Eighty! Yes, eighty years! Lots of congratulations to Marjorie on her 80th birthday today, and to Winston, who celebrates 80 this year.❤️The world is definitely a much better place these past 80 years because of Winston and Marjorie; they have been a great blessing to so many, and we love them both so much!❤️

In thanksgiving to Almighty God and as a witness to their family and friends, they celebrated their love on Saturday, May 3, 2025, with a special ‘Renewal of Vows’ Marriage Thanksgiving Service at St. John’s Cathedral, Taipei, Taiwan, starting at 3:00 pm. It was such a beautiful service, a testimony to God’s faithfulness and grace over all these years and an acknowledgment of the power of God’s love that unites them as one. As the inside of their service booklet says, ‘The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.’ Psalm 126:3❤️

Winston tells me that when he and Marjorie got married 41 years ago in the USA, the official ceremony was short and simple, and held in the presence of only a few witnesses in a friend’s home. Although they had a pastor there (for the marriage license), Marjorie and Winston were not Christians at the time and neither of them was from a Christian family; in fact, until now, their family and friends are largely non-Christians. Fast forward to a few months ago, and they shared with the Bishop of Taiwan, Lennon Yuan-Rung Chang their dream of celebrating their 80th birthdays with some sort of church celebration of their marriage. Bishop Chang suggested a formal Renewal of Vows Thanksgiving Service, which would include Holy Communion, and he would lead it. With so many non-Christians coming to the service, it might be thought unusual to include Holy Communion, but all those who were not baptized were encouraged and welcomed to go up for a blessing, and everyone did just that!

In the event, nearly 150 people attended the service and 77 took Holy Communion. They came from all different walks of Winston and Marjorie’s life, high school and university classmates, colleagues, family members, friends, some of whom had flown back from the USA especially for the occasion, and a large group of us from St. John’s Cathedral. The event was widely announced for several weeks beforehand in our cathedral notices – all were welcome to attend, but needed to register in advance – and the dress code was formal. We were all excited to share with Winston and Marjorie in this special celebration, and we were also looking forward to meeting their family and friends, especially Marjorie’s brother and sister and their families. It turns out they are all just as lovely – and lively – as Marjorie and Winston!

The service was led by Bishop Chang (he preached about the different kinds of love – particularly agape, philia and eros), assisted by Dean Philip Lin and Deacon Claire Wang, with servers, Timothy Liu and Sandy Wang, and good friend Ms. Hsin-Wei Chou doing the Bible reading. Our amazing organist Christiana Twu played both organ and piano, and also accompanied the soloist, their good friend, Dr. Hardy Wai-Hong Chan – he sang several beautiful songs, including Panis Angelicus and the Lord’s Prayer. Behind the scenes was a large team from St. John’s Cathedral who came early on Saturday morning to help decorate the church and get everything ready, including arranging for the distribution of gifts for everyone to take home at the end. Marjorie and Winston had thought of everything!

Even the stunning purple service booklet, designed and produced by our church member, Mr. Michael Di, was a work of art in itself. Inside the booklet, Winston and Marjorie had inserted a separate paper, on which they had written their story. The original is in Chinese; thanks to ChatGPT for this translation…

The Road We’ve Walked Together

The power of love can transcend time and space, binding two hearts closely together. Today, we would like to share a story of two people who met at the age of 18, went through separation and reunion, and eventually journeyed hand in hand to celebrate their 80th birthdays together.

We met at National Taiwan University when we were 18. One of us was calm and reserved; the other, lively and cheerful. Our complementary personalities drew us to each other, and we became a couple. At that time, we made a promise – to complete our university studies and then go to the United States together to pursue further education and build a beautiful future. Four years passed in the blink of an eye, and we walked into the future together, vowing to stay by each other’s side for life. However, during an era when men were required to serve in the military, we had to go to the U.S. to continue our studies at different times. Fate played a trick on two people in love; during our time as international students in the U.S., misunderstandings arose due to time and distance, and we ended up taking separate paths in life.

Years later, both of us had left behind our past lives and returned to being single. By the grace of God, we were given a miraculous reunion that rekindled our connection. At the moment we met again, it felt as though time had rewound, and the feelings buried deep in our hearts were reignited. We decided not to miss the chance again and to walk together into the second half of life.

Now, we have been together for over forty years, becoming a couple admired by many. This year, we are about to celebrate our 80th birthdays. In the presence of our family and friends, and in the name of God and with His help, we make this promise to each other:

“No matter the past, the present, or the future, we will walk together, side by side, until the end of our lives.”

The first time I remember hearing of Winston and Marjorie was in February 2009, when Winston wrote an article for the diocesan Friendship Magazine about how he and Marjorie had joined a Holy Land Pilgrimage from January 26-February 5, 2009, led by the Bishop of Taiwan, David J. H. Lai. At the time, both Winston and Marjorie were still working, Winston for the National Institutes of Health, and Marjorie in hospital management, though when they had originally met, as students at National Taiwan University, they had both been studying ‘animal husbandry’. If I had to guess what subject they were studying together at university, my last guess would be animal husbandry! Both were scientists, and Winston has often shared with us his experiences of considering the Christian faith from the point of view of science, and how he came to reconcile the two. At the end of that article, Winston wrote, “Marjorie and I consider ourselves fortunate to have traveled with this group. The group included Bishop David Lai, three priests and their wives, and members from the Episcopal Churches of Taipei, Taichung, Chiayi and Kaohsiung, together with members from churches of other denominations. It appeared that Marjorie and I were the only ones that have not been baptized. Every morning started with a prayer service and hymns. There were also several sharing and fellowship sessions at night. It was a learning experience for me spiritually and also knowledge-wise.”

I remember Bishop Lai telling me after that trip that he thought it would not be long before Winston and Marjorie became Christians and were baptized; he was right! They were baptized at St. John’s Cathedral by Dean Samuel Lin, and have been a much-loved part of the cathedral community ever since. Marjorie takes great delight in sharing the story of how she was invited to become ‘senior warden’ soon after her baptism, the title of which was so new to her, she had no idea what it was! It makes me smile to think that animal husbandry and hospital management seem to be a wonderful background and preparation for a senior warden at the cathedral, and Marjorie was in her element! When the English service started up some years later, it started very small, and as Marjorie and Winston gradually retired from their other responsibilities, so they made a decision to dedicate their time and energy to support the English congregation – and they still do; they’re sometimes referred to as the English congregation ‘anchor couple’! They have a really important ministry in supporting, encouraging, inspiring, leading – and livening up – any and every service and activity, from bringing doughnuts to share in our Bible Studies, organizing delicious potluck meals, as well as bringing along their friends and family members to services. Unless they’re traveling overseas, they are always there in the English congregation on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am, smiling, laughing, encouraging and taking an active part in the service, and all the activities that follow; it’s never boring when they’re around! Thank you, Winston and Marjorie!

So, we send out warmest congratulations to Winston and Marjorie on this special occasion, and we give thanks to Almighty God for their lives and witness, and for his grace and love! ❤️