Location: 10 locations across the conference and via Zoom

Second Quarter focus: Asian History & Culture

Thursday, May 25
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Multiple locations across the conference (see the list below) and via zoom

Watch the Presentation and Discussion

Watch a Recap video from host site Roselle UMC

Additional offerings :

• Sat., 5/27, 12:30  pm - 2:30 pm at Melrose Park: Cosmopolitan UMC
• Thurs., 6/15, 6:00 pm. at Steward UMC

Cost $5 (payable at the door, includes an accompanying meal)

Online registration

Meal, presentation by Dr. Wonhee Anne Joh, panel discussion and table discussions around Asian History and Culture.

Several churches and North Central College are host sites for a community meal. These community gatherings will include a time for fellowship over a meal, a presentation and a panel discussion (streamed over Zoom). Additional time will be allowed for further in-person discussions. Participation via Zoom is available for those unable to attend starting at 6:45 pm. (Click here for Zoom link or see below)

Before attending the event, it is recommended to watch the documentary Being Asian in America  by Pew Research Center and read the information on the accompaning page. In a new Pew Research Center analysis based on 66 focus groups conducted in the fall of 2021, Asian American participants described navigating their own identity in a nation where the label “Asian” brings expectations about their origins, behavior and physical self. Learn more here.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Film Series Chair, Tim Alexander, at tim@osumc.org.

Learn more about the 2023 Film Series

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Locations: Meal offerings listed after the location

• Elmhurst: First UMC, 232 S York St, Elmhurst, IL (A Sample of Asian Cuisine)
• Evanston: Emmanuel UMC, 1417 Oak Ave, Evanston, IL (Indian meal)
• Libertyville: UMC of Libertyville, 429 Brainerd Avenue, Libertyville, IL. 60048 (Indian meal)
• Melrose Park: Cosmopolitan UMC, 1112 N 9th Ave, Melrose Park, IL (Filipino meal). Note: This event will be on Sat., 5/27, 12:30  pm - 2:30 pm.
• North Central College, Larrance Academic Center, Heininger Auditorium, 309 School St, Naperville, IL (Seoul Taco: build your own taco bar (chicken and tofu)
• Northbrook: Northbrook UMC, 1190 Western Avenue, Northbrook, IL 60062 (Korean meal)
• Oak Lawn: First UMC, 10000 S, Central Oak Lawn IL 60453 (Filipino meal)
• Rockford: Christ UMC, 4509 Highcrest Road, Rockford, IL (A Sample of Asian Cuisine)
• Roselle: Roselle UMC, 206 S. Rush Street, Roselle, IL 60172 (Korean and Indian Meal)
• Steward: Steward UMC, 507 Main St, Steward, IL (Korean Meal) Note: This event will be on Thurs., 6/15, 6:00 pm.

For those unavailable to attend these events, you’re still welcome to participate in the comfort of your home. The presentation and panel discussion will start at approximately 6:45 pm and will be live on Zoom.

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Meet the Presentor and Panelists

Presentor: Dr. Woohee Anne Joh

Dr. Wonhee Anne Joh is the Harry R. Kendall Professor of Christian Theology and Postcolonial Studies at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Director of the Doctoral Studies Program as well as Faculty Affiliate in the Departments of Religious Studies and Asian American Studies at Northwestern University, and member of the research faculty cohort on Religion, Race and Global Politics of the Buffett Institute for Global Studies at Northwestern University. She serves also as a faculty advisor for PANAAWTM and Asian Summer Theological Institute, a member of the Executive Board for Political Theology Network, and the advisory board for the Lexington Press series on Postcolonial and Decolonial Studies in Theology. In addition to numerous articles and chapters, her publications include Heart of the Cross: A Postcolonial Christology and co-editor of Critical Theology Against US Militarism in Asia: Decolonization and Deimperialization, and Feminist Praxis Against US Militarism. Forthcoming from Fordham University Press is Trauma, Affect and Race.

Panelist: Rev. Rose Marie Caldron-Khan

Rev. Rose Marie Calderon-Khan is an ordained elder of the United Methodist Church (retired) and current member of Cosmopolitan United Church (UMC) in Melrose Park, IL and the Philippine College of Clergy. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economic Sciences, as well as an advanced degree in Law at Silliman University in her native Philippines and where her father served as University President. She has served in various government leadership positions in the Philippines including as Provincial District Head of the Department of Labor and Employment, as well as instructor of Political Science in several institutions including the UMC founded Philippine Christian University.

She attended Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary where she earned her MDiv and was ordained in the Iowa Conference. She served in Iowa for two decades and was a member of the Conference Committee on Race and Religion. Her experience serving as an ethnic-minority woman pastor in predominantly white and rural areas, as well as her government career caring for at-risk communities in the Philippines has given her an especial heart for the marginalized in the Church and the World.

Panelist: Rev. Scort Christy

Rev. Scort (Sanjay) Christy was born and raised in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.  He left India in 1990. He received a B.S. in Accounting from Northeastern Illinois University in 1995 and completed his MBA from North Park University in 1998. He received his MDiv from Garrett Seminary in 2017. 

He worked in the corporate world as an IT Project Manager and Financial Analyst. He worked at Elmwood Park UMC from 2015 to 2017, and has served as Sr. Pastor at Emmanuel UMC in Evanston since 2017. There, he leads worship service in three languages: Hindi, Gujarati, and English. Under his diligent and nurturing leadership, the Emmanuel congregation continues to grow and flourish.

He currently serves as President of the New Federation of Asian American United Methodist (NFAAUM) Caucus and Asian American Language Ministry (AALM). He serves on the executive committee of the Inter-Ethnic Strategy Development Group (IESDG) as Treasurer, and is a member of the Bethany North Suburban Group (BNSG) Board of Directors.

Panelist: Rev. Heewon Kim

Rev. Heewon Kim is the Pastor of Evans/New Life/Harlem United Methodist Church in Machesney Park, Illinois. Rev. Kim serves within the Northern Illinois Conference through the Board of Ordained Ministry, and Discipleship Task Force Nationwide he serves as the president of National Association of Korean-American United Methodist Pastors Serving Cross-Racial/Cultural Appointment. He loves biblical studies on cross-cultural/racial ministry. He enjoys watching movies, writing songs and playing instruments (guitar, keyboard) in different worship settings.

Panelist: Donna Sagami

Donna Sagami (she/her)  is a member of Ravenswood Fellowship UMC, on the north side of Chicago (Lake North District) She is the lay leader, as well as the lay member to Annual Conference, and served as past secretary for the NIC Fellowship of Asian Americans. She has been an active member of the Anti-Racism Champion Team since it started in 2020. Donna wants to learn more about everyone's story, as well as share her experiences as a Japanese American.