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City Harvest celebrated its new service at Suntec City's convention halls. (AFP file photo)City Harvest Church, still under police investigation for the alleged misuse of church funds, held its first service at its new home Suntec City Convention Centre on Saturday.7,500 worshippers packed Halls 601 and 602 for the extra-special service entitled "A New Day", reported The Straits Times.
Previously, the church held its services at the Singapore Expo.
The three-hour long service was marked by a performance by pop star Sun Ho, the wife of church founder Reverend Kong Hee, as well as a high-tech display of lights and 3-D glasses along with plenty of song, dance, cheering and clapping.
The move to its new home comes after the Church had to shelve plans to build a 12,000 seater auditorium at Suntec after the Urban Redevelopment Authority released guidelines restricting the use of commercial buildings for religious purposes.
The church has also scrapped plans for the convention centre’s sixth and seventh floors to be used exclusively by CHC. Now, the church can only hold its services there on the weekends.
Initial plans for the Church to pay S$310 million to become a co-owner of Suntec sparked widespread debate when it was announced in March last year.
In addition, its founder Kong Hee and over a dozen church leaders are still under a ongoing police probe they they misused church funds.
A report by the same paper last month said church weekly attendance has nearly halved in over a year and several senior staff members, including two pastors and its music director, have also resigned.
Referring to what has been a trying 10 months for the church, Reverend Kong told his congregation on Saturday, "You've seen pastor at his worst, and you've seen him at the best. But you've stood with me, loved me and prayed for me. I just want you to know I love you with all my heart."
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