United Methodists rally for Korean-American church

A UMNS file photo by Linda Rhodes More than 400 United Methodists from around Northern Illinois rally in support of Vision United Methodist Church in this March file photo.

March 15, 2005

By Linda S. Rhodes*

CHICAGO (UMNS)—More than 400 United Methodists gathered in a snowy, muddy field on March 13 to worship and rally in support of a Korean-American congregation that has been trying for more than five years to build a church in the Long Grove suburb.

The demonstrators, meeting on the proposed church site, came from United Methodist congregations across the Northern Illinois Annual (regional) Conference. Many wore bright blue T-shirts declaring, “I believe when you truly embrace diversity, you embrace God.” Some wore yellow buttons that said, “Bring Vision to Long Grove.”

The rally was held in support of Vision United Methodist Church, which filed a $10 million lawsuit against the Village of Long Grove. The suit charges the village violated the church’s First and 14th Amendment rights and the Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act of 2000 by preventing construction of its proposed building. The lawsuit is being heard by U.S. Judge Charles Norgle of the Northern District of Illinois.

Vision Church has been joined in the lawsuit by the denomination’s Northern Illinois Conference and the Alliance Defense Fund, a religious liberties group. John Mauk, attorney for Vision Church, said both the church and the village have requested a summary judgment, and a ruling could come as soon as August.

“We gather today to support our brothers and sisters of Vision United Methodist Church in their struggle to build a new church home,” said the Rev. Arlene Christopherson, superintendent of the conference’s Elgin District, which includes Long Grove. “We gather today because we believe in the promises of the United States Constitution that guarantee freedom of religion. We gather today because a United Methodist congregation’s federal rights have been violated by the leaders of this community.”

The Korean-American congregation does not stand alone, she said. “We gather today for every synagogue, mosque and church that find themselves stymied by hostility and zoning ordinances that tell us a religious community is no longer considered a welcome neighbor.”

Christopherson called the violations of Vision Church’s freedoms “blatant” and warned that even while the United States works to ensure democracy and religious freedoms in other lands, “a subtle shift, a terrifying shift, is taking place in our communities.”

She cited other United Methodist churches in the greater Chicago area that have had to go to court to get permission to host an overnight homeless shelter or install a handicapped-accessible driveway. “Faith communities large and small are reporting acts of infringement on their religious freedoms across the country, and so we gather to say to increasingly hostile local governments that the church will continue to carry out the mission of our faith even in the face of opposition.”

In 1999, Vision Church signed a contract to buy 28 acres in unincorporated Lake County on the condition that the Village of Long Grove would annex the land and approve the church’s plans to construct a worship facility. The congregation bought the land for $1.1 million in 2000.

After more than a year of negotiations, protests by residents, hearings and revisions to architectural plans, the Village of Long Grove rejected the church’s request for annexation and approval. The congregation then applied to Lake County for a building permit. As county officials were approving the church’s development plans, Long Grove began a forced annexation of the church property.

A lawyer for the village told UMNS in 2003 that the church did not follow community zoning regulations. Village officials also were concerned about the church’s possible size and impact on local traffic, according to the Daily Herald newspaper.

A UMNS photo by Linda Rhodes The Rev. Soon Chang Jang (left), senior pastor of Vision United Methodist Church, joins a prayer circle at the rally.

At the rally, Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, who leads the Northern Illinois Conference, promised that conference leadership will continue to support the church in its fight to build in Long Grove.

“We will stay with you until justice is fulfilled for our people,” Jung said. “Let’s fulfill God’s dream together. Stay strong. Stay strong in Christ.”

Many participants said they attended the rally because they thought the church had been wronged.

Lois Huth, 87-year-old member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Cicero, Ill., walked with a cane up a hill through snow, mud and weeds to get to the rally. “We’ve got to have freedom of religion,” Huth said. “I’m here to support that idea.”

Fourteen-year-old Christine Crites, of Geneva (Ill.) United Methodist Church, said she studied U.S. Constitutional rights last year in her government class. “Since this is obviously a breach of constitutional rights and is obviously racist,” she said, “I decided to come to show my support for the church.”

“There is a justice issue at work here,” said the Rev. Joe Snider, pastor of Epworth United Methodist Church in Elgin, Ill. “I want to be supportive of this congregation in the face of injustice.”

Members of Vision Church were moved by the show of support by other United Methodists.

“I’m very excited and very encouraged,” said the Rev. Soon Chang Jang, senior pastor of Vision United Methodist Church. “Before, the connectional system (of the United Methodist Church) was just an idea. But today, not only me, but our entire congregation—even the children—understands that this is the United Methodist Church. We are one family. We are one in Christ.”

*Rhodes is director of communications for the United Methodist Church’s Northern Illinois Conference.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

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Suggested Resources Northern Illinois Conference Village of Long Grove, Illinois Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act