By Nora Wu
May 10, 1977
The session of the First
Chinese Presbyterian Church submitted a proposal to the Presbytery of New York City about the establishment of a new Chinese (Cantonese speaking) church in the borough of Queens, New York City.
Sept. 19, 1977
Rev. James Spear called a special meeting at the Calvary Presbyterian Church to study the possibility of starting a new Chinese congregation sharing the Calvary Presbyterian Church facilities.
Dec. 13, 1977
NYC Presbytery approved the recommendation to set up a Task Force to start a new Chinese church in Queens, NYc.
The Task Force members were:
Rev. Carl B Nelson, Strategy Committe
Rev. Carol Lipscomb, Ministerial Relations Committee
Rev .. Donald Wilson, Member At-Large
Rev .. Eson Tse, Pastor of the First
Chinese Presbyterian Church Elder
Daniel Lam, First Chinese Presbyterian Church
Elder Cho Lun Yeung, First Chinese Presbyterian Church
Elder Jack Mackollar, Calvary Presbyterian Church
Elder Jeanette Ritchie, Calvary Presbyterian Church
Rev. Philip Park, General Assembly
Rev. James G. Speer, Presbytery staff
Dec. 19,1977
The Task Force met at the Calvary Presbyterian Church. Rev. Nelson was elected as Chairman and the Calvary Presbyterian Church agreed in principle to share its building with the new Chinese congregation. ReV. Speer began to prepare a budget and funding sources for the new congregation. Rev. Tse also began to prepare the job description for the new founding pastor.
May 9, 1978
Presbytery approved the Task Force proposal of a Cantonese speaking Chinese church development for its preliminary mission design and a five years income budget, as follow:
| |
1979 |
1980 |
1981 |
1982 |
1983 |
| General Assembly |
10,390.20 |
7,995.33 |
5,996.50 |
3,148.16 |
1,322.23 |
| Synod of the Northeast |
10,390.20 |
7,995.33 |
5,996.50 |
3,148.16 |
1,322.23 |
| Presbytery of NYC |
10,390.20 |
7,995.33 |
5,998.50 |
3,148.16 |
1,322.23 |
| Local Church |
3,463.40 |
10,279.71 |
17,989.50 |
28,333.46 |
35,760.17 |
| Total |
34,634.00 |
34,265.70 |
35,979.00 |
37,777.95 |
39,666.86 |
January 1979
Presbytery approved the recommendation of the Ministerial Relation Committee for calling Rev. Eson Tse as the Organizing Pastor for the new Chinese congregation pending the dissolution of his pastoral relationship with the First Chinese Presbyterian Church.
Feb. 11, 1979
The congregation of the First Chinese Presbyterian Church accepted Rev. Eson Tse's resignation, effective March Ist, 1979. Rev. Tse took up his new job as the Organizing Pastor of the Queens Chinese Presbyterian Church Development immediately.
March 12, 1979
Rev. Tse set up his office officially at the location of the Calvary Presbyterian Church.
April 29, 1979
First Sunday service was held at 1:30pm with a full sanctuary (approx. 150 in attendance). The Steering and Planning Committee was formed. Rev. Tse appointed the following members to serve:
| Mr. Allen Leung |
Mr.C.K.Tam |
Mr. James Leung |
Mrs. Hilda Leung |
| Mr. Yee Wah Tse |
Mrs. Linda Chan |
Mrs. Yuk Yee Tse |
Mrs. Jean Mak |
| Mrs. Lai Chen Tse |
Mrs. Peter T se |
Mr. Andrew Wong |
Miss Hing Yuen |
| Mrs. Nora Wong |
Mrs. Kam Har Moy |
Mrs. Y.K. Law |
|
Oct. 25, 1981
Program of the opening ceremony for the Church Development as follow:
1) Installation of the Rev. Eson Tse as the Church Pastor.
2) Ordination of the ruling elders:
Elder George H.Y. Mak; Elder James Leung; Elder Linda Chan
Elder Kam Har Moy; and Elder Nora Wong
3) Official name of the church is "Queens Chinese Presbyterian Church".
Mar. 18, 1982
New York State government approved the church as a non-profit organization. Both the Session and the congregation agreed to begin planning for the purchase of our own church building. A committee was formed in order to carry out our goal of raising $40,000.00 for the down: payment. Our campaign was a great success, thus enabling us to own our current building.
July 24, 1983
Queens Chinese Presbyterian Church officially owns the building at 98-54
Horace Harding Expressway,
Rego Park, New York 11374.
Oct.2. 1983
First Sunday Worship held at 98-54 Horace Harding Expressway, Rego Park, New York 11374 (our current address).
January 1984
We became self-sufficient as all financial supports had concluded at the end of 1983.
Jan. 1, 1988
Rev. Eson Tse retired. Rev. Matthew Lui, pastor of the First Chinese Presbyterian Church was appointed by the Presbytery to be our Moderator.
1988-1993
Rev. Samuel Chan, Rev. Peter Lam, Rev. Lun Wan, Rev. Rocky Cheung and Rev. Y.K. Hue were invited by Rev. Marthew Lui, our moderator, to handle certain pastoral roles on short-term basis.
1992 - 1998
Mortgage for the church was refinanced through loans from individual members and the First Chinese Presbyterian Church. Entire debt was repaid by the end of 1998.
1994-1995
Rev. Alfred Chan was our mentor, Rev. Matthew Lui (Liu) served as our Moderator.
1995 - 1996
Rev. Alfred Chan was ordained as a Presbytery pastor. He later left us for personal reasons.
1996 - 1997
Rev. Matthew Lui resumed to be our Moderator, continued to guide us through numerous difficulties.
1997 - 2003
Mr. c.K. Ho was our Christian Educator under Rev. Lui's supervision.
April 24, 1999
Celebration of 20th Anniversary - Thanksgiving worship, spiritual revival service and banquet.
August 2003
Rev. Matthew Lui retired.
2003 -2004
Mr. c.K. Ho continues to be our Christian Educator while Rev. Eson Tse was appointed as our moderator.
April 24, 2004
Celebration of 25th Anniversary - Thanksgiving worship and buffet dinner. About 150 people attended.