When I first arrived at HOC6, it was the first day of 2017. I had just landed the night before and was still battling jet lag. That morning, I came to the back door of the English Hall, where Dean came out to meet me. Kathy and Chris greeted me warmly, and I also met Matt. During the worship service, Daniel and Kelsey were leading the song Give Us Clean Hands, Give Us Pure Hearts.
That song comes from Psalm 24 — the very same psalm my church in Hong Kong had prayed over me before I came to visit this church in the Bay Area. I wondered if God was already saying something. Three days later, I attended the Wednesday night prayer meeting led by Pastor Sidney. The very first thing he said was a quote from Psalm 24: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.” (Psalm 24:3-4)
The same verse again, the third time. In that moment, I knew I had received His confirmation — this was the church He was calling me to serve.
I have now been here serving at HOC6 for eight years. It’s a small church; we don’t have a lot of people. But what continually impresses me is the people’s heart for service. Almost everyone serves in some capacity. We don’t really have spectators here — everyone participates. It’s very close to my vision of an ideal church, a worshiping community where everyone takes part rather than simply watching.
When I first arrived, our Sunday attendance was around 20 to 30 people — sometimes as few as 15 on a quiet week. Today, our attendance averages 45 to 50. We’ve grown a bit, and more importantly, we’ve become more steady in our faith. Our young adults especially have become more committed to the life of the church.
My hope is that we will continue to raise up the next generation, growing together in faith, in the love of God, and in love for one another. May God continue to use this church for His glory and make us a blessing to our community.
All glory and thanksgiving be to God.