Pastoral Letter: Listening Together, Discerning Together
Dear SUM Family,
When we read the Book of Acts, we see that the early church was not a community where everyone always thought the same way. People came with different languages, cultures, and life stories. There were misunderstandings, and there were moments when patient conversation was needed.
Yet the early church prayed together, spoke together, and sought to discern how the Holy Spirit was moving among them. The church is not built on uniformity. It is a community where we listen to one another and seek God's will together.
In that spirit, last Sunday's Church Council Gathering was a meaningful time. On a warm and sunny day, we worshiped together, shared good food, and opened a conversation about the present and future of our church. I am deeply grateful to everyone who joined us.
First, I want to be clear about our worship services.
Except during the summer schedule, SUM will continue to have three Sunday worship services.
I know that, after several recent combined services, some have wondered whether our three Sunday services might eventually become one. There is no plan to combine our regular Sunday services into one service.
Personally, I have wondered whether there might be meaning in having the whole church gather once a month, on the first Sunday, to share Holy Communion together and then continue with table fellowship and shared ministry after worship. I have shared this thought with a few leaders and reflected on its possibilities together.
I still believe such a time could hold real meaning and value for our community. At the same time, through the Church Council Gathering and the conversations that followed, I was reminded again how deeply our church family values the current rhythm of three worship services.
So we will hold that possibility with care, but we will not move in that direction at this time. We will continue to honor and care for the three-service rhythm that our community holds dear. Any significant change or new initiative in the life of the church should be shaped through prayer, conversation, and communal discernment.
At the gathering, I also spoke about the importance of communication. As an immigrant whose first language is not English, I am grateful for the understanding and encouragement you have shown me as we share life and ministry together. I also spoke honestly about the fact that cultural and language differences can sometimes create misunderstanding.
I also shared that, with changes in pastoral staffing, the scope of ministry I am carrying has become wider. Even so, I am deeply thankful that many of you are serving the church more actively in many different areas. Your faithfulness has become one of the ways God continues to care for this church.
The first purpose of the gathering was to hear together what our committees and ministry teams are currently doing. Since there was a great deal to share, I thought that if we tried to hold every question and discussion in the room at that moment, the meeting could become too long. So we used Post-it notes to gather questions and suggestions, with the intention of organizing them and sharing responses more clearly.
My hope was that this would also help those who could not attend to see what was discussed, what questions were raised, and what suggestions were offered.
Looking back, I also recognize something we could have done better.
The intention was to gather more voices. Yet I realize that some who came prepared to speak in person were not given enough opportunity to share their thoughts that day. For that, I offer my sincere apology.
I believe your questions, suggestions, and even differing perspectives are gifts that can help our community grow healthier. We will continue to create space, both online and in person, where questions can be asked and conversations can continue. I hope the concerns, hopes, and ideas of the SUM family will continue to be heard and shared.
I also want to clarify our summer worship location. Last year, we asked the whole SUM congregation whether summer worship should take place in the sanctuary or in Wesley Hall. A strong majority preferred the sanctuary. Based on that feedback, our summer worship services this year will be held in the sanctuary. At the same time, we are preparing to livestream the service in Wesley Hall for those who prefer to worship from that space.
Going forward, I will seek to explain more clearly, listen more carefully, and make important decisions in the life of the church through shared conversation.
SUM belongs to Christ, and we share in this ministry together. We are a community of many generations and many backgrounds, worshiping, learning, serving, and discerning God's will together.
Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, questions, and suggestions.
We will not always get everything right, but I trust that the Holy Spirit continues to work among us. May we continue to listen well, pray faithfully, and walk together in God's grace.
Many of you have also asked about my summer visit to South Korea. Rather than include those details in this already lengthy letter, I will share a separate update soon about my travel dates and how worship and pastoral care will be covered while I am away.
Grace and peace,
Pastor DH
Rev. Dong Hyun Choi
Simsbury United Methodist Church
sumct.org
pastordh@sumct.org