Today is my last day as Acting Senior Pastor, a role I began on July 1st. Starting with the New Year’s Eve Worship Service, Pastor Chai will resume his work. How do I feel? At ease. Well, the most immediate feeling is that time goes by so fast. I lived one day at a time, doing things I needed to do, and six months passed by very quickly. I feel that if we do not set our goals properly and live with our heads securely on our shoulders, our lives can pass by like a dream.
Thanks to Pastor Chai, I have had many memorable experiences during the past six months. I experienced all kinds of worship services including seasonal services. I led four funerals and a wedding. The past half year gave me time to familiarize myself with regular preaching and other duties, and also gave me an eye to see the church as a whole in depth. I believe that this will let me more efficiently help the Senior Pastor with his busy schedule. I also had a chance to identify my weaknesses and areas that need improvement, which makes me eagerly await the New Year.
The hardest thing for me was, not surprisingly, early-morning prayer. In order to wake up at 4:30 AM, I needed to go to sleep at 11 PM at the latest. But I usually came home after 10 PM almost every day, and I had to spend some time with my daughter, who waited up for me, and spend time talking with my wife. So, I frequently went to sleep rather late, which made it difficult to get up early. I have to confess that I was not able to keep the promise of 3 hours of prayer on many occasions. I have a very long way to go in this area.
Despite this, our church grew without major difficulties. During the past six months, 127 new members were added, 70 people accepted Jesus as their personal Savior, and 73 people got baptized. This means that an average of 12 people per month accepted Jesus. I am proud that the church was steadfast and strong even with the absence of the Senior Pastor. I am grateful to the faithful deacons, shepherds, and the entire congregation. Many people told me that I did a good job, but I think they are the ones to be applauded, not me. Last but not least, I’d like to thank the office staff, especially Deacon Park, for working closely with me every step of the way. Deacon Park is about my father’s age, yet he tended to my needs as if I were the Senior Pastor and helped me immensely. I see a man with a very meaningful life in him.
Soo Kwan Lee
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