Key points:
- Founded in 2017, CRCC Madang emerged from a recognized need to support pastors navigating the complexities of cross-racial/cross-cultural appointments.
- CRCC Madang has grown into a vital support network for Korean American clergy in cross-cultural ministry — contexts often marked by isolation, cultural barriers and high expectations.
- The program’s goal is to graduate 150 leaders over the next decade.
Korean American United Methodist pastors in cross-cultural and cross-racial appointments will soon have a renewed opportunity for connection, learning and spiritual growth, as the CRCC Madang program celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Founded in 2017 by the Rev. Grace Pak, a former president of the National Association of Korean American United Methodist Pastors Serving in Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural Appointments, CRCC Madang emerged from a recognized need to support pastors navigating the complexities of these appointments.
“There were no learning opportunities for the CRCC community, even though there were many leaders with gifts and talents in ministry,” Pak said.
Seeing that need, she developed CRCC Madang as a program to cultivate a new generation of Korean American United Methodist pastors serving in cross-cultural settings. In partnership with the National Association of Korean American Women Clergy, the program was piloted in 2015 and officially launched two years later.
The Rev. Paul H. Chang, executive director of the Korean Ministry Plan, said 570 Korean pastors were serving in cross-cultural appointments as of 2024. That’s more than half of the approximately 850 Korean American pastors in United Methodist churches and extension ministries.
The Rev. Hannah Ka, one of the program’s organizers, said this year’s gathering will serve as both a milestone celebration and an expansion of the program’s original vision — welcoming new participants while inviting alumni back for a reunion.
“CRCC Madang is more than just a program; it is a peer-designed experience created to support you,” the Rev. Yo Han Han wrote in a recent invitation to colleagues.
The 2026 Madang begins with an in-person retreat July 27-31 in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, followed by biweekly online sessions from September through January 2027. The program is structured as a six-month formation process integrating spiritual renewal, practical training and peer learning.
Over the past decade, CRCC Madang has grown into a vital support network for Korean American clergy in cross-cultural ministry — contexts often marked by isolation, cultural barriers and high expectations.
Retired United Methodist Bishop Jeremiah Park, who serves as chair of the Madang board, described the program as an essential expression of the denomination’s connectional strength.
“One of the greatest strengths of The United Methodist Church is its connectional resources,” Park said. “Madang serves as an oasis — a place of spiritual, emotional and practical renewal — where pastors can learn and grow together.”
Park noted that cross-cultural ministry presents “unique and demanding challenges,” especially in its early stages. How clergy respond during those formative years, he said, can shape the trajectory of their entire ministry.
“Madang becomes a bridge, connecting pastors as partners in ministry and mission,” he said. “Through these relationships, they gain essential resources and lasting support for a healthy and fruitful journey.”
Participants say the program offers more than professional development; it also clarifies pastoral identity within diverse contexts.
The Rev. Moon Young Kong, a recent participant, described the experience as transformative.
“The most valuable lesson I gained was a clear understanding of the biblical identity of CRCC ministry,” Kong said. “It gave me confidence and helped establish my pastoral identity more deeply.”
Kong added that the program provides a rare space for clergy to share real-world challenges — not as isolated struggles, but as shared experiences within a supportive community.
“Through honest conversations, case studies and pastoral care, we experienced deep mutual understanding,” Kong said. “It was truly a community where love is lived out.”
Han, a 2024 Madang graduate, also reflected that the program “became a healing space after my mother’s passing. It’s where we lay down our burdens and reignite our hope for ministry.”
The 2026 cohort will be limited to 15 participants, selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must have at least two years of experience in a cross-racial/cross-cultural appointment and submit a recommendation letter from their district superintendent.
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Participants will receive continuing education credits — two for the in-person retreat and three more for completing at least 70% of the online sessions.
The retreat will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church in Mullica Hill and registration is $500, with partial scholarships offered. Alumni attending the reunion will pay a reduced fee. The registration deadline is May 31.
As communities become increasingly diverse, Madang’s mission is gaining renewed urgency. Park framed the program as a response to a world often marked by division.
“Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth,” he said, quoting Mahatma Gandhi. “In a world filled with division, hatred and exclusion, we are called to embody a beloved community.”
Park added that cross-cultural ministry stands at the forefront of this calling, particularly as the number of Korean American pastors serving in such appointments continues to grow.
With a vision to graduate 150 leaders over a decade, CRCC Madang continues to nurture a generation of pastors equipped to transform both church and society.
“Madang is not just a learning space,” Kong said. “It is a place that renews calling, strengthens identity and builds healthier ministry for the whole community.”
Kim is director of Korean and Asian news at United Methodist Communications. Contact him at 615-742-5470 or [email protected]. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.
