Bishop Philip Lim affirmed the Church’s commitment to the family. “MCS affirms the importance and sanctity of the family. This foundational belief is expressed in The Sphere of the Family, one of our Social Principles which guide us in viewing contemporary issues through a biblical lens based on Methodist tradition,” he shared.
“Our emphasis on the family aligns with Focus Singapore’s mission to help families thrive. Thus, it is our privilege to partner the organisation in upholding what family stands for in the community.”
Mr Choe Peng Sum, Board Co-Chairman of Focus Singapore, who also serves as Chairperson of Board of Governors, Anglo-Chinese School (ACS), shared in his speech, “We at Focus Singapore remain resolute and committed to do our utmost to strengthen marriages and parent-child relationships, so that we build a brighter future for all Singaporeans, where the best chapters of our Singapore Story are still ahead of us.”
“Imagine how much stronger our families can be if all our married couples learn and apply the skills of reframing conflict and building up our spouses through the different seasons of marriage and parenthood?” Mr. Choe asked.
“And when parents model this well for their children, their children will also want this with their future spouse and for their future families. All of these will lead to closer, healthier and more resilient families for generations to come.”
Tool for healthy marriages piloted in two Methodist churches
A key highlight of the evening was the sharing of insights from Focus’ Connect2 Marriage Assessment, a tool designed to help couples better understand the health of their marriages.
Two Methodist churches were pilot partners for this initiative. One of the key findings revealed that couples reported lower-than-ideal levels of marital satisfaction, pointing to a growing risk of distress in marriages today.
This experience proved to be true for Amos and Nancy, who have been married for 23 years.
“There was a period of our marriage where we went through a lot of stress,” Nancy recalled. “I still loved Amos very much, but I felt so hopeless that I even considered divorce.”
As a final attempt to salvage their relationship, the couple sought out marital support and this positively impacted the family dynamics with their two teenage children.
“Through this process, I learnt how to intentionally love my wife, and to align the family in unity,” Amos reflected.
For Nancy, the experience softened her heart. “Marriage mentoring helped me see my husband differently. We learnt how to work through our problems, be accountable to one another, and to trust and lean on each other for support,” she said.
Focus Singapore continues to work upstream by equipping churches and community groups with research-informed tools like the Connect2 Marriage Assessment. These resources help identify areas where couples may need support and provide practical skills to strengthen marital health.
FamChamps Junior piloted in Methodist Preschools since last year
In line with its mission to nurture strong families from the earliest years, Focus Singapore also introduced FamChamps Junior, a values-based programme for children aged 4 to 6. The curriculum, delivered in preschools, is complemented by regular family engagement activities that help deepen parent-child bonds.
Since its launch at last year’s Partnership Dinner, FamChamps Junior has been piloted in over 15 preschools, including those under Methodist Preschool Services.
