wfn.org | FOUNDER OF FIRST VIETNAMESE PRESBYTERIAN

[PCUSA_NEWS@ecunet.org]

6-Apr-95

95094        FOUNDER OF FIRST VIETNAMESE PRESBYTERIAN 
                        CHURCH IN U.S. DIES 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
GARDEN GROVE, Calif.--Nearly 1,000 people crowded the sanctuary of First 
Presbyterian Church here Feb. 11 for the funeral of the Rev. Nguyen Ham 
Hai, organizing pastor of the first Vietnamese Presbyterian Church in the 
United States. 
 
     "Pastor Hai" died suddenly Feb. 6.  He is survived by his wife, Thi 
Kim Thanh; sons Nam Thanh and Nam Trung; a daughter, Kim Hoang Dang; their 
spouses and six grandchildren. 
 
     Hai and his family immigrated to the United States in 1975 under the 
auspices of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.  He joined Los 
Ranchos Presbytery in 1980 to begin the Vietnamese congregation, which uses 
the First Church, Garden Grove, facilities.  The congregation now numbers 
several hundred worshipers. 
 
     Hai received his theological education in Vietnam and served four 
parishes there.  After coming to this country he co-founded the Vietnamese 
Center for Theological Studies and served as treasurer of the Vietnamese 
World Christian Fellowship. 
 
     Last year Hai and his wife launched efforts to plant new churches in 
their native country.  With assistance from the Worldwide Ministries 
Division in Louisville and Los Ranchos Presbytery, three new churches are 
in the offing in Vietnam. 
                                 # # # 
 
 

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