The annual Celebrate Christmas In Singapore festivities have returned to Orchard Road. This year, Wesley Methodist Church participated alongside other organisations in Singapore from 14 – 21 December 2024. The purpose of this event is to share the good news of Jesus Christ’s birth and celebrate with everyone. Although this was my second time covering the event, I was still pleasantly surprised by the Wesley Creative Expressions Ministry (CEM) and the booth activities at our hospitality corner.
On the final day of the eight-day event, I recall texting a church staff earlier in that afternoon, worried about the rain. It had been pouring all day, and I feared the performance might be cancelled. Thankfully, after much prayer, the skies cleared, and the evening cooled just in time for the performance. Like last year, I struggled to find a good spot to watch the CEM team as they took the stage. Tourists and locals had already crowded the steps outside Ion Orchard Mall, eager to join in a night of carolling. Led by the witty and humorous worship leader Stephen Tan, the team belted out popular Christmas carols like O Holy Night, Go Tell It on the Mountain, Come and Ring Your Bell, and O Come, Let Us Adore Him. Stephen’s charismatic personality and lively introductions had everyone laughing. The audience joined in, clapping, singing or shaking the handmade shakers distributed by volunteers—an iconic feature of the ministry’s performances.
In addition to the catchy tunes, I was blown away by the vibrant costumes worn by the team. Each member of the CEM team was dressed to the nines. The theme for their costumes was festive samba, with every musician and singer sporting headgear made of colourful feathers. Their faces were painted with vibrant ‘tribal’ war paint, and their robes—an eclectic mix of animal prints and neon colours—hung proudly on their shoulders. I was sure I wasn’t the only one who was utterly impressed by their stunning costumes. Jean Ho, the appointed creative director who led the costume and headgear design teams, shared that the inspiration for the costumes was a revival of a design from twenty years ago. At that time, the team was led by the late Jusuf Kum, Pastoral Team Member for Wesley Worship & Music Ministry. This reminded me of the Chinese saying, 台上一分钟，台下十年功, meaning, “One minute on stage takes ten years of preparation”. The preparation for the costumes began in October. The costume design team, sub-led by Christina Goh, and the headgear design team, sub-led by Foo Yan Bing, worked tirelessly from 9am to 9pm. Once the costumes were ready, the team carefully matched each costume with its corresponding headgear and conducted fittings to ensure a perfect fit. Kudos to them for their hard work!
We must not forget the three wise men who completed the performance. They mingled with the crowd, handing out candy to both young and old. I overheard a tourist telling his friend how much he enjoyed the event, noting that such celebrations were rare in his home country. The CEM team had truly brought the Christmas spirit to Orchard Road. Many people lingered to take photos with the musicians. Joanna Huang, a newcomer to the ministry, shared how much she enjoyed performing on the Taiko drums that night. She commented on how welcoming the team was, making it easy for her to follow along.
At the hospitality corner, a line of people waited to make candles. The candle-making station was managed by volunteers from the Wesley Mandarin Ministry (MM). One of them shared that Angeline Peh from MM had taught everyone how to make the candles so they could lead the activity. The process seemed rather complex but fun. Visitors queued to pour hot wax into moulds, after which volunteers added essential oils and topped off the candles with dried flowers. The station was well-organised, and everyone enjoyed the experience.
The photo booth was busy with people lining up to take photos with the angel’s wings. Visitors patiently waited for their prints. Volunteers dressed as the three wise men also happily posed for photos with anyone who asked. One of the volunteers, Serene Chua, mentioned that she planned to invite the visitors to the Carol By Candlelight and Christmas services at Wesley.
The celebration at Orchard reminded me of what Ms Denise Phua, Mayor of the Central Singapore District and advisor to Jalan Berseh GRC (Kampong Glam), said at the recent Christmas carnival in Jalan Berseh. She mentioned that Singapore is a multi-cultural society that is inclusive. I am grateful that we can openly celebrate our faith and spread the Christmas cheer to everyone at Orchard Road this year.
Photos by Lee Keen Whye, Julian Wee and Desmond Yiong
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Read also: Light on the Hill: Wesley Methodist Church Shines Bright at Singapore Night Festival 2024
