은퇴하기까지 24년 동안 목회사역을 하던 기간에 울산교회에서 함께 사역했던 분들의 연례 모임을 일컬어 미목연(미래목회 연구모임)이라고 부릅니다.
올해 미목연 모임은, 무시무시한 더위로 대프리카라는 별명을 얻은, 대구에서 가졌습니다. 다행히 장마철이라 불볕더위는 없었지만, 자주 내린 비로 후덥지근한 동남아 기후를 피해 갈 수는 없었습니다. 하지만 모임은 주로 에어컨이 있는 실내에서 하다 보니, 더위 핑계하고 대프리카 모임에 빠질 이유는 없을 듯싶습니다. 약속된 시간, 월요일 오후 3시, 전국 각지에서 동지들이 한 가정씩 모여듭니다. 한 해동안 서로 떨어져 지냈다는 느낌이 들지 않는 반가운 형제자매들의 가족재회의 모임입니다.
각자의 형편과 처지에 따라서, 그리고 삶의 박자에 따라서 자유롭게 한 가정씩 오다 보니, 오는 순서대로 6명씩 앉도록 의도된 원형탁자가 예닐곱 개 놓여있고 탁자마다 우아한 솜씨로 간식과 마실 것이 준비되어 있는데도 불구하고, 의자가 모자라면 옆 테이블에 놓인 의자를 당겨서라도, 더 이상 불가능할 때까지 한 테이블에 둘러앉았습니다.
도란도란 이야기를 나누다가, 또 누군가가 문을 열고 들어오면 반가운 눈인사를 하기도 하고, 성격에 따라서는 포옹을 하기도 합니다. 예상된 분들이 어느 정도 모이니, 앉은 순서대로 한 가정씩 앞으로 나가서 마이크를 잡고 근황을 들려줍니다.
혀가 돌아가지 않아서 말도 제대로 못 하던, 삐약삐약 하던 자녀들이 결혼한 소식도 듣고, 이번 겨울이 오면 며느리를 맞이한다고 입을 다물지 못하는 분도 계셨습니다.
누가 누구와 만나도 반가워하며, 누가 누구와 같이 앉아도 아무도 신경을 쓰지 않고, 서로 나눌 이야기가 끝나지 않는 아름다운 교제를 허락하신 하나님께 감사했습니다.
처음에는 전체가 한 자리에 만나 안부를 나누고, 뒷날은 남탕, 여탕으로 구분해서 만날 때도 나이가 가장 어린 분들의 이야기에 귀를 기울이며, 기도제목을 나누고, 공식 순서가 끝나도, 깊어가는 밤에도, 소그룹으로 모여서 이런저런 주제를, 심지어 여행가방을 아내와 남편 가운데 누가 싸느냐부터, 또 주기적으로 담임 목회자를 두고 신임투표를 하는 것에 대해서 찬반의 논지를 펼치기고 했다는 후문입니다.
눈 깜박할 사이에 2박 3일이 지나고 수요일 오후 3시경에 우리는 집에 도착했습니다. 울산팀은 우리 동네 베이커리 바오밥에서 커피를 한 잔 나누고 사진을 올렸더니 회장으로 섬기는 목사님 부부의 톡이 잇달아 올라옵니다. [사진제공 정근두]
회장님의 인사에 화답을 한 톡들도 대프리카 미목연의 분위기를 전해 줍니다.
- <편집자주> 첫 칼럼 원고를 보내주신 정근두 목사님께 깊이 감사드립니다.
During the 24 years of my pastoral ministry leading up to retirement, those who served alongside me at Ulsan Church formed an annual fellowship known as Mimokyeon (Future Pastoral Ministry Research Fellowship).
This year's Mimokyeon gathering was held in Daegu, a city famously nicknamed 'Daefrica' because of its blistering summer heat. Fortunately, being the monsoon season, we were spared the blazing sunshine, though the frequent rain meant there was no escaping the muggy, tropical humidity. Still, since most of our gathering took place indoors with air conditioning, the heat was hardly an excuse to miss our gathering in Daefrica. At the appointed time—3:00 PM on Monday—fellow laborers in ministry arrived family by family from every corner of the nation. It felt like a warm family reunion of brothers and sisters, where a whole year apart seemed to vanish in an instant.
Arriving freely at their own pace according to their circumstances and life's rhythms, everyone began to gather. Although six or seven round tables had been thoughtfully arranged to seat six people each, elegantly prepared with refreshments and drinks, people pulled over chairs from neighboring tables just to squeeze in together until not a single extra chair could fit.
Engaged in warm, lively conversations, whenever someone opened the door and walked in, people exchanged joyful nods or embraced each other warmly, depending on their personalities. Once most of the expected attendees had gathered, each family went up to the front, in the order of their seating, took the microphone, and shared updates on their lives.
We heard news of children who once couldn't even speak properly—little toddlers babbling away—now getting married. Another pastor couldn't conceal his joyful smile as he shared that he would be welcoming a daughter-in-law this coming winter.
It was a room where anyone was overjoyed to meet anyone, where nobody minded who sat next to whom, and where stories flowed on endlessly. My heart overflowed with gratitude to God for blessing us with such beautiful fellowship.
At first, everyone gathered in one place to catch up. The next day, even when dividing into men's and women's gatherings, people listened attentively to the youngest participants and shared prayer requests. Word has it that even after the official program ended and the night deepened, small groups stayed up discussing various topics—ranging from who packs the luggage, husband or wife, to heated debates on the pros and cons of periodic votes of confidence for senior pastors.
In the blink of an eye, the three days and two nights flew by, and we arrived home around 3:00 PM on Wednesday. The Ulsan team shared a cup of coffee at our neighborhood bakery, Baobab, and posted a photo, which promptly triggered a cascade of warm messages from the pastor serving as president and his wife. [Photo credit: Rev. Keun-Doo Jung]
The cheerful messages replying to the president's greetings captured the heartwarming atmosphere of our Mimokyeon gathering in Daefrica.
- <Editor's Note> We express our deep gratitude to Rev. Keun-Doo Jung for contributing his inaugural column manuscript.
Gedurende die 24 jaar van my bediening voor my aftrede, het diegene wat saam met my by Ulsan Gemeente gearbei het, 'n jaarlikse byeenkoms gevorm wat bekend staan as Mimokyeon (Toekomstige Pastorale Bedieningsnavorsingsgroep).
Vanjaar se Mimokyeon-byeenkoms is in Daegu gehou, 'n stad wat vanweë sy skroeiende hitte die bynaam 'Daefrika' gekry het. Gelukkig was dit die reënseisoen, so ons is die verskroeiende sonskyn gespaar, al kon ons nie die klam, bedompige Suidoos-Asiatiese humiditeit van die gereelde reën vryspring nie. Nietemin, aangesien die byeenkoms hoofsaaklik binne met lugversorging plaasgevind het, was die hitte skaars 'n verskoning om die kuier in Daefrika mis te loop. Op die vasgestelde tyd—Maandag om 15:00—het mede-arbeiders gesin vir gesin uit alle uithoeke van die land opgedaag. Dit het gevoel soos 'n hartlike familiehereniging van broers en susters, waar 'n hele jaar van mekaar geskei wees in 'n oogwink verdwyn het.
Elkeen het vrylik teen hul eie pas volgens hul eie omstandighede en lewensritme aangekom. Alhoewel daar ses of sewe ronde tafels was wat bedoel was om ses mense elk te akkommodeer, smaakvol voorberei met versnaperinge en drankies, het mense stoele van die buurtafels nadergetrek om saam aan een tafel te sit, totdat daar letterlik nie meer plek vir nog 'n stoel was nie.
Terwyl almal gesellig gesels het, en wanneer iemand die deur oopmaak en binnekom, is daar vriendelike groete uitgeruil of selfs omhelsings gegee, na gelang van elkeen se geaardheid. Toe die meeste verwagte gaste bymekaar was, het elke gesin om die beurt volgens sitplek vorentoe gegaan, die mikrofoon geneem en vertel hoe dit met hulle gaan.
Ons het nuus gehoor van kinders wat voorheen skaars behoorlik kon praat—wat net kleutergeluide gemaak het—wat nou al getroud is. Nog 'n leraar kon sy blydskap nie wegsteek toe hy deel dat hy eerskomende winter 'n skoondogter in die familie verwelkom nie.
Dit was 'n vreugde vir enigiemand om enigiemand te ontmoet; niemand het omgegee wie langs wie sit nie, en die geselskap en getuienisse wou net nie ophou nie. Ek was die Here innig dankbaar vir die wonderlike gemeenskap wat Hy ons geskenk het.
Aanvanklik het almal op een plek ontmoet om mekaar te groet. Die volgende dag, selfs toe ons in mans- en vrouegroepe verdeel het, is daar aandagtig geluister na die stories van die jongste leraars en is gebedsversoeke gedeel. Na verneem word, het kleingroepe selfs ná afloop van die amptelike program, tot diep in die nag, oor verskeie onderwerpe bly gesels—van wie die reistas pak, man of vrou, tot lewendige debatte oor die voor- en nadele van periodieke vertrouensstemmings vir senior leraars.
In 'n oogwink was die drie dae en twee nagte verby, en ons was Woensdag teen 15:00 weer by die huis. Die Ulsan-span het 'n koppie koffie by Baobab, ons plaaslike bakkery, geniet en 'n foto geplaas, waarna daar dadelik 'n stroom boodskappe van die voorsittende leraarsegpaar gevolg het. [Fotokrediet: Ds. Keun-Doo Jung]
Die hartlike antwoorde op die voorsitter se groete het weereens die warm atmosfeer van Daefrika se Mimokyeon weerspieël.
- Ons spreek ons innige dank uit teenoor Ds. Keun-Doo Jung vir die instuur van sy heel eerste rubriekbydraes.