The Christian Post in Singapore are reporting that the Diocese of Singapore has elected Rennis Ponniah as it’s 9th bishop.

The Assistant Bishop in the Anglican Church in Singapore, the Right Reverend Rennis Ponniah has been appointed the Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Singapore, the Archbishop of South East Asia, the Most Revd. Bolly Lapok announced today.

A Special Synod had met March this year to nominate candidates. The final selection was made by the House of Bishops at the Provincial level. The installation service will take place sometime in October this year.

Bishop-Designate Ponniah, 56, will succeed the incumbent, the Rt. Revd. Dr. John Chew, who will be retiring October this year when he turns 65 in accordance with a constitutional constitutional age limit on holders of the office of the Bishop of Singapore. Bishop Dr. Chew will remain in office until October 4, 2012.

The outgoing Bishop has held the office for twelve years since his consecration and enthronement in April 25, 2000. The Rt. Revd. Ponniah will become the fourth Asian holder of the office.

As incoming Bishop, Ponniah is set to become the head of the 20,000-strong, influential mainline denomination.

On his election, the Bishop-Designate said: “With faith in God, I receive this immense responsibility. I am humbled by the trust invested in me by the clergy, the laity and the provincial bishops.

“I intend to build on the good work of Bishop John Chew and his predecessors, while seeking fresh ways to bring the love and hope of the ‘good news’ of our faith to a multi-religious and constantly-changing society in a responsible and winsome way.”

…

The Rt. Revd. Ponniah, who is married to Amir with four children, is regarded as one of the most well-known Bible teachers in the Anglican world.

He led the daily Bible study sessions at the fourth Global South Encounter held April 2010 in Singapore. Come June, he will be leading morning Bible study sessions at the 2012 Assembly of the Anglican Church in North America.

That means friends in the States will get to meet him shortly – the ACNA Assembly is in June.