The Gilroy United Methodist Church (GUMC) was the first church formed in 1853 in the area known as “Pleasant Valley,” 17 years before the town of Gilroy came into existence. In 2001, GUMC became the first mainline church in Gilroy to have a woman senior pastor at the helm when Rev. Alison Berry broke the stained glass ceiling. In 2009, GUMC welcomed its first African-American senior pastor, and in 2010, their first Korean-American senior pastor, Rev. Eric C. Cho, came to serve in Gilroy.
After serving for three years, Pastor Eric has now been called by the Bishop presiding over California and Nevada to serve in Clovis, Ca., at the Fresno Korean Fellowship. This coming Sunday is Pastor Eric’s last Sunday to preach. Then he, his wife Julie and two sons will be moving on June 27. His elder son Justin (Gilroy High’s 2012 Valedictorian), attends Rice University in Houston, Texas, and his younger son Will’s active volunteer work to improve the school has been appreciated by teachers and students alike.
When Pastor Eric came to GUMC, it quickly became evident that he had a more low-key way of being a calm presence that was unlike any previous senior pastor at GUMC. It was not in his nature to be directive but rather to fit himself in more with the situation at hand in a very self-effacing way. His humble approach had the effect of leaving space open for others around him to take initiative. His encouraging presence and willingness to work side by side with others led to more successful projects to improve the church property, as well as greater outreach efforts to those in need.
Always ready with a prayer, he seemed to have just the right words for any situation and often prayed for efforts being undertaken in the community to aid others. He prayed with families in need, sat with individuals in difficult circumstances and – though he doesn’t speak much Spanish – it did not stop him from praying with Spanish-speaking families in need. He was always ready with words tailored to fit the need, with migrant education recruiter, Bernadette Barrera, often acting as translator.
One of Pastor Eric’s great strengths is how hands-on he is in so many different situations. A parishioner once said how easy it is to support Pastor Eric in being exactly who he is because he lives so well the Christ-like example of servanthood and willingness to do the lowliest of tasks. Whether it’s washing pots when serving soup to the homeless or dropping everything to help work on the church grounds in whatever way is needed, he is always there to help.
Hal Leister, the head trustee, says that Pastor Eric is the best “taper” he has known, meaning he does an excellent job at laying protective tape when painting is being done on window sills or around door frames.
Pastor Eric often went out of his way to transport church members in various situations of need, sometimes taking them to medical appointments at Stanford, visiting injured parishioners hospitalized in Sacramento, or going to peoples’ homes to pick up their pots of soup for delivery to the homeless at the Armory.
He did much behind the scenes, such as recruiting others to join him to volunteer for the Homeless Census taken earlier this year which helps determine what kind of aid will be available to help those most in need. He spent several hours on foot with a homeless guide being educated and visiting homeless encampments. He has also been supportive of St. Joseph’s Family Center, which works to help get people back into employment and find more stable housing.
Most recently, he showed support by attending the open house for the new Sobrato Gilroy Homeless Center, which has been built to help get chronically homeless people off the streets permanently, a cause near and dear to Pastor Eric, who knows the heartache of having a homeless sister. The Sobrato Center will provide case managers to help with services addressing needs of tenants that will make a difference in changing lives beyond simply providing shelter.
There are many ways to lead: being a good listener, being collaborative, setting an example of service, and being a source of gentle support for the gifts and talents of others to surface and shine. Pastor Eric’s gentle presence has been a comfort to many –especially those who are ill, lonely, or grieving. His compassion in supporting outreach to the marginalized, homeless and most exploited has been a deep source of inspiration for the mission outreach of the church. He will be missed.
Cho’s final service will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Gilroy United Methodist Church, 7600 Church St. (the corner of Fourth St.)
