在1980年代,已故信徒温耀文夫婦在紐約市一所成衣廠開始了福音工作。在90年代中期,這福音事工擴展致數間成衣廠。到90年代末,來自不同衣廠的信主工友,開始每主日租用一小地方,聚在一起敬拜神和有交誼團契時間,這是我們教會的雛形。
約一年後,我們得知在布魯克林市第一播道會的美籍挪威裔信徒,有異像向社區內日漸增長的華人人口傳揚福音。透過北美華人播道會的推介,他們認同我們在該社區建立教會的方向,並開放他們寬敞的教會建築物與我們享用。在1999年6月13日,教會舉行成立暨第一任傳道人就職典禮。
今天,隨着紐約市的成衣業式微及轉型,教會會友不再是成衣廠工友為衆。其中不乏其他行業的華人。
在這些年間,我們同時與布魯克林的第一播道會一起發展社區青少年福音事工。如今在這方面外展接觸到的兒童和青少年,不乏在教會裏成長的。
一切榮耀歸與神!
In the 1980s, an evangelism ministry in a garment factory in New York City was started by the late Mr. and Mrs. Yiu Man Wan. In the mid 1990s, the ministry expanded to several other factories. By the end of the decade, a group of believers from different factories started meeting every Sunday in a small rented place for joint worship and fellowship. Our church began to take shape.
About a year later, we learnt that the First Evangelical Free Church of Brooklyn (FEFC), a mainly Norwegian American Christian church, had a vision to reach out to the growing Chinese population in their neighborhood. Through the recommendation of the Association of North American Chinese Evangelical Free Churches (ANACEFC), the FEFC identified our church plant to be a ready ministry for them to support by sharing with us their huge church building. Thus the New York Chinese Evangelical Free Church (NYCEFC) was officially launched on June 13, 1999 and the first pastor was installed.
Over the years, as the garment industry in New York City underwent changes and the number of factories diminished, garment factory workers are no longer the majority of our congregation. There are people of other trades and professions.
Developing alongside the adult ministry are the children and youth ministries, in which we work closely with the FEFC. Today we witness a good number of children and teens grow up in church.
All praise be to God!