Due to our church ministry and my young children, I was hesitant despite several offers to work as an executive member of the Korean Church Association (KCA). However, when I was pushed (?) to take on the role of president this year, I started with the mindset of doing my best within my capabilities. Thankfully, the executive team, which was said to be difficult to form, was well composed with diligent pastors, and many people participated in events such as the Heresy Countermeasure Seminar and the pastor couples’ New Year gathering at the beginning of the year.
Furthermore, Pastor Tim Keller established the global organization City to City (known in the UK as the London Project) with the intention of collaborating with various churches and missionary organizations in London. They recently hosted a meal to meet pastors from different countries, and since I am the president of KCA, I was naturally invited to represent Korean churches in London. A senior Korean pastor, who had been involved in missionary work in the UK for a long time, also attended this gathering and expressed great joy, saying, “I’ve always wanted to create such gatherings, and now it’s finally happening.”
Taking on the role of president, I had one goal in mind: to comfort our pastors. Previously, when people could come to the UK to study English and work simultaneously, Korean churches in London used to overflow with young people. However, after changes in visa laws that prevented such opportunities, there are hardly any young people in Korean churches, with the exception of a few churches near universities. Even for adults, it is becoming difficult to stay in the UK unless you are a professional, resulting in a general decline of Korean churches.
Given this situation, I knew it would be challenging for Korean churches to unite and organize events. So I thought it would be best to comfort our pastors and their spouses first. Therefore, I asked the pastors who led our Worship Nights to come a little earlier to comfort the Korean pastors in London and treat them to a meal. I asked them to discuss fundamental topics such as ‘What is a pastor?’ and ‘What is preaching?’ rather than anything special.
Also, we always had snacks and meals at every event, but I decided to make extra effort. For pastors who live far away, coming to London can be both time-consuming and costly, so we decided to use the association’s funds to provide accommodation.
Knowing my limited resources, there were people who offered to treat the KCA executive team for a meal. Additionally, there were those who helped coordinate a 3-day pastoral couples’ retreat and organise Worship Nights with Pastor Yoo Ki Sung with all expenses covered, ensuring that these events were seamlessly integrated into the association’s activities. Once again, I’m experiencing that a fulfilling life depends more on God’s guidance and provision than on my own planning and efforts.
This week, one of the important events for the association,
