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 appointed by Bishop Lai as ‘Canon Chancellor’.  Professor Ma celebrates his 90th birthday later this year, and in honor and gratitude for his 60 years of service to the diocese as chancellor, he has been appointed Canon Chancellor.  Yes, 60 years!  Ever since the Taiwan Episcopal Church came into existence, Professor Ma has been the chancellor. Incredible!  His life story is amazing, and it is a great honour for us to have such a wonderful and faithful Christian witness in our midst.  He is the first and only person to hold this post in the Diocese of Taiwan. Congratulations to Professor Ma, and his wife Mrs. Aline Ma….

The cathedral was filled ~ with clergy, church members and friends from all over Taiwan, but especially from the Taipei area.  Advent Church Choir and St. John’s Cathedral Choir both sang, and the organ was played by several very able members of the cathedral congregation – their regular organist, Ms. Joanna Fu is currently in California for 3 months liturgical training on the pipe organ.  A wonderful service!

And a group photo of everyone ~ courtesy of Rev. Leo Tzeng…

Thanking God for our 2 new priests and Canon Chancellor, may God guide and bless their ministries, their families, and their witness. And thanking God too for our wonderful clergy and church members who traveled from far and wide to take part in this special event ~ and of course to our cathedral clergy and church members for such a great welcome!  A great blessing to us all!