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Breaking News!Pastor Kong Hee And Pastors Arrested And Charge!
- Thread starter Talking Donkey
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2010
- Messages
- 34,366
- Points
- 113
Re: Wrong !
Becoming rich also talk cock one only the leaders and pastors are rich from the donations.
The 33,000 are better off paying for a motivational speaker....at least that person might be able to impart some tips for self improvement.
Con Hee just persuades you to tithe and wait for divine intervention.
Becoming rich also talk cock one only the leaders and pastors are rich from the donations.
The 33,000 are better off paying for a motivational speaker....at least that person might be able to impart some tips for self improvement.
Con Hee just persuades you to tithe and wait for divine intervention.
Last edited:
Re: Wrong !
well said. we all shake heads why the members are so dumb and naive. selling their homes to fund sun whore's lifestyle in LA is SO BIZZARE
well said. we all shake heads why the members are so dumb and naive. selling their homes to fund sun whore's lifestyle in LA is SO BIZZARE
Y
Yip Hon
Guest
Re: Wrong !
Kong Hee (Chinese: 康希)(born August 23, 1964) is the founder, honorary and volunteer senior pastor of City Harvest Church in Singapore. He is married to Sun Ho, a pop music singer.
Kong is a Christian in the Charismatic Movement, with a philosophy of ministry that emphasizes the Great Commandment, Great Commission, and Cultural Mandate.[1] City Harvest Church has an average of 23,256 attendees as of December 2010.[2] It also has 47 affiliate "Harvest" churches. There are 29 affiliate churches and 6 Bible schools in Asia, namely Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan. Another 18 affiliate churches in the East and West Malaysia are under the Malaysian Harvest Fellowship which Kong Hee has co-founded.[3][4][5][6] Kong has also co-founded an education center, a performing arts school, a publishing house, a missions agency, a ministerial fellowship and a magazine.[7] Kong is a "motivational speaker" and is the director of a fashion apparel business, Skin Couture, which he runs with his wife.[8][9][10] He calls himself a "businessman" on the church website.[11]
On 26 June 2012, Kong Hee and 4 other senior members of the City Harvest Church were arrested by Singapore police in connection with misuse of charity funds. [12]
Kong is the fifth child of Kong Leng, a professional engineer, and Toh Poh-Eng, a diamond trader. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the National University of Singapore in 1988. In May 2008, Kong was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Hansei University in Seoul, Korea.
From 1975 to 1988, Kong was a member of Marine Parade Christian Centre, an Anglican church located in eastern Singapore. During his university years, he worked part-time for the Chapel of the Resurrection under the oversight of Anglican vicar, Reverend Dr. Canon James Wong. During that tenure, he helped Canon Wong set up a new congregation, Orchard Christian Centre. Upon graduation from the university, Kong worked a short stint in a local publishing house as a programmer.
In 1989, Kong was a staff evangelist with “Christ For Asia”, a missions organization in the Philippines led by Assemblies of God minister, Reverend Randy Sing. At that same time, there was an opportunity for Kong to pioneer a new church in Singapore. With the support and encouragement of some senior pastors in the city, Kong decided to relocate back to Singapore and helped set up a new congregation with 20 youths. On May 7, 1989, City Harvest Church was founded as a department (known as "Ekklesia Ministry") of Bethany Christian Centre (Assemblies of God).[13]
Since 1997, Kong is the executive director of the Festival of Praise, an annual event that brings together churches for united prayer and worship.
Kong is a board member of Dr. David Yonggi Cho’s Church Growth International (South Korea) and Dr. Luis Bush’s Transform World (Indonesia).
Kong Hee and his wife Ho Yeow Sun own two companies, International Harvest, which is a provider of "corporate training" services and "motivational" courses, and a fashion company called Skin Couture.[11]
Kong Hee’s wife, Sun Ho, is a pop music singer. They have a son, Dayan Kong.
Educational qualifications
Raffles Institution (1977–1980)
Raffles Junior College (1981–1982)
National University of Singapore, Bachelor of Science (Computer & Information Sciences) (1985–1988)
Hansei University, Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration (2008)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong_Hee
Kong Hee (Chinese: 康希)(born August 23, 1964) is the founder, honorary and volunteer senior pastor of City Harvest Church in Singapore. He is married to Sun Ho, a pop music singer.
Kong is a Christian in the Charismatic Movement, with a philosophy of ministry that emphasizes the Great Commandment, Great Commission, and Cultural Mandate.[1] City Harvest Church has an average of 23,256 attendees as of December 2010.[2] It also has 47 affiliate "Harvest" churches. There are 29 affiliate churches and 6 Bible schools in Asia, namely Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan. Another 18 affiliate churches in the East and West Malaysia are under the Malaysian Harvest Fellowship which Kong Hee has co-founded.[3][4][5][6] Kong has also co-founded an education center, a performing arts school, a publishing house, a missions agency, a ministerial fellowship and a magazine.[7] Kong is a "motivational speaker" and is the director of a fashion apparel business, Skin Couture, which he runs with his wife.[8][9][10] He calls himself a "businessman" on the church website.[11]
On 26 June 2012, Kong Hee and 4 other senior members of the City Harvest Church were arrested by Singapore police in connection with misuse of charity funds. [12]
Kong is the fifth child of Kong Leng, a professional engineer, and Toh Poh-Eng, a diamond trader. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the National University of Singapore in 1988. In May 2008, Kong was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Hansei University in Seoul, Korea.
From 1975 to 1988, Kong was a member of Marine Parade Christian Centre, an Anglican church located in eastern Singapore. During his university years, he worked part-time for the Chapel of the Resurrection under the oversight of Anglican vicar, Reverend Dr. Canon James Wong. During that tenure, he helped Canon Wong set up a new congregation, Orchard Christian Centre. Upon graduation from the university, Kong worked a short stint in a local publishing house as a programmer.
In 1989, Kong was a staff evangelist with “Christ For Asia”, a missions organization in the Philippines led by Assemblies of God minister, Reverend Randy Sing. At that same time, there was an opportunity for Kong to pioneer a new church in Singapore. With the support and encouragement of some senior pastors in the city, Kong decided to relocate back to Singapore and helped set up a new congregation with 20 youths. On May 7, 1989, City Harvest Church was founded as a department (known as "Ekklesia Ministry") of Bethany Christian Centre (Assemblies of God).[13]
Since 1997, Kong is the executive director of the Festival of Praise, an annual event that brings together churches for united prayer and worship.
Kong is a board member of Dr. David Yonggi Cho’s Church Growth International (South Korea) and Dr. Luis Bush’s Transform World (Indonesia).
Kong Hee and his wife Ho Yeow Sun own two companies, International Harvest, which is a provider of "corporate training" services and "motivational" courses, and a fashion company called Skin Couture.[11]
Kong Hee’s wife, Sun Ho, is a pop music singer. They have a son, Dayan Kong.
Educational qualifications
Raffles Institution (1977–1980)
Raffles Junior College (1981–1982)
National University of Singapore, Bachelor of Science (Computer & Information Sciences) (1985–1988)
Hansei University, Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration (2008)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong_Hee
Y
Yip Hon
Guest
Re: Wrong !
Hi , anyone knows Why KH calls himself a Businessman ?
See :
He calls himself a "businessman" on the church website.
Hi , anyone knows Why KH calls himself a Businessman ?
See :
He calls himself a "businessman" on the church website.
Y
Yip Hon
Guest
Re: Wrong !
Pastor = Businessman
Pastor = Businessman
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2012
- Messages
- 400
- Points
- 0
Re: Wrong !
Son of a PE and a diamond trader ? Hello ? PE okay ? Not your ordinary engineer.
So why did he give CHC members his sob story about how poor he was ?
Son of a PE and a diamond trader ? Hello ? PE okay ? Not your ordinary engineer.
So why did he give CHC members his sob story about how poor he was ?
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2008
- Messages
- 296
- Points
- 0
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2008
- Messages
- 63,982
- Points
- 113
Y
Yip Hon
Guest
Re: Wrong !
James Phang
History of Sunshine Empire & James Phang Wah 阳光大帝
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oNQ9WFVWxY
James Phang
History of Sunshine Empire & James Phang Wah 阳光大帝
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oNQ9WFVWxY
Y
Yip Hon
Guest
Re: Wrong !
They said CHC is getting too big ( where big ? )
:
City Harvest moves to new Suntec home
By Jeffrey Oon | Yahoo Newsroom – Sun, Mar 20, 2011.
Anyone know Why CHC want to be Big Big ???
City Harvest Church, still under police investigation for the alleged misuse of church funds, held its first service at its
new home Suntec City Convention Centre on Saturday.
7,500 worshippers packed Halls 601 and 602 for the extra-special service
entitled "A New Day", reported The Straits Times.
Previously, the church held its services at the Singapore Expo.
The three-hour long service was marked by a performance by pop star Sun Ho, the wife of church founder Reverend Kong Hee, as well as a high-tech display of lights and 3-D glasses along with plenty of song, dance, cheering and clapping.
The move to its new home comes after the Church had to shelve plans to build a 12,000 seater auditorium at Suntec after the Urban Redevelopment Authority released guidelines restricting the use of commercial buildings for religious purposes.
The church has also scrapped plans for the convention centre’s sixth and seventh floors to be used exclusively by CHC. Now, the church can only hold its services there on the weekends.
Initial plans for the Church to pay S$310 million to become a co-owner of Suntec sparked widespread debate when it was announced in March last year.
In addition, its founder Kong Hee and over a dozen church leaders are still under a ongoing police probe they they misused church funds.
A report by the same paper last month said church weekly attendance has nearly halved in over a year and several senior staff members, including two pastors and its music director, have also resigned.
Referring to what has been a trying 10 months for the church, Reverend Kong told his congregation on Saturday, "You've seen pastor at his worst, and you've seen him at the best.
But you've stood with me, loved me and prayed for me. I just want you to know I love you with all my heart."
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/city-harvest-moves-to-new-suntec-home.html
They said CHC is getting too big ( where big ? )
:
City Harvest moves to new Suntec home
By Jeffrey Oon | Yahoo Newsroom – Sun, Mar 20, 2011.
Anyone know Why CHC want to be Big Big ???
City Harvest Church, still under police investigation for the alleged misuse of church funds, held its first service at its
new home Suntec City Convention Centre on Saturday.
7,500 worshippers packed Halls 601 and 602 for the extra-special service
entitled "A New Day", reported The Straits Times.
Previously, the church held its services at the Singapore Expo.
The three-hour long service was marked by a performance by pop star Sun Ho, the wife of church founder Reverend Kong Hee, as well as a high-tech display of lights and 3-D glasses along with plenty of song, dance, cheering and clapping.
The move to its new home comes after the Church had to shelve plans to build a 12,000 seater auditorium at Suntec after the Urban Redevelopment Authority released guidelines restricting the use of commercial buildings for religious purposes.
The church has also scrapped plans for the convention centre’s sixth and seventh floors to be used exclusively by CHC. Now, the church can only hold its services there on the weekends.
Initial plans for the Church to pay S$310 million to become a co-owner of Suntec sparked widespread debate when it was announced in March last year.
In addition, its founder Kong Hee and over a dozen church leaders are still under a ongoing police probe they they misused church funds.
A report by the same paper last month said church weekly attendance has nearly halved in over a year and several senior staff members, including two pastors and its music director, have also resigned.
Referring to what has been a trying 10 months for the church, Reverend Kong told his congregation on Saturday, "You've seen pastor at his worst, and you've seen him at the best.
But you've stood with me, loved me and prayed for me. I just want you to know I love you with all my heart."
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/city-harvest-moves-to-new-suntec-home.html
Y
Yip Hon
Guest
Re: Wrong !
http://www.citynews.sg/2010/03/chc-new-home-suntec-convention-centre/
CHC’s New Home: Suntec Convention Centre
Posted on 07 March 2010
This has probably been City Harvest Church’s best-kept secret in its 21-year-history. The exact location of the church’s new site has been a hot topic that has kept Christians within and outside the church guessing, since it was confirmed on Jan. 16 that a space had finally been procured after a five-year search.
Bound by a non-disclosure agreement, the management could not say a word until yesterday afternoon, at the first service of the weekend at the Jurong West church.
The revelation of Suntec Singapore International Exhibition and Convention Centre met with great excitement from the church congregation. This location would put all the services of the church under one roof.
“When we were looking for a property, there were three major considerations,” said senior pastor Kong Hee.
1. Size. “It had to be as big as we can go in our small city-state with limited land. Suntec Convention Centre has a total usable area of more than 1 million sq ft—that is 20 times our Jurong West property and 10 times Expo Hall 8. Suntec has the size we need and can accommodate our traffic.”
2. Location. “We wanted a place that was central and easy to get to by MRT and bus. CHC members come from all over the island. Suntec is centrally located with three major MRT stations nearby: City Hall MRT is a 10-minute walk; Esplanade MRT and Promenade MRT open this April and are even closer by.”
3. Facilities. “A church is not just a main sanctuary and nothing else. Having extra facilities is critical to the operations of the church. We need areas for children, rooms for Bible study, car park space and eating places. Suntec Convention Centre has more than 30 meeting rooms, and we will have access to over 8,680 car park lots in the Suntec-Marina area. Between Suntec City and the Convention Centre, there are 283 stalls/restaurants for our members to eat at, and 622 retail stores for our members to shop in.”
Through this agreement, CHC becomes a co-owner of Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, and has a share in the annual revenues of all its facilities. The two floors CHC will primarily use are the sixth and seventh floors and include the CHC Auditorium which is column-free and can accommodate up to 12,000 seats. Early plans for this space reveal a stadium-style layout with a sizeable play area for children, and 10 meeting rooms. “All our morning prayer meetings, seminars and conferences will be held here in the future,” explained Kong.
The other parts of the Convention Centre will be open to the public, and will continue to be rented by third parties for exhibitions, fairs and performances as is currently the case.
Tan Ye Peng, deputy senior pastor, explains to City News what co-ownership of Suntec Singapore means. “Last year, ARA Asset Management Limited announced that its ARA Harmony Fund had acquired the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Harmony Fund’s investors comprise Suntec REIT, which holds 20 percent, and a consortium that holds 80 percent. CHC has bought a significant stake into the consortium.”
City Harvest is looking to raise S$310 million, but this sum is not the value of the property, says Tan. “This amount consists of cost of shares; rental; renovation and equipment; professional building, management logistic and maintenance fees; refundable deposits and moving costs.”
One of the key considerations for this site is the business model that CHC can and will adopt for Suntec Singapore. “For Singapore Expo, we are in a lease-only business model. As such, what is being paid out does not have any returns or profit-sharing for CHC. The Board and the Building Committee discussed and concluded that with an ‘ownership-and-license’ business model, the rent we pay out will be recovered by CHC in the form of profits and dividends.”
“It’s perfect for our church,” says Tan. “This place has everything we need. It’s been around, it’s an established place. It has been the venue for some of the most important events that ever took place in Singapore, like the APEC CEO Summit last November, and the International Monetary Fund-World Bank meeting in 2006. This August it will be the venue for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. It’s got all the facilities, and it’s super convenient. There is no other place that allows us this space size in this part of Singapore.”
In the event that there are such key events on the same scale as the IMF-World Bank meetings, Tan says City Harvest will exercise flexibility and vacate the space for such clients. “We are now part-owners,” he explains. “It benefits us too.” Tan points out that although City Harvest will use the space for its services, the building is still a commercial entity, and technically not a “church building”. “The church will lease the space to use for our services,” explains Tan. “The difference is that we are also co-owners of this building.”
For Chew Eng Han, who was tasked in 2005 to be the key person on the ground to find out what was available, and to speak to consultants and banks, the success of this partnership with Suntec Singapore is a triumph. “I feel fulfilled,” he declares.
The search was far from an easy one. “It required a lot of wisdom,” says Chew. “We needed the right location, central yet big enough, yet it could not be too costly, and it had to earn income, too. At the time we were looking, between 2005 and 2008, construction costs were escalating. When the crash came, property prices came down, but finding a partner became a challenge.”
Suntec Singapore was negotiated at the right time, and agreed upon at the right price, says Chew.
“It’s the best location because it’s already in existence. Although it may have been around for a number of years, the building is continually being refurbished and in good shape. Since we are not buying a new plot of land, we don’t have the risk of escalating costs—building costs fluctuate. The space is great: it totals over 1 million square feet, the hall is big enough, there are more than 30 meeting rooms and we have access to the Gallery space, and also the 600-seat Theatre on weekends.”
“It’s an ideal location for City Harvest, really—but at a much lower price than its original cost.” Suntec Singapore was originally built for a price of S$650 million in the early 1990s.
The best news for the burgeoning congregation may be the fact that with the space already built and available, CHC targets to move in by the end of the first quarter of 2011 once its lease at the Singapore Expo expires.
CN PHOTO: MICHAEL CHAN
For some, the announcement brought tears of joy. For others, the location was a complete surprise. (See box story: What The Members Say)
Kong’s wife, singer Sun Ho, flew back to celebrate the announcement together with the church. Moments after the announcement, she tells City News: “I’m standing in a historical moment when miracles have just happened. God has done it again. My heart is overwhelmed, because this is something in which not just Kong and I, but the whole church have sown, labored, prayed, believed and claimed for, for so long. This is the time, this is the moment—we sowed in tears, and now we are really reaping in joy. Above the location, my heart is just so full of gratitude that we are able to build this house for God, for His glory. I’m grateful I can be a part of it.”
The church will fund the S$310 million through freewill donations from churchgoers. The church building fund, Arise & Build, is into its fifth round, with a target of S$17.3 million. There are eight more Arise & Build campaigns planned.
Further information on the design and details of the Suntec Singapore location will be released in the coming weeks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What The Members Say
“I live in the Northeast, so I’m very happy especially since the Circle Line is opening. Everybody knows where Suntec is. It’s a very exciting move for the church!”
Khoo Lili, banker, in her 30s
“I never thought it could be such an awesome place. It’s at the center of Singapore—Formula One, Youth Olympic Games are all held there.”
Jason Jiang, pre-enlistee, 18
“I didn’t expect it, I thought it would be Marina Barrage. It’s exciting for the usher ministry—but greater challenges will come because of the bigger crowd. We’ll need more ushers to rise up for leadership and more members to join usher ministry.”
Ng Yoong Tian, engineer and usher team leader, 27
“The location is great as it brings in revenue for the church without the opportunity time cost. It really is a God-given idea.”
Kenneth Lee, IT director, 40
“Very excited to see such a big place and looking forward to having more quality and longer fellowship with my cell group members.”
Ang Xin Yee, secondary school student, 13
“I came specially for Service 1 though I was supposed to go back to JB. I teared when I heard the news and I can’t wait to worship at our new location.”
Lin Yilan, retiree, 60
“Mind-blowing! Totally unexpected! I believe this is the start of greater things with God bringing us to the next level. It is truly an honor and privilege to be part of history in the making.”
Ee Jia Ying, NUS undergraduate, 21
“I think God is amazing. All these years we’ve been giving and we didn’t even know where it would be! Upon hearing the news, all I can say is that God is indeed faithful!”
Rachel Lim, AIA financial services consultant, 26
http://www.citynews.sg/2010/03/chc-new-home-suntec-convention-centre/
CHC’s New Home: Suntec Convention Centre
Posted on 07 March 2010
This has probably been City Harvest Church’s best-kept secret in its 21-year-history. The exact location of the church’s new site has been a hot topic that has kept Christians within and outside the church guessing, since it was confirmed on Jan. 16 that a space had finally been procured after a five-year search.
Bound by a non-disclosure agreement, the management could not say a word until yesterday afternoon, at the first service of the weekend at the Jurong West church.
The revelation of Suntec Singapore International Exhibition and Convention Centre met with great excitement from the church congregation. This location would put all the services of the church under one roof.
“When we were looking for a property, there were three major considerations,” said senior pastor Kong Hee.
1. Size. “It had to be as big as we can go in our small city-state with limited land. Suntec Convention Centre has a total usable area of more than 1 million sq ft—that is 20 times our Jurong West property and 10 times Expo Hall 8. Suntec has the size we need and can accommodate our traffic.”
2. Location. “We wanted a place that was central and easy to get to by MRT and bus. CHC members come from all over the island. Suntec is centrally located with three major MRT stations nearby: City Hall MRT is a 10-minute walk; Esplanade MRT and Promenade MRT open this April and are even closer by.”
3. Facilities. “A church is not just a main sanctuary and nothing else. Having extra facilities is critical to the operations of the church. We need areas for children, rooms for Bible study, car park space and eating places. Suntec Convention Centre has more than 30 meeting rooms, and we will have access to over 8,680 car park lots in the Suntec-Marina area. Between Suntec City and the Convention Centre, there are 283 stalls/restaurants for our members to eat at, and 622 retail stores for our members to shop in.”
Through this agreement, CHC becomes a co-owner of Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, and has a share in the annual revenues of all its facilities. The two floors CHC will primarily use are the sixth and seventh floors and include the CHC Auditorium which is column-free and can accommodate up to 12,000 seats. Early plans for this space reveal a stadium-style layout with a sizeable play area for children, and 10 meeting rooms. “All our morning prayer meetings, seminars and conferences will be held here in the future,” explained Kong.
The other parts of the Convention Centre will be open to the public, and will continue to be rented by third parties for exhibitions, fairs and performances as is currently the case.
Tan Ye Peng, deputy senior pastor, explains to City News what co-ownership of Suntec Singapore means. “Last year, ARA Asset Management Limited announced that its ARA Harmony Fund had acquired the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Harmony Fund’s investors comprise Suntec REIT, which holds 20 percent, and a consortium that holds 80 percent. CHC has bought a significant stake into the consortium.”
City Harvest is looking to raise S$310 million, but this sum is not the value of the property, says Tan. “This amount consists of cost of shares; rental; renovation and equipment; professional building, management logistic and maintenance fees; refundable deposits and moving costs.”
One of the key considerations for this site is the business model that CHC can and will adopt for Suntec Singapore. “For Singapore Expo, we are in a lease-only business model. As such, what is being paid out does not have any returns or profit-sharing for CHC. The Board and the Building Committee discussed and concluded that with an ‘ownership-and-license’ business model, the rent we pay out will be recovered by CHC in the form of profits and dividends.”
“It’s perfect for our church,” says Tan. “This place has everything we need. It’s been around, it’s an established place. It has been the venue for some of the most important events that ever took place in Singapore, like the APEC CEO Summit last November, and the International Monetary Fund-World Bank meeting in 2006. This August it will be the venue for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. It’s got all the facilities, and it’s super convenient. There is no other place that allows us this space size in this part of Singapore.”
In the event that there are such key events on the same scale as the IMF-World Bank meetings, Tan says City Harvest will exercise flexibility and vacate the space for such clients. “We are now part-owners,” he explains. “It benefits us too.” Tan points out that although City Harvest will use the space for its services, the building is still a commercial entity, and technically not a “church building”. “The church will lease the space to use for our services,” explains Tan. “The difference is that we are also co-owners of this building.”
For Chew Eng Han, who was tasked in 2005 to be the key person on the ground to find out what was available, and to speak to consultants and banks, the success of this partnership with Suntec Singapore is a triumph. “I feel fulfilled,” he declares.
The search was far from an easy one. “It required a lot of wisdom,” says Chew. “We needed the right location, central yet big enough, yet it could not be too costly, and it had to earn income, too. At the time we were looking, between 2005 and 2008, construction costs were escalating. When the crash came, property prices came down, but finding a partner became a challenge.”
Suntec Singapore was negotiated at the right time, and agreed upon at the right price, says Chew.
“It’s the best location because it’s already in existence. Although it may have been around for a number of years, the building is continually being refurbished and in good shape. Since we are not buying a new plot of land, we don’t have the risk of escalating costs—building costs fluctuate. The space is great: it totals over 1 million square feet, the hall is big enough, there are more than 30 meeting rooms and we have access to the Gallery space, and also the 600-seat Theatre on weekends.”
“It’s an ideal location for City Harvest, really—but at a much lower price than its original cost.” Suntec Singapore was originally built for a price of S$650 million in the early 1990s.
The best news for the burgeoning congregation may be the fact that with the space already built and available, CHC targets to move in by the end of the first quarter of 2011 once its lease at the Singapore Expo expires.
CN PHOTO: MICHAEL CHAN
For some, the announcement brought tears of joy. For others, the location was a complete surprise. (See box story: What The Members Say)
Kong’s wife, singer Sun Ho, flew back to celebrate the announcement together with the church. Moments after the announcement, she tells City News: “I’m standing in a historical moment when miracles have just happened. God has done it again. My heart is overwhelmed, because this is something in which not just Kong and I, but the whole church have sown, labored, prayed, believed and claimed for, for so long. This is the time, this is the moment—we sowed in tears, and now we are really reaping in joy. Above the location, my heart is just so full of gratitude that we are able to build this house for God, for His glory. I’m grateful I can be a part of it.”
The church will fund the S$310 million through freewill donations from churchgoers. The church building fund, Arise & Build, is into its fifth round, with a target of S$17.3 million. There are eight more Arise & Build campaigns planned.
Further information on the design and details of the Suntec Singapore location will be released in the coming weeks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What The Members Say
“I live in the Northeast, so I’m very happy especially since the Circle Line is opening. Everybody knows where Suntec is. It’s a very exciting move for the church!”
Khoo Lili, banker, in her 30s
“I never thought it could be such an awesome place. It’s at the center of Singapore—Formula One, Youth Olympic Games are all held there.”
Jason Jiang, pre-enlistee, 18
“I didn’t expect it, I thought it would be Marina Barrage. It’s exciting for the usher ministry—but greater challenges will come because of the bigger crowd. We’ll need more ushers to rise up for leadership and more members to join usher ministry.”
Ng Yoong Tian, engineer and usher team leader, 27
“The location is great as it brings in revenue for the church without the opportunity time cost. It really is a God-given idea.”
Kenneth Lee, IT director, 40
“Very excited to see such a big place and looking forward to having more quality and longer fellowship with my cell group members.”
Ang Xin Yee, secondary school student, 13
“I came specially for Service 1 though I was supposed to go back to JB. I teared when I heard the news and I can’t wait to worship at our new location.”
Lin Yilan, retiree, 60
“Mind-blowing! Totally unexpected! I believe this is the start of greater things with God bringing us to the next level. It is truly an honor and privilege to be part of history in the making.”
Ee Jia Ying, NUS undergraduate, 21
“I think God is amazing. All these years we’ve been giving and we didn’t even know where it would be! Upon hearing the news, all I can say is that God is indeed faithful!”
Rachel Lim, AIA financial services consultant, 26
Y
Yip Hon
Guest
Re: Wrong !
http://www.citynews.sg/2010/03/suntec-a-prudent-decision/
.Suntec: A Prudent Decision.
Posted on 28 March 2010
Suntec Singapore issues stakeholder CHC a license agreement for the use of the building;
it is a win-win arrangement for both
On March 6, 2010, City Harvest Church announced that it will be moving to a new, central location at Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre in March 2011.
The primary reason for this move is to house its growing congregation of 33,000, and to allow the church to better serve its members. Currently, CHC operates out of two locations: its Jurong West Street 91 premise which holds 2,300 in its auditorium, and Singapore Expo Hall 8, which the church has been renting since the end of 2005 to hold two English services on the weekend.
As the church has many activities during the week, such as leaders’ meetings, prayer meetings and Bible study sessions, members regularly have to commute across the island for different meetings at different locations across the island.
Currently, the smaller services such as those for the intellectually-challenged (Jesus for All Minds or JAMs service) and the elderly are only held at at the Jurong West church. This means that such individuals in the East may not have a chance to attend service due to the distance.
Having a central location would mean that members have ease of access by public transport, and would take less than an hour to commute to from nearly any other part of Singapore.
The hunt for a central location began in 2005 and has culminated with Suntec Singapore. From April 2010, Suntec Singapore will be within walking distance of three MRT stations: City Hall, the Promenade and the Esplanade. There is also ample parking within Suntec and the surrounding areas, including Marina Square and Pan Pacific Hotel.
In its license agreement with Suntec Singapore, CHC has use of the Level 6 convention halls, the Gallery on Level 3 and the 600-seat Theatre on Level 2. With the amount of space CHC now has access to, the Church can bring all its services under one roof.
Facts And Figures
Suntec Singapore was acquired by ARA Asset Management Limited through the ARA Harmony Fund last year. Harmony Fund’s investors comprise Suntec REIT (which holds 20 percent) and a consortium company which holds 80 percent. CHC has bought a stake in this consortium.
Through a special purpose investment holding company wholly-owned by CHC, the church has acquired and holds an indirect minority stake in the holding company of Suntec Convention Centre. Using this special purpose investment allows for distinct accounting for the investment and segregates the investment from other regular activities of CHC, meaning that the financial risk for the Church is limited to that company. This private entity does not have charitable status and is not entitled to any tax or other concessions.
The issue has raised some questions, as the media inaccurately reported that CHC directly holds the stake in Suntec Singapore and purchased it for S$310 million.
As reported in the March 6 issue of City News, the sum of S$310 million covers rental costs, renovation and equipment costs, rental deposits, periodic shifting costs and other items, over and above the cost of the shares. (See What Does Our S$310m Building Fund Pay For?)
The arrangement of space usage between CHC and Suntec Singapore is similar to what CHC has had with Singapore Expo since 2005. The key difference is that CHC is a shareholder in Suntec Singapore. This means that it will receive dividends as a shareholder. It is CHC’s intention that the dividends it receives as a shareholder be ploughed back into rental, making the use of Suntec self-sustaining after a period of time. That is the nature and intent of its investment.
As a charity body, CHC is allowed to invest donor funds into different investments such as stocks, bonds, currency deposits and properties, as stated in its constitution. The Church’s Management Board engaged in much deliberation and calculation before making what is a prudent and considered decision. This investment is specifically intended to hedge the Church against its rental costs at the same convention centre, using the dividends received to help defray rental costs.
CHC has been transparent with its voting members, who are presented the detailed income and expenditure of the building fund at each year’s General Meeting. The Church has taken great care to operate within the proper guidelines of corporate governance, and makes it a key priority to deploy the funds that have been donated in the most responsible and effective way possible.
John Lam, a member of the Management Board, says, “In 2006, the executive members at the General Meeting came to an agreement with the Board to look for a venue that could house its growing congregation. The vision was to look for a stadium, concert hall or auditorium that can sit between 10,000 to 15,000 people, in a central location.
“The Board has also regularly given updates to the voting members about the land search and our building fund collection. We have also made clear to the members that it would take a number of years of fundraising, as the estimated cost of embarking on such a project would be between S$200 and S$500 million.”
Business As Usual At Suntec
Suntec Singapore will be the new location of CHC. It will rent the spaces in Suntec just like clients such as NATAS or IT Show do.
CHC and Suntec Singapore have a license agreement that will come into effect in March 2011. Suntec Singapore has built flexibility into its agreement with CHC to allow for the retention of events.
CHC plans to construct an auditorium with the latest sound system in the Level 6 Convention Halls. The Church will use the Level 6 auditorium for its services. This auditorium will be available for Suntec Singapore to market for Meeting-Incentive-Convention-Event (MICE) business, and other concerts and performances during the week. There will be additional meeting rooms built in the Gallery on Level 3. These rooms are not used exclusively by CHC and the license agreement has flexible arrangements for the licensed areas to be given up during certain periods to accommodate mega shows and global conferences.
Therefore, business will continue as usual at Suntec Singapore—there will be no changes to its operations. Suntec Singapore will continue to function as Singapore’s premier MICE location, and will continue to bid for large-scale events. It is the venue for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games in August. It has also partnered with MCI Group and Resorts World to enhance and attract more events to Singapore. Any improvements or additions to Suntec Singapore’s business will benefit all stakeholders, CHC included.
How does it benefit Suntec Singapore to have CHC as a tenant?
CHC’s congregation is a potential crowd for Suntec Singapore’s lease tenants (Food Republic, Joachim Buffet Restaurant, Pearl River Palace, Starbucks etc), as well as for other vendors who want to hold sales or events and tap on the congregation’s buying power. It’s for the same reason that John Little gives CHC’s congregation coupons when it holds a sale at the Singapore Expo.
Clearly, this arrangement benefits both Suntec Singapore in terms of greater traffic for its vendors, and CHC in that the Church gets a venue in the heart of the marketplace.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Does Our S$310m Building Fund Pay For?
Rental
CHC pays Suntec Singapore a rental fee for the use of Level 6 convention halls, the Gallery at Level 3 and the 600-seat Theatre at Level 2 on weekends.
Renovation and equipment
CHC’s new auditorium will require renovation to create seating space for up to 12,000, plus meeting rooms. There is also the cost of equipment such as staging, lights and sound system.
Periodic shifting costs
The shifting cost from Singapore Expo to Suntec Singapore. Also for the various times that CHC will need to move to another location to accommodate mega shows and global conferences at Suntec Singapore.
Professional building fees
These are fees used to engage architects, designers and consultants.
Refundable deposits
These are deposits that will be refunded at the end of the license period.
ARA Harmony Fund shares
Part of the building fund goes to the cost of owning shares in a consortium that holds 80 percent of the ARA Harmony Fund that has acquired Suntec Singapore. CHC as shareholder will receive dividends which will be used to defray rental costs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT THE MEMBERS SAY
Elim Chew, 43, founder and president of 77th Street
“I’ve been a church member for 19 years and my life has been transformed by CHC. I believe in the leadership of our church—our leaders have always been wise and prudent.”
Cheo Meng Chin, 37, Manager
“When I first heard about Suntec Convention Centre, my first thought was, what a brilliant idea. We won’t have to go through the hassle of construction and architecture, and deal with the cost of maintaining a large building.”
Lim Lay Hoon, 34, vice-president in an investment bank
“People who have been in CHC for a while will know the number of venues we’ve used as our congregation grew! The amount we have spent on rental in the last 20 years has not been a small sum. So to me, this model makes perfect sense—we get dividends even as we pay rental.”
Ignatius Yeo, 39, business owner
“Non-disclosure agreements s are perfectly normal, to protect the interests of both parties. This clause is not exclusive to CHC—it’s common practice in organizations. Some things are confidential for commercial reasons—disclosing everything may jeopardize the deal. Whatever the Church can disclose, I believe it has already done so.”
Joshua Xu Fu Ming, 35, realtor
“The authorities are privy to details that the public are not—and as long as they are kept aware as they have been, and give their approval, then there is no issue.”
Jared Lim, 30, credit professional in an investment bank
“Over the years, Pastor Kong always shared with the executive members about the various locations that we tried to get. It’s been a four-year journey for all of us as a whole. I feel that with most of us being savvy, schooled individuals, it’s hard to pull wool over our eyes. The Church Management Board has always been transparent, and has consistently acted in the best interests of the church.”
Ruth Yong, 36, risk consultant
“I am not an Executive Member who is entitled to vote, but whatever information is shared at broad to the Church is sufficient for me. The Management is not obligated to tell me everything; especially not if they have an agreement to honor. Knowing the details is not an issue for me, as long as I know that the money I donate is managed well; which in my opinion, it is.”
Jonathan Kang, 34, banking business manager
“To new members or to the public, who do not have the benefit of our history as a church and what we have been through together, they may not realize that this is not just one man’s dream. It is a corporate vision we have as a church. The desire for a central venue is not just the leaders’, it is also our our desire.”
http://www.citynews.sg/2010/03/suntec-a-prudent-decision/
.Suntec: A Prudent Decision.
Posted on 28 March 2010
Suntec Singapore issues stakeholder CHC a license agreement for the use of the building;
it is a win-win arrangement for both
On March 6, 2010, City Harvest Church announced that it will be moving to a new, central location at Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre in March 2011.
The primary reason for this move is to house its growing congregation of 33,000, and to allow the church to better serve its members. Currently, CHC operates out of two locations: its Jurong West Street 91 premise which holds 2,300 in its auditorium, and Singapore Expo Hall 8, which the church has been renting since the end of 2005 to hold two English services on the weekend.
As the church has many activities during the week, such as leaders’ meetings, prayer meetings and Bible study sessions, members regularly have to commute across the island for different meetings at different locations across the island.
Currently, the smaller services such as those for the intellectually-challenged (Jesus for All Minds or JAMs service) and the elderly are only held at at the Jurong West church. This means that such individuals in the East may not have a chance to attend service due to the distance.
Having a central location would mean that members have ease of access by public transport, and would take less than an hour to commute to from nearly any other part of Singapore.
The hunt for a central location began in 2005 and has culminated with Suntec Singapore. From April 2010, Suntec Singapore will be within walking distance of three MRT stations: City Hall, the Promenade and the Esplanade. There is also ample parking within Suntec and the surrounding areas, including Marina Square and Pan Pacific Hotel.
In its license agreement with Suntec Singapore, CHC has use of the Level 6 convention halls, the Gallery on Level 3 and the 600-seat Theatre on Level 2. With the amount of space CHC now has access to, the Church can bring all its services under one roof.
Facts And Figures
Suntec Singapore was acquired by ARA Asset Management Limited through the ARA Harmony Fund last year. Harmony Fund’s investors comprise Suntec REIT (which holds 20 percent) and a consortium company which holds 80 percent. CHC has bought a stake in this consortium.
Through a special purpose investment holding company wholly-owned by CHC, the church has acquired and holds an indirect minority stake in the holding company of Suntec Convention Centre. Using this special purpose investment allows for distinct accounting for the investment and segregates the investment from other regular activities of CHC, meaning that the financial risk for the Church is limited to that company. This private entity does not have charitable status and is not entitled to any tax or other concessions.
The issue has raised some questions, as the media inaccurately reported that CHC directly holds the stake in Suntec Singapore and purchased it for S$310 million.
As reported in the March 6 issue of City News, the sum of S$310 million covers rental costs, renovation and equipment costs, rental deposits, periodic shifting costs and other items, over and above the cost of the shares. (See What Does Our S$310m Building Fund Pay For?)
The arrangement of space usage between CHC and Suntec Singapore is similar to what CHC has had with Singapore Expo since 2005. The key difference is that CHC is a shareholder in Suntec Singapore. This means that it will receive dividends as a shareholder. It is CHC’s intention that the dividends it receives as a shareholder be ploughed back into rental, making the use of Suntec self-sustaining after a period of time. That is the nature and intent of its investment.
As a charity body, CHC is allowed to invest donor funds into different investments such as stocks, bonds, currency deposits and properties, as stated in its constitution. The Church’s Management Board engaged in much deliberation and calculation before making what is a prudent and considered decision. This investment is specifically intended to hedge the Church against its rental costs at the same convention centre, using the dividends received to help defray rental costs.
CHC has been transparent with its voting members, who are presented the detailed income and expenditure of the building fund at each year’s General Meeting. The Church has taken great care to operate within the proper guidelines of corporate governance, and makes it a key priority to deploy the funds that have been donated in the most responsible and effective way possible.
John Lam, a member of the Management Board, says, “In 2006, the executive members at the General Meeting came to an agreement with the Board to look for a venue that could house its growing congregation. The vision was to look for a stadium, concert hall or auditorium that can sit between 10,000 to 15,000 people, in a central location.
“The Board has also regularly given updates to the voting members about the land search and our building fund collection. We have also made clear to the members that it would take a number of years of fundraising, as the estimated cost of embarking on such a project would be between S$200 and S$500 million.”
Business As Usual At Suntec
Suntec Singapore will be the new location of CHC. It will rent the spaces in Suntec just like clients such as NATAS or IT Show do.
CHC and Suntec Singapore have a license agreement that will come into effect in March 2011. Suntec Singapore has built flexibility into its agreement with CHC to allow for the retention of events.
CHC plans to construct an auditorium with the latest sound system in the Level 6 Convention Halls. The Church will use the Level 6 auditorium for its services. This auditorium will be available for Suntec Singapore to market for Meeting-Incentive-Convention-Event (MICE) business, and other concerts and performances during the week. There will be additional meeting rooms built in the Gallery on Level 3. These rooms are not used exclusively by CHC and the license agreement has flexible arrangements for the licensed areas to be given up during certain periods to accommodate mega shows and global conferences.
Therefore, business will continue as usual at Suntec Singapore—there will be no changes to its operations. Suntec Singapore will continue to function as Singapore’s premier MICE location, and will continue to bid for large-scale events. It is the venue for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games in August. It has also partnered with MCI Group and Resorts World to enhance and attract more events to Singapore. Any improvements or additions to Suntec Singapore’s business will benefit all stakeholders, CHC included.
How does it benefit Suntec Singapore to have CHC as a tenant?
CHC’s congregation is a potential crowd for Suntec Singapore’s lease tenants (Food Republic, Joachim Buffet Restaurant, Pearl River Palace, Starbucks etc), as well as for other vendors who want to hold sales or events and tap on the congregation’s buying power. It’s for the same reason that John Little gives CHC’s congregation coupons when it holds a sale at the Singapore Expo.
Clearly, this arrangement benefits both Suntec Singapore in terms of greater traffic for its vendors, and CHC in that the Church gets a venue in the heart of the marketplace.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Does Our S$310m Building Fund Pay For?
Rental
CHC pays Suntec Singapore a rental fee for the use of Level 6 convention halls, the Gallery at Level 3 and the 600-seat Theatre at Level 2 on weekends.
Renovation and equipment
CHC’s new auditorium will require renovation to create seating space for up to 12,000, plus meeting rooms. There is also the cost of equipment such as staging, lights and sound system.
Periodic shifting costs
The shifting cost from Singapore Expo to Suntec Singapore. Also for the various times that CHC will need to move to another location to accommodate mega shows and global conferences at Suntec Singapore.
Professional building fees
These are fees used to engage architects, designers and consultants.
Refundable deposits
These are deposits that will be refunded at the end of the license period.
ARA Harmony Fund shares
Part of the building fund goes to the cost of owning shares in a consortium that holds 80 percent of the ARA Harmony Fund that has acquired Suntec Singapore. CHC as shareholder will receive dividends which will be used to defray rental costs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT THE MEMBERS SAY
Elim Chew, 43, founder and president of 77th Street
“I’ve been a church member for 19 years and my life has been transformed by CHC. I believe in the leadership of our church—our leaders have always been wise and prudent.”
Cheo Meng Chin, 37, Manager
“When I first heard about Suntec Convention Centre, my first thought was, what a brilliant idea. We won’t have to go through the hassle of construction and architecture, and deal with the cost of maintaining a large building.”
Lim Lay Hoon, 34, vice-president in an investment bank
“People who have been in CHC for a while will know the number of venues we’ve used as our congregation grew! The amount we have spent on rental in the last 20 years has not been a small sum. So to me, this model makes perfect sense—we get dividends even as we pay rental.”
Ignatius Yeo, 39, business owner
“Non-disclosure agreements s are perfectly normal, to protect the interests of both parties. This clause is not exclusive to CHC—it’s common practice in organizations. Some things are confidential for commercial reasons—disclosing everything may jeopardize the deal. Whatever the Church can disclose, I believe it has already done so.”
Joshua Xu Fu Ming, 35, realtor
“The authorities are privy to details that the public are not—and as long as they are kept aware as they have been, and give their approval, then there is no issue.”
Jared Lim, 30, credit professional in an investment bank
“Over the years, Pastor Kong always shared with the executive members about the various locations that we tried to get. It’s been a four-year journey for all of us as a whole. I feel that with most of us being savvy, schooled individuals, it’s hard to pull wool over our eyes. The Church Management Board has always been transparent, and has consistently acted in the best interests of the church.”
Ruth Yong, 36, risk consultant
“I am not an Executive Member who is entitled to vote, but whatever information is shared at broad to the Church is sufficient for me. The Management is not obligated to tell me everything; especially not if they have an agreement to honor. Knowing the details is not an issue for me, as long as I know that the money I donate is managed well; which in my opinion, it is.”
Jonathan Kang, 34, banking business manager
“To new members or to the public, who do not have the benefit of our history as a church and what we have been through together, they may not realize that this is not just one man’s dream. It is a corporate vision we have as a church. The desire for a central venue is not just the leaders’, it is also our our desire.”
- Joined
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- Messages
- 28,387
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Re: Wrong !
Any coincidence Suntec has the word "Sun" in it ?
Maybe after acquisition it'll become SunHo City.
Any coincidence Suntec has the word "Sun" in it ?
Maybe after acquisition it'll become SunHo City.
Last edited:
Re: Wrong !
"..................most of us being savvy, schooled individuals, it’s hard to pull wool over our eyes."
When people go to CHC and see these professionals and business owners, they will think that these savvy and schooled individuals can't be wrong. This is probably one of the oldest sales/marketing/advertising strategies. You see this everyday in advertisements. Its just like stepping into a bank and be mesmerized by the sales presentation of those so called experts, VPs, directors..........with master and professional degrees. Or maybe believing that the govt can't be wrong since they are all scholars/generals and they don't have to disclose how they are managing the country/our money.
"..................most of us being savvy, schooled individuals, it’s hard to pull wool over our eyes."
When people go to CHC and see these professionals and business owners, they will think that these savvy and schooled individuals can't be wrong. This is probably one of the oldest sales/marketing/advertising strategies. You see this everyday in advertisements. Its just like stepping into a bank and be mesmerized by the sales presentation of those so called experts, VPs, directors..........with master and professional degrees. Or maybe believing that the govt can't be wrong since they are all scholars/generals and they don't have to disclose how they are managing the country/our money.
Last edited:
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