who we are
We are a diverse, multicultural, multigenerational, and multi-economic church. Our Sunday services reflect our mission as a church to connect our diverse community in worship, prayer, teaching, giving, and celebration. We offer Sunday School for all ages with child care available.
Our Praise Team offers musical inspiration to the congregation before, during, and after services with a blend of contemporary and traditional music. We give children, youth, and senior ministry opportunities during our services. We are involved virtually with midweek prayer and offer small group bible studies during the week, during the coronavirus pandemic.
We have a Women’s and Men’s Ministries and offer occasional teacher training events. We are committed to Mission involvement and education along with community service opportunities. Currently, our global outreach consist of supporting International Ministries with missionaries working in Hong Kong, Panama, and Lebanon. Also, we are supporting the Jon Christian School in India. Locally, we are supporting Abode (serving the homeless), City Team (serving the homelessness, poor, hungry and addicted), Redwood Glen (Christian Camp), Asian Alliance of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies, American Baptist Seminary of the West, Tiny House (one potential solution for homelessness), Rainbow Acres (Christian community for developmental disabilities), and God First (G1 ) Sports League.
Our Praise Team offers musical inspiration to the congregation before, during, and after services with a blend of contemporary and traditional music. We give children, youth, and senior ministry opportunities during our services. We are involved virtually with midweek prayer and offer small group bible studies during the week, during the coronavirus pandemic.
We have a Women’s and Men’s Ministries and offer occasional teacher training events. We are committed to Mission involvement and education along with community service opportunities. Currently, our global outreach consist of supporting International Ministries with missionaries working in Hong Kong, Panama, and Lebanon. Also, we are supporting the Jon Christian School in India. Locally, we are supporting Abode (serving the homeless), City Team (serving the homelessness, poor, hungry and addicted), Redwood Glen (Christian Camp), Asian Alliance of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies, American Baptist Seminary of the West, Tiny House (one potential solution for homelessness), Rainbow Acres (Christian community for developmental disabilities), and God First (G1 ) Sports League.
NLCF has its origins in a group from the Chinese Presbyterian Church of Oakland. CPC is a historic, bilingual (Chinese-English) church with deep roots in Oakland’s Chinatown. Folks in the group that became NLCF (then called Contemporary Christian Fellowship) had a burden for forward-looking, English-speaking ministry. Events in the late ’80s led this group to look outside CPC for support and direction. The group met as a Bible study for several years, then decided in 1991 to hire a staff leader, Dr. Reverend Russell Yee.
The founding members stand out since their desire to form a new ministry spawned events leading up to today’s New Life Christian Fellowship congregation. The founding members, along with the first pastor Russell Yee, settled on the American Baptist denomination.
The first pastor, Russell Yee, initially hired as a “Pastoral Consultant”, fresh out of seminary and with a desire to participate in a church planting effort, played a defining role in New Life’s early growth as it found its identity with the American Baptist Faith, and started to grow from an early Bible Study group into a full-fledged church with new programs: i.e., Children’s Ministry, Summer Retreats, and Small Groups .
The current “Songs of New Life” was published during this time. Community involvement with Tri-City Homeless Shelter in Fremont was initiated and continues to flourish in today’s New Life ministries. The interim pastor Roy Herndon, served in an interim capacity twice, serving as a bridge and to heal the congregation during some difficult challenges presented to New Life.
The last senior pastor, Katie Choy-Wong, established a mission focus with several missions trips; trips to the Hopi Indian Reservation in Arizona, Mexicali, Puerto Rico, and Washington DC. She also fostered a relationship with the American Baptist Seminary and welcomed several interns from the seminary school; Pastor Katie established a collaborative working relationship with the interns, mentored them, and many of them continue to serve in some capacity in today’s worship services and leadership roles.
The current senior pastor, Karen Yee, has fostered (as a past associate pastor) the youth’s participation in mission work by
leading a youth team to Panama and Costa Rica to work with the American Baptist missionary.
Russell Yee: Pastor Russell was the perfect "first " spritual leader of the our church. As a contemporary of many of the members of the groups members, Russell fit in well. Fresh out of seminary, with enthusiasm for starting a new Asian-American church, he led the group through the process of covenenting to become a church and selecting the American Baptist denomination.
Katie Choy-Wong: Pastor Katie was effective when working with different groups to help support various events within the Church. She also worked with the American Baptist Seminary of the West to bring interns to the church to both further their education and to also have the interns contribute their talents and strengths to the New Life Church community.
The church supported Pastor Katie by being willing to serve on committees for the most part to support her vision and events within the church.
Because New Life is unique in the sense that many of the interns from American Baptist Seminary of the West stayed on to serve after becoming formally ordained, our church is blessed with many leaders that provide the richness of God's international message. The church staff works collaboratively, shares ministerial responsibilities, and continues to grow together as a church leadership group.
The founding members stand out since their desire to form a new ministry spawned events leading up to today’s New Life Christian Fellowship congregation. The founding members, along with the first pastor Russell Yee, settled on the American Baptist denomination.
The first pastor, Russell Yee, initially hired as a “Pastoral Consultant”, fresh out of seminary and with a desire to participate in a church planting effort, played a defining role in New Life’s early growth as it found its identity with the American Baptist Faith, and started to grow from an early Bible Study group into a full-fledged church with new programs: i.e., Children’s Ministry, Summer Retreats, and Small Groups .
The current “Songs of New Life” was published during this time. Community involvement with Tri-City Homeless Shelter in Fremont was initiated and continues to flourish in today’s New Life ministries. The interim pastor Roy Herndon, served in an interim capacity twice, serving as a bridge and to heal the congregation during some difficult challenges presented to New Life.
The last senior pastor, Katie Choy-Wong, established a mission focus with several missions trips; trips to the Hopi Indian Reservation in Arizona, Mexicali, Puerto Rico, and Washington DC. She also fostered a relationship with the American Baptist Seminary and welcomed several interns from the seminary school; Pastor Katie established a collaborative working relationship with the interns, mentored them, and many of them continue to serve in some capacity in today’s worship services and leadership roles.
The current senior pastor, Karen Yee, has fostered (as a past associate pastor) the youth’s participation in mission work by
leading a youth team to Panama and Costa Rica to work with the American Baptist missionary.
Russell Yee: Pastor Russell was the perfect "first " spritual leader of the our church. As a contemporary of many of the members of the groups members, Russell fit in well. Fresh out of seminary, with enthusiasm for starting a new Asian-American church, he led the group through the process of covenenting to become a church and selecting the American Baptist denomination.
Katie Choy-Wong: Pastor Katie was effective when working with different groups to help support various events within the Church. She also worked with the American Baptist Seminary of the West to bring interns to the church to both further their education and to also have the interns contribute their talents and strengths to the New Life Church community.
The church supported Pastor Katie by being willing to serve on committees for the most part to support her vision and events within the church.
Because New Life is unique in the sense that many of the interns from American Baptist Seminary of the West stayed on to serve after becoming formally ordained, our church is blessed with many leaders that provide the richness of God's international message. The church staff works collaboratively, shares ministerial responsibilities, and continues to grow together as a church leadership group.
The Pastoral Staff and Praise Team plan our Worship. Children play an integral part in our worship. Lay leaders participate in making announcements, praying, and at times preaching. Greeting one another is a part of worship as well as praises and prayers from the congregation. Communion is served by the pastoral staff.
Our Praise Team consist of children, youth, and adults with the congregation participating in singing. The Team provides a variety of praise songs, familiar hymns, new songs, and gospel songs chosen according to the theme of the message being given. The songs are accompanied by piano, guitar, drums, and other instruments.
Over the past year (and currently) we have had virtual worship services for our congregation. It has allowed us to worship with our congregation who happen to be from around the world. God is showing us a new way to share the message with people and we are currently looking into hybrid services for when we are able to worship in-person again.
Our Praise Team consist of children, youth, and adults with the congregation participating in singing. The Team provides a variety of praise songs, familiar hymns, new songs, and gospel songs chosen according to the theme of the message being given. The songs are accompanied by piano, guitar, drums, and other instruments.
Over the past year (and currently) we have had virtual worship services for our congregation. It has allowed us to worship with our congregation who happen to be from around the world. God is showing us a new way to share the message with people and we are currently looking into hybrid services for when we are able to worship in-person again.
YEAR |
EVENT |
1989 |
The founding members of New life started meeting a bible study group at homes and eventually rented space at Broadmoor Community Church in San Leandro. |
1991 |
Dr. Russell Yee was hired and, shortly thereafter, covenanted together as a church (with 21 charter members). |
1992 |
Started developing a children's Ministry and compiled the "Songs of New Life" |
1993 |
Started summer retreats, small groups, and became involved in community work such as Harbor House in Oakland and Tri-City Homeless Shelter (now Abode Services) in Fremont. |
1994 |
Decision to join the American Baptist denomination, inherited a church building. |
1995 |
The church persevered amid difficult times through prayer, remained intact and remodeled the church. |
1996 |
First retreat at Redwood Glen |
1998 |
Church Vision Statement ratified "Cultivating Christian Faith and Growth in a Multi-Cultural, Asian-American Setting" |
2001 |
Pastor Russell resigned, Pastor Roy Herndon serves as interim. |
2002 |
Hired Nelson Hayashida as Sr. Pastor |
2003 |
Nelson H. resigned, Pastor Roy Herndon serves as Interim Pastor for a 2nd time. |
2004 |
Pastor Katie Choy-Wong hired as Senior Pastor |
2007 |
Rev. David Anderson hired as Youth Director, Thuiya Rumthao came to New Life as a seminary intern. |
2009 |
David Anderson resigned, moving to the east coast. |
2010 |
Pastor Karen Yee comes to New Life as a youth minister. |
2011 |
Pastor Karen becomes Associate Pastor |
2013 |
Tony Aboagye added as a seminary intern |
2014 |
Mission trip to Panama and Costa Rica to work with International Missionary Ingrid Roldan-Roman |
2015 |
Thuiya Rumthao ordained. |
2016 |
Celebrated 25 years as a church. |
2017 |
Minister Ada Omekenyi joined as a seminary intern, Tony Aboagye ordained into professional ministry. |
2018 |
Assoc. Pastor Karen led a mission trip to Puerto Rico (including FBC Alameda & Lu-Mien Friendship church) |
2019 |
Senior Pastor Katie retired, Rev. Linda Bergeon came on as Interim Pastor, Ada graduated and was ordained into professional ministry |
2021 |
Called Rev. Karen Yee as Senior Pastor |