San Mateo’s 1st Japanese Christian church celebrates 100th anniversary

The church, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary Oct. 20, became an important meeting place for first, second and third generation Japanese-Americans, expanding its educational programs and social groups over the years. While it was initially nondenominational, it eventually became part of the Presbyterian church, in part due to Adolphus Sturge, who was instrumental in growing Japanese Christian churches throughout the West Coast during the 1920s and early 1930s.

The church still holds a Japanese-language service each week, and there are congregation members, like Nancy Ogami, who grew up going to the church, as did their parents.

Ogami’s mother, now in her 90s, has been involved since the 1950s, helping to grow the church’s programs, such as Sunday school classes, sports leagues and women’s groups.

“The backbone of this church is our seniors and it’s mostly women,” she said. “They taught our generation and the generation after us. And they’ve taught us how to take care of one another and how to maintain Japanese culture in this ever-changing environment we live in today.”

While the church used to fundraise by selling bento-style lunches and sauces to local businesses, food remains a central part of the church.

“Food is still the great connector,” said Bob Wilmot, one of the church leaders, adding that it will be a large part of the anniversary celebration Oct. 20.

But the immigrant communities in San Mateo have changed over the years, though Wilmot said the church retains its mission of connecting with all individuals and ethnic groups, regardless of where they are from. Now located in the North Central neighborhood, which has a large Latino community, the church also offers two Spanish-speaking services as well, one for Pentecostal congregants and one for Seventh-Day Adventists.

“The reason the church is in North Central, and the reason North Central was originally a Japanese neighborhood were because of redline laws in real estate contracts in San Mateo. We’re also sensitive now to the fact that it’s still an immigrant neighborhood,” Wilmot said, adding that the church also used to temporarily house families who had just returned from internment camps in the 1940s.

Wilmot’s wife grew up going to the church, which is how he became involved in the 1990s, and his now-adult children went there as kids. While there are some younger families that have started to attend recently, he said it’s mostly an older congregation.

“My wife and I are in our early, almost mid-60s, and we’re probably among the youngest of the fairly long-term members,” he said. “There are a lot of people who are beginning to move back to the area with families, so we’re beginning to see people with longtime connections to the church returning and bringing their families.”

But as younger generations become more interested in understanding where they come from, the church symbolizes an important part of the past that may keep the history of the city’s Japanese community alive.

“We see that up and down the West Coast with different Japanese communities, with Japantowns disappearing,” Wilmot said. “If you jump ahead a generation to our kids, they want to know more about what it was like then.”

The church’s anniversary celebration is not only meant to honor Japanese American history but also recognize the importance of connection, regardless of background.

Ogami, who lived in Southern California before moving back to San Mateo, said she was craving the sense of community and intimacy that megachurches she’s previously attended can’t provide.

“Most of the reason why I came back to this tiny church after being at these super large churches is that there is a certain feeling of family,” she said. “It feels like home.”