Happy Church

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, November 27.

By Youngsuk Chae

S

un-young was in the third grade, and her sister, Sun-mi, was in the second grade when they started going to the Happy Church in South Korea.

The new church was located in a new city built not far from their home. Not so long ago, the whole place was mountains, fields, and farms. But when builders started to work, the land was quickly turned into a large and beautiful city called Sejong.

Sun-young and Sun-mi, together with Father and Mother, worshiped in the small, newly built Sejong Happy Church.

Father led the congregation in singing songs at Sabbath worship services. Sun-young and Sun-mi accompanied him by playing violins that they had just started to learn. Praising God through music made the girls feel happy. They were happy to be in the Happy Church.

After a while, a girl named Sua moved to the city, and she brought her violin to church. Sua’s mother was a music teacher who taught the cello, and she nicely led the new musical group of three children and their violins.

About a year and a half later, the new pastor’s eldest son, Chan-young, joined the musical group with his clarinet. His younger brother, Chan-sol, brought a violin.

Now the musical group consists of four violins and a clarinet. When the small group plays during Sabbath worship services, churchgoers happily exclaim that they feel like they are listening to music being played by the sea of glass at God’s throne in heaven.

Among those churchgoers is Mrs. Lee, who likes the music very much. She came to the Happy Church when her husband read on the Internet that God’s Sabbath is on Saturday, not Sunday. Their son also likes the music very much, and he has started to learn to play the violin because he wants to join the musical group.

There are other children who also want to join the group. Do-hee is learning the flute; Ye-song is learning the violin; Min-gyo is learning the cello; and Tae-hoon is learning the clarinet. When all the children learn how to play, the small group will become a big orchestra.

The pastor has named the musical group Osher, which means “happiness” in the Hebrew language of the Bible. The children who play in the group are happy. Churchgoers who listen to their music are happy. And the God who receives their musical praise in heaven is happy.

Three years ago, part of your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering helped build the Happy Church in Sejong, South Korea. Sun-young and Sun-mi are grateful to the many children around the world who gave money for their church through the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering.

“Believers from all over the world helped build our church with prayers and offerings,” says Sun-young.

“Thank you very much,” says Sun-mi.