Pastoral Letter: When Faith Becomes Their Own

Dear Simsbury UMC Family,

Last Sunday, after worship, a small but joyful gathering took place in the Annex for our Confirmation Class. Passionate leaders and mentors joined five students (Jason Choi, Teagan Dolch, Bria Keleher, Maeve Lemke, and Jayna Wellman) whose curiosity, sincerity, and laughter filled the room with life.

Before anything else, we shared lunch together. Around the table, we talked about our ordinary days—what had brought joy during the week and what had been a little harder. It was a simple moment, but also a holy one. Christian community often begins this way: people sharing food, trusting one another with their stories, and discovering that they do not walk their faith alone.

From there, we began exploring a question together: What does it mean to grow in faith as United Methodists?

Christians around the world follow Christ in many faithful ways, yet every tradition carries its own story. In the Wesleyan tradition, our life of faith is shaped by a deep trust in God’s grace and by practices that help us grow together as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our conversation turned to the life of John Wesley. During a storm at sea on his return from a mission journey, Wesley noticed a group of Moravian Christians whose calm trust in God stood in striking contrast to his own fear. Their quiet confidence stayed with him. Some time later, at a small gathering on Aldersgate Street in London, Wesley experienced what he later described as his heart being “strangely warmed.” In that moment, he came to a renewed assurance of God’s grace—the realization that Christ’s saving love was not only something he proclaimed, but something meant for him personally.

As we reflected on these stories, we talked about the Wesleyan understanding of grace as a journey.

First, there is prevenient grace—the grace that goes before us. Before we even know how to reach toward God, God is already reaching toward us, awakening our hearts and drawing us closer.

Then there is justifying grace, through which we discover forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ. In Christ, we are welcomed, restored, and reconciled to God.

And there is sanctifying grace, the grace that continues to shape our lives. God does not simply welcome us and leave us as we are; by the Spirit, God patiently forms us in love, guiding us toward lives that reflect the character of Christ.

As we spoke about prevenient grace, the conversation naturally moved toward baptism and Confirmation. In the United Methodist Church, baptism is a sign of God’s grace that comes before our response. Many of us were baptized as infants, long before we could speak our own faith. Confirmation is a time when young people begin to claim that grace for themselves—to profess their faith, affirm the promises made at their baptism, and take their place more fully in the life and ministry of Christ’s church.

For that reason, Confirmation is not simply a class.
It is a milestone in the journey of discipleship.

We also spent time exploring the meaning of worship. Using the United Methodist Hymnal and our liturgical resources, we talked about how worship is more than a sequence of familiar elements. In worship, we gather as the people of God, listen for the Word, pray together, sing our faith, and encounter God through practices that John Wesley called the Means of Grace—those ordinary and holy practices through which God continues to meet us and shape our lives.

As part of the Confirmation journey, the class will conclude with a Confirmation service in which the students and their pastor will help lead worship together. Each student will take part in ways they are able, and through that experience, they will learn not only to attend worship but also to serve within it. I am already looking forward to that service with great anticipation. It will be a meaningful moment for these young people to discover their place and their voice within the worshiping life of the church.

Yet our conversation did not end there.

In the Wesleyan way, faith never remains only personal. Love for God naturally opens outward toward love for neighbor and care for the world. Because of this, we decided that in our next gathering, we will explore the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church—the ways our church seeks to think faithfully about the challenges of our shared life in society.

Each student will choose a topic that matters to them. They will reflect on it through Scripture, through what they see happening in the world around them, and through the wisdom of our church’s teaching. They are even encouraged to use research tools, news sources, and technology—including AI—to help them explore these questions thoughtfully and faithfully.

I am already curious to see what they will bring.
What questions will capture their imagination?
What concerns will they carry into the conversation?
And how might God use those questions to shape their sense of calling?

Faith often begins to grow in moments like these—when young people discover that their questions are welcome, their voices matter, and their lives are part of God’s ongoing work in the world. Watching these students begin to claim their faith in their own voice was one of the quiet joys of my week.

Simsbury family, I invite you to join me in praying for these young people.

Pray that their curiosity about God will continue to grow.
Pray that they will discover the joy of trusting Christ with their lives.
Pray that they will find the courage to profess their faith and serve with compassion in the world.

And when you see them, offer a word of encouragement. Let them know that they belong here. The church is not only a place where faith is taught; it is a community where faith is lived, shared, and nurtured together.

I look forward to sharing more of their journey with you in the weeks ahead.

Grace and peace,
Rev. Dong Hyun Choi