2019 PARTNERSHIPS
December
World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly 2019
The General Secretary attended the World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly in Jakarta from 7 to 9 November. The theme of this year’s assembly was Your Kingdom Come, with a focus on how the global Church can come together to advance His kingdom.
200 Millionth Bible Celebration in Nanjing
From 10 to 13 November, the General Secretary was invited by Amity Printing Press to attend the celebration of the 200th millionth Bible printed in China. Over 200 leaders of various Christian organisations and Bible Societies attended the celebration. May God continue to bless the work of Amity Printing Press to make His Word available to all.
Meeting with Mr Oldi Morava and Mr Tim Foggin
On 25 November, the General Secretary met with Mr Oldi Morava and Mr Tim Foggin from the British and Foreign Bible Society. They discussed potential opportunities for collaboration to further Bible Mission in Singapore and in the region.
Sowers-In-Action Year End Gathering
On 26 November, the Sowers-In-Action Year End gathering was held at Bible House to thank our volunteers for their faithfulness in serving the Bible Mission. About 35 volunteers attended the gathering to give thanks for God’s provision throughout the year, and to engage in a time of corporate worship.
Sharing at Evangelical Free Church of Singapore
On 27 November, the General Secretary was invited to give a sharing at the Evangelical Free Church of Singapore’s pastors gathering. During the meeting, he gave an update of The Bible Society of Singapore’s Bible Mission work in various countries.
November
Meeting with Institute for Biblical Languages and Translation (IBLT)
The General Secretary met with Dr David Swarr from the Institute for Biblical Languages and Translation (IBLT)—a Hebrew language school based in Israel—on 21 October. They discussed collaboration possibilities for a Biblical Hebrew Course in Singapore in partnership with the Sower Institute for Biblical Discipleship.
Meeting with David Pawson Ministries
On 23 October, the General Secretary had a meeting with Mr Steve Dally from David Pawson Ministries. They established a partnership for the translation and publishing of David Pawson’s publications. We pray that this meeting will enable The Bible Society of Singapore to bless more communities with Scripture material for their edification.
Defending the Truth: Unmasking Eastern Lightning
The Bible Society of Singapore hosted a panel session at Bible House on 29 October to raise awareness on a heretical Chinese cult—known as Eastern Lightning (东方闪电)—propagating violence against the Chinese Christian community. The General Secretary was also one of the panelists. The event also marked the launch of a brand-new publication, Unveiling the Truth Behind Eastern Lightning—A New Perspective on the Church of Almighty God.
Meeting with the Bible Society of South Africa
On 1 November, The Bible Society of Singapore (BSS) had a meeting with Mission Programmes staff from the Bible Society of South Africa. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how they could adapt some of BSS’ Scripture Engagement materials to reach out to the Christian community in South Africa.
October
IRO Special Trip to China
From 2 to 6 September, the General Secretary of The Bible Society of Singapore organised and facilitated a trip for 20 delegates from the Interreligious Organisation (IRO) Singapore to meet with religious leaders in China. The trip was an opportunity for leaders on both sides to build relationships with one another, and discuss ways to improve religious harmony in their respective contexts.
Launch of Walking In Your Shoes
On 19 September, the General Secretary attended the launch of Walking In Your Shoes Exhibition at Far East Plaza. Organised by the Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO), Walking In Your Shoes aims to appreciate the guest workers for their hard work, and allow the public to get a glimpse of their lives. Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Minister of State in the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Manpower was also present at the launch as the Guest of Honour, as well as Mrs Dorothy Ng-Chan, Executive Director of Far East Organization.
Sharing at Mount Carmel Bible Presbyterian Church
The General Secretary was invited to attend Mount Carmel Bible Presbyterian Church’s Inaugural Annual Presbytery Meeting on 21 September. During the meeting, he gave a sharing about The Bible Society of Singapore’s mission work in China.
September
D6 Family Conference in Hainan, China
On 2 and 3 August, the General Secretary attended the D6 Family Conference in Hainan, China, which aims to equip participants for family ministry. The keynote speaker of the conference was Dr Ron Hunter Jr. There were about 100 Chinese Christians that attended the conference.
Meeting with Compassion International
On 13 August, the General Secretary met with Compassion International, a child-advocacy ministry. We pray that this meeting will open future opportunities for partnerships and collaborations to serve His people.
August
Social Service Leaders Prayer Meeting
On 11 July, the General Secretary attended the Social Service Leaders’ Prayer Meeting at the Bible House’s Pavilion of the Nations. Various CEOs, Executive Directors and Management Team members from about 20 voluntary welfare organisations attended the meeting.
Launch of ‘The Invisibles’ Exhibition
On 14 July, the General Secretary attended the launch of ‘The Invisibles’ Exhibition at Far East Plaza. an exhibition about mental health wellness. Mr Christopher De Souza, Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, was the Guest of Honour for the launch. Mrs Dorothy Chan, Executive Director of Far East Organization was also present at the launch.
APCCS Pastors’ Luncheon
On 15 July, the General Secretary attended a fellowship luncheon organised by the Alliance of Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches in Singapore (APCCS) at Flutes, located at the National Museum of Singapore. The purpose of the meeting was for the alliance to discuss and set their vision for the year ahead. Over 70 pastors from various churches and parachurch organisations were present at the meeting.
COH Thanksgiving Tea for Steering Committee
On 15 July, a thanksgiving tea for the Celebration of Hope (COH) Steering Committee was organised to give thanks for this year’s Celebration of Hope rallies. The General Secretary was present at the tea, having served in the steering committee as treasurer.
Meeting with Taiwan ORTV
On 19 July, the General Secretary met up with the Executive Director of Overseas Radio and Television Inc. (ORTV), Dr Daniel Hsieh. They discussed future opportunities for partnerships and collaborations.
UBS Asia Pacific Catholic Affinity Group Meeting
From 23 to 24 July, The Bible Society of Singapore was invited to attend the UBS Asia Pacific Group Meeting in Kuching, Malaysia. The meeting was an opportunity for members of the Asia Pacific group to discuss how to build relationships and establish partnerships with the Catholic community in the region.
Farewell for Ms Simona Halperin at Embassy of Israel
The General Secretary attended a farewell cocktail for Ms Simona Halperin, Ambassador of Israel to Singapore, held at the Embassy of Israel on 24 July. Dr Bill Foo, Chairman of the Singapore Israel Business Circle, was also present at the event.
July
Bible Society Sunday
On 9 and 30 June, the General Secretary preached at Paya Lebar Methodist Church and Kampong Kapor Methodist Church for Bible Society Sunday, where he shared about the Bible Mission and the work of The Bible Society of Singapore. We pray that this partnership with the Methodist churches in Singapore will bear fruit for the Bible Mission.
UBS Mission Roundtable Exchange in Greece
The General Secretary visited Greece for the UBS Mission Roundtable Exchange 2019 from 16 to 22 June. Representatives from over 100 countries were present at the exchange. During the meeting, he shared about The Bible Society of Singapore’s Scripture Engagement initiatives and programmes, as well as about her role as a Mission Resource Centre for Bible Societies globally since 2017.
June
Celebration of Hope
The General Secretary was actively involved in the recently concluded Celebration of Hope—a nationwide outreach event held at the National Stadium from 17 to 19 May—by serving in the Executive Committee as its Treasurer. The Bible Society of Singapore was also commissioned to produce 70,000 copies of the New Testament in English and Chinese, which were distributed at the rallies to bless new believers.
Signing of MoU for Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO)
On 31 May, the General Secretary was present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO), a new initiative of the Alliance of Indian Ministries (AIM) and Sow Care Limited, ministries of The Bible Society of Singapore. This new initiative will focus on holistic outreach to guest workers in Singapore.
May
IRO Remembrance Gathering for New Zealand Terror Attacks
On 3 April, the General Secretary attended the IRO Remembrance Gathering for the New Zealand Terror Attacks at Raffles Town Club. At the event, President Halimah Yacob gave a speech emphasising the importance of religious harmony in Singapore, and encouraged the various religious leaders to pray for the victims in New Zealand.
VISIT BY AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY
From 8–12 April, the General Secretary hosted Jane Jelgerhuis and James Catford, former General Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society. They conducted training sessions on partnership development and discussed opportunities for partnerships in the future.
LAUNCH OF STEPS OF UNITY—JESUS WALKS THE DIFFICULT ROAD
On 12 April, the art exhibition, Steps of Unity—Jesus Walks the Difficult Road, was launched at Far East Plaza, with Bishop Terry Kee and Monsignor Philip Heng as the Guests of Honour. The exhibition was organised by The Bible Society of Singapore and arts@work. The event and venue were sponsored by Far East Organization and Far East Plaza respectively.
OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD HIGH TEA RECEPTION
On 17 April, the General Secretary attended the High Tea Reception for Our Place in the World at the Fullerton Hotel. The reception was held to conclude the fundraising efforts for the exhibition, and was sponsored by Far East Organization. The Bible Society of Singapore is one of the beneficiaries of this fundraising initiative.
April
ETHOS CONVERSATION: NURTURING THE FUTURE GENERATION
On 20 March, the General Secretary attended the ETHOS Conversation: Nurturing the Future Generation held at Bible House. The panellists for the discussion were Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for National Development, and Rev Christopher Chia, Senior Pastor of Adam Road Presbyterian Church. Together, they discussed how the state and church could come together to address issues that the younger generation is facing today.
AAA MEETING IN NEW ZEALAND
From 25 to 28 March, the General Secretary attended the annual UBS Asia Affinity Alliance (AAA) meeting in New Zealand. The purpose of the meeting was to strengthen the relationships between the Bible Societies in the Asia Pacific region, as well as to discuss opportunities for partnerships to further Bible Mission work in the region.
March
OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD RECEPTIONS
In February, the General Secretary attended the receptions for Our Place in the World, a fundraising photo exhibition by Speaker of Parliament, Tan Chuan-Jin. Ministers Mrs Josephine Teo and Mr Desmond Lee were the Guest of Honours for the receptions on 8 and 25 February respectively. Mrs Dorothy Chan, Executive Director of Far East Organization, was also present at the receptions. Far East Organization and Far East Plaza were the sponsors of the photo exhibition.
MEETING WITH CEO OF ELEVATE GROUP
The General Secretary and Rev Dr Peter Poon had a meeting with Michael Griffin, CEO of ELAvate Group on 12 February to explore partnership opportunities. They discussed the possibility of offering John Maxwell Leadership Courses in the near future.
