Home ¢ Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message. This article was written with input and photos from Ang Mo Kio (AMK) Chinese MC, Barker Road MC, Covenant Community MC, Faith MC, Paya Lebar MC, Tamil MC (Short Street), Telok Ayer Chinese MC and Toa Payoh MC.
Sing like never before The Church and the pandemic,
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e did not know it then, but on Sunday, 15 Mar 2020, Methodists left their church buildings after worship services and would not return for at least three months. This was the first time since World War Two that church buildings in Singapore would be shuttered for such an extended period. One year on, Methodists have emerged from the hiatus, and churches have had to grapple with how to resume their activities safely and within government-mandated guidelines. Methodist Message looks at church life over the last year and considers what might lie ahead.
one year on DEC 2019 Novel coronavirus first reported in Wuhan, China
23 JAN 2020 First confirmed nCoV-2019 case reported in Singapore
7 FEB Case related to Paya Lebar MC reported. DORSCON level raised to orange
8 FEB First church cluster in Singapore
The virus that shook the world
11 FEB
In Dec 2019, a mysterious outbreak of viral pneumonia with unknown aetiology was reported in Wuhan city in China.
20 MAR
WHO declares pandemic. Disease is named COVID-19
Bishop Dr Chong announces closure of Methodist churches On 23 Jan 2020, the first case of this illness was confirmed in Singapore. Within the next two months, clusters of the illness, then known as nCoV-2019, began appearing. Two church clusters were confirmed in early February. On 7 Feb, the government raised the DORSCON level to orange. This reflected a situation where the disease was severe and spread easily, but was still contained. That same day, Paya Lebar Methodist Church (MC) was closed for deep cleaning because an active case had visited its kindergarten premises. It was re-opened after several days when no other cases were reported. With the virus was spreading like wildfire worldwide, the World Health Organisation declared it a pandemic and renamed the disease COVID-19 on 11 Feb. On 20 March, then-Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung announced that, in view of the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Singapore, all Methodist churches would cancel their in-person services for two weeks 12
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METHODIST MESSAGE May 2021
3 APR “Circuit breaker” implemented
2 JUNE Phase One begins. Churches remain closed
19 JUNE Phase Two begins
26 JUNE Congregational services are allowed to resume with a cap of 50 people
3 OCT Cap is raised to 100 people in zones of 50
28 DEC Phase 3 begins. 250 worshippers and live singing on stage are allowed
5 APR 2021 Worshippers allowed to sing with masks on
