About Us

Our History...

The birth of the Filipino-American United Church of Christ in Fremont was envisioned through the five year New Initiatives in Church Development program of the United Church of Christ. Active in this initiative was the Northern California Conference under the direction of the Rev. Mineo Katagiri (Conference Minister) and the Rev. Jon Deckenback (Associate Conference Minister). With the active participation of the Rev. Earasto Arenas and the Rev. Angel B. Tablucop of the First Filipino-American United Church of Christ in San Bruno, a plan was drafted to establish a church that will reach out to the Filipino-American community in the East Bay. The original plan was to organize it in Hayward but in a providential way Fremont became the starting point.

In mid-1982 a project proposal was written and submitted to the Board For Homeland Ministries for possible subsidy of the new work. The proposal also called for possible participation of the six UCC churches in the East Bay and the selection of the organizing minister. While waiting for response from the Board For Homeland Ministries, the Rev. Manny Tabujara was called by the Conference to organize the work. With the moral suppport of the Rev. Arenas and the Rev. Taglucop and the Conference, several persons were gathered and meetings were held regularly at the sanctuary of the Fremont Congregational Church. The choir and some members of the First Filipino-American UCC came to the meetings regularly to support the work.

On September 19, 1982, a formal launching service was held to signify the formal birth of the congregation. In December of the same year more than fifty persons were received as the charter members of the church. The first set of officiers were elected in January of 1983 and installed in a church service.

After one year of meeting at the Fremont Congregational Church, the members voted to hold services in the morning. Negotiations were made with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Fremont to rent its facilities every Sunday. On October 3, 1983 the first morning worship service was held. Attendance increased dramatically after several months and planned programs were formulated to meet the needs of the growing church.

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