A Message from NCCS President: The Lunar New Year is a season of reunion and thanksgiving, as well as a time to look ahead with hope. Over the past year, we have worked together in unity under God’s guidance to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord, witnessing the abundant fruits of many ministries. Most significantly, we celebrated God’s faithfulness and protection through the joyous commemoration of NCCS’s 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary. (For Bishop Lu’s Lunar New Year message in full, please visit either link: ENGLISH / CHINESE )
Methodist Bishop Philip Lim was appointed Vice-President of the NCCS Executive Committee on 23 January, replacing retiring Bishop Emeritus Dr Gordon Wong. Bishop Lim was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) on 6 December 2024 to serve in the 13th Quadrennium (2025 to 2028). He oversees 46 Methodist churches, provides counsel to 15 Methodist schools as well as the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) and Methodist Missions Society. He is also the Presiding Bishop for the Methodist churches in Cambodia, Nepal and Thailand.
Previously, he served as a missionary in Cambodia under the Methodist Missions Society (MMS), and as Executive Director of MMS from 2012 to 2018. While in Cambodia, he oversaw the growth of the church, as well as community development programmes such as the Methodist School of Cambodia and Community Outreach Services Immanuel. Bishop Lim has pastored churches in the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC), most recently as Pastor-in-Charge of Kum Yan Methodist Church, and chaired CAC’s Board on the Ministry prior to his election as head of the Methodist Church. Bishop Lim is an alumnus of Trinity Theological College.
50th Anniversary Video Clips. NCCS celebrated its 50th Anniversary Thanksgiving Dinner on 24 July 2024, together with the extended family of the Christian community in Singapore.
As part of the celebration, we screened three short video clips that recalled the ministry and challenges of NCCS through the years during the dinner. May we invite you to catch a glimpse of NCCS story through this LINK.
Workplace Fairness Legislation. The proposed Workplace Fairness Legislation in Singapore aims to create a just and equitable work environment, prohibiting discrimination and promoting equal opportunities for all workers. This legislation is multifaceted, addressing various aspects of employment to ensure fair treatment. However, the government has taken note of some feedback by Religious Organisations (ROs).
During a recent meeting with leaders of the ROs, Minister of Manpower Tan See Leng acknowledged that certain ROs are permitted to hire individuals based on their faith, provided that these individuals are directly involved in religious work and activities. The Ministry of Manpower will collaborate with ROs to establish appropriate standards for employer processes and practices in such cases. For the relevant paragraphs of the legislation, here is the LINK.
Foster Parent Scheme. The Ministry of Social and Family (MSF) would like to invite the Christian community to participate in its foster parent scheme. Fostering provides temporary care for children who cannot live with their birth families due to circumstances such as abuse or neglect. Foster carers offer a safe, supportive environment until children can return home, be adopted, or transition to independence. This mission aligns with Christianity’s values of compassion, community support, and care for the vulnerable. If your church would like to have more information about this project, please visit this LINK.
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