Others frequently ask Pastor Seung Jin Hong, "Where did you come from?" He responds, "I am the pastor of the United Methodist Korean Church of Astoria, where I have been serving since July 1st, 2024."

"No, I'm asking, where did you come from?" people ask him again. The pastor then realizes and says, "Oh! I am from New York. Before being appointed here, I served at Grahamsville & Sundown & Mongaup Valley United Methodist Church. Previously, I was the Youth and EM Pastor at Great Neck United Methodist Church. Before that, I was a student at Drew University Seminary School in New Jersey, where I received my Master's Degree in Divinity."

People then ask again, "No, where is your original home?" The pastor is perplexed because he has no original home. His father was a South Korean Navy chaplain, so his family had to move every three or four years. Therefore, as a child of God, Pastor Seung Jin moved frequently and had no "hometown."

Even today, he lives in the church's parsonage, which is right next to the church building. Indeed, he has been "homeless person" for many years in our culture's eyes. Despite not having a house of his own, he is happy to be a servant of God for the rest of his life. God provides for all his needs.

First, God blessed him with a spiritual mentor father, a loving mother, and two older sisters who trained him well through many years of disagreements and arguments about the faith journey.

Second, God gave him the courage and strength of heart to serve in the Korean Marine Corps for two years. That was the beginning of his true ministry life. (If you want to hear more about his calling story, feel free to contact him.)

Third, by God's grace, he was able to meet and marry a lovely woman in 2018. They have an adorable almost 4-year-old baby boy who can be compared to a Category 5 hurricane due to the disaster he causes when he passes by.

Finally, because he was called by God to be a servant to all, as Jesus did for us, he was able to study without financial burden for more than 35 years by God's grace. He fully acknowledges the privilege was not for himself, but to share the knowledge and wisdom with others in the love of Christ.

Rev. Seung Jin Hong is an outgoing individual who enjoys meeting new people and visiting new places. He enjoys playing games, watching movies, and reading books in his spare time. (No, pastors don't just pray and read the Bible for fun; they also do other things.) He enjoys pizza, burgers, and, of course, McDonald's French fries. He drinks espresso coffee like it's daily legal medicine.

Please feel free to contact him at any time if you need to talk. He especially likes to talk to people who are interested in God, religion, and philosophical questions like where we came from, where we are now, where we need to go, and what life and death are all about.

AstoriaKUMC@gmail.com

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Church # 718-626-1278