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Melvin Dineshraj Balakrishnan

What does being a Methodist mean to you?

Being a Methodist means that I am part of a large and exciting movement that believes that Christ died for all of humanity, and not just for a select group. This simple truth brings meaning to what John Wesley’s famously said: to “do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can”, as there is hope for all.

A Methodist is then called to be a conduit of love for those around us. That is why we place strong emphases on social concerns, charitable works, helping the less fortunate and staying inclusive.

Being a Methodist also reminds me of the great musical legacy that we have inherited. It is said that Methodism was born in song. Charles Wesley’s wrote more than 6,000 hymns, including “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”, and “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”. There are others like the 8,000 others by Fanny Crosby such as “To God Be the Glory” and “Blessed Assurance”. It is because of this rich musical history that our services can be a fine balance of eloquent traditional hymns as we honour the past and contemporary songs as we embrace the new.