34TH SESSION OF THE CHINESE ANNUAL CONFERENCE: NOV 9-12, 2009
All reports on CAC, ETAC and TRAC Sessions by Peter Teo & Earnest Lau
IN HIS FIRST ADDRESS as President of the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC), the Rev Dr Chong Chin Chung recalled the blessings he had received during the past year and identified a number of challenges and concerns for the coming year.
One challenge is to strengthen the bonds of local churches with the Annual Conference.
Another challenge is the future development of Changi Methodist Church whose leaders expressed their vision to plant a church in Punggol, reaching out to the community by preaching the Gospel and making disciples. The Rev Dr Chong prayed that the Holy Spirit would inspire everyone to pool human resources to bring this to fruition.
Yet another challenge is the completion of the final lap of Sengkang Methodist Church’s fund-raising towards its church building project. Of the $1.5 million still outstanding, Sengkang MC has agreed to raise $700,000, leaving $800,000 to be supported by the rest of the churches of the Conference.
The Rev Dr Chong also highlighted the need to work together to fulfil the mandate expressed by the Conference theme – to be a disciple-making church by studying God’s Word, by showing mercy, by acting justly and to be ready to be sent forth in mission. Thus, Bible study was particularly relevant, and local churches should review or continue to use existing materials beneficial to their members like the familiar DISCIPLE Bible Study and the newly-launched Companions in Christ by the Board of Discipleship and Nurture which will be conducting training for DISCIPLE facilitators.
He also stressed the need to deepen the understanding of Wesleyan distinctiveness, especially in the spiritual disciplines and proclaiming the faith in the church, community and society. To understand and fulfil our duties as citizens in the light of Wesley’s teachings, the Conference will be holding regular teaching sessions led by a team of clergy and laymen to teach his doctrines as well as to look into The Book of Discipline. Current and new stewards and those involved in various ministries are encouraged to sign up for the classes. Of significance during the past year was the re-zoning of the Conference into three Districts. At the Special Conference, the Executive Board’s proposal to re-zone the 16 local churches into three Districts was accepted: East, Central and West, of which the Rev Dr Goh Nai Lat, the Rev Khoo Cheng Hoot and the Rev See Ping Eik will be their respective District Superintendents.
Two Elders ordained, two retired
TWO PASTORS WERE ORDAINED as Elders at the Closing-cum-Ordination Service on Nov 12, 2009. They are the Rev Jasper Sim Shenq Chyi and the Rev Paul Thian Moon Hee.
Two Elders – the Rev Chng Siew Sin and the Rev Dr Francis Ngoi – retired from active service.
The Principal of the Methodist School of Music, Ms Mary Gan, also retired after 13 years of service.
All three were recognised at the service for their faithful service. At the retirement service, the Rev Dr Ngoi had requested Bishop Dr Robert Solomon to place a Tudor bonnet on his head. It slipped off, to the delight of the congregation, but it was squarely placed on his head in the end. The Bishop explained that the Rev Dr Ngoi had not had the opportunity to attend his graduation ceremony when he completed his D. Min. from Boston University 20 years ago in 1990.
The following ordained ministers have been given new appointments:
In District East, the Rev Seow Choon Seng is the Pastor-in-Charge of Geylang Chinese Methodist Church with the Rev Paul Thian Moon Hee as the Associate Pastor.
The Rev Gideon Choi Gi Deug, who had his membership transferred from the Korean Methodist Church to the CAC, is now an Associate Pastor of Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist
Church. The Rev Jasper Sim Shenq Chyi is the Pastor-in-Charge of Changi Methodist Church. The Rev Khoo Cheng Hoot is the Pastor-in-Charge of Sengkang Methodist Church with the Rev David Liew Chuan Jih as an Associate Pastor.
In District West, the Rev Dr Wilfred Ho Wai Tat is the Associate Pastor of Telok Ayer CMC with the Rev Anne Lim Ai Lei as the Assistant Pastor.
The Rev John Chiok Bim Kiat is an Associate Pastor of Bukit Panjang MC. The Rev Chan Kok Chun is the Assistant Pastor of Queenstown CMC. The Rev Wilfred Leow Hui Ann is the Pastor-in-Charge of Grace MC.
In the Central District, the Rev Dr Daniel Lee Kok Pheng is the Associate Pastor of Foochow MC. The Rev Koh Keok Nguang is an Associate Pastor of Hinghwa MC. The Rev Herman Kan Man Shek is the Pastor-in-Charge of Kum Yan MC. The Rev Chin Yan Chong is the Pastor-in-Charge of Hakka MC and the Rev Dr Daniel Lee Kuan Yong is the Associate Pastor.