Taiwan Church News 3269 Edition October 20 - October 26, 2014 Church Ministry A Wonderful Reunion Of PCT And PC(USA) After A Decade, Reaching An MoU On Mission And Ministry Reported by Simon Lin from Hsin-chu and Lin Yi-ying from Taipei Due to a series of personnel change and organization adjustment, PC(USA) had not been able to keep an official contact with PCT for a decade long. Yet from October 10 to 15, a historic Mission Cooperative Conference between PC(USA) and PCT is held at Hsin-chu, reaching an MoU(Memorandum of Understanding) in order to further mutual understanding and initiate future cooperation on mission and ministry. To express PCT's remembrance and thanksgiving to the generous favor and support of PC(USA) since 1949, Rev. Lo Reng-quei, Moderator of PCT General Assembly, together with Rev. Lyim Hong-tiong, PCT General Secretary, present the PCT Hymnal(Sèng si) to Rev. Roger Dermody, Deputy Executive Director for Mission, and Rev. Hunter Farrell, Director of World Mission within Presbyterian Mission Agency of PC(USA). Why PCT treasures her relationship with PC(USA) so much and PC(USA) also very much care about this Mission Cooperative Conference? Rev. Lyim explains, it is due to PC(USA) and PCT has a very close and cooperative relationship from 1949 up to now: financially, PC(USA) had helped to financed many PCT institutes for evangelical mission, be it current PCT General Assembly building, Taichung Missionary Center, land and property in Yuli of Huan-lien County, Aboriginal College Student Center or the Laymen Building in the Presbyterian Bible College; politically, when the China Christian Council(CCC) wanted to enter World Church Council(WCC) in 1990s, PC(USA) resolutely spoke for Taiwan and unflinchingly rejected China's nonsensical request to exclude PCT from WCC as a pre-condition of entrance; practically and demographically, now PC(USA) has 45 Taiwanese churches as her member congregation, a future cooperation on mission and ministry is therefore on agenda. In addition, many PC(USA) missionaries in Taiwan, like Rev. John McCall, Rev. Lin Chun-tsu and Rev. Jonathan Setz, whose missionary enthusiasm and contribution to Taiwan church is tremendous. Before starting the official mission cooperative conference, representing members of PC(USA) are arranged to visited 5 PCT churches among different presbytery: Tayal, Hakka and Tainan. Rev. Hunter Farrell expresses his appreciation for PCT's hospitality. He said, from his childhood on, so many wonderful stories about missionary working at Taiwan had been heard yet could never be glimpsed, now his dream comes true with his personal witness. During the mission conference, PCT committees share their ministries and relate their progress on the "One Leads One, New Doubling Mission Movement". Rev. Roger Dermody introduces current PC(USA) mission movement, 1001 New Worshiping Communities(1001 NWC), which since 2012 encourages each presbytery to establish 1001 new worshiping communities, inviting the youth, new immigrant and minority usually not reachable by the extant church. The place of congregation can be cafe shop, gymnasium, theater or any place people feel proper. Now, PC(USA) has established 237 NWC across the United States. Evangelist Yeh Ching-an, Secretary of PCT Ecumenical and International Committee, stresses within his PCT ecumenical ministry report that it is not PCT policy to transgress into partner church's diocese to build up her own denominational regime or impact. Before launching into any ecumenical mission, PCT would always respect partner church's establishment and sovereignty to propose joint mission or theological education project. In other words, PCT would do her ecumenical mission only under a request from her partner church. Rev. Farrell responds that he wish to confirm first if PCT has the same mission vision and enthusiasm like PC(USA)? This is because the budget of World Mission of PC(USA) account for 5% within Presbyterian Mission Agency; and only one-fifth of this 5% budget, i.e. 1%, would invest into Asia area. So, this money should be spent at the most needed people and place. This is the reasons why this Mission Cooperative Conference needs to be held seriously to seek a consensus. Rev. Farrell leads all the conference to pray, and then set up the procedures and ministry items for sub-group discussions. Through many earnest prayers among the conference attenders and diligently mediated by Rev. John McCall, PCT and PC(USA) finally reached an MoU as follows: On Mission Ministry Regarding "One Leads One, New Doubling Mission Movement" and "1001 New Worshiping Communities", PCT and PC(USA) wish to share these missionary resources and ideas, and engage a joint research. Both churches would also push "the third party ministry", which is less mentioned in PCT, referring to a joint mission in the third country or a joint cooperation with Yukon presbytery of PC(USA) to serve the aboriginal in Alaska. On Church and Society Ministry PCT and PC(USA) will carry on current cooperation framework of international emergency rescue, like the joint casualties relief effort after Haiyen Typhoon in Philippine; social justice issues in the aboriginal people, land justice and human rights will also be developed further. On Women Ministry Current partnership in women ministry and the related education materials and biblical translation will be strengthened. On Ethnic Minority Ministry A cultural exchange program and partnership blueprint between Taiwan aboriginal church and American ethnic minority church will be outlined to facilitate a common growth. On Youth Ministry Encourage PC(USA) youth to take part into PCT's Ecumenical Youth Exchange Program(EYEP), or arrange some voluntary college youth from both PCT and PC(USA) to the third country and engage with international aid and casualties relief work. Translated by Peter Wolfe |