The beginnings of the Foochow Methodist Church can be traced to the work of the German Methodist missionary, Dr HLE Luering, who started a mission in 1897 for rickshaw pullers, coolies and barbers from Foochow residing near Middle Road. They congregated at the Christian Institute for church services held under Reverend Ling Ching Mee until 1924.
Thereafter, the congregation relocated to the Anglo-Chinese School along Coleman Street and again to the Tamil Methodist Church at Short Street, before ending up at a gospel hall along Queen Street in the early 1930s, where they were taught to read and sing.
By 1936, the pressing need for a proper church of their own led Reverend Dr Chen Su Lan, a lay preacher, and other church members to raise the funds to purchase a house along Race Course Road for use as a church. When works were completed in 1938, an architecturally unique building was added to the district, featuring columns designed in the classical style with high vents and round windows.
The church was damaged during World War II when a shell exploded on the north-western corner of the building. In 1947, during the repairs to the church, its front was completely rebuilt. In 1950, the back of the church was rebuilt to match its front. In 1994, the church extended its premises by building a link to an adjoining three-storey block, which it acquired in 1987 to start its Christian Education Centre. Today the church runs a kindergarten, as well as various social welfare programmes.
