Typhoon Dujuan 杜鵑颱風‬

Typhoons come, typhoons go, trees crash down, but thank God for His great mercy! And yet another major typhoon has delighted us with its presence ~ this one, Typhoon Dujuan, was combined with the super moon and the high tides of the lunar eclipse, to make it potentially more dangerous…. Taiwan’s Mid-Autumn Moon Festival was celebrated this weekend, with a 3-day holiday. When we packed up on Friday, we knew there was a tropical storm out there in the Pacific Ocean – but it was heading north to Japan.  By Friday evening, it had changed direction more towards Taiwan, grown … Continue reading Typhoon Dujuan 杜鵑颱風‬

North Coast Kite Festival 2015 @ Baishawan 白沙灣 !

It’s Mid-Autumn Moon Festival today, one of the most important festivals of the year, celebrated with barbecues and moon-gazing, visits home and moon cakes.  We even have a day off on Monday to make the most of it all.   Yippee! It’s also the weekend of Taiwan’s annual North Coast Kite Festival at Baishawan Beach 白沙灣 just a mile or so up the road from here.  Must-go! Ah yes, and to top it all, we have a typhoon on the way! Hopefully the last of the season. Typhoons mean rain and wind, and certainly no moon-gazing, but the wind is of course … Continue reading North Coast Kite Festival 2015 @ Baishawan 白沙灣 !

Hengshan Terraced Fields 橫山梯田 @ Sanzhi 三芝

Within walking distance of Sanzhi 三芝 is a beautiful area, Hengshan Terraced Fields ~ and now is the time of the year to go, when the water bamboo (water oats) are almost at their full height, almost ready for harvest.  This evening as the sun was going down, they were at their best! Y’know, Sanzhi is quite an amazing place! Continue reading Hengshan Terraced Fields 橫山梯田 @ Sanzhi 三芝

St. John’s University Opening Service

A new school year at St. John’s University and we always start each new year (and each semester) with a service in Advent Church, attended by the university president and some of the faculty and staff, along with student representatives from each class.  Members of the student fellowship sing in a choir formed for the occasion, and also lead the prayers. The service ends with the lighting of candles and the singing of the school song, and procession out of the church.  The service was held yesterday afternoon…. A great chance for everyone to come together to commit the new … Continue reading St. John’s University Opening Service

聖約翰愛的團契:迎新餐會 SJU Student Fellowship Welcome Party x2!

A new school year at St. John’s University and 1,036 brand new first-year students have arrived and are settling in.  Classes started last week, and this week all the clubs and societies have launched forth with concerts, discos, welcome parties and dinners to attract the new students to join up…. there’s a lot going on! Our SJU Chaplaincy Student Fellowship has also been busy every day, and the main events were these last 2 evenings, Tuesday and Wednesday, when we welcomed the new students to a party in Advent Church, different days for different departments. More than 20 of our … Continue reading 聖約翰愛的團契:迎新餐會 SJU Student Fellowship Welcome Party x2!

St. John’s Cathedral, Taipei: Ordination Service and Appointment of Prof. Herbert Ma as Canon Chancellor

Yesterday was St. Matthew’s Day, Monday September 21, 2015, and an ordination service was held at St. John’s Cathedral, Taipei for Rev. Tsai Ching-Yi 蔡靜儀 and Rev. Wu Shing-Shiang 吳興祥.  Both were ordained priests.  Rev. Tsai serves at St. John’s Cathedral, and Rev. Wu serves here at Advent Church. They both studied at the seminary at Fu-Jen R. C. University in Taipei, and it was wonderful to welcome the seminary principal and many staff too ~ here’s all the clergy and friends, including those from Fu-Jen! At the same service, Professor Herbert H. P. Ma 馬漢寶, our diocesan chancellor, was formally … Continue reading St. John’s Cathedral, Taipei: Ordination Service and Appointment of Prof. Herbert Ma as Canon Chancellor

陳明邦感恩畫展 Mr. Chen Ming-Bang Thanksgiving Art Exhibition

The Grand Opening Ceremony of Mr. Chen Ming-Bang (陳明邦)’s Thanksgiving Art Exhibition! Mr. Chen Ming-Bang and his lovely wife are members of Advent Church, they have a home just up the coast from here, and whenever they’re here, they take part in all our services and activities.  Mr. Chen has had a very distinguished career in the civil service, including as Founding Director of the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office.  In his retirement, Mr. Chen has not sat idly by, but rather has put his artistic talents to great use and has produced over 60 paintings, which yesterday were put on … Continue reading 陳明邦感恩畫展 Mr. Chen Ming-Bang Thanksgiving Art Exhibition