Welcome Rebekah Yu

Welcome Rebekah Yu, Ministry Assistant for Community Ministry, Global Outreach & OTR Campus We are pleased to welcome Rebekah Yu as our new Ministry Assistant for Community Ministry, Global Outreach & OTR Campus. In this new role, Rebekah Yu Rebekah will provide administrative support for our local and global partnerships, volunteer engagement, and ministry initiatives at both the Hyde Park and OTR Campuses to help these ministry areas thrive.

Rebekah is currently a senior at Xavier University, where she is majoring in international business with minors in economics and Spanish. An honors student routinely on the dean’s list, Rebekah hopes to attend law school after graduation (May 2027) and pursue a career as an immigration lawyer, combining her interests in law, economics, advocacy, and helping others.

Faith is an important part of Rebekah’s life and has been shaped by both her family and her cultural background. She was confirmed in the Catholic Church and has continued to grow in her faith throughout her life. As a Korean American from an immigrant family, Rebekah has a deep appreciation for the way faith and community can provide people with a sense of belonging, especially when they are navigating unfamiliar places or new chapters of their lives.

While studying in Spain, she had the opportunity to tutor native Spanish-speaking children in their studies of the English language. Working with these students taught Rebekah the importance of patience, encouragement, and meeting people where they are. It also strengthened her appreciation for cross-cultural communication and her desire to use her education and experiences to help others.

At Xavier, Rebekah serves as president of the Xavier University Fashion Club, a student organization with more than 300 members. Through this role, she has developed a passion for bringing people together, organizing events, creating welcoming spaces, and helping others find a sense of community. She has also served as a resident assistant, where she has planned programs and worked to build an inclusive and supportive environment for fellow students.

Rebekah has been fortunate to study in South Korea and The Netherlands, in addition to Colombia and Spain. Each of these experiences has challenged her to step outside her comfort zone, learn from people with different perspectives, and think more deeply about her own identity and the communities she wants to serve. In particular, spending time in South Korea gave her an opportunity to connect more closely with her Korean heritage and better understand the culture that is such an important part of her family’s story.

Rebekah is excited to begin this new chapter as Ministry Assistant of Community Ministry, Global Outreach & OTR Campus at Hyde Park Community UMC. She looks forward to getting to know the congregation, supporting the church's ministries, learning from those around her, and finding new ways to serve our community. She is especially grateful for the opportunity to bring together the things that matter most to her—faith, service, community, culture, and advocacy —through her role as Ministry Assistant.

Rebekah shares, “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the staff at Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church as Ministry Assistant. My faith, my heritage, and my experiences serving others have taught me how powerful it can be when people come together to make someone feel welcomed and cared for.

From creating care kits to serving communities abroad, I have learned that meaningful service often begins with simply being willing to show up for others. I am excited to continue learning, serving, and growing alongside the HPCUMC community, and I look forward to helping create a church where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and connected.”