One of the most deeply moving spiritual moments of our journey was our visit to Saemoonan Presbyterian Church in Seoul, the very first Presbyterian church established in Korea.
Our delegation attended the 11:00 AM Sunday service, where we experienced the incredible vitality of the Korean faith community firsthand. The church extended exceptional hospitality to us by providing live English interpretation and reserving special front-row seats marked with “Schreiner University Delegation” signs. What touched our hearts most was how many congregants approached us without hesitation to offer warm greetings. Through their sincere welcome, we felt a deep sense of spiritual solidarity that transcends language and culture.
The worship experience was truly magnificent, featuring the majestic sound of a massive pipe organ and a breathtaking performance by the choir that rivaled a professional ensemble. During the service, Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Sanghak Lee delivered a profound and sincere message, emphasizing that our faith must move beyond mere ethical teachings to reach the true heart of the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Following the service, we were invited to tour the church history museum. Guided by the museum director and a dedicated docent, we received a heartfelt introduction to Korea’s early missionary history. We witnessed the immense dedication and sacrifice that allowed the Gospel to blossom in Korea and saw how this profound heritage of faith is being meticulously preserved and developed today.
This visit carried special personal significance for me. Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Sanghak Lee and I are long-standing academic companions who pursued our theological studies together at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley, California. This warm reunion of fellow scholars served as a poignant symbol of the deep personal and spiritual bonds connecting the Presbyterian communities in the United States and Korea.
In our final post, the ‘Postlude,’ we will reflect on the overarching vision of this trip and the exciting future ahead for Schreiner University.
#SchreinerUniversity #KeimyungUiversity #HigherEd #HigherEducation
