The sermon on November 9 was given by our District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Jisun Kwak. She spoke on Acts 20:23-24 and shared how God used the legacy of many people to form her background and to build the path that brought her from Korea to New Jersey.
Acts 20
22 And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
NIV
The Summons…
Our music director Sue Crispin leads in the singing of this song. The song “The Summons” (also known as “Will You Come and Follow Me?”) speaks of our commitment to God…
Will you use the faith you’ve found
to reshape the world around-
through my sight, and touch, and sound
in you – and you in me?
Click Here to see all of the lyrics and to follow along as the song is sung in the recording…
From the Prayers of a Grandmother…
Rev. Kwak’s grandmother was 87 years old and well past those years where she could organize covered dish dinners and attend meetings. But one day she called her granddaughter in and asked her to list EVERY member of the church that she was pastoring. Why? Although she couldn’t do the things she once could, she knew that God could still use her. So she prayed. She prayed for every member of her granddaughter’s church. She did this even as Rev. Kwak moved from church to church. The pastor’s grandmother prayed for everyone in that church.
And the prayers were answered. Every church that Rev. Kwak has served grew during her tenure. Her grandmother’s prayers were like drops of water which rippled out to touch many.
From Granddaughter in Korea to Superintendent in America…
In 1987, Jisun Kwak left Korea and traveled to Madison New Jersey to study at Drew University. Drew’s Theological School is one of 13 seminaries in the United States maintained by the United Methodist Church, and it has produced 1000s of pastors serving all over the world.
The seeds that led “Jisun” into the ministry led “Dr. Jisun Kwak” into the leadership of the church. After graduating, serving at many churches, and earning her doctorate, Rev. Kwak became the first Asian Woman to serve as a District Superintendent in the Northeast Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church.
- The United Methodist Church in the United States is divided into regional jurisdictions. Ours is called the Northeast Jurisdiction.
- Each jurisdiction is composed of several Annual Conferences (ours is called the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference). Each Annual Conference is presided over by a bishop (ours is Bishop John Schol).
- Each Annual Conference is composed of several Districts. In our case, the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference consists of 9 Districts, and ours is the Delaware Bay District. Each District is led by a District Superintendent (Dr. Jisun Kwak, in our case).
Drew’s motto is from Matthew 10:8- “Freely you have received, freely give.” This truth has been a guidepost for her life. We stand on the shoulders of others who have come before us; “The past is alive in this present moment.”
“I am a part of all that we have met”
This is a quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Tennyson is also known for the following famous quotes…
“Ours not to reason why, ours but to do and die.”
” ‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
“A lie which is half a truth is ever the blackest of lies.”
You can read more Tennyson quotes at BrainyQuote.com.
Seeds Planted in Seoul, South Korea…
On a hill beside the Han River in Seoul is a cemetery which holds the remains of missionaries- mostly Americans- who came to Korea beginning in the late 1800s. These servants of God, led by the call to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who had never heard it, suffered many hardships in this far away land. Many of them died of diseases; some were no older than 30 years old.
Among the graves in this cemetery (Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery) are those of Ella and Henry Appenzeller. The Appenzellers, along with other missionaries, founded schools in Korea and opened the Bible to many young Korean men and women for the first time. He founded the first Methodist church in Korea. Rev. Apppenzeller was a graduate of Drew University. Drew published an article about Rev. Appenzeller in which they referred to the missionary as “The Korean Wesley” (after John Wesley, the founder of Methodism).
“Coincidence”??? (not with God!)
The Appenzellers arrived in Korea in 1885. Our church was founded in the same year!
The missionaries founded Pai Chai Boys High School in Seoul, which was the first modern Western style school in Korea. The Appenzellers also established the Ewha Women’s University.
Female children were not valued when this school was founded. But it is now the world’s largest women’s university, and over 170,000 women have graduated from this institution.
Kee Young Kwak
and Youngsoon Choi
(Jisun’s parents)
Rev. Kwak’s mother graduated from Ewah University, and she became a Christian. From her influence, the entire family converted to Christianity. This Christian mother taught her daughter to share love, compassion, to work hard, and to be faithful.
Because of this faithful mother who studied at a school in Korea, which was founded by a Pennsylvanian who graduated from Drew University, our current District Superintendent lives out these spiritual principles. Because “we are a part of all that we have met,” we too, can grow from her leadership.
Full Circle…
And so, God in His providence established the following series of events and lives :
- The Methodist Church in New Jersey helps create the seminary at Drew University.
- Henry Appenzeller studies at Drew and goes into ministry in Korea, starting the Ewha University.
- Rev. Kwak’s mother attends the Ewha university, becomes a Christian, and changes the course of her family.
- Jisun Kwak, instilled with Christian values from her mother, travels to New Jersey to attend Drew University.
- Her education is funded, in part, by the United Methodist congregations in New Jersey.
- Jisun Kwak graduates from the seminary created by New Jersey Methodists.
- Dr. Kwak leads the congregations in New Jersey who helped to fund her education.
” We are a part of all that we have met”
So What About Us?
Those New Jersey Methodists who came before us helped create the seminary at Drew University. They helped to send the Appenzellers and others to Korea in 1885. And through our offerings and our shared giving with the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference, we help to provide scholarships to places of learning such as Drew University. Our apportionment provided a full scholarship to Rev. Kwak, just at a point where she was about to give up and return to Korea.
Our mission is to be part of this circle; to “complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.“
In her darkened room, she cried.
But then a friend called. She spoke of a vision she just had. She was praying, under a light, and then had a vision of many women weeping in the darkness.
Who among us is “weeping in the darkness?” What roadblocks need to be removed? We are connected to each other through God’s providence, and we are called to share the light. Where should we take the light? Who will be the next first among us?
Be a blessing to all you meet… “we are a part of all who we have met.”
Quiz Time!
As you reflect on what you’ve just heard/read, give this quiz a try. If you don’t understand an answer (or if you disagree with the “correct” answer), post a comment…
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