Chinese Presbyterian Church of Oakland
265 Eighth Street
Oakland
The Chinese Presbyterian Church was founded by Rev. Ira Miller Condit in 1878. Original members of the church included Mr. Louis Fon. The first services were held in the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland. Soon after services were moved to a building on Thirteenth Street.
The church was moved from Thirteenth Street to 619 Harrison Street in 1905. That three story building on Harrison Street still stands.
The present brick church at 265 8th Street was constructed in 1927.
The Lee S. Hong Social Hall was completed in 1958 and provided classrooms, large meeting rooms, and a youth chapel to accompany the library, offices, restrooms, classrooms and commercial kitchen in the older building.
The stained glass rose window in the balcony was probably installed at the time the church was completed in 1927. That window has four Chinese characters, which read, “True Light Showers the World”. The window dedication is “In Memory of Rev. Ira Miller Condit, 1833-1915, Founder of this Church in 1878, and for 32 Years its Pastor”. The artist who created this window is unknown.
The east wall clerestory has three double stained glass windows. First on the left is “Faith”, which includes a scene showing a stream and a pool with fish swimming in a waterfall. The fish represent the miracle of the loaves and fishes, and also Baptism. The fish cannot survive without water, in the same way that the Faithful cannot survive without the Gospel. The fish swim upstream against currents and rocks, which represent the obstacles encountered by early Chinese Christians. The plaque below the windows reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Jung”.
The center windows are “Hope”. The scene shows swallows flying over a turbulent river with cattails and wheat on the riverbank. The swallow descending from Heaven has the shape of an anchor, an early Christian symbol for Hope, the Cross, and Salvation. The cattail is the symbol of Faith and regeneration. The wheat is thankfulness for a bountiful harvest, and for bread, symbolizing the Body of Christ in Communion. The plaque below the windows reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of William (Billy) Chu.
The right windows are “Love”. The scene shows a pair of pelicans tending a nest. One pelican brings food from afar. The other feeds the chicks in the nest with the blood of its own breast. In legend, adult pelicans sacrificed all to feed their young, an analogy to Christ’s love for mankind, and his sacrifice on the cross. The plaque below these windows reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Benjamin W. Chung”.
The three double windows above were installed in the east wall clerestory about 1976. The name of the artist is unknown.
The west wall clerestory also has three double windows. The first double window on the left shows a flock of sheep in a hilly pasture. The flock of sheep represents the Faithful, and the pasture represents the Church. The inscription under the left window of this pair reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Rev. Lee Yick Soo”. The inscription under the right window of this pair reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Q. Chung”.
The center double windows in the west wall clerestory show a fisherman with his net in the water, and farmers working in the fields. The fisherman represents Christ, and the farmers represent the clergy.
The inscription under the left of this double window reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Mr. Henry Lim, Jr.”. The inscription under the right window of this pair reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Appreciation-Miss Emily McMurray-for her Christian Witness”.
The right double windows show a winding road climbing a mountain and a boat on river. The winding road to the mountaintop represents the road Heaven. The boat represents the Ship of Faith. The inscription under the left of this double window reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Mr. Mew Wai Lew”. The inscription under the right window of this pair reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Mr. Francis Moon”.
The stained glass windows above were installed in the west clerestory about 1988. There is no natural lighting in this wall, so the windows are illuminated by fluorescent lights installed behind the windows. The name of the artist is unknown.
In 1959, Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio, San Francisco created three windows which show The Holy Trinity, The Holy Bible and The Heavenly Kingdom (three intertwined rings, an open book of scripture, and a crown with a cross). Those windows, located at the rear of the sanctuary, are dedicated to the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Fon. Mr. Fon was an original member of the church in 1878. Mrs. Fon became a member shortly after that time. Their daughter, Mrs. Joyce Fong, still attends services regularly.
The stained glass triptych in the north wall, at the rear of the sanctuary, shows three interlocking rings within a triangle, an open book of scripture, and a crown with a cross. The left window with the three rings represents the Holy Trinity. The open book represents the Holy Bible. The crown and cross represent the Heavenly Kingdom. The inscription in the center window reads “In Memory of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Fon”. As mentioned above, their daughter, Mrs. Joyce Fong, still attends services regularly.
The Holy Trinity , Holy Bible, Heavenly Kingdom triptych was created by Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio, San Francisco in 1959.
The three single windows installed next to the pews along the east wall show Jesus the Teacher, Jesus the Savior, and Jesus the Healer. The dedication in the plaques on the columns next to the windows read, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Memory of Joseph T. Chung, M. D.”. As a boy, Joseph Chung attended church here with his family, who have been active members of the Church for many years. Although Dr. Chung moved from this area, he and his association with this Church are remembered through these windows.
The door in the west wall between the sanctuary and the hall contains a stained glass window illuminated by light from the entry courtyard. That window, dedicated in 1977, contains a cross and a dove with the words “Peace” and “Shalom” and the Chinese characters “Ping On” (Peace). The plaque on the door just below the window reads, “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Marjorie Loo Chew, Member 1967-1975”. The name of the artist who created this window is unknown.
The double doors between the sanctuary and the narthex at the north end of the west wall have a border of fishes around the clear glass center panels of those doors. Each door includes a wooden cross in the center of the clear glass. These doors are “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Henry and Mansie O’Young”.
A similar door opens between the narthex and the hall. It is “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Joseph T. Chung, M. D.”.
The two doors between the narthex and the exterior courtyard have six small stained glass panels, which show the Acts of Christian Mercy. The exterior doors are “Dedicated to the Glory of God-In Loving Memory of Mr. Bill Kee-December 13, 1902-April 12, 1989.
The Acts of Christian Mercy shown in the exterior doors are:
Feed the Hungry
Give Drink to the Thirsty
Take in the Stranger
Clothe the Naked
Visit the Sick
Visit the Prisoners
(Matthew 25:35, 36)
All of the door borders and panels were created by artist Victoria Kearney, Willet Stained Glass Studio, Philadelphia, and were installed in 1991.
Compiled from Church histories, the personal recollections of Church Secretary, Mabel Wong, the records of Carl Huneke, Century Stained Glass Studio, San Francisco, and the records of Willet Stained Glass Studio, Philadelphia.