Korean Daybreak Service

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Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us... (Hebrews 12:1, RSV) (Bible Gateway)

 I've been attending daybreak services, called 새벽기도회, (sae-byeok-kido-hoi). The church I attend has services at 5:00 and 6:10 am. I go to the 5:00 am service because it enables me to get home by 6:00 am, in time to wake my son up so he can start on his schoolwork and get ready for school.

This is quite the paradigm shift for me. I've probably mocked the notion of having a service that early in the morning as false religion, excessive worship or something like that.

What brought this change on? Well, two people I was close to have passed away recently. The first was my Uncle Leland Dirks, who was discovered dead on February 15, 2024. The second was my Korean-American second cousin (no pun intended), Mee Ae Wolney, who died on April 4, 2024. It seems that more and more of the people in my life who have had such a great impact on my life are dying. In some ways, it is beginning to feel like God is the only one I can count on.

Actually, I started going to daybreak services to pray for Mee Ae, that God would heal her. It seemed to be working well. She started getting better. Then I missed two days and during that time is when she passed away.

So back to the daybreak services. Here is the worship sequence. It's quite simple.

1. Everybody recites the Apostles' Creed.

2. Everybody sings a hymn from the back of our Bibles (Korean Bibles have a mini-hymnal in the back).

3. A short sermon (In smaller churches, the senior pastor usually preaches but my church has enough associate pastors that there is a rotation). Right now, they are preaching a series on 1 Kings.

4. The pastor then closes in prayer, which ties into the benediction.

5. The pastor then reads the names of people who gave offering. Offering is given by placing money in envelopes and writing one's name and placing it on the podium/mini-pulpit comparable to a music stand. 

6. Brief mention of prayer requests.

7. People are then encouraged to raise their hands and cry out "주여" (Ju-yeo, which means "Lord) three times. Then people pray individually, quietly or out loud. The officiating pastor prays at loud at first and then either sits down with the congregation to pray or leaves the room where the service is being held. 

To my surprise, this service gives me a surge of energy. I have to get up at 4:00 am, so naturally, I'm sometimes tired. But if I don't go to the service then I feel tired and guilty for not going. So the reward for going far outweighs the inconvenience of getting up before the crack of dawn.

I think one of the reasons why this prayer meeting is so meaningful to me is that I'm not just praying alone. It reminds me of Hebrews 12:1, quoted above, that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. I feel like I am surrounded by those witnesses. When I don't know what to say, I love to watch people pray. It gives me encouragement and a hope that they are also praying for me and that while God hears their prayers, that God will hear mine also.