Episcopal Asiamericans begin meeting in Seoul, South Korea

Participants will help celebrate 125th anniversary of Anglican Church of Korea

Posted Sep 29, 2015
Most of sessions of the Sept. 30-Oct.1 Episcopal Asiamerican Ministries International Consultation will take place at the at the Anglican Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Nicholas in downtown Seoul.

Most of sessions of the Sept. 30-Oct.1 Episcopal Asiamerican Ministries International Consultation will take place at the Anglican Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Nicholas in downtown Seoul.

[Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries press release] The Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries, with sponsorship and support from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, will hold its International Consultation on Sept. 30–Oct. 5 in Seoul, South Korea with the theme “Celebrating our Partnerships; Uniting our Mission.”

The venue selected is the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Nicholas in downtown Seoul.

According to the Rev. Bayani Rico, president of the EAM Council, the choice for a Korean venue is in response to the invitation from the Most Rev. Paul Kim, primate and archbishop of the Anglican Church in Korea to join in celebration of its 125th foundation anniversary.

“I am so excited about this consultation in Korea and it would not have been possible without the support from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society,” Rico said.

(The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society is the legal and canonical name under which The Episcopal Church is incorporated, conducts business and carries out mission.)

The Rev. Dr. Winfred Vergara, missioner for Asiamerica Ministries for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, who serves as coordinator for the consultation, said that the gathering shows a deeper partnership between the EAM Council as a 501c organization and the Society.

“Over the years, both the EAM Council and the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society have engaged in holding conferences including Asia-America Theological Exchanges with the churches in Asia and this consultation in Korea would highlight this growing partnership and collaboration,“ Vergara added.

The Anglican Church in Korea was established Sept. 29, 1890 with the arrival of Anglican Bishop Charles John Corfe as the first diocesan bishop of Seoul. It has grown to over 65,000 members in 120 parishes and missions.

Keynote speakers at the EAM Consultation include the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (USA); the Most Rev. Nathaniel Uematsu, primate and archbishop of Nippon Sei Kokai (Japan); the Rt. Rev. Allen Shin, bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of New York; and the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Yang, former president of the Sungkonghoe University in Seoul.

The Rt. Rev. Stacy Sauls, chief operating officer of The Episcopal Church, will also present the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society initiatives on ministry partnerships between America and Asia highlighting specific projects.

Workshop topics such as church planting, healing ministry, social ministries, racial reconciliation, stewardship, youth and young adults ministries and highlights of the Episcopal Church’s General Convention will also be presented by leaders from both the United States and Asia.

The EAM is a culturally diverse association comprising of Asian Americans from Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Southeast Asian and South Asian convocations. It is a U.S.-based ministry association that serves the U.S. born Asians and Asian immigrants and relates to churches in Asia especially belonging to the Anglican Communion.

Some 200 participants from North America are expected to join the EAM Consultation and the 125th anniversary celebration is also expected to draw thousands of people both in Korea and around the world.

EAM last held a consultation in June 2013. Episcopal News Service coverage of that gathering is here.


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