Taiwan Church News

3317 Edition

September 21 - 27, 2015

Church Ministry

One Thousand People Celebrate Taiwan's Centennial Mission For The Hearing Impaired

Reported by Chen Yi-fan

To celebrate the centennial of Taiwan's deaf education since the establishment of The Blind and Deaf School ofTainan in 1915, Taiwan Sign Language Double Welfare Caring Foundation (TSLDWCF), composed of PCT So-shan Presbytery Sign Language Church and William Campbell Memorial Sign Language Church in Tainan, specially held a series of activities, entitled "The Centennial Mission For The Hearing Impaired", including painting exhibition, international conference, commemorative service, a sign language chorus by a thousand people and the publication of the Dictionary of Taiwan Biblical Sign Language from 19 to 20 September in Tainan.

At 9:00 a.m. on 19 September, the "International Mission Conference for The Hearing Impaired" was held at Tainan Holiness Church, many pastors and church leaders of the deaf from Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Taiwan were invited to participate in this significant assembly. Rev. Chen Yu-ling, Secretary of TSLDWCF, expressed that such a international mission conference was actually initiated three years ago, when he visited the deaf churches in Singapore, feeling an desire of both sides to communicate and help each other since then became more and more enthusiastic. Thanks God, in His grace, this international workshop was finally worked out to deliver in Taiwan, said Rev. Chen.

A thanks-giving service was held in the auditorium of Tainan Theological Seminary and College in the morning on20 September. Rev. Hashimoto Satoru, a Japanese deaf pastor, was invited to deliver his sermon, entitled as "I am the gate for the sheep"(John 10:8), encouraging the people to accept the calling from God and lead the deaf stepping out of the darkness and sorrow, with a vision to make the blind, the deaf and the normal can all live in the pasture of God's Eden with peace and joy. A special dedication of the Dictionary of Taiwan Biblical Sign Language was proceeded in this thanks-giving service, with a sincere wish that this dictionary would become a good service to the deaf in Taiwan church. Finally an Eucharist service was moderated by Rev. Lo Pei-wen, pastor of William Campbell Memorial Sign Language Church, and the audience were served by pastors and church leaders of the deaf church from overseas countries.

On the afternoon on 20 September, a memorial assembly of about a thousand people was also held at TheAffiliated Hearing Impaired School of National University of Tainan. A historical review video about the contribution of Rev. William Campbell's pioneering ministry to the blind and deaf education was broadcast to the audience. Rev. Lo Reng-quei, pastor of Tainan East Gate Barclay Memorial Church, was invited to give a sermon, together with a biblical drama dumb show describing the prodigal mind set of modern people, tempted by drinks, sex, drugs and money, but finally saved by God's mercy and reunited with Him.

Translated by Peter Wolfe