function as a fully autonomous Singaporean Lutheran Church, working side by side with her Malaysian counterpart. A ten-year time frame was adopted in which the Lutheran Church in Singapore and the Lutheran Church in Malaysia would initially be re-organised as two synods within one Church organisation and move towards independence as two national churches by 2001. Establishment of a national church Despite the ten year time frame, the process was accelerated and in 1997, the Lutheran Church in Singapore was constituted as a separate national body for Lutheran churches in Singapore with the Rt. Rev. John Tan Yok Han elected as the first Bishop of the church. Structure and organisation The Lutheran Church in Singapore' structure evolved from being the Southern District of the Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore to a national body. The highest decision-making body is the Annual Meeting consisting of elected lay and ordained voting members from each congregation that meets annually and headed by a bishop. When the Annual Meeting is in recess, authority is delegated to the executive council. The Ministerium, consisting of the ordained pastors of the church, attends to matters of doctrine, nurture and spiritual care. On the local congregation level, local church councils run the various LCS congregations. All properties of the local congregations are owned by the LCS. Bishops of the LCS 1997-2009 Rev. John Tan Yok Han 2009–2021 Rev. Terry Kee Buck Hwa 2021-2022 Rev. Lu Guan Hoe Congregations At present, there are 6 congregations in Singapore: Bedok Lutheran Church, Bedok Jurong Christian Church, Jurong Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Bukit Timah Queenstown Lutheran Church, Queenstown Yishun Christian Church, Yishun Thai Good News Centre, Beach Road Affiliations The LCS participates actively in ecumenical relationships through: National Council of Churches of Singapore Christian Conference of Asia World Council of Churches Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Malaysia & Singapore Basel Christian Church of Malaysia Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia Lutheran Church in Malaysia Protestant Church in Sabah Lutheran World Federation Asia Lutheran Communion The LCS also works in partnership with: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Southeastern Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria Lutheran Church of Australia Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission See also Christianity in Singapore Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore References External links Lutheran Church in Singapore Protestantism in Singapore Christian organizations established in 1997 Singapore Singapore Singapore