MORE than 140 people turned up for the valedictory service in honour of Dr Lee Soo Ann who retired from the Bible Society of Singapore (BSS) as its General Secretary last December.
It was a moving scene when tributes were read out by BSS staff and leaders of other national bible societies and the United Bible Societies. There was also a PowerPoint presentation covering Dr Lee’s 13 ½ years with the BSS.
Bishop Dr Robert Solomon, Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore, who is the President of the National Council of Churches of Singapore, gave his personal tribute to Dr Lee’s humility after words of exhortation to the incoming General Secretary of the BSS, Mr Lim Khay Tham, a Methodist.
Bishop Dr Solomon pointed out that Dr Lee had been Mr Lim’s mentor when the latter became the Executive Secretary of The Boys’ Brigade in 1980 and Assistant General Secretary in 1994 to which Mr Lim in his response confirmed, stating that he had also followed in Dr Lee’s footsteps in social concerns when he took charge of Care Corner in 1999.
The transfer of office took the form of the handing over of the Millennium Handwritten Bible, a project undertaken by the BSS in 2000, from Dr Lee to Mr Lim, together with a set of keys to the Bible House.
Those present were treated to a heartwarming solo by Mr Geoffrey Abisheganaden on “Bless This House”, specially addressed to Dr Lee and his family.
In his farewell address, Dr Lee spoke on Deuteronomy 6: 6-9. His address was heartfelt and candid, typically characterised by his own sense of humility and God’s leading in his life.
Mr Lim pledged to continue the work of the BSS.
The service also saw the launch of Dr Bobby Sng’s books, In His Good Time, and The Story of the Church, the third instalment of the Bible on Stamps series. Dr Sng is the President of the BSS.