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Korean Christians have an affinity for the Presbyterian Church not only in Asia but also in the Miami Valley. The spiritual home of the Dayton area's Korean Presbyterian community is Beavercreek's Kirkmont Presbyterian Church. The members of Immanuel Korean Presbyterian Church, founded two years ago, hold worship services at Kirkmont each Sunday at 2 p.m. Sunday services — sung and conducted entirely in Korean — are led by the Rev. Soo Kwang Kim. But the initial thumbs-up to go forward with a church was given by Kirkmont senior pastor Eric Laverentz. "I received a phone call one afternoon asking if we would be interested in hosting a new Korean church," Laverentz said. "They wanted to use our facility a few days a week, so we put the Koreans in touch with our presbytery, which is our governing body." The Miami Presbytery, representing 15,000 Presbyterians in 12 counties, embraced the Korean congregation and promised financial help. "Our presbytery has pioneered a program where Immanuel will receive grants totaling $160,000 over the next five years," Laverentz said. "The hope is to find and occupy a permanent church home." Immanuel's Pastor Kim presided over congregations in Salt Lake City and California prior to being invited to Kirkmont Church, 3377 Shakertown Road.
"I have no idea how they found me, but this congregation called and asked me to join them in Dayton," Kim said. "I prayed on it and made the decision to move my family here." Immanuel's first worship service took place last March. "Korea has the largest concentration of Presbyterians outside the United States, and we have a strong sense of evangelism and missionary activity," Kim said. "The Korean congregation here is active, honest and kind. Everyone in Dayton has been kind. The weather here is similar to the weather in South Korea, so it has been a smooth adjustment." Kim said he's uncertain when the congregation will leave Kirkmont for a new space. "Nothing has been decided yet, but we want to expand our Sunday praise and worship services and grow our membership," Kim said. "We are praying for a new church plan, but we don't have an exact idea right now. "But whatever happens, we will always be indebted to the clergy and members of Kirkmont for their hospitality, kindness and generosity."
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