Walnut Grove Japanese Methodist Church Records, 1930-1956

Summary

Creators:

Walnut Grove Japanese Methodist Church

Abstract:

The Walnut Grove Japanese Methodist Church was the only Japanese Christian institution in the Sacramento Delta region. Established in 1915, the church played a key role in the religious life of the Japanese immigrant community. For the American-born Nisei generation, it conducted a Sunday school from its inception, and during the 1930s it organized the Epworth League and Friendship Club. During the wartime internment years, it was closed, but reopened in 1945 as former residents of Walnut Grove began to return to the Delta region. In October 1991 the church was closed permanently because of declining membership. The collection consists of various minutes, donation records, account books, weekly bulletins, and other miscellaneous documents, most of which postdate 1933. Includes many postwar newsletters issued by other Japanese American Christian churches, and the Kingdom of God Weekly ( Kami no Kuni Shimbun), a Christian weekly newspaper published in Japan.

Extent:

11 boxes (5.5 linear ft.)

Language:

English.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of various minutes, donation records, account books, weekly bulletins, and other miscellaneous documents, most of which postdate the 1933 fire. Includes many postwar newsletters issued by other Japanese American Christian churches, and the Kingdom of God Weekly ( Kami no Kuni Shimbun), a Christian weekly newspaper published in Japan.

Biographical / historical:

The Walnut Grove Japanese Methodist Church was the only Japanese Christian institution in the Sacramento Delta region; established in 1915, the church played a key role in the religious life of the Japanese immigrant community; for the American-born Nisei generation, it conducted a Sunday school from its inception, and during the 1930s it organized the Epworth League and Friendship Club; in 1915, and again in 1933, the church was destroyed by fire; during the wartime internment years, it was closed, but reopened in 1945 as former residents of Walnut Grove began to return to the Delta region; in October 1991 the church was closed permanently because of declining membership.

Acquisition information:

Gift of Mark Nakagawa, 1992.

Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

1. Minutes and financial records (Boxes 1-5).
2. Miscellaneous records, including correspondence from other Japanese Christian churches (Box 5).
3. Walnut Grove Japanese Methodist Church Weekly Bulletin, 1930-42 (Boxes 6-7).
4. Postwar Japanese American Christian Newsletters, 1953-56 (Boxes 8-9).
5. Kingdom of God Weekly ( Kami no Kuni Shimbun) (Boxes 10-11).

Physical location:

Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Related resources

Related material:

Japanese American Research Project Collection of Material about Japanese in the United States .(Collection 2010). Available at the Department of Special Collections, UCLA.

Japanese American Research Project- Fading Footsteps of the Issei .(Collection 2010). Available at the Department of Special Collections, UCLA.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Protestant churches--California, Northern--Archival resources.
Japanese Americans--California, Northern--Archival resources.

Names:

Walnut Grove Japanese Methodist Church--Archives.

Location of this collection:

UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library

A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library

Box 951575

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US

Contact:

(310) 825-4988

AskLSC@library.ucla.edu

Website