Charitable Congregation Donates $60K to Community Causes

Friday, Oct. 16, 2009 Posted: 1:19:35AM HKT

A church has recently contributed a total of $60,000 to two community service agencies. This is the latest in a series of contributions the congregation has made since 2008 to regional disaster relief efforts and community causes.

Last month, New Creation Church made donations of $50,000 at the Singapore Police Force’s charity movie premiere and $10,000 at a People’s Action Party Community Foundation charity golf tournament.

The former event, held on September 9, raised funds for four Community Chest beneficiaries: namely, ASPN Centre for adults, SCS Clementi Centre, Care Corner Family Service Centre and SWAMI Dementia Day Care Centre.

Conducted on September 29, the latter event raised funds for various charitable causes.

One hundred and forty four players competed in the event, including Cabinet ministers, grassroots leaders, well-known businessmen and philanthropic individuals.

Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong graced the event as the guest of honour while Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean was the special guest.

The organising PCF is the social and charitable arm of the ruling People's Action Party with the mission of enhancing community well-being by providing quality educational, welfare and community services at affordable prices.

For its contribution to the SPF charity movie premiere, where a film by Tim Burton featuring nine animated protectors of the future of Singapore civilisation was screened, the church received a token of appreciation from the SPF.

This was handed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police at a ceremony held at the Police Headquarters in New Phoenix Park on September 24, according to the church website.

NCC, the second largest congregation in Singapore after City Harvest Church, has been actively contributing to various causes since last year.

This includes the Myanmar cyclone and Sichuan earthquake relief efforts, Mercy Relief’s regional humanitarian work, the Football Association of Singapore’s Golf Challenge, twice to the Children’s Charity Concert, the Boys’ Brigade Sharity Gift Box 2008, Malay self-help group Yayasan MENDAKI and relief efforts in aid of victims of the most recent natural disasters in Indonesia and the Philippines.

In total, NCC has donated $710,000 in cash and kind in the course of time.

The church also believes in bringing a smile to the disadvantaged elderly people. At its recent Mid-Autumn Celebration, the congregation hosted 25 elderly people from Sarah Seniors Activity Centre at the Singapore Indoor Stadium event and Japanese restaurant.

These beneficiaries have poor social support and live in one-room flats.

The church has also distributed $50 red packets to 35 elderly people who live alone and have no family members during the Kampong Kapor Family Service Centre's Chinese New Year's Eve lunch event this year.

In addition, the church has supported the Yellow Ribbon Project this year, dispatching 20 volunteers to participate in a street sale of Yellow Ribbon packs.

For its community-mindedness, NCC has received the Outstanding Community Partner Award under the 'Partners of Community Development Councils' category of the annual People's Association Community Spirit Awards 2009 at a ceremony held on August 12, recognising the church's significant contributions to Singapore's grassroots organisations and Community Development Councils.

More recently, the church was awarded the Central Singapore Community Development Council Bronze Award for its outstanding support to the CDC. The award was presented on September 12.

Edmond Chua
edmond@christianpost.com