A house RESOLUTION

 

to CELEBRATE THE JOYOUS OCCASION OF THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE Korean Community Presbyterian Church in Columbia AND TO CONGRATULATE AND HONOR Pastor Kim Jong-Hyun AND THE CONGREGATION FOR THEIR YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE Korean community in the Midlands.

 

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that the Korean Community Presbyterian Church (KCPC) of Columbia will hold a celebration of its fiftieth anniversary on July 20, 2025; and

 

Whereas, led by Elders Cho Ui-hyeok and Choi Young-ho, the church was founded by twenty people at the Campus Presbyterian Church Student Center on Green Street at the University of South Carolina. Reverend Kim Soon-kwon served as a temporary preacher, and late in 1975, the church began meeting at First Presbyterian Church on Marion Street in Columbia; and

 

Whereas, KCPC was founded to show God's grace and love toward the world, which was displayed by sending His Son Jesus Christ through His earthly ministry, death on the cross, and resurrection. The church exists to proclaim the good news of His love to all people in Jesus Christ, with the power and help of the Holy Spirit and the provision of God's grace through baptism and the Lord's Supper; and

 

Whereas, KCPC serves the local Korean community, functioning as a spiritual and cultural hub, offering services in Korean and English, and hosting events like the South Carolina Korean Festival, first held at the church location in 2005; and

 

Whereas, the church was registered with the state government as a nonprofit organization as the Korean Community Church in 1976, and in 1977, Pastor Kim Seon-bae was inaugurated and served until 1981. In 1978, the church joined the Presbyterian Church USA Konggari Presbytery and was renamed the Columbia Korean United Presbyterian Church (KCPC) and was organized as a church. Late in 1979, Wednesday services were begun; and

 

Whereas, in 1980, KCPC acquired an American church and relocated to Richland Street and opened a Korean school. That year a women's missionary society was organized, and the education center was remodeled. In 1981, the Young Adults' Association donated a van to the church; and

 

Whereas, the church opened an infirmary with doctors and nurses from this church in 1982, and an Andre Society (American) was organized the following year. On March 11, 1984, an inaugural service for the Sumter Korean-American Presbyterian Church was held, and later that year, the publication of Nagne magazine commemorated the ninth anniversary of the founding of the church. In 1987, the Korean Service Society was opened as an affiliate to the church; and

 

Whereas, the current minister, Pastor Kim Jong-Hyun earned a Master of Divinity from Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Duke Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary. He learned and served as a pastor at Dongan Church, Noeunwi Sungeui Church, Raleigh Presbyterian Church, Hanwit Sarang Church, and Grace Church. He was assigned to serve as pastor of KCPC in Columbia in March of 2022; and

 

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives commends the Korean Community Presbyterian Church in Columbia for a half century of ministry in and service to the community, and the members extend warmest congratulations on the occasion of the church's historic anniversary. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

 

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, celebrate the joyous occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Korean Community Presbyterian Church in Columbia and congratulate and honor Pastor Kim Jong-Hyun and the congregation for their years of dedicated service to the Korean community in the Midlands.

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