Pastor:   Rev. Maria Kim

 

Greetings in Christ!

It is my great pleasure to join you on this journey as your pastor and to be a part of your faith community.

 

I’d like to share a bit about my ministry and faith journey with you. I am a Methodist pastor with 25 years of ministry experience. I moved to Seattle, WA in 2017 from South Korea, my home country. This was my second move to the U.S.; my first was to Washington D.C. in 1997 to study at Wesley Theological Seminary. Both David, my husband studied there. I earned my M.Div. degree, graduating Cum Laude.

 

Then, we moved to North Dakota to begin our first cross-cultural ministries. I served two United Methodist churches and one PC USA church as a senior pastor, while David served his own two Methodist churches. Our family of three, including our 4-year-old daughter, were the only Asians in town. You might know about North Dakota—it’s predominantly Caucasian, especially in rural areas, because people there often say, “it’s just too cold for other races.” In my congregations and their towns, I met many proud Norwegians and Swedish folks who cherished their cultural backgrounds. I found, and still believe, that the people in the Dakotas are the most loving and caring in America. There is something special about them that I can’t quite explain.

 

“Pastor Maria, you are the first female pastor in our 150-year church history,” one of my parishioners said during our first meeting. Being conservative farmers, they didn’t initially know how to deal with a young female pastor from a different cultural background. However, as time passed, they showed me genuine love from their hearts, even if they might not have realized it. If someone asked me why I returned to America for another cross-cultural ministry, I would answer, “Because my wonderful first parishioners shaped me as a pastor.”

 

As a beneficiary of mission work myself, I am a pastor who witnesses the power of the gospel, growing and nurturing faith communities that rejoice in what God has accomplished through Jesus on the cross.

 

I have so much to share with you about myself, my calling, and the cultures and faith traditions of my home country. I also want to hear from you. I am eager to listen to your stories, both as individuals and as a church. Again, it is a great honor to serve you and worship God together.

 

“I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done” (Psalms 9:1).

 

Thank you again for all your prayers for me and my family. I look forward to worshiping God together.

In Christ,

Pastor Maria

Marilyn Ressman Office Administrator

Ioulia Ionina, organist, pianist
Loree Simuncak Associate Organist & Children’s Music Director
Loree Simuncak Bell Choir Director
Martin Mahn: Custodian