Chairperson’s Message
Faithful in Service, Forward in Purpose
Eugene Toh
Chairperson, MWS Board of Governance
ROOTED IN PURPOSE
In this 45th year of Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), I am reminded that anniversaries are moments not only for remembrance, but also for renewed purpose.
We look back with gratitude for how MWS has grown from its early beginnings as a single ministry to a network that now serves across the life course – supporting children and youth, families, seniors, caregivers, and persons needing support in different seasons of life. More importantly, we give thanks for the privilege of being part of a continuing Methodist witness of love in action, that affirms the dignity God has placed in every person.
This milestone invites us to hold two truths together. First, we are stewards of a legacy, anchored by God’s calling, built faithfully over many years by leaders, staff, volunteers, churches, donors, and partners who served with compassion and perseverance. Second, we are responsible for discerning what faithfulness requires in the present day.
Even as the needs around us change and we evolve the way we organise, collaborate, and serve, our response will always remain rooted in purpose and the same Christian calling – that every act of service points to life, and life more abundant.
RESPONSIVE TO THE TIMES
Indeed, we serve at a time when Singapore’s social service and community care landscape is being reshaped in significant ways. An ageing population brings greater caregiver burden, end-of-life needs, multi-morbidity, and the need for stronger continuity of care. Families face pressures that are often interlinked – financial stress, strained relationships, mental health challenges, caregiving responsibilities, and social isolation. At the same time, the sector is moving upstream, toward earlier intervention, strengthening families, neighbourhood-based ecosystems, and more integrated social and health support.
The direction is clear: while standalone services remain essential, they are no longer enough to address the increasingly complex and interconnected challenges faced by individuals and families. Rather than navigating fragmented services, they need to encounter coordinated, person-centred support.
These developments affirm the strategic direction that MWS had already embarked on. In our White Paper response to Forward Singapore, Social Empowerment towards a Flourishing Singapore published in July 2024, we set out our commitment to strengthen our reach into communities, build new capabilities, and foster an ecosystem that encourages volunteerism and collaboration.
Much of this work had focused on alignment. Looking ahead, we remain attentive to the emerging trends and will continue to adapt and make three shifts:
THREE STRATEGIC SHIFTS
1. From Individual Services to Integrated, Continuum-Based Care
Across MWS, we are moving from working alongside one another to working more intentionally as One MWS.
Our Healthcare Services for seniors – from residential to community care – are aligning processes and practices so that care can be more coordinated and seamless. In Family Services, our teams continue to strengthen collaboration so that families facing increasingly complex challenges can be supported with greater continuity and care.
This work of integration is not simply about structure. It is about mindset, trust, and shared ownership. We will therefore be setting up a Transformation Office to spearhead this and deepen shared care planning across social and healthcare so that we may serve beneficiaries more holistically and effectively across the life course.
2. From Governance for Compliance to Governance for Stewardship and Sustained Growth
Good governance is not only about compliance; it is about clarity, stewardship, and wise decision making. We want to enable MWS to respond with agility, discipline, and accountability in a changing environment. The Board will continue to invest in governance structures and policies that support organisational resilience, leadership continuity, and resource sustainability so that MWS remains strong for future generations.
3. From Partnering with Methodist Churches to Mobilising the Methodist Community
Building on the momentum of The Healing Nation, we will shift from working alongside individual Methodist churches as partners to actively mobilising the broader Methodist community – sharing resources, exchanging best practices, rallying volunteers, and supporting one another in mission. We believe this will galvanise the whole Methodist community, not just individual congregations, to respond even more faithfully to social concerns in Singapore.
None of these will be quick fixes and will require patience, humility, and perseverance. Yet we move forward with quiet confidence because the direction is aligned with the needs before us and with the mission entrusted to us.
WITH GRATITUDE
The work would not have been possible if not for the many who serve alongside MWS. I am deeply grateful to my fellow members of the Board of Governance for their wisdom, stewardship, and commitment.
My heartfelt appreciation also goes to our Centre Governance Committees and Sub-committees, whose guidance and oversight anchor us in sound practice and accountability. To our partner churches, donors, volunteers, and corporate and community partners: thank you for your trust, generosity, and faithful partnership. You have shown that care is strongest when it is shared, and that communities flourish when many hands and hearts come together.
I would also like to record our sincere appreciation to our departing CEO, Calvin Ngo, for his leadership and service to MWS. His steady stewardship has helped guide the organisation through an important season of alignment and preparation for the future. We thank him for his faithfulness and dedication and wish him God’s continued blessing in the road ahead.
At the same time, we warmly welcome Albert Ching who assumes the CEO role in August 2026. Albert joins MWS at a meaningful point in our journey, as we build on 45 years of service and prepare for our next chapter of growth, integration, and impact. The Board looks forward to working closely with him and the Management Team as we strengthen One MWS and continue serving with compassion, excellence, and faithfulness.
MOVING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE
As we mark this 45th year, we are mindful that the work before us is significant. Yet, we have seen time and again how God provides through people, partnerships, and possibilities we could not have planned on our own. With grateful hearts and steadfast faith, we look ahead with confidence, trusting that He will continue to guide and sustain this work.
May MWS continue to be a vessel of God’s love – humble in service, grateful in spirit, and steadfast in mission. May we steward well what has been entrusted to us, so that more individuals and families may discover their strengths, grow into their potential, and experience life in all its fullness. In all this, may many come to see God’s love, and Christ Himself, in us.
To God be the glory.
