Immigrant pastor finds home in Waupaca

WAUPACA – Rev. Hyunwoong Hwang was born in 1985 in Incheon, South Korea—which is 6,400 miles away from Waupaca.
He is now pastor of three United Methodist congregations in the area: Parfreyville, and Crystal Lake. Together, these congregations form WARM, the Waupaca Area Regional Ministry of the United Methodist Church.
Hwang was raised in the Korean Methodist Church. Bethel Methodist Church in Incheon played an important role in his spiritual formation, helping him develop a love for scripture, worship, and service.
“My call to ministry grew gradually through experiences of faith, service and a growing sense that God was inviting me to accompany others on their spiritual journeys. As a teenager, I loved being involved in church life, but I did not seriously consider pastoral ministry until my military service. Through serving in the military chapel and participating in ministry, I began to discern God’s call. That experience eventually led me to the seminary,” said Hwang.
Pastor Hwang said the decision to come to the United States occurred during his final year of seminary in 2013. “One of my professors encouraged me to study English and pursue further theological education in the United States. I was eventually accepted into Boston University School of Theology and arrived in Boston in January 2015,” he said.

“Moving to a new country involved significant uncertainty. It meant leaving behind family, friends, language, culture, and everything familiar. It was not an easy decision, but I sensed that God was opening a path for growth, learning, and ministry. Studying theology in a second language was challenging…it taught me how to navigate theological differences,” said Hwang.
Pastor Hwang majored in mathematics as an undergraduate student. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Methodist Theological University in
Seoul, South Korea, then a Master of Theological Studies degree with a concentration in Christian Ethics from Boston University’s School of Theology.
Following this, Pastor Hwang was appointed to Community United Methodist Church in Brighton, Massachusetts in July 2017. He later transitioned to Phillips United Methodist Church in Phillips, Wisconsin, in August 2020.
“In Phillips I experienced the warmth and resilience of a rural Wisconsin community. The congregation taught me much about faithfulness, hospitality and serving one another through life’s joys and challenges. Phillips is a small, and somewhat isolated community, where many Czech and Slovak immigrants settled. As a Korean immigrant, I found a surprising sense of resonance with them. In different ways, our communities shared histories marked by war, hardship and the experience of being outsiders. They welcomed this Korean stranger with remarkable kindness and hospitality,” said Hwang.
Hwang said it was difficult to leave his family behind when he answered the call to come to the United States. His father is now retired after working many years in construction and later as an apartment security guard. His mother works in a meat retail shop. Hwang’s younger sister is married to a farmer on Ganghwa Island, where his mother is from. His brother-in-law cares for cattle and manages farm equipment.
Pastor Hwang is beginning his third year of ministry in Waupaca. He loves the people and the opportunities he has to enjoy the natural beauty of the area
“One of the things I appreciate most about Waupaca is its strong spirit of community service. I have seen people actively working to improve the community through churches, volunteer organizations, food pantries, farmers markets, and countless acts of neighborly care. These congregations have become an important part of my life, and over time Waupaca has come to feel like home,” said Hwang.
In his free time, Hwang enjoys quiet, human-powered activities such as biking, hiking, and kayaking. Cycling has become both a hobby and spiritual practice for him as he often travels between churches by bicycle and enjoys exploring local trails and communities.
“This summer, I hope to continue that journey in a different way by hiking the John Muir Trail in California. I look forward to experiencing the beauty of creation, embracing simplicity, and discovering what God might teach me along the trail,” he said.