Pastoral Letter: Church at the Boundary - Living the Gospel in the World

Scripture: “You are the light of the world…Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

Dear beloved family of Simsbury United Methodist Church,

Many of you already know my story. I was born and raised in the Republic of Korea, where I completed my schooling through high school. I studied theology at Seoul Theological University, and during my undergraduate years, I served in the Republic of Korea Army, 1st Artillery Brigade Headquarters, as an Assistant Chaplain, fulfilling my military service. After completing the M.A. in Intercultural Studies at Myeongji University, Graduate School of Mission and Theology, I came to the United States. Here, I earned the Master of Divinity at Drew University Theological School and was ordained as an Elder in the New York Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. I remain a citizen of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and live here as a lawful permanent resident—your neighbor and pastor—respecting the laws of this country while walking with you in faith.

A Reflection Between Two Citizenship Journeys

This past Tuesday was Election Day in the United States. Though I live and minister here with you, I do not have the right to vote because I am not a U.S. citizen. That simple fact often brings me to deep reflection. When elections are held in South Korea, I participate faithfully as an overseas voter, doing my part as both a citizen and a person of faith. And each time I cast a ballot, this question returns to my heart:

“As a citizen of God’s Kin-dom, how shall I live faithfully in this world and honor the public trust given to me?”

The Bible guides us in this journey.

“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)
“Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:7)

Faith is not a private retreat from the world but a faithful presence within it.  God calls us to live as light and salt—praying, discerning, and acting with love, justice, and peace. And yet, we remember: our ultimate loyalty belongs not to any nation or policy, but to God.

The Word and the World: When Scripture Meets Policy

Throughout history, religion has been used to justify power, sometimes even to bless violence or exclusion. Those distortions have wounded many and have led people to say that religion and politics must be separate.
But the separation of church and state was never meant to silence faith; rather, it protects both freedom of conscience and the purity of the Gospel.

God’s Word speaks to life—including the economic, political, and social dimensions of it.  Scripture proclaims God’s justice for the poor, peace for the oppressed, and compassion for the stranger. At times, a public policy may reflect part of this biblical vision; at other times, it may contradict it.  Therefore, Christians may resonate with certain policies, but our loyalty must remain with the Word, not with the policy itself.  The Gospel may at moments “align” with public concern, yet it never submits to political identity.  We act not because a party instructs us to, but because the Word of God moves us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27).

The church can and must speak when truth, dignity, or justice are at stake.
But it must never allow itself to be spoken for by any political ideology or movement. The church’s mission is not to win influence but to embody grace—to stand where God’s mercy meets human need.

Who We Are as the Church

The church is the community established by God through Jesus Christ and led by the Holy Spirit. Our authority comes not from social power or institutional privilege, but from the truth of the Gospel and the freedom of the Spirit. In this community, people with different political, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds are called to gather with humility under Christ’s cross.

We are bound not by uniformity, but by grace. We read the same Scripture, worship the same God, and follow the same Savior—yet our interpretations and convictions may differ. Such difference is not a threat to faith, but a testimony to the vastness of God’s work among us.

Learning to agree to disagree is itself a spiritual practice.
When we respect difference, we make room for grace.
When we honor conscience, we create space for the Spirit to work freely.

Becoming a Mature Church That Embraces Difference

Every person carries a unique rhythm of faith and a spiritual color shaped by God’s grace. When those differences come together, the beauty of the Body of Christ becomes visible. My prayer is that Simsbury UMC continues to be a community that honors diversity without division, where truth is spoken with gentleness, and conviction is held with humility.

This is how we stand firm in the tension between public faith and political neutrality, holding our identity in Christ and the freedom of the Spirit. This is how, even amid cultural conflict, we grow without wounding one another— becoming a mature church that embraces difference through love.

Prayer

Spirit of the Living God, guide our minds and words in peace. Deliver us from fear; grant us discernment and compassion. When our convictions differ, let Christ be our center; when our voices rise, let love set their tone.
Teach us to listen before we speak, to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You. May Your Kin-dom shine in our ordinary faithfulness
and heal the divisions of this world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In Christ,
Pastor DH