Aspiring South Korean church leaders visit UPSem

Students from the Graduate School for Lay Leadership Education in Seoul, South Korea, paid a visit to the Richmond campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary to advance their gifts for leadership in the life of the Korean church.

In the first year of their two-year program, and as a complement to their studies in Korea, participating elders travel to the U.S. for a two-week experience that combines continuing education and cultural immersion. In the second year of their program, participants travel to the Holy Land.

Sharon Blount, center, wife of President Brian Blount, with members of the Korean Lay Leader Delegation. The finger positioning is of a heart, meaning “love.”

While these elders are on the UPSem campus, they are exposed to some foundational perspectives in Bible, theology, history, and church leadership from several different speakers. In chapel, they have offered special music in Korean. They also explore a few sites in Richmond, such as Richmond Hill and St. John’s Church, and visit Williamsburg and Jamestown. 

This is the Korean school’s sixth year partnering with UPSem and its 29th year in this type of program.

Korean elders participated in worship and sang a wonderful Korean hymn.

The visiting students refer to themselves as the 29th cohort, which they have placed on a long, horizontal banner that hangs in Paisley Hall while they are on campus.