New Pound Ridge Community Church pastor lives life like a dayfly

The Rev. Kun Sam Dayfly Cho became pastor at the Pound Ridge Community Church on July 1. POUND RIDGE COMMUNITY CHURCH PHOTO

By NEAL RENTZ

The Rev. Kun Sam Dayfly Cho has had many homes.

Cho, who prefers to be called e-Dayfly, a native of South Korea, immigrated to California with his family when he was 19.

After a career change and several homes in New York and Connecticut churches, Cho, 67, on July 1 officially became pastor at his new home, the Pound Ridge Community Church, which has congregants from Pound Ridge, Bedford and Lewisboro. 

This is the 34th year of his ordained ministry. 

Cho was originally an educator who taught basic accounting, algebra, English, human relations at a business college, post-high school job training school in California and Manhattan prior to entering Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

“Initially, I pursued Christian Education and desired to teach at a seminary or university,” Cho recalled. “But after a long and prayerful discernment, I decided to receive the ordination to serve and teach at a local church setting.”

Cho, who lives in Wilton, Conn., stressed that his new church is inclusive.

“We are called to the ministry for and with all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, identity, race, ethnicity, age, faith history, economic status, physical and mental ability or education,” he said during a recent interview at his new home.

“We affirm that we are created in God’s image,” Cho said. “We acknowledge that we are all equally in need of the love and grace that God freely gives without bias or conditions.” 

Cho said he is considering several new ministries, including a peace walk to promote harmony and reconciliation and a storytelling program in which individuals are invited to share their life and faith stories with one another. 

As he has in his previous homes as a pastor, Cho said he is going to move his church office out of the church building to meet with people in public. He began his practice as pastor of the Fairfield Grace United Methodist Church in Fairfield, Conn., meeting with people for two hours every Wednesday at the local Panera Bread.

Cho continued to meet with people outside of church when he moved to Bristol, Conn., and met weekly with parishioners at that town’s Panera. In Bristol, on several occasions more than 20 people would meet with him, Cho recalled. 

“Panera Bread became another fellowship meeting place where we shared joys, concerns, ministry ideas and visions,” he said.

Pound Ridge does not have a chain soup, salad and sandwich restaurant, but a parishioner suggested he use the Pound Ridge Library. He met with Library Director Jennifer Coulter. 

“She welcomed me and my plan to move my office to the library,” Cho said, adding he will be at the library for two hours every Wednesday afternoon. “If one person finds a sense of comfort and encouragement with me and through me and also with one another, I will sing ‘Hallelujah,”’ Cho said.

“I will begin to open my office at the library on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m., for two hours,” Cho said. 

Cho moved from California to New York with his wife, Kyong Hee, presently music director at Huntington United Methodist Church in Shelton, Conn. in addition to three years at Union Theological Seminary, he has studied at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Conn., before his ordination in 1992.

Cho explained the significance of his nickname, “Dayfly,” which he took 17 years ago at age 50.

“One day I read an article written by a Korean theologian about living a grand life,” Cho said. “He wrote that living like a dayfly is the surest way to live this life abundantly, beautifully and wonderfully.”

“I decided to live like a dayfly since, being born in the morning and dying at night,” Cho said. “A dayfly takes today as the last chance to love God and family and friends and neighbors.” He said he’d be happy to explain why there is “e” in front of his nickname. 

Rev. Cho can be reached at 914-319-4241 and pastor@poundridgecommunitychurch.org.