Pastor Ho Lee recently began serving the congregation at Christ United Methodist Church in Merrill and Wildwood Chapel in Gleason. Ho Lee, who started in the ministry in Korea, completed his Master of Divinity at Boston University School of Theology before coming to Merrill in August.
Ho Lee, 33, grew up in South Korea, where he became a theological student. He had served three Korea Methodist churches for 10 years as a student pastor whose responsibilities focused on the youth group, the yound adult group and the praise band. During that time, he also worked for a local welfare center and some non-government organizations.
These experiences affirmed his calling to the ministry and led him to travel to the United States to study theology in depth. In addition, Ho Lee said he was impressed with the Methodist Church system in the United States.
In Boston, he served the Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church as an intern for two years. After his internship. Ho Lee served Zion Korean United Methodist Church in Warwick, RI as a student pastor.
Ho Lee was born in Korea into a family with 100 years of Christian heritage. He is a fourth generation Korean Methodist.
Ho Lee is married to Miyeon Kim and has an eight-month-old daughter. While Ho Lee was going to school in Boston, Miyeon worked in New York as a registered nurse. The family has now reunited for the move to Merrill.
Ho Lee has a passion for building up a vital church community where people share their lives and help each other grow in Christ.
Pastor Ho Lee said he is happy to be in Merrill.
“I love the small town, this kind of atmosphere,” he said. “I think Merrill is the perfect place for me and my family. The people are very friendly. My wife and I dreamed of this kind of a life.”