On West Esplanade Avenue in Kenner, just upriver from New Orleans, the Chinese Presbyterian Church gathers each Sunday morning for a worship service unlike most others in the region. The congregation reads and hears scripture in three languages - English, Cantonese, and Mandarin - within a single service, a long-standing expression of its identity as a generational church with strong ties to Chinese heritage. Members and visitors of all racial backgrounds and walks of life are welcomed into the fellowship, and the church describes itself as dedicated to worship, Christian education, active witnessing for Jesus Christ, and community service.
Over a Century of Ministry in Greater New Orleans
The story of Chinese Presbyterian Church begins in February 1882, with a simple English-language class for five Chinese men who wanted to learn the language and hear the Gospel. That class grew into a Presbyterian mission to the Chinese who came through New Orleans and settled there. Four women - Miss Lena Saunders, Mrs. E. P. Radford, Miss Anna Creevy, and Miss Lois Garrison - pioneered and directed the mission through its early decades. The work was first housed on South Liberty Street and later on South Roman Street.
By 1957 the mission had grown into something more, and Miss Garrison - the last of the four original directors - saw it organized into the Chinese Presbyterian Church. The new congregation was located at 2525 Bienville Avenue in New Orleans, with the Rev. Dayton B. Castleman called as its first pastor. He would serve for thirty years, giving the church much of its shape and stability.
A Move Up the River to Kenner
During the late 1980s the congregation entered a period of transition. Most of its members had by then moved out of New Orleans and into the suburbs of Metairie and Kenner, and the church undertook the long process of relocating to follow them. The Rev. Richard Hom and the Rev. Vincent Mok each shepherded the church through part of that journey. In 1994, the Rev. Luke M. Tse stepped in as Interim Pastoral Leader to help guide the transition.
In August 1997 the congregation moved into its fourth home, a location in Kenner, where a new chapter of life and ministry in the greater New Orleans area began. The early 2000s brought the Rev. James Cheng to the pulpit, and after his departure the Rev. Bob Malsbary served as interim pastor. In 2007 the Rev. Claire Vonk Brooks arrived with her family from Kentucky; she served until her retirement in 2013.
The next chapter opened in 2014, when the Rev. Peter Choi and his family came from California. He was ordained on September 28, 2014, as pastor of the church, and he served until April 7, 2018, when he concluded his ministry at CPC.
Worship in Three Languages
The Sunday schedule centers on an 11:00 a.m. Adult Worship Service, described as English with Chinese elements. Within that single service, biblical scripture is read in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, a tradition that reflects both the church's Chinese roots and its openness to people of every background. At noon the service gives way to a Coffee Fellowship hour, an unhurried time for members and guests to visit over a meal and conversation.
For those unable to attend in person, the worship service is offered via Zoom. Anyone wishing to join online can email the church at cpckenner@gmail.com, and the Zoom details will be sent in return. The service is also open to all visitors who walk through the doors on West Esplanade Avenue.
A Vision of Growth and Welcome
The church's vision is straightforward: to be an actively growing church family. Its mission statement names the congregation as generational, rooted in Chinese heritage, and committed to welcoming others into the fellowship, loving God and supporting one another in growing Christian faith, and sharing God's love by caring for members and serving the broader community. Those four commitments - worship, Christian education, witnessing for Jesus Christ, and community service - appear throughout the church's own description of itself.
Women's Bible Study
One of the church's ongoing small-group ministries is its Women's Bible Study, which meets on the first Saturday of each month at 12:15 p.m. The gathering is held either at the church building in Kenner or via Zoom, depending on the month and the needs of participants. Those wishing to join online can email cpckenner@gmail.com to receive the Zoom information. The study provides a regular mid-month rhythm of fellowship and scripture study for the women of the congregation and any friends who wish to take part.
Life in Kenner
The church's current home sits in Kenner, in Jefferson Parish, where it has ministered since 1997. The move brought the congregation closer to the suburbs where most of its members live and gave it a steady presence in the west bank of greater New Orleans. Photographs from a 2015 Chinese New Year celebration - with dragon dances, ribbon dance, kung fu demonstrations, and traditional white crane and tame dragon performances - offer a glimpse of the cultural life the congregation shares with the wider community.
Visiting and Getting in Touch
The church stands at 2901 West Esplanade Avenue, Kenner, LA 70065-3348, with phone (504) 461-0702 and email cpckenner@gmail.com. Anyone interested in attending worship, joining the Zoom service, participating in the Women's Bible Study, or simply learning more about the life of the congregation is invited to reach out. As the Pastor Nominating Committee continues its work, the church remains an active, worshiping community, carrying forward a New Orleans ministry that began with five students and a Bible class more than 140 years ago.