It’s been a long journey for Won Kim.
On Sunday morning that ride will end at the pulpit of the Goodrich United Methodist Church as the new pastor. Won’s trek to GUMC as the new pastor started in Seoul, South Korea 35 years ago.
‘For the first 12 years of my life I was the son of a pastor at a Korean Methodist Church,? he said. ‘Then dad got the call, we were moving to Hamilton, Ontario.?
His parents, pastor Kihan and his mother, Ruth Kim, along with Won, left South Korea to lead the Hamilton Methodist Church. Won enrolled at Sir John McDonald High School in Hamilton.
‘I knew no English, they never taught us in Korean schools and I had no friends in Canada either. There were a lot of difficult times in my world. I was the only Korean student in the high school. They made fun of me, I was skinny and would get bullied. I sometimes thought they were my friends, but later realized they were just making fun. I just did not understand what they were saying. But, I fought back and later in life that would help me to step forward.?
After three years in Hamilton, Kihan was called back to Korea to another church.
‘I was not going back with my parents,? said Won. ‘So I moved to Toronto with one of the members of the Hamilton church who had a home there.?
Won was 16-years-old when he enrolled at Newtonbrook High School while his parents were back at a church in Seoul.
‘I was comfortable in Canada,? he said. ‘I was learning English and while school was a challenge for me in Canada if I went back to Korea I would have been way behind in my education. They go much faster in Korean schools than in Canada.?
Won was angry with his father and God.
‘God took my dad away,? he said. ‘I was not going to church and was very bitter toward God. My dad was never around he was away from home working for the church all the time.?
In 1999 Won graduated from Newtonbrook High School and then he got the phone call.
‘It was dad on the phone,? he said. ?’Your mom and I are moving to Los Angeles and I want the family to be together,? he told me. I did not want to go start another new life in Los Angeles or anywhere’once again it’s new people, new friends. And still I had no faith in God.?
Won did move to Los Angeles and attended Santa Monica College to study music.
‘I learned to play the piano at the age of about 2-years-old, my dad was a musical pastor and he taught me very young how to play a variety of instruments,? he said. ‘I needed to make friends here at college, I’ve been through this before in a new place. So I decided to join a campus band. There just happened to be a CRU meeting and I went (to the meeting) not knowing the meaning of the initials.?
When he arrived, about 100 college students were gathered as part of the Campus Crusade for Christ.
‘They were all very passionately praying? I had seen that before with people in my dad’s church raising their hands and expressing prayer.?
That’s where he met Jessie.
‘Jessie and I were friends’she was a woman of prayer,? he said. ‘On Dec.1, 2001, I attended an all college CRU conference with Jessie and realized that God was real. He was still there for me and forgave me? you could just feel God at that conference and it was just so powerful.?
For three years, Won worked as a youth pastor Agape Mission in downtown Los Angeles where he grew as a pastor.
In 2004 he married Jessie.
‘We moved back to Toronto since I still considered that my hometown,? he said. ‘I was a youth pastor at Emanuel Methodist Church for about 20 kids. I also worked full time in a restaurant while attending York University for religious studies. It was tough with school, family and work, but I’m stubborn, I have that attitude ‘I’m going to show you.??
After graduation from college the couple returned to Hamilton to the Korean Presbyterian Church where Won served as youth pastor. The church was led by Rev. Koh who agreed to fund his studies at McMaster Divinity College, where he attended the seminary.
‘The church is very mission-oriented and I had the opportunity to go to Xinjang in western China with a group of about 20 youth it was a remarkable experience,? he said. ‘We did not go (to China) to evangelize, rather to learn from them and pray.?
In 2008 their son Ryan was born. In 2011 Kim completed his degree at the seminary and moved to Troy, Mich. as a youth pastor at the Korean United Methodist Church.
‘We have about 3,000 members and I was pastor of about 300 youth and also was assistant pastor,? he said. ‘It’s a rather large congregation.?
Earlier this year his father died of cancer at 62-years-old. His mother still lives in the Los Angeles area.
‘I returned to Seoul not long ago,? he said. ‘I was just so different than everyone else going back. It’s very crowded and hot there. It was elbow to elbow and that’s not for me anymore. It was such a relief when I landed in Detroit. So much space here.?
After four years in Troy, Kim was assigned to the Goodrich United Methodist Church.
‘I requested to serve all cultures’not just in the Korean church. There should be no lines dividing us,? he said. ‘That should not be a problem and while a little nervous, I’m ready to start here in Goodrich.?