The Hope of the Lord Church, pioneered and led by Pastor Soomang Joo (Scott), dedicated their opening worship at the Sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto (June 5, 2011). During our seminary education, Pastor Scott was known as a faithful Christian who sought to abide with the Scripture. Other than that, he was a champion of Greek, captain of the soccer team, and a very hospitable man. Pastor Somang Joo and Mrs. Joo hosted unnumbered dinner and lunch for a number of seminary students. I was among those students who experienced the grace of God through Pastor Joo’s ‘on-campus ministry.’ I remembered that every fellowship we had together, there were always prayer and interesting conversations around theological study and the church at large.
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| Somang Scott Joo (with vest) in class: Pioneer and Pastor of the Hope of the Lord Church, Palo Alto, CA. |
Among the participants in the opening worship was Rev. Laurie Garrett-Cobbina who was Pastor Joo’s academic advisor at San Francisco Theological Seminary. In her greetings she mentioned about the Priestly Blessing in Numbers 6:24:
“The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
This blessing formula, which God himself gave as a blessing to the people of God, reminds me that all our ministries and services belong to God, and that it is God who has started the ministry of The Hope of the Lord Church, and he will also complete it.
The opening worship was attended by a Korean missionary in Africa who delivered a sermon in Korean, some fellow Korean ministers, guess from local congregations and seminary community. In our conversation after the reception of delicious Korean food prepared by the congregation, I felt the spirit of gratitude for what God is doing through Pastor Joo.***
“The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
This blessing formula, which God himself gave as a blessing to the people of God, reminds me that all our ministries and services belong to God, and that it is God who has started the ministry of The Hope of the Lord Church, and he will also complete it.
The opening worship was attended by a Korean missionary in Africa who delivered a sermon in Korean, some fellow Korean ministers, guess from local congregations and seminary community. In our conversation after the reception of delicious Korean food prepared by the congregation, I felt the spirit of gratitude for what God is doing through Pastor Joo.***
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