Members of the Presbyterian Church of Korea kicked off their 10-day tour of Australia with a visit to the Centre for Theology and Ministry on 4 October.
The group of about 30, which includes PCK’s Moderator and General Secretary, is in Australia to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the first Australian Mission to Korea.
Pilgrim Head of College Rev Dr Sean Winter welcomed the group and highlighted how the Synod’s focus on intercultural and social justice matters informed the work of Pilgrim Theological College.
PCK Moderator Rev Taeyoung Kim said he was looking forward to worshipping with the Australian people.
“Australian culture is very affected by Christianity, people are very friendly and humble and they care for the environment,” he said.
Rev Kim was excited to discover his former teacher and Pilgrim’s first Korean PhD student, Rhee Tae Kin, had his 1978 PhD stored in the Dalton McCaughey Library.
“To be able to touch it gave me a special feeling,” he said. “It was very moving.”
As the group moved through the CTM building, it paused in the chapel to say a prayer for the ongoing growth of the relationship between the PCK and UCA.
In the past 130 years, about the same number of (mostly women) missionaries have travelled to South Korea to set up churches and hospitals, as well as educate women and assist the marginalised.
In the next week, the group will tour Melbourne and Sydney, meeting with UCA leaders, including Synod of Victoria and Tasmania Moderator Denise Liersch and National Assembly President Deidre Palmer.
The PCK is a partnership church of UnitingWorld, which is an international and development agency of the UCA.