The KNU (Korea Nazarene University) program hires Christian teachers to teach in Cheonan. When I came last year, the people in charge of the program suggested that I go to a Nazarene church called 꿈나무교회. It means Dream Tree Church. I started going to this church and I haven’t left since. Three other teachers from my program also go to this church.
The people there are very sweet. The pastor, his wife and their families started the church a few years ago. The pastor and his wife speak English; they lived in the States for more than 10 years and both have a couple degrees from the States.
We call the pastor’s wife 엄마 (Mom in Korean; pronounced “uhm-ma”) because she treats us like her daughters. She has taken us out to a park, to the store, to the doctor and out to eat a few times. We usually contact her if we need help. She used to translate the sermons for us but she has been so busy lately. She is a professor and a pastor’s wife so she has got her hands full.
There are 2 services on Sunday morning. I go to the later service that starts around 10:45. We sing praise choruses and hymns in Korean. Since I can read Korean, I usually can sing along in Korean but I don’t always understand what I’m singing. 🙂 Most of the hymns I am familiar with because we sang them at my church in the States. Thankfully, all Korean Bibles have a hymnal in the back so I can follow along with my Korean-English Bible.
Something I have noticed and appreciated is that every church I’ve been to, regardless of denomination, recites the Apostles’ Creed from memory every Sunday. Also, both tithes and offerings are put in an envelope with their name and then dropped in the offering box at the back of the sanctuary.
Lately, Daniel, a KNU student, has been translating the sermons for us. He recently started coming to our church. He is from Korea but grew up in Ecuador and speaks Korean, Spanish and English fluently. We all sit in the back pew and he translates the sermons into English by typing on a laptop.
Most Korean churches have lunch after the service. The lunch is provided and cooked by the ladies of the church. Sometimes we have noodles or rice with soup, kimchi and side dishes. After lunch, a lot of people stay for a while cleaning up, for choir practice, Bible study, cell group meeting, activities with their age group, etc. As opposed to most American churches, where you leave after morning service and come back for the evening service, going to church on Sundays is an all-day thing for a lot of Christians in Korea. There is no evening service at my church but people are there most of the day. After lunch, a couple of my teacher friends and I teach English conversation classes to elementary – high school students.
Being involved in a Korean church has given me more insight into Korean culture and helped me build great relationships with the family of God in Korea. I cannot share or rave enough about my church so stay tuned for more! 🙂
Desires of His Heart 