Click here to read this column in Korean.
As I write this it has been a month since my induction as the Moderator of the Church and I may be more familiar with new title but it was like getting a new name. Sometimes you really have to force yourself and others to accept that you are 'it', not 'that'.
My new business card says Moderator of the 134th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada under my real name. But many people were not ready to listen to the whole thing. They simply heard two words from the conversation and made up their minds. Alright, you are a Korean and a Moderator, so you must be a Moderator of a Korean church of some sort. I didn't try to correct everyone but most of them figured out by themselves and came back to me to verify their findings. It is true that changing old things is lot more difficult than creating new things.
I'd like to sincerely thank all of you for your support and prayers. It is truly an honor for me to serve and as I accepted the call to this new responsibility, I wondered why the Church had chosen me. My conclusion was that the Church wanted the change. During my term, I'd like to try to communicate with you across the country about the need for change. We are living in the society that changes so fast that everyone feels outdated all the time. I'd like to invite all of us to look at ourselves. Let us see how much changes have been made since we started serving our congregations. Are we adequately prepared for the changes around us? Are we, as a Christian community, presenting any direction to the society and its people? Are we ahead of the crowd or just busy cleaning up the mess after the change hit us that we refused to prepare for?
There is a great demand for change within the local churches. It is not an option anymore, it is an imperative. We should start with our identity as Presbyterian. Canada has become a very complicated society as it opened its door to many other culture, languages, and religions. There should be a new definition of being Canadian and, of course, being Canadian Presbyterian. Yet we have been very reluctant to acknowledge the change, not to mention accept it. Church has been a hiding place for many refugees from the beginning of its existence but it cannot be, and it will not be a hiding place for the people who refuse to change.
We shouldn't be afraid of change because change brings new possibilities. We should welcome it. There are people looking for encouragement, comfort and answers in the world. They have the thirst and hunger that cannot be satisfied with worldly substance. We should go to where they are rather than waiting for them to come to our door. It is time to assess our attitude toward the society. It is time to change our understanding of church, ministry and worship service. I'd like to challenge every session, minister, and member to start one thing new in this year. One thing that is necessary yet has never been tried for various reasons. It may be new music, different style of sermon, or even an outreach program. Please start one thing that will convey the message of your willingness to change and to serve. Let them know that you are there to share and you will be happy to give.
The Presbyterian Church has a proud history, wonderful structure and sound theology. Yet during the last few decades, we became more like a well-built castle on an island. And some of us fortified it to be qualified as 'the invincible.' But church cannot be an empty castle. Now we need to build a bridge that connects us to the towns and communities around.
It is time to change. Let us not delay any more. Let us start now.
