PBBC held an installation and consecration service of its new Interim Pastor, D
r. Dingrin La Seng, on Sunday June 28, at St. John’s Baptist Church in Philadelphia. The service was led by Rev. Dr. Yahalaylayla and Rev Saw Ler Htoo both history makers of PBBC. Rev. Saw Ler Htoo gave a charge to the pastor and Dr. Yahalaylayla led the consecration prayer.
Dr. Yahalaylayla, Head of Department of Practical Theology at Karen Baptist Theological Seminary in Insein, first started the prayer meetings for folks from Burma at different houses during his stu
dies at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary now Palmer Theological Seminary. After he finished his studies and left for Burma, there was a brief break. But in 2001, when Rev. Saw Ler Htoo arrived in the US as Pastor of Calvary Burmese Church in Washington DC, he, together with the PBBC founding members resumed the Fellowship with people from Burma residing in Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey with regular monthly prayer meetings at different houses.
Regular Sunday worship services began in 2006 led by Thra Lincoln up till July 2007 during which refugees from Thai-Burma started arriving to resettle in US, and the Fellowship grew to a congregation.
When Thra Lincoln finished his studies and returned to Burma, God sent Saya Sanno Thuan who was studying at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia to take over from him and served as interim pastor from July 2007 to February 2009. At that time Dr. La Sen
g was a fresh graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary with a Ph.D. degree. When Saya Sanno Thuan left to pastor a church in Maryland, the elders of PBBC approached Dr. La Seng to be interim pastor.
He is first and foremost, a scholar interested in research studies, writing books and articles on theology. However, without any hesitation, he accepted the proposal as he perceived it to be God’s commission to him - to serve his people in this capacity besides his other pursuits.
May God grant him wisdom and guidance in leading and developing the spiritual growth of PBBC.
