Six young adult women intersect with about 50 young adults from the PNC

About 50 young adults from the PNC connected between July 20 to 28 with six young adult—ages 19 to 22—women delegates from PNC’s global partner church, the East Seoul Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of South Korea (PROK). 

South Korean woman and Pilgrim Firs counselor set off to paddle on the lake.   Photo by Susan Andresen

The UCC’s Pacific NW Conference (PNC) and the Northwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Global Ministries Committee, which have had the partnership since 1992, hosted the visit.   Planning for the first young adult exchange was headed by Susan Andreson of Normandy Park UCC, Tu Ha Nguyen of University Congregational Church, and Terry Teigen of Horizon House and Ed Evans of Peninsula UCC. 

Andresen, 34, gave an overview of the program and opportunities to intersect with young adults.  They were welcomed at a barbeque at Normandy Park UCC on Wednesday and Thursday Keven Peterson of Wayside in Federal Way and Mark Boyd of United Churches in Olympia took them to Mt. Rainier.  Friday morning they did a service project at the Des Moines food bank and toured Tacoma.

Friday and Saturday, the women spent at Pilgrim Firs, meeting counselors from Kids and Intermediate camps.  Their time included canoeing, a Bible study on love and friendship, and an exchange of teaching and learning games. 

Sunday at Plymouth UCC in Seattle, they experienced leadership of a woman pastor, something rarely seen in Korean churches, said Ed Evans, chair of the Global Ministries Committee.  Andresen said they also toured Plymouth Housing and Horizon House, and had lunch with a few young adults.  Later, they toured the University of Washington before meeting about 30 young adults at a potluck at University Congregational UCC.

Monday and Tuesday, she said they did sightseeing, shopping and visited a University UCC mission to homeless teens.

Visiting urban outreach and justice ministries in Seattle gave rise to some theological discussions, Evans said. 

The visit concluded with a picnic and barbeque with about 30 young adults at Golden Gardens Park in Seattle.

Andresen said the young adults formed friendships that are continuing through exchange of photos and sharing on Facebook.

“It was my first opportunity to meet with Christians from another country and to realize that Christianity is more than my local church,” said Andresen, who has often led trips with PNC youth and young adults.  “I was amazed by their passion and devotion to their faith.”

Although she speaks no Korean and the young women spoke some English, she was amazed by their ability, sometimes “through a comedy of errors,
 to converse and even do a Bible study.”

Evans said that in discussion with leaders in Korea the following goals for the visit were established to:

•  develop understanding of the meaning of “faith” in the two respective cultures;

• discuss issues of morality, justice and peace wrestled with in South Korea, the United States and the global community;

• explore key concerns of PROK and PNC young adults.

The Global Ministries Committee affirms the value of the exchange and is making plans to sponsor young adults from the PNC for an exchange to Korea in 2012, with the PNC and Disciples region each giving $650 from committee funds.

A video of the visit is at You Tube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD_uE9YU_JI.  For information, call 360-683-4704 or email edevans@aol.com or susan_andresen@hotmail.com.

 

Copyright Pacific Northwest Conference News © October 2011