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The mission of the West Scarborough United Methodist Church is to praise and serve God, and to bring individuals into a relationship with God’s Son, Jesus Christ. We are committed to enhancing spiritual growth through worship, Christian education, Bible study, fellowship, and reaching out to others beyond our community. We welcome all into our house of worship.
SPRC Chair
Worship Committee Chair
Outreach Committee Chair
Trustee Committee Chair
Church Council Chair
As members of West Scarborough United Methodist Church, we as the Body of Christ are called to love one another unconditionally as He first loved us. Therefore, we covenant together to work with each other in a spirit of respect and understanding. By entering this covenant, we will affirm and support each other as we all grow in our ministry together, seeking to fulfill the mission of our church.
We will endeavor to love each other as our Lord Jesus Christ asked us to do.
Project GRACE, Scarborough Food Pantry, Milestone, UMCOR, Heifer Project, sharing space with the Anglican Church, Pine Point Manor Valentine Cards, AA, OA, ALANON, Brownies, Scarborough Summerfest, Yard Sales, Bean Suppers, Christmas Church Fairs, UMCOR Flood Buckets, My Sister’s Keeper, Welcome Bags for church visitors, Pie Sales, Pine Point Manor(services and special activities), Salem Economic Ministries, Rural Missions, Giving Tree, adoption of families, Stop the Growling food packing, Preble Street, after church coffee hours…
Rev. Jongsun LimI was born in South Korea the youngest of two sons and three daughters in the environment of a Christian family. Christianity, especially Methodist, came to Korea in 1885, and I’m a third-generation Christian in my family. Until junior high school, my dream was to become a scientist. That goal changed in ninth grade. There was a revival in my church at that time. On the last day, I remained in the sanctuary after the service and prayed. Suddenly I experienced the Holy Spirit and felt a strong desire to be a pastor. Thus, I entered the department of theology at Yonsei University.
While studying theology, my faith and perspective changed. I was very conservative and exclusive and had a narrow perspective. Initially, I had experienced an inner struggle because of the difference between my faith and perspective and my new learning. I doubted my belief in faith and the existence of God. However, I overcame the struggle and doubt through discussions with professors, pastors, and friends, and the prayers of my parents. Through continuing study, I gained a new, broader, and open perspective.
God’s presence and help continued throughout my life. Through God’s guidance, I met a pastor who supported my idea to study abroad. Yet, in spite of his mentoring and support, I could not visualize myself in another country. He continued to encourage me, saying, “If you have the desire and pray to God, God will help you.” My dream was finally realized in 1997 when God led me to Boston where I began my studies at Boston University.
Through God, I continued to meet good, kind, and caring people. Whenever I faced difficulties, God steered me in the direction of good people, especially great pastors. This was evident when I served as a Christian education director at the Korean Church in Worcester. While there, I met a Korean pastor and liked his style of ministry which I hoped to use as my model.
After his departure, the church experienced conflict with a new pastor. I always returned home with a broken heart. At that time, I met a pastor who became my first mentor. I discussed everything with him; he answered my questions and prayed for me. I began to attend worship at his church and listened to and enjoyed his sermons. That experience helped me to overcome many difficulties.
Through these experiences, I felt that it was the local church ministry to which God called me. Before this, I was more interested in studying, but God had a different plan for me. God led me into ministry. I began ministry in 2001 when I was appointed to St. Nicholas United Methodist Church in Hull, Massachusetts as a local pastor. Since then, I have served Weymouth UMC, Weymouth, MA, Lisbon UMC, Lisbon Falls, ME, Faith UMC, Chicopee, MA, and Greenland UMC, Greenland, NH.
While serving the church, I felt that I needed to grow in ministry. Thus, I began the program of Doctor of Ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2011. I have learned pastoral skills. However, it was very hard to finish the degree program while I served the church as a full-time pastor. I could not write a thesis for the degree and did not finish the degree.
Finally, I want to introduce my family. I married my wife, Eunyoung Choi on December 26, 1996. Eunyoung is my best adviser and helper in my ministry. Because she studied theology and because she is a pastor’s daughter, she knew the church and ministry well. Through our conversations, she gives me many good ideas.
Although the doctor told us that we didn’t have a chance of having a baby, God gave us the most precious gifts, two daughters. My first daughter, Janet, just graduated from Clark University. My second daughter is Laura, and she graduated from Portsmouth High School and will start Skidmore College in the fall.
I thank God for allowing me to serve the churches and their people. Also, I thank God for all the things that He has given me in the past, now, and will provide in the future.
Our Associate Pastor Gail Underwood Parker has a unique mix of skills, creativity, and practicality. She is the author of five published non-fiction books in addition to numerous articles, columns, pamphlets, and teaching materials. A middle school teacher, Gail filled off-school time leading parent training workshops and in community musical theater. After retiring she added speaking on parenting strategies and coaching young writers. Gail is a certified Independent Living Specialist and special education advocate. Coming from a family filled with educators, ordained ministers and missionaries and always active in churches, Parker learned early to find strength in faith. Pastor Parker’s great-grandfather was the first Christian missionary to Korea in 1885, financed largely by his brother’s Underwood Typewriter Company. Four generations of Underwoods have served the church in South Korea! Gail has served God and her home church as organist, choir director, worship leader, youth educator, and on nurture, outreach, trustee, and administrative committees.
In 2014, Gail felt an increasing call to work more deeply in the church and began exploring possibilities. In 2018 she held a position as summer worship leader for the Craigville Retreat Center in Massachusetts, which confirmed her growing sense of the Holy Spirit’s call to pastoral leadership. She took courses in church history, polity and worship, and a two-year program through the Neighborhood Seminary to become a Certified Lay Minister in the United Methodist Church. She was interim pastor for the PeaceDale Congregational Church in Rhode Island in 2022, and that summer began serving as primary pastor for a team serving North Sebago and Naples, ME. Gail is excited to begin work as associate pastor for the Living Waters Circuit Ministry serving Cornerstone UMC in Saco, West Scarborough UMC, and Portland’s Rainbow UMC. Gail has a specialty certification in Congregational Care and is working on a certification in Grief Care.
Ms. Parker raised 9 children and young adults in her home from 1973 to 2021. She has five children, 15 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. She teaches voice, piano and organ at Scarborough’s Fiddlehead Center for the Arts and Science.
