Key points:
- The inaugural Southeastern Jurisdiction Asian American Ministers Gathering drew 111 participants from eight annual conferences and nine ethnic groups.
- It aimed to celebrate the spiritual heritage of Asian American clergy, foster deeper connections, cultivate innovative leadership and strengthen their ministries.
- Speakers and panels also addressed the history of anti-Asian racism in the U.S., as well as the systemic injustice often faced by Asian American clergywomen.
The inaugural Southeastern Jurisdiction Asian American Ministers Gathering, themed “Thriving Together” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10), drew 111 participants from eight annual conferences and nine ethnic groups on May 13-15 at the Korean United Methodist Church of Greater Washington.
The event affirmed the vital role of Asian American clergy within The United Methodist Church. It aimed to celebrate their spiritual heritage, foster deeper connections, cultivate innovative leadership and strengthen their ministries. The program included praise and worship, workshops, panel discussions, leadership development and organizational meetings — all designed to build community, share experiences and offer mutual support.
The Rev. Daniel Park of Restoration Church in Reston, Virginia, a member of the gathering’s design team, articulated the conference’s core purpose: to foster a thriving sense of community and connection in the Southeastern Jurisdiction.
“A key goal is to elevate the voices of Asian American clergy, who are often overlooked and unrecognized,” Park said. “This initiative seeks to provide them with a platform, ultimately impacting their appointment processes and opportunities at conference and district levels. The hope is for episcopal and other leaders to gain a clearer understanding of the vital contributions Asian American clergy are already making, and their potential for even greater impact.”
In a video message, Bishop Robin Dease of the North and South Georgia Conferences expressed joy in sharing purpose with Asian American clergy and seminarians. “United Methodists are called to thrive in connection,” she emphasized. “The deep importance of Asian American clergy’s voices, experiences and leadership are shaping The UMC’s future.”
Preachers and presenters encouraged participants to cultivate a connection and elevate Asian voices as they work for bridge-building, hospitality and the power of love.
Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson of the Virginia Conference preached “Celebrating Bridge-Builders,” highlighting bridge-building as a pastor’s most crucial quality. She praised Asian American clergy for their natural ability to bridge divides in challenging communities.
Haupert-Johnson promised to fight for immigrant clergy, stating, “I can promise you we will fight tooth and nail to keep you in your ministry settings here. And if, heaven forbid, we can’t, we will support you until you can come back.”
She announced the establishment of the MJ KIM Fund for immigration expenses, a step aimed at alleviating financial burdens. The fund was named for the Rev. M.J. Kim, who was ordained in 1963 as the first Asian American elder in the Southeastern Jurisdiction.
Haupert-Johnson championed hospitality as central to Christianity, calling it “a contagious force that welcomes all and reflects God’s inclusive nature.”
Echoing that sentiment in his presentation, the Rev. Magrey DeVega, senior pastor of Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, Florida, centered on the idea that a thriving faith is inherently paradoxical, a “convergence of two opposing ideas both equally true.”
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DeVega explored various paradoxes within Christian life — prayer, spiritual practices, worship, and the church itself — emphasizing that embracing these contradictions creates a vibrant faith. He, too, underscored hospitality, rooted in God’s incarnation, as essential for breaking down fear and fostering connection.
Florida Conference Bishop Tom Berlin delivered two sermons, both titled “Thriving” (John 10:7-10 and 1 Corinthians 13:1-13). He declared, “Love is the indispensable characteristic for thriving in ministry.”
He used the analogy of piloting a boat through life’s unpredictable “swells” and “headwinds” to illustrate ministerial challenges.
“While traditional leadership lists often omit it, love is the ‘sine qua non’ (without which, nothing) — the cohesive force for all Christian virtues,” Berlin said. “Pastors have to ‘fall in love’ with the idea of the Church, their communities and their congregations, believing this love unlocks spiritual gifts and drives vibrant ministry, ultimately being the sole reason for true thriving.”
The panel discussion on “Thriving in Connection” further emphasized that connection is fundamental to the denomination’s identity.
“True connection means being seen for who you are, not just what you produce, and fully embracing one’s cultural identity,” noted the Rev. Minho Chung, Regional Developer and Pan Asian Church Development Coordinator in the North Georgia Conference. “The disaffiliation process, while draining, also revealed the life-giving power of connection.”
Panelists identified the “invisible and exceptional” or “model minority” paradox faced by Asian Americans as significant barriers to connection, stressing the importance of remembering one’s baptismal identity to combat feelings of inadequacy. They reinforced hospitality as central to United Methodism’s identity, advocating for a movement-oriented church that actively builds bridges, combats injustice and finds hope in collective action.
In her presentation “Thriving in Ministry,” the Rev. Mirhang Baek, associate pastor at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Dale City, Virginia, offered a deeply personal perspective on the unique challenges faced by Asian American clergywomen — particularly those who speak English as a second language. Baek highlighted the everyday paradoxes of their lives and ministries.
She firmly asserted, “Asian American clergy are ‘not what the church expected’ but are precisely ‘what God called,’ serving as the church itself.”
Baek addressed the painful reality of systemic injustice.
“Many Asian American clergy (especially women), often remain underpaid compared to their peers,” she said. “This ‘injustice issue’ is compounded by ethnic minority ministers doing ‘double the work with half the support’ while often feeling excluded.” Baek urged the church to confront and correct systemic inequality, defining thriving as resilience, truth-telling and holding onto “critical hope.”
At the closing sermon, “Thriving Together as Called Leaders,” Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of the Ohio Episcopal Area called for The United Methodist Church to dismantle systemic racism and embrace a spirit of respect, care and solidarity.
Jung highlighted the long history of anti-Asian racism in the U.S., emphasizing that ignorance is the greatest obstacle to genuine understanding. He also spoke about the profound meaning of mission, saying, “My personal journey to Ohio is a way of repaying the debt owed to the growth of the Korean Church and is underscored by a deep sense of God’s providential grace and historical work.”
He added, “I am proud of The UMC’s commitment to regionalization and its ongoing work as a spiritual movement.”
During the gathering, the Rev. M.J. Kim was honored not only by Bishop Haupert-Johnson but also by other participants.
“I was the sole Asian pastor in Virginia for 18 years post-ordination, witnessing the subsequent growth of Asian clergy, many of whom are now serving Anglo churches with exceptional ministry,” said Kim, who also served as a district superintendent. “The AAMA gathering is a revival of earlier efforts to foster connection among scattered Asian pastors to support each other and enhance the ministry of God.”
The Rev. Edgar DeJesus of Bethel and Plank Chapel United Methodist churches in the North Carolina Conference described the gathering as a “spirit-filled and life-giving historic gathering with shared paradoxes of struggles and triumphs to commit to confronting systemic sins and brokenness, daring to resist old paradigms and embracing interruption by the Holy Spirit.”
The Rev. In-Yong Lee of First United Methodist Church, Rutherfordton, North Carolina, and an incoming district superintendent in the Western North Carolina Conference, expressed deep encouragement at seeing leaders effectively integrate Asian and American cultures, and noted their commitment to inclusivity and diversity within the predominantly Korean group.
“The gathering served as a powerful affirmation of the vital role of Asian American clergy within The UMC, providing a space for connection, sharing challenges and collectively envisioning a more just, inclusive and thriving future rooted in Christ’s love and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit,” she said.
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.
