마지막 두 주간은 미국 서부 로스앤젤레스에서 보냈습니다. 한국에서 가까운 도시라서 그런지 한인들이 많이 사는 곳입니다. 그러다보니 다른 어떤 도시보다도 더 많은 사람들을, 그것도 예상치 못하게 만났습니다. 그 가운데 한 사람은 이호상 목사님입니다. 우리 교단 군목으로서 울산노회의 후원을 받고 사역을 하는 분입니다. 이 목사님은 우리교회에서 사역보고와 설교를 한 적도 있습니다. 현재 소령으로서 국방부에서 지원을 받아 일년 유학과정으로 올해 초에 왔는데 거의 미국 사람 수준으로 현지 적응을 잘 하고 있어서 보기에 좋았습니다. 공부는 끝나고 국방부에 제출한 논문 하나만 남겨놓고 있었습니다.
또 남부교회에서 사역을 하다가 유학을 와서 탈봇 신학교에서 노 목사님과 함께 공부를 하고 있는 윤석철 목사님을 만났습니다. 우리 교회도 이 분을 매월 후원하고 있기에 노 목사님을 만나러 갔을 때 함께 저녁 식사를 나눌 수 있었습니다. 그리고 우리와 함께 있다가 지금 향상교회 후원으로 공부를 하고 있는 송병주 목사님도 만나보았습니다. 송 목사님은 이곳에 있는 L.A. 온누리교회 청년부를 책임지고 주말에 사역을 하고 있는데 담임목사님의 신임을 받고 있었습니다.
그리고 바이올라 대학교에 속한 탈봇 신학교에서 기독교교육학에서 석사학위를 마쳐가고 있는 노성현 목사님과 팽석희 사모님, 그리고 은솔, 은채 두 귀여운 따님과 더불어 하루 밤을 함께 지냈습니다. 노 목사님은 탈봇 신학교 역사상 외국학생으로는 최고의 성적을 기록하며 졸업할 것으로 보입니다. 여러분들의 기도와 후원이 헛되지 않았습니다. 내년에 좋은 학교의 정규박사과정에 들어가도록 기도해 주십시오. 한국학생들을 박사과정에서 잘 받지 않는 요즈음 분위기 때문에 어쩌면 목회학 박사과정을 하게 될 가능성을 완전히 배제할 수도 없어 보였습니다. 하여간 여러분의 기도에 꼭 기억해 주시기 바랍니다.
그 외에도 최근에 이민을 온 김우영, 최현미 부부를 지난주일 만나보았고 안혜신 집사님의 아들 강승재 군을 만나기도 했습니다. 또 울산교회 출신들로서 LA에 사는 분들도 있었는데 시간도 여의치 않았고 이곳은 시내버스나 지하철 등의 공공 교통수단이 없어서 만나볼 엄두를 내지 못해서 아쉬웠습니다. 각각 부름을 따라서 열심히 주님을 섬기는 모습도 아름다웠지만 크고 작은 울산교회의 후원을 통해서 내일의 하나님 나라를 위한 귀한 일꾼들이 준비되는 것을 바라보는 기쁨을 누린 기간이었습니다. (그동안 여러분들의 관심과 기도에 감사를 드리며 이 주간부터는 수원에 있는 신학교에서 책을 읽는 시간을 가지려고 합니다.)
I spent the last two weeks in Los Angeles in the western United States. Perhaps because it is relatively close to Korea, it is home to a large Korean community. As a result, I met far more people here than in any other city, often quite unexpectedly. Among them was Rev. Ho-sang Lee. He serves as a military chaplain in our denomination, supported by the Ulsan Presbytery. Pastor Lee has visited our church in the past to deliver a ministry report and preach. Currently holding the rank of Major, he arrived earlier this year on a one-year study-abroad program supported by the Ministry of National Defense. It was truly heartening to see how well he has adapted to local life, almost like a native American. He has already completed his coursework and had only the final research paper to submit to the Ministry of National Defense.
I also met Rev. Seok-cheol Yoon, who previously served at Nambu Church and came here to study at Talbot School of Theology alongside Pastor Noh. Since our church supports him monthly as well, we were able to share dinner together when I went to visit Pastor Noh. In addition, I met Rev. Byung-joo Song, who had previously been with us and is now studying with the support of Hyang-sang Church. Pastor Song leads the young adult ministry at L.A. Onnuri Church on weekends and is clearly held in high trust and esteem by the senior pastor.
Furthermore, I spent an evening with Rev. Sung-hyun Noh—who is finishing his master’s degree in Christian Education at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University—his wife Seok-hee Paeng, and their two lovely daughters, Eun-sol and Eun-chae. Pastor Noh is poised to graduate with the highest academic record among international students in the entire history of Talbot School of Theology. Your prayers and faithful support have not been in vain. Please pray that he may be admitted into a regular doctoral program at a reputable institution next year. Because current trends make it difficult for Korean students to gain admission into regular Ph.D. programs, the possibility of pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) cannot be entirely ruled out. In any case, please remember him earnestly in your prayers.
Besides them, I met Woo-young Kim and Hyun-mi Choi, a couple who immigrated recently, last Sunday, as well as Seung-jae Kang, the son of Deaconess Hye-shin Ahn. There were also other members from Ulsan Church living in LA, but due to time constraints and the lack of convenient public transportation such as city buses or subways, I could not manage to visit them all, which was regrettable. While it was truly beautiful to see each of them faithfully serving the Lord according to their respective callings, it was above all a season of joy to witness how precious workers for the Kingdom of God are being prepared through both the great and small support of Ulsan Church. (I thank you deeply for your care and prayers during this time; starting this week, I plan to spend time reading and reflecting at the seminary in Suwon.)
Ek het die afgelope twee weke in Los Angeles aan die weskus van die Verenigde State deurgebring. Moontlik omdat dit relatief naby aan Korea lê, is dit 'n plek waar baie Koreane woon. Gevolglik het ek meer mense hier as in enige ander stad ontmoet, en dit boonop heeltemal onverwags. Een van hulle was ds. Ho-sang Lee. Hy dien as kapelaan in ons kerkverband en word deur die Ulsan-ring ondersteun. Ds. Lee het voorheen reeds ons gemeente besoek om verslag te doen oor sy bediening en die woord te verkondig. Hy beklee tans die rang van majoor en het vroeër vanjaar met die ondersteuning van die Departement van Verdediging vir 'n eenjarige studieprogram gekom. Dit was 'n vreugde om te sien hoe goed hy plaaslik aangepas het, byna soos 'n gebore Amerikaner. Sy studies is afgehandel, en hy het slegs nog een verhandeling oor om by die Departement van Verdediging in te dien.
Ek het ook ds. Seok-cheol Yoon ontmoet, wat voorheen by Nambu-gemeente gearbei het en hierheen gekom het om saam met ds. Noh aan Talbot Teologiese Skool te studeer. Aangesien ons gemeente hom ook maandeliks ondersteun, kon ons saam aandete geniet toe ek ds. Noh gaan besoek het. Verder het ek ds. Byung-joo Song ontmoet, wat vroeër by ons was en tans met die ondersteuning van Hyang-sang-gemeente studeer. Ds. Song lei die jongvolwassenebediening by L.A. Onnuri-gemeente oor naweke en geniet groot vertroue by die hoofleraar.
Daarbenewens het ek 'n aand deurgebring saam met ds. Sung-hyun Noh—wat sy meestersgraad in Christelike Onderwys aan Talbot Teologiese Skool van Biola Universiteit voltooi—sy vrou Seok-hee Paeng, en hul twee lieflike dogtertjies, Eun-sol en Eun-chae. Dit lyk asof ds. Noh sal gradueer met die hoogste akademiese prestasie onder buitelandse studente in die hele geskiedenis van Talbot Teologiese Skool. U gebede en ondersteuning was nie tevergeefs nie. Bid asseblief dat hy aanstaande jaar tot 'n goeie instelling se voltydse doktorale program toegelaat sal word. Weens die huidige klimaat waar Koreaanse studente nie maklik tot Ph.D.-programme toegelaat word nie, kan die moontlikheid van 'n Doktorsgraad in die Bediening (D.Min.) dalk nie heeltemal uitgesluit word nie. Onthou hom asseblief getrou in u gebede.
Benewens hulle het ek verlede Sondag vir Woo-young Kim en Hyun-mi Choi ontmoet, 'n egpaar wat onlangs geëmigreer het, asook Seung-jae Kang, die seun van diakones Hye-shin Ahn. Daar was ook ander lidmate van Ulsan Gemeente wat in LA woon, maar weens tydgebrek en die gebrek aan gerieflike openbare vervoer soos stadsbusse of moltreine, kon ek nie daarin slaag om hulle te besoek nie, wat jammer was. Hoewel dit kosbaar was om te sien hoe elkeen die Here getrou dien volgens sy eie roeping, was dit bowenal 'n tydperk van vreugde om te aanskou hoe kosbare arbeiders vir die Koninkryk van God voorberei word deur die groot en klein ondersteuning van Ulsan Gemeente. (Ek spreek my opregte dank uit vir u belangstelling en gebede gedurende hierdie tyd; van hierdie week af beplan ek om tyd deur te bring met boeke by die teologiese skool in Suwon.)