More than 200 people gathered at the quaint building in Hacienda Heights to celebrate a significant milestone for the Los Angeles (L.A.) Eastside Korean congregation: paying off its mortgage.
The history of the L.A. Eastside Korean church, formerly Hacienda Heights Korean church, began more than 40 years ago when a group was formed out of the Olympic Korean church. Soon, members set their sights on Hacienda Heights and made plans to minister to the community there. They briefly met in Whittier before moving and purchasing the current building in Hacienda Heights.
“When I first came to this church, we had a balance of $160,000,” Dae Kim, L.A. Eastside Korean pastor, reflected. “For the last three years, we were able to finish payment. I’m very grateful for God’s blessing to us and for God’s grace to allow us to accomplish this. Now we are free from the loan—praise God!”
At the mortgage burning and church dedication ceremony last fall, thankfulness for this accomplishment was expressed through words of gratitude and songs of praise to God. Special music featured solo and duet vocal performances, a saxophonist, and the L.A. Eastside Korean church choir. Several members were honored for their dedicated service, as was Jim Garcia, the pastor of the church that rents the building on Sundays.
Danny Chan, Southern California Conference (SCC) executive secretary, shared remarks highlighting the importance of being partners in ministry. Vinh Nguyen, SCC Asian/Pacific Region director, echoed this partnership by presenting the church with a gift of $2,000 for ministry. Kathleen V. Diaz, SCC treasurer/CFO, along with pastor Kim, burned the ceremonial mortgage papers as an offering to God—acknowledging the sacrifices and challenges along the way as He blessed them to pay off the loan. John H. Cress, SCC president, shared a message on faithfulness and endurance.
“Now with nearly 40 families worshiping here, baptisms in the last three years, a steady growth in tithes and offering,” Cress said, “today we can declare God has done a good thing. God preserves His people. He’s applied strength so that you can finish this race.”
