The Korea-U.S. National Prayer Breakfast, Washington, D.C.
한미국가조찬기도회
- Greetings to Fellow Christians -
Rev. Dr. Eung-Yul Ryoo
고문, 류응렬 목사
Prayer Is a Great Power to Move the World in One Place
The need for prayer is more urgent than ever. The prayers resounding in the sky are like rain showers on a dry summer day. The secret to reviving a dead soul and becoming reborn as a holy disciple of God is to kneel down before God in prayer.
Prayer is also the driving force that made the disciples, who were trembling before death in the four Gospels, risk their lives and run toward their mission in the book of Acts. Although Korean churches lacked everything, there are traces of tears of prayer that once soaked the floor. Through the prayers of tears that resounded in the sky, Korean churches have grown to surprise the world, even during the Japanese colonial period and the slaughter of the Korean War. When we pray, souls come to life, and when we pray, churches arise.
The Korea-U.S. National Prayer Breakfast prays for the leaders and churches of our homeland, the Republic of Korea, the land where we stand, the United States. We pray for our next generation and the Korean community, and for a world where God is glorified. Prayer is neither conservative nor progressive, and transcends races and classes.
Praying may not change the world right away. However, if we experience God through prayer and experience transformation ourselves, the even when we pass through a dark cave, we will sing of the light that we will meet someday. I pray that God will be glorified through the Korea-U.S. National Prayer Breakfast and that Korean churches will better fulfill the mission of the times.
Rev. Eung-Yul Ryoo
Senior Pastor, Korean Central Presbyterian Church
Adviser, Korea-U.S. National Prayer Breakfast, Washington, DC
기도는 한 자리에서 세상을 움직이는 위대한 능력입니다
어느 때보다 기도가 절실한 때입니다. 하늘을 울리는 기도는 마른 여름날에 소낙비 입니다. 죽은 영혼이 소생함을 얻고 살아난 영혼이 하나님의 거룩한 제자로 탄생시키는 비결이 하나님 앞에 납작 엎드리는 기도입니다.
사복음서에서 죽음 앞에 벌벌 떨었던 제자들이 사도행전에서 생명을 걸고 사명을 향해 달려가게 만든 원동력도 기도입니다. 한국 교회는 모든 것이 부족했지만 기도의 눈물이 마룻바닥을 적신 흔적을 가지고 있습니다. 하늘을 울린 눈물의 기도로 일제강점기와 6.25 전쟁의 포화 속에서도 세상을 놀라게 한 교회로 자라왔습니다. 기도하면 영혼이 살아나고 기도하면 교회가 일어납니다.
한미조찬기도회는 조국 대한민국과 우리가 서 있는 땅 미국의 지도자들과 교회들 그리고 우리의 다음 세대와 한인사회를 위해 기도하고 나아가 하나님이 영광 받으시는 세상이 되기를 기도합니다. 기도에는 보수와 진보가 따로 없으며 인종과 계층을 초월합니다.
기도한다고 세상이 당장 바뀌지 않을 수는 있습니다. 그러나 기도함으로 하나님을 체험하고 내가 변화 된다면 캄캄한 동굴을 지날 때도 언젠가 만나는 빛을 노래하게 될 것입니다. 한미조찬기도회를 통해 하나님은 영광을 받으시고 한인교회가 시대적 사명을 더욱 잘 감당하게 되기를 기도합니다.
류응렬, 와싱톤중앙장로교회 담임목사, 한미조찬기도회 고문
회장, 정승욱
Seung Ug Jeong
President
Welcome to the Korea-U.S. National Prayer Breakfast!
140 years ago, American missionaries embarked on a journey to Korea, sharing the Gospel with a nation yearning for hope. Today, we witness a beautiful reversal, a spiritual homecoming, as the seeds of their faith have blossomed into a vibrant Korean-American community dedicated to prayer for both our nations.
Like salmon returning to their birthplace, we, the Korean diaspora, are called to intercede for our beloved homelands – Korea and the United States. We envision an America where God is honored and revered, a nation ignited by spiritual awakening, standing as a beacon of hope for the world.
Inspired by 1 Timothy 2:1-4, we fervently pray for our leaders, that they may govern with wisdom, justice, and compassion. We invite you to join us on this sacred mission, to unite our hearts in prayer, and to witness the transformative power of God in our nations and beyond.
Seung Ug Jeong, Ph.D.
President, Korea-U.S. National Prayer Breakfast
한미국가조찬기도회에 오신 것을 환영합니다.
140년 전, 미국의 선교사들은 소망에 목말라하던 한국 땅을 찾아 복음을 전했습니다. 오늘날, 우리는 그들의 헌신의 열매가 아름다운 결실을 맺어, 양국을 위해 기도하는 뜨거운 한인 디아스포라 공동체를 만들었습니다.
마치 고향으로 돌아오는 연어처럼, 우리는 사랑하는 조국 대한민국과 우리가 살아가고 있는 미국을 위해 중보기도 하도록 부르심을 받았습니다. 또한 우리는 하나님을 경외하고 영적 대각성으로 불타올라 전 세계에 희망의 등불이 되는 한국과 미국을 꿈꾸고 있습니다.
우리는 양국의 지도자들이 지혜와 정의, 그리고 긍휼로 나라를 다스리도록 간절히 기도합니다. 이 거룩한 사명에 동참하여 함께 기도하고 하나님의 변화시키는 능력을 경험하며, 양국과 세계를 품는 기도의 용사가 되기를 소망합니다.
정승욱 드림
We extend our deepest gratitude to you for your warm support of the Korea-U.S. National Prayer Breakfast. It truly has been a great privilege and blessing to be united in prayer to move God’s heart.
Assuredly, it has been a challenging year for all of us in the many dimensions of our daily lives. We fervently pray that the war in Ukraine will end soon so that no more precious lives are sacrificed on the fields of battle. We pray that God would restore peace on that land, and that other countries that are also experiencing political unrest, protests, and turmoil would seek the Lord for their ultimate rest and peace. The truth is, mankind’s superb scientific advancements are no match for natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and wildfires that are ravaging different parts of the world. Even our global map may change as the glaciers melt at faster rates.
Life can beat us down with trials, sorrows, and debilitating worries. Nevertheless, God’s message about a future hope can deeply encourage us. As the psalmist said, “You are my hiding place and shield; I have hope in Your Word” (Psalm 119:114). We are not crushed as we stand by faith in God’s grace and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, we stand tall in Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and resurrected to defeat the powers of darkness.
The Korea-U.S. National Prayer Breakfast has been blessed with the privilege of lifting our prayers annually and corporately in unity with political, religious, and community leaders and with fervent prayer warriors from diverse multicultural, interdenominational, and intergenerational domains. We are excited to invite you to join this year’s Korea-U.S. National Prayer Breakfast in Virginia, not far from Washington, D.C. May we all join together to pray for world leaders, that they may have wisdom and faith in the God who gives us peace and everlasting and eternal hope.
Your prayers and your voices will make the difference to move the heart of God for the event. Please take care and be well. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord” (Jeremiah17:7).
Prayerfully and Respectfully,
Ok Cha Soh, Ph.D.
Chair of the Executive Board
