FCC Service: Speaker: Jean Lee (June 29)

SUNDAY SERVICE (ENGLISH)
29 Jun 2008 (Sun) - 10.30am
FCC Main Hall
56 Geylang Lor 23
Level 3, Century Technology Building
All are welcome!

Speaker
MS JEAN LEE
Sermon Series on the Psalms

Worship Leaders - GARY CHAN
Vocals - PAUL WANG, JONATHAN FOONG
Keyboards - KENNY ONG
Guitars - KELVIN NG, PAUL B
Strings - RAYMOND WONG
Drums - JIMMY TAN
Audio - QING LONG LUO
Video - FOO KEONG YAP
Prayer - DAN LOH
Communion - JONATHAN FOONG
Service Pastor - JOSHUA TAN

FCC Sunday Service (Jun 29 2008), Speaker: Jean Lee

SUNDAY SERVICE (ENGLISH)
29 Jun 2008 (Sun) - 10.30am
FCC Main Hall
56 Geylang Lor 23
Level 3, Century Technology Building
All are welcome!

Speaker
MS JEAN LEE
Sermon Series on the Psalms

Worship Leaders - GARY CHAN
Vocals - PAUL WANG, JONATHAN FOONG
Keyboards - KENNY ONG
Guitars - KELVIN NG, PAUL B
Strings - RAYMOND WONG
Drums - JIMMY TAN
Audio - QING LONG LUO
Video - FOO KEONG YAP
Prayer - DAN LOH
Communion - JONATHAN FOONG
Service Pastor - JOSHUA TAN

FCCwomen Get-Together

The FREE COMMUNITY CHURCH WOMEN (FCCwomen) warmly invite all women to their Get-Together next Sunday afternoon, 29 June.

Come get to know, and join us for an afternoon of fun, food and friendship. Don't worry, we won't make you play silly games and clap your hands! .. unless you really want to! :)

Date: Sunday, 29 June 2008
Time: 4.30 - 6 pm
Venue: Free Community Church, 56 Lorong 23 Geylang
#03-00 Century Technology Building
Singapore 388381

[*nearest MRT station - Aljunied (exit B)
buses: On Aljunied Road (Aljunied MRT bus stop)
- 40, 62, 63, 80, 100, 158
On Sims Ave (bus stop after Geylang Lor 21A)
- 2, 13, 21, 26, 51, 62, 63, 67, 80, 100, 125, 158, 853]

Please RSVP by Saturday, 28 June to freecomwomen@yahoo.com.sg with your name(s) and contact number

FCC is the only gay-inclusive church in Singapore where all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender and race are welcome. The FCC Women are a community who gather regularly to study scripture, hold discussions and talks, as well as for fellowship and support. Our activities focus on women’s issues within the life of our church. We welcome all women to join us.

For more information on us & where we are located, please visit: www.freecomchurch.org

ST Forum: Rights debate: Whose interest is right? (June 25)

Rights debate: Whose interest is right?
I FEEL unnerved after reading Ms Ng Eew Hwong's views last Saturday in
her letter, 'Rights Debate: Question is 'what are good values'?". She
seems to echo only cliches and official comments in her letter.

If she wishes to ask 'what are good values', I would ask what are
'public interests' or, for that matter, what is the 'public' in the
first place? As I understand it, the 'special consideration' claimed
by Ms Ng is nothing more than a financial incentive, a carrot to
entice people to start families. The policy purpose is to increase the
national birthrate, not to provide for a family's needs. The latter is
meant to be achieved by the Baby Bonus policy. I am not being
insensitive; just realistic.

Ms Ng's belief that homosexuality will be mainstreamed is indicative
of homophobia. While I personally am not so inclined towards the LGBT
(lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) 'cause', nonetheless I
believe that banning too many shows on homosexuality would lead to the
prohibition of essential educational material. At the same time, just
because 'many may find it undesirable' like Ms Ng doesn't mean that
they are necessarily right. Only the future will lead us to a
definitive conclusion on whether they are harmful or not.

At any rate, Ms Ng did not qualify specifically why she finds the
Government's statement encouraging. If she is offering blind faith to
the Government, then her level of intellectual maturity is not
particularly encouraging. If the vague nationalism in the comment
appeals to her, then she should reconsider why she thinks we are
superior to the West?

What is 'public morality' anyway? Is it moral standards of the public,
including the 'vocal people' Ms Ng dislikes, or the moral standard of
some senior members of society, who wish to force it on everyone else?

Lastly, I would comment that Ms Ng and other like-minded people should
consider whether their version of the 'common good' is applicable in
today's society where extremely diverse personalities and lifestyles
exist.

Not every agenda deserves special treatment, but to merely dismiss any
agenda as false and their proposers as 'some (vocal) people" is
tantamount to adopting a supremacist attitude and a closed mindset.

For at the end of the day, values are merely interests that a minority
projects onto the majority or vice versa. The real question is: Whose
interest carries the largest element of truth?

Clement Wee

ST Forum: Rights debate: Question is ‘What are good values?’ (June 21)

I struggle to understand Dr Wong Jock Onn’s views in his Wednesday letter, ‘S’poreans guilty too, not just rights activists’.

He suggested that Attorney-General Walter Woon had wrongly criticised Western human-rights activists for believing ‘they and their values represent the apex of human moral development’. He cites three examples to illustrate Singapore’s own impositions on ‘Singaporeans who do not hold the same view’.

First, Dr Wong took issue with the Housing and Development Board for offering ‘hefty’ subsidies and new flats only to family units and not to singles. As a single person, I appreciate that public resources are scarce. The Government must prioritise the public’s interests.

Families as the backbone of society deserve special consideration. Singles generally do not have the same responsibilities such as raising children although there are exceptions where they are the sole provider for their parents. In such cases, they may seek assistance from the Government or charitable organisations. Singles 35 and above are given some HDB entitlements.

Second, Dr Wong objected to the Media Development Authority’s (MDA) ban on programmes with homosexual themes. Does he wish to see homosexuality mainstreamed? Many will find this undesirable.

While Singapore accommodates homosexuals, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said the Government will ‘not allow or encourage activists to champion gay rights as they do in the West’. This is encouraging.

Additionally, MDA adopts a calibrated approach; while banning programmes which celebrate homosexual themes like same-sex marriage, it allows programmes on free-to-air channels featuring famous lesbian hosts.

MDA is responsible for protecting social interests like public morality and the interests of the young. Adults who want exposure to homosexual values have Internet access.

Third, Dr Wong states that ‘men get better treatment than women’ because of influential Confucianist ideas that men are more ’superior’ than women. He glosses over policies that treat both sexes equally.

Women should receive equal pay for equal work and equal voting rights, but there are justified instances of differential treatment. For example, NSmen receive pay differentiation and tax relief in recognition of their sacrifices.

Laws embody social values which serve the common good, not merely the preferences of some vocal individuals who consider certain policies oppressive or unjust as violating interests which they like to (falsely) call ‘rights’.

Disagreements exist in all mature democracies. Not every agenda deserves special legal treatment. Good governments must balance interests and make wise decisions. The real question is: What should our society recognise as good values, deserving legal protection?

Let’s be specific.

Ng Eew Hwong (Ms)

FCC Service: Speaker: Gary Chan (June 22)

SUNDAY SERVICE (ENGLISH)
22 Jun 2008 (Sun) - 10.30am
FCC Main Hall
56 Geylang Lor 23
Level 3, Century Technology Building
All are welcome!

Speaker
PASTOR GARY CHAN
Worship from the Psalms

Worship Leaders - GARY CHAN, VICTOR LEE, LIONG WAILING
Keyboards - GREG, ERNEST THIO
Guitars - NATHAN GOH, RICK PRICE
Strings - RAYMOND WONG
Drums - CEPHAS YEO
Audio - QING LONG LUO
Video - VERON TAN
Prayer - FOO KEONG YAP
Communion - KENG HOCK PWEE
Service Pastor - JORG DIETZEL