To me, this year’s church camp was a surreal experience.
In 2020, when the world was hit with COVID, we had to halt the Wesley Methodist Church camp tradition. Three years later, we have all moved into a new normal; the world has learnt to live with COVID, and we were able to come together again as a family of God.
Over at Children’s Ministry, comprising children from 18 months to 10 years old, we had planned a curriculum to learn how to be part of this family of God. The overarching theme for this year’s camp is Mission Possible, to remind all that nothing is impossible with God.
We shared with them, through stories and fun activities, what it meant to accept Jesus in their lives, be obedient in all things, always turn to prayer and respond by serving the Lord.
Like adult campers, church camp is a time for volunteer teachers to interact with children they would not usually see on Sunday. We get the opportunity to learn about different age groups and various family backgrounds, which allows us to bring back these experiences to regular Sunday School and in turn make us better teachers.
It is a similar experience for the children, as children from different Sunday School sessions can learn together. Church camps are an opportunity to build beautiful lifelong relationships across different service sessions and different generations, for the grown-ups as well as the children.
On top of all that, the most important part of church camp is being able to bring the church together as an Agape family and getting the chance to share a slice of Children’s Ministry with grandparents, parents, aunties, uncles and siblings.
Personally, I enjoyed having my parents at the camp this year, as it was an absolute joy to give them a glimpse of my ministry. I felt like a child who goes home after church to tell her parents everything I have done and learnt that day. I know it did the same for all the campers, bringing families together under one roof to learn, serve and soak, away from the hustle and bustle of life.
I am incredibly grateful that we can come together as campers again, and I look forward to Church Camp 2025!
The Wesley Children’s Ministry (CM) provides spiritual nourishment and care for children ages 18 months to 10 years old, offering activities and teachings tailored to their respective age groups to help them develop a deeper relationship with God. They run classes every Sunday and organise other activities throughout the year, such as children’s holiday camps and outings. To find out more about the Children’s Ministry at Wesley, please visit Wesley Children’s Ministry.
Hear what our campers from all ages say about their 2023 Wesley Camp experience!
Alistair Goh, 3 years old :
I liked the friends in Children’s Ministry, especially my teacher Celine.
Aurelia Goh, 7 years old :
I had too much fun at Agape Night! Camp was really fun!”
Anna Lam, 10 years old:
This year’s church camp was really fun! All the lessons and activities were interesting! I also had much fun playing the CONNECT games. I enjoyed being a mission agent and going on a mission to learn more about God.
Daniel Neo, 10 years old:
It was a good camp experience and fun learning through games during the CM sessions. One game I remember was all the children were on a mat, and we were sprayed when we stepped out. I enjoyed being a mission agent and going on a mission to learn more about God.
Aw Meng Yin, 60s:
What a camp! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was indeed a blessed time. Through our discussion group, I got to know two new friends. Though we spent only a short time together, our deep sharing made it feel like we had known each other much longer. This was over and above the many others I met at meal times! The worship time was exhilarating, for God was among us as we raised our voices together regardless of language or age. The games were fun-filled, and we learnt who could play ‘chapteh’* and who could not! It allowed all of us to feel young once more, to let our hair down and the child in us out. What Bishop Dr Gordon Wong had impressed on my heart: Firstly, God has set the lonely in families—I am not alone, and I need to look out for those who are lonely around me. Secondly, by nature, we are used to people like us. As a child of God, I need to learn to share God’s love with those who are different. Thirdly, God desires works of mercy more than works of piety. Thank you to all who made Wesley Church Camp 2023 possible! I’m so glad I was part of it.
*This game uses a rubber disc with coloured feathers attached to a plastic or rubber sole. It is similar to the shuttlecock in badminton. However, the difference is that it should be kept in the air for as long as possible, primarily through kicking.
Chris Chua, 40s:
As a fifth-time Wesley church camper, my camp experience was refreshing in a familiar way. On reaching the hotel, the first person that greeted me was Kelvin, the camp committee chairperson. As we were early, he took the time to walk me to the basement of the hotel, where he could show me how my family and I could conveniently go to the nearby mall to enjoy a few hours’ break before registration started. In an unassuming way, he exuded humility and hospitality. I was already thankful to be there. It was a sign of more good things to come. The Word of God was alive to me at the camp! Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” was so alive to me.
I came to this camp to deepen my understanding of God’s Word through Bishop Dr Gordon Wong’s teaching sessions, and I was not disappointed.
His stories stirred our hearts, and the songs he sang with his powerful but steady voice gently chided us and reminded us to be inclusive, have an abundance mindset, be kind, and have hope in God’s Promise. During the worship songs at the end of each session, campers became moist-eyed, hearts were touched and tears fell. I am thankful for the presence of the Holy Spirit, deeply felt.
We also connected deeper with our small group members and the larger Wesley family through regular discussions after each session and meal time fellowships. In The CONNECT Experience, we embarked on a little ‘amazing race’ that enabled the small groups to deepen relationships while humbly acknowledging the different skills, talents and wisdom of our team members as well as the volunteers who served as station masters. There was a spirit of inclusiveness in the air as we exchanged information between groups and supported each other in healthy competitions. I am grateful for what I have gained.
Natania Leow, 18 years old:
As a Gen Zer, I feel appreciated whenever we are acknowledged in church, and I looked to the camp with much anticipation. Standing in a crowd of 500 mostly unfamiliar faces, it was initially difficult to picture us being one united family. However, over the four days, the opportunities for fellowship allowed us to grow closer. Overall, this year’s family camp was a time of blessing where we could experience the true joy of living in truth and love together. It was a timely reminder that cultivating a godly family takes effort and cannot be achieved without the Spirit. I learnt that the Family of God is not determined by how many people we recognise or ‘vibe with’ in church. Instead, it is about the mutual edification of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of life circumstances. As with all church camps, the times of refreshment and joyfulness should extend well beyond the four days of comfort in a hotel. My prayer is that we be transformed into His likeness daily, knowing that a discipled family glorifies God. To all of us in Wesley: let us remember that we are extremely privileged to worship God in safety. May we always look to the needs of others and take camps as an opportunity to strengthen our faith and bonds as one body of Christ!
Justin Ong, 50s:
Many beautiful memories were created for me over the years of family camps. This year my two children could not join the camp—they have grown up and are now working, unable to take leave due to work commitments. This allows me to enter another season in life, to spend more time with my extended spiritual family— the Wesley Mandarin Ministry (MM). Over the last three years, Wesley has become increasingly bilingual as MM becomes more integrated with the main church with monthly Wesley Prayer Service, monthly bilingual BRD (Bible Reading Drive) devotions and Journey to The Cross. This year’s camp is no exception, with an intermix of bilingual singing arranged in all worship sessions.
At this family camp, I had the privilege of growing a deeper relationship with the pre-believing husband of an MM sister. She invited her husband to join the camp when the date was announced, but her husband refused. By faith, she went ahead to register for her husband. We prayed for her husband to soften his heart, and praise God, he finally agreed to join the family camp. I could see he enjoyed the teaching and worship sessions. What surprised me was his video recording of the MM worship session on Agape Night. Another brother invited his pre-believing father to join the family camp; the father finally reluctantly agreed to come. This brother was involved in the MM worship item at Agape Night. When the worship was over, his father went to shake the hands of the MM worship team when they came down from the stage, telling them the worship was excellent. These are the moments that touched me and will stay with me for a long time.
Read also: Becoming a Family of God Because the Love of God Transcends All: Wesley Church Camp 2023
