James Chuck Memorial Service
August 5, 1:00 PM, Burmese Mission Baptist Church, Oakland, CA
Unlike most of us, James Chuck never really rested when it was his day-off, never really vacationed when he was on vacation, never really retired when he officially retired twice, never took a Sabbath when as a church pastor and then an active church member always went to church. When Joy and I visited him in hospice on a Sunday in March, the very first words he said were, “Why aren’t you in church?” We know he would have been there if he could.
James was a theologian and favored the New Testament. When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he described James Chuck.
“Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (3:12-14)
When James accepted the call to Christian ministry, he gave his entire life to Christ because Christ had made him his own. Being the first American-born senior pastor, he transitioned First Chinese Baptist Church from being a mission outpost of the home missions society to become a self-sustaining church. After this, James has often told the story that he didn’t have to call New York for a plumber to unplug the church toilet in San Francisco anymore.
His leadership in modeling effective inner-city ministries led to the denomination’s recognition of him by awarding him the Edward H. Rhoades Urban Ministry Award in the 1970s. In the days of civil rights in America and rapidly changing demographics of ABC’s membership, James was one of the founders of the Asian Caucus in 1971. Speaking out against the establishment was hard in those days. James was often a Baptist trailblazer as the result of his courage to speak the truth.
The goal that James aspired in this life was always being a part of First Chinese Baptist Church. His heart was always in San Francisco where he grew up in the shadows of this church.
When he attended Andover Newton for seminary, he left Boston because he was homesick for San Francisco. When he led Bible study at the 1975 ABC convention in Atlantic City, he told those who gathered that he know it was the last day of the convention because he put on his last pair of underwear that morning! I suspect people remembered that more than what he had to said about the Bible.
James believed in God’s one universal church by dedicating able leadership in ecumenical endeavors such as gathering Chinese churches in North America in CONFAB and serving as the key researcher in the study of effective characteristics of Bay Area Chinese churches. While there may be differences here on earth, we are all created by the same God in heaven.
He deeply believed that God is present in our lives that he decided to capture life experiences and faith stories of many in the Chinatown Story books. In reading some of the missionary letters when James was just a young seminarian, the missionaries, persons like Debbie Allen spoke highly of James as an promising and gifted church leader who could become the church’s pastor. We know the rest of this prophecy. And when foreign missionary Astrid Peterson passed, James published all of her China missionary letters because he believed that in every person, God is present in their lives. James served at his beloved First Chinese Baptist for 40 years, a record that will not be broken.
When people used to ask me where I was serving, I would tell them, “First Chinese Baptist in San Francisco.” And they would say, “That’s James Chuck’s church!” And I would say, “Yes, it is.”
After such a long and glorious life of Jesus Christ making James Chuck his own, we have learned much from James Chuck. James was always forgetting what was in the past because he was always straining forward to what was lying ahead.
He taught us to become a “faithful and compassionate people.” He said to us, “You are becoming the person God designed you to be.” He said, “In baptism, you give as much as you are willing to give to Jesus now and in the end, you will give it all.” He taught us to sing, “Love Goes in a Circular Motion” and “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” James never really retired because he always pressed on and wanted to know what was lying ahead.
If you are fortunate and most of you here would be because James was tirelessly and prolifically producing framed calligraphy for home blessings, baptisms, baby dedications, retirements, and many other occasions that you will always have James Chuck’s words of wisdom to remind you that ultimately, while you press on toward the goal you too will be able to claim the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. You too like James Chuck will give it all.
I thank God for James Chuck whose life bookended my ministry, in 1975 in my first call to ministry as my senior pastor supervisor and in 1998 to 2015 as my pastor emeritus who was always supportive of me. As one who never really took a day off, James will probably be leading a heavenly Bible study tomorrow morning!
Thanks be to God for the life and ministry of the Rev. Dr. James Chuck who Jesus Christ has made his own.
Don Ng
James’ ministry extended far beyond FCBC and San Francisco. Expressions of deep appreciation have been received and some have made significant efforts to be present today:
- Rev. Florence Li, ABHMS National Coordinator of Inter-Cultural Ministries and Asian Churches Strategist in Valley Forge, PA and served as a Minister-in-Training at FCBC when she was attending ABSW and James was pastor.
- Rev. Jenny Quey, Senior Pastor of Community Baptist Church, San Mateo and serves on the Board of International Ministries, Valley Forge.
- Rev. Amelia Chua, a member of the Council of Coordinators of the Alliance of Asian American Baptists, formerly the ABC Asian Caucus. James was one of the founding members of the caucus in the early 1970s.