This Winter's Going to Be Warm
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December 06, 2009 |
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With the "Love-Kimchi Sharing," "Gathering Consecrated Rice," and "Collecting Rice from Senior Pastor's Hometown" project for the underprivileged raises the Church's Degree of Warmth This Winter.
In a warm temperature above zero, members of Women's Mission stuff cabbages with Kimchi sauce.
The 12th Love-Kimchi Sharing Event by the Women's Mission Distributed Kimchi to 850 Families This Year
The 12th Love-Kimchi Sharing event, under the auspice of the United Women's Mission (President: Senior Deaconess Hyunsook Cho) was held at the church back yard from November 23 to 24. The members of the Women's Mission and 600 volunteers made Kimjang Kimchi (Kimchi for the winter), and distributed them to 850 families including the needy members of the church, the District-run Career Center for the Challenged located at Onsu-dong, Guro-gu and poor neighbors in Shindaebang-2dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul.
Senior Deaconess Hasun Kwon, who led this event said, "The Senior Pastor prayed for good weather, and he prayed that we would be able to buy materials at a good price and that all the participants would stay healthy. Just as he prayed, the weather was nice, and we were able to purchase the best-quality materials at a good price. We hope that the Kimchi we made will warm the hearts of those who eat them.
The Kimjang Kimchi was packed into 15kg-boxes and were delivered to members beginning at Shindaebang-2dong at 4:30 p.m. on the 24th, and then sent to the Career Center for the Challenged and many other needy families on the 25th. Ms. Junghee Ahn, President of the Saemaeul Women's Meeting, said, "We appreciate the dedication of Manmin Central Church toward the needy people in our district. We will do our best to distribute their expression of love to all the neighbors."
 
Love-Kimchi was delivered to poor neighbors in Shindaebang-2dong and District-run Career Center for the Challenged.
The Love-Kimchi Sharing event began in 1998 after the Korean financial crisis to share the Lord's love by taking care of members living alone, children without parents, and the elderly who don't have families.
 Consecrated Rice Is Used for the Kingdom of God
Consecrated rice is gathered by church members from their homes. Before each meal, families prayerfully set apart one spoonful of rice per each family member to offer to the church. This is one of the special offerings we can offer up to God with our hearts. So God accepts it like any other monetary offerings we make.
Every Sunday, members of the Consecrated Rice Committee of the Worship Department become very busy from about 10 a.m. They check the barrel designated for the consecrated rice, located between the main sanctuary and the second sanctuary, and they prepare the list of the names of the offerers. And then they welcome the members. Many of those who offer the consecrated rice are people who are grateful for God's grace and people who want to participate in charity.
Before Sunday morning service, members offering rice come from all over to make their offerings. From the elderly to the youth, members pour out the rice they thoughtfully prepared into the consecrated rice barrel. Before long, the barrel becomes filled. This year, the amount of rice gathered every month was an average of over 500kg.
Dr. Jaerock Lee said, "Nowadays, we don't realize how precious rice is, but in the past, this was a very important form of offering." And he added, "God joyfully receives the consecrated rice when it is offered from our hearts; even though we can't afford to make monetary offerings."
The consecrated rice is used according to the church's regulations for serving the Lord's servants and the kingdom of God. It is also donated for underprivileged members and neighbors.
Purchasing Rice Produced in Senior Pastor's Hometown Helps Needy Members
Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee's practice of love toward his hometown is also heart-warming. As one of the efforts to help his hometown, every month beginning 2003, Dr. Jaerock Lee has been buying 250 sacks of 20kg of rice produced in Nam-myeon, Jangseong-gun, Jeonnam Province, where he spent his childhood. This rice is donated to the needy members of the church. He also donates the development fund to the Bunhyang Elementary School in Jangseong. Mr. Sooyoung Kim, the head of Nam Myeon said, "We are grateful for Senior Pastor's concern and love for our town. We are very happy that we can deepen our relationship with Manmin Central Church through this precious event."
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