May 2026

Pastor Message: 

Living Water in Troubled Times

Water was used for the Holy Infant Baptism last month. As I placed my wet hand on the calm baby, I prayed for him and his family—that they would respond to God’s grace throughout their journey of faith. In baptism, water is a symbol of life—new life.

And yet, I saw water become something else. The same water became monstrous. It was not easy to hear about the flooding and the losses while I was on vacation. In the face of such disaster, it was impossible to fully detach. I returned a day earlier than planned, and only after checking on members in the most affected areas, as well as our church buildings and the parsonage, was I able to feel some measure of relief.

In the midst of it all, I witnessed both the grace of God and the living faith of the community. The United Methodist Committee on Relief held a Zoom meeting to share updates and to equip churches to respond to those affected. A colleague pastor in New London, who has been working tirelessly and sharing updates during this crisis, brought me a sense of peace. There is something powerful in the refusal to turn away from the suffering of others. It is an irony—to witness God’s grace in the midst of difficulty.

I could not help but think of Jesus’ disciples. They, too, lived under overwhelming waters. Some were fishers, laboring day after day, casting their nets again and again, yet remaining poor—burdened by an unjust system in a colonized world. Their lives carried the weight of Roman oppression, social violence, and deep inequality in very real, physical ways. And they had little power to resist; the Roman military was ruthless.

And yet, Jesus called them to be disciples—and they responded. I believe they were able to respond because grace met them in the midst of their suffering, opening them to a new way of life. What an irony—that suffering can become an invitation to work for justice and peace. They had experienced fear, pain, and hardship, and yet, by grace, those experiences did not trap them within themselves. Instead, they became people capable of moving toward others with compassion.

But this is not automatic. Not everyone who suffers becomes compassionate. We have seen those who were oppressed become oppressors. History bears witness that deep wounds do not automatically produce peace; without grace, they can be reshaped into new cycles of violence.

Even the Holocaust—one of the most profound testimonies of human suffering—reminds us that deep wounds do not automatically lead to peace. Without grace, even such suffering can be drawn into continuing cycles of violence in our world today. It is a lament when the name of Christianity is invoked in ways that justify violence and war.

Today, I reflect on God’s grace that prevents our pain, our injustice, and our wounds from turning into revenge. Jesus broke the cycle of violence and injustice, and transforms such wounds into a call to peace and justice. We need God’s grace—living water in this troubled flood of violence.

I pray that our WARM churches may become living water in these troubled times—bringing healing, justice, and peace to our community and the world.

Rev. Hyunwoong Hwang