Vibrant New Leadership Brings the Promise of a Bright Future
In case you haven’t heard, the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church — of which Oak Chapel is a member — has a new leader. His name is Hee-Soo Jung, and he is a native of South Korea. Last September, he assumed responsibility for all of Ohio, whereas previously, the state was overseen by two Bishops (one in the East and one in the West).
Bishop Jung presided over last week’s annual conference at The College of Wooster, and I have to say that I was very impressed by his leadership style. He is exceptionally kind, sensitive, sincere, engaging, gentle, and witty. He handled the business sessions with poise, style, and grace, and he led our worship services in a way that was sacred, devout, and uplifting.
As we know, the United Methodist Church has faced some difficult challenges in the past few years, but I firmly believe that Bishop Jung will skillfully guide us out of the darkness and into the light of a promising and vibrant future. I would also like to point out that although he comes to us from another country, he transcends any ethnic and cultural differences we might have. Because we serve the same God, we are one in unity with Him and with each other. We are wise to remember this at a time when so many struggle to love their neighbor, especially when they look or sound different than us.
I encourage you to pray for Bishop Jung whenever you can. With the merging of East and West Ohio into one very large conference, he has a very formidable task ahead. However, with God’s help and our support, he is certain to not only survive, but also thrive and triumph, and with his guidance, so will we.