October 22, 2009 by admin.

What a joy to present this second volume of the journal in print! After the very first issue on Worship, Fall 2008, I was warmly encouraged by colleagues and friends in the ministry and academia. The assessment of this new journal is that it is highly valued not only for its quality research contents, but for its introducing subject matters no one has ever attempted to put together.

In a generic definition “journal” is a record kept on a journey. And I value the process enough to offer a word about this journey of editing each issue of Journal of Korean American Ministries and Theology. My heartfelt thanks go once again to all the contributing writers and the assistant editor, Hyun Ho Park. And a Columbia Seminary student, John Shillingburg, joined the editorial staff with this issue, offering immeasurable contribution in refining each pages.

Two sermons are introduced in this issue to demonstrate the finest examples from Korean-American preachers focusing on “Korean Preaching.” The readers will find five articles on Korean and Korean-American preaching. We have carefully selected three dissertations on the subject of preaching to introduce, summarize, and evaluate for further study. I invite you to take the journey together as we engage in the preaching ministries of the Korean American churches for the 21^st century.

Paul Junggap Huh, editor

Part 1    Sermons

Nations will bring Their Glory (Revelation 21:22-26) ————————————————- 7    Kevin Park

The Freedom-Children (Galatians 3:26-29) ————————————————————– 9    Eunjoo M. Kim

Part 2    Articles

Beautiful Preaching
in the Korean-American Context:

Communicating in Non-Verbal Languages ————————————————— 15    Paul Junggap Huh

Preaching Ministry in the Postmodern Era ————————————————————- 23    Unyong Kim

Korean Preaching from a Western Perspective ——————————————————– 43    Daniel J. Adams

The Value and Potential for Conversational and Collaborative Preaching

in the Korean Protestant Church ————————————————————– 53    Taekhan Yoon

Preaching in the Lectionary to the Second-Generation Korean-Americans:

    Providing a Meaningful Story to the Story-Lost Generation ——————————- 67    Sunggu (Paul) Yang

Part 3    Dissertation Reviews

Preaching in the Korean Protestant Church (1884-1945)

A Study in Light of John Calvin’s Understanding of Word and Sacrament ————– 77    Eun Chul Kim/ Editorial

Transformative Preaching in the Transitioning Korean American Church ———————— 89     Tae Kyung Kim/ Editorial

The New Homiletic: The Strategies for the Listener-Oriented Communication of the Gospel

in the Postmodern Korean Context ———————————————————— 99     Ung Joe Lee/ Editorial

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October 22, 2009 by admin.

It is with my greatest joy to begin a new journey on publishing Journal of Korean American Ministries & Theology. Columbia Theological Seminary offered me the most ideal position that I could ask for: doing both ministries and theology, teaching both worship and music, speak both Korean and English.

Being an immigrant child and raised in U.S. from 8^th grade in middle school, I was brought up in both worlds of Korea and America. These two cultures often pull me apart in different directions, and at the same time they provide a creative tension in developing a new identity. We live in two worlds at once, the one always informing the other. The followers of Jesus Christ are to be truly in the world and at the same time live in the world of the Bible preparing the ways for others to follow.

My personal as well as academic experiences have led me to be the bridge and resource person in the language and cultural world of Korea and North America. I am thankful to the contributing writers who responded with eagerness in spite of the short notice. Until we would have an ample number of writers contributing to the journal, our assistant editor, Hyun Ho Park, and I plan to introduce the readers selected dissertations as we have initiated on this issue.

I am most grateful to Hyun Ho for his initiative in starting this project upon his graduation from Emory’s Candler School of Theology. In the beginning, both of us did not fully comprehended the amount of work it was going to be involved; however, we are grateful to finish the first issue with additional editorial helps from Ralph G. Clingan, Enoch Chang, and Rosemary Raynal.

We now hope that the PDF and limited printed version will eventually help us to produce and circulate the journal in printed and mailed version in the near future. May the work bring a tangible networking among the scholars teaching and students researching in ATS affiliated schools and those who are engaged in doing Korean theology and ministries.

Paul Junggap Huh, editor

Part 1

Articles

The Great Table of Grace: Eucharist and the Korean Churches ————————————- 6

Paul Junggap Huh

The Great River of Grace: Baptism and the Christian Life —————————————— 18

David Gambrell

Worship Design and Liturgical Leadership as Primary Pastoral Responsibility: —————- 29

A Practical Preliminary Consideration

Charles Young-Chul Ryu

Constructing a Liturgical Theology of the General Assembly ————————————— 38

of Presbyterian Churches in Korea (GAPCK: Hapdong)

Jong Hun Joo

“Chang Preaching”: Seeking a Korean Folk Sermon ———————————————— 50

Seung-Nam Kim

Part 2

Dissertation Reviews

The Formation of Presbyterian Worship in Korea, 1879-1934 ————————————– 61

Kyeong Jin Kim/Editorial

Understandings of the Lord’s Supper in the Methodist Churches in Korea: 1885-1935 ——— 71

Hae Jung Park/Editorial

Worship as a Cosmic Event of Communion and Union: ———————————————- 81

Christian Worship from an East Asian Perspective

Kee-Yeon Cho/Editorial

The Symbolic Dimension in the Korean Protestant Worship and its ——————————– 90

Relationship with the Inculturation of the Eucharistic Elements

Soonwhan Kim/Editorial

Liturgical Inculturation in the Marriage and Funeral Rites of Korean Protestants ———— 100

Ho Nam/Editorial

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October 22, 2009 by admin.

Published on APCE Advocate, Fall 2009

Paul Junggap Huh

Koreans love to sing. Singing is their favorite pastime and vividly reflected in passionate singing of hymns and praise songs for Christian worship. From the earliest days of the Korean people, singing has played a significant role in their lives. Not only in the setting of communal worship but also in most occasions of life, Koreans love to sing. They sing when they are happy as well as when they are sad. For Koreans, singing is also a vehicle of communal expression in their times of joy and sorrow in the history of their nation.

Koreans sing when political and social difficulties arise. They sang freedom songs against their oppressing rulers. Workers sang against their unjust company executives. Frequently they gathered together after work, drinking and singing popular songs in solidarity. Students and graduates gathered to sing their school theme song in unison melody. Almost every school in Korea, both public and private, has a theme song to represent the school. They sing in a loud unison to identify their solidarity with one another.

In worship settings, people sing to experience a sense of community and spiritual relationship with the divine power. In social settings, singing also promotes a sense of community. Through singing, people share common values.

Most events or TV programs in Korea are designed with a consideration for the singing practice of the Korean people, and their love for singing has flourished in all aspects of the Korean culture. A national Korean Broadcasting company runs a weekly amateur singing contest, which is a program for all ages across the different regions of the country. Both contestants and audience simply enjoy singing together regardless of winning any prize. The program visits cities and towns around the country and has became one of the most watched programs, running now for twenty-eighty years.

In addition, the Korean National TV began to air a weekly music program called, “Open Concert.” It is open in a sense that musicians of all styles including classical, popular, and Korean traditional folk music are invited to perform live on stage. The title, “Open Concert,” also implies that the audience is welcomed and encouraged to join in song with the performers and a 42 piece orchestra. The music score is distributed to the audience, helping them to join in singing together anytime. As many as 10,000 people of all ages participate in this all-time favorite program each week.

In Korea, town halls provide many cultural classes including group singing lessons. The singing class may be the most popular class provided by the government. The karaoke business also proves that Koreans are a singing people. In 1991, a commercial business called, Singing Room (Noraebang) was opened in Seoul and Pusan. Noraebang is a place where people gather and sing together with the accompaniment from a karaoke machine. Karaoke means “without orchestra” in Japanese. The lyrics are displayed on screen and recorded full accompaniment sound is provided for singers to follow. Such rooms are found throughout Korea’s large cities and small villages in the countryside, and in Korean-American communities in the United States. A night of Korean partying often includes a trip to a singing room, Noraebang.

For Koreans, singing is power. Singing gives them power to overcome difficulties of life. It builds up community and allows them to experience a sense of belonging to their community. As singing together forms solidarity and confirms cohesion of community, the values are shared and confirmed. People also share their lives through singing and they express emotions experienced from their lives such as joy, sorrow, anger, grief, depression, powerlessness, and happiness.

The same function of singing can be expected in the life of the church. In the worship of the Korean church, singing is way for the people to offer their lives and faith through raising their voices as well as praying out loud in a unison prayer called Tongsung Kido.

Unlike the U.S. education system, Koreans have music as a required course of the school curriculum from K to 12^th grade. Public and private schools teach children to sight read music, sing, music theory, and to write notations. In the curriculum, classical music, pop music, and Chang (traditional folk-style singing) are offered side by side.

The importance of this education in learning music has resulted in having both classical musicians and praise & worship musicians serving Korean churches side by side, yet their different orientation have not merged in one unison prayer. It is an unfulfilled task in Korean churches, which need to develop bringing different musical styles as acceptable form of worship of all God’s people. The zeal and passion for singing abound in Korean worshipping congregations and moves beyond the social and language boundaries witnessing the love of Christ and God’s salvation.

    To the high and kindly hills I lift my eyes;

    Where is someone to rescue me in my plight?

    Truly from the dear Lord above help will come.

    God is the maker of heav’n and earth: all is well.

                (Psalm 121 in Korean Tune)

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April 29, 2009 by admin.

기독일보
에서http://atl.christianitydaily.com/view.htm?code=cg&id=184534

• ▲졸업식
  이모저모
  

• 
  

• ▲(위부터) 대표기도하는
  박대웅
  목사, 말씀을
  전하는
  김삼영
  목사
  

• 
  

• ▲우수
  수료자들이
  상장을
  받고
  있다.
  

  ▲(위부터) 인사말을 전한 마크 로버슨 목사, 격려사를 전한 신남순 장로

  김앤더슨
  기자
  anderson@chdaily.com
  

  평신도, 당신이
  세상의
  빛과
  소금
  

  PCUSA 평신도제직리더십훈련학교 2기
  수료식
  [2009-04-26 11:54]
  

• 
  

• ▲졸업의
  기쁨을
  나누는
  단체사진
  

  빛과 소금의 사명을 짊어진 46명의 평신도 파송식이 25일(토) 오후 7시 콜롬비아신학교에서 열렸다. PCUSA 평신도제직리더십훈련학교 제 2기 수료 및 졸업식에는 수료자들은 물론 가족과 지인들이 찾아와 북적였고, 여느 대학 졸업식 못지 않게 들뜬 마음을 감추지 못해 여기저기 사진기 셔터를 눌러대는 손길이 분주했다.

  웅장한 오르간 반주와 참석자들의 전원 기립으로 지난 10주간 평신도 제직 훈련을 마친 46명의 수료자들이 입장했으며 곧 행사가 시작됐다.

  인사말을 전한 마크 로버슨(PCUSA 애틀랜타 노회장) 목사는 “여기 모인 평신도 분들은 평균을 훨씬 넘어서 있다”고 격려하며 “애틀랜타 지역 장로교 중 한국 교회는 중요한 부분을 차지한다. 한국 교회 평신도 리더들도 노회나 교단 차원의 행사에 적극적으로 참여해 주시라”고 권면했다.

  말씀을 전한 김삼영 목사(조지아한인장로교회, 애틀랜타한인장로교회협회장)는 “맹세한 종”이라는 주제로 아브라함과 평생 동안 함께했던 충실한 종처럼 나의 공로를 드러내지 않고 주인 되신 예수 그리스도 만을 섬김 가운데 드러내길 권했다.

  아브라함의 늙은 종을 예로 든 김 목사는 “이 종은 일생 동안 주인을 위해 최선을 다했던 충성스러운 종이었다. 아브라함의 가장 귀한 아들 이삭의 아내를 구해왔던 주인의 마음을 온전히 헤아렸고, 며느리 감 택함에 있어 주인의 전적인 신뢰를 얻었던 자였다. 이후로 더 이상 기록되지 않는 것으로 미루어 이 종은 열심히 일하고 물러날 때 확실하게 물러났던 종이었다”고 설명했다.

  김 목사는 “이제 헌신, 봉사할 일만이 여러분에게 남아있다. 그 가운데 사람이 드러나서는 안되며 오직 예수 그리스도 만이 드러나야 한다. 우리의 일을 신실하고 조용하게 하면서 하나님 앞에 설 준비를 해야 한다”고 끝맺었다.

  격려사를 전한 제1기 최우수 수료생 신남순 장로는 “사역을 할 때 자신의 경험이라든지, 내가 주장하는 것이 있을 수 있지만 그것을 온전히 내려놓을 때만이 주께서 나를 사용하실 수 있다.”고 말했다.

  졸업식은 수료증 전달에 이어, 각 교회를 대표한 4명의 수료자들에게 우등상을 전달함으로 절정에 달했다.

  한편, 콜롬비아신학교 2009년도 가을학기는 구약성서 조사, 선택강좌 ‘청소년 사역을 위한 영적구조확립’ ‘청년사역’이 있으며, 2010년 1월에는 선택강좌 ‘신학으로의 초대’가 개설된다. 2010년 봄학기에는 두 필수 강좌인 ‘신약성서 조사’와 ‘목회적 돌봄’이 있다.

  권나라 기자

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March 7, 2009 by admin.

기독일보에서 퍼옴

한미목회연구소 다문화입체예배 컨퍼런스 성료 [2009-03-05 10:49]

“예배에 대한 궁금한 점이 해결되고 시각이 확정되는 기회가 됐다”
“가족을 만난 것처럼 친근했다”
“수도원 탐방, 흑인교회 방문이 색다르고 좋았다”
“예배를 중심으로 한 집중 세미나가 많아졌으면 좋겠다”

지난 3박 4일간 콜롬비아신학대학 한미목회연구소(소장 허정갑 목사) 개최 ‘목회자 계속교육 컨퍼런스’가 5일(목) 평가회를 끝으로 마쳐졌다. 참석자 대부분은 이번 컨퍼런스에 대해 호평했고, 앞으로 ‘영혼구원에 초점을 맞춘 선교적 교회예배 방법에 대한 논의’, ‘사모도 함께하는 개척과 선교에 관한 토론’, ‘참석하지 못한 목회자들을 위한 관심과 배려’ 등 건설적인 발전방향에 대한 제안도 아끼지 않았다.

PCUSA 남대서양 대회소속 한인목회자들을 대상으로 열린 이번 컨퍼런스에는 목사와 사모를 포함 30여명이 참석해 다민족을 대상으로 하는 입체예배에 맛을 보는 기회가 됐다. 특히, 일정 가운데 지역 내 유서 깊은 수도원과 유명 흑인교회 등을 방문해 기존에 쉽게 접해보지 못한 예배문화를 경험하고, 마지막 날에는 팀을 나눠 직접 콜롬비아 대학생들을 대상으로 입체예배를 인도하는 실습 시간도 마련해 이론으로만 그치지 않도록 노력한 흔적도 엿보였다.

이외에도 주강사인 허정갑 목사(예배학 교수)가 ‘다문화 입체예배 입문’, ‘입체예배와 공간’, ‘입체예배와 시간’, ‘입체예배와 말씀’, ‘입체예배와 다문화’에 대해 강의했고, 최훈진 목사(PCUSA 총회 산하 아시아권지도자훈련부서 총무)는 ‘전도와 교회성장’에 대해 특강했다.

신학대에서 다루지 않는 예배에 대한 심도 깊은 논의처가 된 이번 컨퍼런스는 다문화, 다언어권에 속한 이민교회의 특성을 고려, 목회자가 지녀야 할 다양성과 성도의 참여를 유도할 수 있는 예배 인도법을 제시했다. 구체적으로 이중언어 찬송가 사용법, 1세와 2세가 한 자리에 모여 드릴 수 있는 예배 모범 등이 있었다.

한편, 한미목회연구소에서는 8월 초 3박 4일 일정으로 실제 예배를 기획하고 인도하는 교회 평신도들을 대상으로 동일한 세미나를 개최한다. 물론 목회자도 참석할 수 있으며, 성가대 지휘자, 예배 부장 및 평신도 리더가 참석하면 예배인도의 이론과 실전을 경험하는 기회가 될 것으로 보인다.

• 
  

• ▲단체사진.
  

• 
  

• ▲컨퍼런스 일정을 마치고 평가회가 화기애애한 분위기 속에 진행되고 있다.
  

  권나라 기자
  

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February 19, 2009 by admin.

크리스찬타임즈에서 퍼옴

기사입력시간 : [2009-02-18 05:24]

 
KPC 산하 교회 위탁교육기관인 콜롬비아 신학대학원 부설 한미목회실(소장 허정갑)이 지난 2월16일 ‘2009 제직 리더쉽 훈련 프로그램’을 개강했다.
지난 해에 이어 두번째로 열린 CTS 제직 리더쉽 훈련프로그램은 콜럼비아 신학교 교수들과 지역 교회 담임 목사가 강사로 나서게 되며, 중앙장로교회, 예수소망교회, 연합장로교회, 조지아한인장로교회 제직자 46명이 참여하게 된다.
이들은 교재 <충성된 종이 되는 길(최장욱, 김선배, 김춘자)>을 중심으로 미국장로교회 헌법, 역사, 신학, 이민교회론 및 장로직과 집사직의 훈련될 예정이다.
제직 리더쉽 훈련 프로그램은 10주간 매주 월 8시부터 10시까지 애틀랜타 연합장로교회에서 진행되며 ▲교회의 본질과 사명(중앙장로교회 장봉 목사) ▲장로직과 집사직의 본질(베다니장로교회 최병호 목사) ▲이민교회 특수성과 제직의 역할(PCUSA 아시안리더십 최훈진 목사) ▲예배학(콜롬비아 신학대학원 허정갑 교수) ▲교회 리더와 리더십(애틀랜타 연합장로교회 정인수 목사) ▲장로교 역사(콜롬비아 신학대학원 평생교육원장 Dr. Dent Davis) ▲장로교 신조(콜롬비아 신학대학원 평생교육원 디렉터 Dr. Kim Clayton) ▲장로교 규례서와 내규(복음동산장로교회 권영갑 목사, 조지아 한인장로교회 김삼영 목사) ▲이민교회 갈등과 해결책(한빛장로교회 강순홍 목사) 등을 주제로 이어진다. 특히 열째 주에는 담임 목사와의 대화 시간을 통해 교회가 추구하는 미래 비전 들을 계획이다.
한미목회실은 목회자 계속 교육, 평신도 영성 프로그램, 목회 카운슬링 프로그램, 교사학교 등을 구상 중에 있다.
문의: 404-378-8821
강지연 기자
 
△ 제 2기 CTS 제직 리더쉽 훈련프로그램에서 장봉 목사가
교회의 본질과 사명에 대해 첫 강의를 하고 있다.

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February 10, 2009 by admin.

아틀란타 기독일보 에서가져온 기사

다문화 입체예배 어떻게 드려야 하나?

CTS 한미목회연구소 주최 허정갑 교수 주강사 [2009-02-06 12:07]

• 
• ▲주 강사를 맡은 허정갑 교수는 ‘목회자 계속교육의 일환으로 진행되는 컨퍼런스에 많은 한인 목회자들이 관심을 갖고 참여해주길 바란다’고 밝혔다.

• 
• ▲이번 컨퍼런스에서 사용될 이중언어 찬송가(좌)와 허정갑 교수가 강의할 입체예배에 관한 저서(우).

콜롬비아신학대학원 한미목회연구소(소장 허정갑 교수)에서 PCUSA 남대서양 대회 소속 한인 목회자들을 대상으로 목회자 컨퍼런스를 개최한다. 주제는 ‘다문화 입체예배(Multicultural Worship)’로 예배학 교수인 허정갑 목사가 주 강사이며, 오는 3월 2일부터 5일까지 본 대학원에서 진행된다.

이번 주제에 대해 허정갑 교수는 “신학대에서도 가르쳐주지 않는 예배에 대해 심도 깊게 논할 것이다. 이민교회는 다문화, 다언어권에 속해있는 만큼 목회자 자신이 다양성을 갖고 사람들의 참여를 유도함으로 온전한 예배 인도법을 익혀야 한다. 구체적으로는 이중언어 찬송가 사용법, 1세와 2세가 한 자리에 모여 드릴 수 있는 예배 모범 등이다.”

주 강의는 5번에 걸쳐 이뤄지는데, 2일 ‘다문화 입체예배 입문’, 3일 ‘입체예배와 공간’, ‘입체예배와 시간’, ‘입체예배와 말씀’, 4일 ‘입체예배와 다문화’ 순서다. 이외에도 PCUSA 총회 산하 아시아권지도자훈련부서 총무로 있는 최훈진 목사가 ‘전도와 교회성장’에 대해 특강한다.

특징적인 것은 바쁜 목회일정에 쫓겨 사역지 이외의 곳을 방문할 기회가 적은 목회자들을 위해 성빌립흑인교회와 Conyers에 위치한 수도원, 센트럴장로교회 떼제기도 탐방도 기획되어 있다. 둘째 날 저녁에는 탤런트쇼 장기자랑대회가 열리며, 마지막 날에는 각자 속한 팀 별로 나눠 신학교 채플을 인도한다.

허 교수는 “조지아를 비롯해 플로리다, 알라버마 등에서 목회자들이 참석할 예정이다. 선착순으로 숙소를 제공하고 있으니 적극적으로 동참해주길 바란다. 이것이 좋은 시작이 되어서 신학교를 구심점으로 한인 목회자들이 모여 배우고 교제함으로 목회에 힘을 실어주길 바란다”고 전했다.

문의 : 허정갑 교수 (404) 687-4538 huhp@ctsnet.edu

박현희 기자 hhpark@chdaily.com

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December 9, 2008 by admin.

차후 온라인 통해 동남부 지역으로 확대 계획 [2008-12-07 09:01]

http://atl.christianitydaily.com/view.htm?id=183654&code=cg 에서 퍼왔습니다.

김앤더슨 기자 anderson@chdaily.com

2008년 가을학기 PCUSA 직분자 교육 졸업식이 6일 콜럼비아신학대학원에서 개최됐다.10주 과정으로 교회와 헌법, 행정, 청지기, 리더십 등 교회 직분자들이 반드시 알아야 할 과목들을 중심으로
진행된 직분자 교육에는 한인 42명, 영어권과 스페인어 14명 등 총 56명이졸업생이배출돼 교회의 든든한 일군으로 쓰임받을 예정이다.특히이번 학기부터 기존 영어와 스페인어, 포르투갈어 진행되던 과정에 한국어 과정이 추가돼, 다양한 민족적 배경을 가진 이들이 믿음의 한 뿌리를 기초로 풍성한 결실이 맺었다는 평가다이날 마태복음 18장 19절-20절을 본문으로 말씀을 전한 콜럼비아신학대학 한국인디렉터 허정갑 목사는 “세상은하나와는 거리가 멀다. 합심하고 하나되는 용서와 화해가 필요하다. 지도자와 회중이 합심하면 못할
일이 아무것도 없다. 세상으로 나가 평화와 화해의 사절단이 되라“고 졸업생들에게 당부했다.그는또 이후 가진 인터뷰를 통해 “같은 교단이지만 서로 다른 교회에 다녀 모르던 학생들이 10주간의 과정을 통해 유대감이 깊어지고 서로 협조하는 유익한 시간이었다“고 전하고 “무엇보다 직분자 교육을 향한 개교회의 참여가 중요하다“며 PCUSA 교회들의 적극적인 협조를 부탁했다.최병호목사(베다니장로교회)는 제직으로 선출됐지만 교육받지 못해 교회의 기둥으로의 역할에 충실하지못했던 분들이 굳게 서게 됐다“고 이번 교육과정을 중요성을 강조하고 “현재 아틀란타 중심인 교육을차후온라인등을 통해서동남부로 확대해 나갈 계획“이라고 밝혔다.

다음은 42명의 한국인 졸업생 명단이다.
안숙욱, 안오섭, 백애자, 최은일, 최연희, 최만식, 정창훈, 신남순, 허순옥, 장덕희, 전현주, 정진호, 김경식, 김성용, 김태균, 김원석, 고자영, 권형숙, 김성희, 김순영, 권성관, 이계정, 이홍범, 이금자, 이묘숙, 조명희, 서인선, 남미경, 남원우, 남궁준, 배진능, 박선희, 변윤남, 최은정, 김연희, 신운진,이경숙, 양병태, 양옥진, 윤재만, 윤순옥, 윤태근

• ▲졸업하는 기쁨의 순간
  

• ▲말씀을 전하는 허정갑 목사 / 대표기도하는 레슬리 프린스 / 인사의 말을 전하는 덴트 대이비스 부총장 / 축도하는루카스 피나 목사(위부터)
  

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October 26, 2008 by admin.

ON THE HORIZON is a monthly e-mail newsletter designed to inform, to inspire, and to nurture ongoing communication between the General Assembly Council/Executive Director’s Office and middle governing bodies.  Your feedback is strongly encouraged, as is your input for future editions.  You are invited to share the information and stories in this newsletter with your own partners in ministry.

 

Lives Transformed

“Bringing more voices to the table” – The Rev. Paul Junggap Huh

by Emily Enders Odom

Associate, Mission Communications

Presbyterian Church (USA)

DECATUR, GA, October 22, 2008 – Having long ago “fallen in love” with the art of creating worship resources, the Rev. Paul Junggap Huh found himself newly articulating one of the great paradoxes of the faithful.

“Which comes first,” Huh wondered, “one’s passion or one’s calling? I believe they work simultaneously.”

Where passion and calling have most recently converged for the editor of Come, Let Us Worship: The Korean-English Presbyterian Hymnal and Service Book (Geneva Press, 2001) [http://www.pcusa.org/korean/resources.htm], was witnessed on September 23 by a host of exuberant worshipers at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville as Huh was commissioned – alongside fourteen others – to serve on the national committee to develop the next Presbyterian hymnal [http://www.presbyterianhymnal.org/HymnalSplash.asp].

“Being introduced to the work of General Assembly changed my life,” Huh said. “Not only did the Korean-English hymnal I edited open the door to my serving here at Columbia Seminary, but my experience with it also led people to support my application by recommending me for this new opportunity to work with the Presbyterian hymnal project. It’s all connected.”

Huh, assistant professor of worship and director of Korean-American Ministries at Columbia Theological Seminary [http://www.ctsnet.edu/], said that the hymnal committee’s greatest challenge would be to identify the “new song” that the Presbyterian Church (USA) is singing at this stage in its journey.

“As a committee, we are open to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in leading us to new texts and tunes for our time and beyond,” Huh said. “In its day, the 1990 hymnal was both an entryway and a symbol for uniting the former Presbyterian Church in the U.S. and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. We very much face the same task now, to identify what divides us as a church, whether it be theology or worship styles, and to design a hymnal that will help us to be united with one another.”

Huh observed that the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC), which is assuming all costs for the development and production of the hymnal, including the expenses of the Hymnal Committee, took great care to appoint a diverse committee to the task. Mary Louise “Mel” Bringle, professor of philosophy and religious studies and chair of the Humanities Division at Brevard College in Brevard, NC, serves as committee chair. David Eicher, a member of the PPC staff, is the new hymnal’s editor.

“What we develop may not please everyone,” said Huh, “but we can attempt to bring more voices to the table to find that new entryway to bring us together.”

Undaunted by the anticipated 5-year commitment, Huh is instead looking forward to what the new hymnal will both represent and achieve. “Written documents help us to agree with one another,” he said. “By addressing and bridging our cultural, language, and other differences in creating a new hymnal, we can say and we can proclaim that we are one.”

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October 26, 2008 by admin.

Preparing the Way:

CTS’ Korean American Program Gets Underway

Korean Church Pastors in Atlanta area (front row, from left to right)

Sam Young Kim, Bong Jang, Byung Ho Choi, and Soon Hong Kang

Korean-American Ministries (Paul J. Huh, Director) with Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary offers a lay leadership program for training newly elected candidates of elders and deacons for their ordination requirement. As the Korean speaking churches in the Greater Atlanta area have struggled with providing quality education and training programs for nurturing ordained lay leaders, this certification program seeks to equip and prepare the ordination for officers in Korean-American Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

For 10 weeks on Mondays from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., the class meets at Bethany Presbyterian Church (Marietta, GA) & Columbia Theological Seminary campus. First class began on September 22 and the last class ends on December 1 with a graduation ceremony on Saturday, December 6 on Columbia campus. In addition to 20 hours in class time, 10 hours of off-class project with a report is due on exam day, which is required for a passing grade.

Preparing the way for the immigrant church education happens very late at night after people return from their work late in the evening. At 8 PM, most of the participants have not had a chance to go home from work that Bethany church prepares each week a light sandwich dinner for the hard working students. Currently there are 43 registered laypeople from 3 different congregations in greater Atlanta area. The program plans to repeat the course next Spring for new students from different congregations and offer a different curriculum for those who may want to continue.

The lectures focus on understanding the core value of local church for which all the candidates are called. And it helps to consolidate their identity and goal of the local church which the candidates are represented. This particular emphasis is instructed by the Rev. Byeongho Choi, pastor of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Marietta. The church administration lecture explores how to moderate meetings with better understanding of bi-laws and church organizations including the role of session and presbytery. The instructor is the Rev. Young Kap Kweon, pastor of Good News Garden Presbyterian Church in Norcross.

The pastoral leadership session studies the uniqueness of pastoral leadership from general principles of leadership so that all the candidates can have an awareness of the critical virtue of pastoral leadership in the local churches. The session is led by the Rev. In Soo Jung, pastor of Korean Community Presbyterian Church in Duluth and a long standing board member of CTS. On stewardship for elders and deacons, the session addresses the dimension of spirituality of church leaders in their leadership and deal with how to improve the stewardship. Instructor for the session is the Rev. David Hoonjin Chai, Asian Leadership Associate from General Assembly in Louisville, KY.

Worship course leads the students to have a deeper theological understanding of the worship service and the meaning of Sacraments for the local churches on the Lord’s Day. Instructor is Dr. Paul J. Huh, Worship Professor at C.T.S. and director of Korean American Ministries. The class on history of Presbyterian Church offers a glimpse of how Presbyterianism has evolved since 17^th century until now. The instructor is Dr. Dent Davis, Dean & the Vice President of Lifelong Learning Center.

A Session on confessions of Presbyterian heritage introduced historical evolution of theological confessional perspectives which have developed in Reformed tradition. The instructor is Rev. Dr. Kimberly Clayton, Director of Lifelong Learning Events. The essence and mission of Korean-American Church lecture explores the theological essence of the church in Korean-American context so that the prospective elders and deacons may have a broad and historical perspective on the mission of the church.
Instructor is the
Rev. Sam Young Kim, the pastor of the Korean Presbyterian Church of Georgia in Jonesboro.

Polity course will cover the essential parts of polity described in the Book of Order with its instructor, the Rev. Bong Jang, pastor of Korean Central Presbyterian Church in Chamblee. The committee system of Presbyterian denomination and the characteristics of team ministry are covered by the Rev. Soon Hong Kang, a newly installed pastor at Hanbit Presbyterian Church in Duluth. The last class on sharing dreams with the participant’s church pastor based on submitted project report is instructed by the Rev. Jae Hong Kim, the coordinator of the Lay Leadership Training Program for Korean Immigrants. And Graduation and Commissioning Service is planned for Saturday, December 6, joining Portuguese and Spanish Immigrants track of the Lay Leadership program.

Korean American Ministries at Columbia stands to serve the churches of Jesus Christ in South Atlantic area advising Korean, Korean American, and Asian students in all degree programs of the seminary, providing Lifelong Learning Programs for Korean American, Korean and other Asian American churches, and raising Korean American and Asian theological voices in U.S. and global context.

Being an immigrant child and raised in U.S. from 8^th grade in middle school, I was brought up in both worlds of Korea and America. These two cultures often pull me apart in different directions, and at the same time they provide a creative tension in developing a new identity. We live in two worlds at once, the one always informing the other. The followers of Jesus Christ are to be truly in the world and at the same time live in the world of the Bible preparing the ways for others to follow.

The Lifelong Learning Center and Korean American Ministries will prepare the way of Jesus Christ’s coming in providing conferences for the Korean Pastors on March 2-5, 2009 and the Calvin Institute of Worship granted event of “Korean Conference on Worship & Music,” August 3-6, 2009. A number of other ministry resources including quarterly academic journal of Korean American Ministries is also preparing the way for its very first printed issue. It is an exciting time to be at Columbia!     (Paul Junggap Huh)

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