Key points:
- A fundraising campaign led by the California-Pacific Conference’s Korean caucus raised $27,322 in support for people affected by recent wildfires.
- Korean and non-Korean congregations from across the United States provided support for the initiative.
- The denomination’s Korean Ministry Plan, United Methodist Committee on Relief and Louisiana Conference also are providing grants.
Korean United Methodists mounted a campaign that raised more than $27,000 in aid for those suffering from the historic wildfires in Southern California.
The campaign, which transcended ethnic and regional boundaries, originated from a prayer meeting Jan. 13. Over 80 pastors and laity from across the U.S. participated in the virtual meeting, organized by the Association of the Korean United Methodist Church of the California-Pacific Conference. Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, who leads the conference, and Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of the East and West Ohio conferences attended.
“We initially planned only to pray and comfort each other,” said the Rev. Brian S. Lee, president of the association and senior pastor of Los Feliz Korean United Methodist Church in Los Angeles. “But as we learned about the extent of the destruction, we realized that more action was needed.”
How to help
Donations can be made to the California-Pacific Conference fire recovery fund and UMCOR U.S. Disaster Response and Recovery.
Record-breaking wildfires had ravaged Southern California, destroying the Pacific Palisades Community United Methodist Church and Altadena United Methodist Church, claiming one member’s life and displacing 70 United Methodist families, including three Koreans.
“What began as a prayer vigil turned into fundraising that expanded beyond the California-Pacific Conference and beyond Korean victims to include non-Koreans in need,” Lee said. “We raised more money than we ever imagined and were able to make a significant impact.”
The campaign raised $27,322. Of that, the Association of the Korean United Methodist Church of the California-Pacific Conference presented $17,597 in donations and $725 in gift cards to Escobedo-Frank on Feb. 24 at the conference office in Pasadena. The gift cards with $1,145 were contributed by Torrance First United Methodist Church, led by the Rev. Jacob Lee.
The remaining $9,000 was allocated directly to Korean Americans affected by the fires.
The association had urged churches to designate Sunday, Jan. 26, as “LA Wildfire Disaster Special Sunday,” to pray and collect offerings. The response exceeded expectations: Donations poured in from Korean congregations across the U.S.
The Rev. Changmin Lee, senior pastor of Los Angeles Korean United Methodist Church, highlighted the significance of the effort expanding nationwide.
“With only 13 Korean congregations in the South Central Jurisdiction, raising $6,000 alone was a testament to our unity,” he said. “The contributions underscored the spirit of the United Methodist connection in action.”
While meeting with Escobedo-Frank in her office, the Rev. Brian Lee shared a touching example of this spirit. “Koreans have a tradition of supporting each other in times of tragedy, regardless of language or ethnicity. This was a wonderful example of that solidarity,” he said. The outreach even attracted a woman in Alaska, he said, who was inspired by a Korean UM News story and reached out to ask how she could contribute.
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Korean pastors serving non-Korean churches also joined in the fundraising.
The Rev. Jay Jeon, pastor of Ontario United Methodist Church, reflected on the broader impact. “This tragedy became an opportunity to transform tears into joy. Pastors serving non-Korean churches, like Torrance First UMC, joined hands with Korean ministries, proving our faith transcends boundaries.”
Before collecting offerings, the association visited the wildfire-affected area to distribute water and other necessities.
Escobedo-Frank expressed deep appreciation for the generosity of the association. “I was very grateful because these moments can feel lonely if people don’t show up. But you all showed up — not only with financial support but physically, unloading trucks and helping those in need. Thank your people for me; it really mattered.
“I’m also so grateful for the gift from the Korean caucus and the generous hearts behind it,” the bishop added.
Additionally, the executive committee of the Korean Ministry Plan of The United Methodist Church decided to contribute $10,000 from its contingency fund specifically to rebuild Altadena United Methodist Church, a historic African American church.
Denominational grants have been given to the California-Pacific Conference as well.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief has distributed two solidarity grants of $10,000 each to the California-Pacific Conference for responding to the Palisades fire on the California coast and the Eaton fire, near Pasadena. The denomination’s Louisiana Conference is also providing a $10,000 solidarity grant to California-Pacific.
Escobedo-Frank emphasized the importance of generosity as an expression of Christ’s love.
“They didn’t just give funds; they showed up in the community after the fires, helping evacuees. They went the extra mile to help people rebuild their lives. There is no greater example of Christ’s love than generosity — not just financially, but in time, care and intention. The Korean caucus has demonstrated its commitment to serving the whole community.”
Kim is director of Korean and Asian news at United Methodist Communications. Contact him at 615-742-5470 or newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.