Boston Presbyterian Church Celebrates 50 Years With Music, Gratitude, and Community > 뉴스 보스톤코리아

(Boston = Boston Korea) By Myong Sool Chang — Boston Presbyterian Church in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, held a 50th anniversary concert on March 22, drawing roughly 200 congregants and community guests who came together to look back on half a century of shared history.

Founded in 1976 in Waltham, the church later relocated to Newton before settling at its current home on Main Street in Hopkinton in 1996. For more than 30 years, it has served as a cornerstone of both the Hopkinton community and the broader Korean American church network across New England.

Boston Presbyterian is the third Korean church in New England to reach the 50-year milestone. Boston Korean Church in Brookline celebrated its 70th anniversary three years ago, and St. John's Korean United Methodist Church in Lexington marked its 50th the same year. North Boston Korean United Methodist Church in Andover will celebrate its 50th next year, Cambridge Korean Church is set to reach the milestone in 2027, and St. Andrew Kim Korean Catholic Church in Newton will mark 50 years this July. In that context, the celebration was not just a milestone for one congregation but a reminder of the deep roots Korean churches have planted throughout the region.

The anniversary concert, emceed by Jong-keun Chung and Eun-young Park, opened with an organ performance by Shin-duk Choi, followed by a vocal duet by Shin-hee Kim and Jin-han Baek and a performance by the church's youth orchestra.

Between performances, the program included live interviews with guests. Dr. Eun-han Kim, visiting from St. John's Church, said he felt a deep connection to Boston Presbyterian and had made a point of attending the 50th anniversary celebration. A Catholic visitor remarked that the warmth of the church's atmosphere was unlike anything she had experienced before and said she found it genuinely moving.

The His Willmen's Choir delivered a rich, resonant set of harmonies — a performance the men had prepared by carving time out of busy evening schedules. A piano quintet followed, its blend of different instruments serving as a fitting symbol of diverse individuals coming together as one church.

A commemorative video traced the church's journey from its modest beginnings in Waltham with a small group of worshippers, through its move to Newton in 1987, to its permanent home in Hopkinton in 1996.

In interviews with congregants, a common theme emerged: what makes Boston Presbyterian Church special is its people. When asked why they love their church, many gave the same answer — "because I love the people I'm with here." Looking ahead, members expressed hope that the church would continue to be a joyful community growing together in faith.

Senior Pastor Sung-chul Chang said he was grateful to God for guiding the church to its 50th year. He spoke of his vision for the next half century: a community devoted to worship, mutual learning, caring for one another, nurturing families, and partnering with the broader community.

Paster Chang, Sung Chul

The concert's highlight was an ensemble performance by the church choir and a small orchestra under conductor Jong-eun Chung. The ensemble performed nine pieces, opening with "My Jesus, I Love Thee" from Maia and building to a climactic finale of "Hallelujah," in which the entire audience rose to their feet and sang along. At Pastor Jang's request, the ensemble closed by reprising the opening piece, bringing the evening full circle.

Pastor Duk-young Jeon, who served as senior pastor for 30 years before retiring and now lives in Cambodia, said he was deeply moved by the choir's performance. After introducing several former music directors and accompanists from the church's history, he reflected on the past decade under Pastor Jang's leadership. "More fruit has been borne in these ten years than in the thirty I served," he said, offering warm encouragement to his successor.

After the concert, performers congratulated one another and shared in the joy of the occasion. The evening concluded with a banquet prepared by the church, where attendees reflected together on the meaning of this jubilee year.

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