Daily summary update of the General Conference 11th Session will be posted here. Join us in continued prayer.
12 September 2016 (Monday)
The 11th Session of the General Conference began with a Holy Communion Service. Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup spoke on the theme “Called According to God’s Purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Greetings were received from visiting bishops from The Methodist Church in Malaysia, Gereja Methodist Indonesia, and The United Methodist Church, USA.
Bishop Dr Wee gave the Episcopal Address, which was received by the General Conference.
There were 4 ballots for the office of Bishop, but there was no election.
13 September 2016 (Tuesday)
The Rev Dr Chong Chin Chung, 61, has been elected the new Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS). He will be consecrated on 2 December 2016.
He was elected on the 8th ballot at the Church’s 11th Session of General Conference at Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church on 13 September. The Rev Dr Chong will succeed Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup, who is retiring after serving as Bishop for a term of four years, which ends in December. The Conference has voted to accord Bishop Dr Wee the title of Bishop Emeritus.
Also elected were the following office-holders:
- Nominee, Secretary of the Trustees of the MCS – Mr Kim Seah Teck Kim
- General Conference Secretary – Mr Jeffrey Lim
- Chairperson, Finance and Administration Council – Mr Goh Geck Teck
- General Conference Treasurer – Mr Stephen Lim
- Chairperson, Discipline Revision Commission – Mr Kim Seah Teck Kim
The morning session had opened with Bishop Ong Hwai Teik of The Methodist Church in Malaysia sharing a meditation titled “Unless the Lord…” on Psalm 127.
Reports were received today from the Judicial Council, the Council on Archives and History, the Council on Education, Christian Ministry in Schools, the Methodist Schools’ Foundation, ACS Foundation, St Francis Methodist School, the Methodist School of Music, ACS (International), the Methodist Welfare Services, Christian Columbarium Pte Ltd (The Garden of Remembrance), the Methodist Missions Society, Disciple Agency, the Council of Governance, and the Council of Trustees, including the Secretary of the Trustees.
14 September 2016 (Wednesday)
Today was scheduled for Legislative Committees to complete their review of amendments to The Book of Discipline.
15 September 2016 (Thursday)
The Session opened this morning with Bishop Warner H. Brown Jr. of The United Methodist Church, USA, sharing a meditation from Luke 6:27-38.
The following office-holders were elected today:
- Chairperson, Council on Archives and History – Mr Lim Soo Chin
- Chairperson, Disciple Agency – Rev David Gwee
- Chairperson, Methodist Missions Society – Mr Alvin Tan
The Conference also began elections for substantive and alternate members of the Judicial Council. The elections for the GC Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurer and Chairperson & members of the Council of Governance were deferred to the December meeting.
The Legislative Committees presented their recommendations on proposed amendments to The Book of Discipline for confirmation by the Conference. This included the setting up of a Council on Nominations to facilitate the selection of appropriate candidates for elections to office. Reports were also received from the Methodist Co-Operative Society Ltd, the Council on Episcopacy, the Council on Communications, the National Council of Churches of Singapore, Trinity Theological College, the General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (including amendments to its Constitution), and regarding the Asian Methodist Conference 2014-2016 and the 2016 General Conference of the United Methodist Church.
16 September 2016 (Friday)
The morning session opened with Bishop Amat Tumino of Gereja Methodist Indonesia sharing in Mandarin from Matthew 5:14-16, with the Rev Dr Niam Kai Huey translating to English.
The Conference received congratulatory notes from other churches and organisations for Bishop-Elect Dr Chong Chin Chung.
It went on to elect the remaining alternates to the Judicial Council, and delegates and reserves for the Asian Methodist Conference in 2017 and the United Methodist Church General Conference in 2020. The Conference also discussed matters raised by petition to the GC.
The day closed with a Memorial Service held to remember the following pastors, missionaries or their spouses who had passed into glory over the course of this quadrennium:
- The Rev Lim Chong Heng
- The Rev Ding Bing Hoe
- Mrs M. T. Fang
- The Rev Dr Clarence Lim
- Ms Betty Ng
The remainder of the Session has been adjourned to 1 December 2016.
1 December 2016 (Thursday)
The Session opened this morning with Bishop Dr James Kwang of the Chinese Methodist Church in Australia sharing a meditation on the theme, “Called According to God’s Purpose”.
Elections were completed for the remaining office-holders: Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurer, Assistant Secretary of Trustees, and the Chairperson and members of the Council of Governance. Nominations of members from the 3 Annual Conferences to various GC Councils and Agencies were also received and endorsed by the Conference.
The Session continues tomorrow evening with the Episcopal Consecration Service, 8 p.m. at 400 Commonwealth Drive.
2 December 2016 (Friday)
Tonight’s Episcopal Consecration Service marked the passing of the mantle from Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup to the Rev Dr Chong Chin Chung (right), who is now Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore. The consecration was witnessed by the new Bishop’s family, and about 1,000 Methodists including 120 Methodist pastors, 240 choral and orchestral performers, guests and well-wishers.
The following guest bishops participated in the consecration through the laying on of hands:
- Bishop Dr Ong Hwai Teik, The Methodist Church in Malaysia
- Bishop Amat Tumino, Gereja Methodist Indonesia
- Bishop Asiri P. Perera, Methodist Church in Sri Lanka
- Bishop Dr James Kwang Pek Chuong, Chinese Methodist Church in Australia
- Bishop Chen Chien Chung, The Methodist Church in the Republic of China, Taiwan
Bishop Dr Wee has retired after his 4-year term from 2012-2016, and was accorded the title of Bishop Emeritus by the General Conference.
In his first official action as Bishop, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung declared the adjournment of the 11th Session of the General Conference at the close of the Consecration Service, signalling the start of the 11th Quadrennium from 2016-2020.