Religious Worship, Seoul

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There are a number of places of worship (churches, mosques, temples, etc.) where English or other language services are offered, particularly in the Seoul area. Not all Koreans practice a particular religion, although vestiges of the ancient belief system, Shamanism as well as Buddhism can be found even among modern educated Koreans. During the Chosun Dynasty, Confucianism replaced Buddhism as the primary religion. However, in recent years, Christianity has taken over to become the belief system of the majority of those Koreans belonging to an organized religion. However, since Koreans do not include Roman Catholics as Christians in their statistics, the official figures tell a slightly different story.

The following offer religious services in English and, where specified, in other languages. All are listed in alphabetical order.

CHRISTIAN CHURCHES - PROTESTANT:

Christian Science Society
Special focus on Christian healing. Sunday worship, 10 a.m. Sunday school, 11 a.m. Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m. Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy in 17 languages; also available, the Weekly Bible Lesson, The Christian Science Monitor Weekly; children's books & CDs; study groups in English or Korean.  E-mail cshealing@gmail.com.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
English-language worship service at the Cheongwoon-dong chapel (02-733-5894) near the Chahamun Tunnel commencing with sacrament meeting at 12:30 p.m. Call Corey Turner at (02)794-6930

Church In Seoul 
The Sunday fellowship service is at 10:30am.There are bible studies at various times during the week. For more information, contact  Jonathan at 010-6744 0184. For a map for getting to the church, visit the Church in Seoul website. 

Community of Christ
Sunday services at 11:00 a.m. English translation is available. Young adult gathering Sunday afternoons. Advanced English Discussion Club meets weekly. Located near Yonsei University. (02-334-7912)

Covenant Church
Sunday English Service at 1:30pm, Sunday English Praise, Testimony, & Prayer Time at 4:30pm, and English Small Group meetings throughout the week.  We are a gospel-centered church affiliated with the PCA (Presbyterian Church of America) and are located at Shincheon Station (next to Jamsil Station on line 2).  For more information, the Covenant Church website has an English section.

English Ministry of Ha-Yae-Sung Church of Hwa-Jung
Exclusively English worship service held every Sunday at 3 p.m. Worship service led by Pastor Philip Jeon. All buses going through Hwa-Jung Ji-Gu stop in front of the church. (0344-967-8296)

International Lutheran Church
This church has an expat pastor and is located in Hannam-dong (Address: Hannam 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 140-212). Tel.: 794-6274.  Pastor's home phone: 790-1158 Email: pastor@ilcseoul.net
Subway: Hanggangjin (Stop 631), Line 6 Exit 2 Bus: 110, 120, 142, 144, 402, 420, 0015, 6211. Sunday Worship at 8:30 and 11 AM except June thru August when it is at 9:30am.  Sunday School and Bible Studies info on website.  

German Protestant Service at the International Lutheran Church, Hannam Dong
Meets two Sundays a month a 5PM. Contact Priest: juergen.denker@web.de / Tel.: (02) 795-0393. For directions see International Lutheran Church above.

Itaewon International Church
Contemporary Christian worship services in English language are available for all foreigners. The church meeting schedule is: Sunday bible study - 12:30 p.m./ Sunday service -1:30 p.m./ Thursday prayer meeting - 7:00 p.m. The Church is located in Itaewon on Bogwangdong-gil. Call Pastor Roger Kim at 798-4008, 659-7779, (001)774-8291.

Jehovah's Witnesses Seoul English Congregation
Meetings on Friday at 7:30 - 9:15 p.m. and Sunday at 2-3:45 p.m. The Kingdom Hall is on the fifth floor of the Hannam Building above the International Clinic across Cheil Communications building.

Onnuri English Ministry 
There are two Onnuri Church locations - one in Yangjae and the other in Seobingo.
Yanjae Sunday Service is at 11AM - located near Yangjae Subway Station (Stop 342)
Seobingo Sunday Service is at 4PM - Ichon Station (Stop 430) or Seobingo Station (Stop K130)
Youth Ministry meets at Seobingo location at 11:30AM
Sunday school and babysitting available.

Seoul Anglican Cathedral
Located across from Seoul City Hall beside Deoksu Palace. Holy Communion in English every Sunday at 9.30 a.m. with Sunday School for school age children. Contact the vicar at 02-739-0785 or pgmoon@hotmail.com.

Seoul Union Church
Worship with the English-speaking community: 9:30 a.m. Sunday school for all ages at 11 a.m.
Seoul Union Church is an international, interdenominational, and independent self-governed church that provides contemporary and creative worship services, as well as Bible teachings. Worship Service Location: [Seminary Chapel - 신학관] at Yonsei University, 134 Sinchon-dong, Sodaemun-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 120-749. For contact: pastor@seoulunionchurch.org.

Seventh-Day Adventist
English language service at SDA Language Institute in the Seoul Adventist Hospital compound Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. (Sabbath School) and 11 a.m. (church service). (02-964-6124) Service is also provided at the 121st Evacuation Hospital Chapel in Yongsan.

Seoul Presbyterian Church
English Sunday service at 11:20am in Westminster Hall, and Friday Bible study at 7:00pm in Rm 603. The church is easily accessible: by subway, Daechi station (line 3), or by taxi (across from well-known Eunma Apt).  Led by Rev.  Joshua Cho (expat Korean-American), email: joshuacho@yahoo.com, cell: 010-4101-5492.  Our service is traditional, and our preaching is expositional and Christ-centered.  
 
Somang Presbyterian Church
English-language worship service "Voice of Hope" at 2 p.m. Sundays. English Sunday school from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. at basement 3-1 of Missionary Hall. Preacher, Pastor Robert von Oeyen. Located in Shinsa-dong, Kangnam-gu. Call Mr. Lee at 011-412-2116 for more questions. (02-512-9191~6)

St. Monica's Anglican Church
English Language Anglican Holy Communion Service at 7:30 p.m. Sundays. The church is located in Kangnam located just behind the Imperial Palace Hotel. The nearest Subway station is Hakdong station on line 7 (exit 1) which is a few minutes walking distance from the Church. Just come out of Hakdong Subway Station at Exit 1 and proceed straight up the hill to the main intersection (Customs House Intersection), cross the street and turn directly right passing the front of the Imperial Palace Hotel, take the first small turning on the left immediately after the Imperial Palace Hotel with the Woori Bank on the corner and go up 200 meters, the Church is located on the right hand side. Further details from the Vicar, the Rev'd Dr. Paul Mooney, 010-7556-0785, pgmoon@hotmail.com

Yoido Full Gospel Church
Senior Pastor: Dr. Yonggi Cho. Service with simultaneous interpretation in English at 7 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Japanese and Chinese interpretation also provided at 9 and 11 a.m. (02-783-4135)

Yongsan Baptist Church
Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and English-language worship service at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Nursery care available. Located near the Crown Hotel in Yongsan. Pastor Bill Ecton (02-796-0284) (011-731-0573)

Yongsan Chapel Community
Mass at Memorial Chapel ((02) 7915-8176) at 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon Sundays. South Post Chapel Mass at 9 a.m. and Catholic religious education at 10 a.m. Sundays. ((02) 7918-4044). Just a note that Mass times on post have changed. Mass on Sunday at South Post chapel is at 8 a.m. with religious education at 9:30 a.m.

Youngnak Presbyterian Church
International Worship in English (IWE). Sunday 10 AM (Service Building) 3PM (Mission Chapel) -- pastor Bill Majors (church 2280-0228 / cell 011-613-5896). English/Japanese translation in Korean worships 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM - Directions by subways (Line/station/exit)-(L2/S203/E12), (L3/S330/E10), (L3/S331/E5), (L4/S423/E5) also (L4/S422/E10). E-mail address: iwe@youngnak.net. 

CHRISTIAN CHURCHES - ROMAN CATHOLIC:

Catholic International Parish of Seoul
Celebrates Mass in the Franciscan Chapel at Hannam-dong across from Hannam Village Apts. Pastor Vipporio Di Nardo and the entire parish community welcome you to attend our weekly celebrations. English Mass by Father Paolo Sundays at 9 and 11 a.m.; French Mass by Father Durand Saturdays at 6 p.m.; German Mass by Father Wilhelm Schulte Sundays at 10 a.m.; and Italian/Spanish Mass Sundays at noon. Please confirm schedules at (02)793-2070.

German Catholic Services
The International Parish of Seoul (above) is host to the German Catholic Services. Tel.: (02)7927372, (011) 9940-0403 or E-Mail: info@dekathge.org.

Hyewha-dong Catholic Church
Tagalog Mass every Sunday at 1:30 p.m. for Filipinos. Perpetual Help Novena and Mass every Wednesday (8:30 p.m.)at the Filipino Catholic Center. Call Fr. Resti Galang. ((02)765-0870 or 011-317-0143)

Myongdong Cathedral
Weekday Mass in Korean at 6:30, 7 a.m. and 6, 6:30 p.m., Sunday Mass at 7, 9, 10 and 11 a.m., preceded by confession in English. English Mass at 9:00 a.m. Sundays. ((02) 774-3890).

Sogang University Catholic Church
English Mass at 7:30 p.m. on Sundays. Everyone welcomed. For information, call 82-2-705-8118. Directions: Take line 2 (green line) to Sinchon, go out exit 6 and walk straight for 5 minutes, then turn left to go on campus. Walk up the hill and then up the stairs to St. Ignatius Chapel.

Songbuk-dong Church
English Mass every Sunday at 9 a.m. (H.O Choi: (02) 262-4273/K.J.Lee: 729-4445.

Yeoksam Catholic Church
English Mass at 10 a.m. Sundays. Everyone welcomed. Yeoksam-dong 722-9, Kangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea p. 553-0801. The church is located near exit 2, line #2 (green line) Yeoksam Station.

Unitarian Universalist
Covenant Group forming for monthly Sunday meeting of Unitarian Universalists and other interested free-thinkers, facilitated by a certified Humanist Celebrant (Minister).  Contact Reid Ahl or James Radnor, cell 010-9375-0524 or e-mail seoul.humanist@gmail.com. Group will meet one Sunday every month. Time and location will reflect the interests of the group.

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Meets every Sunday at 11 a.m. near the back gate of Ewha University (behind the University's Engineering School). Address: 2-87 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Directions:
Take the Green Line(# 2 subway to Shinchon Station (- Stop 240). Take Bus #7024 (W800; 6 minutes); Get off at Ewha Woman's University High School (one stop past Ewha Woman's University Back Gate); walk about 25 meters, climbing up the sidewalk in front of Daeshin Methodist Church; from there turn right into the neighborhood, towards the gate to Ewha Woman's Engineering Campus.  At the campus gate, follow the alley to the left - and then at neighborhood intersection, take the right turn. We are found at the end of the ally, on the right side after a 5-minute or less walk up hill.

MOSQUES:

Seoul Central Masjid
Juma Prayers in the Korean, Arabic and English languages at 1 p.m. Fridays. Weekdays five times daily - one hour and 20 minutes before sunrise, at 1 and 4 p.m., at sunset and one and a half hours after sunset - at the mosque in Hannam-dong, Yongsan. (02-794-7307)

Korea Muslim Federation
For information on mosques or prayer locations around Korea, contact 02-793-2070 or visit the Federation's website.

SYNAGOGUES:

Chabad of Seoul.
Prior to April 2008,  the only location for Jewish services was on the US military base in Yongsan if there was a rabbi available. However,  there is now a Chabad located in Itaewon. Rabbi Litzman can be reached via rabbi@jewish.kr.  Jews living outside Seoul can also contact Rabbi Litzman for information on possible services in their area of Korea.

TEMPLES / BUDDHIST MEDITATION CENTERS:

Bongeun-sa
The temple is located just north of the COEX Center. It is a major center for the Zen sectof of Buddhism.

Jogye-sa
The temple is located near Insa-dong in central Seoul. It is the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

Buddhist Library
Offering classes on Buddhism, meditation, and related topics in English and Korean. Please check website for current programs. You are welcome to borrow the numerous English books on Buddhism and spirituality at the library. Info: Library website or 02-730-0173. Getting There: Come out exit #6 of Anguk Subway Station (Stop 328). Make a U-turn, walking away from Insadong. When you pass the police station, you will see a yellow bldg. Look up. There is a white sign "Buddhist English Library of Seoul". 3rd Fl.
  
Myanmar Buddhist Center
Buddhist Insight Meditation (Vipassana), led by Myanmar monk Pannyabhoga every Saturday from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Myanmar Buddhist Center, 1-36 Gahoe-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, conducts meditation classes mostly in English. Sessions include about one hour of meditation and a question-and-answer session. Everybody is welcome. To get there, take subway line No. 3 and get off at Anguk Station, exit No. 2. Walk about seven meters to the bus stop and take the 02 bus to the Saudi Arabian Embassy (third or fourth stop). After getting off, walk up to the hill for 3 minutes. Myanmar Buddhist Center is on the right in a small ally next to Mano Cafe Gallery. E-mail: herngseng@yahoo.com, mbcenter2007@yahoo.com. Tel: 02-762-5302. Cell: 010-8688-5317 

Seoul Shambhala Meditation Group
The Seoul Shambhala Buddhist Meditation Group meets in Sadang, Seoul (Line 4) on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday of every month between 1.30pm and 4.30pm. The group offers meditation instruction and buddhist book discussion in English, for more details visit their website or email seoul@shambhala.info. English: Group Co-ordinator 010-3439-7725.

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