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Dear friends:
As I considered our scripture passage this week, I remember a story told by Dr. Moffett, my seminary professor, whose father literally brought Christianity to the shores of Korea. Presbyterian missionaries arrived in Korea in 1885, and among that first team was a physician by the name of Horace Underwood, who started a hospital in Seoul, Severance Hospital. In 1888, a cholera epidemic struck Korea. And the Korean people did what everybody before them did in response to and fear of infectious diseases, they simply put the sick and dying out into the streets. Christianity began to take root in Korea when Christians went into the streets to minister to the sick and picked them up and carried them to Severance Hospital. The king heard about it and sent emissaries to discover who these angels were who were not afraid to care for the sick and dying.
The point, of course, is that religion requires more than correct belief; it shapes behavior. It’s not mere protocol but the primary determinant in a moral/ethical framework for social engagement; and it promotes constructive engagement and relationship with others, especially the most vulnerable.
This week we’ll continue our sermon series Unsubscribe by exploring the topic “From Religion to Relationship” in which we’ll delve into the essential roots of Christian faith. We’ll celebrate communion, participate in excellent music, and find solace and joy in the company of one another.
Come, and bring a friend,
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