Message: Nothing but Love / Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Today’s Gospel reading invites us to reflect on how we can share the gospel of Christ. The gospel is not simply a set of religious teachings or moral principles. It is the good news of liberation for those who live in suffering and oppression. It is the light of hope rising in the midst of darkness.

When Jesus sent out his disciples, he did not tell them to force or pressure anyone. Instead, he said, “Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’” This was because the gospel of Christ is a message of peace. It brings freedom to the oppressed, hope to the despairing, and healing to broken relationships.

The gospel must not be proclaimed with power. Jesus told his disciples to go with nothing. He said, “Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals.” These were items that showed a person’s outward authority and status. Jesus rejected any kind of mission that relies on wealth or power. The gospel is never something to be forced or imposed.

Looking back through history, we sadly see that political, military, and economic power have often been used in the name of the gospel. As a result, the message was sometimes distorted and even became a source of violence. Canada’s history bears witness to this. The Indian residential school system, established by both churches and the government, sought to force the Christian faith onto Indigenous children, not through love but through law and violence. This betrayed the peace the gospel aims to bring, and the wounds from that time are still with us today.

So then, what must go with the gospel? Nothing but love. Love gives us the courage to move forward. Love allows us to face rejection without losing heart. Love opens us to welcome others across differences of culture and background. Love does not demand forced change. It invites transformation from within.

Jesus said, “Whenever you are welcomed, eat what is set before you, stay with them, heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near.’” None of this can be done without love.

Today, I want to share with you the story of a family who brought the gospel to Korea with love: the Hall family. William Hall, Rosetta Hall, their son Sherwood Hall, and daughter-in-law Marian Hall were part of this mission. From the late 19th to the mid-20th century, they lived out the gospel through medical service. Three of them were Canadian, and Rosetta was from the United States.

On June 21, 1892, Korea witnessed its first Western-style wedding in Seoul. The couple was William and Rosetta, young medical missionaries. They had met while doing medical work in the slums of New York and fell in love. After their engagement, Rosetta arrived in Korea ahead of William to begin her missionary work. At that time, it was considered inappropriate for Korean women to be treated by male doctors, so the presence of a female doctor was greatly needed. Rosetta answered that call.

Once in Korea, Rosetta gave herself fully to caring for women patients. In just three years, she treated more than 14,000 patients. Early on, many Koreans were wary of her as a foreigner, and she often faced suspicion and harmful rumours. But her sincere love and tireless dedication slowly opened hearts.

One story stands out. A patient came to Rosetta with severe burns and needed a skin graft. At that time, altering one’s body was seen as deeply disrespectful, even sinful in Korea, so the woman’s family refused to donate skin. Rosetta stepped in and offered her own skin to save the woman. This act stunned many and led people to ask, “What kind of love leads someone to such sacrifice?” Through this, many began to receive the Gospel. Not by force, but through love.

Tragically, William died only two years after arriving in Korea. While caring for the wounded in war-torn Pyongyang, he contracted a fatal infectious disease. At his side were Rosetta, their infant son Sherwood, and their unborn daughter Edith. His last words to Rosetta were, “I did this for Jesus.” That one sentence sums up a life that showed the gospel through love.

After William’s death, Rosetta returned to the States with her children. But even in grief, she did not turn away from her mission. Instead, she deepened her commitment and prepared to return to Korea. During her three years in America, she took on three key tasks.

First, Rosetta published a biography of William, telling the story of his life and their medical mission. Through this book, she raised awareness and funds to build the Hall Memorial Hospital in Pyongyang. This hospital became one of the largest university hospitals in North Korea and a lasting symbol of Christian medical mission.

Second, Rosetta brought her Korean interpreter and student, Jeom-dong Kim, to the States. Jeom-dong had learned English and worked closely with Rosetta. Seeing her potential, Rosetta supported her medical education in America. Jeom-dong eventually became the first Korean woman doctor. She returned to Korea and dedicated her life to the health of women and children, becoming a pioneer in Korean medicine.

Third, Rosetta began learning Braille and studied education for people with visual impairments. William once met a blind Korean girl named Bong-rae Oh and shared with Rosetta how deeply he felt for her. While in America, she studied Braille tools and methods, preparing to adapt them for Korean. She eventually created Korean Braille textbooks and opened the first school for the blind in Korea. Bong-rae became the first student to learn Korean-style Braille. Later, she also founded the first school for the deaf in Korea.

Rosetta returned to Korea in 1897. However, less than a year later, she lost her young daughter, Edith. Despite this heartbreaking loss, she did not stop her medical ministry for the vulnerable in Korea. She founded several hospitals, medical schools, and nursing schools before she retired in 1933. One of these schools later became Korea University College of Medicine, which is now one of the best universities in South Korea.

Their son, Sherwood Hall, followed in their footsteps. After graduating from the University of Toronto medical school, he returned to Korea with his wife Marian who was also a doctor. They dedicated themselves to caring for tuberculosis patients, a disease that was widespread and heavily stigmatized. In 1932, Sherwood introduced Christmas Seals to Korea to raise funds and awareness. They even designed the seals using traditional Korean cultural images, helping to restore confidence and dignity to Koreans who suffered under Japanese colonial rule.

Sherwood and Marian, who spent their later years in Vancouver, were invited back to Korea in 1984 by the Korean National Tuberculosis Association. The Korean government honoured them with the Order of Civil Merit, which is similar to the Order of Canada. Their legacy of love still lives on in Korean society today. The Hall family is now buried together in the Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery in Seoul.

The gospel they brought to Korea with love offered real hope. Although Protestant missions began in Korea only about 150 years ago, today nearly 20 percent of Koreans, almost 10 million people, identify as Christian. Korean churches now send over 20,000 missionaries around the world to share Christ’s love through education, medical care, and humanitarian work.

I once had the chance to visit William Hall’s hometown, Glen Buell, about 15 kilometres northwest of Brockville. Marian’s hometown, Athens, is nearby. I also visited the cemetery where William’s father, mother, and brothers are buried and took a moment to pray at their graves. I went to St. Andrew’s United Church in Toledo, where William was baptized when it was still a Presbyterian congregation. I also visited Queen’s University in Kingston, where he studied medicine. Walking in his footsteps gave me a chance to reflect on my own ministry.

The world still needs the gospel. But the gospel bears fruit only when it goes not with power but with love. To share the gospel, we do not have to be doctors. A simple word of peace can give someone the strength to carry on. A kind word can begin to heal deep wounds. A word of encouragement can give someone the chance to start over. Also, through Mission and Service, we can support those who are committed to sharing the gospel with love. The moving stories we hear each Sunday in the Minute for Mission are made possible by the generosity of many members of the United Church of Canada.

Jesus calls us today to share the good news. May we all become messengers of the gospel of Christ, which brings peace through love.

Thanks be to God. Amen.