Mrs Dolly Chia (second from left) answering a question from the floor. Others in the picture are,
from left, Bishop Dr Solomon, Mrs Laureen Ong, Mrs Irene Ang and Mrs Manimagalai Mani,
Secretaries. -- GC-WSCS picture by TINA NEOH of Christ Methodist Church WSCS.
MRS LAUREEN ONG has been re-elected President of the General Conference Women's Society of Christian Service (GC-WSCS) for a second term of office.
She said: "The GC-WSCS will face more challenges in the coming four years, but I'm sure as we take on those challenges, we will end up being closer to God."
She was returned to office at the society's 8th Session at The Renaissance Hotel, Malacca, on Nov 27. The keynote speaker was Bishop Dr Robert Solomon.
About 90 delegates, observers and guests, including the Rev Khoo Cheng Hoot, President of the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC), and Mrs Malar Solomon, wife of Bishop Dr Robert Solomon, attended the conference.
Women from the CAC, Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference and Trinity Annual Conference and friends enjoyed a weekend of bonding and fellowship at the conference.
In her President's Report, Mrs Ong said women play a profound role in family and church life from the home to the pulpit, and they serve God wherever they are with much joy according to their gifts.
Challenging Methodist women to serve, she said the WSCS would always work with church leadership and Methodist agencies to encourage, train and equip women to take on responsibilities in the church.
Highlighting the importance of pastoral care and counselling, she said that as a collaborative initiative the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) had worked with the GC-WSCS on providing a culturally sensitive form of pastoral care that is "rooted in Christ" to those who are receiving professional services from MWS Family Service Centres and other care facilities, regardless of creed and religion.
"The GC-WSCS has, in fact, embarked on developing a systematic training and development programme in pastoral care," she said, adding that this project was first mooted in June 2001 when Bishop Dr Solomon met the various Methodist agencies and GC-WSCS and expressed his desire to see the creation of a Pastoral Care and Counselling Service for Methodist churches, schools and agencies.
A concept paper, "A Proposal for Developing a Pastoral Care and Counselling Service in The Methodist Church in Singapore", was prepared for use as a reference in the meetings that followed.
The other members of the GC-WSCS Executive Committee elected for the 2004-2008 quadrennium are:
Vice-President Mrs Irene Jeevaratnam, Secretaries Mrs Manimagalai Mani and Mrs Irene Ang, Treasurers Mrs Florence Yee and Ms Vasanda Pavada.
Witness & Evangelism Coordinators Mrs Sally Seow and Mrs Daisy Mahindapala, Discipleship & Nurture Coordinators Mrs Margaret Wu and Mrs Vivienne Goh, Outreach & Social Concerns Coordinators Mrs Katherine Kang and Mrs Julie Hong Siew Eng, Missions Coordinators Mrs Ivy Hue and Mrs Lydia Han, Nominations Chairman Ms Wong Pey Wah, Finance Chairman Mrs Patricia Khoo, Property Management Chairman Mrs Lydia Sng.
CAC-WSCS Conference President Ms Dorothy Lim, ETAC-WSCS Conference President Mrs Kanagi Kanakarajan, TRAC-WSCS Conference President Dr (Mrs) Teo Li Bee. Advisers are Mrs Dolly Chia, Mrs Amy Lee, Ms Lim Seok Khian and Mrs Gnanamani Philip.