Taiwan Church News 3852 Edition 22 ~ 28 December, 2025 Weekly Topical Forging a Resilient Country, Taiwanese Urged by Vice President Hsiao to Care Each Other by Faith Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong from Taipei On December 21, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim attended the Christmas Thanksgiving Service at Tai-An Presbyterian Church of Chi-Hsin Presbytery and gave her greetings to the congregation. In her speech, VP Hsiao pointed out that Jesus was born in a dark and chaotic world, but delivered light and hope to the suffered. “The real strength, is not the same as fear or force but comes from sacrifice, commitment and love, will call Taiwan society to forge greater resilience with faith and care amid unrest and disorder,” VP Hsiao said. VP Hsiao expressed, “the reasons why people gather together to praise and worship in Christmas eve is not simply to seek peace inside, but also to experience being redeemed and inspired again to reach out amid an era of anxiety. Jesus was not born in an age of peace and prosperity, but called to bring light into the darkness and walk humbly with God via compassion and justice in a broken world. God does show His omnipotence through the humble birth and unparalleled sacrifice of Jesus, and this is the most treasured core of Christian faith.” She affirmed that the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) has bravely witnessed its faith in Taiwan with words and deeds, bringing love, hope and courage into Taiwan society and showcasing PCT’s commitment of “Burned but not Consumed.” In response to a random knife attack at Taipei MTR station recently, VP Hsiao invited the congregation to pray for the victims, the injured and the people traumatized. She prayed God to comfort the frightened, heal the injured, and restore the people caught in shock and fear. Facing various natural disasters or accidental events, she reminded the audience, “we shall not only rely on the public sectors to deliver disaster prevention or first-aid only, instead, we need to forge a strong safety network to hold our communities.” She also thanked PCT for its long-term dedication to social welfare, steadfast promotion of disaster prevention and training, and incessant cultivation of capabilities for Taiwanese with expertises to respond and compassion to care at critical occasions. “Taiwan is situated in an era of rapid changes within dimensions of diplomacy, economics, science and technology,” she said, “the strength of Christian faith will no doubt make our society more safe, and the church does play a positive role to make Taiwan society more stable and sustain Taiwanese people with care.” Meanwhile, giving her appreciation for attending the service with many business leaders, she expressed her thanksgivings to Mr Pan Jun-rong, chairman of the Chinese National Federation of Industries and member of Tai-An Church, and many Elders of Tai-An Church for their cordial invitation and hospital reception. During the service, the choir of Tai-An Church, conducted by Elder Chen Guan-chou, sang the Christmas Oratorio:Invitation to a Miracle. Rev Chang Chu-teng, pastor of Tai-An Church, gave a sermon themed with “Praise to Glorious Savior”. “Christmas is not only a festival, but also a time to return back to the core of our faith,” Rev Chang said, “a recent knife attack at Taipei MTR station shocked Taiwan society beyond words. We should support each other with compassion, justice and righteousness in the occasion of fear, sorrow and agony, and support the needy instead with prayer and accompany.” Rev Chang indicated that in an era of drastic global changes and rapid advances in artificial intelligence, science and technology, people were desperate to find safe and secure values, such as life, goodness and love. “Responding to these wants from souls, what Christian faith offers is not a cold algorithm, but a compassionate incarnation of logos who enters into the world to care for the suffered with love,” he said. “Jesus was born modestly in the manger, suggesting the heavenly glory does not stand by power or wealth, but act in humbleness to heal and feed the needy. Facing contemporary social conflicts, faked news and unrest, the serene joy and peace brought in by Christmas can be powerful enough with strength, so that people will no more retreated back into the dark, and rays of hope and love in people’s lives and works can be recovered through the amazing birth of Jesus Christ!” Translated by Peter Wolfe |