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235 Telok Ayer Road, Singapore 068656
In the first place known as the Chinese Methodist Church, Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Chapel try the original chapel founded so you’re able to cater solely with the spiritual requires of the Chinese Methodist community during the Singapore. It contains testimony on the growth and development of your regional Methodist Chapel and also serves as an indication of efforts from very early Christian missionaries in the Singapore.
Chinese Methodist Chapel during the Singapore
A brief history of one’s Methodist Chapel for the Singapore shall be traced on the coming of one’s very first Methodist missionaries into the Singapore, William Oldham and James Thoburn, in 1885. 2 years afterwards, a western medical de- so you can Singapore with his wife. Western doll Highway which Oldham built, in advance of transferring to Chinatown and you may starting a hospital for the an effective shophouse into Upper Nankin Highway (expunged; on the website out-of the present Hong Lim Playground) inside 1889. Appropriate, West translated the fresh shophouse on a space having Weekend worship properties. This was new modest start of Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Chapel.
1st, the newest congregation made primarily Hokkien and you will Foochow Chinese. As the those individuals talking the newest Foochow dialect improved in the matter, they remaining in order to create a new chapel, Foochow Methodist Church. The rest congregation at the Telok Ayer Church – since chapel are known after that – turned mainly Hokkien-speaking. A parcel at the The japanese Roadway (today’s Boon Tattoo Road) are subsequently gotten during the 1905 to accommodate brand new expanding congregation.
From inside the 1913, the newest church’s pastor, Reverend F. H. Sullivan, bought a story in the junction regarding Telok Ayer Road and you may Cecil Highway. Functions was basically conducted under a good tent on the bare spot, nevertheless framework in the future folded. If you find yourself various other short-term strengthening produced from timber and you can corrugated metal try getting constructed on the same webpages, the Chinese congregation came across in the Fairfield Girls’ College or university towards Neil Path to possess weekly praise.
Long lasting Church to your Community
It was simply from inside the 1921 that intends to construct a permanent church building began. Significantly more land try acquired, in addition to basis brick try placed because of the local Methodist bishop, George. H. Bickley, on the 19 January 1924. The following year, into the eleven January 1925, Bishop Titus Lowe – the fresh successor to help you Bishop Bickley – devoted the brand new sanctuary of your done chapel.
With its very early years, Telok Ayer Church given passions to help you the parishioners, such as for instance helping the illiterate to type characters to get delivered on the parents inside China. John Sung, a greatest evangelist from China paid to have reviving the Christian believe among Chinese in China and you will Southeast Asia, went to Singapore and held several revival conferences on chapel from inside the 1935.
2nd World War
If Japanese first started assaulting Singapore at the start of the battle, new church’s additional walls along the five-foot-way have been thickened to incorporate extra safeguards facing stray bullets and you can bomb shrapnel. On 3 hundred refugees got coverage from inside the chapel building. Inside the Japanese Industry (1942–1945), weekly Weekend services stayed kept.
Frameworks and you can Embellishments
Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church’s frameworks is actually charmingly contemporary. It was created by Denis Santry of Swan & Maclaren, who was simply along with the designer into Cenotaph, Sultan Mosque, and you may Former Tanjong Pagar Rail Station. European structural keeps, for instance the detailed the means to access arches, is seen around the chapel building. The structure on top the leading of strengthening, yet not, was capped from the a distinctively Chinese-style roof. At the same time, the piers and columns powering over the five-foot-method ecuador dating app that have small crosses painting their cushioned capitals was have derived regarding Byzantine tissues. Several doors and windows which have louvres made sure the indoor are well ventilated before the introduction of air-fortifying.
On to the ground level is the church’s personal hall, called after Benjamin Western. The latest sanctuary is located towards building’s next storey. Shortly after their gazette as the a nationwide Memorial, brand new church embarked with the a restoration venture, when the four totally new timber boards behind the brand new altar was in fact uncovered. Towards either side of altar try round attractive screen that have coloured glass. Liner the fresh walls of the haven was half dozen Chinese characters representing both Religious virtues and Chinese philosophy: gong (?, ‘reverence’ otherwise ‘respect’), qian (?, ‘piety’ otherwise ‘sincerity’), sheng (?, ‘holiness’), xin (?, ‘faith’ otherwise ‘trustworthiness’), ren (?, ‘benevolence’), and you will ren (?, ‘tolerance’).
Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Chapel Today
Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Chapel well-known the centenary anniversary within the 1989. Inside the 2004, the latest chapel erected a different sort of strengthening (named TA2) to your Wishart Roadway of Telok Blangah Road to appeal to this new broadening congregation.
Currently, Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church retains characteristics during the English, Mandarin, and Hokkien, and continues to be the spiritual house many Methodists into the Singapore.
Our very own Federal Monuments is part of Singapore’s established traditions, that the Federal Community Board (NHB) saves and you can promotes having posterity. He could be monuments and you may internet sites that are accorded the highest peak out of protection inside the Singapore.