David Ong appointed new Director of Finance, Administration and Programmes
MR DAVID ONG, a long-time church leader who has been involved in the social service sector for about 40 years, has been appointed the Director of Finance, Administration and Programmes (DFAP) of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS).
He starts work at Methodist Centre on Sept 1, 2007.
He replaces Mr Richard Khoo, who served two years from September 2005 until last month.
The DFAP reports to the General Conference Executive Committee (GCEC) and the Finance and Administration Council (FAC) through their respective chairmen. He has direct oversight of the Finance, Administration and Property Departments, and staff of the smaller agencies.
He will also be responsible for:
• The setting up of reporting protocols and communication flow between the GCEC and all programme agencies;
• The facilitation of administrative and financial policies of the GCEC that involve the programme agencies; and
• The development of staff functions that can be brought together with economies of scale, e.g. human resource development and deployment, training, computerisation and information technology, property management, finance and investments.
Mr Ong, 61, is well-known not only in the social concerns circles of the MCS but also in the community.
He has served the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), the social service arm of the MCS, in various capacities since the 1980s and is currently a member of the Management Committee. He was Chairman of the MWS in 1991, Chairman of the Tampines Family Service Centre (1998), Chairman of the Methodist Hospice Fellowship (2002) and Chairman of the Methodist Co-operative Society (1996).
He has also chaired numerous MWS Task Forces, Working Committees and Steering Committees.
He played a significant role in spearheading the launch and engagement of the MWS in community-based projects in the 1980s and 1990s, which resulted in the setting up of the MWS Family Service Centres, the Bethany Methodist Nursing Home, the Christalite Methodist Home and other MWS service hubs and centres, which together, work with more than 5,500 beneficiaries a month, from all levels of society.
A licensed Methodist Local Preacher, he has also served as a past chairman of the Board on Christian Social Concerns of Trinity Annual Conference, past chairman of the Council on Christian Social Concerns and past chairman of Covenant Community Methodist Church Preaching Point Management Committee.
At the national level, Mr Ong has been on the Board of the National Council of Social Service for several years and currently serves as Chairman of the Provision Committee and a member of the Services Committee.
His involvement in humanitarian and community work over the past several years has also extended to many boards/councils of organisations such as the Singapore Red Cross Society (Council member), Prison Fellowship Singapore (Chairman), Association of Fundraising Professionals, Singapore Chapter (President), Habitat For Humanity, Singapore Chapter (Vice-President), and the Methodist Hospice Fellowship (Chairman).
As a professional in the real estate industry, Mr Ong is a Past President of the Institute Agents, Past President of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI), Singapore Chapter, a member of the Singapore Institute of Surveyors & Valuers and a Fellow of the Marketing Institute of Singapore.
New Area Director for MMS
THE Rev Lawrence Chua has been appointed as the Area Director of the Methodist Missions Society (MMS), assuming his position on Aug 1, 2007.
His area of responsibilities will cover Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
With the concurrence of the Rev Wee Boon Hup, President of Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC), Bishop Dr Robert Solomon appointed the Rev Chua to the position on Aug 1, but he could not be released from Fairfield Methodist Church where he was the Pastor, until July 31.
The Rev Chua’s passion and gifting are in the area of training and nurturing pastors and leaders. He does this in partnership with his wife, Susie. He will also be involved in training and nurturing pastors and leaders in China, Nepal and Timor Leste.
His whole life bears great testimony to the grace of God.
Ask him to tell you of how the Lord saved him from a street gang in Geylang; how Bedok Methodist Church’s Youth Ministry and Youth for Christ helped to turn his life around; how a school record completely “red” (he failed all his subjects!) turned to distinctions; how Israeli commanders shaped his life during his National Service days; and how the Lord gave him a job with Singapore Telecoms for nine years before sending him to Trinity Theological College.
He graduated in 1984 and has been serving with distinction as a pastor with Trinity Annual Conference ever since, having served at Toa Payoh Methodist Church, Pentecost, Barker Road, Wesley, Bedok, Agape and Fairfield churches.
A pleased Rev Dr Norman Wong, Executive Director of the MMS, told Methodist Message: “Our search committee was pleasantly surprised by the number and quality of applicants to fill this post, but after interviewing the Rev Lawrence Chua, our choice was clear. Our only difficulty was that he could not be released until Aug1.”