To mark World Mental Health Day 2025, Wesley Methodist Church opened its doors on 10 October to the wider community for a quiet evening of lament and hope.
The service, titled “Hope in a Thousand Storms”, was an invitation for anyone—those in pain, their caregivers or anyone simply feeling weary—to pause and find rest in God’s presence. The church is often seen as a light on a hill but that night it also became a shelter for hearts and minds that had weathered too many storms.
In a world preoccupied with performance, comparison and endless bad news, the gathering reminded everyone of a deeper purpose—to be the salt and light of the earth, especially in dark times.
Mental illness doesn’t discriminate. Whether rich or poor, confident or struggling, everyone needs help and hope. It was moving to see so many come together on a Friday evening—some to worship, others to seek comfort, all united by the quiet recognition that we share the same fragility.
The service was intentionally simple. The choir wore shades of blue and white—the colours of Wesley Methodist Church’s theme for the occasion. Blue spoke of sorrow while white suggested light breaking through. Fittingly, more laypeople wore white than blue, as if to show that light can outnumber gloom.
Songs filled the sanctuary with both ache and assurance. We Cannot Measure How You Heal, written in response to loss and trauma, captured the depth of human pain. The Church took a humble step that night—confessing how it has sometimes failed to be a safe place for those who suffer and asking forgiveness for the times it has been impatient or dismissive toward those slow to heal.
It was a moment of repentance and relearning what it means to care as Christ cares. Between songs, the congregation sat quietly as a soloist sang Psalm 13—King David’s cry that moves from abandonment to trust.
People were invited to write their own thoughts, prayers or struggles in their service booklets. A prayer written by the Church was read aloud, lamenting the long nights and cold seasons of the soul and pleading for Christ’s light to pierce through the darkness.
There were also personal stories shared from people who had faced hurt within the Church and from someone living with dementia. After each sharing, the choir responded with a matching song: Be Still, My Soul, When Memory Fades and A Thousand Storms. Together, these voices created a rhythm of lament and hope, of acknowledging pain yet trusting in God’s healing presence.
The service reminded everyone that worship is not only about praise; it is also about listening—to God and to one another. Each song and story became a bridge of empathy, reminding us that God meets His children in their suffering, not apart from it.
Rev Raymond Fong, the Pastor-in-Charge, closed the evening with words that lingered long after the music faded:
“No matter where we are on the journey, one day we will sing the song of victory. Till that day, O Lord, may You be the strength that pulls us up from the pit, the hand that holds us together when we feel like coming apart, the light that cuts through our deep darkness and the hope that sustains us every day, each step of the way.”
As the lights faded, peace lingered. For some, healing still felt far away; for others, it had quietly begun. Yet the evening left one truth shining through—no one faces their storms alone, and the light of Christ continues to find its way through even the darkest clouds.
Though the event has ended, its message endures. If you are hurting, healing or struggling with thoughts of ending your life, please pause and remember: help is close at hand. You are deeply valued. Reach out to a crisis line—someone is ready to listen.
The journey of lament continues at the Sanctuary, Wesley Methodist Church, on Sunday, 26 October 2025, during the 9.30am and 11.30am traditional services. There will be no sermon that day—only space to bring our laments before God in surrender and trust through song. The congregation will reflect on psalms of lament and the stories behind beloved hymns. All are welcome to come, listen and let music speak where words fall short.
(Photos by Gaius Ho)
Missed the service? Click the link below to watch the video and experience a time of ministry through “Hope in a Thousand Storms.” Let the songs, scripture and stories speak to your heart: https://wesley.sg/hope-servicevideo
HELPLINES
Mental Well-Being:
- National Mindline: 1771 (24 hours / 66691771 (WhatsApp) / https://mindline.sg (Online Webchat)
- Samaritans of Singapore: 1767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)
- Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
- Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
- Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788
- Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1
- Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)
Counselling:
- Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
- Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555
- Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180
- Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366
- We Care Community Services: 3165-8017 (WhatsApp) or 8391-3023
Online Resources:
- mindline.sg
- eC2.sg
- www.tinklefriend.sg
- www.chat.mentalhealth.sg
- carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)
- limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)
- www.accs.org.sg/find-a-counsellor (A list of Christian Counsellors that you can reach out to)
