Aspire Karen
Our Story
Aspire Karen Church was formed by a resilient community of Karen refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar and lived in refugee camps in Thailand. Since their arrival in the U.S. in 2006, they began meeting in apartments for worship, seeking to maintain their faith and cultural identity. As their numbers grew, they were introduced to the members of Southside Baptist Church (now Aspire Church San Marco) who generously offered them a space for worship. Over time, more Karen refugees resettled in the U.S., and the group expanded significantly. In June 2012, the growing congregation officially launched as Southside Karen Baptist Church, now known as Aspire Karen Church, providing a spiritual home for the Karen community in Jacksonville.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Service Times
Sundays at 9:30am and 11:00am
Our Pastor
My name is Thu Lai Mu, and I come from a refugee camp in Thailand. My wife, Moo Wah Paw, and I arrived in the United States in 2010, seeking a new life and a fresh start. God had a plan for me that I did not fully understand at the time, to become a pastor. I had graduated from Bible College in the refugee camp and worked as a teacher for two years before coming to the U.S.
When I first arrived in Jacksonville, I worked seven days a week and didn’t even have the opportunity to attend church. But God's grace and faithfulness never wavered. In 2010, a group of Karen believers who had already begun meeting at Southside Baptist Church invited me to serve as their worship leader. After one year of serving this community, they affirmed my calling, and I was officially recognized as a pastor. God continues to guide me in His purpose for my life and for our community at Aspire Karen Church.
