미래목회연구원이라는 목사님들의 모임이 있습니다. 비슷한 이름이 워낙에 많긴 합니다만 이 모임은 우리 교회에서 함께 사역하셨던 목사님들 가운데 담임 목회를 하기 위해 우리 교회를 떠난 분들이 모이는 모임입니다. 해마다 가족 수련회를 국내에서 가지는데 올해는 가까운 경주에서 7월에 모였지만, 언제부터 별러오던 캐나다 로키 트레킹 투어를 9월에 갖게 되었습니다. 함께 참석하지 못한 회원들 때문에 아쉬운 마음도 있었지만 언제 만나도 반가운 분들이니 이번 만남도 기쁘고 감사한 만남이었습니다.
숙소를 예약하는 과정에서 방이 여유가 생겨 고민하던 중 마침 서울에서 선교사님 두 가정이 함께하게 되었습니다. 약 34년 전쯤 처음 우리와 만나서 장로님 거실에서 예배를 시작했고 두레교회를 개척하게 되었는데 그 때 개척멤버들입니다. 그 박 장로님은 후에 신학을 하시고 몽골에 가셔서 10여 년간 선교를 하셨습니다. 개척 당시에 아직 청년이었던 다른 두 분은 두레교회 1호로 결혼을 하시고 역시 몽골에서 성경번역 선교사로 지금까지 사역하고 계십니다.
첫날 저녁밥을 먹고 서로 소개도 할 겸 모여 앉았는데 얘기를 하다 보니 이번 모임이 저의 은퇴 기념 모임이 된 것 같았습니다. 거기다가 저의 첫 개척교회 때 멤버들까지 함께했으니 더더욱 그런 분위가 되었습니다. 이래저래 저를 중심으로 한 얘기들을 나누게 되었습니다. 목사님들께서 하나같이 담임 목사였던 제가 그들 자신들을 얼마나 사랑하고 품어주었는지, 삶과 목회를 통해 본을 보여주셨는지, 함께 사역하고 배운 기간이 얼마나 축복이었는지를 돌아가며 말씀해 주었습니다.
지나간 날들을 되돌아보면 실수도 많았고 부족한 점이 한두 가지가 아닌데도 불구하고 하나님께서 이 분들을 통해 참 많은 위로를 해주셨습니다. 그분들에게 로키를 보여주고 싶어 시작된 일이었는데 도리어 저희가 위로받고 대접받는 것 같아 송구스럽기도 했습니다. 우리보다는 젊은 분들이라 산을 오르는 트레킹도 잘들 하시고 서로 다른 성격이지만 즐겁게 잘 어울리며 사모님들도 서로서로 잘 챙기며 즐거워하시는 모습이 참 보기가 좋았습니다. 이렇게 보기만 해도 사랑스러운 사람들과 함께 여행할 수 있다는 것이 참 감사한 일이었습니다.
어디를 가든지 아름다운 가을의 정취를 담은 빼어난 자연, 하나님의 솜씨를 보는 즐거움으로 행복했는데 거의 매일 저녁마다 모여 앉아 형제 자매들의 라이프 스토리를 듣는 일은 더욱 감사한 일이었습니다. 낮에 는 하나님의 창조의 솜씨로 감탄하고 밤에는 우리를 만지시고 회복시킨 하나님의 재창조 손길로 감동한 시간이었습니다. 가난과 슬픔, 상처로 인해 고통하는 인생을 긍휼히 여기시는 하나님의 놀라우신 사랑과 우리 주 예수 그리스도의 대속의 은혜로 하나님이 원래 의도하셨던 아름다운 모습으로 회복될 뿐만 아니라 복음의 일꾼으로 불러 세우시는 그분의 자비로우심을 감사하며 찬양하는 시간이었습니다.
There is a fellowship of pastors known as the Institute for Future Pastoral Ministry. While many groups share similar names, this particular gathering consists of pastors who once served alongside us at our church before departing to lead their own ministries as senior pastors. Every year we hold a family retreat within Korea—this past July we gathered nearby in Gyeongju—but in September, we finally embarked on our long-anticipated trekking tour of the Canadian Rockies. Though we felt a tinge of regret for those who couldn't make the journey, meeting these cherished friends is always a deep joy, and this trip was no exception—it was a meeting filled with heartfelt gladness and gratitude.
While reserving our accommodations, we realized we had extra rooms and were wondering how best to use them when, providentially, two missionary families from Seoul were able to join us. About thirty-four years ago, we first met them and began worshipping in an elder’s living room, which eventually led to the planting of Dure Church; they were founding members from those very early days. That Elder Park later pursued theological studies and served for over a decade as a missionary in Mongolia. The other couple, who were young people at the time of church planting, became Dure Church's first married couple and have continued to serve faithfully as Bible translation missionaries in Mongolia to this day.
On the first evening, after dinner, we sat together to catch up and make introductions. As our conversation unfolded, the gathering naturally took on the atmosphere of a retirement celebration for me. Having members from my very first church plant present made it feel even more so. In one way or another, the sharing revolved around memories of our journey together. One after another, the pastors shared how much I, as their former senior pastor, had loved and embraced them, how I had sought to model pastoral life, and what a grace and blessing it had been to serve and learn together during those formative years.
Looking back over the past, I see so many shortcomings and mistakes, yet the Lord granted me immense comfort through these dear co-workers. Although this trip began out of our wish to show them the breathtaking beauty of the Rockies, it felt as though we were the ones being consoled and richly cared for, leaving us feeling deeply humbled and grateful. Being younger than us, they trekked up the mountains with vibrant energy. Despite their varied personalities, they blended together in sweet harmony, and seeing the pastors' wives caring so warmly for one another brought immense joy to my heart. What a profound grace it was to travel alongside such precious and beloved souls.
Everywhere we went, we were overwhelmed with happiness as we beheld God’s masterful artistry displayed in the splendor of autumn. Yet, sitting together almost every evening to listen to our brothers' and sisters' life stories was an even greater blessing. By day, we marveled at God's creative grandeur; by night, we were touched by His re-creative hand that gently heals and restores us. It was a sacred time of praising and thanking God for His merciful love—a love that looks with tender compassion on lives wounded by poverty, sorrow, and pain, and through the redeeming grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, restores them to the beauty He originally intended, calling them to stand as faithful servants of the Gospel.
Daar is 'n broederskap van leraars wat bekendstaan as die Instituut vir Toekomstige Pastorale Bediening. Alhoewel daar baie groepe met soortgelyke name is, bestaan hierdie besondere groep uit leraars wat voorheen saam met ons in ons gemeente gedien het voordat hulle vertrek het om hul eie gemeentes as hoofleraars te lei. Elke jaar hou ons 'n gesinswegbreek in ons eie land—vanjaar het ons in Julie naby in Gyeongju vergader—maar in September kon ons uiteindelik die staptog deur die Kanadese Rotsgebergte onderneem waarna ons al so lank uitgesien het. Hoewel ons 'n tikkie hartseer gevoel het oor die lede wat nie kon saamgaan nie, is dit altyd 'n hartlike vreugde om hierdie vriende te ontmoet, en hierdie reis was inderdaad 'n blye en geseënde herontmoeting.
Tydens die bespreking van ons verblyf het ons ekstra kamers gehad en gewonder wat om daarmee te doen. Juis toe het die wonderlike geleentheid ontstaan dat twee sendelinggesinne uit Seoel by ons kon aansluit. Ongeveer 34 jaar gelede het ons hulle vir die eerste keer ontmoet en in 'n ouderling se sitkamer begin aanbid, wat uiteindelik gelei het tot die stigting van Dure Gemeente; hulle was stigtingslede van daardie vroeë dae af. Daardie Ouderling Park het later teologie studeer en meer as tien jaar lank as sendeling in Mongolië gedien. Die ander twee, wat destyds nog jongmense was, was die heel eerste paartjie wat in Dure Gemeente getrou het en dien tot vandag toe getrou as Bybelvertalingsendelinge in Mongolië.
Die eerste aand, ná aandete, het ons bymekaargesit om mekaar weer te leer ken en geselsies aan te knoop. Namate die gesprek gevorder het, het dit gevoel asof hierdie byeenkoms 'n viering van my aftrede geword het. Met lede van my heel eerste gemeentestigting teenwoordig, was daardie atmosfeer selfs nog tasbaarder. Op die een of ander manier het die verhale om my begin draai. Een na die ander het die leraars gedeel hoe ek, as hul voormalige hoofleraar, hulle liefgehad en omarm het, hoe ek 'n voorbeeld deur lewe en bediening probeer stel het, en watter groot seën dit was om gedurende daardie jare saam te dien en te leer.
As ek terugkyk op die verlede, sien ek soveel foute en tekortkominge, en tog het die Here my ryklik getroos deur hierdie kosbare medewerkers. Hoewel hierdie reis begin het uit 'n begeerte om vir hulle die prag van die Rotsgebergte te wys, het dit gevoel asof óns diegene was wat getroos en bederf is, wat ons met diepe dankbaarheid en nederigheid vervul het. Omdat hulle jonger as ons is, het hulle die bergstaptogte met groot energie aangepak. Ten spyte van hul verskillende persoonlikhede het almal pragtig oor die weg gekom, en dit was hartverwarmend om te sien hoe die leraarsvroue so liefdevol vir mekaar gesorg en mekaar se geselskap geniet het. Wat 'n voorreg was dit tog om saam met sulke beminlike mense te kon reis.
Waar ons ook al gegaan het, was ons vervul met vreugde oor die asemrowende natuurskoon wat die prag van die herfs weerspieël het—'n aanskouing van God se meesterlike skeppingswerk. Maar om byna elke aand saam te sit en na die lewensverhale van ons broers en susters te luister, was 'n selfs groter seën. Bedags was ons verwonderd oor God se skeppingskrag, en snags was ons diep geraak deur Sy herskeppende hand wat ons aanraak en genees. Dit was 'n tyd van lofprysing en danksegging vir God se ontfermende liefde—'n liefde wat lewens vol armoede, smart en wonde met deernis aanskou, en deur die soenofferande van ons Here Jesus Christus nie net die oorspronklike skoonheid herstel wat Hy bedoel het nie, maar hulle ook genadiglik oprig as arbeiders van die Evangelie.