Pastoral Reflection

Speaking of Peace, Seeking One Soul

This week, I attended an international Christian peace conference at the Korea Press Center in Seoul under the theme, “Churches Working for Healing, Reconciliation, and Peace.” The conference addressed the church’s calling in places of conflict around the world, including Palestine and Ukraine, as well as the church’s role in working for peace on the [...]

2026-09-13T10:20:43-04:00September 13th, 2026|

A Small Drop in the River of Peace

Tonight, I am flying to Korea. From Wednesday through Saturday, I will be attending the 2026 International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, jointly hosted by the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches in Korea. To be honest, it is not easy for me to make this trip. I also felt that perhaps it [...]

2026-09-06T11:36:21-04:00September 6th, 2026|

When the Old Dream Dreams, the Church Revives

This weekend, I am leading revival services at Los Angeles Korean United Methodist Church, founded in 1904 as the first Korean church on the U.S. mainland. This is my third time leading revival services at this historic church. I was here about twenty-five years ago and again fifteen years ago. The history of this church [...]

2026-08-30T12:02:08-04:00August 30th, 2026|

The Sounds of New Life

I hear the joyful sounds of new life. A child in our Sunday school who usually played alone, closed off in his own little world, grabbed my arm during Vacation Bible School and said, “Pastor, I love you.” At our youth retreat, a question was asked , “What did you enjoy the most?” One student [...]

2026-08-23T11:30:22-04:00August 23rd, 2026|

Let’s be there for each other

About ten years ago, the president of the Retired Methodist Pastors’ Association in Southern California called me. “When are you going to retire?” I replied, “Retire? I’m not even sixty yet!” He said, “We had a meeting today, and someone said that when you retire and move to California, we should make you our executive [...]

2026-08-16T12:17:52-04:00August 16th, 2026|

The Me I Know, the Me Others Know

I thought I was a caring and attentive pastor, but apparently some people see me as a rather distant pastor who doesn’t even shake hands with his congregation after Sunday worship. I thought I was a good husband, but my wife tells me that I can be “a selfish man who only thinks about himself.” [...]

2026-08-09T11:44:44-04:00August 9th, 2026|

The Spirituality of Embracing Differences

When we confess in the Apostles' Creed, “I believe in the holy catholic Church and the communion of saints,” we are affirming that all who believe Jesus Christ is Lord belong to one Church in Him. The Church is called to fulfill the Great Commission as one body. Therefore, we must reject the selfishness of [...]

2026-08-02T14:05:26-04:00August 2nd, 2026|

The Joy of No Longer Being Needed

Today, after our 1 p.m. English Ministry service, there will be an ice cream party in my honor. For quite some time, whenever we did not have an English-speaking pastor, I stepped in to preach. Beginning next Sunday, however, Rev. Yohan Go will take full responsibility for our English ministry, which means I am no [...]

2026-07-26T09:58:05-04:00July 26th, 2026|

Dreaming of a Bible Pilgrimage Path

Last Friday during our early morning prayer service, I mentioned that a question I had been wrestling with for years had finally been answered. Many of you were curious and asked what it was. My response was, "It's not quite time to share it yet." But the more I thought about it, the more I [...]

2026-07-19T09:47:36-04:00July 19th, 2026|

Our Journey To Samaria

Jesus said to His disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Samaria was not far from Jerusalem. The real obstacle was never the distance—it was [...]

2026-07-12T10:30:59-04:00July 12th, 2026|
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