| Conference hosts Korean visitors BY JOHN W. COLEMAN JR. UMCONNECTION STAFF A team of leaders from the Korean Methodist Church explored the Baltimore-Washington Conference in October, gaining insights about historical Methodist ties, outreach to youth and young adults, camping, church development, and models of ministry in town and urban settings. They also looked forward to more possibilities for intercultural sharing. The weeklong expedition covered more than a dozen sites, including diverse churches and communities, a cooperative parish, Lovely Lane UMC and its museum in Baltimore, Camp Manidokan near Harpers Ferry, and Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. The delegation met with Bishop Felton Edwin May in Washington and with staff at the conference center to learn about the conferences programs, initiati ves and administrative support for ministry. Members also dialogued with Korean-American clergy and seminary leaders, including Wesley vice president, the Rev. KyungLim Shin Lee. Bishop Shin Dong Il led the contingent from the Southern Annual Conference, one of nine conferences representing 1.3 million Methodists in South Korea. With him were pastors, district superintendents and other leaders, including both the president and general secretary of the Korean Methodist womens organization. It was the third encounter between the two conferences this year. Bishop Shin attended the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference session in June, bringing with him a womens choir of clergy spouses who performed in a global celebration of mission. In April, four Baltimore-Washington Conference leaders and their spouses visited  the Southern Conference, where the Rev. Donald Stewart, council on ministries director, preached at the opening of their annual conference. There are several areas of interest where we may explore collaboration in the future, said Stewart. They want to send about 12 of their youth to visit our camps and stay with Korean and non-Korean families here next summer. Then they want some of our Korean-American youth to visit them in exchange. Stewart explained that Koreans and Korean-Americans were, until recently, accustomed to a close-knit society with a tremendous sense of group identity, where familial values and religious traditions were embraced by most youth. But now, he said, many are struggling with a generation gap and a loss of youth participation in church, prompted in part by the new freedom and individualism they find in Western culture. They may be about 15 years behind us in facing this problem, he added. Touring the small town of Thurmont, the delegation learned about the strength we find in doing ministry ecumenically, said the Rev. Ruth Ann Miller, pastor of Weller UMC and a former missionary in South Korea. After hearing about efforts to develop and revitalize churches, nurture leadership and stimulate multicultural ministry, the visitors toured the unfinished future home of Living Springs UMC, a new congregation in Bowie. While immersed in Methodist history at Lovely Lane Museum, the visitors recognized the work of Dr. John Goucher, the pioneer missionary who helped bring Methodism to Korea in the 1880s. At Foundry UMC in Washington, they remembered the birth of the first Korean-American congregation in the area 50 years ago. Koreans began coming to Foundry to pray for their new country, prompted by Dr. Syngman Rhee, who had worshiped there in 1948-49 before returning to South Korea to become its first president.  Our guests appreciated the chance to see and learn so many things, said the Rev. Chi Bon Jang, pastor of Eden Korean UMC in Baltimore. They were impressed with our size, our diversity and all the systems, committees and programs that support ministry in this conference. | 
Login/Register to leave comment