Page 56 - 영문 이성필성지순례여행

54 Incheon Incheon 55

39 Gyodong Church 40 Ganghwa Seodo Central(Jungang)
Methodist Church
432 Gyodongnam-ro, Gyodong-myeon, Ganghwa-gun
https://blog.naver.com/gyodong-church 256-1, Jumundo-gil, Ganghwa-gun
Missionary Thomas
Current Gyodong Church
As Christianity began to spread to Korea, church members in 1923.
Ganghwa Seodo Central Church was There are three remaining churches
established in Jumundori in 1902 by that were built in that time that were
Yoon Jeong-il, a Methodist preacher influenced or built by the Western
who lived in Samsan-myeon, and Christian Missionaries: Ganghwa
the church members established a Anglican Church established in 1900,
Old Gyodong Church The smallest church in the world, Christianity Spirituality Academy to Ganghwa Onsu Anglican Church
pilgrims’ church in Ganghwa Gyodong
promote national consciousness, and a established in 1906, and Ganghwa
“In 1865, the ship which missionary Thomas and his companies church in the form of a hanok chapel Seodo Central Church.
were on was stranded, so treated them with great care” was newly built with donations from

The first people to preach the gospel to Gyodong (one of the islands that make up Ganghwa Island) were Kwon
Shin-il and Kwon Hye-il, the members of the Hongui Church in Ganghwa Island. In particular, Kwon
Shin-il entered Gyo-dong with his wife, purchased a house of grass, made it a house of worship, and
traveled through the Gyodong area to preach the gospel. It was not easy to establish a church due to
the strong opposition of the residents, but when the governor of Gyodong agreed, many people began “Ganghwa Seodo Central
to come to the church. When the church grew, Donghwa school was built next to the church in 1904. Church is a church with a
Since the church was moved to Sangryong-ri in 1933, the old Gyodong Church has turned into ruins. Korean-style wooden structure
The chapel built at that time still remains, but what has changed is that the thatched roof has only built in 1923 with donations
been changed to a tin roof. According to the story, the first person to become a believer in Sangryong- from church members.”
ri is Park Sung-dae, and his grandfather met Missionary Thomas. It is said that when missionary
Thomas got off at Gyodong because the water ran out during the voyage, he was treated very kindly
by Park Sung-dae’s grandfather. His father, Park Ki-wan, was the richest man in the Gyodong area,
Centennial Memorial Chapel of Seodo Central Church
so he fed the residents during every bad year. When his son, Park Sung-dae said he would believe in
Jesus, he gave him a knife, saying, "If you want to believe in Yaso Gyo (Protestantism) , you should rather
kill yourself," but he couldn't overcome his son's stubbornness and attended the Gyodong Church with
his son. When Gyodong Church suffered from difficulties, he donated his land and Sangryong Church
was established. However, not long after the church was established, Park Sung-dae and Park Hyung-
nam, father and son, died. However, these families were not discouraged, and Park Yi-nam and Park
Ki-man, younger brothers of Park Hyung-nam, continued to look after the church faithfully. Park Ki-
man’s son, Park Du-seong, is called the “King Sejong of the Blind.”
This is because he is the one who made braille until he lost his
sight. He created Hangul Braille in 1926 while dedicating his
The interior of the chapel
entire life to education for the blind. If you go to Sangryong-ri,
you should also visit birth home of Park Du-seong. birth home of Park Du-seong