Hilbert George Riemer

1. 9/5/1936 Mequon, Wisconsin USA

 

Spouse/Family

Wife: Joan (nee Wonoski), b. 7/9/1936 Waukesha, Wisconsin USA; m. 7/31/1960

Children: Kelly Ruth (Cusick) (1963); Michael John (1965)

 

Dates of Service Field Call Assignment

1961-2004 Korea Evangelistic Missionary; Television Ministry; Director,

Korea Lutheran Hour; Professor and Seminary President;

Korea Bethel Series Bible study; U.S. Army Chaplain

 

Biographical Summary

Hilbert George Riemer (who goes by George) was called to foreign mission service in Korea immediately upon his graduation from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, in spring of 1961.  George had attended Concordia Junior College in Milwaukee and then Concordia Seminary for his A.A. and B.A. degrees, knowing that he wanted to be a pastor, and continued on at Concordia for his B.D. and M. Div. degrees.  He had had no idea of serving as a foreign missionary prior to seminary studies, but his view began to expand when he was assigned to Redeemer Lutheran Church in the Panama Canal Zone for his vicarage year.  In his final year at seminary, he decided to apply for a commission to become a chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserve.  He thought he might serve a parish for a time and then become an army chaplain.

 

During his vicarage year, George was engaged to be married to Joan Wonoski.  Joan was a graduate of Stout State Institute (now University of Wisconsin – Stout) and taught high school in Luxemburg, Wisconsin for three years prior to their marriage.  George recalls, “My wife Joan and I were married at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Balboa [Panama] on the last day of my vicarage.  Then we traveled back to our home in Wisconsin on a honeymoon trip by way of Guatemala and Mexico, thinking that this was perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit some other countries outside of the United States.  Little did we know!”  God did have plans for the Riemers on the foreign mission field.  George finished his final year at seminary in the 1960-61 school year, while Joan taught at Valley Park High School in St. Louis.  At the end of the year they were called into mission work in Korea, a call that would take them through forty-three years and into over forty countries.

 

LCMS work in Korea had begun in 1958, only three years prior.  George was called as an evangelistic missionary, but once the Riemers had completed mission school and traveled to Korea in September 1961, their first assignment was to learn the language.  George studied Korean for two full academic years, until June 1963.  His long and careful study of Korean gave him a good foundation upon which to start his missionary work.  From the beginning, George was significantly involved in church planting, and over the years, in serving as “Responsible Pastor” at nine different Korean Lutheran congregations.  In that capacity, he assisted in preaching, conducting worship services, teaching, and making home visits, but always in partnership with a not-yet-ordained Korean national evangelist or vicar.  In 1967, he became the responsible pastor at a new mission start called Oksoodong Lutheran Church in an economically depressed section of Seoul.  Together with his Korean co-worker, George helped involve the community in community development projects, which were well-received.

 

In addition to this parish work, George was involved with Lutheran television ministry from 1962-1975 when it was discontinued.  From 1967-1998, he served as director for the Korea Lutheran Hour radio ministry, in coordination with other media ministries of the Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK) and in partnership with Korean national colleagues.  Meanwhile, in addition to raising their two children (Kelly, born in 1963, and Michael, born in 1965), Joan made use of her teaching skills as a teacher for fifteen years at Seoul Foreign School, where their children attended.  As Kelly and Michael graduated and returned to the U.S. for college, Joan moved into teaching English as a Second Language in many university settings, including Luther University and Seminary, the seminary for LCMS missions in Korea and then for the LCK.

 

George also served as a teacher during almost all of his forty-plus years in Korea.  Shortly after finishing language studies, he taught two tutorial courses to Rev. Won Sang Ji, the first national pastor of the Lutheran Church in Korea to be ordained in Korea.  From 1966-1979, George taught courses at the Lutheran Theological Academy; from 1980-1997 at Luther Seminary; from 1997-2003 at Luther Theological University; and from 2003-2004 at Luther University and Seminary.  He served as president of Luther University and Seminary from 1998 until his retirement in 2004, and even during those six years he remained actively involved as a classroom teacher.  His work in support of the teaching ministry of the church is also shown through his involvement with the Korea Bethel Series Bible study program, beginning in 1969.  He worked on translation and review process of materials from English to Korean and served as assistant to the director and international correspondent.  From 1995 to 2002, George served as the lecturer for the Korean language training seminars, both in Korea and in the United States, for Korean clergy who wanted to use the Bethel Series Bible study materials in their own congregations.

 

Although he had given up his idea of serving in the United States as an army chaplain on extended active duty, George completed his training and continued serving as a U.S. Army Individual Ready Reserve chaplain for nearly his whole time in Korea, from 1961-1994.  On top of his mission duties, this assignment required that he attend weekly training meetings of the local Army reserve unit and serve at military installations throughout the Korean peninsula during Active Duty for Training assignments.

 

In the early 2000’s, the Riemers were part of the group of missionaries affected by LCMS downsizing after financial difficulties.  They were asked to retire from mission work in June 2003.  However, the Riemers remained in Korea on their own until February 2004 because graduation exercises for the Korean schools took place at that time.  Once the graduations were over, George and Joan returned to the United States and settled in Minnesota, where their children and grandchildren live.  Each year they return to Korea for about three months as volunteers with the Theological Educators’ Group of LCMS World Mission.  The Riemers’ commitment to the Gospel and to the people and church in Korea remains strong, and their many years of experience on the mission field in Korea give them the knowledge and care for the community that allows for continued upbuilding of the Lord’s mission in that country.

 

Nota Bene

George served on the Lutheran Church in Korea Board of Directors and LCK Executive Committee from 1972-1999.  He was Vice President of the LCK from 1975-1985 and 1997-1998.  Other service to the mission and church included Chairman of the LCK Education Committee from 1971-1974 and Secretary of the Korea Lutheran Mission Conference from 1962-1966 and 1968-1970.

 

George was a regular contributor of articles to the Korean language monthly magazine Saesaengmyung (New Life) from 1961-1979.

 

George was awarded an honorary doctorate from Concordia University in Irvine, California (Litt.D.).

He also received a Christos in Mundo award from Concordia University Wisconsin in 2004.

 

Phase 2 Information

Biggest missiological issue faced?

George writes:

 

“The importance of a clear focus on purpose and objectives.  ‘Denominational aggrandizement’ should not be the purpose or objective.  Rather, how can the Lutheran church truly be a genuine and necessary ‘plus’ in the context of the total body of Christ in its worldwide mission task?  ‘Contribution’ rather than ‘competition’ should be the primary focus.

 

“Commitment to Lutheran unity in mission.  Only one Lutheran national church in Korea.  Part of a worldwide Lutheran family of churches with confessional commitment that centers and focuses primarily on the Gospel as the good news of Jesus Christ to be shared and proclaimed without undue preoccupation about preserving and protecting ‘the truth of the Gospel.’

 

“Working on behalf of and for the sake of the national church.  Another major focus as an expatriate missionary in a foreign land: You must be a part of and work on behalf of the national church.  For its initial establishment, if it is a new field, and then for the continuing growth and development of the national church.  Everything in coordination with and with primary consideration for how that will support the national church.  I have a difficult time even imagining circumstances under which expatriate missionaries can go off on their own and work independently when there is some expression of a national church in that country.

 

“Identification primarily with the national church.  Importance of an expatriate missionary's heart and mind really being involved and engaged.  The importance of participating in the worship life of the national church.  Not just as a short term, ‘hit and run’ co-worker, but truly accompanying national co-workers and the national church.  When serving as an expatriate missionary in another country, to which church president, e.g., do you owe most allegiance?  Where should your priority loyalty lie?  ‘For the duration,’ during the time that I was serving in Korea, I always felt I owed a higher priority ‘obligation’ to the leader of the Lutheran Church in Korea than to the leader of the sending church.

 

“Importance of language acquisition and cultural consciousness as basic first steps.  Takes a long time and will never be really adequate, but it is essential if you take that ministry seriously, and if you hope for the possibility of leaving some kind of a legacy which will remain after you have come and gone from that mission field.”

 

Most significant contribution during missionary service?

George gives glory to God and credit to his co-workers for the development of the mission in Korea.  He notes a few ways in which he felt blessed to contribute to this ministry:

 

1. “Instrumental in introducing and bringing the Korea Bethel Series Bible study program into the entire Christian Church throughout Korea.
2. “Engagement in evangelistic outreach not only through the media of mass communications, but also in the planting, establishing, and nurturing of congregations with the Lutheran Church in Korea.
3. “My 31 years from 1967 to 1998 as the director of the Korea Lutheran Hour radio ministry, always in close partnership relationship with Korean national colleagues.
4. “Involvement with determining basic stance and direction of the Lutheran Church in Korea, especially its pan-Lutheran commitment to Lutheran unity.  Being part of the process with the plans and preparations for the formal organization and establishment of the Lutheran Church in Korea with its constituting convention in 1971.   Being part of the process which resulted in the LCK becoming a member church of the Lutheran World Federation in 1972.
5. “Involvement in the leadership training of pastors and lay leaders for the Lutheran Church in Korea through its various theological training programs over the years from 1964 to retirement departure in 2004.
6. “Specifically in relation to what is now Luther University and Seminary (LTU), because of the solid foundation laid by my predecessors and colleagues, both Korean and American, that school is now a government-accredited university with a graduate school able to grant international standard M.Div. and M.S.W. degrees.  I am pleased at the progress and development which took place during the six years I served as the president of that school from 1998 to 2004.  We did some serious strategic planning during that time, and through a group process also engaged in extensive and intensive discussions before coming up with the following Mission Statement for the school: Training Workers for Service to Church and Society through the Gospel.
7. “To make this a perfect 7.  The close cooperation I shared and enjoyed with various presidents of the Lutheran Church in Korea and the assistance I was able to provide as an ‘assistant to the president’/interpreter/translator at conferences and meetings, and in discussions with church leaders both in Korea and in more than 30 other countries around the world.”

 

Connection to today’s mission?

The Lutheran church in Korea became an LCMS partner church in 1971 and is currently a partner in the Ablaze! movement.  LCMS missionaries still teach, as George did, at Luther University and Seminary, and the Korea Lutheran Hour continues to broadcast weekly over six radio stations.  The LCMS sends volunteer workers to South Korea and supports the LCK in its Ablaze! ministry as well as other ministries.

 

Lessons Learned

• “I would give the highest priority to Gospel proclamation as a responsibility not to be neglected or overlooked by any missionary.  I would also give a particularly high priority to leadership training and teaching as of particularly great importance.”

 

• Any foreign mission worker needs the presence of a national colleague to help bridge the cross-cultural gap.  Much good can come from the service of a foreign missionary in a congregation, seminary or other form of ministry, but work in a foreign country is best done in close partnership with national colleagues.

 

Best Practices

• George on the process of interviewing for and call to mission work at the time he was in seminary: “All in all, I think that procedure was done very well, and I would like to make two observations concerning it.  1) The individuals who opted out [of foreign mission service] were sincere, correct, and proper in their decision.  Not everyone is cut out for the unique situations and circumstances that life as an overseas missionary entails.  And 2) The professors in charge of those interviews did an excellent job.  They had a good eye for recognizing the potential of certain people for more specialized ministries.  I believe that church and mission leadership should still be pro-active in similar ways and take appropriate initiatives in the process of carefully recruiting, selecting, calling and training workers for specialized assignments such as truly long-term career missionaries.”

 

• “Achieving a high level of proficiency and competence in a language not one’s mother-tongue is very difficult for a foreign non-native speaker, but for a would-be missionary of the Gospel it is nevertheless extremely important.”  Basic language study is of “crucial importance…as preliminary preparation before a missionary can even begin to make any kind of a contribution at all.  It will take from four to five years before a new long-term career missionary can make any kind of significant contribution on the field.”

 

• “As I reflect on missionaries about whom I know and who I believe have indeed left a legacy which lives long after they are no longer directly on the scene, a few traits in common come to mind.  For example, they spent more than just a minimum number of years in their missionary calling.  Their language skills were above average, and even if their level of fluency was not always the greatest, their effort in learning and using the language of the land was obvious and genuine.  Above all, they had the right kind of heart, spirit, and mind which communicated the love of Christ and a sincere desire and commitment to share that love of Christ with the people of the land in which they were serving.”

 

• The Korea Lutheran Hour radio ministry was an invaluable tool for the LCK and its outreach with the Gospel message.

 

• George writes about the unity of mission in Korea: “One other significant factor in the understanding and commitment of the KLM was that there would be only one national Lutheran church body in Korea.  That, too, is different from all too many mission fields where there are many different Lutheran church body entities.  Granted, that is often due to a lot of different factors such as language, cultural grouping, country or mission board from which the particular national church originated, and the like.

 

“In any case, because of the work begun by the KLM, and because of the way in which that work was begun, the Lutheran Church in Korea was regarded with great appreciation and respect.  It was engaged in ministry activities which were edifying and beneficial for the entire Christian church in the country.  At the same time, it was being faithful in its commitment to share the good news of Jesus Christ with all the Korean people.

 

“Particularly through those various ministries using the media of mass communications with its coordinated use of radio, the Christian Correspondence Course, New Life Magazine, and other literature, as well as television, the mission activities of those early years established an excellent reputation for the Lutheran Church in Korea.  As a result, the KLM could feel really good about a wonderful compliment paid by a Presbyterian missionary in Korea when he referred to the KLM as ‘the church with a clean beginning’ in an article in The Christian Century.”

 

Phase 3 Information

Inspiration for entering foreign missions?

George Riemer had no plans to serve as a foreign missionary until his vicarage year spent in Panama, when he began to be interested in the idea of serving abroad.  Even so, his desire to serve in a specialized ministry first took the form of applying for a commission as a chaplain in the U.S. Army.  He was not certain of his call until Call Night itself, when he was called to serve in Korea!  He and his family obviously took to this call quite well, spending over forty years in Korea and traveling to countries around the world.  Even now that they have returned to the United States, George and Joan continue to return to Korea for further service.

 

Quotation by/about or brief story:

• George quotes the Bible verse, Isaiah 52:7: “ ‘How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”’ (NIV) This passage is quoted also in Romans 10:15. ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ (NIV) These are mission and missionary Bible texts.  Whenever I have occasion to participate in a new pastor’s ordination with the laying on of hands and a Biblical word of blessing, Isaiah 52:7 is the passage I use.  I associate it in part with the beautiful mountains distinctive to Korea, and also the beautiful, colorful women’s rubber shoes which were the common footwear when my wife and I first came to Korea.

 

“But more significantly, I associate it with the thrill and joy of being a part of God’s great mission, his great mission of proclaiming the good news, everywhere and without waiting, the good news that God reigns, that Jesus Christ is the Savior and the Lord of all.”

 

• Re "Unsung Heroes" of the Church's World Mission Enterprise (from George)

 

“I want to make a brief comment and observation about parents of overseas missionaries.  I believe they are some of the ‘unsung heroes’ of the church’s missionary enterprise.  That is especially apparent when you consider the limited opportunity they have had to see in person those grandchildren who are living in mission outposts outside of their home country.  For example, our initial term of service in Korea began in September of 1961.  It was almost five years later in 1966 that we made a return trip to our homeland for the first time.  That was the first time my parents and my father-in-law saw our daughter Kelly and our son Michael who were both born in Korea during those first five years.  My mother-in-law had made a four-week visit to Korea in summer of 1964 when her first grandchild, our daughter Kelly, was just a little over one year old.

 

“I call parents of overseas missionaries and grandparents of the children of those overseas missionaries ‘unsung heroes’ of the church's missionary work.  To be more specific, where is there a grandmother who does not yearn to hold in her arms a newly born infant grandchild?  Yet that was almost impossible when the time and travel distances were so overwhelmingly great.  Nevertheless, those same parents and grandparents will be among the most zealous and fervent supporters of the missionary work their sons and daughters are doing, especially in terms of the quantity and quality of their prayers that God watch over and protect and bless the work of their missionary sons and daughters.

 

“That certainly was the attitude which prevailed as far as my parents and my parents-in-law were concerned.  It was a most positive and supportive attitude.  As devout church members, they were proud of our work and commitment as missionaries in Korea.  Certainly they would have been very happy to be able to see their children and grandchildren in person more often than circumstances permitted.  But never once did I ever hear them complaining about that.”