“Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do things beautifully.” This was the quote from Phillips Brooks that Rev Lilian Ang shared in her sermon at the Wesley Filipino Fellowship (WFF) service on 25 July 2022. “Let us do beautiful things for God,” urged Pastor Lilian, pastor in charge of WFF.
It was not a usual service that Sunday. About 120, comprising some 110 members of the Filipino congregation and 10 newcomers, gathered at the Plaza Hall to celebrate the 39th anniversary of the WFF. The event was aptly themed ‘A Beautiful Thing’.
The turnout was double the usual attendance at any WFF service in recent times, and even surpassed the average attendance of 90 in the pre-pandemic days!
Myrna S. Acosta, who has been part of WFF since 1997, especially liked the sermon that Pastor Lilian shared about Mary’s beautiful act of giving her best to Jesus and how she was also a blessing to others, as recounted in Matthew 26: 6-13. “I learnt to appreciate life, what I have, and my loved ones. I also learnt to give God what we have, even if we do not have much,” she said.
The anniversary service also drew an alumnus of the WFF — Eleanor Sadama, who used to worship at Wesley Methodist Church from 2008 to 2014, and was baptised in the church in 2012. She exclaimed, “I miss Wesley, the fellowship and I miss my friends!” Eleanor, currently working in Japan, is in Singapore until August.
As a tradition of the WFF, the congregation celebrated the July birthdays. Eleanor was one of those born in July who received well wishes from the congregation.
Tim Albania, an engineer by profession, has been in Singapore and worshipping the Lord at Wesley since June 2018. For the past three years, he has been serving the WFF in its AV needs and is one of the few men in its choir. When asked about his favourite part of the day’s celebrations, he replied without missing a beat: “The hall is full! Very full, more than the usual 60, 70. Everyone is happy, and there is very lively praise and worship today. It has always been lively, but even more so today!”
Indeed, an unmistakable sense of joy and excitement filled the air even before the service commenced with a beautiful song and dance rendition of Agus Dei. The high spirits continued at the reception held at the church rooftop garden after the service where specially-catered Filipino food, wafer ice cream and even a birthday cake were served.
So what was Chairman Russell R. Datu’s birthday wish for the WFF? “To continue growing in fellowship and in Christ.”
A beautiful wish indeed.
(Photos by Goh Cheng Joo)
As part of the WFF 39th Anniversary celebrations, TIDINGS spoke to two members of the Wesley Filipino Fellowship (WFF), who shared their stories of their journeys in Singapore and in the WFF.
Read here: Church My Energy Booster; Finding Growth and Community In WFF
