NEW DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS ANNOUNCED
January 11, 2010
Bishop Peter D. Weaver has announced that he will appoint The Reverend Seok-Hwan Hong as District Superintendent for the Rhode Island/Southeastern Massachusetts District (RISEM), effective July 1, 2010.
Rev. Seok-Hwan Hong will succeed The Rev. Gary Shaw, who has served as District Superintendent for the past eight years, the maximum term that a Superintendent may serve in that role according to the United Methodist Book of Discipline. “Gary Shaw has served both the former Southern Maine District and the Rhode Island/Southeastern Massachusetts District with outstanding creativity, energy, and wisdom. We have all been blessed by his great leadership during these past eight years of his superintending ministry,” said Bishop Weaver.
Rev. Seok-Hwan Hong has been serving in pastoral ministry for 21 years, and has served as pastor of the North Boston Korean United Methodist Church in North Andover , MA for 8 years. He previously served Rainbow UMC in Portland , ME and Korean Beacon UMC in Cambridge , MA . He has also served on the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the Asian Commission, and was the chairperson of the Korean Caucus.
“The Rev. Dr. Seok-Hwan Hong has an outstanding record of spiritual and transformational leadership in both Anglo and Korean congregations,” Bishop Weaver stated. “His deep commitment to mission has led the North Boston Korean UMC to innovative and inclusive ministries with Cambodians, adopted Korean children in Anglo families, and the Maine Economic Ministry along with raising their mission share contributions from a low of 35% to 100%. With the prayerful development of an excellent long range plan, Rev. Hong has helped the congregation grow spiritually and numerically (40 new members in 2008). I am grateful to the RISEM District Committee on the Superintendency for their excellent help in this process and to Rev. Hong for his dedication to serve Christ and His church in this new ministry.”
The new appointment will become effective July 1, 2010.