American and Korean Methodists gathered to celebrate a mission partnership that began more than 140 years ago and continues to inspire lives today. More than 200 people attended the three-day event Aug. 4-6 at Church of the Saviour in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Attendees heard faith stories, lectures and panel discussions from people impacted by the lives of Mary and William Scranton.
Mary Fletcher Benton Scranton and her son, William, were visionary American Methodist missionaries who played instrumental roles in the development of Christianity, education and health care in Korea during the late 19th century. Following the death of her husband, Mary moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to be near William, a medical doctor.
In 1885, Mary became the first missionary sent to Korea by the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She saw firsthand the suffering of Korean girls and women, many of whom had no access to education and were treated as second-class citizens.
“Mary Scranton believed the gospel was not just about saving souls; it was about liberating lives,” said Bishop Tracy S. Malone, president of The United Methodist Council of Bishops.
Scranton started with just one student. Then another. A year later, she founded Ewha Hakdang, a girls’ school that grew into Ewha Womans University, one of the world’s largest universities for women.
“Think about that. One act of faith. One courageous ‘yes’ to God. And a legacy that continues to bless the world today,” Malone concluded.
After William Scranton survived a serious illness, he felt called to missionary work. That call drew him to Korea. His education and passion for medicine led him to found a hospital, laying the foundation for Methodist medical missions in Korea. Later, Scranton was ordained and became responsible for evangelism efforts that resulted in new Christians and churches in the region.
Dr. David W. Scott, senior director of mission theology and strategic planning at United Methodist Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry, suggests a familial relationship initially existed between American Methodists and Korean Methodists, with the American Methodists initially acting more as a parent and the younger Korean Methodist Church as a child.
But, as time went by, the relationship went through distinct phases. In 1903, when the Korean Methodist Church became autonomous, the relationship shifted to more of an older sibling-younger sibling dynamic, moving a little closer to recognized equality.
“In the last several decades,” Scott said, “the two churches have really moved to being peer churches and often collaborators and partners on various projects around the world, especially in evangelism.
“This move toward partnership and relationship is a move that we celebrate,” he continued. “It recognizes the equality that we all have before God, the equality that God calls us to practice in mission. And we pray that that spirit of equality, mutuality and partnership will continue to characterize the relationship between the two churches as we go forward into the future.”
Today, the Korean Methodist Church has grown to nearly 6,700 churches and 1.3 million members, sending more than 1,300 missionaries across the globe.
Bishop Chung-Suk Kim, President Bishop of the Korean Methodist Church believes a continuing partnership is needed.
“The solidarity between the Korean Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church in spreading the gospel together is God’s calling and blessing in this age,” he said. “We must be united for this ministry. This is our calling.”
Malone agrees.
“We remember the faith of those who came before us, not to recreate their moments, but to be inspired by their faithfulness and to walk boldly into the future God is unfolding,” she said. “The Spirit of God is still moving.”
Together, the Scrantons helped establish the Methodist Church’s presence in Korea, with their work in education and health care becoming foundational to the Korean Methodist Church.
Their legacy is honored in both Korea and Ohio through memorials and conferences that commemorate their contributions. One such tribute is the proposed Mary Scranton Memorial Mission Center, an initiative of the Seoul Annual Conference of the Korean Methodist Church. The center will serve as a hub for outreach, training and mission work while preserving the history of Korean Methodism and its relationship with The United Methodist Church.
“Mary Scranton’s greatness lay not only in her sacrifice, but [also] in her vision,” said the Rev. Changmin Lee, senior pastor of Zion Korean United Methodist Church, Carson, California. “She asked bold questions … that stirred imaginations and awakened faith for generations to come. So must we.”
The Ohio Episcopal Area is honored to support this effort, recognizing that Mary Scranton, one of the first Methodist missionaries to Korea, once called Ohio home.
“With a grateful heart, I see our church will be continually engaging in the advancement of the kingdom, with The United Methodist Church and Korean Methodist Church working together, holding this relationship as precious,” said Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, resident bishop of the Ohio Episcopal Area. “This is God’s mission.”
Note: To contribute to this effort, make your check payable to West Ohio Conference and mail it to 32 Wesley Blvd., Worthington, OH 43085. Be sure to write “Scranton Mission Center” in the memo line. Online giving will be available soon.