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In Korea, Honoring a Century of Missionary Collaboration
United Women in Faith and Korea United Methodist Church Foundations Celebrate 100th Anniversary.
by Sung-ok Lee
Leaders of the United Women in Faith National Office joined the Korea United Methodist Church Foundations as they celebrated their 100th anniversary with a thanksgiving service and Centennial Celebration on June 30, 2025, at Ewha Womans University’s Lee Sam Bong Hall in Seoul. The gathering honored a century of missionary collaboration between Korea and the United States, reaffirming a shared commitment to future missions.
United Women in Faith’s General Secretary/CEO Sally Vonner, National President Jana Jones, and Connectional Officer Sung-ok Lee participated in the service and celebration of the remarkable journey of Methodist missions in Korea, initiated in 1883 through Lucille B. Baldwin’s missionary donation and the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society’s sending of Mary F. Scranton to Korea. They helped celebrate the centennial legacy of the three endowment foundations (American Methodist Korean Women’s Mission Foundation, the United Methodist World Mission-Korea Foundation, and the Southern Methodist Church in Korea Foundation) that have continued since 1924, and reaffirmed the commitment to future missions.
“Women missionaries, more than 420 of them, not only used mission funds efficiently but also sacrificed part of their own salaries and reached out to other women in the Church to support girls’ schools, women’s social centers, and women’s hospitals in their mission fields. They even contributed to church construction when needed,” Vonner emphasized in her congratulatory speech to the gathering. She said, “I trust that these three foundations will carry forward the legacy of dedication and love left by the missionaries.”
Welcoming Address
The service commenced with a welcoming address by Scranton Women’s Leadership Center’s Executive Director Heasun Kim, followed by the congregation singing the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” expressing gratitude for God’s unwavering grace. A special performance titled “Fullness” by the Korean Women’s Society of Christian Service conference leaders added heartwarming emotion to the gathering.
Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, secretary-general of the United Methodist Church Council of Bishops, delivered a sermon reflecting on the mission journey of the three foundations, emphasizing truth, love, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The celebratory event included the screening of a video chronicling the 100-year history of the foundations. In her commemorative address, the board chair of Scranton Center, Jung-Hae Park, emphasized, “The past century has been a noble journey shaped by God’s providence and grace, along with the dedication of missionaries and Korean leaders.” She reaffirmed that the mission of the women’s foundation is to faithfully pass on this legacy of faith to the next generation.
The event was made memorable with congratulatory speeches from prominent figures, including Sally Vonner, general secretary/CEO of United Women in Faith; Ewha Womans University President Hyang-Sook Lee, and Women’s Society of Christian Service National President Jung-Sook Lee. The heartfelt praise and choreographed dance by young women symbolized the future of Methodist mission, creating a moving scenery. All in attendance shared in fellowship over a catered dinner.
The 100th anniversary celebration was more than a commemoration of the past; it was a declaration of faith, stepping into a new century directed toward God’s Kin-dom. United Women in Faith National President Jana Jones shared her heartfelt affirmation that “this Centennial gathering is a re-commitment to nurturing and equipping women leaders and fulfilling God’s will through a new era in mission.”
Sung-ok Lee is the connectional officer at United Women in Faith and is responsible for developing and strengthening United Women in Faith’s relationships with U.S. and international partners.
