Dedication Service for Six Churches in Hwaseong, Icheon, Siheung, and Seoul Heavenly Barns Offered in Autumn

In autumn, the harvesting season, new temple dedication services were held at six churches in the metropolitan area on three Sabbaths. The dedication service was held at the Hyangnam Church and the Jangji Church in Hwaseong on September 3; and at the Majang Church and the Janghowon Church in Icheon on September 24 two days before the Feast of Trumpets; and at the Eunhaeng Church in Siheung and the Banghwa Church in Seoul on October 8 two days before the Feast of Tabernacles.

Heavenly Mother looked around each church before each worship service and repeatedly expressed gratitude to the members who had not spared efforts and prayer in unity for building the temples. She prayed for opening the door to preaching the gospel to fill the new temples with gospel fruits, and also prayed that all the members would receive God’s blessings by participating in the work of the Holy Spirit with untiring faith and fervor. Mother emphasized that the greatest love is to save dying souls, and instructed us that we should plant the hope for the kingdom of heaven in people with the heart of Father who came to the earth and sacrificed Himself for mankind who does not see even an inch ahead.

General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol prayed that the new temples would overflow with God’s grace and blessings, and inspired the members to have pride and a sense of duty, saying, “We are created by God who governs over the whole universe, and we are following the truth of salvation. The most meaningful work that God has allowed us to do is the work of saving souls.” In addition, he defined the church as space for carrying out the gospel mission and God’s will, and strongly emphasized, saying, “The Spirit and the Bride, the Saviors in this age, say to us ‘Receive the water of life.’ Let’s diligently preach the gospel of the new covenant with strong faith and fill the whole earth with joyful news of salvation” (Jer 31:31–33; Eze 3:17–18; Mt 28:18–20; Rev 22:17; Rev 14:1–5; Isa 33:20–21; Jer 4:5; Php 4:13; Mk 9:23).

The Hyangnam Church in Hwaseong

Hyangnam-eup in Hwaseong City is a region with continued population influx as the Hyangnam Pharmaceutical Industrial Complex was established, and it is lively because there are many people in their thirties and forties. The Hyangnam Church, located in Hyangnam 2 District, stands out with its impressive yellow appearance.

The members showed their determination, saying, “There are not only those who come from other cities to get a job, but also lots of foreign workers. We will share happiness and hope for heaven with them through Mother’s love.”

The Jangji Church in Hwaseong

Jangji Church in Dongtan 2 New Town is nearby Dongtan Lake Park, and it is contiguous to Gyeongbu expressway and Sudogwon Je2sunhwan Expressway; the area is convenient for transportation. The Church stands out for its three-dimensional beauty, and claims to be an “open church” by creating space for pedestrians in front of the building and arranging a rest zone for communication with citizens in the first floor.

The members practice the teachings of Christ through volunteer services for the local community by donating goods and urgently removing snow.

The Majang Church in Icheon

The Majang Church, which is established in housing development district in Majang-myeon, Icheon City, has one story below the ground and five stories above the ground, and behind the church flows the Bok Stream where egrets and teals stroll around. The terrace on the first floor faces the promenade, so it is easy to interact with neighbors.

During the harvest season, the members in Icheon have served the local residents by successfully holding events such as “Icheon Rice Cultural Festival,” “Icheon Ceramics Festival,” and “Helping Rural Workers.” In order to protect the ecological environment, they are constantly carrying out environmental cleanups for the streams and the city.

The Janghowon Church

Janghowon-eup in Icheon City is divided into the east and the west by the Cheongmicheon Stream, which flows the border between Gyeonggi Province and North Chungcheong Province.

The Janghowon Church is located next to Janghowon’s traditional market, which is famous for the gathering of merchants and specialties from the Provinces of Gyeonggi, North Chungcheong, and Gangwon. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the merchants had a hard time because customers and tourists less visited the market place. After the pandemic, however, the Church members regularly clean up the market surroundings as before, and share the love of Christ with residents.

The Eunhaeng Church in Siheung

Sihwa Industrial Complex, one of the three major small and medium-sized enterprises, is located in Siheung City. This city, which developed greatly due to the creation of industrial complexes in the 1980s, is going to take a leap forward once again as new towns have been built in Eunhaeng-dong and Baegot-dong and residential sites have been developed. The Eunhaeng Church has been built in Eunhaeng-dong nearby Eungye housing district.

Following Christ’s teaching, “Be the salt and light of the world,” the members clean up all parts of the city, including Siheung Tidal Valley Ecological Park, a representative tourist spot in the region, and regularly help underprivileged neighbors in cooperation with government offices. On vacation, the Church students clean the Pigeon Park, raising citizens’ environmental awareness.

The Banghwa Church in Seoul

Banghwa-dong in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, is located in the westernmost part of the capital city of Seoul. Since there are many transportation facilities such as Gimpo International Airport, subway lines 9 and 5, Airport Railroad, Gimpo Goldline, Banghwa Bridge, and Olympic-daero in Banghwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, it has served as a gateway to Seoul.

The Banghwa Church, which has four stories above the ground, is close to the recently established Magok District and Banghwa New Town. The members said, “There are not only Seoul natives but also many new neighbors who have moved to the nearby Magok District. We hope that our Church will become a focal point for new and old residents to live a harmonious life.”