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Hannam University

Connecting Korea’s past and present for the future of mission

Bridging the division in Korea through reunification is a dream of many. Another dream has been to compile the history of mission workers of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and partner churches in Korea from 1884 to the present. This connection of past and present mission workers in Korea by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and partner churches in Korea has become reality in the publication of the first “Korean-English Dictionary of Presbyterian Missionaries in Korea 1884-2020,” published March 27 in Korean.

Mission connects the family of God

I began reforming my understanding of mission work when I participated in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Young Adult Volunteer program after I graduated from college in 2002. I served in England, where the PC(USA)’s church partner was running an after-school program for at-risk youth. I received the most profound impression that year from the YAV orientation and all that I learned from global partners in the community in which I was immersed — namely, that I had so much more to learn about the world around me.

한국을 위한 장로교 평화 네트워크 파트너십 창립

저와 아내 이혜영이 한국에서 사역을 시작한 직후, 카유가 시라큐스Cayuga-Syracuse 노회 장로인 린다 러셀이 그녀의 노회가 10년 넘게 한국과의 파트너십 팀을 유지하고 있다고 말하였습니다. 린다는 이 팀이 미국장로교 청년 봉사단 (YAV) 프로그램의 현장 코디네이터로서 우리의 사업에 관심이 있을 것이라고 제안했습니다. 우리는 앞으로 이어질 상호교류에 대한 우리의 흥분을 느꼈습니다. 그것은 Cayuga-Syracuse 노회와 오래되고 유익한 협력 관계를 유지하기 시작했습니다.

Partnership inspires creation of Presbyterian Peace Network for Korea

Soon after my wife, Hyeyoung Lee, and I began our mission co-worker assignment in South Korea, a Presbyterian elder from Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery, Linda Russell, called to tell us that her presbytery has been maintaining a Korean Partnership Team for over a decade. Linda suggested this team might be interested in our work as site coordinators of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) program. We felt our excitement for the work ahead reciprocated. That began what has been a long and fruitful partnership with Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery.