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SINGAPORE: About a week after it emerged that 17 members of City Harvest Church had been called up for investigations into alleged misuse of funds, another mega church, New Creation Church, spent time during each of its four services on Sunday to talk about its five affiliated companies.
According to its church goers, New Creation pioneer leader and deacon Jack Ho said it was a "good time to let members understand more about these businesses".
This would help them "answer with more certainty" if they were asked about the companies, which are fully-owned by the church.
MediaCorp understands he spent about 30 minutes listing the five companies, among them BrightStar Child Development Centre, Omega Tours and Travel and Rock Productions.
He disclosed how each was started and who the seven directors of these businesses are. Mr Ho, who is also general manager of Rock Productions, said these directors - including some of the church's pastors - are not paid fees and bonuses but act only as trustees.
He also told members that Senior Pastor Joseph Prince is now a volunteer at the church and has not received any salary since late last year.
Since 2004, Mr Prince, one of the church's founders, had asked New Creation to stop paying him but council members rejected the request until last year.
A statement of Sunday's clarifications will be posted on the church's website by Tuesday evening, Mr Ho added.
Assistant marketing manager Calvin Lim, who attended one of the services, said: "It's a good time, in light of what has happened at City Harvest recently, for the church to address any concerns any member has."
The 31-year-old, who has been a member for less than two years, said it was especially helpful for newbies like him.
"It's good enough to know the general facts about the companies. I don't feel the need to know the nitty-gritty, like how much was collected or how (the money) is spent because there are people to do that.
"But I was satisfied with the clarifications, and I feel the church has been very open."
Another member, who declined to be named, agreed that the clarification would "help to reassure some people" and added that nothing wrong was found when the Commissioner of Charities looked at its books - among seven religious groups - as part of its first "governance review" in October 2007.
That year, New Creation, which has 17,000 followers, announced that its business arm Rock Productions had teamed up with mall developer CapitaMalls Asia to build an "integrated hub" in Buona Vista.
The $1-billion project - half of which the church has invested in - will house shops, a concert hall and a 5,000-seat theatre for services when ready in 2012.
Rock Productions also owns and manages the Rock Auditorium in Suntec City where services are held now and its adjoining Rock Gifts and Book Centre as well.
It also owns Marine Cove, a recreational and restaurant cluster at East Coast Park, which cost $10 million.
Meanwhile, a 10,000-strong congregation at City Harvest Church's weekend services at Singapore Expo was told that senior pastor Kong Hee, 46, is taking a "needed rest".
Executive pastor Derek Dunn told members the church was cooperating fully with the authorities and, as a result of the ongoing investigations, it was unable to provide further updates.
-CNA/ir
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