History - Our Story
The great Praise and Thanksgiving to Almighty God who has been with us from the beginning of Hindi Urdu UM Mission Congregation, which first started as the Hindi Urdu ministry at Sepulveda UMC in February 1995.
In 1995 Pastor Jacob had an opportunity to visit the District Office of the Santa Barbara District with the Pastor of Sepulveda United Methodist Church. During their meeting with the District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Brandon Cho, it was decided to start a Hindi Urdu Language Ministry as an extended language Ministry of Sepulveda United Methodist Church. The Hindi Urdu Congregation conducted its first worship service under the umbrella of Sepulveda UMC on Sunday, February 5, 1995, with the help and guidance from District Superintendent Dr. Brandon Cho. The worship service was held every first Sunday of the month until October 1998. The Annual Charge Conference of the Sepulveda UMC was held on Thursday, October 22, 1998 where it was decided to have a Hindi Urdu service every Sunday, starting November 1, 1998 and Pastor Jacob was elected as a certified candidate for an Ordained Ministry. With the approval from Annual conference, services started as a part of United Methodist Church’s Ministry.
The Hindi Urdu Mission Congregation functioned as a Hindi Urdu Ministry of Sepulveda UMC from February 1995 until June 2008. In June 2008 Annual Conference, decision was made for Hindi Urdu Congregation to be moved to a new location at First United Methodist Church of Canoga Park as an independent Congregation. The new name was given by the Annual Conference as “Hindi Urdu United Methodist Mission Congregation” although the Church was registered with the IRS office as “Hindi Urdu United Methodist church”.
The Articles of incorporation had been prepared by the help of conference chancellor Mr. Steven Harbison and was approved by the special called Charge Conference on Sunday, September 05, 2010. This special charge conference was chaired by the Santa Barbara District Office Representative Rev. Mark Huntington.
The Hindi Urdu United Methodist Church Charge Conference Resolution Re Incorporation was signed by Mr. Neeraj Newton as Secretary Charge Conference. The Hindi Urdu UMC Trustees Resolution Re Incorporation was signed by Mr. Johnson Waller as Trustees Chair and by Mr. Deepak Singh as Trustees Secretary. The Declaration was signed by Mr. Anupam Wishard as Administrative Council Chair and by Mr. Rajeev Pant as Treasurer. The Article VI was signed by the Pastor, Rev. Lamuel J. Jacob.
These Approved and signed Articles of Incorporation had been submitted to the Annual Conference to be filed with the Secretary of State of California. The Articles of Incorporation was filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of California which was stamped on July 28, 2011 by the Secretary of State. The Hindi Urdu UMC incorporated as Hindi Urdu United Methodist Mission Congregation with the State of California on August 02, 2011.
Starting January 01, 2014, Pastor Jacob was appointed to the Hindi Urdu United Methodist Mission Congregation as a full time Pastor.
In 1995 Pastor Jacob had an opportunity to visit the District Office of the Santa Barbara District with the Pastor of Sepulveda United Methodist Church. During their meeting with the District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Brandon Cho, it was decided to start a Hindi Urdu Language Ministry as an extended language Ministry of Sepulveda United Methodist Church. The Hindi Urdu Congregation conducted its first worship service under the umbrella of Sepulveda UMC on Sunday, February 5, 1995, with the help and guidance from District Superintendent Dr. Brandon Cho. The worship service was held every first Sunday of the month until October 1998. The Annual Charge Conference of the Sepulveda UMC was held on Thursday, October 22, 1998 where it was decided to have a Hindi Urdu service every Sunday, starting November 1, 1998 and Pastor Jacob was elected as a certified candidate for an Ordained Ministry. With the approval from Annual conference, services started as a part of United Methodist Church’s Ministry.
The Hindi Urdu Mission Congregation functioned as a Hindi Urdu Ministry of Sepulveda UMC from February 1995 until June 2008. In June 2008 Annual Conference, decision was made for Hindi Urdu Congregation to be moved to a new location at First United Methodist Church of Canoga Park as an independent Congregation. The new name was given by the Annual Conference as “Hindi Urdu United Methodist Mission Congregation” although the Church was registered with the IRS office as “Hindi Urdu United Methodist church”.
The Articles of incorporation had been prepared by the help of conference chancellor Mr. Steven Harbison and was approved by the special called Charge Conference on Sunday, September 05, 2010. This special charge conference was chaired by the Santa Barbara District Office Representative Rev. Mark Huntington.
The Hindi Urdu United Methodist Church Charge Conference Resolution Re Incorporation was signed by Mr. Neeraj Newton as Secretary Charge Conference. The Hindi Urdu UMC Trustees Resolution Re Incorporation was signed by Mr. Johnson Waller as Trustees Chair and by Mr. Deepak Singh as Trustees Secretary. The Declaration was signed by Mr. Anupam Wishard as Administrative Council Chair and by Mr. Rajeev Pant as Treasurer. The Article VI was signed by the Pastor, Rev. Lamuel J. Jacob.
These Approved and signed Articles of Incorporation had been submitted to the Annual Conference to be filed with the Secretary of State of California. The Articles of Incorporation was filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of California which was stamped on July 28, 2011 by the Secretary of State. The Hindi Urdu UMC incorporated as Hindi Urdu United Methodist Mission Congregation with the State of California on August 02, 2011.
Starting January 01, 2014, Pastor Jacob was appointed to the Hindi Urdu United Methodist Mission Congregation as a full time Pastor.
Note from Pastor:
I personally would like to say “Ebenezer” to God as Samuel did when the People of Israel chased Philistines from Mizpah to a point below Beth Car. The Israelites were able to defeat the Philistines because Samuel was praying for them. “And Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the Lord helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12-13).
Special Thanks:
I would like to give special thanks to Mr. S. D. Singh and Mr. Samuel Frank who provided their services as lay leaders while I was serving in Guam and San Bernardino from July 01, 1999 to June 30, 2001.
The Lord helped us throughout our journey that began as the Hindi Urdu Ministry of Sepulveda UMC to the point of becoming an independent Hindi Urdu UM Mission Congregation by filing our own Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of California. I would like to give special thanks to Mr. Reginald Sing who had been with me since the time we first met with the District Superintendent to discuss our moving plans from Sepulveda UMC to Canoga First UMC. Mr. Reginald Singh guided us and has been guiding us in our all IRS processes.
