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Vijay Gurrala was born in Guntur, India. After receiving his bachelor’s degree and then a master’s degree in Mathematics, he emigrated to the United States. He received another master’s degree in Computer Science from DePaul University in Chicago, IL and then worked for over twenty five years as a computer software professional. In 2002, Vijay accepted God’s Divine Call to serve Him and His people as a fulltime minister. He became a student at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri in the fall of 2002. Vijay competed his theological training in the fall of 2004 and became a vicar at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Pearland, TX. In 2006 Vijay was ordained into the pastoral ministry and accepted the call from LINC Houston to be Missionary at Large to the Asian/Indian community in Houston. In 2007 Vijay responded to the challenge to serve the Lutheran Campus Ministry at the U. of H. main campus. Here he interacts with the large international student body, answering questions many of them have regarding Christianity. Vijay is blessed with a large family. His wife Mary is a registered nurse and works at the VA Hospital. They have four children. Vijay was a pioneer in starting the Telugu Christian Fellowship of Houston. They began with a home Bible Study. After sixteen years they have grown to over 60 Indian families. Vijay began Our Redeemer Evangelical Church on Pentecost Sunday, 2005. Currently they worship in the Chapel at U of H, providing opportunity to share Jesus with students. Vijay and his family helped to build and continue to support a church in a remote area in Gujjangundla, India which now worships over 500 people every Sunday. |
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Rev. Shin-Hwan (David) Kim is the
Mission Director of LINC Houston, a non-profit Christian organization working
mainly in urban and ethnic communities through church plants,
indigenous-missional leadership development, and holistic ministry through relational
and community services driven outreach. David was born in Dae-geon, South Korea
and served as a church planter, missionary, pastor and Seminary professor for
13 years in Ecuador. In 2,000, David met Juhee (Rebecca) Kim in South Korea and
they were married in 2001 in Ecuador. Rev. Kim received his Master of Arts in
Theology from Concordia University, Irvine, CA and was certified for Public
Ministry through Concordia Seminary St. Louis. David then received the Divine
Call to work with LINC Houston as Mission Director and was ordained on May
20th, 2007. He is responsible for Leadership and Mission Development. He is
committed to the overall pastoral, theological and ministerial training and
supervision over 30 LINC missionary pastors/leaders and 16 congregations in 8
different languages and over 30 ministries. He is also in charge of supervision
and mentorship for Seminary students (currently 5
Colloquy, 2 EIIT, and 12 CHS + 30 pre-sem. level students). Currently, he serves as an appointed pastor for Board of
Mission Administration of the Texas District and an advisory officer for
Association of Lutheran Mission Agencies (ALMA). Also, he is supervisor and
Regional Coordinator for Center for Hispanic Studies, Concordia Seminary in St.
Louis. Now, he envisions, with help of God, leading and mobilizing churches in
USA and beyond into tasks of TRANSFORMISSION, GLOCALMISSION, and REFORMISSION.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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 Ruanne is a native Houstonian. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from The University of Texas, Austin where she majored in English and History. She met her husband David while attending college, and was married while still a student there. They have four sons, all of whom live near Houston. They have five grandchildren. She joined the LINC staff in 2002 as administrative support to the Executive Director. Currently she serves as support to the administrative staff, accounting office, and missionary leaders.
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 Mark Junkans has been working in urban and cross-cultural missions throughout the Houston metro area since 1993. Number nine in a pastor’s family of twelve children, Mark learned early on how to adapt to change. He was ordained through the DELTO program at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. During this time as a bi-vocational lay pastor, Mark served Centro de Fe y Esperanza. Mark worked in construction and also started Casa de Alabanza, a recording studio and production company that produced albums for numerous Christian artistsk. He also provided worship accompaniment for mission congregations across the United States and throughout Latin America.
Mark was called in 2002 as the first Executive Director of the Lutheran Inter-City Network Coalition (LINC). He has served as the chairman of the LCMS Urban Ministry Task Force and consults with Districts and congregations across the country regarding urban and ethnic ministry. Mark also serves as Regional Coordinator for the Center for Hispanic Studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Mark and his wife, Natalia, have been married since 1995 and have two young daughters, Victoria and Jessica. __________________ Twitter - mjunkans Facebook - mark.junkans Personal Webpage - markjunkans.com |
 | In 1993, Johnson & Wales
University (JWU), Providence, R.I. invited me as a student in special international
student program in Culinary Arts. At
JWU, God gave me an opportunity to be part of team that plant Joongang Church,
a new Korean Immigrant Church. My
wife and I got married at Joongang Church as first couple in 1994. God gave us a daughter Dahye in 1996,
and a son Andrew in 1998. We set
up a new student evangelism ministry and also served as teachers for children. With Pastor Youngju Seo’s guidance, I
explored many different areas of ministry and experienced God’s grace witnessing transforming many lives of my
students. It was truly joyful experience.
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At Joongang, Senior Pastor Seo and other members wanted to consider pursuing
pastoral vocation. At that time I
worked at Hyatt Regency Hotel as a chef and set to go to Pennsylvania State University’s doctoral program. After spending long days for discernment
for God’s call, my family decided to pursue pastoral training. It was lifetime change decision.
I entered the seminary that summer of 1998 at Gordon
Conwell Theological Seminary (GCTS), South Hamilton, MA. God shape my faith and spiritual life by
meeting so many godly teachers, students, and staff at GCTS. Particularly, GCTS taught me delightfulness
in studying God’s Words and serving people with His care. I completed M. Div and Th. M in preaching
at GCTS. During Seminary years, I kept serving
the Korean immigrant community in Massachusetts as a president of Korean Seminarian
Association. Again, with God’s
provision, Campus ministry I serving at the city of Boston was very fruitful. We experienced that God transformed many
foreign students despite of economic hardship and difficult study.
In 1997, I joined Korean Presbyterian Church America which
holds very biblical and conservative theology. KPAC supervised my seminary education, internship, and
spiritual life for the ordination which I received on October, 2002. Korean
Presbyterian Church in Greater Boston call me as a part time internship in mentored
ministry for youth and later this church called me as an associate pastor.
In 2004, Korean Christian Church of Houston, a conservative independent
church, called me as an associate pastor. My main ministry, Nazareth which is single group ministry, grew so quickly
from about 20 members to 120 members for 4 years. One of my ministries is a Saturday School which helps
children who suffers from Autism. Through this ministry, I met Rev. Sunmoon Lee
of Korean Lutheran Church in Houston. Lutheran church was unfamiliar to many Koreans even to Christians because
of late mission endeavor in Korea. In Korea, Lutheran is one smallest denomination which has only less than
60 churches. But the Saturday
School was a good tool to introduce Lutheran Ministry and theology.
Pastor Lee and I cultivated ‘pastor to pastor’ relationship. His experience and wisdom tremendously
helped my pastorship and he is the one who educated me the Lutheran Theology
and LCMS ministry. I really worth
the core theology of the LCMS, “In Christ
alone is there salvation: by Grace alone, through Faith alone, on the basis of
Scripture alone”. Luther’s theology especially emphasizing the ministry of
God’s Word and Sacraments are focal point to my ministry. With LCMS’s strong ministry toward children,
immigrant churches and Ablaze! Movement, God convinced me to start the colloquy
program.
In 2008, a new church called the Hilltop Church of Houston was
established with congregation who are eager to build the healthy church in
Korean community which has a bad perception toward churches. As a pastor, I was part of planting
team from the beginning focusing on God’s Word centered ministry. We started worship services at the
Korean Senior Citizen Center which is located at the core of Korean community. Out of 4 years trusting relationship,
Pastor Sunmoon Lee helped Hilltop’s day to day ministry and connects us to the LINC
Houston. Pastor Lee taught us
confirmation class and Pastor Mark Junkans and Pastor David Kim trained me
trough colloquy program from the beginning. The LINC assisted the Hilltop in many areas of ministry to
be a chartered congregation. Finally,
the Hilltop became a mission church under LINC on December 14, 2008 and an
official charted congregation of LCMS on May 2009.
My vision as pastor is to transform people's lives with the
Word of God and His Sacraments and equip others to do proclaim the Gospel to
the world. Looking back, my
journey of faith was not easy but is proven that God providentially guides His children
and His church for His Goodness and Glory. I trust that meeting all LCMS’ servants of God, learning
LCMS theology, doing ministry to the people are all blessing to me. I pray that
God uses me even more to proclaim the Gospel and expand His Kingdom.
Pastor Seungwoong Ok
Hilltop Lutheran Church of Houston
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 Julie is a native Texan, born in San Antonio. Her family moved to Houston when her dad joined the Houston Police Department where he continues to serve. She attended U of H Downtown as a political science major. Before joining LINC Houston she did PR for physicians and attorneys. Julie and husband Steve have 3 daughters, Hannah, Ireland and Jillian.
At LINC Julie serves as Director of Public Relations and is responsible for writing grants.
“Working for LINC Houston allows me to give back to others. I have a job that I love dearly and where I can use my gifts and talents, which is a huge reward for me. The Lord led me to LINC Houston and words can not express the joy I have had since joining the wonderful team here.”
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