My grandfather was a Methodist pastor, and I grew up as a Methodist. At a very early age, the Bible, Sunday school, worship services, hymns and choir were a way of life for me. These brought our family together and I enjoyed them all.
But it was only when I had experienced God in my life first-hand and accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour that all these became more meaningful to me. Just as John Wesley felt his heart “strangely warmed”, and his life was never the same after his Aldersgate experience, there was something supernatural that happened in my life that continues to transform me from inside-out. And that is what being a Methodist means to me—the personal experience of God being real in my life, having the presence of the Holy Spirit and a lifelong desire to pursue Christ-likeness.
Being a Methodist also means trying to make a difference in society and in the people around us. The saving grace and love of Christ we have received should overflow in our lives, to inspire others and point them to Jesus.
We are not able to do this alone. We need a community to help us along the journey. My church, PLMC, is one that loves and honours the King, His kingdom and His people. The PLMC vision is to be “a family blessed to bless the community and the nations”, and I am part of this family that lives up to our calling as Methodists.
Raquel Cardano is a member of Paya Lebar Methodist Church (PLMC), where her children, Rianna and Ryan, are involved in youth ministry and worship, and she and her husband, Chris, are core leaders of PLMC’s Filipino Ministry, which reaches out to unchurched Filipinos in Singapore. / Photo courtesy of Raquel Cardano