History

Brief History of Trinity Methodist Church

more pics from the 50s

1950's
Late 1956 A pioneer group of married couples in Serangoon Garden Estate envisaged a Methodist Church to serve this growing community.

Dec 1956 Malaya Annual Conference at Ipoh appointed Mr Syn Wai Yin (a senior Trinity Theological College student) to begin work in Serangoon Garden. Dr F. Olin Stockwell, lecturer at Trinity Theological College, provided spiritual leadership.

9 Mar 1957 First meeting of the group.

17 Mar 1957 First Sunday service by Mr Syn Wai Yin at the home of Mr and Mrs Tong Kum Toh at 85, Cowdray Avenue. First Sunday School class also held. Later on, Sunday School held at 75 and 85 to 91 Cowdray Ave and also 15 Huddington Avenue with Mrs Nancy Lee as its Superintendent.

24 Nov 1957 First service held at St Peter’s Anglican Church at 4.30pm.

25 Nov 1957 TMC officially constituted as part of the Singapore District of the Malaya Annual Conference.

Dec 1957 Mr Kenneth Chellappah succeeded Rev Syn as Student Pastor with Dr F. Olin Stockwell as Associate Pastor and Mr Denis C Dutton as Student Assistant.

4 Mar 1958 WSCS was inaugurated with Mrs Daisy Chellapah as its first president.

End 1958 Purchase of land at corner of Lichfield Road and Serangoon Garden Way for $60,000.

31 Oct 1959 1st Church Fair to raise funds held at St. Peter’s Church. A sum of $2500 was raised.

Dec 1959 Mr Larry Cheah was appointed Pastor with Rev Christopher Smith as Associate Pastor

 

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more pics from the 60s
1960's

July 1960 Trinity Methodist Youth Fellowship was formed with Ms Lucy Lau as its first President.

Dec 1960 Rev Christopher Smith appointed as Pastor with Mr Peter Lee as Associate Student Pastor.

11 Jun 1961 First MYF meeting.

3 Jun 1962 2nd Grand Fair raised $5000. The patron for this fair was Mrs. Celeste B. Amstutz, wife of Bishop H.B. Amstutz

10 Jun 1962 Ground breaking was performed by LCEC Chairman Mr Lawrence Pang and the service was led by Rev Christopher Smith attended by 200 people.

11 Jun 1962 Construction work on the building began.

31 Dec 1962 Candlelight Watch Night service held in the partially completed building.

17 Feb 1963 The church building, built at a cost of $66000, was officially declared open for services by Bishop H. B. Amstutz. The Lay Leader, Mr Andrew Lee and Mr Tang Kin Wah, a Trinity Theological College student, took charge of services.

April 1963 Evening services began. They were held every 1st Sunday with the assistance of Rev D.B. Dougall and Rev Howard John, chaplains of the British Forces.

Sep 1963 Rev Charles Grose appointed as Pastor assisted by Associate Pastor Wong Oon Thian and student assistants Mr Lim Huat Teng and Miss Lam Mo Chi.

1 May 1964 Grand Fair under patronage of Mrs Eileen Smith raised $8000 for the building fund.

21 Feb 1965 Dedication Service officiated by Bishop Robert F. Lundy.

Early 1965 Mr Andrew Lee and Mr Lam Yet Seng took over from Rev Charles Gross until Mr Michael Wong from Trinity Theological College assumed pastoral duties with Dr. F. Olin Stockwell as Associate Pastor.

Late 1965 Rev Chew Hock Hin appointed as Pastor assisted initially by Mr Tan Eng Seng and later by Mr George Wee, Student Assistants.

Late 1965 Choir formed under Mrs Chew Chin Jin.

Late 1965 The 18th Company Boys’ Brigade was transferred to TMC from St Thomas School under the captaincy of Mr Tay Soon Hock.

Late 1965 Evening Peranakan and English services held on 1st and 3rd Sundays.

Early 1966 1st Chinese New Year service held.

17 Aug 1967 TRIN FAIR ‘67 was held under the patronage of Mrs Goh Keng Swee which raised $5000 for the building fund.

 

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more pics from the 70s
1970's

End 1970 Rev Christopher Smith succeeded Rev Chew as Pastor with Mr Ioane Afoa as Student Pastor.

Mid 1975 Rev Denver Stone took over pastoral duties from Rev Christopher Smith.

Dec 1975 Mr Daniel Tan appointed as Pastor.

Feb 1978 Extension to the back of sanctuary was completed at a cost of $175,000.

8 Apr 1978 Musical Night by the Bel Canto Singers, produced by Mrs Lilian Choo and directed by Mr Tonni Wei was held at the Victoria Theatre, raising $6999.

9 Sep 1978 Extension dedicated by Bishop Kao Jih Chung.

6 to 10 Dec 1978 Participated in Billy Graham Crusade by providing counselors, ushers and choir members .

31 Dec 1979 Rev George Wan succeeded Rev Daniel Tan as Pastor.

 

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more pics from the 80s


1980's

1980 Methodist Adult Fellowship started.

1 Aug 1981 Mr Daniel Koh succeeded Rev George Wan as Pastor.

Nov 1984 Work on Trinity Education Centre commenced.

May 1985 Young Adults Ministry started.

Mid 1985 Senior Adult Fellowship formed with Mr Wong Yow Chuen as its first Coordinator.

1 Jan 1986 Rev Melvin Huang appointed as Assistant Pastor.

Early 1986 Work on Trinity Education Centre completed at total cost of $1.5 million.

18 May 1986 5pm service converted to a Prayer and Praise service.

1 to 7 Jun 1986 Participated in the Luis Palau Singapore Mission in counselling, prayer and follow up.

1 Aug 1986 Rev Melvin Huang succeeded Rev
Daniel Koh as Pastor.

7 Jan 1987 Nursery (and later Kindergarten) opened.

Jun 1987 Participated in Reinhard Bonke Mission through intercession, counselling and ushering.

Jul 1987 MAF discontinued.

Jun 1988 First Church Family Retreat organised by WSCS at Port Dickson.

Sep 1988 Genesis of Small Groups starting with WSCS, Bridport and Namly.

Sep 1988 Evangelistic Project with Andre Kole, famous Christian illusionist.

Sep 1988 TEC dedicated.

7 Jan 1989 Participated in Tony Campolo rally.

28 to 29 Jul 1989 TMC musical “Friends Forever” held at SLF auditorium.

1 Aug 1989 Rev Philip Lim appointed as Assistant Pastor.

Dec 1989 Air conditioning of sanctuary completed, altar area extended and new sanctuary organ purchased.

 

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more pics from the 90s
1990's

14 to 17 Mar 1990 Church Camp in Melaka.

13 Oct 1991 Rescheduling of services to 7.30am, 9.00am, 11.00am and the 5pm Prayer and Praise service.

Jan 1992 9am Sunday School session commenced.

11 to 15 Jun 1992 Church Camp in Kuantan.

1 Aug 1992 Pastor Kow Shih Ming succeeded Rev Philip Lim as Assistant Pastor.

11 Apr 1993 Prayer and Praise service discontinued.

27 Apr to 4 May 1994 First mission trip to Cambodia led by Pastor Kow Shih Ming.

9 to 10 Jul 1993 TMC Acts of Praise: “Schemes, Lies and Video Screwtape Exposed” at SLF Auditorium.

1994 Launching of Adult and Family Life Ministry under Dr Hum Sin Hoon.

8 to 12 June 1994 Church Camp in Genting Highlands.

20 Dec 1994 Officially adopted Cambodia as our Unreached People Group mission focus.

1 Jan 1995 Rev Lim Jen Huat succeeded Rev Melvin Huang as Pastor.

12 to 19 May 1995 Vision trip to Cambodia.

1 Jan 1996 Rev Richard Tan succeeded Rev Kow Shih Ming as Assistant Pastor.

5 to 9 Jun 1996 Church Camp in Penang.

Jan 1997 First Wednesday night prayer meeting held.

Jun 1997 to Jan 1998 Mr Chia Boon Beng appointed as Lay Ministry Staff.

12 to 16 Jun 1998 Church camp in Melaka.

1 Aug 1998 Rev Philip Lim succeeded Rev Lim Jen Huat as Pastor.

29 Nov 1998 Mrs Claire Lowe appointed as TMC’s first missionary serving in the Methodist School in Cambodia.

1 Jan 1999 Rev Richard Tan posted to Kampong Kapor MC.

2 Jan 1999 Mrs Tan Kiem Kiok appointed as Lay Ministry Staff, Training.

23 May 1999 Adopted Takmau Trinity MC in Cambodia.

1 Aug 1999 Pastor Foo Fook Heng appointed as Assistant Pastor.

 

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more pics from 2000
2000

1 Jan 2000 The Junior/Intermediate Sunday School and the Senior Sunday School were restructured as the Children’s Ministry and Youth Ministry respectively.

Mar 2000 Vision Trip to Cambodia.

Jun 2000 Church Camp in Kuantan.

9 to 12 Nov 2000 Young Adults conducted Cambodian Youth Leaders’ Training School in Phnom Penh.

24 Dec 2000 Christmas Carnival held in premises to reach out to the surrounding neighbourhood.

1 Jan 2001 Boys Brigade and Girls Brigade Companies established in Serangoon Garden Secondary School.

Jan 2001 Sponsored SP Primers unit based in the Singapore Polytechnic.

Mar 2001 Mr Albert Lim and Mr David Lim appointed as Short Term Missions Associates to Cambodia.

1 Jul 2001 Mr Jacob Cheng appointed as Lay Ministry Staff, Small Groups.

21 to 26 Nov 2001 Young Adults conducted 2nd Cambodian Youth Leaders’ Training School in Phnom Penh.

29 March 2002 Evangelistic play, "Forsaken" performed during Good Friday Services.

31 March 2002 Evangelistic play, "Not Forsaken" performed during Easter Services

July 2003, Pastor Foo Fook Heng left us to serve in Fairfield Methodist Church.

Aug 2003, Pastor Lai Kai Ming was appointed as Assistant Pastor.

17 Aug 2003, Mrs Tan Kiem Kiok, our Lay Ministry Staff, left us for further studies.

Dec 2003 TMC moved out of Serangoon Gdn Way and worships temporarily in PLMGS(P) as the church undergo a Redevelopment Project.

18 March 2003 - The Sanctuary got fire during the redevelopment construction, hence it was reinstated in 2004.

16 Jan 2004, Ms Mak Seok Eng appointed as Lay Ministry Staff.

16 Jan 2004, Ms Susan Chua appointed as Lay Executive Staff (Children Ministry)

 

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more pics on the pioneers
THE PIONEER GROUP

Mr Tong Kum Toh
Mrs Ruth Tong Kum Toh
Mrs Nancy Lee
Mr Andrew Lee
Mrs Lee Poh Lin
Mr P Sathiasingam
Mr Lawrence Pang
Mrs Catherine Pang
Mr Ng Vee Chong
Mrs Lily Ng Vee Chong
Miss Rosy Wee
Mr Kwan Chee Yew
Mrs Violet Kwan Chee Yew
Mrs Susy Lemos Khay Siew
Mr Willie Satkunasingam Rasiah
Mr Jacob Thevarajah Wilfred
Mrs Lily Poomalar Wilfred
Miss Helen Rajapoopathy Wilfred
Mr Kenneth Chellappah
Mrs Daisy Chellappah
Mr Phung Khye Sun
Mrs Jessie Phung Khye Sun
Miss Goh Sock Eng
Mr David Fang
Mr Robert Cheok
Mr Goh Siak Juay
Mr Lai Men Soe
Miss Clara Wong Woon Ping