Fleur-de-lis Club gets to know their guest

Lynda Jarrard was hostess of Fleur-de-Lis Club on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. at The United Methodist Church, Wesley Center Library with eight members and guest, Pastor Kwang Song.

Lynda introduced Pastor Kwang who is the current minister at the Washington United Methodist Church. Pastor Kwang was born and raised in South Korea, a town about 15 miles from the DMZ on the west side of the country. He told of his family and how he came to the United States and became a minister.

He was born to a non-Christian family. In South Korea, a quarter of the population practices Buddhism, a quarter practices Christianity and half are atheist or another religion. His family consists of his parents and three sisters, he being the only son. His father wanted him to be a military officer.

His father, who is now retired and served more than 30 years in the military, wanted Kwang to follow in his footsteps. But Kwang did not share that passion for a vocation. It was noted that there is a 13-hour time difference between South Korea and the United States. In the seventh grade he learned to read and comprehend English. Now students learn English in earlier grades.

Pastor Kwang went to a friend's church when in the ninth grade and then went to a youth camp where he accepted Jesus. In the 10th grade he was baptized and got the calling to be a minister. High school seniors take an exam to go to college. The higher your score, the better colleges you can attend and get financial assistance. He also took a second language, German, and then attended a Methodist college.

All South Koreans have to do 2 1/2 years of mandatory military service and he served as a chaplain. It was during this time at church he met his future wife, Yune. In 1992 he got his first church. He was ordained in 1997 through the Korean Methodist Church and was one of many associate pastors in a large 75,000 membership Methodist Church in Seoul, Korea.

His third pastorate was at the Moscow Mission Center as a director in the northeast part of Moscow, Russia. In 2001 he came to the U.S. and attended a two-year United Presbyterian seminary in the Chicago area, Hyde Park, and graduated in the summer of 2003.

He was then assigned an Iowa Korean UMC in Iowa City for seven years, where all their services were spoken in the Korean language. Following this appointment, he was in northwest Iowa for four years and had two small churches. His third appointment in Iowa was as an associate pastor for three years at St. John's UMC in Davenport before coming to his fourth appointment here at the Washington UMC in July 2017. He and his wife have two daughters, both graduating from Grinnell College and now living in Chicago.

The Songs get many of their groceries in the Korean grocery markets in Iowa City, but Pastor Kwang confessed he enjoys a McDonald's meal once in a while. He enjoys reading and studying and watching old TV shows like Wonder Woman and Little House on the Prairie. Pastor Kwang closed with a question-and-answer period.

Following the program, Nancy Kimmel, president, conducted a short business meeting. Roll call was answered with members telling of a country they would like to visit. The secretary-treasurer, Linda Birney, read minutes from the October meeting and gave the Treasurer report. There were no bills presented and no correspondence.

For the club's community service gift, members brought children's hats and mittens/gloves to be distributed to Lincoln Elementary School needs in Washington. Bev Krotz closed with a reading, Celebrate Growing Older - 45 Lessons of Life by Regina Brett, which had some very good advice.

Following the close of the meeting, Lynda served refreshments sitting around the library table. The remainder of the afternoon was spent visiting before departing for home.

The next meeting will be Dec. 13, 2018, at 12:30 p.m. with Linda Birney as hostess. This will be their annual salad luncheon. Members are asked to bring a salad, and place-setting dishes will be provided.