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- Stephen Jang reviews the worksheet.
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- Relationships and resources are both important.
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- Jaeyeal Kim, with his son Joshua, participate in Bible study at Zion Lutheran Church in Ridgefield, N.J.
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- At the end of the Bible study, everyone prays a sentence or two in English.
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- June Jin (left) and Eunyoung Kim participate in Bible study.
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- Stephen Jang proves that study is also filled with joy and laughter.
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- The Sunday Gospel text is also used during the study.
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- Janet Blair is pastor of Zion and mission director of Morning Star.
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- Eunyoung Kim (left) and Chun Hee Kim read together.
A steady influx of immigrants in recent decades has paved the way for the first and second generation of Koreans to settle in northern New Jersey. In some cities, Koreans and Korean Americans comprise 60 percent or more of the population, making it possible for them to socialize, work, attend church and shop in a completely Korean world. They can easily get by without learning English or interacting with Americans – until they need to communicate with hospital workers, police, their children’s teachers or social service workers, although interpreters are sometimes available. Zion Lutheran Church in Ridgefield, N.J., saw a need for English as a second language classes and began a ministry called Morning Star. While the original goal may have been to help immigrants with English, the mission morphed into one of mutual sharing and mutual learning.
Photos for this blog (taken by Krista Kennel) were taken for a story that appeared in the May 2015 issue of The Lutheran magazine.
