Introduction
The Lawyers' Christian Fellowship (LCF) is a sectional group of the Graduates' Christian Fellowship (GCF). The LCF was formed in November 1978 with the hope of enhancing Christian witness amongst members of the profession and bringing to bear the ethical teachings of Christ in the day-to-day operations of lawyers. Membership is open to all Christian lawyers who are qualified persons within the meaning of the Legal Profession Act and such other persons who have legal training or qualifications.
Aims
Fellowship: To encourage Christian lawyers to study the Word of God, have fellowship with one another, grow in their personal spiritual lives and relate the practice of their faith to the practice of their profession.
Witness: To proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to fellow men and women, especially those in the legal profession.
Service: To serve the Church and the community at large through the pool of Christians, legal expertise and other gifts of its members
Ministry Focus
Since its formation, LCF members have been active in various areas, one of which has been in GCF study groups, particularly those involved in examining impending legislation and making representations to Parliamentary Select Committees. One example was GCF's representations on the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Bill. In 2003, on behalf of the GCF, LCF provided inputs to the National Council of Churches of Singapore and gave feedback to the government on the proposed religious code. Through the years, various seminars and public lectures, which deal with law, both Biblical and secular, and legal perspectives on various issues, have been organised.
The Annual Dedication Service is held in conjunction with the Official Opening of the Legal Year. Members of the Bar and Bench take the opportunity to come before the Lord and dedicate and consecrate themselves to serving Him in the profession.
LCF members meet once a month to pray for one another as well as needs in the legal profession.
Some recent activities and programmes included the following:
- Annual Dedication Service
- Social gatherings/dinners with Christian pupils and newly called lawyers
- A Career Guidance talk for the National University of Singapore Law undergraduates
- Combined Prayer Meetings
- Special talks with guest speakers;
- Prayer and Praise Meeting for the profession
- Church-based and Community-based Legal Clinics
Brief History
The LCF had its beginnings in the second half of the 1960s when some fresh law graduates from Singapore and England shared a desire that there could be a Lawyers Christian Fellowship in which they could learn and share and through which they could witness to the profession. However, some senior Christian legal professionals thought it was premature as there were too few Christian lawyers to form a fellowship.
In 1978, the scene has changed and there were more lawyers who had joined GCF. At that time too, the legal profession began to experience adverse publicity for various reasons, so the idea of forming the fellowship was revived. The LCF was officially formed and affiliated as a sectional group to GCF on 1 November 1978 although it was inaugurated only on 3 February 1979 at the Shangri-la Hotel.