From 24 to 27 November 2025, Wesley Methodist Church had the distinct honour of hosting the momentous 50th Session of the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC), an event that coincided with the church’s 140th anniversary year as Singapore’s first Methodist congregation.
TRAC is one of three annual conferences of the Methodist Church of Singapore, linking 21 local churches with over 30,450 members as of November 2024. TRAC allows delegates to review past programmes, seek guidance, elect leaders and support ministry training and unity across congregations.
The other two annual conferences are the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) and Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC).
As the host of the 50th TRAC Conference, the staff and volunteer team of Wesley Methodist Church extended God’s welcome and hospitality to all delegates while supporting the TRAC office in the seamless execution of the event.
“As we prepared for this year’s TRAC Conference, our heartbeat was to deepen unity and collaboration across all of Wesley’s ministries, volunteers and staff—so that together we might serve with one spirit and one purpose,” said Alex Seow, vice-chairperson of the TRAC Organising Committee at Wesley. “We are profoundly grateful for the more than 200 volunteers who stepped forward with such generosity and commitment to extend Wesley hospitality to the delegates over the four days. Their willingness to serve has been a powerful testament to what God can do when His people come together.”
Our heartbeat was to deepen unity and collaboration across all of Wesley’s ministries, volunteers and staff—so that together we might serve with one spirit and one purpose.
As the conference concludes, we look back with immense gratitude to the Lord on a gathering marked by spiritual enrichment, teachings, meaningful dialogue, reunions among friends and importantly, the overflowing warm Wesley welcome extended to delegates from across the connection.
Hosting this session during our 140th anniversary year made the fellowship particularly significant, rooting the occasion in a deep sense of shared history and continuous service.
The Power of the Whole-Church Team: Logistical Preparations
The seamless execution of the three-day conference was a clear testament to the dedication and unity of our Wesleyan community of staff and volunteers.
Long before the first delegate arrived, the entire Wesley Methodist Church came together across all ministries, pooling their time for one common goal: service in the Lord. This effort went far beyond simply opening our doors.
It involved meticulous logistical planning—from coordinating early breakfasts in the Plaza Hall, meeting and directing guests at MRT stations, brewing the best coffee to ensuring lunch was a time of joyous hospitality and banter and annual “reunions” among fellow Methodist church leaders.
Every detail, from IT support for the programme to the careful scheduling of breaks and walks, was handled by the dedicated team of staff and volunteers.
The hospitality of Wesley demonstrated the beautiful united spirit of our church coming together as one body in Christ to serve our brothers and sisters.
Brewed with Love, Sustained with Care—the Wesley Way
Our commitment to hospitality was visible in many ways to enhance the delegates’ experience at Wesley.
A popular highlight was the dedicated coffee barista, serving quality brews throughout the breaks, turning the Atrium and Courtyard into vibrant hubs of fellowship and connection: there was a coffee cart located outside the pantry, a Nespresso team at the Courtyard and Plaza Hall, a Wesley care station in the pantry serving tea and other beverages and food servers at the Plaza and Atrium.
At Wesley, Kopi—a commonly used phrase in local Hokkien dialect for coffee—stands for kindness, outreach, people and interactions.
All of the coffee barista stations, a lively fixture of Wesley’s hospitality, were a perfect example of Christian service in action. Our volunteers extended simple kindness with every cup poured, ensuring delegates felt personally welcomed and cared for. This service became a quiet form of outreach, connecting individuals across different churches and ministries outside the formality of the sessions. The true focus was always on the people—not the schedule—creating space for meaningful interactions and fellowship.
This service became a quiet form of outreach, connecting individuals across different churches and ministries outside the formality of the sessions.
“In these brief, caffeine-fuelled pauses, warm connections were formed, affirming that the greatest hospitality is found in the grace extended from one person to another,” said Patrick Chua, pastoral team member of Witness and Evangelism at Wesley.
“Guests could also scan a QR code or use a link to order their coffee, so that our delegates could better use their time to catch up with their friends and colleagues.”
Speaking of cups, to align our hospitality with a deeper spiritual value, all guests were encouraged to bring their own water bottles or reusable cups to the conference, reducing waste and reflecting a shared mandate to be faithful stewards of God’s resources.
“Creation care is not just a buzzword. It is a discipleship and commandment from the Lord that all Christians should apply in our daily lives,” said Joline Tang, co-chairperson of the Wesley’s Creation Care Ministry. “What better way than to apply creation care at TRAC 2025. Our commitment to creation care is an integral part of our discipleship.”
A Walk in the Park, a Tour of the Church
Beyond the confines of the church, delegates were invited to join a unique Heritage Trail and Nature Walk that started at Wesley and led to the historic Fort Canning Park.
Conducted in two parts, this nature walk offered an enriching break, allowing participants to explore the historical significance of the area and its tranquillity. The heritage trail, on the other hand, focused on the church building, church history and its connection to Methodism in Singapore, underscoring our church’s legacy.
One of our docents for the heritage tour, Li Lian Lai shared, “The stories of the people who contributed humbly and selflessly were a great inspiration. Rev Charles Avery’s story reminded us that early missionaries like him braved the unknown in the East, facing daunting challenges and serious health risks.”
“This is something different from what TRAC members are used to every year,” said Esther Ho, chairperson of Creation Care Ministry.
“Our morning and evening walks drew delegates into God’s creation—some lively after a full day seated, others quiet and contemplative at dawn. The nature trail is a treat for us given Wesley’s proximity to Fort Canning Park, giving us time and space to appreciate the beauty of God’s creations. At the Heritage Trail, pastors shared memories and insights as participants discovered God’s abundant provision even in overlooked trees. Across four stations, we traced the gospel story—God as provider, humanity’s failure, His invitation to reconciliation—and were reminded that creation care is ultimately our everyday obedience.”
We were reminded that creation care is ultimately our everyday obedience.
Celebrating 140 Years Through Service
“We thank God for a successful conference and for the spirit of our community,” said Nijendra Mahendra, chairperson of the TRAC Organising Committee at Wesley. “As we prepared to serve the delegates, God reminded us that these are the shepherds and leaders of the TRAC Methodist Churches in Singapore. They have worked so hard over the past year, and we wanted them to remember that God loves them deeply. This love was shown through the kind and most generous hospitality of every usher, coordinator and server. It was also the truest expression of our church’s 140th anniversary theme—faith translated into action by looking up and reaching out.”
(Photos by Gaius Ho)
View and download more TRAC Conference photos here
Read also: Heritage Alive: Encountering God Through Time and Welcome—Wesley’s Inaugural Docent Training Programme ; Brewing Up Hospitality: Wesley’s Barista-Style Coffee Ministry
