Revolutionizing the Pulpit: NY Lay Church Association Presidents Unite to Demand Groundbreaking Constitutional Reforms
New York Association of Churches Proposes Fundamental Reorganization
On August 27, the lay members of the New York Association of Churches, the chairmen of the 2024 Hallelujah Conference, issued a statement titled “Proposals for a Fundamental Reorganization for the Essential Rebirth of the New York Association of Churches.”
The chairmen of the Presbyterian Church of Korea, from the 8th Elder Won-ho Choi (1992) to the 37th Elder Dong-hyeon Cho (2023), met in advance to coordinate their positions, and Elder Gyu-bok Hwang, who is also a chairman of the Presbyterian Church of Korea and the president of the New York Presbyterian Association, organized his opinions and announced them.
Background of the Announcement
The background of the announcement of the position by the presidents of the Korean Church Association is that the New York Church Association is not fulfilling its mission well due to internal turmoil that has continued for years. The announced statement analyzed the current situation of the Korean Church Association, saying, “The current Korean Church Association is completely lacking in essential ministry and is only focused on filling the beliefs and visions of individuals. Recently, the Korean Church Association has not been able to lead the hundreds of Korean churches that were sent to New York and are prepared to fulfill the Lord’s will together, but rather exists only as a name.”
Four Proposals for Reorganization
The chairman of the board of directors warned, “If the constitutional amendment of the New York Association is not implemented immediately, the same problem will always recur.” The four proposals for reorganization are:
- Increase the Number of Members: The New York Association of Church Members should have at least 10 members, not the current 3. This is to ensure that pastors of churches with less than 10 members can focus all their energy on normal pastoral work rather than on ministry for the church world.
- Abolish Automatic Voting Rights: The right to exercise automatic voting rights at the regular general meeting, which no other organization in the world has, should be abolished immediately. Instead, the pastoral association presidents can send only five or so members as delegates to provide voting rights.
- Require Approval for Candidacy: Candidates for the chairman, vice chairman, and lay directors must submit a letter of approval for candidacy to the final decision-making body of the church in question in order to run for office.
- Change the Term of Office: The term of office for executives should be changed from the current one-year single term to two years, with a one-time reappointment system. This is to allow the chairman and vice chairman to work together for two years and have a balanced devotion to the presidency.
Statement by the New York Association of Churches’ Trustees
The New York Association of Churches’ Trustees released a statement explaining the background and reasons for the proposals. The statement emphasized that the current association is not fulfilling its mission and that the proposals are necessary for the revival of the New York Korean Church Council.
The statement also emphasized that the era is rapidly descending into darkness and that the church must unite to confront the challenges of the times. The statement concluded by expressing the hope that the entire church will actively join the former directors’ fervent desire for change.
Conclusion
The New York Association of Churches’ proposals for reorganization are a call to action for the church to unite and fulfill its mission. The proposals are necessary for the revival of the New York Korean Church Council and for the church to play a big role in bringing the Puritan faith back to America.