The National Korean Presbyterian Council (NKPC) held its 32nd Annual Assembly in June, 2003 in Hawaii where the first group of Korean immigrants landed in the soil of North America. Approximately half of the first 102 immigrants who came to this strange land were Christians looking for a new dream. They worked for ten long hours with tears and sweat as laborers in the sugar plantation with a meager daily wage of 69 cents a day. They contributed one-third of their wage for the Independence Movement of their homeland from the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula, one-third for a school and church to educate their children and to worship God and the remaining one-third for their living expenses. They sacrificed heavily for the future of the Korean descendants in the new world. Since the chartering of the first Korean congregation in 1903 (the same year they came to Hawaii), the Korean churches have become the center of Korean community for worship, fellowship, Korean language teaching and Korean culture. The first Korean Presbyterian Church was organized in Los Angeles in 1906.

Since 1967, when a new immigration law was passed, many Koreans immigrated to the state and they built churches wherever they settled and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has provided a great financial and human resources for the development of Korean congregations, which grew from 25 in early 1970s to 370 in 2002.

As we celebrate the centennial anniversary of Korean immigration and mission in the United States, we look back with thanksgiving, we simultaneously look forward to the mission for the next century our Lord has entrusted to us, we preach the gospel to every nation on earth and to every national in our midst. To respond to God's new calling, we resolved our commitment to fulfill the vision for the next century and we proclaimed 3M campaign as our offering for the mission of the church.

For the glory of God; NKPC, in celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Korean American church, envisions its next one hundred years in Christ with the launch of its 3M campaign during the years of 2003-2008, in order to nurture present and future generations of leadership, empower Korean American congregations for church development and growth and participate in global missions.

The acronym 3M comes from $3 million giving, three mission projects and three minute prayer. It is a campaign to raise $3 million for three mission projects with three-minute daily prayer. It is not just to raise money but it is a cooperative vision movement for the 380 Korean American congregations to fulfill the calling of God for the next century. $2 Million will be raised from congregation members (one dollar per month for five years) and one million dollars from individual donors.

One

Transforming congregations for the new century ($1.5 million)

• Nurturing pastors and lay leaders for new paradigm of church leadership
• Establishment of national staff position for next generation English ministry
• Think tank for research, development and dissemination of resources for new paradigm of ministry
• Continuing education and training to retool church leaders for transformational church growth

Two

New Church Development and Multicultural church ($.5 million)

• Increasing NKPC member congregations to 500
• Development and support of second generation Korean American and multicultural congregations

Three

Global mission in partnership with the PC(USA) ($1 million)

• Donation of a tithe from 3M campaign ($300,000) toward $40 million Mission Initiative
• Commissioning and sending off 20 missionaries for the next ten years in partnership with Worldwide Ministries Division of the denomination

Our participation in the denomination's mission is twofold: our offering of $300,000 toward mission initiative and partnership in commissioning 20 missionaries for global mission ($700,000).

The 3M Committee was organized in October of 2003 and the executive committee is working hard to develop video film, brochures and other promotional materials.

This years' NKPC Annual Assembly on June 22-25 in Atlanta will see the kick-off and celebration of 3M campaign for the next five years.