Approach Wesley Methodist Church (WMC), and you’ll be greeted by lush foliage, cheery blooms and a sense that this is where God’s handiwork is celebrated.
The church stands on land that once housed Singapore’s earliest botanical garden, founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1822. But beyond a homage to its history, the greenery reflects how the church takes seriously God’s charge to cultivate and guard the garden (Genesis 2:15). This is why the gardening ministry stays busy all year round, nurturing seasonal and native plants on the premises.
Another expression of care is the bimonthly reflective walk at nearby Fort Canning Park, organised in partnership with Our Father’s World (OFW). The walks introduce participants to different tree species while offering space to reflect on how urbanites can reconnect with creation.
Esther Ho, who leads Wesley’s Creation Care Committee, has guided these walks for three years. “People often come expecting to learn about nature but leave challenged to better care for the world God has entrusted to us.”
WMC is one of the first churches to register for RENEW, OFW’s creation care discipleship journey, designed to integrate creation care into church life. Aside from regular consults with OFW, the church has ready access to contextualised playbooks, resources and programmes.
Back at the church, stickers around shared spaces encourage everyday habits such as conserving electricity or bringing reusable bottles. These prompts gently shape a culture of responsible resource use, in line with the Methodist Social Principles.
The same spirit extends to Wesley’s barista-style coffee ministry, where used coffee grounds are collected and repurposed for gardening. At the church’s mini-bookshop BookNook, donated old gift boxes are also given a second lease of life. Such acts grow from a desire to redeem what is typically discarded as waste, mirroring how Jesus redeems our broken lives for a bigger purpose.
Pastor-in-Charge Rev Raymond Fong affirms this approach, especially since change management in a large church is an uphill climb. “I encouraged the team to start small, because that’s a surer way to effect lasting change.”
Creation Care is often imagined as grand or distant—saving rainforests or protecting endangered species. But it can start right where you are, in your church. Caring takes shape in daily choices, subtle changes in habits and a willingness to live out God’s call to be good stewards. Together, then, as one body of Christ, we can transform the world.
Visit ofw.sg/renew to find out more about the RENEW discipleship journey for churches.
This article is contributed by Our Father’s World, a mission organisation inspiring and equipping the Church to live out God’s heart for creation. / Photos courtesy of Esther Ho
