Indonesian Presbyterian Church
Fullerton CA

The members and friends of Indonesian Presbyterian Church of Fullerton welcome all persons, regardless of ethnic heritage, religious backgrounds, etc.

Our Mission

At IPC Fullerton we strive to provide a sanctuary for prayerful worship within a respectful and welcoming environment and to meet the spiritual needs of our parishioners and community, using Christian ideas and values.

On August 12, 1984 Indonesian Presbyterian Church begin worshiping from house to house. In response to the increasing number of immigrants, the purpose of the ministry was to develop an Indonesian Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. The need to provide an Indonesian language ministry was necessary because without it, these people had to go to local English speaking congregations, where they often feel alienated. As a church, we emphasize our ministry in the areas of Christian Education and Evangelism. In Christian Education, we provide and teach confirmation classes and weekly home Bible studies, which are held every Saturday in four different sectors in different weeks. We also provide Youth services and Sunday school for Children, ages 5-12 and teenagers. We lead and inspire the congregation in the development and effective operation of a wide range of program and activities. We recruit, motivate and train leaders in order that they might become part of leadership through committees. The pastor officiates in the communion services, baptism, weddings and funerals.

 

https://losranchos.org/membership-directory/indonesian-presbyterian-church/  

Indonesian Presbyterian Church of Fullerton, founded in 1983, has a rich history.

The Indonesian Presbyterian Church, which is situated at 838 N. Euclid St., Fullerton, CA, has existed since August 12, 1984, and started its worship by going from house to house. The purpose of this ministry was to develop an Indonesian Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles and its vicinity, in response to the increasing number of immigrants from Indonesia, and their needs. Some of these immigrants, who used to attend other churches, did not feel comfortable or feel growth as Christians in non – Reformed churches, so we felt the need to start an Indonesian Presbyterian Church. Some of them, who never attended or joined any church in Los Angeles before, realized that they have to live or express their faith, growing as Christians, according to their cultural background. They had to live as a congregation, growing as God’s people, seeking and finding those who are not in the church yet (Indonesian Christians), and those (also Indonesians) who have yet to be told about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Hence, the need to provide an Indonesian language ministry was necessary. Without it, these people had to go to local English speaking congregations, where they often felt alienated because of the linguistic and cultural differences. Many would choose not to go to church at all.

A family support system is one of the least known, and yet greatest areas of need, in that, unrecognized immigrants like Indonesians almost necessarily turn against their own loved ones with their internal aggressions, thus causing complex family issues. This is because the immigrant people have lost socially-sanctioned means to let their basic human aggressions go, such as: village festivals, national sports events, neighborhood games and dance events, etc.The church will become the community context in response to this need. It will also provide a family care system through pastoral and diaconate ministries. For this work, high cultural skills are required, especially among people with extremely complex cultural systems, such as: Indonesians. Ministry with youth is also a key. A typical Indonesian family in Southern California has some three-plus members. The children have often been born in the U.S., and since Indonesian do not fall under any widely known ethnic or racial group, Indonesian children face greater identity issues than other ethnic or racial groups. Youth ministry, thus, has become a great need among Indonesians.

The Indonesian Presbyterian Church, since the beginning of its existence, realized that basically all churches in the world who profess their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, are body of Christ, the Holy Catholic Church. Moreover, this group of people have a background in the Reformed Tradition. Thus, the Presbyterian Church is the most appropriate and respected religious institution among them. By being under the Presbyterian Church(USA), they can express their faith through the Reformed tradition. This position differentiates them from many other Christian churches in Los Angeles and vicinity that choose to govern their congregation independently. This relationship provides the church with a constitution to govern their ministry, and participate with the Presbyterian Church (USA) in its ministry and mission, both in this part of the world and beyond. This relationship insures that this congregation has a representative governing body (Session) in contrast to churches governed by the minister alone or by the entire membership of the congregation. As the consequence of having become part of the Presbyterian Church (USA), this Indonesian Presbyterian Church has to follow the guidance of the denomination to which they belong through the Presbyterian constitution in the conduct of their ministry and governing their life.

The ministry of this church is unique. It is not a neighborhood church. The members come from all over the greater Los Angeles basin. A large percentage live in Pomona, Monclair, Claremont, Upland, Loma linda, and Orange County. The church is a place where members can come and experience being together with other Indonesians. They enjoy worshiping and having a fellowship time after the service. A basic need of all people is to know and worship God. Indonesian Christians, like all Christians, long to express and share this need corporately. Another fundamental need of all uprooted, immigrant people, especially those who, like Indonesians, have not had societal attention and therefore are often treated as if they are non-existent, is to have a support community of their own where they can be themselves, feel needed, and affirm each other. It is the common pattern among many uprooted people in history, that they first seek to establish a religious community/institution as soon as they reach a substantial number, with the condition that the religious institution be the kind that is acceptable, both to the people of the community, themselves and to the larger society in which they are settled. They need to be concerned to provide assistance in adjustment/acculturation of the members in their new life. Thus, the second greatest need in assisting the immigrants in acculturation, needs to be especially addressed in the areas of developing marketable job skills and gaining facility in the English language. Though the church does not primarily aim at providing direct services for these needs, those direct services are most effective within the context of a support group where people feel comfortable and secure. The church provides this supportive climate for meeting fundamental needs.

As a church, we emphasize our ministry in the areas of Christian Education and Evangelism. In Christian Education, we provide and teach confirmation classes and weekly home Bible studies,which are held every Saturday in four different sectors in different weeks. We also provide Youth services and Sunday school for children, ages 5 through 12, and teenagers, which are led and taught by volunteers. In regard to Evangelism, we scheduled and assign the leaders along with the minister, to make evangelistic visitation to our fellow members, as well as those who have recently come from Indonesia. We visit Indonesian people within the community, inviting them to our worship services and bible studies. We provide a biblical-based preaching and teaching ministry, that are designed to encouraged people to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and His church. We lead and inspire the congregation in the development and effective operation of a wide range of program activities. We recruit, motivate and train leaders in order that they might become part of leadership through committees. We encourage the people in worship and service to God, equip and enable them for their tasks within the church and mission in the world. Members share along with the pastor in the ministries of sympathy, witness, visitation and service, devoting special attention to the sick, troubled, oppressed, and dying. The pastor officiates in the communion services, baptisms, weddings and funerals. The pastor also supervises the support staff of the church.