Trinity Methodist Church Petaling Jaya celebrated its 57th anniversary by looking back at its origins in 1957 and efforts to expand facilities to accommodate growing membership. The church began in a small hall but saw membership increase quickly, requiring an expansion in the 1960s to build the current sanctuary. Through the 1970s and 1980s, the church continued expanding its kindergarten and facilities. By the 2010s, decades of growth led to plans for a major 60,000 square foot redevelopment and extension project to meet continued needs, with construction beginning in 2015-2016. The church emphasized the project's purpose is to glorify God and cement people to Jesus, not just increase real estate.

1. Celebrating our 57th
Anniversary
by
remembering our past
and
building for our future

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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 …

6. Dream into reality
It was a marvel of modern architecture, with concealed lighting and aIt was a marvel of modern architecture, with concealed lighting and a
ceiling that seemed to float effortlessly as lines radiating from theceiling that seemed to float effortlessly as lines radiating from the
central cross – which itself appeared to be suspended freely in front ofcentral 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 wasFrom 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

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

10. Building for tomorrow
It 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 …

11. 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.

12. Piling works in Nov 2015

13. Preparing the site in Jan 2016

14. Work as at April 2016

15. Work as at August 2016

16. What the project will become …

18. 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.

19. 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.