The Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS), Bishop Philip Lim, is the new President of National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS).

He was elected during the Annual General Meeting of the Council on May 8, 2025. A new Executive Committee (Exco) was also elected. The two-year term of the new leadership begins with immediate effect.

Bishop Lim succeeds the Lutheran Bishop, Rt Rev Lu Guan Hoe in the role of President.

Said Bishop Lim: “I am honoured to be the President of NCCS. I look forward to working with our fellow Christian brothers and sisters, to do the work of the Lord.”

According to the NCCS constitution, the post of President rotates among the heads of the four traditional mainline denominations: Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian. Presidents cannot serve a second term.

The objectives of NCCS include serving as an instrument or agency to the churches and Christian organisations to forge cooperation and to serve together, to demonstrate Christian unity, to form the Christian ethos on moral, social, national and international matters that may affect the life and welfare of Singaporeans, to provide an agency through which the government may consult on matters that concern its members.

According to the constitution of NCCS, “the President shall preside at the Annual General Meeting, Extraordinary General Meetings and the meetings of the General Committee and also perform such other duties and functions as may from time to time be assigned by the Annual General Meeting or the General Committee.”

On the many challenges facing the Church today, Bishop Lim said: “Our ageing population is a big challenge. The issue is how churches are reaching out to them and their caregivers and caring for their well-being.

“Another challenge is how we can build biblically strong and resilient families to future proof our younger generations.

“As a collective body, we can look into encouraging more people to respond to the call to be pastors and missionaries.”

This story was republished (with edits) with permission from The Methodist Church in Singapore. 

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