Quilting is not for the faint of heart. It takes skill. It takes creativity. And it takes time.
So, imagine the surprise—and challenge—faced by the Comfort Quilters of Newark First United Methodist Church when Bishop Hee-Soo Jung asked if they could create a banner... in just a few weeks.
As part of his commitment to visiting every local church in the East and West Ohio Conferences, Bishop Jung visited Newark First UMC and asked, “Tell me about your church and how you reach out to your community.”
Cathy Johnson didn’t hesitate to share about the Comfort Quilters, a group that meets regularly to make prayer quilts and other handmade items for those experiencing a celebration or time of need.
Inspired, Bishop Jung had an idea: would the Comfort Quilters be willing to create a banner to present—on behalf of the people of the Ohio Episcopal Area—to the Korean Methodist Church? The banner would symbolize the historic and future mission partnerships between Ohio and Korea, a story that is deeply personal to him.
Bishop Jung proudly identifies as a product of Ohio’s mission work. He became a Christian as a teenager and received one of his early ministry appointments at East Gate Church in Korea, a congregation born from Mary Scranton’s missionary efforts. He often reflects on the full-circle nature of his journey: from Scranton’s mission in Korea, to his role now as a bishop in Ohio.
“We were thrilled when Bishop Jung asked us to create the banner,” said Cathy Johnson. “Then we asked him when he needed it,” she laughed. “That’s when we knew we had to get to work – and fast.”
Cathy rallied the quilting group, and they took up the challenge.
Over the following weeks, seven quilters worked faithfully designing, cutting, stitching, and praying. At times, they and members of the congregation would sing:
“Bind us together, Lord,
With cords that cannot be broken.
Bind us together in love.”
The finished banner was dedicated by the Comfort Quilters and the Newark First UMC congregation, who prayed over the hands that created it—and all those who would receive its blessing.
“We have been privileged and honored to create this banner,” Cathy said as she presented it to Bishop Jung.
A small delegation of leaders from the Ohio Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church joined Bishop Jung last week in Korea as guests of Bishop Seong-Bok Kim, resident bishop of the Seoul Annual Conference. During the conference, Bishop Jung presented the banner to Bishop Kim.
“I am so grateful for the hands that created and prayed over this banner, and for our Korean siblings who have received it,” said Bishop Jung. “May it serve as a visible sign of our renewed commitment to mission—here in Ohio, in Korea, and around the world.”