지난 주말에는 우리가 지난 몇 년간 ‘새가족’으로 다녔던 김포에 있는 주님의보배교회 팀들이 병문안 구실로 울산을 방문했습니다. 그 소식을 접한 어느 선교사님은 해외에서 한마디 했습니다. “김포에서 병문안 오는 분들은 완전 의리 짱인데요^^ 목사님”
경기도 고양에서 지낸 4년 동안 친구가 있는 김포 주님의보배교회를 간간히 방문했는데, 갈 때마다 방문자로 소개받는 것이 쑥스러웠습니다. 그때 친구 장희종 목사님이 ‘등록’을 하면 그런 통과의례 절차가 사라진다고 귀띔을 했습니다. 말하자면 편의상 새가족이었는데, 지난 주말에는 김형태 담임 목사님을 비롯해서 8명이 울산을 방문했습니다.
오후 1시 15분 도착한 팀들과 함께, 데크에 차려진 식탁에서 가을이 무르익은 정원을 바라보며 허기진 민생고를 해결하고, 바로 태화강국가정원으로 향했습니다. 태화교회에 차량 두 대를 주차할 공간을 부탁하려고 김민철 목사님께 연락을 했습니다. 김 목사님은 “김형태 목사님 오신다니 너무 기쁘네요. ‘有朋自遠方來, 不亦樂乎(유붕자원방래, 불역락호)? 벗이 있어 멀리서 찾아오니, 이 또한 즐겁지 아니한가?‘라는 논어 말씀이 떠오릅니다”
그래서 운전하고 오고 있는 김형태 목사님께 연락을 했습니다. “주차 장소, 당회실에 다과, 저녁 6시에 저녁식사까지 대접하겠다니 거절하기가 어렵습니다. 김형태 목사님이 울산에 뜨니 (손님접대의)급수가 달라집니다.”
두 분은 어떤 사이냐고요? 나도 갑자기 궁금해서 김민철 목사님께 물었습니다. 이전에 들었는데도 총기가 이전만 못해서 다시 물은 셈입니다.
“제가 스코틀랜드에서 박사(학위공부) 할 때, 2박 3일로 요크셔 지방에서 캠핑을 하고 있는데, 갑자기 연락이 왔습니다. 김형태 목사님도 그때 세인트 앤드류 대학에서 톰 라이트와 박사 공부를 하고 있었거든요. 장모님과 함께 하일랜드 가족여행을 오셨는데, 갑자기 숙소측에서 방을 취소해 버려서 잘 곳이 없다고…ㅋㅋㅋ 그래서 저희 집을 내어드려서 목사님과 아이들은 저희 집에서 자고, 사모님과 장모님만 다른 숙소에서 주무셨어요.” 유학생이 모처럼 시간을 내어서 2박 3일 가족 캠핑을 갔다가 연락을 받고 3시간 이상 달려와서 응급상황을 정리했으니 “형태 목사님이 제 신세를 한번 지셨죠!”라고 말해도 과장이 아닙니다.
이런 경우 세상 사람들의 살아가는 방식에 의하면 주님의보배교회를 담임한 김형태 목사님이 갚아야 할 차례입니다. 그런데 이번에 “스코틀랜드에서 이어 또 한 번 사랑의 빚을” 지고 간다고 페북에 남겼습니다. 어떻게 이런 일이 가능하죠? 세상은 ‘기브엔 테이크’이지만 우리는 이미 엄청난 주의 은혜를 받았기에 주고 또 주고 살아도 아무도 손해 보지 않습니다.
금요일 오후에는 태화강국가정원을 둘러보며, 울산 하면 공업도시, 공해 도시의 이미지를 불식시키는 일에 울산 시민으로서 노력한 셈입니다. 어두워진 십리대숲 한 코너에는 빤짝거리는 은하수길도 즐기고, 한 때는 울산 정치 1번지였던 <터미널식당>에서 융숭한 저녁 대접을 받고, 김형태 목사님은 서울로 우리는 각자의 숙소로 헤어졌습니다.
뒷날 아침 슬도와 대왕암공원이 김포 팀들에게 짧은 1박 2일의 마지막 감동을 안겼습니다. 서울로 올라가면서 석 장로님이 남긴 글입니다. “정근두 목사님의 예기치 않은 자전거 사고로 온 교회 성도들이 걱정으로 기도하던 중… 장희종 목사님의 고급정보(목발로 도보가능)로 울산을 방문… 맛있는 양고기 바베큐, 슬도 등대, 대왕암바위길, 주님 지으신 놀라운 자연의 아름다움과 함께한 장희종 목사님이 고향 온 것 같다는 고백에 가슴이 찡했습니다^^”
총무 역을 감당한 배 권사님도 한 마디 남겼습니다. “정근두 목사님, 김창선 사모님 계셔서 울산이 더 이상 삭막한 도시가 아닙니다. 융숭하고 따뜻한 대접 감사드립니다.” 성도의 교제는 거리를 초월합니다.
Last weekend, a team from The Lord’s Treasure Church in Gimpo—where we had attended as "newcomers" over the past few years—visited Ulsan under the pretext of checking in on my recovery. Hearing the news, a missionary abroad quipped, “Coming all the way from Gimpo for a sick visit? That is true loyalty, Pastor! ^^”
During our four years living in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, I would occasionally visit The Lord’s Treasure Church in Gimpo, where a close friend of mine served. Yet, being introduced as a visitor each time felt somewhat awkward. That was when my friend, Pastor Hee-Jong Jang, tipped me off that officially “registering” would bypass that formal rite of passage. So, strictly speaking, we became "newcomers" for convenience. And last weekend, a group of eight, led by Senior Pastor Hyung-Tae Kim, traveled all the way to Ulsan.
The team arrived at 1:15 p.m. We gathered around a table set out on the deck, satisfying our hunger while gazing out at the garden steeped in deep autumn hues, before heading straight to Taehwagang National Garden. I contacted Pastor Min-Cheol Kim to ask if we could park two cars at Taehwa Church. Pastor Kim replied, “I’m thrilled to hear Pastor Hyung-Tae Kim is visiting! It reminds me of the passage from the Analects of Confucius: 'Is it not a delight when friends come from afar?'”
So I called Pastor Hyung-Tae Kim while he was driving in: “They’ve offered parking, refreshments in the session room, and even dinner at 6:00 p.m.—it’s impossible to decline. With your presence in Ulsan, Pastor Kim, the hospitality is elevated to a whole new level!”
Curious about how the two knew each other? I found myself wondering the same and asked Pastor Min-Cheol Kim. Even though he had told me before, my memory is no longer as sharp as it used to be, so I had to ask once more.
“When I was doing my doctoral studies in Scotland, I went on a two-night, three-day family camping trip in Yorkshire. Out of nowhere, I received a call. Pastor Hyung-Tae Kim was also working on his PhD under Tom Wright at the University of St Andrews back then. He had taken a family trip to the Highlands with his mother-in-law, but their lodging was suddenly canceled at the last minute, leaving them with nowhere to stay... haha. So I offered them our home. Pastor Kim and the children stayed at our place, while his wife and mother-in-law found another nearby accommodation.” For an overseas student to take precious time out for a rare family camping trip, only to drive over three hours back to resolve an emergency—it is no exaggeration to say, “Pastor Hyung-Tae certainly owed me one!”
According to the way of the world, it would now be Pastor Hyung-Tae Kim’s turn, as senior pastor of The Lord’s Treasure Church, to repay the favor. Yet this time, he posted on Facebook that he was leaving with “yet another debt of love, continuing from Scotland.” How is such a thing possible? While the world operates on 'give and take,' we have already received such immense grace from the Lord that even if we spend our lives giving and giving again, no one ever suffers a loss.
On Friday afternoon, as we strolled through Taehwagang National Garden, I did my part as a local citizen to dispel the notion that Ulsan is merely an industrial, polluted city. As dusk fell, we enjoyed the glittering Milky Way Trail in a secluded corner of the Simnidae-sup (Ten-Ri Bamboo Forest), enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at Terminal Restaurant—once the prime meeting spot for local politics in Ulsan—and then parted ways: Pastor Hyung-Tae Kim headed back toward Seoul, while the rest of us retired to our respective lodgings.
The next morning, Seuldo Island and Daewangam Park left the Gimpo team with their final, lasting impressions of the brief two-day, one-night journey. As they headed back toward Seoul, Elder Seok shared these words: “While the whole church was praying with concern after Pastor Keun-Doo Jung’s unexpected bicycle accident... thanks to inside information from Pastor Hee-Jong Jang (that he could walk on crutches), we visited Ulsan... The delicious lamb barbecue, the Seuldo lighthouse, the Daewangam rocky trail, and Pastor Hee-Jong Jang’s touching confession that being surrounded by the wondrous beauty of the Lord’s creation felt like coming home—it truly warmed our hearts ^^”
Deaconess Bae, who served as the team's coordinator, also left a note: “Because of Pastor Keun-Doo Jung and Mrs. Changsun Kim, Ulsan is no longer a bleak, industrial city to us. Thank you so much for the generous and warm hospitality.” Truly, fellowship among believers transcends distance.
Die afgelope naweek het 'n span van die Lord’s Treasure-gemeente in Gimpo—waar ons die afgelope paar jaar as "nuwe lidmate" ingeskakel het—Ulsan besoek onder die voorwendsel van 'n siekebesoek. Toe 'n sendeling in die buiteland die nuus hoor, het hy skertsend gesê: “Om die hele pad van Gimpo af te ry vir 'n siekebesoek? Dít is nou ware lojaliteit, Dominee! ^^”
Gedurende ons vier jaar in Goyang, Gyeonggi-provinsie, het ek af en toe die Lord’s Treasure-gemeente in Gimpo besoek, waar 'n goeie vriend van my gedien het. Tog het dit elke keer 'n bietjie ongemaklik gevoel om as 'n besoeker voorgestel te word. Dit was toe dat my vriend, ds. Hee-Jong Jang, my die wenk gegee het dat as ons amptelik "registreer", daardie formele oorgangsrite sou verdwyn. Ons was dus, gerieflikheidshalwe, nuwe lidmate. En die afgelope naweek het 'n groep van agt, onder leiding van hul leraar, ds. Hyung-Tae Kim, die reis na Ulsan onderneem.
Die span het om 13:15 aangekom. Ons het om die tafel op die stoep vergader, ons honger gestil terwyl ons uitgekyk het oor die tuin in sy volle herfskleure, en dadelik daarna na die Taehwagang Nasionale Tuin vertrek. Ek het ds. Min-Cheol Kim gekontak om te vra of ons twee motors by die Taehwa-kerk kon parkeer. Ds. Kim het geantwoord: “Ek is verheug om te hoor dat ds. Hyung-Tae Kim kom kuier! Dit herinner my aan die woorde uit die Gesprekke van Confucius: 'Is dit dan nie 'n vreugde wanneer vriende van ver af kom kuier nie?'”
Ek het dadelik vir ds. Hyung-Tae Kim gebel terwyl hy op pad was: “Hulle bied vir ons parkeerplek, verversings in die kerkraadskamer, en selfs aandete om 18:00 aan—'n mens kan dit eenvoudig nie van die hand wys nie. Noudat ds. Hyung-Tae Kim in Ulsan verskyn, word gasvryheid na 'n heel ander vlak geneem!”
Wit jy weet hoe die twee mekaar ken? Ek was self skielik nuuskierig en het ds. Min-Cheol Kim gevra. Al het hy my al voorheen vertel, is my geheue nie meer wat dit was nie, so ek moes maar weer vra.
“Toe ek in Skotland met my doktorale studies besig was, was ons gesin op 'n kamp van drie dae in Yorkshire. Skielik lui my foon. Ds. Hyung-Tae Kim was destyds ook besig met sy doktorsgraad onder Tom Wright aan die Universiteit van St Andrews. Hy was saam met sy skoonma en gesin op reis in die Hooglande, toe hul verblyf op die laaste oomblik gekanselleer is en hulle nêrens gehad het om te oornag nie... haha. Toe stel ons ons huis aan hulle beskikbaar: ds. Kim en die kinders het by ons tuisgegaan, terwyl sy vrou en skoonma 'n ander heenkome naby gevind het.” Vir 'n buitelandse student om tyd af te knyp vir 'n seldsame gesinsuitstappie, en dan meer as drie uur terug te jaag om 'n noodsituasie te ontlont—dit is geen oordrywing om te sê: “Ds. Hyung-Tae was my beslis 'n guns verskuldig!” nie.
Volgens die wêreld se maatstawwe sou dit nou ds. Hyung-Tae Kim van die Lord’s Treasure-gemeente se beurt gewees het om die skuld te delg. Tog het hy hierdie keer op Facebook geskryf dat hy vertrek met “nog 'n skuld van liefde, 'n voortsetting van Skotland.” Hoe is so iets moontlik? Die wêreld werk op die beginsel van 'gee en neem', maar ons het reeds sulke oorvloedige genade van die Here ontvang dat selfs al gee en gee ons ons lewe lank, niemand ooit aan die kortste ent trek nie.
Vrydagmiddag, terwyl ons deur die Taehwagang Nasionale Tuin gestap het, het ek my bes gedoen as 'n inwoner van Ulsan om die beeld van 'n grys industriële stad vol besoedeling te verdryf. Toe die skemer sak, het ons die glinsterende Melkwegpaadjie in 'n stil hoekie van die Simnidae-bamboeswoud geniet, 'n vorstelike maaltyd geniet by Terminal Restaurant—eens die politieke hart van Ulsan—en daarna uitmekaargegaan: ds. Hyung-Tae Kim het teruggery na Seoel, terwyl die res van ons na ons onderskeie slaapplekke vertrek het.
Die volgende oggend het Seuldo-eiland en die Daewangam-park die span van Gimpo 'n laaste, diep indruk gegee aan die einde van 'n kort tweedaagse besoek. Oppad terug na Seoel het ouderling Seok die volgende boodskap agtergelaat: “Terwyl die hele gemeente met besorgdheid gebid het ná ds. Keun-Doo Jung se onverwagse fietsongeluk... het ons, danksy ds. Hee-Jong Jang se binne-inligting (dat hy met krukke kon loop), Ulsan besoek... Die heerlike skaapvleisbraai, die Seuldo-vuurtoring, die klipperige Daewangam-paadjie, en ds. Hee-Jong Jang se roerende belydenis dat die wonderlike skoonheid van die Here se skepping hom laat voel het asof hy tuisgekom het—dit het ons harte diep geraak ^^”
Diaken Bae, wat as spanorganiseerder opgetree het, het ook 'n woordjie gedeel: “Danksy ds. Keun-Doo Jung en mev. Changsun Kim is Ulsan vir ons nie meer 'n koue, industriële stad nie. Baie dankie vir die oorvloedige en hartlike gasvryheid.” Waarlik, die gemeenskap van die gelowiges oortref alle afstande.