ALL ARE WELCOME
We show love to one another by sharing Christian insights and teachings with our children, families, our UJCC family, and beyond. We appreciate Japanese culture and values. We strive to practice forgiveness, respect, non-judgment, and openness inter-generationally as a community and as a congregation with God's help.
Shared Values Statement
Our History
The United Japanese Christian Church was established in 1990 when our two historical Japanese American Christian churches of Fresno merged together to form one united church congregation. These two churches were the former Japanese Congregational church (founded in 1908) and the Christ United Methodist Church (founded in 1893). This merger proved to be a great and amazing blessing as the two declining ministries in Fresno have now become a growing and vibrant ministry for Christ in Clovis, California.
On July 2, 1995 through the gift of donated land from the Japanese American community in Clovis, the merged congregation under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Roger Morimoto completed the first phase of the current church facility. Incorporating a renowned local architect Arthur Dyson (a former student of Frank Lloyd Wright) (www.arthurdyson.com/), the church facility has been admired as much as the ministry it houses. The congregation very quickly grew in membership, ministry, and programming as a great witness and testimony to God’s grace. In fact, the first year at our Clovis location our church experienced the worship double in attendance, while our Sunday School attendance tripled.
In 2002, after the purchase of adjacent property, the second phase of the building plans was completed which greatly expanded our ability to conduct worship, fellowship, and ministry.
Easter Sunday, Mar 23, 2008
Age Group Ministries
Interest Ministries
Service Ministries
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Children's Sunday School & Ministries
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Youth Ministries: Grades 5-12 & Sunday night High School Youth
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Alpha-Omega: College & Young Adults
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Tomodachi: Seniors Ministry
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Japanese Language (Nichigo) Fellowship & Bible Study
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Japanese Language & Cultural Education
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Music Ministry: Choir and Youth Band
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Scouting Programs: Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts
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Women's Ministries and Bible Studies
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Men's Bible Study
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Agape
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Mission Trips
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Friend's Care
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Community Care Team
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Lay Visitation Team
Our Pastors
Rev. Akiko Miyake-Stoner
Senior Pastor
Rev. Akiko graduated from Pacific School of Religion where she completed her Master of Divinity degree in 2010. A California native, Akiko has long been a part of historically Japanese churches. She has served at Berkeley Methodist United Church and Lake Merritt UMC in the Bay Area. With a passion for caring for others, she has been enjoying serving the UJCC community since 2010.
Rev. Ivana Heang
Associate Pastor
Pastor Ivana Heang is a Licensed Local Pastor in the California-Nevada United Methodist Church Annual Conference. She is currently in pursuit of continued education to fulfill her goal of becoming commissioned to be an ordained elder. Pastor Ivana and her younger brother are first generation Cambodian Americans born to Cambodian immigrants. Pastor Ivana’s husband, Reverend Vathanak Heang serves at Memorial UMC in Clovis. They both have three sons, Philo, Shilo, and Khilo who are all 3 ½ years apart, along with a fur child named Rex. Since relocating to Clovis in June 2021, Pastor Ivana rescues house plants in her spare time and enjoys exploring all of Fresno County with her family. She is very excited to join the UJCC family and to be working under the leadership and guidance of Reverend Akiko Miyake-Stoner.
Our Staffs
Stephanie Sumi
Secretary
stephanie@ujcclife.com
Kathie Sakamoto
Clerical Specialist
kathie@ujcclife.com
Yukiko Hijioka
Financial Recorder
yuki@ujcclife.com