김한요 목사
지난 주일, 본당에서 추수감사 주일예배를 드리고 있는데 한 연로하신 은퇴 목사님과 사모님이 예배당 안으로 들어오셨습니다. 예배당 문은 굳게 닫혀있고 교회 마당에서 닫힌 예배당 안을 문 틈으로 들여다보시며, 어쩔 줄 몰라하시는 것을 부목사님이 보시고 예배당 뒷자리로 모셨습니다. 예배 후 안부를 여쭈었더니 지난 9개월간 교회에 오지 못하고 아무런 소식도 듣지 못하고 있다가 추수감사 주일에는 무조건 예배당에 가서 예배를 드려야겠다고 교회에 왔는데, 드디어 이렇게 예배를 드리게 되니 너무나 감격스러워 예배드리는 내내 눈물을 닦고 계셨다고 합니다. 수고하시는 분들 드시라며 빵 한 보따리를 건네주시는데, 가슴이 뭉클해서 저희도 눈시울이 뜨거워졌습니다.
인터넷, 온라인, 줌 미팅, 베델 카톡 채널. 이런 단어들이 여전히 낯선 어르신들이 참 많은 가운데 교회에서 최선을 다해도 네트워크에서 벗어나는 사각지대의 성도들이 있다는 것을 알게 되면서 좀 더 눈높이를 그분들에게 맞춰서 교회소식을 전하여, 모든 성도들이 사역의 혜택을 누리도록 노력해야겠다는 생각이 들었습니다. 복음은 전해져야 하고, 그리고 들어야 복음입니다. 로마서의 말씀처럼, “그런즉 저희가 믿지 아니하는 이를 어찌 부르리요 듣지도 못한 이를 어찌 믿으리요 전파하는 자가 없이 어찌 들으리요 보내심을 받지 아니하였으면 어찌 전파하리요 기록된 바 아름답도다 좋은 소식을 전하는 자들의 발이여 함과 같으니라” (롬 10:14-15)
코로나 확진자 수가 1,300만을 육박하고 미국은 매일 10만 명이 훨씬 넘는 숫자가 확진자가 되고 있는 이때, 백신이 나왔다는 소식은 복음과 같습니다. 그러나, 이 소식을 전하는 자가 없어서 이 소식을 듣지 못한다면, 사람들은 코로나 바이러스에 속절없이 당할 수밖에 없습니다. 코로나는 어쩌면 복음의 네트워크에서 벗어난 복음의 사각지대에 있는 나라와 민족을 보는 기회일지 모릅니다. 사랑하는 성도 여러분, 팬데믹 상황에서 팬복음의 확산을 위해 기도하십시다.
Pandemic, Pan-gospel
Rev. Bryan Kim
Director Redfield of Center for Disease Control announced that Coronavirus vaccine will be released starting mid-December. Once released, they will begin administering to people in nursing homes and those that are vulnerable. By next June, most people in need of vaccine would have been vaccinated. I am anticipating that we will have white Christmas next year without worries of Coronavirus. We will be able to gather to eat and sing “Silent Night, Holy Night” in the sanctuary and worship. This is truly a good news. No matter how uncomfortable, everyone must wear mask and keep etiquette. It’s very awkward and even sad that we can’t hug when seeing those we missed. The news of vaccine is definitely good news.
As we were having Thanksgiving service and broadcast in real time last Sunday, one retired pastor couple came to the sanctuary. Sanctuary doors were locked but seeing them looking in with frustration, one of the assistant pastors let them in to the back of sanctuary. After worship, when asked how they were doing, for 9 months they couldn’t come to church or hear any news from church. They decided that they would come regardless to worship on Thanksgiving Sunday. They were so moved by being able to worship this way that they couldn’t keep from wiping off tears from their eyes. They brought a bag full of pastries for those working hard. My heart warmed with tears.
There are many elderlies who are not familiar with words like internet, online, Zoom meeting, and Bethel Kakao Talk channel. We have done all we can from church side to reach out to our congregation. There are still people who are outside the networking areas. Realizing this, I think we must put more effort into matching the level of communication so that every congregant can enjoy the benefits. Gospel must be preached and heard to be a good news. As stated in Romans, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Ro 10:14-15)
U.S. has reached Coronavirus infections to 13 million people and daily infections are over 100,000. Hearing the news of vaccine at a time like this feels like gospel. However, if there’s no one to deliver the message and no one to hear the news, then we will be defeated by Coronavirus without any help. Perhaps, Coronavirus makes an opportunity for us to look to unreached nations and people. Dear beloved, in this pandemic, let’s pray for spread of pan-gospel.