Rev. Kou Seying, the Lutheran Foundation Professor of Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministry, associate Dean for Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministry, and associate professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, entered eternal rest in Christ on Nov. 23, 2019. He was 55 years old.
At the request of the Multiethnic Symposium committee, which professor Kou used to chair, Concordia Seminary prepared the following video tribute of his time with us in service to Christ’s church. We expected this tribute to be shared with all participants at our 2020 Multiethnic Symposium, which unfortunately had to be postponed until next year due to the Coronavirus.
As we have traveled through the season of Easter, the committee agreed that this time of the church year gives us a wonderful opportunity to share our brother Kou’s hope in Christ crucified and risen with a broader audience of brothers and sisters in Christ across the church catholic here and abroad.
Kou’s confidence in Jesus even in the face of pain and death encourages us even now as we continue to run the race in this vale of tears. Our brother has died in Christ, and now rests from his labors and the pains of this life. Kou, who always had a most welcoming disposition toward others, is now himself welcomed by a loving Father to be with his Son Jesus in paradise in anticipation of his return at the last day. With us, Kou, first and foremost a baptized child of God, now awaits the resurrection from the dead.
In the hope of Easter, we grieve still with his wife Maykou, and their children Grace, Sarah, Seth, and Malachi. We miss our dean, brother, and friend. But we hold on to the hope that we shall see Kou again, that at the last day, we will be awakened from death so that, as the hymn goes, “these mine eyes with joy may see, O Son of God, Thy glorious face.”
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia.