The Straits Times - Hindu group eases church's carpark crunch
28 February 2010
By Kor Kian Beng
Many examples have been cited to illustrate Singapore's inter-religious harmony and yesterday, a new one was added to the list.
It is a gate in the fence demarcating the Bartley Christian Church and Ramakrishna Mission in Bartley Road.
Church members attending Sunday services used to have to scour the nearby private estates for parking spaces when the church carpark was full.
The problem was eased last June when the Ramakrishna Mission, a Hindu charitable outfit next door, offered around 60 carpark spaces to the church-goers on Sundays.
It also built a gate in the fence so that church members would not have to make a detour to get to the church.
This example of inter-religious harmony was feted by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong yesterday at the official opening of the 48-year-old church following a $16 million rebuilding project.
Accompanying Mr Goh were two fellow Members of Parliament from Marine Parade GRC: Mr Seah Kian Peng and Mr Lim Biow Chuan.
Present too were board members of the Ramakrishna Mission, including its president, Swami Mukti Rupananda.
Mr Goh said Singapore is blessed with religious diversity, harmony and active dialogue among religious leaders.
'Singapore is also blessed because many religious organisations reach out to a larger community, not just cater to their own flock,' he added.
Mr Goh pointed to how the Bartley church had donated $5,000 to the Ramakrishna Mission boys' home and also pledged $30,000 yearly to the Braddell Heights Community Club for bursary awards to needy students.
The church will also send volunteers to partner the grassroots organisation in its free tuition programme for students.
This mirrors its efforts with the South East Community Development Council in reaching out to 50 families through a reading programme since 2008.
Senior pastor William Lee said the church believes that faith without action to help others is 'sentimentalism'.
Mr Seah, who spoke at the event, said the good relations between Bartley Christian Church and Ramakrishna Mission will further foster religious harmony here.
'This shows that there is a large common space - and I don't mean the parking space alone - between the two neighbours. It's something that the rest of Singapore can learn from.'
He also noted the need for religious leaders to be respectful and sensitive towards other faiths.
