Staff

Rev. Motoe Yamada Foor
Senior Pastor
revmotoe@sacjumc.com

Rev. Motoe Yamada Foor is passionate about moving churches toward a more missional and spiritual focus.

Rev. Motoe is a circuit leader of Los Rios District Sacramento Pentecost Circuit. She represents the Western Jurisdiction to the General Board of Discipleship Ministries on the Board of Directors (2012-2020), and serves on the Annual Conference’s Committee on New and Vital Congregations. She is the founder and former chair of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Clergywomen (AAPIC) and continues to support the organization as its adviser.

She has been a part of California Nevada Annual Conference Delegation to General Conference (2012, 2016, 2019 & 2020). She also was an official monitor at the 2004 and 2008 General Conferences from the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCOOR).

Rev. Motoe was one of four United Methodist members on the World Council of Churches Central Committee (2006-2013). Her ecumenical experience has included stints on the Council for Ecumenical Student Christian Ministry and the North American Regional Committee for the World Student Christian Federation. She was a co-chair of the US Conference of the World Council of Churches – Young Adult Task Force, vice chair of the Ecumenical Networks Committee for the National Council of Churches, and has participated in two World Council of Churches consultations.

She holds a BA in International Relations with a Psychology minor from the University of Toledo, Ohio, a Masters in Educational Administration/Student Affairs Administration/Multicultural Education from Michigan State University, and a Masters of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion/Graduate Theological Union.

Since 2009, Rev. Motoe has served as the Senior Pastor at the Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church in Sacramento, California. She previously served at Buena Vista United Methodist Church in Alameda, California (2002-2005) and at Wesley United Methodist Church in San Jose, California (2005-2009).

She is one of the contributors of “Nevertheless She Leads: Postcolonial Women’s Leadership for the Church.”

She is married to Andy and has two small children.

“What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8b)

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me, and I in them, bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Rev. George Nishikawa
Pastor Emeritus

Rev. George Nishikawa was born and raised in Sacramento and graduated from Sacramento High School and Sacramento City College. He received a BA from the University of the Pacific and a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology. He served in the US Army at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Washington from 1952 to 1954. He was ordained as Elder in 1958 at the Pacific Japanese Provisional Conference. He is currently a retired member of the California Pacific Annual Conference. He was a member from 1963 to 1990.

His first charge as student pastor was at Florin Japanese Methodist Church from 1954 to 1955. Appointments in the Japanese Provisional Conference include the Sacramento Pioneer Methodist Church from 1958 to 1960 and Berkeley Methodist United Church from 1960 to 1963.

His past positions include: District Superintendent of the Lost Angeles District, UMC; First Executive Director of Asian American Ministries; Staff of Asian American Ministries; Staff of General Board of Global Ministries, Finance and Field Service; and Consultant for Japanese American Religious Federation in San Francisco.

His current positions include: Consultant for California Nevada Annual Conference Foundation; Chairperson of Endowment Committee, National Federation of Asian American united Methodist; and Chairperson of National Japanese American United Methodist Caucus.