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2:30 P.M. ET Oct. 5, 2011
A UMNS Commentary
By the Rev. Jacob Lee*
Bishop Mary Ann Swenson (bread) and the Rev. Paul H. Chang (chalice)
lead the Communion at the end of the United Methodist Council on
Korean-American Ministries annual meeting Aug. 29-31 in Los Angeles.
UMNS photos by Jacob Lee.
View in Photo Gallery
In the last four years, 16 new Korean-speaking congregations, seven
new English-speaking Korean-American campus ministries and a thriving
small-group ministry of 80 members with an average age of 25 have been
planted through the Korean-American National Plan.
The council of the Korean-American plan at its recent annual
gathering in Los Angeles recognized its successes in exceeding its
goals as it pledged its continued support for the plan’s direction. Because of Hurricane Irene, the president of the council, Bishop Jeremiah Park, was not able to attend the meeting, and Bishop Mary Ann Swenson of the California-Pacific Annual (regional) Conference led the last full council meeting of the quadrennium.
In 2000, The United Methodist General Conference, the denomination’s
top lawmaking body, established the Korean-American National Plan to
strengthen Korean ministries within and outside the church. As of 2009,
the number of Koreans in The United Methodist Church stood at 40,912.
There are 291 congregations with Korean members and 13 multi-ethnic
congregations in which the majority is Korean.
“The Korean-American National Plan has done the great fruitful
ministry during this quadrennium, and we should let our UMC brothers and
sisters know about this as the hopeful message and encouragement of
our future denomination,” said the Rev. Timothy Ahn, the senior pastor
of Arcola Korean United Methodist Church in Paramus, N.J., and the representative from the National Caucus of Korean United Methodists.
Rev. Paul H. Chang, executive director, listens intently during the council meeting.
View in Photo Gallery
“Many people are so amazed by the ways that Koreans practice their
faith and the participation of church activities – weekday sunrise
services, Friday or Wednesday night worship service, many small group
activities, etc. That’s the reason Korean churches have many vital
congregations,” said the Rev. James Kim, president of the National Association of Pastors Serving in Cross-cultural Appointment.
Journey Community Church
One small-group ministry, the Journey Community Church in the Northern Illinois Conference, was a joint project of two established churches.
“We were given an opportunity to share the vision of a new church
that will specifically focus on reaching people who currently are not
in church and make the church experience relevant to that demographic.
The average age of one who attends our Sunday worship service or small
group is 25 years old,” said the Rev. Daniel Park of Journey Community
Church.
“The culture of our church may be defined as: young people, loving
hospitality, relevant teaching. These are the top three reasons
first-time guests come back and eventually stay in our community,” said
Park, who shares the leadership of the church with his wife, the Rev.
Isaiah Park.
The Korean National Plan developed a partnership with the Northern
Illinois conference and with two congregations – South Suburban Chicago
Korean United Methodist Church in Flossmoor and Chicago First Korean
United Methodist Church in Wheeling – to start the new church. Bishop Hee-Soo Jung
appointed Daniel Park to the new church, which now has 80 members with
an average attendance of 50 per week and 10 small groups.
Making a difference
Bishop Park of the New York Annual Conference, and the president of
the Korean National Plan, observed that the plan’s vision is “to
integrate Wesleyan tradition and Korean spirituality to make disciples
of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
“Korean United Methodists believe that they can make a positive
difference in the life and ministry of The United Methodist Church as
well as in their own community through the plan,” the bishop said. “For
example, the Wesleyan tradition of practicing the means of grace and
the Korean spirituality of a disciplined faith journey can be a
powerful mix for our common witness as United Methodists.”
The Korean-American National Plan exceeded its goal of developing 12
new Korean-language faith communities and seven new English-language
ministries by 2012.
The Rev. Paul Chang, executive director of the United Methodist
Council on Korean-American Ministries, told the council that the plan –
in partnership with annual conferences, jurisdictional Korean mission
directors/superintendents and local Korean congregations:
- “Successfully implemented” a $1 million matching fund campaign
- Began 16 new Korean-speaking congregations
- Started seven new English-speaking Korean-American/campus ministries
“It was definitely a great teamwork with many different churches and
superintendents and annual conferences,” Chang said. “I greatly
appreciated their hard work and willingness to support the planting of
new Korean congregations.”
Growth for the whole church
Chang reminded the council of its vision statement “to integrate
Wesleyan tradition and Korean spirituality to make disciples of Jesus
Christ for the transformation of the world.
“It’s a simple logic,” he said. “The growth of Korean-American United
Methodist churches means growth for the whole UMC! I believe that
small-group ministry is the effective method of our church growth in
this day.”
Bishop Park called the plan’s creation of a resource for training
for small-group leaders “an exciting new development of the plan in
this quadrennium.”
“This curriculum will be offered also to non-Korean speaking
churches,” Park said. “The Korean National Plan is a serious and
committed response to the Call to Action of The United Methodist
Church."
The Korean National Plan published “Longing to Meet You: Small Group
Ministry Leadership Training” and initiated extensive programs for
pastors and laity that trained 250 pastors and 1,000 laity.
“We will continue our ministry to empower the Korean congregations,”
Chang told the council. “The plan’s intention is that the Korean
churches and ministries will be an active and integral part of the
connectional life of The United Methodist Church, and will make
important contributions to vitalize the life, mission and ministry of
the entire denomination for the glory of God.”
*Lee is the Director of Korean Resources at United Methodist Communications.
News Media contact: Jacob Lee, 615-742-5470, or newsdesk@umcom.org
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