11/23/25 "Welcome to your Home Church"

   Dear friends in Christ,  Grace and peace to you. It is a joy and a blessing to welcome you to LA Gospel United Methodist Church. Many of you may be here today because your parents or grandparents attend this church. Some of you may have visited a few times before, and some may be joining us for the very first time. Wherever you are coming from, I welcome you in the name of the Lord.

  Our church is a community that longs for God’s grace. The grace of God shows no favoritism and draws no boundary lines. Because of that, this church is open to everyone—fully, sincerely, and joyfully.  The first generation of Korean Americans, including many of your parents and grandparents, began their lives in the United States as immigrants. They worked tirelessly. They loved their children with deep devotion and supported them with everything they had. They struggled with language barriers and often faced unfair challenges. Even so, they embraced new opportunities and new hope in this country. Like Abraham and Moses, who walked through the wilderness by faith, they endured, they succeeded, they shared, and they served.

   Our church is built upon the prayers and tears of those faithful people. From Tuesday through Saturday, I lead early morning prayer here. As we pray together, I often hear prayers not for themselves but for their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Those prayers warm my heart and move me deeply. I truly believe that your presence here today is part of God’s answer to those prayers.

   Please know that this church’s doors are always open. Whenever you visit, you will be welcomed with joy. Today is Thanksgiving Sunday, a day to reflect on gratitude. And when we look around—beside us, behind us, and before us—there are so many reasons to give thanks. The brothers and sisters of faith sitting around you are part of your spiritual family. My hope is that this place will feel like your spiritual home—a home of faith, heritage, and belonging.

   May this Thanksgiving be a blessed time when we rediscover gratitude, embrace one another with encouragement and love, and remember that whenever we meet again—whether soon or later—we will greet each other like friends who saw one another just yesterday, like family deeply connected by grace. 

   May God’s abundant blessings be with you and your families. In Christ’s love,

Rev. Hongyun Won (LA Gospel United Methodist Church)