Rev.
Duk K. Kwon began his life and faith journey in his native Korea. In his early teen he received a call to life-long ministry
from God. After high school, he entered Methodist Theological Seminary in Seoul and studied for four years for his Bachelor
of Theology (B.Th) degree and then Master of Theology (M.Th) degree from United Graduate School of Theology at Yonsei
University.
Upon coming
to the United States to further his theological training, he earned his Master of Divinity degree (M.Div) from Garrett-Evangelical
Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois and was ordained as Deacon and Elder in the Northern Illinois Conference of
the United Methodist Church.
From 1993 to 2000, Rev. Kwon served as District Superintendent
of the Elgin District in the Northern Illinois Conference. He also served pastoral appointments at St. Andrew United Methodist
Church in Carol Steam, and First United Methodist Church in Barrington.
From 2000 to 2004, he served
as Mission Superintendent of the North Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church’s Korean Mission where
he helped establish fourteen new churches throughout the multi-states in the Midwest. He also served in many leadership
capacities on various church related Boards and Agencies at the local, regional and national levels.
In 2003,
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (his alma mater) honored him with “Distinguished Alum Award” during its
150th Anniversary.
Rev. Kwon was recently the pastor at North Shore United Methodist Church in Glencoe.
Rev. Kwon’s
family includes his wife, Myung Za, a registered nurse; his elder daughter, Sarah who resides in San Francisco, California;
and his younger daughter, Rachel, a third year medical student at Rush Medical School in Chicago; and Phebe, a twelve year
old Bishon dog