Pastor Steve Yamaguchi
Pastor Steve came to serve as pastor of Tokyo Union Church in January 2020, just ahead of the pandemic. A century earlier his grandparents emigrated from Hiroshima to California where he was born and raised in the heart of the City of Los Angeles. His wife Alison and their two daughters are also California natives. In 1986-87 he served as TUC’s Assistant Pastor and Alison served as our Financial Secretary. He began ordained Presbyterian ministry in 1988 with 15 years at Grace Presbyterian Church, a bilingual Japanese American congregation on Compton Blvd. in Paramount, California, leading Grace's revival and multicultural expansion. After that he served that region (presbytery) of Southern California for 11 years as the Executive Presbyter, a Presbyterian role of overseer and pastor to pastors for over 60 congregations and 120 pastors. Next he served as Dean of Students and Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Longing to pastor a congregation again, he left higher education to become Co-Pastor at the historic Immanuel Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles. He loved pastoring that bilingual congregation, preaching in English and Spanish in the heart of his hometown, just one mile from the hospital where he was born. From Immanuel he was called back to TUC in January 2020.
In the years before returning to TUC he also enjoyed part-time service on the Presbyterian CREDO faculty, nurturing recently ordained pastors in spiritual growth and vocational discernment. Throughout his ministry as Pastor, Executive Presbyter, Dean, and Professor, he has been known for loving his work of identifying, encouraging, and mentoring young leaders into creative new forms of ministry leadership. Listening and imagination are two things he values most highly in his ministry, in his reading the Bible, and in his life in general. He learned the guitar by lots of listening and practice; 56 years later he’s still listening and playing and learning. The foundation of his ministry is God’s grace in Jesus Christ and the power of God’s Holy Spirit to save and renew lives and relationships.
Steve's wife, Alison, is an artistic and athletic pediatric physical therapist. She still loves exploring Tokyo and keeps on learning new things about cooking and baking and art. During the 150th Anniversary year she became deeply steeped in researching TUC’s history. Their two daughters, Joy and Lydia, live and work in California. They all love traveling together, both in the wilderness and in the great cities of the world.
Steve earned a bachelor's degree studying philosophy at Westmont College, the Master of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary, and the Doctor of Ministry at Claremont School of Theology. Prior to Princeton he spent two years near Boston studying at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Harvard Divinity School focusing on the Hebrew Scriptures. At Harvard he also studied Japanese language at the college and non-profit executive leadership at the Business School. Pastor Steve joyfully volunteers his service on the Board of Trustees of Princeton Theological Seminary where in 2019 he received the Distinguished Alumnus award. He has enjoyed interdenominational and interfaith work for many years.
Pastor Steve loves TUC and sees our emergence from the testing years of pandemic as a great opportunity for new growth and exploration for TUC. He believes TUC is a special place where God’s people from all nations and walks of life can belong and be loved. Here we explore, worship, serve, share, and learn so much from one another. Pastor Steve feels grateful and honored to serve TUC with joy and to lead TUC in Jesus’ ways of love and justice for all people.
At the end of June 2024 he will end his 4 1/2 year term as Pastor at TUC. He and Alison will return to Southern California. He is excited for the next Pastor that God calls to serve TUC.
He would love to have a cup of tea and conversation with you!
[Send a message or schedule a meeting with Pastor Steve here.]