Straits Chinese Methodist Church (Kampong Kapor Road) membership certificate of Chow Ah Ming

Title
Straits Chinese Methodist Church (Kampong Kapor Road) membership certificate of Chow Ah Ming
Year/Period
1955
Region
Singapore
Dimension
Object size: 143.0 x 21.4 cm
Accession No.
2024-00175
Credit Line
Gift of Christina Chow and family

Chow Ah Ming came to Singapore from Ipoh, Malaysia, in the 1950s and joined the Teachers’ Training College. At this time, he lived at the Kingsmead Hall student hostel for Malayan trainee teachers at Farrer Road run by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Mr Chow’s Christian faith was an important part of his life and he attended the Straits Chinese Methodist Church at Kampong Kapor Road, where he received this membership certificate. His marriage was also solemnised at this church in 1961. The Straits Chinese Methodist Church is the first Peranakan church in Singapore, having started in 1890 along Middle Road. It was then also known as the Malay Church or the Middle Road Church. As the congregation grew, the current building in Little India was built in 1930, and in 1957, in recognition of the diversity of its congregation, the church changed its name to the Kampong Kapor Methodist Church. It now conducts Peranakan, English, Mandarin and Tamil services.