This experience not only took me to a new country but forever laid that country and its peace process and struggle for peace on my heart and will now forever be a part of my call in this world.
Maggie Taylor, Mountain Sky Conference
The World Methodist Council (WMC), the General Board of Global Ministries along with the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) hosted the Young Adult Pilgrimage of Peace (YAPP) in South Korea this summer. This kind of pilgrimage, journeyed by many in ecumenical circles, helps Christians understand their role in strengthening peacebuilding efforts on the Korean Peninsula and globally.
This Methodist-sponsored itinerary included visits to Kwangju, 5.18 Memorial Park, Daejeon Gollyeonggol, Paju DMZ, and the Yanghwajin Missionary Cemetery as witness to the devastation caused by warfare and political tensions that have persisted for 75 years between North and South on the Korean Peninsula.
The delegation included nine UMC seminarians and three young adult Methodist delegates and 13 members of the WMC Young Adult Committee, one young adult from the Korean American UMC, and 10 young adults from the KMC.
Many who take this journey are surprised to learn that the Korean War has not technically ended, as the armistice signed in 1953 was not a permanent peace treaty between North and South Korea, China and the United Nations. The armistice left the country divided at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South.
Living Testimonies Make Deep Impressions
The sites visited by the pilgrims were not easy to take in and understand. On June 25, which marked the 75th anniversary of the Korean War’s outbreak, the pilgrims visited Gollyeonggol Peace Park in Daejeon, the site of one of the largest civilian massacres at the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950.
“The quiet hills seemed to sing a buried truth and silenced grief,” wrote Adrian Mendoza in a reflection. Mendoza participated as a seminarian from Drew Theological School in New Jersey. He is from the Philippines and spent two years in Zambia as a Global Mission Fellow, Global Ministries’ young adult missionary program.
Seongjin Hong, a participant from United Theological Seminary in Ohio from South Korea, mentioned Gwangju Memorial Park, a memorial to those who gave their lives during the Gwangju Democratization Movement of May 1980: “While standing there, we engaged in a group discussion about the true meaning of peace. One key realization was that peace is not passive – it often requires struggle and even sacrifice to overcome injustice. This site reminded us that peace is more than the absence of conflict; it is an active commitment to justice, truth and dignity for all people.”
Walking Together Creates and Sustains Hope
Global Ministries recently intensified their focus on peace with justice ministries and has committed support for additional pilgrimages into places where people struggle with oppression, civil conflict and the effects of unresolved wars. In May 2025, Global Ministries, with the Methodist Church in Britain, the World Council of Churches, and the Methodist Liaison Office in Jerusalem and the WCC Jerusalem Liaison Office, offered pilgrim participants a unique opportunity to engage deeply with the sacred heritage of the Holy Land while gaining insight into the challenges faced by its people, particularly the Palestinian Christian community.
Roland Fernandes, Global Ministries’ general secretary, expressed his gratefulness and support for this method of ecumenical peacebuilding: “The Young Adult Pilgrimage of Peace (YAPP) reminds us that this legacy isn’t just history; it’s a call to the future. As the Methodist family, we commit to walking together on this path of reconciliation, raising our voices for peace in Korea, Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and for justice wherever hope is needed around the world. And with each future YAPP pilgrimage, we will continue to grow this movement, inviting more young people to join in, to listen, to learn, and to lead with courage and compassion.”
Katie Paul, a young adult participant from the Oklahoma Conference is a witness to the transformative power of this kind of experience: “This pilgrimage changed me. It taught me that peace begins not just in policy or protest – but in presence. It begins when we show up, listen deeply and allow ourselves to be transformed by the stories of others.”
How Can You Help?
Your support of the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund apportionment allows our ecumenical partners around the world to speak out against atrocities such as war and poverty for those who don’t have a voice. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund apportionment at 100 percent.
excerpt from a story by Christie R. House, consultant writer and editor with Global Ministries and UMCOR.
One of seven apportioned giving opportunities of The United Methodist Church, the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund enables United Methodists to share a presence and a voice in the activities of several national and worldwide ecumenical organizations. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund apportionment at 100 percent.
