Pulpit & P
ew
The best things have not even begun
At the end of June, my family and I moved from Minden, Nebraska, to Parsons, a six-hour drive by car. In the United Methodist Church, pastors are appointed through a system where the timing is not always predictable. When a transition comes, the bishop and cabinet prayerfully consider the gifts of the pastor and the needs of the churches to make the match. Until the offer is given, we do not know where we will be sent. In many ways, it is always a mystery.
After serving for seven years at Minden UMC, the time came for me to move, and I was appointed to serve Wesley United Methodist Church and Hamilton Chapel United Methodist Church. Even though these are wonderful congregations, I must admit that, at first, I could not fully understand why God was bringing me here.
However, as I have begun my ministry over the past three months, I have slowly started to see glimpses of God’s plan. While people may work out the details, at the deepest level, it is God who leads, and I have come to realize that it was by His guidance that I arrived here. As I look ahead, I believe that God will continue to fill these churches with the Holy Spirit, grow us in faith and open some ways to serve our community. Truly, the best things have not even begun.
And these kinds of things don’t just happen once or twice; they have been a continual pattern in my life. In 2005, I first came to the United States from Korea to study in New Jersey. My plan was simple: Finish my studies and return home. But God had a different plan for my life, one He never revealed ahead of time. Each step of the way, I found myself walking through the doors He opened. And only later, looking back, I would find myself almost laughing in amazement, realizing why He had led me down that path. Every experience has become part of God’s shaping work, preparing me for the ministry I now serve, and I know He continues to use me as His instrument.
How about you? In our lives, we often face the unknown. Sometimes we unexpectedly lose a job, or a new child enters our lives when we did not expect it. At times, we may receive a medical diagnosis that changes everything, or a relationship we counted on suddenly shifts. Opportunities may open in ways we never imagined, like a move to a new town, a new calling, or meeting someone who becomes a lifelong friend. In those moments of uncertainty, it is easy to feel lost or even afraid.
But even then, we can trust that God is writing a story bigger than our understanding. The places that feel mysterious today may later become the very places where God shows us His faithfulness and where His blessings overflow.
As Scripture reminds us: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20, NIV)
— The Rev. Peter Choi Wesley United Methodist Church, Hamilton Chapel
Pastor Choi has been in the ministry for over two decades. He and his wife, Lena, have two daughters, Chloe (13) and Hailey (10). They are excited to become part of the Parsons community and look forward to building relationships and serving alongside their neighbors.
