Amid Singapore’s fast-paced environment, a unique story of reflection, destiny, and devotion is unfolding at the Cornerstone Community Church, Tamil, at Katong Shopping Centre.
At the core of this close-knit community are pastors Joel, 42, and Sandy Jerome, 41. Originating from Bengaluru, India, the couple spent four years in the United States and over 13 years in the United Kingdom before relocating to Singapore in August 2021, answering a calling that would soon shape the local Tamil community.
Their journey into pastorship unfolded through a series of divine moments. The couple joined Cornerstone Community Church as members. It wasn’t long before the senior pastor, Mr Yang Tuck Yoong, realised Mr Joel’s Tamil roots and recognised an opportunity to reach a wider community.
Mr Yang approached the pastoral couple with a proposition that felt less like a prospect and more like a predestined next step. It was an invitation to lead a dedicated Tamil congregation.
Though the concept of pastoral couples is common within Chinese churches, it is rare within Singapore’s Tamil and Indian church communities, said Mr Joel.
Three years into their pastoral journey, they have shaped their calling into a flourishing spiritual home. One of their objectives is to get youth more involved. To that end, they formed the youth sub-group called Community & Confessions two years ago.
Their pastoral partnership allowed Mr Joel and Ms Sandy to lead not just through words, but through the rhythms of their family lives. Ms Sandy said their relationship serves as a positive role model, providing a safe and trusting space for families and individuals in the congregation who are navigating their own marital or domestic challenges.
The depth of their journey was on full display during a Christmas Service on Dec 21, themed The Greatest Gift.
The atmosphere felt less like a formal service and more like an intimate family gathering. The event featured a homegrown band with drums, keyboard, and electric guitars, alongside a beautifully narrated drama, performed by a cast ranging from children to adults.
Supporting the service were Ms Elshaddai Jeevanathy, 24, who translated the sermon in Tamil, and Mr Stephen, 29, one of the four main vocalists of the evening. For these youths, many of whom describe the church as a “home away from home”, the pastors provide a steady “motherly and fatherly” presence.
For Ms Sandy, the heart of their church lies in reminding these youths, some of whom come from challenging backgrounds, that they are not defined by their past or the circumstances around them. “We are not a sum total of what’s been done to us,” she shared, emphasising their growth into “victors” with a sense of purpose.
The spiritual highlight of the service came when the pastors invited the congregation to write down their worries from the past year and pin them to a simple, handmade cross. This was witnessed not only by the congregation but also by friends of various faiths. This act of “pausing” to find purpose is what the pastors hope to instil in the next generation.
This pastoral couple’s journey from Bengaluru to Singapore via London revealed a simple truth that home is not merely a space under a roof, but a sense of belonging. In return, they have ensured that, for the Tamil community at Cornerstone Community Church, the “Greatest Gift” is the knowledge that they truly belong and are finally home.
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17 Dec 2025 11:59
