Dear Suamico UMC members and friends,
Summer in Wisconsin is beautiful. People enjoy outdoor activities, walking, running, biking, kayaking, and golfing, to name a few. I enjoy golfing which is often challenging to me. I realized that golf swings involve imagination, visualization, and execution. To hit a golf ball to the target spots, golfers must comply to the law of physics, calculating direction, trajectory, and swing speed. If everything goes right by the law of physics, the golf ball gets to the targeted spot. If the law of physics is violated, the ball cannot reach the intended destination. After golfing for almost ten years, my golfing did not improve much. So I decided to take golf lessons. The teacher told me that there were three major mistakes in my golf swing, a poor grip, a wrong takeaway, and an incomplete follow through. He taught me better ways of golf swings. Now I am unlearning my old, incorrect swing forms and am learning new and better swing forms. It’s hard to shed an old habit but I have faith that if I stick to the teacher’s words, my golfing will improve gradually. Likewise, as Christians, we need to have faith that if we stick to the teachings of Jesus, we will grow in our Christian faith. If we practice our Christian values, we can be good examples for others to follow. In our United Methodist Church we emphasize personal holiness and social holiness. Let us work on our personal holiness by following Jesus’s teachings on kindness and compassion. Let us also work on our social holiness by working for justice, peace and harmony. “Practice makes (almost) perfect” applies to our spiritual disciplines as well as in sports. Enjoy the beautiful summer! Pastor Jerry Cho Thank you all for the birthday cards, balloons, ice cream and cookies for my birthday! Much appreciated! 1. A self-image long held becomes a reality ultimately.
2. Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene. -Benson 3. Stand porter to your mind, for from it flow the springs of life. – Proverbs 4:23 1. True friendship is a plant of slow growth. – George Washington
2. Trust and believe in the hidden power within you. – Smiley Blanton 3. Each tree is known by its own fruit. – Luke 6:44 1. God provides the victuals, but He does not cook the dinner.
2. The great end of life is not knowledge, but action. – Thomas Henry Huxley 3. Peace, be still. – Mark 4:39 Dear Suamico UMC members and friends,
In June I will turn 60 years old. I am no longer young but I am not too old. It’s a nice age to be a pastor for people of all walks of life. I don’t know how much time I have left on earth. Until God calls my name, I intend to live to the best of my abilities. Although I have been a pastor at SUMC for 3 years, I have not had much opportunity to share my life story with you. So, I would like to briefly share my life story. Helen Keller said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” My life has been an adventure. I grew up in South Korea. Everyone was poor when I was growing up. When I went to church, I learned about hope, faith, and love. Although I had no money, I had hope. Poverty was no excuse for me. Dream, determination, and God’s grace opened doors for me. I finished college and seminary and served the Korean Army as an Army chaplain. After the honorary discharge from the Army, I wanted to have a higher education in the U.S. As Jesus taught, when I knocked on the door, the door was opened to me. The Southern Methodist University, Perkins School of Theology accepted me with a full scholarship in 1992. After finishing my Master of Divinity program at SMU, I worked for Yuma Regional Medical Center, in Yuma, Arizona as a chaplain resident in the Clinical Pastoral Education program. In 1995 I moved to New York, NY, where I studied Pastoral Care at the Blanton-Peale Graduate Institute. From 1996 to 1998, I studied Pastoral Counseling at Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, CA. In 1999 I was appointed to serve Prairie Farm church in Northwest Wisconsin. In addition to Prairie Farm church, I have served churches in Oconto Falls, Eau Claire, Bonduel, and Red-River before I came to SUMC. Most of my life was spent in church and in school. I did not have real world experience. Before I came to SUMC, I took a voluntary leave of absence from ministry and worked for a cheese factory in Lena while Cindy was teaching in Oconto Falls. It was a most interesting and learning experience for me. As Moses met God in a burning bush at Mt. Horeb, I feel that I had a similar spiritual experience at the cheese factory. After Cindy’s retirement, I returned to ministry. I lived in South Korea for 30 years and have been living in the U.S. for 30 years. As the Psalmist wrote, “God’s word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” John Wesley’s three simple rules have been my guiding star in my journey: 1. Do no harm. 2. Do good. 3. Stay in love with God. Thank you for journeying with me as my brothers and sisters in Christ! Pastor Jerry Cho |
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