From Your Synod Executive...

Last month, the Korean pastors of the Synod of the Covenant invited our Associate Executive Ruth-Aimée Belonni-Rosario and me to visit their annual retreat.  I hope that the picture gives you a little inkling of how much joy we experienced visiting with them and their spouses. The picture was taken after an amazing multi-course meal with exquisite textures and tastes that I rarely have the chance to try. 

I believe I was the only native English speaker at the meal.  While our hosts were extremely hospitable and spoke English with me, it was also fun to see them speak their own language enthusiastically with each other.  Like any non-native speaker, they seemed to be freer and more themselves in Korean than they could be in English.  (I’m a fluent Spanish speaker but am also much more fully “me” in English.)

After the meal we went to the Korean Presbyterian Church of Detroit Presbytery, where Senior Pastor Hae-Kil Kim told us about the congregation.  I was stunned to learn about their youth and children’s ministry (more than 300 kids involved) and their outreach efforts which particularly target those who are not yet Christians.  It was very inspiring!  I know that other Korean congregations impact their communities in many tangible ways as well. 

I’ve been basking in the afterglow of our time with this community ever since we were together.  I’m so grateful for their churches throughout the Synod.  Their presence makes all of us more faithful.  We more fully represent the body of Christ because they are a part of each presbytery.  The rest of us have a lot to learn from the vibrancy of their churches and the effectiveness of their pastors.

That’s why I was so shocked to see on twitter yesterday morning that someone (unrelated to the Synod in any way) had posted “Any church in America holding services in a foreign language is subverting the nation.”  This stopped me in my tracks.  First of all, the church exists not to uphold any nation but rather to help people come to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.  Second, the tweeter seems to forget that even beyond immigrant churches in the fifty states, Puerto Rico is part of America and the vast majority of churches there speak Spanish. 

Third, and most importantly, the nature of the Incarnation is that God enters into the specifics of our culture, as Jesus did in Bethlehem two thousand years ago.  The miracle of the Holy Spirit is that God enters into each culture—not just the one where the earthly Jesus was born.  Each culture, then, deserves a church which is for that culture—with music and worship and preaching and yes, a spoken language that feels at home for the worshipers.  Each culture deserves a place where they can encounter the grace and challenge of the Gospel, and the love and justice of God, and where they feel most themselves.

I’m so grateful for the ways that this is accomplished through the ministry of our Korean siblings, and for every other gathering within the bounds of the Synod that uses another language besides English.  Thanks be to God!

Grateful to be your partner in ministry,

Rev. Charles B Hardwick, PhD                                            

Executive                            

chip@synodofthecovenant.org

309-530-4578