Foochow Methodist Church
Guide to Know About Foochow Methodist Church
The Foochow Methodist Church, the second-oldest church in the Chinese Annual Conference of the Methodist Church in Singapore, had modest beginnings in mid-December 1897. The church gets established by early Chinese immigrants from Foochow.
The Foochow Methodist Church had its first physical residence in 1936 when a domestic building at 90 Race Course Road was bought and renovated. Foochow Methodist Church has through several stages of development and restoration to become what it is today. Since that time, the church has continued to flourish. There are three worship services held each Sunday in English, Mandarin, and Tamil addition to the Foochow Worship Service.
History
The German Methodist missionary Dr. HLE Luering established a mission in 1897 for the rickshaw pullers, coolies, and barbers from Foochow who lived along Middle Road. This mission served as the forerunner of the Foochow Methodist Church. Under the leadership of Reverend Ling Ching Mee, they gathered there for religious services up until 1924.
The group then moved to the Anglo-Chinese School on Coleman Street, then to the Tamil Methodist Church on Short Street, before settling in a gospel hall on Queen Street in the early 1930s, where they get given reading and singing lessons. By 1936, a lay preacher named Reverend Dr. Chen Su Lan and other church members had raised enough money to buy a house on Race Course Road to serve as their church due to the urgent need for one. A distinctively built building with classically styled columns, tall vents, and rounded windows was introduced to the neighborhood when construction finished in 1938.
The structure was damaged when a shell exploded on the church’s northwest corner during World War II. The church’s front had a thorough reconstruction in 1947 as part of the renovations. The church’s rear gets completely reconstructed to match its front in 1950. By constructing a link to a nearby three-story building that it had purchased in 1987 to launch its Christian Education Center, the church expanded its facilities in 1994. A kindergarten and other social welfare initiatives get currently run by the church.
Mission and Vision
A warm, supportive, and transformative church that actively shares the good news of Jesus Christ with the local and global communities and engages them on a personal level.
Pastors
- Rev Andy Goh Yik Wah – pastor-in-charge
- Rev Patrick Chen Guek Fah – associate pastor
- Rev Ong Bee Keow – assistant pastor
- Mr. Alvin Ong Yu Kai – ministry staff
Getting there
Nearby Bus Stop
Bus Stop (07111) Broadway Hotel (Approx. 0.164 km away) Bus No.: 131. 139. 147. 23. 64. 65. 66. 67. 857
Nearby MRT
NE7/DT12 Little India MRT Station (Approx. 0.396 km away)
NE8 Farrer Park MRT Station (Approx. 0.514 km away)
DT13 Rochor MRT Station (Approx. 0.566 km away)
EW12/DT14 Bugis MRT Station (Approx. 1.053 km away)
Carparks
There are few parking spaces available at churches, and they are only for folks who need them. There is additional parking.
Along Race Course Road
Hilton Garden Inn Hotel
671 Klang Lane (KEM1)
688 Chander Road (BKE1)
