Bishop and LGBT advocate Yap Kim Hao dies of heart failure at age 88

[heliumduck]

https://www.facebook.com/kimhao.yap

[G_M]

Yes. It's so sad to hear of his passing.

 

Pastor Yap is a beacon of hope for many LGBT especially Christian LGBTs.

 

May he rest in peace & my deepest condolences.

[G_M]

Bishop and LGBT advocate Yap Kim Hao dies of heart failure at age 88

 

 

SINGAPORE - Reverend Yap Kim Hao, the first Asian bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia, and a vocal advocate of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues (LGBT), died of heart failure on Thursday (Nov 16) morning at the age of 88.

 

The Free Community Church, where Dr Yap was pastoral advisor, posted a tribute on its Facebook page .

 

"You have blazed a trail of justice, of compassion, of humility... reaching out to those on the margins..we will build upon your work, to be peacemakers, to be seekers of righteousness and justice," it said.

 

It also included a message from Dr Yap's daughter Susan Tang. "He fought every good fight he could with every fibre of his being. His work on earth is done and he's earned a well-deserved rest," said Mrs Tang, who is a founding member of Safe (Supporting, Affirming and Empowering our LGBT family and friends).

 

Entrepreneur and blogger Adrianna Tan wrote on Facebook: "No one has done more for LGBTQ and other oppressed minorities in Singapore than you have. Thank you for reaching out to me at a time when I needed your support."

 

LGBT rally group Pink Dot said it acknowledged with gratitude the support Dr Yap had publicly shown towards the LGBT community in Singapore, citing how he had backed a legal challenge that sought to have Section 377A of the Penal Code, which bans homosexual sex, declared unconstitutional. He had also participated in Pink Dot events, including appearing in its campaign videos.

 

Dr Yap was consecrated the first Asian bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia in 1968. After his retirement from full-time Christian ministry at the age of 65, he continued to champion many causes.

 

Reverend Yap Kim Hao was consecrated the first Asian bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia in 1968. PHOTO: ST FILE

 

He was the former Vice-President of the Inter-Religious Organisation (Singapore), the Convenor of Singapore Interfaith Network on Aids, and chairman of Chen Su Lan Trust, which has supported non-governmental organisations working with those on the margins, including migrant workers and sex workers.

 

Reverend Yap Kim Hao (second from right) welcomes Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) at the 2007 Interfaith Dinner Reception at Singapore Expo. PHOTO: BH FILE

 

He was presented with the Red Ribbon Award in 2012 by advocacy group Action for Aids for helping lead the fight against stigmatisation and discrimination of HIV sufferers, and promoting safe sex programmes.

 

But the pastor was best known for his work and views on LGBT issues.

 

Responding to a July 2003 letter in The Straits Times' Forum section urging the government to rethink the hiring of gay people, Dr Yap wrote: " I applaud the stance of the Prime Minister in announcing that the Government is more open to employing gays now.

 

"The lack of understanding of the condition of homosexuality and the harsh homophobic views expressed in the letter are regrettable. From my meetings with members of the gay and lesbian community, I have come to see them as normal human beings even though their sexual orientation is different from mine."

 

It is only right, he added, that Singapore not discriminate against anyone on account of race, religion or sexual orientation.

 

At a 2007 forum on Section 377A of the Penal Code, the late pastor had said: "Contrary to the majority of the Christian views... I personally would call for it to be repealed on the basis that this is God's purpose - the existence of the homosexual community."

 

In the same year, the Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore Robert Solomon wrote to The Straits Times' Forum section to say that Rev Yap's views on homosexuality did not represent those of the Methodist Church, as he had retired from active service.

 

Free Community Church Executive Pastor Miak Siew told The Straits Times: "He was the first religious leader to voice support for LGBT people. . . He discerned that in the time of his retirement, he was called to minister to the lost sheep of the LGBT community - to speak up for the voiceless and the marginalised.."

 

Dr Yap is survived by his wife, four children, grandchildren and a greatgrandchild.

 

The three-day wake at Mount Vernon Sanctuary starts on Saturday.

[cmlf]

 

Was thinking of revisiting FCC this Christmas to say hello to him, Mrs Yap, and Susan ... 

 

Still, we can and shall trust God always for His perfect plan and purpose He has for us each. Yes, it'd take total sacrifice, even severed peer relationships and more in the community for the rest of life, for a conviction that love which came down to save us ALL matters.

 

 

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

 

Matthew 7: 20-21

So then, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My father in heaven.

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2017 by cmlf

[Guest Rose of Arabia]

I will be missing his presence at each year’s pinkdot. He has no idea how much the sight of him sitting amongst audiences warmed hearts and inspired confidence in one of the worst religions of this world that tramples on human equality.

 

He is a blessing to those whose lives have improved because of his firm beliefs in equality. 

 

Such an unspoiled and decent human being after 88 years is hard to come by. 88 years of such a good man on earth is too short a blessing for us.

[G_M]

A TRIBUTE TO REV DR YAP KIM HAO (1929-2017)

Rev Yap Kim Hao with wife, Mrs Yap at Pink Dot 2016

 

The LGBT community in Singapore today lost a dear friend and advocate. Rev Dr Yap Kim Hao, who is a long-time LGBT rights advocate and the first Asian bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia from 1968 to 1973, passed away on Thursday, 16 November, at the age of 88. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife and family.

 

We acknowledge with gratitude the support and affirmation Rev Dr Yap has publicly shown towards the LGBT community in Singapore. He was also the Pastoral Advisor of Free Community Church, an inclusive and affirming church in Singapore; the former Vice-President of the Inter-Religious Organisation (Singapore) and former Convener of Singapore Interfaith Network on AIDS.

 

Rev Dr Yap was an outspoken advocate of LGBT acceptance and equality. He publicly supported Gary Lim and Kenneth Chee’s legal challenge which sought to have Section 377A declared unconstitutional. He also wrote commentaries and letters to the press, gave talks and participated in Pink Dot events from its inception including appearing in Pink Dot’s campaign videos in 2009, 2011 and 2014.

 

“My hope is that people in Singapore – after seeing and experiencing what has been happening with the Pink Dot movement – will begin to accept that we will always have a diverse society; that they will be able to respect differences, and accept and affirm these differences. No one should be discriminated against; no one should be marginalised by having a different sexual orientation and gender identity,” he wrote in 2014.

 

Born in Port Dickson, Malaysia in 1929, he attended Baker University in Kansas, United States where he earned his first degree in Biology and Chemistry; and Boston University where he obtained his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Theology degrees and received its Distinguished Alumni Award in 1988.

 

From 1973-1985 when he was the General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia, he became directly involved in social justice issues and ministry to the oppressed and marginalised in the Asian region.

 

In various talks Rev Dr Yap has given as early as in 2005, he said that his ministry to the LGBT Christian community is a natural extension of his calling to serve God despite the fact that his support of LGBT Christians had yet to be accepted by the majority of the Christian community.

 

“My sympathies have always been for people who are victimised, the poor, and the handicapped,” he said in a talk at The Substation in 2005.

At a young age of 15, he was beaten by a group of drunken Japanese military policemen in 1945 and was crippled for life as a result. Not one to give up on life, he made his way to Kansas to attend college and worked as a garbage collector, dishwasher, gardener and houseboy in a dormitory to support himself.

 

He had often shared how he came to be sympathetic to struggles experienced by LGBT individuals when as a student in Kansas, he saw for himself the discrimination and injustices the African-American community faced.

 

“It was the beginning of the Civil Rights struggle and I made friends with the African-Americans and sensed in a personal way what racial discrimination is all about. The professors in my college and seminary had a strong social passion and supported the civil rights struggle. For me it was a natural transition to the gay issue when it emerged here.”

 

He added, “In trying to understand the question of same-sex attraction I can only naturally look at my own life and examine my sexual life. Did I at any time choose between heterosexuality and homosexuality? No, it just came naturally and it was not a matter of choice. Of course, I don’t experience how gays and lesbians become aware of same-sex attractions. I can only surmise that it came naturally to you too. I did not choose heterosexuality and you did not choose homosexuality.”

 

Rev Dr Yap is survived by his wife, four children, grandchildren and a great grandchild.

 

A wake is scheduled to take place from Saturday to Monday. More details to follow.

 

 

[Guest SALUTE]

Crippled at age 15 but went on to study in america, taking on odd jobs there. Super human determination! Am i surprised he chose one of the most difficult causes to champion in singapore? I am in awe! 

[kimlo777]

condolences to his family - salutations to a great man who did much for people living with AIDS in Singapore especially for prisoners. May his soul rest in perpetual peace.

[Noomi Rapace]

I knew Reverend Yap at FCC (Free Community Church) before. We did not talk at all, but he had given me a smile during one of the FCC event parties. I was in girl mode that time. There were also a number of PLU at the church.

He has a fatherly look, and accepts LGBT members of the community for whatever gender and sexual orientation that we have. I thought it is rare for someone from the Christian faith to also accept LGBT members for who we are.

I shall remember him.

RIP.

[Guest In Memory of Rev. Yap]

Thank you, Rev. Yap. God willing, we will meet each other again. 

[Guest Boiuoy]

Anyone going to pay last respects at the wake. Any wake ? Any funeral, memorial service, location?

[groyn88]

http://the-singapore-lgbt-encyclopaedia.wikia.com/wiki/Rev._Yap_Kim_Hao's_involvement_in_LGBT_activism

Rev. Yap Kim Hao's involvement in LGBT activism

Rev. Dr. Yap Kim Hao (1929 - 2017) served as Pastoral Advisor to the Free Community Church, which counts many LGBT Christians in its congregation.

Prelude

In the 1990s, the gay son of one of Rev. Yap's close friends solicited his assistance in helping his mother understand his homosexuality. Through him, Yap became acquainted with some gay men and lesbians and was able to better comprehend the problems they faced. They told him of the rejection they encountered in their homes, church and community. This reminded Yap of the discrimination against African-Americans in the United States before the Civil Rights Movement. These marginalised people told him then that being gay was not a choice they made but an orientation they came to sense at a young age.

PM Goh Chok Tong's statement in Time magazine

In 2003, Yap read that Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, in his interview with Time magazine (Asia), had announced that the Singapore government would no longer discriminate against openly gay employees in the civil service, even in sensitive positions (see main article: PM Goh Chok Tong liberalises employment of openly gay individuals in civil service). Moreover, the U.S. Supreme Court, which which was a conservative institution, had repealed anti-sodomy laws and the Episcopal Church in the United States had voted to endorse the election of Bishop Gene Robinson who avowedly was gay. Robinson divorced his wife with whom he fathered two girls and went on to live with his same-sex partner. Yet, his former wife and daughters supported his election to be the first openly gay bishop. This constellation of events seemed to signal to Yap that the time had come for acceptance of homosexuality in society even in highly regulated and conservative Singapore.

 

Letter to The Straits Times forum

It was with this realisation that Yap wrote a letter to the Straits Times forum, published on 18 July 2003, which brought him to the attention of the LGBT community at large. In it, he supported the right of LGBT individuals to live their life in peace, community and openness:

 

"I refer to Mr George Lim Heng Chye's letter, 'Govt should rethink hiring of gays' (ST, July 15). Like him I, too, am 'a heterosexual man, married to a heterosexual woman and we have four heterosexual children (two male and two female)'.

 

Unlike him, I do not condemn homosexual people or their parents. I applaud the stance of the Prime Minister in announcing that the Government is more open to employing gays now.

The lack of understanding of the condition of homosexuality and the harsh homophobic views expressed in the letter are regrettable.

From my meetings with members of the gay and lesbian community, I have come to see them as normal human beings even though their sexual orientation is different from mine.

The professional mental-health organisations are clear and specific about homosexuality. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), no scientific evidence exists to support the effectiveness of any therapy that attempts to convert homosexuals into heterosexuals. APA Executive Director Raymond Fowler states that 'groups who try to change the sexual orientation of people through so-called conversion therapy are misguided and run the risk of causing a great deal of psychological harm to those... they are trying to help'.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states: 'Therapy directed at specifically changing sexual orientation is contraindicated, as it can provoke guilt and anxiety while having little or no potential for achieving changes in orientation.'

The American Medical Association 'does not recommend aversion therapy for gay men and lesbians. Through psychotherapy, gay men and lesbians can become comfortable with their sexual orientation and understand the societal response to it'.

The American Psychiatric Association states: 'There is no published scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of reparative therapy as a treatment to change one's sexual orientation.'

The association also says: 'Gay men and lesbians who have accepted their sexual orientation positively are better adjusted than those who have not done so.'

Professor Seow Choon Leong of Singapore, currently Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at Princeton Theological Seminary, who edited the book Homosexuality And The Christian Community, gave this confession:

'I also used to believe homosexual acts are always wrong. Listening to gay and lesbian students and friends, however, I have had to rethink my position and reread the Scriptures.

'Seeing how gay and lesbian people suffer discrimination, face the rejection of family and friends, risk losing their jobs, and live in fear of being humiliated and bashed, I cannot see how anyone would prefer to live that way.

'I do not understand it all, but I am persuaded that it is not a matter of choice... I have reconsidered my views, I was wrong.'

In remaking Singapore, the Government is taking a forward step in recognising the rights of homosexuals. It is only right that we do not discriminate against anyone on account of race, religion or sexual orientation.

THE REVEREND DR YAP KIM HAO"

 

The editor of the Forum page called Yap to clarify a certain term that he had used. He was appreciative of his letter and wanted it to round out the debate in the press. The editor gave a certain degree of prominence to the letter and placed it alongside a short letter from a fellow Methodist who took the opposing view. Only one sentence was edited out of Yap's entire letter. The sentence was the one where he said that those who were homophobic were more likely to change their views when members of their family or friends came out of the closet. What Yap really meant was that those who held negative views about gays had never met any gay person or naively regarded homosexuality as a closed issue.

Writing the letter was a calculated move on Yap's part and he took advantage of the situation to declare publicly his personal views in support of the gay community. He knew full well the stance of the institutional Christian church on this issue. They predictably voiced their opposition. Yap wanted the public to know that there were clergy and lay members who could not accept the views of their churches in good conscience and there were those who were willing to declare it publicly. Many of Yap's friends joined him in support of the gay movement and by his action, he had forced others to think seriously and study the issue carefully. At least they could not be indifferent and continue harbouring their stereotypes and misconceptions of homosexuality.

Their interpretation of scripture was that homosexuality was a sin but Yap accepted other scholars who interpreted the few specific passages of the Bible differently. There were Biblical passages dealing more specifically and clearly about divorce than with homosexuality. Jesus spoke directly against divorce and did not utter a single word against homosexuality. They said that the church should reach out to love the sinner but hate the sin. This was seen to be hypocritical by the gay community. In what ways did they show their love for the sinner? One could not love at a distance. Mainstream churches wanted gay people to change even though there was no form of acceptable therapy endorsed by the medical community. Gays were advised to be celibate. It was hard enough for a heterosexual to be celibate and it was unfair to impose that condition on a homosexual. They saddled homosexual men with guilt when most of them felt that God had made them that way. When some gay Christians wrote to church leaders seeking understanding and a dialogue with them, they did not even receive a response to their letter.

Safehaven & Free Community Church

 

On 10 August 2003, Miak Siew, a member of both Safehaven (a community of gay Christians) and the pioneering LGBT advocacy group People Like Us and who was later to become a pastor at the Free Community Church himself, and Jerry Siah, a gay Christian who would later organise the huge LGBT-led charity A Nation In Concert events, learned about Rev. Yap preaching at the Kampong Kapor Methodist Church through Eileena Lee who had posted the information on SiGNeL, the Singapore Gay News List.

Before Rev. Yap assumed his position at Kampong Kapor Methodist Church, Lee, who was not yet a member of the church, had heard that there was another LGBT-friendly pastor before Yap who was conducting services there and this was what enticed her to attend his sermons. This individual was, in fact, none other than Singapore's first all-embracing and inclusive Christian pastor, Rev. Kang Ho Soon. After joining the welcoming church, Lee helped out there in her spare time. This was how she first met Rev. Yap Kim Hao as the latter was invited by his predecessor, Rev. Kang, to preach there.

Miak Siew and Jerry Siah went to the church to meet Rev. Yap in person. Clarence Singam, who had recently taken charge of Safehaven, also read Yap's letter to the Straits Times and, on behalf of the group, invited Yap via e-mail to dinner at Imperial Herbal along Seah Street. A total of nine gay men attended the dinner including Miak Siew, Peter Goh, Cyrus Ho and Clarence Singam.

During the meal, Yap learned that Safehaven was thrilled he was willing and dared to come out openly to support them. It was a great source of encouragement to them. Coincidentally, Singam had received infant baptism at Wesley Methodist Church, Kuala Lumpur when Yap was a pastor there. Safehaven wondered about the cost of Yap's action but he assured them that it was a conviction on his part and that he regarded it as a calling from God to minister to the gay community. For those who were critical and negative of his action, it was not his problem but theirs. There had been no loss anyway. On the contrary, he had gained respect especially from the gay community who had been neglected for too long by the Church.

After the dinner, which they thought resembled an inquisition, they invited Yap to preach at Safehaven's first service at Utterly Art along South Bridge Road on 14 September 2003. Yap delivered his sermon "Doing a New Thing" and today, the founders of Safehaven marvel at the unfolding of events that led them to the status quo.

The members of Safehaven gathered for weekly cell group meetings and regular Sunday worship services. Their website www.oursafehaven.com provided information about the organisation and their activities:

 

“Safehaven is a group of Christians in Singapore who have been gathering since 1998 for prayer, bible study and fellowship. We are made up of different age groups, backgrounds and religious traditions. We are gay affirmative and celebrate the fact that we are all part of God’s diverse creation. Safehaven is an informal fellowship for gay and lesbian Christians. We believe that God is able and desires to bless gay and lesbian Christians without having to deny their sexuality. Safehaven is interdenominational and welcomes Protestant and Catholic members who are interested to integrate faith and sexuality in their lives as Christians."

 

Yap readily and lovingly accepted Safehaven's invitation to relate to them and participated in their support group meetings. After developing these relationships, he was more than convinced that he had a responsibility which he could not evade and must assume. This was the ministry that he must engage in during the limited time still available for continuing ministry after official retirement. Safehaven was considerate enough to be concerned that they would take too much of his time during his retirement years. Although they liked Yap to be a full-time Pastor, they were glad for him to serve on a voluntary basis as Pastoral Advisor. Yap was tasked to help them develop a Pastoral team and a church not exclusively for gays but a church which was inclusive.

What was encouraging was that Yap's daughter, Susan Tang, without any prompting on his part, witnessed his involvement with Safehaven and decided to become involved in this unique Christian community as well. Her contribution was recognised and she subsequently served as the Chairperson of the church council. Her son, Jinwei, who was doing National Service in 2003 volunteered to play the guitar in the worship team at Sunday service. The Yaps were a three-generation straight family standing in solidarity with the gay Christian community.

Safehaven members eventually formalised their Sunday worship and established the Free Community Church in 2004. The carefully crafted official statements described its mission:

 

"The FREE COMMUNITY CHURCH is a congregation of diverse individuals and families gathering to worship and grow as a Christian community. We desire to develop a vibrant heart relationship with God and a thinking mind relationship with the Bible. We do not believe in easy answers to life’s challenging questions but in a great and loving God who surpasses all understanding. Our, vision is to nurture Christ-centred cell group communities relevant to our times. The FREE COMMUNITY CHURCH affirms that all individuals are persons of sacred worth and are created in God’s image. Given the discrimination that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) persons still face in society, our Church affirms that same-sex relationships are consistent with Christian faith and teachings when lived out in accord with the love and commandments of Jesus. Instead, it is discrimination based on sexual orientation and homophobia that are inconsistent with Christian teachings. We welcome all LGBT persons to our family."

 

The vision of this inclusive church was that gays and straights accepted one another and membership was open to all. Another important factor was that it included Christians of all denominations. It would symbolise more fully the principle of unity in diversity and become an authentic inclusive Christian community.

Talk on "Same Sex Attraction - A Christian Perspective"

Rev. Yap's first lecture to the LGBT community outside of Safehaven and the Free Community Church was held on 23 July 2005 at The Substation. It was entitled, "Same Sex Attraction - A Christian Perspective" and was organised by RedQuEEn! (http://www.geocities.com/red_qn), a queer women’s discussion group founded by Eileena Lee. A transcript of the talk is archived here:[1],[2] and also on Fridae:[3],[4].

Forum on Christian perspectives on homosexuality and pastoral care

In the run-up to the massive overhaul of the Singapore Penal Code in October 2007 in which the LGBT community hoped that Section 377A would be repealed, Safehaven, as a ministry of the Free Community Church, organised a conference entitled "Christian perspectives on homosexuality and pastoral care". It was held at 7:30pm, 10 May 2007 at the Amara Hotel.

The forum aimed to engage the mainstream churches in a groundbreaking dialogue on the issue of homosexuality. For the first time in history, theological heavyweights and experts in counselling and psychology came together to share their Christian perspectives on homosexuality and pastoral care. In the past, the mainstream churches would organise forums to debate the issue, but they usually turned out to be heavily one-sided affairs, ending up with homosexuality being cast as deviant, immoral, or worse. This time, Safehaven put together a fairly moderated dialogue, with equal representation from both the "for" and "against" camps, and facilitated by professional newscaster Augustine Anthuvan, Assistant Programme Manager, MediaCorp Radio.

Rev. Yap, who was pastoral advisor to the Free Community Church and a member of the Council of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) in Singapore, was invited to be part of the panel to share his views[5]:

09:51

Christian perspectives on homosexuality & pastoral care - Rev. Yap Kim Hao (Part 1 of 2)

 

To Russia With Love campaign

In July 2013, the Russian parliament adopted legislation banning the dissemination of information on “non-traditional” sexuality. The government claimed that the law was meant to protect children and young people from information and propaganda that were harmful to their wellbeing and development. There had also been a widespread increase in the number of violent incidents, assaults, harassment and bullying of Russian LGBT people and their allies. A few days prior, a young man had died as a result of being tortured by an anti-gay group.

As such, civil society activist Jolovan Wham and Singapore's first openly gay politician, Vincent Wijeysingha, organised a rally at Hong Lim Park to take a stand against the homophobia that was sweeping across Russia and express solidarity and support to our LGBT comrades there. There were speeches from invited activists, the first of which was delivered by Rev. Yap[6], poetry readings and the signing of a petition which was submitted to the Russian embassy in Singapore. Participants were encouraged to come with a placard or a message and let their voice be heard. (See campaign video:[7] and Facebook event page:[8]).

13:49

To Russia With Love Rev. Yap Kim Hao (Part 1 of 4)

 

Pink Dot campaign videos

Rev. Yap was featured in three of Pink Dot's campaign videos - the very first one in 2009[9], again in 2011[10] and lastly, in 2014[11].

Anti-discrimination activism for people living with HIV

Yap was also a strong and outspoken advocate against stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV/AIDS[12]:

02:47

Rev. Dr. Yap Kim Hao urges religions to reach out to people living with HIV AIDS in Singapore

 

In 2012, Action for AIDS honoured Yap’s work with one of the first Red Ribbon Awards for his work through the Free Community Church to address discrimination and his broad advocacy to promote inter-faith dialogue on HIV/AIDS in various capacities, including being an integral participant of the Singapore AIDS Candlelight Memorial religious prayers.

Edited November 18, 2017 by groyn88

[G_M]

For those wanting to pay their last respect to Rev Dr Yap.

His wake will be at Mount Vernon Sanctuary, 121 Upper Aljunied Road S367878 on Saturday 18th, 19th & 20th Nov 2017 at Purity Hall.
Free Community Church will conduct “simple and informal" celebration of life services (Rev Dr Yap wish) at 8pm on each of the 3 nights.
 

His cremation will be held at Mandai Crematorium on Tuesday 21st Nov 2017 at 10:30am.

[lean n mean]

,

Edited April 16, 2018 by lean n mean

[Noomi Rapace]

FCC will be streaming tonight's service at Rev Yap's wake via Facebook Live on https://www.facebook.com/FreeCommunityChurch/.

Service will start at 8pm.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2017 by Noomi Rapace

[G_M]

Those of you can watch the service in the FCC Facebook page. 

https://www.facebook.com/FreeCommunityChurch/

[jerseyboys]

http://thetprojectsg.blogspot.com

https://tsingapore.com/article/inside-singapore-first-transgender-shelter-t-project

Based on my real life interactions with him in 2016...
                                                                              

• i had the honor of sitting thru 2 of his sermons. Yes, he was frail... but once he opened his mouth... he was charismatic, charming, & caring. I knew the backstory, I knew how the Church withdrew his pension, I knew the persecution, condemnation, & discrimination he faced, but he faced Goliath head on =)   This was my first time hearing him speak... & better still... at the pulpit! 
  
  
   
• even though this memory i have of him is 2 years ago...
  i still remember the real-life-story he ended with, it was both touching & heart wrenching( which is related to the 2 web links above...)
  
  ( the story Rev Yap shared was...)  Miss June, is a close friend of Rev Yap, & once she candidly asked, "Rev Yap, will i go to Heaven? me like that... dunno whether God will let me in..."
  
  Rev Yap told the congregation the answer... that he gave June & everyone laughed... Thru this simple example of June's Doubt on whether God will accept LGBT pple who are Christians into eternity, Rev Yap was trying to show:
                                                         
                                                     
• (1)
  those in the LGBT Community struggle with reconciling their faith with their sexual orientation... so many have struggled... so many have believed L/Khong's "U are going to hell" Rhetoric... but Rev Yap confronted the militants... & showed us it is possible to be both Christian & Gay... he has given a voice to the orphans... he has spoke a language of love towards pple like June... & thru his work in FCC, he has spoken out to defend those who "hate their body" because they cannot accept their true sexual identity... ( me included ).
                                                           
                                 
                       
• (2) 
                                                 June has shown Singapore the LBGT Community can contribute to Society...
  While Professor Thio Li-Ann has shown Singapore the LGBT Community can contribute to Society's increase in STD & HIV rate...
  Rev Yap showed Singapore its time to be more inclusive & progressive... just like June!  Sometimes i wish Prof Thio would spend time with my friend who is diagnosed with STD ... Sometimes i wish Prof Thio would spend time with my other friend who had go for Surgery to remove the STD... Sometimes i wish Prof Thio would stop the blood flow to her brain & start pumping blood into her cold heart... well, the good news is... at least there is someone from Church who is not acting like Prof Thio & his name is Rev Yap =)
                     
                        
                             
• (3)
  born in 1929... Rev Yap inspired the generation after him... those in my Father's age... those born in the 1950s ... the post-war-babies...
                             
  Amazingly Rev Yap inspired Rev Miak Siew's generation... those born in the 1970s... & best of all...
                          
  in 2016... Rev Yap inspired me... & everyone in < GEN X > ...
                       
                               
  in Closing, history ( in this Country ) has taught us good governance is having a "Prime Minister" ... upgraded to a "Senior Minister" ... & if still alive ... upgraded to "Mentor Minister"... but Rev Yap was MM all the way ... coz he made History by being Singapore's First Pastor... to publicly support the LGBT Community... & for that i Salute U Rev Yap,
                                                               
  May u rest in Peace knowing that ur Life's Fight for LGBT rights was not in vain.... 
                                                        
                                                                                         

Edited May 31, 2018 by jerseyboys
.

[Steve5380]

I had never heard of Rev. Yap Kim Hao before, but if there is a Jesus Christ up there he must have immediately invited him to join his inner circle of friends. The work of this Pastor seems to follow what the Christian God directed his followers to do, the directive most organized Christian religions have drifted away from.