A LIGHT ON THE HILL—A CHURCH IN THE CITY
When I think of Vision 2035, I visualise something more than just buildings and space. I see Wesley Methodist Church becoming what God has called us to be—a Welcoming, Missional and Caring church right in the heart of Singapore.
For me, this is what it means:
- Welcoming Church: A place where everyone feels at home. Warm, hospitable, and open to all who walk through our doors, all who are searching for meaning in life, and all who seek to know Jesus and worship God.
- Missional Church: A church that doesn’t just gather, but goes out to make disciples for Christ in every sphere of life—in church, in the family, in the workplace and in society.
- Caring Church: A spiritual family that builds godly homes and nurtures communities that care for the least, the last, and the lost.
By 2035, when Wesley celebrates its 150th Anniversary, I envision our church as a true spiritual home—a place where lives are transformed, faith is deepened, and all are welcome. It’s about creating an environment where God’s love shines through everything we do. And though not the main goal, the physical space is nevertheless a key enabler to the church fulfilling Vision 2035.
“Vision 2035 is about becoming the church God wants us to be—a Welcoming, Missional and Caring church. And though not the main goal, the physical space is nevertheless a key enabler to the church fulfilling Vision 2035.”
WHY WE NEED MORE SPACE
Our current facilities are fully utilised, especially on weekends. We need more space to disciple, gather, and grow as a church family. Through our outreach initiatives, we hope to bring more people into God’s kingdom in the years ahead—and we will need space to accommodate them.
We also hope to bring all generations—including our NextGen ministries and staff—back to 5 Fort Canning. To do this, we are seeking to acquire the triangular plot of land beside the church. This will increase our Gross Floor Area (GFA), allowing us to build upwards and sideways. As it is now, the church has fully utilised its GFA.
But expansion is not the only need. Our current premises are ageing—the Tower Block was built in 1979—and maintenance costs are rising. Piecemeal renovations and repairs over the last two decades have resulted in under-utilised spaces. A comprehensive redevelopment will resolve structural inefficiencies and allow us to rebuild an inclusive, welcoming and sustainable church.
OUR VISION FOR REDEVELOPMENT
This redevelopment will help us to live out our calling as a Welcoming, Missional and Caring church. It will include:
· Universal Design for accessibility and welcoming spaces.
· Sustainable Systems with energy-efficient technologies and modern AV for immersive worship and online broadcast.
· Flexible Space Planning and layouts aligned with URA guidelines for the Fort Canning area.
“We want a church that is inclusive, sustainable and ready for future generations.”
PRAY, SERVE, GIVE
Vision 2035 calls for every member to take part by praying, serving and giving. This is a major 10-year plan that God has impressed upon the hearts of our church leaders. We need God’s guidance every step of the way.
May I encourage all of us to contribute according to the gifts God has given us—whether through our Time, Talents, or Treasures. Be a prayer warrior; volunteer in welcome, outreach or care; and give what you can.
PRAY
Prayer is vital. Together as a church, we need to pray like never before. We need to pray
BIG prayers. Pray in your small groups. Better still, pray as a church at the Wesley Prayer
Services on the first Wednesday of the month.
SERVE
Volunteer in welcome, outreach or care.
Share God’s love in your family, workplace, or society. Or join a missions team.
GIVE
Contribute to the Vision 2035 Fund for church redevelopment. Every cent counts.
“Every gift matters—whether it’s your time, talents or treasures.”
VISION 2035 FUND
The Vision 2035 Fund was officially launched on Laity Weekend on 11-12 October 2025. I thank God for the good start. As at end-December 2025, a total of $1.6 million had been raised. As announced earlier, we will need about $100 million to redevelop the church, including relocation costs during construction works. This is just an estimate as we are still discussing our plans with the authorities. We will exercise good stewardship and seek to keep costs low. Once plans have been finalised, we will update the church before proceeding.
But whatever the final cost is, we put our trust in God who is with us. I do believe that when God calls, He will provide the necessary resources. King David’s words to his son, Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28:20 encourage me:
“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.”
King David had wanted to build the temple for God. But God said Solomon was to build the
temple instead. So David did the next best thing—he provided the financial resources for his son to build the temple and encouraged the whole assembly to do likewise.
A MOMENT OF GOD’S LEADING
I have been praying and discerning God’s will for the Fundraising Workgroup and who I can invite to chair and join the workgroup. One morning in January 2025 as I was thinking of a verse to anchor the fundraising initiatives, Acts 20:35 came to my mind. At that time, the church was reading the Book of Acts for our Bible Reading Drive (BRD). I didn’t know if there was such a verse and if yes, what the verse was about, so I decided to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised and somewhat encouraged when I found out what the verse said:
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” – Acts 20:35
And so Acts 20:35 became the anchor verse for the Vision 2035 Fundraising Workgroup; Acts means action while 20:35 points to Vision 2035.
In chairing this Workgroup, I am reminded that it is not the amount that matters. Rather it’s the posture of our hearts. Jesus commended the poor widow who gave two small copper coins, which were all she had to live on (Luke 21:1-4).
And we know God can use just five loaves and two fish to feed thousands.
In this regard, I rejoiced when I heard nine-year-old Elliot Quek and seven-year-old Erinn Quek donating everything they had—every single cent in their piggy banks—to the Vision 2035 Fund. These two siblings have given us a powerful lesson in sacrificial giving. (Read the story here)
Let us count our blessings from God. And as we have been blessed, let us rise up and rebuild the church for God’s glory and for generations to come.
Let us give generously of our time, talents and treasures—whether in prayer, outreach or finances—remembering the words Jesus himself said: “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.”
HOW YOU MAY BE PART OF VISION 2035:
PRAY
· Commit to pray regularly for God’s guidance and provision
· Join our monthly Wesley Prayer Services and other special prayer events
SERVE
· Volunteer in the welcome, outreach or care ministries
· Use your talents to bless others—whether in teaching, hospitality or technical support
GIVE
· Contribute financially as God leads you—every cent counts
· Consider pledging to the Vision 2035 Fund
Find out more about Vision 2035 here: https://vision.wesleymc.org/vision2035
Read also: A Heart for Vision 2035: The Extraordinary Gift of Elliot and Erinn Quek
