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History
of Cornerstone United Methodist Church
The
Orange County Mission Church idea and planning was
started in
1976
by the Chinese United Methodist Church of Los Angeles
under the
leadership
of Rev. Joseph Ma.
June
1977
We
began the mission church in Orange County in a small
chapel at the
Orange
United Methodist Church in the city of Orange. Rev. Leo
Hsu,
Associate
Pastor to the Chinese UMC was assigned to the mission
church.
Thirty people together with several friends, which
included
the
five core families, Tom and May Lou, Ed and Mabel Joe,
Eddie and
Ruth
Wong, Charlie and Minnie Lou, and Sen and Clarice Lew
began
Sunday
evening worship services. The first choir consisted of
two
members,
Celeste and Arleen Lew. Arleen Lew was the pianist, Bing
Wong
was the Administrative Board Chairperson and Craig
Miller from
CUMC
of LA led our young people.
June
1978
Rev.
Leo Hsu was officially appointed as the Pastor.
September
17, 1978
The
church was chartered as "Chinese United Methodist
Church of
Orange
County." Rev. Leo Hsu was transferred back to
Chinese UMC of
Los
Angeles.
October
1978
We
were without a pastor for four months.
February
1979
Rev.
Ken Zeller was assigned as our Interim Pastor.
July
1979
Rev.
Timothy Ting from Chicago, Illinois was appointed the
new
pastor.
Craig Miller, the Youth and music director became an
Ordained
Pastor
and was appointed to another church. Under the direction
of
the
new music director, Arleen Lew, the choir continued
their many
concerts
throughout Orange County, Los Angeles and traveled to
Northern
California performing at several churches. The United
Methodist
Board of Discipleship awarded the Wings of Faith Choir a
certificate
as on of the most Outstanding Youth Groups in the United
Methodist
Churches.
July
1981
CUMC
of Orange County became a self-supporting church. A
separate
Chinese
language mission under the leadership of Rev. Violet
Wong has
been
organized.
June
1985
After
serving 6 years, Rev. Timothy Ting was appointed to the
Alhambra
United Methodist Church.
July
1985
Rev.
David Tsang became the new pastor.
September
1988
We
relocated to the Lark Ellen Christian Church in Brea and
the
Chinese
Language mission church moved into a commercial complex
in
Walnut.
Rev. Tsang was now serving both congregations.
August
1989
Rev.
Marilynn Huntington, District Superintendent of Santa
Ana
together
with the pastors of Orangethorpe UMC and Cornerstone UMC
had
a
vision of establishing a shared facility covenant
relationship.
After
1 1/2 years of cooperative and careful work, the shared
facility
covenant was established.
December
1989
The
Administrative Board approved changing the name to
"Cornerstone
United
Methodist Church." Ministering to the Asian
American was the
goal
and the reason for the name change.
August
1990
After
serving 5 years, Rev. David Tsang accepted a position to
serve
a
church on the East coast. Rev. Steven Tsang became the
pastor for
the
mission outreach which is presently located at the
Rowland
Heights
United Methodist Church. They are now a chartered
church.
August
1990 to Jan. 1991.
We
were without a senior pastor.
January
1991
The
church moved into the Orangethorpe UMC facilities in
Fullerton.
February
1991
Rev.
Daesun Chung was appointed as our pastor.
April
4, 1991
A
one year trial period of the covenant relationship
between
Orangethorpe
UMC and Cornerstone UMC Covenant Agreement began.
April
5, 1992
The
covenant relationship was formally adopted by the two
churches.
June
1996
Rev.
Daesun Chung is appointed to Grace UMC in Riverside
after
serving
Cornerstone UMC for 4 1/2 years.
July
1996
Rev.
Jimmy S. Nih was appointed as our pastor.
July
6, 2003
The
church moved into the Placentia UMC facilities. A new
covenant
relationship
with both congregations was created.
November
24, 2003
Signing
of the CUMC-PUMC Covenant at church during our CUMC
Charge
Conference
with Rev. Cheol Kwak.
January
2004
Rev.
Jimmy S. Nih leaves after serving us for nearly 7 1/2
years. In
March
2004, he is appointed as pastor to San Gabriel UMC.
February
1, 2004
Rev.
Jerry Owyang was appointed as our pastor and serves us
at the
present
time.
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