I was hopping from church to church (all non-Methodist ones) when I met a girl, Wendy, while on holiday with a few colleagues in Bali. About nine months later, I married her. Wendy had one condition for the wedding. She wanted to get married in her church—Wesley Methodist Church (WMC). To do that, I had to become a member. So I was baptised and got married at WMC, becoming a Methodist in the process.
Wendy and I lived in an apartment along Dunearn Road. When Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) moved to Blackmore Drive, just across the road, Wendy was elated as she thought she could send our daughters, if we had any, to MGS where she had studied. But God gave us two sons instead. And when it came to choosing a school for the boys, Wendy wanted them to attend Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) (ACSJ). I would have chosen Raffles Institution (RI) where I had spent my secondary school years at, but alas, RI does not have a primary school. I reluctantly sent them to ACSJ, hoping they would go to RI later on. But after six years at ACSJ, they had formed such strong friendships with their classmates that they chose to continue their education at ACS Independent instead. I have to admit that they turned out to be fine, God-loving gentlemen, thanks to the strong foundation given to them at ACS.
At WMC, we have many members who are old boys and girls of ACS or MGS, as well as second- and third-generation members whose parents or grandparents have been worshipping at WMC for years. I belong to neither group. Instead, I am in a third group comprising members with no prior Methodist affiliation or upbringing whatsoever. And there are many like me at WMC.
I thank God I was able to assimilate into WMC quite easily. I didn’t feel out of place at all as the former ACS boys and MGS girls made an effort to embrace all in the church. Like many others, I have experienced true community and I had the privilege of marrying, growing and serving in Wesley. All glory to God!