2021 PARTNERSHIPS
December
Launch of Alliance of Domestic Employees Outreach
On 12 December 2021, the General Secretary attended the launch of the Alliance of Domestic Employees Outreach (ADEO), a movement of Hope Initiative Alliance to provide holistic care to the migrant domestic workers in Singapore. SowCare, the community service arm of The Bible Society of Singapore, is a founding member of ADEO. The Minister of State for Manpower, Ms Gan Siow Huang, graced the occasion as the Guest-of-Honour.
Friends of ACE (FACE) Partner Award 2021
On 18 December 2021, the General Secretary was invited to attend the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Friends of ACE (FACE) Partner Award 2021. The event is hosted by the Minister for Manpower, Dr Tan See Leng.
Official Launch of hash.peace & Inaugural Year-End Forum
On 20 December 2021, the General Secretary was invited to attend the Launch of hash.peace and Inaugural Year-End Forum. The Guest-of-Honour for the event is the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law, Mr Edwin Tong.
November
Deepavali Carnival and Launch of Religious Services at Tuas South Recreation for Migrant Workers
On 7 November, the General Secretary attended the Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO) Deepavali Carnival and Launch of Religious Services event at Tuas South Recreation Centre. The Senior Minister of State for Manpower, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, was the Guest-of-Honour. The event was to launch Christian, Hindu, and Muslim services for migrant workers at Tuas South Recreation Centre.
Meeting with The Salvation Army, Singapore
On 18 November, the General Secretary met with the Territorial Commander, Colonel Rodney Walters, and other leaders of The Salvation Army, Singapore for fellowship and to discuss areas for collaboration and partnerships.
Speaking Engagement for Myanmar Evangelical Christian Alliance Monthly Worship Service
On 19 November, the General Secretary was invited as a speaker at the Monthly Worship Service of the Myanmar Evangelical Christian Alliance, attended by various Pastors in Myanmar. The service was conducted via Zoom.
1st Migrant Domestic Workers & Employer Appreciation Day
On 21 November 2021, the General Secretary, as their project committee member, was invited to attend the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST) 1st Migrant Domestic Workers & Employer Appreciation Day. The Minister of State for Manpower, Ms Gan Siow Huang, was the Guest-of-Honour. The Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth was also present as the Special Guest.
Speaking Engagement at Evangelical Free Church of Singapore (EFCS) Monthly Association Fellowship
On 24 November, the General Secretary was invited to share a devotion at the Evangelical Free Church of Singapore (EFCS) Monthly Association Fellowship attended by many EFCS Pastors.
Preaching at Kum Yan Methodist Church
On 31 October, the General Secretary was invited to preach at Kum Yan Methodist Church for Bible Society Sunday. A sermon from the General Secretary, recorded in Mandarin, was played during their two Sunday service. Pray that more people will understand the Bible Mission and commit to support its mission of making the Word of God known to all peoples
October
Meeting with the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People (ACMI)
On 13 October, the General Secretary met up with the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People (ACMI) via Zoom. The Chairman, Mr Raymundo Yu, Executive Director, Mr Jacob Yu, and the Board Member for Pastoral and Formation, Ms Anita Tan, were present for the meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss possible outreach collaboration for the migrant workers.
Dr Bobby Sng Memorial Service cum Launch of Scholarship for Theological Studies
On 15 October, The Bible Society of Singapore held the Dr Bobby Sng Memorial Service cum Launch of Scholarship for Theological Studies. To watch the recording of the memorial service and to find out more about the scholarship, please visit https://www.bible.org.sg/bobbysngscholarship/.
World Evangelical Alliance Consultation with Singapore Christian Leaders
On 26 and 28 October, The Bible Society of Singapore and Evangelical Alliance of Singapore hosted two hybrid meetings between the top influential Christian leaders in Singapore in ministry, mission, and marketplace, with the leadership of World Evangelical Alliance (WEA). WEA Leaders present include Bishop Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, the Secretary General, Rev Dr Brian Winslade, the Deputy Secretary General for Ministries, and Dr Peirong Lin, the Deputy Secretary General for Operations who is a Singaporean based in Germany.
Preaching at Fairfield Methodist Church
On 31 October, the General Secretary was invited to preach at Fairfield Methodist Church for Bible Society Sunday. Pray that more people will understand the Bible Mission and commit to support its mission of making the Word of God known to all peoples.
September
Meeting with Leaders of the Singapore Baptist Convention
On 9 September, the General Secretary met up with leaders of the Singapore Baptist Convention to discuss possible collaborations in the area of social and community care.
Preaching at the 40th Anniversary Event of Care Corner Singapore Ltd
On 10 September, the General Secretary was invited to preach at the 40th Anniversary Event of Care Corner Singapore Ltd. The General Secretary is currently also a Director and Board Secretary of Care Corner Singapore Ltd.
Preaching at Renewal Christian Church (Jurong)
On 19 September, the General Secretary was invited to preach at Renewal Christian Church (Jurong) for Bible Society Sunday. Pray that more people will understand the Bible Mission and commit to support its mission of making the Word of God known to all peoples.
Partnership with the Embassy of Israel in Singapore to organise Colours of the Bible
On 23 September, the General Secretary attended the Colours of the Bible Post-Event at the Bible House. This year, we partnered with the Embassy of Israel in Singapore to organise Colours of the Bible for the 8th Year running. The Ambassador, His Excellency Mr Sagi Karni, also attended the Post-Event.
Meeting with the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community
On 24 September, the General Secretary met up with the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community in Singapore at the Jacob Ballas Center during the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.
Meeting with Rev Vijayesh Lal, General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India
On 27 September, the General Secretary met up with Rev Vijayesh Lal, General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, to discuss how we could collaborate to provide COVID-19 relief for the marginalised communities in India.
August
MOM Youth Dialogue at Dunman High School
On 13 August, the General Secretary was invited by the Ministery of Manpower as a guest speaker for the MOM Youth Dialogue at Dunman High School via Zoom. During the dialogue, he shared about how youths could be involved alongside the government and non-profit organisations to serve the migrant workers and domestic employees.
NCCS' National Day Thanksgiving Service
On 19 August, the General Secretary was invited to attend the National Day Thanksgiving Service 2021 organised by the National Council of Churches of Singapore at St. Andrew's Cathedral. The service was to celebrate our nation's 56th National Day with a time of worship and prayer.
Meeting with EFC Leaders
On 23 August, the General Secretary had a Zoom meeting with the leadership from the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia to discuss further collaborations after our last project to provide relief support to victims of floods and COVID-19 in Cambodia.
72nd Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) Day
On 26 August, the General Secretary was invited to attend the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) Day and 72nd Anniversary in person. Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, was the Guest-of-Honour. Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Patron of IRO, and Ms Low Yen Ling, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth & Trade and Industry, were also present during the event.
2nd Anniversary virtual event of the Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (PEERS) network
On 26 August, SowCare, the social service arm of The Bible Society of Singapore, was invited to attend the 2nd Anniversary virtual event of the Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (PEERS) network of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). SowCare has been a partner of PEERS since 2020. The Minister for National Development & Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, Mr Desmond Lee, was the Guest-of-Honour.
July
Preaching at Kampong Kapor Methodist Church
On 18 July 2021, the General Secretary was invited to preach at Kampong Kapor Methodist Church for Bible Society Sunday at their 8am and 10am services. The services were live-streamed to the congregation. Pray that more people will understand the Bible Mission and commit to support its mission of making the Word of God known to all peoples.
Tackling Homelessness: Sharing on Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (PEERS) Network
On 19 July 2021, the General Secretary was invited by the Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (PEERS) office of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) as one of the guest speakers to share about efforts in tackling homelessness and partnerships with the community. The dialogue was organised by the Civil Service College for public officers.
Census 2020, Religions and Youth: Parsing the Trends, Pondering the Future - Part One
On 19 July 2021, the Bible Society of Singapore hosted a forum to exchange insights from scholars and senior leaders from the church and community on religions and the youth. The forum was organised by the Evangelical Alliance of Singapore and co-organised by the Fellowship of Evangelical Students and Graduates' Christian Fellowship. Dr Mathew Mathews, a social researcher at a local University, was the keynote speaker for the event.
Meeting with the General Secretary of the Bible-Presbyterian Church in Singapore Presbytery
On 28 July 2021, the General Secretary met up with Rev Dr David Wong, the General Secretary of the Bible-Presbyterian Church in Singapore, to foster relations and discuss possible partnerships.
June
Meeting with the Executive Director of Singapore Baptist Convention
On 8 June, the General Secretary met up with Rev Dr Bobby Lee, the Executive Director of Singapore Baptist Convention, at the Bible House to foster good relations between the Bible Society and the Baptist community in Singapore.
Meeting with the Principal of Singapore Bible College
On 9 June, the General Secretary met up with Rev Dr Clement Chia, the Principal of Singapore Bible College, at the Bible House to build relations and discuss possible collaboration.
Meeting with the Bishop of the Diocese of Singapore
On 10 June, the General Secretary met up with Bishop Dr Titus Chung, the Bishop of the Diocese of Singapore, virtually via Zoom to foster good relations between the Bible Society and the Anglican community in Singapore.
Meeting with Toa Payoh Methodist Church
On 13 June, the General Secretary was invited to preach at Toa Payoh Methodist Church for Bible Society Sunday. A sermon from the General Secretary, recorded in Mandarin, was played during their Sunday service. Pray that more people will understand the Bible Mission and commit to support its mission of making the Word of God known to all peoples.
May
Hari Raya Puasa Celebration for Guest Workers
On 13 May, the General Secretary attended a Hari Raya Puasa event where 2,600 festive meals and gifts were distributed to guest workers from 30 factory-converted dormitories. Mr Tung Yui Fai, Chief of the Assurance, Care & Engagement (ACE) Group of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), and Ustaz Dr Mohammad Hannan Hassan, Deputy Mufti of MUIS, were also present at the event.
Meeting with Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS)
On 21 May, the General Secretary met with Ustaz Dr Mohammad Hannan Hassan, Deputy Mufti of MUIS, and other leaders to discuss about possible interfaith dialogue and collaboration.
Meeting with China Christian Council
On 26 May, the President and General Secretary met up with Rev Wu Wei, President of China Christian Council (CCC), and Rev Shan Weixiang, Vice-President and General Secretary of CCC, to foster relations between the Christians in Singapore and China. Also present in the meeting were Bishop Terry Kee, Patron of The Bible Society of Singapore, and Ms Gu Jingqin, Acting Overseas Liaison of CCC.
April
Launch of SowCare Together
On 3 April, the General Secretary attended the launch of SowCare Together, an interfaith initiative to rally young people of various faiths to do good together. Our social service arm, SowCare, is one of the core organisers. The Minister of State for Culture, Community, & Youth and Trade & Industry, Mr Alvin Tan, launched the event as the Guest-of-Honour. More information about the initiative can be found in the website:https://www.sowcaretogether.sg/.
Easter Sunday Service at Tuas South Recreation Centre for Guest Workers
On 4 April, the General Secretary spoke at the Easter Sunday service at Tuas South Recreation Centre for the guest workers.
Christian Resource Sharing Workshop
From 7 to 8 April, the General Secretary attended the Christian Resource Sharing Workshop organised by Far East Organization, held at Revelry Hall, Events Centre, Sentosa. During the workshop, leaders from different organisations shared ideas and opportunities for collaboration with one another.
ETHOS Seminar 2021: Church & Society in Pandemic Times: An Evening with Minister Lawrence Wong
On 22 April, the ETHOS Seminar 2021 was held virtually via Zoom. The guest speaker for the evening was Minister Lawrence Wong, the Co-Chairperson of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on COVID-19. The topic for the evening was Church and Society in Pandemic Times.
Commissioning Service of the Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES) General Secretary and Graduates' Christian Fellowship (GCF) Graduate Secretary
On 24 April, the General Secretary was invited to attend the joint Commissioning Service of the FES General Secretary and GCF Graduate Secretary held at St Andrew's Cathedral. Mr Jeremiah Goh took over the role of FES General Secretary and Mr Michael Kang took over the role of GCF Graduate Secretary, from Mr Lisman Komaladi.
Asia Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Roundtable
From 29 to 30 April, the General Secretary attended the Asia FoRB Roundtable via Zoom, jointly organised by Asia Evangelical Alliance and the Alliance Defending Freedom. During the sessions, participants shared ideas and resources on promoting FoRB in Asia.
March
Appointment as a Member-at-Large (Asia) in the International Council of the World Evangelical Alliance
On 1 March, the General Secretary was appointed by the International Council of the World Evangelical Alliance as a Member-at-Large in the International Council, representing the region of Asia.
Special meeting with the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General of World Evangelical Alliance
On 25 March, the General Secretary had a Zoom call with Prof Dr Thomas Schirrmacher and Dr Peirong Lin, the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General of World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) respectively. The General Secretary has been appointed as an Ambassador of WEA to China and Chinese territories.
APEX Leaders' Fellowship
On 26 March, The Bible Society of Singapore hosted the APEX Leaders' Fellowship, a regular gathering of top Christian Leaders from the Evangelical Alliance of Singapore, the National Council of Churches of Singapore, LoveSingapore, and the Alliance of Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches in Singapore at the Bible House rooftop pavilion. The session focused on how churches could collaborate together in reaching out to the marginalised, minority language groups, and the migrant workers.
Asia Evangelical Alliance Special Prayer Meeting for Myanmar
On 31 March, the General Secretary was one of the prayer leaders for a special prayer meeting for Myanmar organised by Asia Evangelical Alliance.
February
Appointment as the Secretary of Executive Council and Chair of Digital & Media Commission in the Asia Evangelical Alliance
On 5 February, during the meeting of the Asia Evangelical Alliance Executive Council, the General Secretary was elected as the Secretary of the Executive Council and appointed as Chair of Digital & Media Commission.
Spring Festival Dinner with Rough Sleepers from S3P@Bible House
On 9 February, the General Secretary hosted a Spring Festival Dinner for the rough sleepers residing at S3P@Bible House. The dinner was joined by 7 rough sleepers as well as colleagues involved in the rough sleepers ministry work.
World Evangelical Alliance Handover Ceremony
On 27 February, the General Secretary attended the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Handover Ceremony to witness the handover of leadership in WEA. Dr Lawrence Chia, a member of the Board of The Bible Society of Singapore and Chairman of the Evangelical Alliance of Singapore, was also invited, and he prayed for the incoming Deputy Secretary-General during the ceremony.
January
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2021
On 25 January, The Bible Society of Singapore hosted a service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2021, organised by the Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Ecumenical Dialogue (ACCED). Held at the Pavilion of the Nations at Bible House, the event was also live-streamed with various ordained ministers from different denominations leading various liturgical segments. Bishop Terry Kee delivered the sermon for the service.
MSF Volunteer and Partner Award
On 27 January, SowCare—the social service arm of The Bible Society of Singapore—was awarded the MSF Volunteer and Partner Award in the Community Cares Award category. The General Secretary was invited to attend the virtual ceremony hosted by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Health, to receive the award.
