CHURCH/ECCLESIASTICAL ENGAGEMENT: 

After working in the church thirty hours a week during my last two years of seminary (at Community Presbyterian Church, and at Logos Korean Presbyterian Church, both in Mt. Prospect, Illinois), I was ordained as a Minister of the Word in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. (1987).  Since then, I have worked with refugees in Germany, have worked in a homeless shelter in Connecticut, and have also been active in filling pulpits, teaching adult education, leading seminars for both clergy and laypeople, and maintaining active relations with the church.  During August 1990, I also served as a consultant on campus ministry and evangelism at Illinois Benedictine College (Lisle, Illinois).  I have served on the Committee on Ministry (COM) of the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia and from 1995-2005 I was the Parish Associate Minister at Second Presbyterian Church, Norfolk, VA.  During Summer 2000, I was interim head of staff at 2nd Presbyterian while the senior pastor was on sabbatical.  I serve actively on church and presbytery committees (currently on the Campus Evangelism Committee), and have numerous speaking engagements each year.

In June 2006 I was chosen to represent the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia at the week-long Presbyterian (PCUSA) General Assembly meeting in Birmingham, Alabama.

Currently I serve as Pastor at Squires Memorial Presbyterian Church, Norfolk (since Dec. 2005).  That church is a small community whose primary pastoral needs are in preaching and leadership.  I preach each week, lead session meetings, teach regularly, and make some visitations.  This has been a wonderful experience. Preaching is personal.  Preaching to a small congregation—generally 45-50—means that I cannot hide behind a text or a pulpit.  My teaching has benefited so much—and I think has become increasingly personal—through this experience.