New pastor reaches out, open to many possibilities

A city Presbyterian church is set to install a new pastor who says he has respect for traditional worship services but also wants to explore new ways to reach out to young families.

"Just call me Sam," said the Rev. Awun "Sam" Hwang, 38, with a grin as he settled into what is scheduled to become his office on the second floor of First Presbyterian Church, 102 S. Third St., across from the Susquehanna Trailways Bus Terminal.

Hwang doesn't become officially installed as full-time minister until a 4 p.m. ceremony May 31 at the church.

Recently he spoke about growing up in Seoul, South Korea, and Taiwan, immigrating here with his parents and having his father, Eui-Chun Hwang, serve as pastor of the Korean Presbyterian Church of Trenton, N.J.

Hwang moved to this city in April, from Buffalo, N.Y. He brought with him his wife, Eunsong Park, and 18-month-old son, Justus. The city landscape is astounding, he said.

"I love the city is surrounded by mountains," he said.

"I realize the congregation is older. I'd say a lot of people are between 50 and 80 years of age or older. I am grateful for the opportunity to preach to these saints, but I also want the church to expand its reach in the community. It's a caring congregation, but it would like to extend that care to newcomers and those in need," he added.

The church offers a traditional worship service, singing of hymns, reading of the scripture's various texts from the Old and New Testaments.

"I want that to continue, but I want to open up the church to younger people who may not have been exposed to these traditional forms of worship. We are at a crossroads," he said. "We need to be relevant to people who don't have connection to denominations or structures."

Hwang said he will not disregard the reform tradition in terms of theology but wants to be relevant.

"I hold respect for the traditional worship without being fixed in traditionalism," he said. "My challenge is to package that concept and convey the essence and substance of it for those who long for meaning and guidance in their lives."

Challenge for Christians today

To Hwang, the reform and tradition of the Presbyterian church and its fundamental belief in the scripture and divinity of God the father and Christ His son, along with the examples of strong faith of the saints who belong to the congregation, best define what Christian life is.

Still, he sees disturbing trends among some Christians.

"The popular trend today for many Christians is to utilize our faith in God for self-seeking and self-serving purposes," Hwang said. "The scripture calls for us to go beyond the narcissistic faith. We need to open our eyes and ears to the needs in our local community and beyond."

Born in Seoul in 1971, Hwang moved with his father to Taiwan at age 9 and to the U.S. when he was 12. He was educated at Wheaton College in Illinois, Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey and is a student at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. He is about halfway through the Doctor of Ministry program. The New York-based school is the same college where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. studied.

His wife is a social worker with a master's degree from the University of Texas, Austin. She previously worked for Catholic Charities in Buffalo, N.Y.

Hwang said he was honored to become pastor after filling out a personal information form that was sent to Presbyterian churches looking for pastors. The form went out on the Internet and he was contacted about the need. Hwang said he already preached to the congregation three times before he finalized the relationship. The previous pastor was the Rev. Judy Stanley.

The installation event is for the congregation as well as for the Presbytery of Northumberland and is open to the public.

"I am here to serve the Greater Williamsport community," he said. "I am here to reaffirm my call to ministry and be a helpful leader of the church who will hopefully guide and direct those who attend or visit.

"For those who long for a caring community church, our doors are open."

Church worship service traditionally is held at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, but in the summer the service is at 10 a.m. For more information, visit the church Web site, www.1presby.net.