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Home > Praise and Thanks Volume II |
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Elder KilSang Kwon
A commemorative essay of Elder Kwon, who had gone to the Lord,
On March 13, around 8A.M. in the morning, Elder Kwon whom I had admired dearly for the last 34 years passed away.
Right as I heard the news of his passing away, time had just stopped. When I checked back upon when my last conversation was, it was about 3 days ago, on the 10th of March, 12:53PM and so forth. After his surgeries while recovering, I used to ask his wife about his health, but this time he had answered himself. He said, “I feel so lively that I think I can work again.” After getting straight to the point, since he sounded tired, I had a short conversation and hung up. That was the very last conversation I ever had with the elder who was so warm and encouraging to me. The news of his passing was on the 13th of May, around 11:45AM from his daughter, Professor Heewon Kwon who sent me an e-mail of the news.
My story of Elder Kwon starts in the early, warm spring of ’81. On the early days of my immigration while residing in Los Angeles, I was attending his brother’s church - Reverend Peter (HeeSang) Kwon. He introduced me to his brother, Elder Kwon and said this composer GilSang Kwon. At that time my ears perked up. How huge of a blessing that I get to meet the man who composed so many songs like, “Amidst the Flower Fields”, “Aster Flower”, “Morning Sea” and countless others? I was thinking this was the pivotal meeting of my lifetime through God’s grace.
That day, while Elder Kwon was in the courtyard of the church, I took an envelope from the breast pockets of my suit. It had 2 of my hymnal poems I wrote. These poems were written shortly before I moved to United States with the purpose to encourage my younger siblings in their faith. I was worried that I would not be able to find a composer to compose, and was always within the suit – which was fortunate since I was able to give it to him right away. “Teacher, while immigrating to United States, I had written a hymn to encourage and share with our brothers and sisters in faith… I was looking for a composer, and I dare ask you to compose it for me.” After receiving an envelope from a young man he met for the first time, he said a moment later, “I will take it and read it, but if it does not inspire me then I won’t be able to compose.” He had noted it clearly – but to my surprise, after about 3 weeks, he composed my hymn “Inspire My Life!” and “Seek Thy Lord in the Early Morning” and the two hymns were sung from his brother’s church.
This man, Elder GilSang Kwon, for the next 34 years or so had composed 128 of my poems into hymns of glory.
On the 21st of March, 3PM I went to the funeral of Elder Kwon in “Hollywood Forest Lawn Church”. Out of all the funerals, this was by far the most populated in condolers. Through the request of the surviving families, I read a commemoration of Elder Kwon. The commemorations were as such as follows:
Firstly, Elder Kwon was someone who had expressed his love.
After the Korean War, while the nation was in a state of chaos and in poverty because he had loved children, he had written several children’s songs to sing to encourage them. I myself had lost my father during the Korean War. I had sung the song “Amidst the Flower Fields” which starts with “The flower fields I made with my father…”
A hymn is like a prayer with musical notes. While composing me 128 of them, while he was composing, he would hum the tune multiple times over and over like a prayer. A hymn cannot be composed without the feeling of love, thankfulness and inspiration from God – it is because it is a prayer to God.
On January 2nd of 1994 when my wife was very sick and was in USC Community Hospital Emergency services. Many of the doctors had gone to vacation so the ER was full. I had made the necessary files, but could not see what the situation of my wife was like. The employees wouldn’t tell me anything, and would not let me allow enter to check on her either. At that time, I remember that the brother of Elder Kwon, Reverend Peter (HeeSang) Kwon was the hospital chaplain. So I had called Reverend Kwon about my situation. He said, “I will be there soon!” and arrived in the hospital to meet me. The one thing I will never forget however is the time when elder Kwon and his wife came and visited me to calm me down. Elder Kwon was someone who acted to the love of Christ!
Second, Elder Kwon was of modesty and also of passion.
I did not study of the Korean literature. So how lacking was of my hymnal poems I wrote? But never had he once pointed out negative things about that. Rather, whenever I sent him my hymns through the mail, he would comment, “I did my best, but I was not able to express enough of what you were trying to convey here reverend.” I was able to witness from Elder Kwon how humble someone can be through being a servant of Jesus Christ.
After hearing the news of his passing, there was a list of the hymns he had composed. Amazingly, out of 128 hymns, 118 of them were composed after he had passed the age of 70!
Incredible! Elder Kwon who still has a lasting impact in my life had a blazing compassion for Jesus!
Thirdly, Elder Kwon had left many people in his footsteps.
After the liberation of Korea in the weak, fragile state, Elder Kwon had made a Children’s Choir and had a concert in front of President Syngman Rhee.
He taught from Muhak Girl’s High School, YiHwa Girl’s High School, Seoul Art High School, and Hanyang University. After immigrating to United States, he had put all his efforts into raising a Korean School (from ages K~12). He had taught 1.5 and 2nd generation Korean children through California Children’s Choir and California Boy / Girl Choirs. He had also put massive efforts into the Korean Schools (from K~12) alone.
At that time after I met with Elder Kwon, I visited him over once to discuss my son’s education (he was in 2nd grade at that time). Since there were no strictly set schedule in musical education in school, and while discussing about humanitarian studies, he suggested that I teach him piano. Since I had brought only bags of small things, I had no money for neither piano nor piano lessons. After hearing my story, he said, “There is no need be discourage even without a piano to practice!” he told me to “draw out the piano keys on a paper, and tell your son to practice daily. Once a week I want your son to come over our house to practice with the real piano.”
After short times of practicing, we had moved to San Jose my son continued to play piano till the end of high school.
Like so! Elder Kwon had pour out his heart to leave a footprint of himself behind, encouraged, and had many followers after him.
Dearly beloved Elder Kwon had showed the love he had received from God and neighbors, and had used his talents to show it. He was almost utmost modest and of passion. Lastly he had left a huge footprint behind him.
From the time when he started composing the 128 hymns, for 10 times, there was the “Give Praise and Thanks to the Lord Night” on the 2nd event in 2002 in Los Angeles, it was held in the Peace Evangelical Church, Elder Kwon and his wife appeared. During that night of event, there was one hymn called “How Blissful?”
I would like to read you one of the verses and finish the commemoration.
Passing through the Death’s Gate for sinners,
The Lord’s scarred hand which we grab,
How blissful it would be!
As we are guided by the angels and of seraphim’s,
When we get in the bosom of the Lord how good it will be
While we pass through the crystal sea,
Dressed in fine linen, singing the hymns of Victory,
In front of the lamb, Jesus Christ,
We lower our crown and
Offer to the Lord
I give the most honest thanks.
To the Lord I offer praise!
Hallelujah!
By the death of the lamb,
I, rescuing me from sin
How blissful! When we praise the Lord.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, those who believe in me will perish but will live, and those who live while living shall never perish, do you believe in this?” This was the question Jesus asked to Martha of Bethany. Elder Kwon may be gone from the world, but he will live forever within the Lord. I will finish my commendation with this. Thank you!
It has been about 20 days since his passing. But I still could feel his presence to this day. Whenever I listen to the hymns he had composed, it feels like he is sitting next to me. He was with me while I was living, and through the hymns, and always will be when I get to the Lord, seeing him in gladness. I am not sad about it.
As I wait for the final day...
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Youtuber Reverend? (23,000 views coming soon…) 
Elder KilSang Kwon