Staff

Pastor Jae-Haeng Choi is an ordained elder of the United Methodist Church. She received her master’s in theology at Methodist Theological Seminary in Seoul, Korea and her baccalaureate from Ewha Women's University also in the Republic of Korea. She holds a master’s in divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University (Atlanta) and completed a Ph. D. in Interdisciplinary Studies (Christian Spirituality and Psychology) at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. Her dissertation title was “A Group Spiritual Exercise for Healing Broken-Heartedness.”  Rev. Choi ministered at a Korean girls' reform school for five years and through this service formulated her theology of ministry as the restoration of the image of God.  She has diverse ministerial experiences.  She has served both English-Speaking congregation and Korean-Speaking congregation in both urban and rural areas in the United States of America.  

Rev. Choi’s ministerial interest is to make disciples of Jesus Christ through spiritual formation and transformation.  She is a trained and experienced spiritual and retreat director.  She has led workshops and retreats on prayers such as Lectio Divina, Centering Prayer, and Labyrinth Prayer for diverse groups from the youth to adults and from laity to clergy. Rev. Choi is also a certified Stephen Ministry leader and has trained Stephen ministers in a local church. Her current ministerial focus is prayers, the words of God in the Bible, healing, pastoral care, and missional service to neighbors local and global.  Her ministerial slogan is “Welcome Everyone to the Love of God.”  She emphasizes grace forgiveness, and fellowship/koinonia in her ministry.

Emily grew up here in Arlington. She was a singer and performer in San Fransico. She is a welcomed addition to our staff.