1990, I followed the Clinical Pastoral Education courses (Basic and Advanced Units) at Auckland Public Hospital and North...

  The Ven. Dr. Madampagama Assaji Tissa  Mahanayake Thero of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya Ven Dr. Madampagama Assaji Thissa Thero was born on April 28th 1955. Having entered the monkhood in 1962 he received his higher ordination on July 6 th 1975. The Ven. Thero has served with utmost dedication for the furtherance of the Budda Sasanaya under various capacities for many years. In July this year, the   Amarapura Maha Nikaya elected Venerable Dr. Madampagama Assaji Tissa Thero as the Mahanayaka of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya.   The presentation of the Sannaspathraya to the Ven. Thero took place amid a distinguished gathering which included Hon. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi (Minister of Buddasasana and Cultural Affairs), Hon. Karu Jayasuriya (Former Speaker of the Parliament) Hon Sajith Pemadasa (Leader of the opposition) and His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith on the 7th of December 2024 at the BMICH. The Ambassador of the Republic of Union of Myanmar (Burma) H.E. Marlar Than...