By Rev. Shada Sullivan, Mid-Atlantic Association Secretary

In March 2026, at the annual membership meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Association, on behalf of the New York Association, Rev. Youngmin Kim proposed that the Mid-Atlantic and New York Associations should merge. With only one remaining church in the New York Association, clergy and members would benefit from increased collegiality and cooperation with other regional clergy and members. The members of the Mid-Atlantic Association present at the meeting voted unanimously to support the merger. 

While discussing the details of the merger, it was decided that the association will retain the name Mid-Atlantic for the immediate moment. A membership meeting will be called at a later date to rename the association to better reflect its new constituencies. On September 12 and 13, the New York Association held its farewell retreat.

With this merger, the Mirral Church (also known as the Korean New Church) has joined with The Church of the Holy City in Wilmington, Delaware, Temenos Church in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and The Church of the Holy City in Washington, DC as part of the Mid-Atlantic Association.

The New York Society of the New Church has now been dissolved, and the church building has been sold. However, weekly worship services continue online with the hope that someone will carry this ministry forward into the next generation.

In addition to this, two more churches have joined the Mid-Atlantic Association this year: Bloom Haven Spiritual Community Center in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, and Swedenborg House, FL in The Villages, Florida. All these developments are truly exciting for this new eastern coast association, and we look forward to learning how we can all work together to further the mission of the New Church.

The Mirral Church
The Mirral Church, also known as the Korean New Church, was founded in 1981 as a Presbyterian congregation serving Korean immigrants. In 1985, Rev. Jung Sun Lee became pastor after completing studies at the New Church Theological School and Harvard Divinity School and serving in ministry in Korea. A few years later, the church joined the Swedenborgian Church of North America and became part of the New York Association, a relationship that continues today.
After Rev. Lee retired in 1995, Rev. Youngmin Kim became pastor. Rev. Kim studied for three years at New York Theological School before withdrawing, later graduated from the Swedenborg School of Religion, was ordained, and continued the church’s ministry to Korean immigrants and their children. Under his leadership, the church serves people who are socially vulnerable, ill, or isolated, while also offering programs that helped the children of Korean immigrants develop cultural confidence, mutual understanding, and a strong sense of citizenship in a multiracial society.

Swedenborg House, FL
Swedenborg House, FL, now newly relocated in The Villages retirement community, is the latest manifestation of devoted church work in Florida. The original Florida congregation began in Miami and eventually relocated to DeLand as Swedenborg House, later also founding the Chrysalis Retreat Center. In 2020, under the leadership of Rev. Terry Schnarr, a renewed vision emerged, one that honored the church’s history while embracing a future centered on whole-person wellness, New Church education through science and nature, day-trip retreats, and ministry to Central Florida retirees and seasonal residents. Following Rev. Terry Schnarr’s passing into the spiritual world in March 2025, Rev. Carla Friedrich accepted the call to Chrysalis in May, where they have renamed themselves The Swedenborg House, FL, and are now located in The Villages, Florida. The Villages provides remarkable opportunities for outreach, making it an ideal place to introduce others to Swedenborg’s teachings.
Today, the Swedenborg House, FL continues its enduring mission: sharing the inner meaning of Scripture through the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg (in person and on Zoom) while encouraging healthy, active, spiritually grounded lives. Outdoor retreats, nature walks, creative activities, and seasonal day trips are paired with offering rites and sacraments, and devotional reflections drawn from Swedenborg’s works. Looking ahead, Swedenborg House, FL continues to seek a peaceful property setting where a permanent retreat center and sanctuary can once again flourish. 

Bloom Haven Spiritual Community Center
Bloom Haven is an emerging spiritual community center rooted in the belief that transformation happens in relationship—with self, others, and the Divine. It embraces a spiritually open and experiential approach that honors wisdom from many traditions, values practice as much as belief, and sees each person’s journey as unique and sacred.
While Bloom Haven draws wisdom from multiple spiritual traditions, it remains grounded in the Swedenborgian tradition, emphasizing love, wisdom, and personal transformation.
Tirah Keal, a lifelong Swedenborgian, is the founding pastor of Bloom Haven. She is in her final year of seminary and is a candidate for ordination in the summer of 2027. Initial offerings are focused on small groups, which include Further Reading, a book group; Caregiver Clearing, a support group for caregivers of aging parents or loved ones with long-term illnesses or special needs; and a group called Heart to Art, where the participants share about their lives while making art. 

Read the full October 2026 issue.