United Methodist Ministries Among Korean Americans: New World Outlook, March/April 2000 - Update on Mission Issues GRAPHICS VERSION

United Methodist Ministries Among Korean Americans: Report of the Task Force on Korean American Ministries

In 1996, the General Conference of The United Methodist Church passed a resolution that "an inclusive task force be appointed by the Council of Bishops in consultation with the GBGM and the National Association of Korean American United Methodist Churches and the National Association of Korean American Clergywomen" to "conduct a comprehensive study of the concerns and needs presented by, but not limited to, Petition 21731."

Petition 21731, sent to the General Conference by the National Association of Korean American United Methodist Churches, requested the creation of three Korean American missionary conferences--in the Northeastern, North Central, and Western jurisdictions of the United States--to help Korean American congregations participate fully in the church. After deliberations, the legislative committee submitted the petition to General Conference asking for one Korean American Missionary Conference.

Members of a Korean American congregation.

Though the petition brought to the General Conference did not pass, the resolution that was passed recognized the spiritual contribution made by Korean American churches within The United Methodist Church. It also recognized the difficulties experienced by congregations attempting to work within a church that operates mainly in the English language and follows American cultural practices.

The Korean American Community

About 1.4 million Korean Americans live in the United States.

Those born in Korea who immigrated to the United States as adults are the first generation and make up the largest group.
Those born in Korea who immigrated as children are the transgeneration.
Children of the first two groups are the second generation and grandchildren are the third generation.

Korean American United Methodists

The Korean American ministry of The United Methodist Church and its predecessor denominations began in Hawaii in 1903. Christ Methodist Church, the first Korean American Protestant Church in the United States, was established in Honolulu.

Fewer than 10 percent of the Korean American clergywomen are serving Korean- language churches. Most serve in various other ministerial settings within The United Methodist Church. Sixty-five percent serve predominantly White congregations.

Congregational Development

There were 7 Korean American congregations in the 1960s, 30 in the 1970s, and 360 in the 1990s, including 81 new mission congregations and 20 English- speaking congregations

Today there are 500 Korean American pastors in the United Methodist connection. Of these pastors, 95 percent were born in Korea, 41 percent were ordained in the Korean Methodist Church, 90 are Korean clergywomen, and 24 are members of the transgeneration or second generation.

The Western Jurisdiction Korean American Mission of The United Methodist Church in the early 1990s. The three clergy in the center, from left to right, are Bishop Melvin Talbert, the late Rev. Choonsoo Chung, and the Rev. Kwang-Jin Kim.

Task Force Findings

A main concern among both laypeople and clergy is that the traditional styles of leadership that worked well for first-generation congregations may not serve the second generation equally well. The Korean American United Methodist community has experienced tensions within its membership over such issues as the role of clergywomen, the role of the laity, the need to develop either Korean-language resources or bilingual and English-language resources, and the need to develop leaders who can minister effectively to the next generation of Korean Americans.

The Task Force on Korean American Ministries that was called for by General Conference identified three major areas that The United Methodist Church needs to address within Korean American congregations. The first is leadership development for both laity and clergy so that they can better understand the workings of The United Methodist Church and the connectional relationships that govern its structure. The study recommends training in cross-cultural communication skills, United Methodist polity, and the United Methodist connection. Training in Korean culture is recommended for leaders in US conferences that have Korean congregations.

A second area of concern is the fostering and development of ministries to the next generation. The study found that a large number of Korean youth and young adults are leaving first-generation churches in a silent exodus. While some leave to join other ethnic churches or predominantly White congregations, many have stopped participating in the church altogether. The Korean community wants to develop new models of ministry to meet the needs of the next generation, primarily in Northern Illinois, Boston, New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles. In many cases, these ministries need to be in new or existing bilingual or English-speaking congregations.

Korean churches in the United States began as mission churches. The third area of concern is focused on the need to develop new "mission congregations." Korean immigrants continue to arrive in the United States. Small congregations still need nurture in order to become self-sustaining. The vision of the Task Force on Korean American Ministries is that the Korean American church will become an integral part of The United Methodist Church and participate fully in its life.

The Rev. Changsoo Lee and a parishioner at Wilshire United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, California.