Funeral Sermon Manuscript for Exhorter Jungja Pak"

John 11:25–27

Resurrection and Life

1. Today, we gather here not with overwhelming sorrow or regret, but with the calmest hearts. In our minds, certain thoughts may be repeating again and again—“If only I had spent more time with her,” or “Even if she told me not to come, I should have insisted and visited more.” These thoughts probably fill our hearts today.

2. As I prepared for this funeral service with such thoughts in my heart, I had to go through quite a long silence. I couldn’t reach out to the bereaved family often, and I still hesitated, feeling uncertain. Even now, when I drive past her house, I imagine her opening the door and greeting me. It seems I am still not ready to say goodbye to her.

3. Nothing in my daily routine has changed over the past week, and the reality that Exhorter Jungja Pak has been called home by God only became real during a few phone calls with Exhorter Sam Pak and through the text messages and emails shared with her children.

4. In 2020, when I was appointed to Yeolin Church during the pandemic and knew no one, I began what I called “doorstep visits.” The first time I met Exhorter Pak was at a distance, both of us wearing masks. Even in that short time, I remember her warm hospitality.

5. As pandemic restrictions began to ease and worship resumed in person, Exhorter Pak quietly came to fill a seat in the sanctuary. Watching her quietly arrive and leave, I realized that her dedication and sacrificial life were deeply woven into her very being.

6. The stories her children shared about her life matched what I had already come to know. Having emigrated to the U.S. in 1976, she lived in Chicago and Seattle before moving to the Bay Area. She consistently lived a life of devotion and sacrifice for her family. She ran a laundry business for many years, and her love extended beyond family to neighbors and church members—always sacrificial and selfless.

7. One testimony from her children especially stayed with me: “She had a remarkable ability to bring people together.”

8. That one sentence seemed to encapsulate her entire life.

9. When I visited her home, she would say, “You’re always so busy—please don’t worry about us.” Most people feel disappointed when a pastor doesn’t visit often, but she was more concerned for others than herself. That heart—of thinking of others first—was what gave her the power to unite people.

10. Exhorter Pak was not just gentle and kind. She loved tending to her garden, taking walks, and watching the sunset. To end one’s day by watching the sunset means one has cultivated a deep appreciation for life and its rhythm.

11. Though I, too, wish to live this way, I often fail due to the busyness of life. Exhorter Pak, on the other hand, intentionally made time for beauty and rest. She took ESL classes to learn English, studied knitting and quilting, and even learned to play the harmonica. This shows she didn’t just go wherever life led her—she actively carved out her own meaningful path.

12. Every year-end, Exhorter Pak would invite Exhorter Sam Pak and the church staff to a nearby restaurant. In the busiest season of ministry, she would ask us to set aside time. That invitation brought warmth, comfort, and hospitality. That meal was more than a social gathering—it became a sacred table where we sensed God’s larger plan unfolding in our church community.

13. Her humble, grounded life and the love she showed to her pastors gave us great strength. It will always be remembered.

14. Exhorter Pak’s home was one of the first places where Yeolin Church began—with house worship. She was a living witness to this church’s beginning. Next year will be Yeolin Church’s 40th anniversary. While I have only served here for five years, she and her family have faithfully supported this church for 35 years. That devotion is something we must never forget.

15. Today, we send off a woman who was tender, steadfast, and self-emptying, always full of care for others. Though her physical presence is gone, our memories of Exhorter Jungja Pak will remain eternal.

16. On this solemn occasion, I wish to once again proclaim the resurrection and life of Jesus, in connection with the life that Exhorter Pak lived.

17. In today’s Scripture, Jesus says of Himself, “I am the resurrection and the life.” He continues, “Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

18. These words may sound mysterious, but I believe they resonate deeply in this moment as we gather together.

19. Exhorter Pak was among those who helped establish Yeolin Church from the beginning to proclaim the resurrected Christ. That means, in the midst of the difficult immigrant life, what mattered most to her was “Jesus Christ” and “the church.”

20. Her family remembers this well, and I believe they inherited her faith.

21. Her spiritual practice, which she valued above all else, became the foundation that still upholds our community today.

22. If we remember this well, then we can say that Exhorter Jungja Pak continues to help us build up the church, and her life will remain with us forever.

23. I ask this of her beloved family:

24. You already remember how she lived—please continue to bear witness to Jesus and support the church so that her life remains remembered through your faith.

25. And to the beloved church:

26. Let us remember how Exhorter Pak sought to unite people in the church. In honoring her memory, let us continue to build Yeolin Church as a unified worshiping community. I believe this was her heartfelt wish for us.

27. Today, we are reminded that through Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life, our life is also eternal. Let us not forget this confession. May we walk with the Lord every day, remembering the path that Exhorter Pak walked before us.