“I am grateful to be able to serve on the LI board to advance its mission to gather and support pastors and academics in ways that foster growth and fortitude for the future of the North American church.”

Rev. Mary Chung March is a second-generation Korean American ordained Covenant pastor, advocate, writer, and speaker. She was born in Jersey City, NJ to Korean immigrant ordained UMC pastors that planted one of the first Korean churches in NJ. Growing up as pastor’s kid, Mary experienced the highs and lows of pastoral ministry and felt a call to ministry at an early age around soul care and mental health for pastors. She has led soul care retreats and leadership cohorts for her denomination, churches, universities, and in her community. She serves as a Ministry Partner for Serve Clergy in the ECC and Faculty and Mentor for Next Frontiers at the Martin Institute, Westmont College. Prior to this, she served as the President of the Covenant Asian Pastors Association (CAPA) and also the first President of the Mosaic Commission in the Evangelical Covenant Church for the past 6 years. She planted New City Covenant Church in the Minneapolis, MN area with her husband 15 years ago and she has served as a college pastor in Boston, a youth pastor in NYC, a children’s pastor in CT and MA, a piano accompanist and pipe organist in NJ and MN, a Family and Youth Counselor at the Bridge for Youth in Minneapolis, MN, Interim Executive Director for the Pierce Disciple-Building Scholars Program as well as a Graduate Teaching Fellow at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Mary holds a BA in Psychology and History from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Counseling in Marriage and Family Therapy from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. In the wake of the rising anti-Asian violence in March 2021, she gathered and galvanized AAPI Christian thought leaders nationwide to produce a joint video statement, “A Call for Solidarity.”

What gives her life: centering prayer, creating hospitable spaces for souls, laughing with my family, hiking, zip-lining, hammocks, creative DIY projects, cooking/eating Korean food, gardening, and playing the piano.

What does not give her life: pulling weeds, persistent woodpeckers, traffic, and repetitive acts of futility.