News > North America

<11/30/2021>

The homecoming ceremony of Dr. Paul Jay Chung was held at Chicago UBF on Tuesday, Nov 30, at 6:30pm. Many guests from Korea, Mexico, and other North America chapters as well as Chicago members joined the ceremony in-person and expressed their condolences for the loss of our beloved servant Dr. Paul Chung.

Also, many co-workers in the world joined the ceremony online.

P. Ron Ward delivered an encouraging message based on 1 Cor 15:57 with the hope of victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. M. John Park and Dr. Augustine Sohn shared heart-moving eulogies with us. The following day Dr. Paul Hong led the burial service in the presence of many co-workers. We remembered the beautiful life of faith and mission of Dr. Paul Jay Chung. May God give comfort to M. Sara Chung, Dr. Paul Chung Jr., Sara Chung Jr, all their family members, and friends.

HOMECOMING CEREMONY ANNOUNCEMENTS

<Livestream service was ended>
*You can watch the live-streamed video through the youtube link directly: https://youtu.be/BJCLunABcGI
or watch it below. 

<11/23/2021>

P. Ron Ward (Chicago UBF)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

"'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Co 15:55-57; as referred to in the message delivered in New Jersey yesterday by Dr. Paul Chung, Sr.)

Last Sunday, November 21st, Dr. Paul Chung Sr. went to be with the Lord at the age of 66. It happened just after he delivered the Sunday message in New Jersey UBF, giving his whole heart and strength. Feeling shoulder pain, he went home to rest. An hour later, his wife, M. Sarah arrived home and found that he had suffered a heart attack. He was pronounced dead at 1:30 p.m. His passing was sudden and unexpected to us. However, it was not unexpected to our Lord Jesus. At God's right time he has taken Dr. Paul Chung Sr. to everlasting glory in his kingdom.

Paul served as a missionary in Chicago UBF from the early days, assisting Dr. Samuel Lee. He was a diligent and committed one-to-one Bible teacher and a good steward of God's work. He and his wife Sarah established a fellowship in Chicago UBF in which Jesus' disciples were raised. Paul oversaw the construction of the UIC Bible house. Later, he assisted Dr. John Jun during his term as General Director. For the last three and a half years, he has been serving in New Jersey UBF as an invaluable coworker to M. John Park and others. He has always been a man of courageous faith, a joyful spirit, and a willingness to help and serve others anytime. Most of all, he was a man of faith in Jesus Christ.

In his final message last Sunday, Paul shared his certainty in the victory that Jesus gives. The message is on youtube; the link can be found at http://newjerseyubf.org/. His proclamation of Jesus' victory over death is at the 23-minute mark. I encourage you to listen to the entire message if you can. It is inspiring and gives clear spiritual direction for young people, and for us all.

<Dr. Paul's final message on Sunday just before his departure>

We certainly grieve Dr. Paul's passing. He was loved and widely respected in the UBF community. To me, he was a close friend with whom I shared many sufferings and joys together for almost 40 years. Though we grieve his passing, we can have a great assurance in our Lord Jesus Christ that he has entered into glory. It is time to remember his beautiful life and be encouraged by his faith. It is time to encourage his family members with the love of God. As we consider his life and legacy, I pray that we may be stirred to serve our Lord Jesus Christ all the more prayerfully and fervently, and with joy and humility.

It should be noted that Paul's son, Dr. Paul Chung Jr., delivered his first Sunday message at the Chicago UBF Sunday worship service last Sunday, at the very time his father was delivering his message in New Jersey. (You can watch his message here.) It was a graceful and touching message on John 15 about Jesus the True Vine. Through this, we see the baton of spiritual leadership passing, with impeccable timing, from father to son for the glory of God.

A homecoming ceremony for Dr. Paul Chung Sr. will be held at the Chicago UBF Center on Tuesday, November 30th at 6:30 p.m. This event will be livestreamed and the link will be posted on ubf.org as soon as possible. There will be a final viewing at 5:00 p.m. for the family, 5:30 p.m. for others who want to pay their respects. A snack or light dinner will be served for those who can come in person.

The burial ceremony will take place on Wednesday, December 1 at 10:00 a.m. at the Ridgewood Cemetery, 9900 N. Milwaukee Ave., Des Plaines, IL 60016.

Please pray for Paul's surviving family members: his wife, M. S*arah Chung, and his children, Dr. P*aul Jr. (wife E*lizabeth, and children J*osiah and N*oah), and S*arah Jr. May our Lord Jesus Christ comfort them, as only he can. And may their faith in Jesus' victory and in God's love be strengthened through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Condolences and financial gifts can be given in person at the Homecoming Ceremony or sent to S*arah Chung, (in care of her son, Paul). 6614 N. Maplewood Ave., Chicago, IL 60645. Financial gifts can also be sent via Venmo: @Sarah-Chung-9; or by Zelle QuickPay: 7734584362 or chg.sarah@gmail.com.

Let's remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, and celebrate the life of faith of Dr. Paul Chung, a servant of Christ Jesus.

In Christ, P. Ron Ward

File attachment:

• Homecoming Ceremony Program.pdf