Kuala Lumpur Wesley Methodist Church

In the beginning (1897 – 1900)

When W.T. Kensett M.D. began worship services and follow-up Christian work in Kuala Lumpur in 1897, he and other leaders of the Malaysian Mission of the Methodist Church, were motivated by the great potential they saw in this capital city of the Federated Malay States for witness among Chinese and Indian workers as well as a handful of English-speaking members of the urban middle class. The handsome brick sanctuary which was erected in Malacca Street in 1899, therefore, catered for all three congregations. The present church building, which was built on Petaling Hill in 1916, was initially shared by the English and Chinese congregations while the Tamil congregation remained in Malacca Street.

Foundation of MBS and MGS

From the earliest days, KL Wesley had realized the importance of the ministry among children and youth. Its ties with the Anglo-Tamil School, which was later renamed the Methodist Boys’ School (MBS), and the Methodist Girls’ School (MGS), remained strong from the early 1900’s. The work of the Union Sunday School and the Epworth and Junior Leagues complemented the spiritual outreach among adults.

Pre-WW1

The prewar years were characterized by a timely emphasis on evangelism and Christian education which was augmented by the cultivation of energetic stewards, an active Ladies’ Aid Society and good teaching from the pulpit. The completion of the old Manse on the church grounds in 1921 made the pastors more accessible to their flock. The growing effectiveness of the music ministry in the evangelical programme of the church was to persist until the present time.

During WW2

When the Japanese forces occupied Malaya in 1942, the church on Petaling Hill became an ammunition dump while the Wesley congregation moved to the Presbyterian Church in Weld Road. The war years proved to be a testing time for Christians but, by and large, they conducted themselves well, providing a true witness for the people of Kuala Lumpur. With the declaration of peace in 1945, a period of reconstruction began. The sanctuary on Petaling Hill was restored and plans were launched to expand and open up new work in several parts of the city.

Post WW2

The euphoria generated by the initial years of peace was quickly replaced by a renewed phase of anxiety caused by the outbreak of the Communist insurgency of 1948-1960. However, the ‘Emergency’ years provided the opportunity for KL Wesley to begin educational, medical and community services in New Villages and townships such as Ampang, Sungei Buloh, Ulu Klang, Sentul, and Petaling Jaya.

1950 - 1970

In the three decades (1950’s-1970’s) immediately after the war, the ‘beacon from the hill’ continued to affect positively the lives of the community through its multi-faceted areas of ministry. The Epworth League evolved into the Methodist Youth Fellowship, the Boys’ Brigade and the Girls’ Brigade. The work of these Christian youth organizations, which was later to be coordinated by the Wesley Youth Council (1969), together with Religious Emphasis Week observed annually in MBS and MGS, ensured a continuing channel of communication between the church and the schools. The Methodist Women (MW), successors of the Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS) and the Ladies’ Aid Society, continued to be an important focal point in the deepening spiritual life of the church. The ‘Silent Strategy’, initiated in 1979, sought to encourage individual church members and bring them into the mainstream of church activities, and the renewed emphasis on laity training led to a growing pool of workers who could assist the ordained ministry more effectively.

1980 - 1990

In the 1980’s and the 1990’s, the Great Commission was interpreted in terms of an evangelical thrust through the various ‘parishes’ and ‘small groups’ and the growing importance of the social ministries. Work in the Sunday School and the Wesley Kindergarten was strengthened while a contemporary Praise and Worship Service (1995) was launched to complement the traditional Wesleyan Services in the main sanctuary. New areas of outreach, including the Wesley Senior Fellowship (1982), the Methodist Young Adults Fellowship (1982), the Goodwill Shoppe (1989), Wesley Home (1994), the Child Care Centre (1995), and the Prudential Children’s Home (1999), ‘enlarged the place of our tent’ [Isaiah 54:2]. The four latter ministries are now coordinated by the Wesley Outreach Society.

New sister churches

After an interval of some thirty years since the emergence of Trinity Methodist Church, Petaling Jaya, in 1959, KL Wesley once again embarked on a programme of church planting. Outreach in various preaching points led to the birth of its daughter churches in the form of Wesley Methodist Church, Kepong (1987), Faith Methodist Church, Cheras (1987), Emmanuel Methodist Church, Petaling Jaya (1997), and Christ Methodist Church, Ampang (1999). In January 2005, the Puchong Preaching Point was launched.

Renovations and Additions

The building programme of the church sought to keep in tune with its expanding ministries. The Parish Hall was completed in 1958, followed by the Manse in Lorong Travers (1959), the Youth Centre (1967), Menara Wesley (1993), and the extension to the sanctuary (1997). A major renovation of the interior of the sanctuary was completed in 2004 to accommodate all four worship services within its confines and to facilitate the staging of church musicals and other celebrations. In the same year, the renovation and refurbishment of the living quarters in Menara Wesley made it possible for the pastors and other ministerial staff to reside within the church premises.

The 21st Century

As the church eased into the 21st Century, the various ministries that had taken shape during the preceding years continued to be tended with loving care, while new areas of outreach were put in place. The Lay Training Institute (2000) and the Methodist Men (2001) were launched. The Alpha Programme provided a practical introduction to the Christian faith for seekers and enabled existing church members to experience a fresh encounter with the Lord. Greater emphasis was placed on evangelism, missions and social concerns through projects like the ‘street ministry’, ministries to the families of prisoners and HIV patients, English Language classes for migrant workers, and continuing areas of outreach in South Thailand, Nepal and Myanmar. The small group ministry was injected with new life, and the beginning of 2005 saw the emergence of 30 small groups under the umbrella of the various ‘parishes’ and other organizations of the church. At the same time, the prayer life of the church was enhanced through teaching seminars on prayer, the ‘upper room’ ministry, and church-wide prayer meetings. Efforts continue to be made to enable members of the congregation to reclaim the promises of the Lord and Saviour whose they are and for whom they witness ‘in the heart of the nation’s capital’.