“We don’t use the lectionary in worship because it’s too hard for internationals to jump around like that so we do a theme or a book of the Bible.”

By Julie Saffrin

It’s four o’clock on a Thursday afternoon and the English as a Second Language (ESL) class won’t start for another half hour but already Naoko, a neurosurgeon from Japan, and Juhee, a chemist from Korea who has her own perfume-making business, have arrived at Stadium Village Church (SVC) in Minneapolis to practice their English. Naoko has been in Minnesota 10 months, Juhee, just two. Their teacher is Mary Becker, a member of Wooddale Church, who has taught ESL to internationals every Thursday and Saturday at SVC for the past ten years. They sit in the former parsonage behind the church, around a large square table covered with pencils, American dictionaries and workbooks. Close by is a globe and large world map, with bookcases filled with every kind of Bible imaginable, and a whiteboard in back of Becker. Becker holds a card from the game, Taboo, trying to get the women to guess the word battle. “War,” Becker says. Naoko guesses. “Fut ball?” Becker smiles, shakes her head. Juhee takes a turn. “Kwhorl-el?” After several failed attempts, Becker tells them the word and says, “What do you think of when I say battle?” “Boxing” Naoko says. “Wes-a-ling,” says Juhee. Becker is fascinated by their responses. It is clear a cross-cultural education is happening on both sides of the table. After several rounds, more women arrive. Ying* is an acupuncturist from China and new to the group. Xin*, an electrical material scientist, is from China, and Maria* recently arrived from Brazil. Maria places a Portuguese/English dictionary on the table in front of her. By hour’s end, she and Juhee, in their native accents, have helped each other learn to merge words like, “How’m I doing?” Most have trouble to with their V’s. “Put your top teeth on your bottom lip and you’ll say it fine,” Becker says warmly.

Becker is one of 14 people from around the Twin Cities who volunteers her time 90 minutes a session at SVC, to teach ESL. Courses vary, from Becker’s class, to American Expressions and Stories, English for Medical Professionals, Comics, Culture and Conversation, to an ESL Conversations class taught after SVC serves them breakfast on Sunday mornings and just before worship begins.

The momentum behind the ESL program is SVC’s effervescent pastor, Kathleen Macosko, a silver-haired, doe-eyed beauty, who has pastored the church since graduating from Bethel Seminary two years ago. “This was the place I wanted to be,” Macosko says from her office next to the ESL class. Behind her a three-foot stuffed ostrich bust from Kenya missionaries, hangs on the wall. “I feel God has called me to international students, so it’s exciting,”

Macosko’s heart for international students arose from being one herself. “My husband and I were both exchange students,” she said. Macosko lived in South Africa, while her husband, Chris, a chemical engineering professor at the university, lived in Berlin. When they married, whether it was a sabbatical or quarter leaves, the Macoskos packed up their four children to live in other countries. Their travels took them to France, Germany, Belgium and Japan. “I understood the frustration of living where they speak a different language. When I got back to the U.S. I wanted to help international women adjust to American life.”

In 1987, the director at International Students, Inc. (ISI) encouraged Macosko to teach a course, Introduction to American Life and Culture, at Rose Hill Alliance Church near the university’s St. Paul campus. At her family’s church, Hope Presbyterian, in Richfield, she also taught Japanese women, whose husbands either studied at the university or were doctors. “We talked about American life, the road systems, getting checks at the bank, funerals, and American holidays.” In 1994, after her family’s return from Tokyo, Macosko began volunteering in the English program at SVC, then called Bethany Presbyterian. “The name was changed because students didn’t understand Bethany. They thought it was a woman’s name.”

In 1994, Becker saw an announcement advertising the ESL class in her church bulletin and made an appointment with Macosko to take a look at the program—and left, signed up to teach the Thursday afternoon class. “The circumstances of coming to a new culture make them more open to Christianity,” Becker said. “I can show them Christ’s love.” Citing ISI’s statistic that only one in seven international students will visit an American home, Becker often invites students to her home for meals, especially at Christmas and Easter. The Macosko home too, involves internationals, housing seven students in their duplex, a block from the church.

Attendance on Sundays at SVC varies between 70 to 80 people, half of them just beginning to learn about Jesus. “Many of these people have never been in a church building before,” Macosko said. “We don’t use the lectionary in worship because it’s too hard for internationals to jump around like that so we do a theme or a book of the Bible.” To worship at SVC, which just celebrated its centennial, is to worship with people from around the globe. “I tell people we worship in the Word with the world,” Macosko says.

Since 2003, Macosko has baptized thirteen people, 11 of whom were Chinese, as a result of Alpha classes. “I think they are curious about what makes Americans tick. I also think they have been [spiritually] starved, especially coming from Communist countries. It’s almost like God has prepared them. One of the amazing things in this job is to notice those whom God has His hand on. You sit back and do what you can do and the Holy Spirit just woos them to His heart,” Macosko said.

Becker references the Parable of the Talents as the key to her purpose at SVC. “I may not be a ten-talent person, but I do have one talent. I do it for the joy and love of these people.” A former student, a Korean man, stands out in her mind. “After each session he stood, put his hands on his side, bowed and said, ‘Thank you, Mary.’” She pauses, touched by the memory. “I look at this as being a great privilege to meet these amazing and polite people.”

As for qualifications to teach classes, Becker said the guidelines are simple. “All we require is that you love Jesus, love students, come on time and speak slowly.”

*Names Changed for security purposes.

To become part of the ESL program at SVC, please contact Pastor Kathleen Macosko, at the church, 612 331-1632 or at stadiumvillagechurch@hotmail.com.