Masked church services, masked communion, and now masked confirmations ~ all happening now at Advent Church @ St. John’s University, Taiwan!

It’s just over 2 months since the consecration of our new bishop, Bishop Lennon Yuan-Rung Chang, and yesterday was his first official visit as bishop of Taiwan to Advent Church – where he was previously rector of the church and chaplain of St. John’s University (SJU). For him and his wife it was like coming home, and all the church members turned out to welcome them!

St. John’s University dates its officially foundation day as April 26, 1967 so yesterday was the 53rd anniversary. And today is the actual 50th anniversary of the death of Bishop James C. L. Wong, founder of St. John’s University, who is buried under the altar at Advent Church. Normally we would have had an official SJU Thanksgiving Service and other celebrations, and Bishop Chang, as the newly-elected chair of the SJU board of trustees would have been here for them, but events have been postponed or cancelled as a precaution in this time of Coronavirus. Fortunately, Sunday services at Advent Church continue, more or less as normal. As part of the anniversary celebrations each year, our SJU Student Fellowship attend the church service on the last Sunday of April, and take part as ushers, servers, readers, taking up the collection etc. This year, we continued with this tradition. The only thing they didn’t do as normal, due to the Coronavirus precautions, was that they didn’t sing as a choir group – in fact, all the choir and music group participation in the Sunday services is cancelled for the time being.

Also as a precaution, as well as temperature checks for all those entering the church, everyone wears a face-mask throughout all our services, with the exception of the sermon when the preacher can take the face-mask off, as they stand so far away from everyone. This was the sermon yesterday, done in a new style, with Bishop Chang speaking without notes from the front of the altar by the communion rail – the sermon was based on the Gospel reading of the Road to Emmaus, and full of action!

We also had the confirmation and reception of 3 people, and Bishop Chang did this by laying hands on their heads as they were standing, rather than kneeling – also as a precaution in this time of Coronavirus.

Ms. Luo and Mr. Huang were both received into the Taiwan Episcopal Church – they were well-supported yesterday by their spouses and family members; and Tze-Wei was confirmed. Tze-Wei is the very lovely and very newest member of our SJU Chaplaincy Team, the one on the far left in the photo below…

After graduating from SJU last summer in the Dept. of Creative Design, Tze-Wei was baptized in July 2019, and now has the distinction and honour of being the very first person being both baptized and confirmed by Bishop Chang. Tze-Wei is from West Malaysia, and along with her Malaysian classmates in the Dept. of Creative Design, and her handsome boyfriend, Jing-Ching, she got involved in the student fellowship during her 4 years at SJU. When Jing-Ching became chairperson of the student fellowship for a year, he instigated exercise sessions of sports and games, and these still continue until now, organized by Tze-Wei. Although Jing-Ching started the exercise sessions, when Tze-Wei took over in the second term, she famously renamed them ‘Juicy’ Exercise, with the purpose of trying to lose weight as well as get fit. Asked why, she squeezes the spare tyre round her middle and says, “I am so juicy!” 😅🤣😂

Anyway, last summer she was the main student leader of the children’s summer camp at Advent Church, and did a really great job. Now she’s working full-time in the chaplaincy, and is putting her creative design skills and talents to good use, while Jing-Ching is doing his 4 months of military service. Her family in Malaysia are not Christians, and so, out of respect for them, she waited until after her graduation to be baptized – the early-morning baptism service was held in Advent Church at 7:45 am on Monday July 22, 2019, St. Mary Magdalene’s Day, and attended by Jing-Ching and many classmates. Back then, Bishop Chang was still rector of Advent Church, so he performed the baptism. That day was also chosen because it was Tze-Wei’s first official day of work in the chaplaincy office, so it was very meaningful….

After the confirmation part of the service yesterday, we had communion (bread only, as a Coronavirus precaution)…

And after the service finished, there were presentations from Advent Church of a Book of Common Prayer for each one ….

Thanks be to God! And please do continue to pray for Bishop Chang, Advent Church, SJU, the student fellowship, and all of us in the chaplaincy ~ that’s the SJU chaplain Rev. Wu, Shu-Jing, me – and especially our delightful Tze-Wei!