Methodist Church in Singapore elects new Presidents for Tamil Annual Conference and Chinese Annual Conference
Salt&Light // November 13, 2024, 5:49 pm
Rev Saravana Kumar was installed as President of ETAC on Nov 9. Rev Lek Yong Teck will be installed as President of CAC on Nov 14. Photo courtesy of The Methodist Church in Singapore.
Two new Presidents have been elected at The Methodist Church in Singapore’s 49th Annual Conference.
Reverend Saravana Kumar was installed as the new President of the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC) on November 9.
Reverend Lek Yong Teck was elected the new President of the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) on November 12 and will be installed on November 14.
“Seek spiritual growth in church and community”: Rev Saravana Kumar
Rev Saravana Kumar, a pastor at Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church, told Salt&Light that he “committed to serving the Lord as a full-time servant” when he was baptised at the age of 20.
He studied at Trinity Theological College from 2011 to 2014, joining the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference as a Minister on Trial upon graduation.
Rev Saravana Kumar is currently a Pastor at Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church and Toa Payoh Tamil Methodist Church.
Rev Saravana Kumar served in Seletar Tamil Methodist Church from 2014 to 2020. He has been a Pastor at Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church and Toa Payoh Tamil Methodist Church from 2021 to the present.
He and his wife, who have been married since 2007, have a daughter who is taking her ‘O’ levels and a son in Primary 3.
“God has been faithful and I am always grateful for His abundant grace in my life,” he told Salt&Light.
In his new role as President of the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference, he seeks to dedicate the Conference to “spiritual growth that positively impacts life within the church and the community, all for the glory of God”.
“Be disciples who make disciples”: Rev Lek Yong Teck
Rev Lek Yong Teck currently serves as a District Superintendent with the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC), a connection of 17 Methodist churches in Singapore which reaches out to the Chinese community, including those who speak Mandarin, English and dialects including Hokkien, Cantonese, Foochow, Hakka, Teochew and Hinghwa.
Rev Lek began serving as a Pastor in 1999 at his home church, Hakka Methodist Church, after attaining a Bachelor of Divinity from Trinity Theological College in 1998.
Rev Lek has been Pastor-in-Charge of Bukit Panjang Methodist Church since 2018.
He then served at Sengkang Methodist Church for 16 years from its inception in 2000, including being Pastor-in-Charge from 2012 to 2016.
He has been Pastor-in-Charge of Bukit Panjang Methodist Church since 2018. He also served as Chaplain for Anglo-Chinese School (Junior), Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) and St Francis Methodist School, and was on the Chaplaincy Committee for CAC and the Methodist Welfare Services.
Rev Lek has been married to Chan Yun Ying for 32 years. They have two sons – Kai Wen, who works at Sengkang Methodist Church as a worship and music lay ministry staff, and Zii Wen, who works as a barista.
Rev Lek has a passion for returning the church to its disciple-making roots.
“I stand on the shoulders of great men of faith who have led the Methodist Church, specifically the CAC,” Rev Lek told Salt&Light.
“God is a loving Saviour who desires that none should perish. There can only be one response to such a God, and that is to give our all to Him.
“I believe that God has called us to finish the Great Commission by Making Disciples of all Nations. Then He will come again (Matthew 24: 14).”
He urged members of CAC to “be disciples of Jesus who will make disciples. Let us say in submission to God, ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’ (John 3:30 NASB).”
The Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) President will be elected between November 19 and 20.
Bishop-Elect Philip Lim will be consecrated at a service on December 6.
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