The 100th Anniversary Memorial Church was established by The Foundation for the 100th Anniversary of the Korean Church in 2005 inviting Jae Chul Lee. The Foundation for the 100th Anniversary of the Korean Church has called him to serve the 100th Anniversary Memorial Church and since July, 2005 he has been serving as Senior Pastor at the 100th Anniversary Memorial Church. On November 18, 2018, he retired from his ministry at the 100th Anniversary Memorial Church. The church is currently led under the beautiful leadership of four co-senior pastors.
The 100th Annicersary Memorial Church is to fulfill the following:
The church aspires to become one holy, universal and apostolic church based on the Bible, word of God.
The church guides those saved by Jesus Christ to live ‘everyday by faith’ and ‘faith in daily life’ taking responsibility and devotion for humanity as Christians.
The church takes on the spirit and faith of the one-hundred year Korean Christian Mission, and fosters the vision for the coming two-hundred year of Christian mission.
The church is entrusted with the ownership of Yanghwajin Foreign Missionaries Cemetery and Korean Christian Martyrs Memorial Center, and takes its maintenance and management as the top priority of mission work.
The 100th Anniversary Memorial Church is established at Yanghwajin Sacred Park where foreign missionaries are buried. At Yanghwajin, there are graves of missionaries and their families who dedicated their lives in spreading the gospel in Korea and modernizing Chosun, the last dynasty of Korea before Japanese Imperialist’s ruling(1910-1945). They devoted themselves in spreading the gospel, translating the Bible, education, provision of medical services, and supporting sovereignty of Chosun during their time.
The Foundation for the 100th Anniversary of the Korean Church received the legal ownership and title of Yanghwajin Foreigners’ Cemetery from Kyungsung Kumi-In Cemetery Association in 1985. The Foundation made the decision to preserve Yanghwajin as a sacred park for the Protestant Church. In 1986, the Mission Memorial Hall was established with funds raised from Korean Christians and businessmen. The Foundation initially had Seoul Union Church to care for the cemetery and hold services for the foreign missionaries at the Mission Memorial Hall.
The Foundation for the 100th Anniversary of the Korean Church repeatedly requested the Korean government and the Seoul City municipal government to formally establish a memorial park and sacred site for the Protestant Church at Yanghwajin. As a result, in 2003, Seoul City and Mapo District designated Yanghwajin Foreigners’ Cemetery and Juldusan Sacred Site of Catholic Church together as “Yanghwajin Sacred Site” and formed a park between the two sites.
The Foundation established 100th Anniversary Memorial Church in July, 2005 and entrusted the church with the responsibility of maintaining and preserving Yanghwajin Foreigners’ Cemetery and Korean Christian Martyrs Memorial Center at Yongin, so that they are formally cared for as Protestant Church’s sacred sites. The cemetery used to have several different names, but The Foundation and 100th Anniversary Memorial Church offcially gave it a new name “Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery” with an agreement with Mapo District Offce. And in 2013, the Supreme Court ruling clearly declared the legal ownership of Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery belongs to The Foundation.
Yanghwajin, meaning “willow-fower ferry”, at the shore of Han River was a strategic region for commercial transactions and military defense during Chosun dynasty. Yanghwajin had abundant water level which allowed numerous over-sized ships to dock. Shipments from Jaemulpo also sailed through Yanghwajin which were further delivered to other cities and palaces.
Due to its granted advantages, Yanghwajin did not cease to be a target of foreign attacks. After Im-Jin-Waeran (Japanese invasion in 1592) and Byung-Ja-Horan (Manchu Invasion in 1636), the strategic signifcance of Yanghwajin has became more signifcant. In the 30th year of King Young Jo’s reign (1754), military camp and base were established at Yanghwajin. The word “jin” in the name of Yanghwajin derives from such historical background as the word “Goon Jin” which means “military base”.
Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery is a burial place of early foreign missionaries. In anticipation of the 200th anniversary of Korean missionaries, the works and lives of the past missionaries remain as an important foundation and serves as a deep inspiration to the Korean Church.Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery is also a place where one can refect upon the turbulent modern history of Korea.
Out of 417 burials in total from 14 different countries, there are 145 of missionaries and their families in the cemetery. The very frst missionary buried was John W. Heron, a United States missionary on July 28, 1890. Missionaries from 7 different countries including USA, Great Britain, Canada, Sweden, South Africa, Australia, and Japan are buried at this cemetery.
Korean Christian Martyrs Memorial Center was built to pay a tribute to the spirit and faith of matyrs and commemorate the one-hundred year Korean Christian mission by The Foundation for the 100th Anniversary of the Korean Church in November 18, 1989. Ever since 1884 the time the Gospel reached the Korean Peninsula, the matyrs died for their Christian conviction are estimated up to 2600 and 600 of them including Pastor Gi Chul Joo are resting in peace.
The church offers 4 services on Sundays starting from 8:30 am in the morning. The services hours are as following:
1st Service
8:30 am
2nd Service
11:00 am
3rd Service
1:30 pm
4th Service
4:00 pm
*The 2nd service English translation is provided on both 4F and B3 in the Main Worship Hall. On B3, please pick up the receiver at the back of the hall.
*The 4th service is led by young Christians and Song and Praise proceeds for 30 min before the worship begins.
There are also other bible study and prayer sessions are available:
Wednesday Bible Study
8:00 pm
Friday Night Prayer
9:30 pm
Early Morning Prayer
5:30 am
*Song and Praise proceeds for 30 min before the Wednesday Bible Study beigns.