Celebrating our 57th Anniversary by

remembering our past and

building for our future

Our church in 1957

Constituted in 2nd August 1957, she was recognised as a local Chapter with 72 full chartered members and 29 preparatory members with the Rev Ralph Kesselring as the first pastor, Mr Khoo Oon Soo as the first Lay leader and Dr Edward Tan as the first Chairman of the Official Board.

The current Church Hall is where Trinity Methodist Church Petaling Jaya first began.

Brave new frontier

In those early days , anyone leaving Kuala Lumpur for this neck of the woods did so with considerable trepidation. Roads were narrow and winding, wild animals roamed the jungles, and Communist guerrillas lurked in the shadows of the rubber-estates.

Christians, however, saw the proposed new suburb of Petaling Jaya as an exciting opportunity to extend the Kingdom of Heaven through church-planting, Christian education, medical service, caring friendships and timely evangelism.

Growth in the 60sIt was not long until the Church saw herself running out of space to grow, and set herself a challenge … to enlarge the building to cater to an anticipated membership of 500 (!) by 1965.

In those days, the addition of the current Sanctuary as we know it cost a whopping $126,100.“THIS IS A GREAT CHALLENGE. CAN WE MEET IT?” our founding fathers asked. The answer is obvious …

Dream into reality

It was a marvel of modern architecture, with concealed lighting and a It was a marvel of modern architecture, with concealed lighting and a ceiling that seemed to float effortlessly as lines radiating from the ceiling that seemed to float effortlessly as lines radiating from the central cross – which itself appeared to be suspended freely in front of central cross – which itself appeared to be suspended freely in front of the sanctuary. the sanctuary.

From an artist’s impression, the Sanctuary building as we know it today was From an artist’s impression, the Sanctuary building as we know it today was completed and dedicated just before Christmas in 1963. completed and dedicated just before Christmas in 1963.

Today, our Sanctuary remains one of the most beautiful church buildings in the whole country. Each pew bible and hymn-book was lovingly donated by individual members, continuing the tradition of willing sacrificial service to the Lord.

The kindergarten and education wing was dedicated in August 1967, and it also housed the Church Library, to which many members contributed

selflessly contributed their own books.

Kindergarten extension in 1979

In the 1970s, the Church’s Kindergarten ministry found itself needing more space to accommodate the growing number of children would be nurtured here. Thus in 1979, a three-storey block was added to the Church complex.

The Church complex from the 1980s through to the early 2000s

Building for tomorrowIt has been a great challenge, but after over a decade, in November 2014, the kindergarten portion of the Church complex was demolished to make way for a proposed 60,000sq ft extension …

To ensure the best can and will be delivered for the glory of our Lord and in keeping with good stewardship, the Church has set up the Redevelopment Fundraising Committee headed by Dr Mary Bien, the Redevelopment Project Committee headed by Ar Paul Lai Chu and the Redevelopment Cost Evaluation Committee headed by Paul David.

In June 2015, Luxbee Enterprise was awarded the job to construct the extension, In June 2015, Luxbee Enterprise was awarded the job to construct the extension, replacing an earlier contractor. replacing an earlier contractor.

Piling works in Nov 2015

Preparing the site in Jan 2016

Work as at April 2016

Work as at August 2016

What the project will become …

However, this building project is worthless:

> If it is regarded as only about increasing real estate;

> If it is seen as being the work of man;

> If it causes disunity in the Church instead of it being seen as an opportunity to show we can stay bonded, even through our individual opinions and differences;

> If our Lord Jesus is not in the centre of it.

As our forefathers asked, “THIS IS A GREAT CHALLENGE. CAN WE MEET IT?”

Building a church is not about cementing bricks together – it is about cementing people to Lord Jesus and one another.