Shalem Korea: Coming Home
by Carole Crumley
Sometimes we notice the movement of the Spirit by noticing something small, a little ripple in the waters of our daily lives. It is as if the Spirit were hovering and breathing. We can see the ripples, but nothing else.
This is what it felt like when Bishop Francis Park of South Korea and his staff came to Shalem in 2005. They were eager to talk with us about ways of furthering contemplative prayer, living and leadership for the clergy and congregations in Korea. Would we help?
Yes, we answered, but how? What would be the best way?
Two things came to our minds—they could send participants to our programs to see if our ways of teaching would translate well into Korean culture and experience. We would stay open, continuing to pray for guidance.
Over the next two years we watched the first small ripples expand. Korean participants came to our programs and showed up unexpectedly in our lives in other ways. Then in 2008, the Korean graduates of our Clergy Spiritual Life and Leadership Program, encouraged and supported by Bishop Park, invited Tilden and me to come to Korea and lead a six- day workshop/retreat for an ecumenical group of clergy.
In preparation, they had researched every book on our reading list to find the ones translated into Korean. They were beginning to translate Tilden's book Living in the Presence. They had formed small groups for prayer and study, embarking on an ambitious exploration of The Cloud of Unknowing and Jerry May's The Awakened Heart. They were learning Taize chants so that their singing could move beyond denominational boundaries into music that would be known by all of them. Furthermore, those who had been in our programs would work with us as a leadership team.
After all that they had done, how could we say "no?" We felt compelled to go. Now Tilden and I have been twice. Both times, we worked with mostly the same group of ecumenical clergy and some laity, about fifty folks. Their dedicated prayer, soul-filled singing and eagerness to learn, have been inspiring and heart-strengthening. Frankly, I am humbled by their dedication and desire for God. In the flow of God's mercy and love, small ripples in the water have become a strong current of shared desire and trust.
I don't know why God has called Shalem to Korea, or more accurately given us to each other. Perhaps this is a new phase in Shalem's ministry, inviting us beyond our local, regional and national boundaries. I do know this—when we pray together, it feels like coming home.
To view a picture album of the South Korea trip, click here.