Welcome to the SF Chinese Church of the Nazarene

Seventy years ago, Virginia Shields, layperson from San Francisco First Church of the Nazarene was burdened for the little Chinese children playing in Chinatown’s Portsmouth Square. After much prayer, help from SF First Church’s laypeople, District Superintendent Dr. George Coulter, and former missionary to China Rev. Harry Wiese San Francisco Chinese Church of the Nazarene held its first official worship service on Oct. 5, 1952, in a corner storefront at 501 Greenwich Street and Grant Avenue.

 Rev. Mary Li, a doctoral student from China attending Pasadena Nazarene College was the first pastor.  Services were conducted in Mandarin and English.  Rev. Li returned to China in 1954, and Rev. Moses Yu, living in Chicago, responded with a leap of faith, moved his family to San Francisco. In 1956, he officially organized the church with 13 charter members.  He also started a daily Chinese School and oversaw the church move to its current location. In 1959, Rev. Yu departed for Singapore. From 1960-1963, Rev. Paul Martin, a beloved Nazarene evangelist and his family took over leadership of the church. Then in 1963, Rev. John & Jan Stockett arrived. His vision was to buy the entire block starting with the corner parking lot, which was purchased for $14,000. For a Cantonese-speaking minster, Rev. John Liu was recruited from Australia. In 1968 as the Stocketts were preparing to become missionaries to the Samoan Islands, the Lord took them home following a fatal plane crash.  Rev. Liu led the church to become self-supporting in 1972. The 70’s and 80’s continued to be full of programs and growth. 

Rev. Liu ministered for 27 years, with assistance from the Revs. Ken Dodge, Lee Fong, Tammy Condon, and Moon Louie. In 1991, while still at Nazarene Theological Seminary, Pastor Moon, a homegrown San Francisco Nazarene was called to be pastor of the English-speaking congregation and in 1994, after Rev. Liu’s retirement, Moon and Sylvia became the Pastoral team. In 1999, New Start Ministries was birthed in the Richmond District. Following the Louies’ retirement in 2013, Pastor Robbie Shreffler and wife Ashley were called to pastor the church.  The Shreffler family has grown adding Teagan, Sawyer and Cillian to the family during their tenure. After 21 years, New Start Ministries was welcomed back under the direction of Chinese Church.  Leading through both years of plenty and through the challenging COVID era, Pastor Robbie continues to minister faithfully, raising disciples who seek to build the Kingdom of God in the local North Beach community and beyond.

 Throughout the church’s history, credit must be given not only to the pastors, but also to the many laypeople of the church.  It is their love for the Lord, faithfulness in Him, and hard work that keeps the church alive. And in return, God has provided His Love, Abundance, and Grace throughout the years.  Praise be to God!  We trust God will do great things in the coming decades.