Pause a moment here to appreciate Jubilee Presby Church. This church has stood as a beacon of faith and community for over a century. Jubilee Presby Church is a member of the Presbyterian Church in Singapore. It has served the Tiong Bahru and Outram areas for many years. Its story began long before this building was erected.
Let’s step back to 1881. Rev. J.A.B. Cook arrived in Singapore. He was from the English Presbyterian Mission. He had learned the Teochew dialect in China. He took charge of the congregation at Bukit Timah. This congregation later became Glory Presbyterian Church. It had been started by Benjamin P. Keasberry and Tan See Boo in 1857.
As the Bukit Timah church grew it decided to plant new churches. Some members lived far away. The Hokkien-speaking group began meeting at Hong Lim market in 1883. Singapore was then an immigrant society under British rule. Later the church met in the Eastern School on Ansiang Hill. By 1898, it had its first Chinese moderator. That was Rev. Tay Sek Tin.
The first church building for this congregation was built in Tanjong Pagar. Construction finished in 1905. It was named the Tanjong Pagar Church. The congregation grew again. In 1939, a new building was erected on Outram Road. The church then became Outram Road Tanjong Pagar Church. Some Tanjong Pagar residents continued to worship in the old building.
In January 1946, the name “Jubilee Church” was officially introduced. This celebrated the end of the Japanese occupation. It also commemorated the upcoming fiftieth anniversary in 1954. By the 1960s, the Outram Road premises were too small. The government wanted to acquire the Outram site. This present location was offered in exchange. It sits between Outram Road and Tiong Bahru MRT stations. The building was completed in 1973.
Jubilee Presby Church also founded the first kindergarten in Singapore in 1921. It is now the Chinese Kindergarten of Jubilee Presbyterian Church.
Today, Jubilee Presby Church continues its mission. It focuses on preaching and administering sacraments. The church defines its role amidst Singapore’s rapid social changes. The church leadership is invested in a local pastoral team. It is headed by Rev. Tan Tiong Ann. It is amazing to see how a small group of believers has blossomed into Jubilee Presby Church.