History of Pine United Methodist Church

Pine UMC, acknowledged as the "mother" church of all Japanese American Methodist Churches in the United States, was formally founded in 1886 when Dr. Merriman Harris arrived from Japan, having been appointed Superintendent of the Japanese Missions by the Methodist California Annual Conference. However the true beginnings of Pine UMC can be traced back to the 1870's when a group of young men from Japan began to meet in the basement of the Chinese Mission in San Francisco (at the corner of Washington and Stockton Streets). Under the guidance of Dr. Otis Gibson, then the Superintendent of the Chinese Mission, the young men met regularly to study the Bible and English. In 1877, this small group formed the Japanese Gospel Society or Fukuin Kai. Out of the Japanese Gospel Society evolved not only Pine UMC but all Japanese Christian churches in the United States. This early period is called the Anagura Jidai or "Cellar Days" and launched the history of Pine UMC.

Here are some of the highlights of Pine UMC's history:

1886 - Pine United Methodist Church Founded

1892 - August: Land for an independent church building was purchased at 1329 Pine Street.

1894 - Consecration of the new building.

1900 - Pacific Japanese Mission Conference organized under Methodist California Conference.

1909 - Moved to 1359 Pine Street.

1942 - 1945: Church closed due to WWII and the forced Internment of all persons of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast.

1946 - Church doors reopened

1965 - Church moves to 426 33rd Avenue, it's present location.

1973 - Mortgage burning service for the present church.

1986 - Celebrated 100 Year Anniversary

1994 - Church declares itself a "Reconciling Church"

2003 - Church becomes a "Sister Church" to Masjed Darussalam Mosque

 

And the history of Pine Church continues...

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