06/12/2024
Dear St. Paul family near and far.
Pastor Won has released his final letter to the congregation.
His last day with us is June 30th.
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June 12th, 2024.
Dear St. Paul Methodist Church Family,
Just as there is a time to meet, there is also a time to part. It feels like only yesterday I had the joy of meeting all of you, but 8 years have quickly passed, and now it is time for me to conclude my pastoral ministry here. My final day will be Sunday, June 30, 2024, marking the first anniversary of our church's disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church and its rebirth as St. Paul Methodist Church, a Global Methodist Congregation. Initially, I planned to depart earlier in June, but at the request of our leadership to share in this meaningful anniversary together, I have chosen to stay until the end of the month.
Reflecting on the past 8 years, I see God's grace has been overwhelmingly abundant. In 2016, my family and I arrived in Elkton as strangers. Without God's calling, His grace, guidance, and protection, we could not have ministered here for the past 8 years. Our church has undergone significant changes during this time. We have been deeply involved in community service and missions. Our food pantry ministry became our signature mission, and we actively participated in the Healing of Our Patriot, Bible stick mission and Samaritan's Purse. We also obtained kitchen inspection and licensing to provide meals to those in need, sharing Christ's love through these efforts. Our church garage sales have fostered unity with the local community, especially during challenging times. In the past two years, 20 new members have joined our church, and last year, 11 youths were confirmed and baptized. Just this week, two new families expressed their desire to join our church, for which I am so grateful. We have also continued to collaborate with the churches of Elkton for joint summer VBS, Good Friday Services, Autumn Fest, and Community Memorial Services working alongside with the Elkton Lions Club. I also had a pleasure of serving Country Bay at Scheurer Hospital as their volunteer chaplain, leading Bible Studies and praying for the resident and staff.
One of the most memorable changes has been our church's dedication to experiencing the depth of the Word of God and becoming a more intentionally Bible-centered church. For the past two years, we have encouraged the entire congregation to read through the Old and New Testaments using daily Bible reading calendar, and we have focused on expository preaching. This restructuring has aimed to guide us to live lives led by the Holy Spirit through the depth of the Word of God.
Our most significant milestone was the disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church and joining the Global Methodist Church last year. Despite the substantial cost, our church voted 98% in favor of disaffiliation and 100% in favor of joining the Global Methodist Church. Remarkably, we managed to pay off the disaffiliation costs within just one year, a miracle only God could accomplish.
I am confident that this church has tremendous potential. Many wonderful people have supported our ministry and loved my family over the past 8 years. Personally, I find Elkton very comfortable. After 8 years, it feels like anything is possible here. However, I am leaving because ministry is not about seeking comfort but following God's calling. In the new place, there will be people who do not know me. Building trust and relationships will take time and present challenges. Yet, I am confident in God's calling and boldly leave this comfortable place to go where the Lord calls me at this point in my life.
Dear St. Paul, thank you all so much for everything. Over my 25 years of pastoral ministry, I have served many churches, but I will never forget St. Paul Methodist Church. I pray that God's grace will always be with you, that the church will grow in unity with your new pastor and that you will remain strong in the Lord. I love you all. Thank you.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Your fellow brother in Christ,
Won Kim.
