At the 13th Session of the General Conference that took place on 5 December 2024, delegates voted unanimously to confer the title of Bishop Emeritus on Rev Ho Chee Sin.
Rev Ho Chee Sin, a retired Methodist pastor, served as Bishop for three terms from 1984 to 1996. During his first two terms, he concurrently served as President of the Trinity Annual Conference.
Prior to the 13th Session of the General Conference, the title of Bishop Emeritus was conferred on former Bishops only at the end of their Episcopal term if they were retiring, as stipulated by the Book of Discipline (BOD). When Rev Ho ended his term as Bishop in 1996, he chose not to retire but remain in active service. The General Conference at that time recorded a note of thanks but could not confer the title of Bishop Emeritus then. It also could not confer the title later, according to the provisions of the BOD.
The 13th General Conference at the September 2024 session had approved a petition for the amendment of ¶575 in the Book of Discipline to allow the conferring of the title “Bishop Emeritus” on a Bishop who had completed the Episcopal term and retired later, by action of the General Conference. The house subsequently voted on whether to confer the title on Rev Ho Chee Sin.
Then-Bishop Dr Gordon Wong said in his letter to Rev Ho on the conferment of the title, “We trust that this belated recognition of your steadfast service over three terms from 1984 to 1996 will be as satisfying to you as it has been a joy to us.”
Rev Ho, who is 89, is attached to Kampong Kapor Methodist Church and continues to worship there with his wife, Phaik Cheng.
Lianne Ong is the Editor of Methodist Message. / Photo courtesy of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church