The 50th Session of the Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference (ETAC) was held from 7 to 8 November 2025 at Tamil Methodist Church, Short Street.
The session began with an Opening Service, where Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon shared a reflection on revival and relationships within the Church, drawing from Philippians 2:19–25 and the powerful imagery of “my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier”.
A roadmap to spiritual renewal
In his first address as ETAC President, Rev Saravana Kumar cast a compelling vision for the Conference, inviting leaders and congregations to journey together under the quadrennium theme for 2025–2028, “Towards Revival”. This vision is not merely a slogan, but a spiritual roadmap calling the Church to awaken, realign and advance in faith and mission.
Rev Kumar emphasised that revival begins with a renewed commitment to holiness, prayer and discipleship. He urged every believer and congregation to embrace this shared vision—not as passive observers, but as active participants in God’s renewing work. The journey is anchored in four yearly themes, each representing a vital step in the spiritual renewal of ETAC.
The Church, moving towards revival, is called to resume with God’s strength, relate in Christ- like love, restore what is broken and reach the world with the gospel.
1. Resume: Beginning anew with the strength God promises, pressing forward in our faith journey even amid life’s challenges.
2. Relate: Cultivating loving, Christ-like relationships where revival thrives through shared growth and sincere, meaningful love.
3. Restore: Mending what is broken and renewing our hope, relationships, and joy—no matter the losses we have faced.
4. Reach: Proclaiming the gospel with Spirit-empowered boldness, extending God’s love to every person.
Rev Kumar urged ETAC to embrace this vision not merely as a strategic framework, but as a shared spiritual calling. He shared that he prayed fervently for God to ignite revival—first within the hearts of individual believers, then within congregations, and ultimately across the entire Conference. His appeal was not only for growth in numbers, but for a deepening of holiness, a renewal of purpose and a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The weekly Pastors Prayer Fellowship and Pastors Retreat held in Malacca from 22 to 24 April 2025 provided a sacred space to deepen engagement with the Conference theme.
Rev Kumar gave thanks for the successful lease renewal of Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church for another 30 years and invited the Conference to continue lifting this matter in prayer.
He shared his concerns and outlined a strategic approach to leadership development and succession, as well as ministry among young adults and youth.
The Emmanuel Praise Choir and Emmanuel Praise Band led the congregation in worship and presented special songs. The Opening Service also marked the installation of five new choristers by the ETAC President.
Pastoral supply
As the smallest Annual Conference of The Methodist Church in Singapore, there are presently eight Elders, of whom three are retired, and three active Deacons.
Rev Philip Selvan Abraham stepped into retirement after 37 years of devoted service to the Conference. He first joined ETAC on 12 November 1988 and, over the decades, served faithfully in multiple congregations: Seletar Tamil Methodist Church, Toa Payoh Tamil Methodist Church, Sembawang Tamil Methodist Church, Ang Mo Kio Tamil Methodist Church, Jurong Tamil Methodist Church and Pasir Panjang Tamil Methodist Church.
Rev Philip was honoured for his steadfast leadership as ETAC President from 2020 to 2024.
Rev Philip has been re-engaged as Pastor-in-Charge, while Rev R Prabhu, also retired, continues to serve as Associate Minister. Mr Joshua Gnanaruban is appointed as the Part-Time Approved Supply Pastor. The 50th Session witnessed the ordination of Ps J S Jesudoss Charles and Ps Joseph Vasanth as Deacons. Rev Adlin Jacob has progressed to MOT 3.
Two seminary students—Mr Elisha Philip and Mr Joshua Gnanaruban—are on track to complete their theological studies by May 2026 at Trinity Theological College (TTC) and Singapore Bible College, respectively. Mr Alfred Charles Masilamani is currently pursuing theological studies in TTC.
Donning spiritual clothing
At the Closing Service, Bishop Philip Lim shared from Colossians 3:12–17, using spiritual clothing as a metaphor for the Christian life. His first reflection centred on our call to be disciples of Jesus, the second emphasised clothing ourselves with Christian virtues and growing in Christlikeness.
EMMANUEL TAMIL ANNUAL CONFERENCE 50th SESSION
PASTORAL APPOINTMENTS FOR THE YEAR 2026
REV C SARAVANA KUMAR
President
| District Superintendent Rev James Nagulan |
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Ang Mo Kio TMC Associate Minister Jurong TMC Pasir Panjang TMC Assistant Pastor Seletar TMC Assistant Pastor Sembawang TMC Part-Time Approved Supply Pastor Tamil Methodist Church, Short Street Assistant Pastor Singapore Telugu Methodist Church Toa Payoh TMC Assistant Pastor SPECIAL APPOINTMENTSMethodist Welfare Homes Co-ordinator Methodist school chaplains |
Text by Rev Vijay Joseph. / Photos courtesy of Daniel Lie
