![]() Young People’s Group (For students 13 & above) Young Married Group For young married couples.Young People’s Group For students 13 & above.The President asked whether Pastors-in-Charge and Pastor-Parish Committees would consider pilot initiatives like shared pastoral ministry under the supervision of a district superintendent. 2016 to 2028) will number 30, with 17 alone in the 2025 to 2028 quadrennium. Pastors who will reach retirement age (65 years) within the next three quadrennia (i.e. Questions raised by the Rev Dr Wong included what ratio of pastors to church members would be “enough” whether there were potential benefits for local churches to designate some of their Lay Ministry Staff as “Lay Pastors” how we could be better at discovering and inspiring more persons with the gifts and conviction to serve as pastors and the possibility of re-hiring retired pastors or having “circuit preachers and pastors” who would then cover three or four local churches in a cluster. An area of greater concern is that of the shortage of pastors. In the area of Witness, the President stressed that the world outside TRAC is also our parish, and we are engaged in this area through our schools, missions and welfare agencies. Six “Word” songs were put forth, with other “Word” avenues like Disciple Agency and Bible Study Fellowship to be explored. These recommendations were accepted by the Conference, which adopted Novemas our Conference Sunday.īedok Methodist Church welcomed other churches to co-host and co-promote a three-week TRAC Teaching Tuesday series, tentatively in August 2014. The TRAC vision will also be highlighted, and a specific song or hymn will be sung on that Sunday. Scripture text and sermon theme will be decided by the Executive Board, with the sermon preached by a pastor from a sister church at each of the local churches. TRAC’s Executive Board also recommended the designation of a Conference Sunday, to promote TRAC unity. The Conference accepted these recommendations, and directed the Task Force to report at the Special Session in July 2014. It was recommended that the Rev Dr Daniel Koh chairs this Task Force. In response to this, a Silver Surge Task Force was recommended by TRAC’s Executive Board to extend care and support to the elderly and their families, and to engage them to use their energy, expertise and experience to serve God, church and society. John Wesley said that “solitary religion is not to be found there … the Gospel of Christ knows of no religion but social no holiness but social holiness”. Social holiness was one area which the President addressed. ![]() In his President’s Address, the Rev Dr Wong urged the Conference to come together, “on TRAC” in Word, Worship, Welcome, Witness and Wonder, citing Hebrews 10:24 – that we “stimulate one another towards love and good deeds” (NASB). In addition, the Conference took time to recognise two of our retiring pastors – the Rev Tan Cheok Kian who has served for 32 years, and the Rev David Wee Boon Hock, who has served for 26. Bishop Dr Wee presided over these ordinations. ![]() ![]() The Conference then ended on a high note with the newly-formed Methodist Festival Choir performing at the Closing Service.Įight pastors were ordained as Deacons or Elders at the Closing Service, during which TRAC President Rev Dr Gordon Wong preached an inspiring message (refer to Cover and for a summary of this sermon). At the Opening Service, Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup used a dental analogy to encourage us to “implant the Word” into our lives, so that the Word becomes an indistinguishable part of us, very much like a tooth implant. Just as much as the Annual Conference was held to discuss “business”, time was put aside to catch up and fellowship with our pastors and other church members. Ministers, lay delegates and Christian ministry staff of Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) enjoyed the warm and generous hospitality of Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church over four days in November, as updates and reports were received from different agencies and councils.
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