Rev. Sean Chow has been named the Western region associate for 1001 New Worshiping Communities. In his new role, Chow will oversee national training for ‘1001’ and work with new worshiping community leaders, churches, and presbyteries in western states to continue to grow the movement. 

“We are delighted to have Sean join our 1001 team,” says national New Worshiping Communities Coordinator Vera White.  “He brings a wealth of experience, having started new worshiping communities in California and New Jersey. Sean has great imagination and a heart for supporting innovative leaders.” 

Chow, who calls himself a “West-Coast guy”—he started Front Porch at Cal State Channel Islands, a campus ministry in the Presbytery of Santa Barbara, before accepting a call to serve St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Laurel Springs, New Jersey—desires to reach people who aren’t in the church, who don’t know Jesus. He hopes to connect presbytery and church leaders to ‘1001’ resources, to equip them “to see who might have a gift for leadership” in the new worshiping communities movement. 

“I'm excited to engage with  mid-councils as they work with ‘pioneering’ leaders, many are lay led, not seminary trained,” says Chow. I have a huge passion to bring new leaders to ‘1001’, and to help create new worshiping communities that meet people where they are—in their communities.” 

Chow will initially relocate to the Bay Area in San Francisco. Having lived in several places in California before his move to New Jersey, he’s excited to renew and recreate relationships with those in the ‘1001’ movement on the West Coast.

“Relationships and training are key,” he says. “It’s important to help leaders in this evangelistic work know they’re not alone. When creating new ministries, often my greatest struggle was feeling like, ‘I’m doing this alone.’  That’s why I’m eager to walk along and support leaders in the ‘1001’ movement.”

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Chow went through new church leadership discernment training in 2007.  He will begin his new work as 1001 Associate, Western Region on March 15.