Fellowship lunch with church leaders. The NCCS leadership resumed its fellowship lunch with a small group of church leaders on 5 April. The six guests, all from member churches were Pastor Leong Che Yeong (Bethesda Katong Church), Pastor Harun Lie (Bethany Church Singapore), Rev Dr Chern Hock Chye (Renewal Christian Centre), Pastor Leong Sow Hoe (Bethesda Cathedral), Mr KC Vergis (Mar Thoma Syrian Church) and Rev Dr Bobby Chaw (City Harvest Church). They were hosted by Bishop Lu Guan Hoe (NCCS President), Archbishop Dr Titus Chung (Vice-President) and Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian (General Secretary). It was a time of sharing and learning from one another, especially on the impact of Covid-19 on worship attendance and church life.
The Exco members were encouraged by the development and spiritual growth of these six churches. We would like to share with you how God is continuing to work through these churches. LEADERS SHARE
National Family Festival (NFF). The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is gearing up for the National Family Festival (NFF) throughout the month of June, coinciding with the school holidays. Kicking off on 25 May, this festival boasts an array of engaging events, programmes and promotions tailored to diverse families.
It is an opportune moment for churches to take the lead in promoting strong family values within their communities, aligning with the ethos that Christians uphold beyond merely addressing negative family issues. Here are some ways in which churches can work with MSF:
• Plan camps, programmes and activities in June that emphasise the importance of family bonds. MSF can provide support through materials and parent-child activity kits.
• Coordinate with MSF to reserve slots for church members to participate in NFF events, ensuring that they can actively engage in the festivities.
• Seamlessly integrate church-sponsored family-centric events with the broader offerings of the NFF, maximising synergy and community involvement.
• Actively publicise the NFF 2024 activities as they become available, leveraging church communication channels to encourage members’ participation.
We encourage churches to plan their June activities with NFF in mind.
Church land in Sengkang. The revised framework of balloting based on a fixed land price was awarded to Covenant Evangelical Free Church (CEFC). Senior Pastor, Rev Tony Yeo, who is also Chairman of Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore (EFCS) shared that it has been a faith journey for Covenant EFC “as we sought the Lord for a permanent site in the East/NorthEast for our third English-speaking congregation. Through the past years, we submitted to His sovereign will and are very grateful for God’s provision of the site in Sengkang. It is both a gift and responsibility which we will steward faithfully and fearfully”.
Rev Yeo said that the revised framework gives all churches a fair chance once they pass the pre-qualification stage which requires the church to contribute to the community where it is located. He added, “Covenant EFC is committed to be a blessing and to serve the community we are in. Our plans for the site are currently in preparatory stages and we will share more in due time. Meanwhile, we seek your prayers for us to faithfully build His Church as we share His love and make disciples wherever He sends us.”
ETHOS Institute 10th Anniversary and Seminar. ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity, established in 2014 through collaboration between the National Council of Churches of Singapore, Trinity Theological College, and The Bible Society of Singapore, serves both the church and society by addressing contemporary issues and trends from a Christian perspective.
On 3 April, ETHOS celebrated its 10th anniversary with a seminar titled “Church and Society in a Post-Truth Era.” The event, held at Bible House, drew a full house attendance. After a simple ceremony to mark the occasion, the audience heard the seminar’s first speaker, Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law. Minister Tong addressed the growing spread of misinformation in contemporary society and emphasised the importance of fostering a cohesive and well-informed Singapore. Dr Mark Chan, Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Theological College, then provided insights on how Christians can effectively respond to the challenges posed by disinformation. The event concluded with an engaging panel discussion involving both speakers, further enriching the dialogue on this crucial topic. Please see Minister Tong’s Instagram event post in this LINK
The Lasting Power of Attorney and Advanced Care Planning were the focal points of a joint effort by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) in partnership with NCCS. Together, they organised a briefing session for churches on April 11, 2024, at St Andrew’s Cathedral. Representatives from some 30 churches were enthusiastic in their responses during the Q & A session which continued over lunch hosted by MSF.
The event commenced with a warm welcome by the General Secretary of NCCS, Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, followed by Ms Ng Xiao Yan, Assistant Director of MSF’s Office of the Public Guardian, who shed light on the significance of LPA in enabling individuals to plan for their future and empower them to make decisions before any loss of mental capacity. She also introduced the government’s “My Legacy” portal, where the public can securely organise essential documents such as wills, LPAs, ACPs, and more, accessible to trusted family member(s). Following this, Ms. Wong Wai Min, Senior Manager at AIC, delved into ACP, addressing healthcare and personal care needs for individuals who may become unable to communicate or make treatment decisions due to illness. Mr Bernard Chan from St Andrew’s Cathedral (Mandarin congregation) shared insightful experiences to educate the congregation on these issues over the past four years, and particularly to journey with those in their senior years. See links for photos and slides in EVENT PAGE .
Annual Submissions by Charities (Churches and Christian organisations). The Commissioner of Charities (COC) would like to remind all churches that the annual submission of annual reports and the annual financial statements to the COC is mandatory. All annual submissions are due within six months from the charity’s financial year end. Churches and Christian organisations are encouraged to respond as part of Christian responsibility and good governance.
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