A UMNS Feature By Kathy L. Gilbert*
By Kathy L. Gilbert*
Traditional
Mongolian homes mix with more contemporary buildings near the future
site of a United Methodist information and training center in
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Korean United Methodists in the United States
have raised $100,000 to the center. The United Methodist Board of Global
Ministries will contribute another $100,000. A UMNS photo by Sang Yean
Cho. Photo number 03-54, Accompanies UMNS #069, 2/12/03
No Long Caption Available for this Story
Korean
United Methodists in the United States have raised $100,000 to build an
information and training center in Mongolia that will supplement the
work of mission churches like this one in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The
United Methodist Board of Global Ministries will contribute another
$100,000. . A UMNS photo by Sang Yean Cho. Photo number 03-55,
Accompanies UMNS #069, 2/12/03
No Long Caption Available for this Story
Helen
Sheperd (left) is the first United Methodist missionary to Mongolia.
She will spend time in language study, develop ways to communicate with
the government, explore possibilities for online services, and address
other technical details that will need to be worked out. Korean United
Methodists in the United States have raised $100,000 to build an
information and training center in Mongolia. The United Methodist Board
of Global Ministries will contribute another $100,000. A UMNS photo by
Sang Yean Cho. Photo number 03-52, Accompanies UMNS #069, 2/12/03
No Long Caption Available for this Story
Korean
United Methodists in the United States have raised $100,000 to build an
information and training center in Mongolia that will supplement the
work of mission churches like this one in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The
United Methodist Board of Global Ministries will contribute another
$100,000.
No Long Caption Available for this Story
In
April 2002, a group of Korean Americans visited possible sites for an
information and training center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Korean United
Methodists in the United States have raised $100,000 for the center. The
United Methodist Board of Global Ministries will contribute another
$100,000. A UMNS photo by Sang Yean Cho. Photo number 03-53, Accompanies
UMNS #069, 2/12/03
No Long Caption Available for this Story
A seed that was planted in Korea 100 years ago is taking root in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, today.
Korean
United Methodists in the United States have raised $100,000 to build an
information and training center in Mongolia. The United Methodist Board
of Global Ministries will contribute another $100,000.
"The
Korean United Methodist community decided to undertake this task because
100 years ago the Korean Christians were the receivers and now we have
the opportunity to be the givers," says the Rev. Jong Sung Kim,
executive with the Board of Global Ministries and director of the Korean
American Centennial Planning Council.
The first group of Korean
Christians in Hawaii came from Inchon Naeri Methodist Church, leaving
the port of Inchon on Dec. 22, 1902, and arriving in Honolulu Jan. 12,
1903. To commemorate the event, a celebration will be held April 24-27
in Hawaii.
The theme of the celebration is "To Remember the Past,
Celebrate the Present and Envision the Future." Raising funds for the
Mongolian mission center will be part of the celebration, Kim says.
In
April 2002, a group of more than 20 clergy and lay people representing
the Korean American United Methodist Church visited Mongolia to study
the needs of the people and find a location for the center.
The Rev. Kwang-Jin Kim, pastor of the Los Angeles Korean United Methodist Church, was part of the group that went to Mongolia.
"The
(Mongolian) people are so happy the United Methodist Church is helping
them," he says. "Mongolian and Korean people look alike, our languages
are similar, and our culture is very similar.
"When we worshiped together in the Mongolian church, we felt the oneness not only in spirit but in many ways."
Visiting
Mongolia made members of the group happy with their decision to join
with the Board of Global Ministries in their mission to that country, he
says.
Christianity was not present in Mongolia until the 1990s, Jong Sung Kim points out.
In
talking to government officials and representatives of various
organizations, the group realized that there is both a need and openness
for the involvement of the United Methodist Church in Mongolia, he
says.
The new center will serve as a resource and training site for diverse areas of personal and community life.
The
Rev. Sang Yean Cho, editor of United Methodists in Service and a member
of the group that visited Mongolia, said the Wesleyan spirit of caring
for the spiritual as well as social justice issues for individuals will
be the model used at the mission center.
The proposed center will address several main areas of concern, including: · The establishment of United Methodist churches. · Leadership training for clergy. · Age-level ministries for children, youth and older adults. · Computer and job training, especially in the medical and health fields. · Special ministries to deal with alcoholism and other social problems.
The
Board of Global Ministries has assigned Helen Sheperd as a missionary
to Mongolia. She will spend time in language study, develop ways to
communicate with the government, explore possibilities for online
services, and address other technical details that will need to be
worked out.
Participants in the 2002 visit have formed a mission
support group to ensure that the Korean Methodist community provides
ongoing support for the center and the church's work in Mongolia. The
group plans to raise $60,000 a year to support that ministry.
Work
is under way to purchase the land. A Korean-American retired lay
construction worker from the Los Angeles Korean United Methodist Church
will go to Mongolia to oversee the beginning of the construction.
"This
is a very significant project," Jong Sung Kim says. "Korean United
Methodist churches are actively involved in missions, but oftentimes
they go on their own without going through the denominational channel.
"This
is the first opportunity the Korean community has taken on a massive
scale to be in a mission with the United Methodist Church. This is an
option we offered to the Korean community, and they responded. This
model will continue in other venues around the world," he says.
Since
its beginning in 1903, the Korean-American United Methodist community
has grown to more than 420 congregations with 100,000 members. More than
540 Korean-American clergy are serving in Korean-speaking churches,
cross-racial appointments, and general boards and agencies. That
includes more than 100 Korean-American clergywomen.
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*Gilbert is a news writer with United Methodist News Service in Nashville, Tenn.