Below is a letter from Rev. Young Bong Kim, Lead Pastor of Korean United Methodist Church of Koinonia (KUMC-K), to our congregation on their move from CUMC to Pender UMC.  Pastor Matthew Smith, as our Lead Pastor, replied to this letter, expressing our gratitude and offering our heartfelt well-wishes to their congregation.

To the sisters and brothers in Christ of Centreville UMC,

Greetings to you all! On behalf of all the members of the KUMC of Koinonia, I send our heartfelt greetings to all the staff and members of CUMC.

As you may have heard through Pastor Matthew Smith’s recent pastoral letter, KUMC of Koinonia will be relocating to Pender UMC beginning January 1, 2025. This decision weighs heavily on both me and all of our congregation, and we share in the sorrow of this change.

Since starting our spiritual journey here in 2010, we have been greatly blessed by CUMC staff and members for the past 14 years. You have shown us incredible kindness and generosity to us. There was a time when our church was struggling and close to closing its doors, but by God’s grace and your support, we have now grown into a vibrant congregation that is committed to advancing the Kingdom of God. All this has been possible because of your support and patience.

As we close our chapter here at CUMC, there are many people we would like to thank. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Rev. Alan Felumlee, who warmly welcomed us when we first knocked the door in 2010. We also want to express our deep thanks to Rev. William Montgomery who proactively supported our congregation to ensure we felt at home.

We are also deeply grateful to Mr. Leigh Westfall and Mr. Bob Kohari who faithfully served as the Chair of the Inter Congregational Committee. They helped us use the church facilities without issue. A special thanks to Ms. Cindy Osborn and Mr. Steve Shaiko, who have kindly assisted us in recent years. There are many more names we would like to mention, but space does not permit.

We also appreciate Pastor Matthew Smith’s kindness in blessing us for this decision and suggesting a farewell gathering of both congregations. However, due to the many year-end activities and the relocation preparations, we were unable to hold such a gathering. Instead, we offer this written message of gratitude.

Since Pastor Matthew Smith’s arrival, we have seen CUMC’s renewed vitality and growth. We pray that CUMC will continue to thrive and grow, dedicating itself to the service of God’s Kingdom. We, too, will continue our ministry with the same heart in our new location.

Once again, thank you for your warmth, kindness, and support. We feel truly blessed to leave with such wonderful memories, and we pray that we have left a good memory with you as well.

Thank you again and Merry Christmas!

Rev. Young Bong Kim