wfn.org | UMNS# 04590-Korean leaders share resources, pray for

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Korean leaders share resources, pray for revitalization 

Dec. 14, 2004	 News media contact:   Kathy  Gilbert * (615) 7425470* 
Nashville {04590}

NOTE: Photographs and audio are available at www.umc.org.

By United Methodist News Service

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (UMNS) - Twenty-three Korean United Methodist pastors
from across the United States gathered Dec. 6-8 to address revitalizing their
churches.

"Leaders of our Korean community and pastors from three different size
churches - small, mid-size and large - gathered to talk about our situation
in the spirit of truth telling, and to address the issue of our churches'
decline and how to revitalize our congregations and grow them to do the work
of the Great Commission," said the Rev. Paul Hak Soon Chang, superintendent
of the Tri State Southern District in the New England Annual (regional)
Conference.

The general decline in the membership of the United Methodist Church in the
United States is reflected in the denomination's Korean-American
congregations. Currently, there are 310 Korean United Methodist churches,
down from 420 at the end of 1990.

Possible reasons for the decline - theological issues, changing social
context, leadership needs and lack of vision, good strategies and resources -
were considered. 

Participants discussed developing a booklet to help district superintendents
and other English-speaking leaders better understand and be more sensitive to
the Korean culture, to eliminate some conflicts in the process of appointing
clergy to churches.

At the meeting, the Korean pastors considered ways to raise awareness of the
Korean-American United Methodist caucus. "We had a good representation at the
2004 General Conference, but it is not enough," said the Rev. Sang Yean Cho,
director of Korean resources for United Methodist Communications. "By sharing
our ministries and resources with others, we can grow together and do
ministries effectively."

Participants prayed for God to give them wisdom, power and vision. They also
heard success stories from several pastors.

"The name of our church is Good Seed. As the name itself says, it is our goal
and vision to plant the good seed for the next generations," said the Rev.
Daniel Dong Il Chang, pastor of a small church, Good Seed United Methodist
Church in Fairview, Texas. "All of our focus and direction is to nurture and
teach them to be leaders of the kingdom of God and society."

"For the past 20 years, we have focused on the vision of Christ for us," said
the Rev. Young Jin Cho, pastor of Korean United Methodist Church of Greater
Washington, McClean, Va. "Every five years, we go through the discerning
process to find out what to do, what our Lord wants us to be. We want to be
faithful to Christ's vision first. As a result of these efforts, we have been
steadily going up and experiencing many changes." 

This was the task force's second meeting. A draft of a comprehensive study
report will be presented in March at a conference of the Korean United
Methodist Leadership Partner Church Association in New York. The draft also
will be presented at the conference of the National Association on
Korean-American United Methodist Churches in May.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

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United Methodist News Service