“I approached Mrs Tham when MGS had already relocated to Blackmore Drive. I asked her if she would be open to BRMC starting a church using the MGS chapel and she agreed. I mooted the idea because I realised that along Bukit Timah Road there was no Methodist church between Barker Road Methodist Church and Bukit Panjang Methodist Church. And it would be appropriate to plant a church at the new MGS.”
~ Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, first Pastor-in-Charge of CCMC
In 1992, then chaplain of Methodist Girls’ School (MGS) and Pastor-in-Charge of Barker Road Methodist Church (BRMC), Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, was prompted to ask then Principal Mrs Anna Tham about starting a Methodist church on the MGS campus when it moved from Mount Sophia to Blackmore Drive in Bukit Timah.
A Preaching Point was set up, and the inaugural chapel service took place on 10 October 1993.
On 11 Sep 1994, the Preaching Point was officially established as a Local Conference, becoming the 16th church in the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) and Rev Dr Ngoei became its first Pastor-in-Charge. The church was named Covenant Community Methodist Church (CCMC), based on Ephesians 2:19-22, emphasising a community in covenant with God and each other.
CCMC’s vision, “To Know God Deeply and Make Him Known Widely”, continues to shape its mission, welcoming those in its nearby community to worship God, even as the commitment to MGS as its key ministry remains.
This year on 8 September, over 700 members and guests gathered at a Combined Worship Service to celebrate 30 years of God’s faithfulness to CCMC. Bishop Dr Gordon Wong, TRAC President Rev Stanley Chua, TRAC Lay Leader Mr Henry Tan, TRAC Associate Lay Leaders Mr Liaw Chun Huan and Mr Poh Leong Berg, as well as MGS Board Chairperson Mrs Sim Suh-Ting, MGS Principal Mrs Valarie Wilson and Vice-Principals, Mrs Koh Chern Ee and Mrs Diana Goh, were among the guests.
The celebration began with a heartfelt time of worship, bringing the congregation together in praise. Bishop Dr Wong shared an inspiring sermon, reminding us of the transformative power of love in overcoming evil. The joyful singing from the CCMC Combined Adults Choir—which included choir members from the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services, Men’s Choir, Gospel Choir, Japanese Hallelujah Chorus and Covenant Kids Choir—brought warmth and a special sense of togetherness, adding a special touch to the meaningful Anniversary Service.
This year’s theme, “Filled With The Spirit To Reach Out”, was shown through the “30 Blessings” initiative—an initiative for church staff and members to run at least 30 projects designed to reach out to the local community and beyond. To date, more than 30 projects have been initiated. Projects included raising almost $30,000 to support the reintegration of ex-offenders, done in collaboration with The Helping Hand, a Christian halfway house. A fun fiesta held in August raised more than $18,000 for Sembawang Family Service Centre (SFSC).
There were also outreach efforts to worker dormitories to share the gospel as well as blessing low-wage earners within the neighbourhood with care packs containing daily essentials.
The activities under the “30 Blessings” banner will continue till the end of the year, where CCMC will also engage mission fields in Thailand, Cambodia and Nepal, re-affirming its support for YWAM Singapore and their missionaries in Asia.
Another significant project involves a gift CCMC will make to pupils of MGS and Fairfield Methodist School (Primary & Secondary): a revised edition of Sophia Blackmore in Singapore —a book about the founder of the two schools originally written by the late Bishop Emeritus Dr Theodore Doraisamy and published in 1987 by General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (GC-WSCS) of The Methodist Church in Singapore. This new edition of the book is published with the support of the GC-WSCS.
“The many acts of love by our church family are surely a sign of the Holy Spirit actively working in CCMC. May we continue to answer God’s call and continue reaching out in love in the years to come!” said Rev David Gwee, Pastor-in-Charge of CCMC.
