지난 2년동안 코로나로 인해서 모이지 못하다가, 올해 비로소 제3회 목회자 멘토링 컨퍼런스가 호주에서 열렸습니다. 이번 제3회 목회자 멘토링 컨퍼런스를 위해 시드니에 있는 다섯 교회(시드니다음교회, 시드니새순교회, 시드니주안교회, 시드니중앙장로교회, 실로암장로교회)가 힘을 합해서, 20명 남짓한 호주의 목회자를 위해서, 한국에서 네 명의 목회자(김종원, 강진상, 오생락, 정근두 목사 부부)가 지원을 간 셈입니다. 네 가정이 부부로 갔으니 꽤 많은 비용과 시간을 들여서 호주의 젊은 목회자들을 위해 기쁜 마음으로 동참하기로 한 것입니다. 목회가 쉽지 않은 일이지만, 이민교회 목회는 더욱 쉽지 않음을 알기에, 이민교회 목회자를 위로 격려하는 일에 모두 함께 하기로 한 것입니다.
멘토링 컨퍼런스가 정확히 무슨 모임인지 알지 못하는 분들이 물론 여러분 가운데도 있겠지만 필자도 마찬가지였습니다. 코로나로 “절망하며 주저 앉아 있는 젊은 목회자들을 어떻게 다시 세울까”하는 고민으로 호주 시드니 어느 괜찮은 장소에서 컨퍼런스가 기획되었습니다. 우리가 도착한 바로 그 월요일 오후 개회예배부터 4인 4색의 4차례 강의와 폐회예배까지, 따뜻한 분위기에서 스탭들의 일사불란한 섬김을 통해 진행되었습니다. 여느 컨퍼런스와는 달리 호스팅한 교회의 목사님들이 멘토가 되어, 멘토링 소그룹을 진행했고 일회성 행사로 끝나지 않고, 호주 각 지역에서 참석한 목회자들이 함께 배우고, 기도로 하나가 된 멘토링 컨퍼런스는 1년 후 다시 모일 때까지 지속적인 교제의 장으로 이어집니다.
폐회예배가 끝난 자리에서 한 마디씩 소감을 나누는 시간이 한마디 한마디가 모두 다 소중했습니다. 그 가운데 이번 컨퍼런스에 참석하고 나서 사임서를 제출하겠다고 결심하고 온 어떤 분이 목양지로 돌아가기 전에 남긴 마지막 멘트를 여기에 옮깁니다. “금번 컨퍼런스가 목회자 한 명을 살렸습니다. 돌아가서 다시 사역을 계속하겠습니다” 이 말은 듣는 순간 모두가 다 감동했지만 이번 모임을 위해서 남달리 수고한 시드니 실로암교회 류병재 목사님께는 남다른 위로가 되었을 것입니다. 장차 주님이 다시 한 번 격려해 주실 것입니다. “잘 하였도다 착하고 충성된 종아, 네가 적은 일에 충성하였으매 내가 많은 것을 내게 맡기리니 네 주인의 즐거움에 참여할지어다“(마 25:21)
멘토링 컨퍼런스가 끝난 주말과 주일에는, 지역교회를 위해서 한국에서 간 4명의 목사들에게 또 한 번의 섬김의 기회가 있었습니다. 제가 토요일밤 한 차례, 주일 오전 두 차례의 시편 말씀을 시드니중앙장로교회에서 전할 때, 그 때마다 요청한 성도들의 기도의 응답이 느껴져서 정말로 감사했습니다. 이민교회의 성도님들을 말씀으로 섬기는 일은 제게는 참으로 소중한 기회였습니다. 각 사람이 주어진 자리에서 충성하는 것도 귀한 일이지만, 함께 서로 격려하며, 같이 걷는 것은 순례의 길에 주신 하나님의 본래 디자인이라고 생각합니다. 우리는 한 날 반드시 승리할 것입니다. “세상나라가 우리 주와 그의 그리스도의 나라가 되어 그가 세세토록 왕노릇 하시리로다”(계 11:15)
After being unable to gather for the past two years due to COVID-19, the 3rd Pastors' Mentoring Conference was finally held in Australia this year. For this 3rd conference, five churches in Sydney (Sydney Daum Church, Sydney Saesoon Presbyterian Church, Sydney Jooan Presbyterian Church, Sydney Central Presbyterian Church, and Siloam Presbyterian Church) joined hands, and four pastoral couples from Korea—Pastors Jong-won Kim, Jin-sang Kang, Saeng-rak Oh, and Rev. Keun-Doo Jung with our spouses—traveled to offer our support for some twenty pastors serving across Australia. Since all four pastoral families traveled as couples, a significant amount of cost and time was invested, yet we participated with joyful hearts for the sake of these young pastors in Australia. Ministry is never an easy calling, but knowing how much harder ministry in immigrant churches can be, we all came together to comfort and encourage these dedicated pastors.
Undoubtedly, many of you might wonder what exactly a mentoring conference is, and to be frank, neither did I at first. Born out of heartfelt concern over "how to restore and uplift young pastors who are sitting in despair due to COVID-19," the conference was arranged at a wonderful venue in Sydney, Australia. From the opening service on Monday afternoon right after our arrival, through four distinct lectures offering four unique perspectives, and up to the closing service, everything proceeded seamlessly amidst a warm atmosphere through the devoted, orderly service of the staff. Unlike conventional conferences, pastors from the host churches served as mentors leading small mentoring groups. Far from being a mere one-off event, the mentoring conference brought pastors from across Australia together to learn and unite in prayer, establishing an ongoing fellowship that will continue until they meet again next year.
The reflection-sharing session that followed the closing service was filled with words of immense value and grace. Among them, I wish to share the final remark left by one pastor who had actually arrived at the conference determined to tender his resignation upon its conclusion, before returning to his flock: "This conference has saved a pastor's life. I will return and press on with my ministry." Hearing these words moved everyone to tears, but they must have brought an especially deep comfort to Pastor Byung-Jae Ryu of Sydney Siloam Church, who had poured out exceptional devotion for this gathering. In the future, our Lord will surely encourage him once again: "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!" (Matthew 25:21).
Over the weekend and Sunday following the mentoring conference, another opportunity of service opened up for the four visiting pastors from Korea to minister to the local congregations. As I delivered sermons from the Psalms once on Saturday evening and twice on Sunday morning at Sydney Central Presbyterian Church, I felt with profound gratitude the answers to the prayers that the congregation had offered each time. Serving the believers of immigrant churches through the Word was an immensely precious privilege for me. While it is commendable for each person to remain faithful in their appointed place, encouraging one another and walking together is, I believe, God’s original design for our pilgrim journey. One day, we will surely be victorious. "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).
Nadat ons die afgelope twee jaar weens Covid-19 nie kon vergader nie, is die 3de Mentorskapskonferensie vir Predikante vanjaar uiteindelik in Australië gehou. Vir hierdie 3de konferensie het vyf gemeentes in Sydney (Sydney Daum Kerk, Sydney Saesoon Presbiteriaanse Kerk, Sydney Jooan Presbiteriaanse Kerk, Sydney Sentrale Presbiteriaanse Kerk en Siloam Presbiteriaanse Kerk) hande gevat, en vier leraarspare uit Korea—leraars Jong-won Kim, Jin-sang Kang, Saeng-rak Oh en Ds. Keun-Doo Jung met ons eggenotes—het gegaan om sowat twintig predikante regoor Australië te ondersteun. Aangesien vier gesinne as egpare gereis het, was dit met heelwat koste en tyd gepaard, maar tog het ons met vreugdevolle harte deelgeneem ter wille van Australië se jong predikante. Die bediening is geen maklike taak nie, maar omdat ons weet dat bediening in 'n immigrante-gemeente nog moeiliker is, het ons almal saamgekom om hierdie leraars te bemoedig en te vertroos.
Ongetwyfeld is daar onder u diegene wat nie presies weet wat 'n mentorskapskonferensie behels nie, en die skrywer hiervan was aanvanklik self onseker. Uit 'n hartstogtelike besorgdheid oor "hoe om jong predikante wat weens Covid-19 in moedeloosheid vasgevang sit, weer op te rig," is 'n konferensie op 'n pragtige plek in Sydney, Australië, gereël. Vanaf die openingsdiens op die Maandagmiddag met ons aankoms, deur vier lesings met vier unieke invalshoeke, tot en met die afsluitingsdiens, het alles in 'n warm atmosfeer en deur die toegewyde, vlekkelose diens van die personeel verloop. Anders as gewone konferensies het die predikante van die gasheergemeentes as mentors opgetree en mentorskap-kleingroepe gelei. Dit was nie net 'n eenmalige geleentheid nie; die konferensie, waar predikante uit verskillende streke van Australië saam geleer en in gebed verenig het, dien as die beginpunt van 'n deurlopende gemeenskap wat sal voortleef totdat almal oor 'n jaar weer bymekaarkom.
Tydens die geleentheid ná die afsluitingsdiens, waar elkeen 'n kort terugvoer kon gee, was elke liewe woord besonder kosbaar. Onder hulle wil ek graag die laaste opmerking deel van 'n leraar wat na die konferensie gekom het met die voorneme om sy bedanking in te dien, voordat hy na sy kudde sou terugkeer: "Hierdie konferensie het 'n predikant se lewe gered. Ek sal terugkeer en met my bediening voortgaan." Almal was diep geraak toe hulle hierdie woorde hoor, maar dit moes vir leraar Byung-Jae Ryu van Sydney Siloam Kerk, wat buitengewone moeite vir hierdie byeenkoms gedoen het, 'n besondere troos gewees het. Vorentoe sal die Here hom gewis weer bemoedig: "Mooi so, goeie en getroue slaaf! Oor min was jy getrou, oor baie sal ek jou aanstel. Gaan in in die vreugde van jou heer" (Matteus 25:21).
Gedurende die naweek en Sondag ná die mentorskapskonferensie het daar nóg 'n geleentheid ontstaan vir die vier predikante uit Korea om die plaaslike gemeentes te dien. Toe ek een keer op Saterdagaand en twee keer op Sondagoggend die woord uit die Psalms in Sydney Sentrale Presbiteriaanse Kerk verkondig het, het ek met diepe dankbaarheid die verhoring ervaar van die gebede wat die gemeentelede telkens opgestuur het. Om die gelowiges van die immigrante-gemeente met die Woord te kon bedien, was vir my 'n onbeskryflik kosbare voorreg. Al is dit lofwaardig dat elkeen getrou bly op die plek wat aan hom toevertrou is, glo ek dat wedersydse bemoediging en om saam die pad te stap, God se oorspronklike ontwerp vir ons pelgrimstog is. Op 'n dag sal ons beslis triomfeer. "Die koninkryk van die wêreld het die eiendom van onse Here geword en van sy Christus, en Hy sal as Koning heers tot in alle ewigheid!" (Openbaring 11:15).