Author: Catherine Lee

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My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 13 ๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿฝ๐ŸŽ„

Catherine Lee

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day13: This is Min-Wen ๆ•ๆ–‡ from Malaysia, 4th (and final) year student at St. John’s University (SJU), who’s about to graduate next summer in Industrial Engineering (IE). We’re going to miss her so much! She admits that originally she had no interest in IE, but a scholarship was on offer, and she took it – and has really made the most of it since then. She also applied for the SJU Chaplaincy’s meal coupon scheme for students facing financial hardship. Through her dedication and hard work, she has since received a number of awards and scholarships, and consistently scores … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 13 ๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿฝ๐ŸŽ„

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My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 12 โ„๏ธ๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธ

Catherine Lee

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day12: This is Huei-Ling ๆƒ ่‹“ (left) and Shu-Jing ๆท‘้– (right) who are the best of friends and for the first time ever, they were both serving together at this morning’s Advent Church service. They both work for the Bishop of Taiwan, Lennon Yuan-Rung Chang, Huei-Ling in the diocesan office in Taipei, Shu-Jing in St. John’s University (SJU), where Bishop Chang is the chair of the board. Until this year, Shu-Jing was on the staff of the SJU Chaplaincy, she’s also a qualified Japanese teacher, skills put to good use in our companion diocesan partnership with Osaka. And they both … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 12 โ„๏ธ๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธ

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My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 11 ๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธโ„๏ธ

Catherine Lee

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day11: This is Hong-Chi ้ดป็ฆ and his wife, Jin-Zhu ้Œฆ็ , much-loved members of Advent Church who run a Japanese Ramen Noodle Restaurant ๅ‘ณๆปฟ้ฃŸๅ ‚ in the Carrefour Supermarket Complex in Tamsui. Their faith is very much part of their lives – see the cross on the back wall of the restaurant? And of course, the food is delicious and the service always first-class! Like many restaurant owners locally, they’ve been badly hit this year by the pandemic, forced to close completely during Taiwan’s Level 3 Restrictions from May to August, then open for takeaway only, then fully open, but then … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 11 ๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธโ„๏ธ

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My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 10 ๐ŸŽ„๐ŸŽ๐ŸŒŸ

Catherine Lee

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day10: This is Bishop Lennon Yuan-Rung Chang ๅผตๅ“กๆฆฎไธปๆ•™ who became Bishop of Taiwan in February 2020, just as the pandemic was starting. Taiwan’s strict border controls mean that he hasn’t left Taiwan since then, but instead has been able to concentrate his time and energy into leading the diocese, and serving as chair of St. John’s University (SJU) Board of Trustees. If he has any free time, he spends it with his wife and family, his 3 very lively grandsons ensure that life is never boring! Please pray for him, his family and all in SJU & the Taiwan … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 10 ๐ŸŽ„๐ŸŽ๐ŸŒŸ

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My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 9 โ›„๐ŸŽ…๐ŸŽ„

Catherine Lee

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day9: This is Shiao-Chien ๆพคๅ€ฉ with the regular members of our Advent Church Community English Class, meeting today for our ‘Happy Ending’ Christmas Gathering, along with their families and friends. ๐Ÿฅณ Although I plan the classes, Shiao-Chien is our real leader ~ she’s also the one who gave me this Advent Calendar, it’s a rare find in Taiwan! ๐Ÿฅณ Spot the 3 members of the Tan family standing at the back, they kindly hosted the party, and we also visited their 7 beautiful mini horses ๐Ÿด who live together with a flock of very noisy geese! Our classes last … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 9 โ›„๐ŸŽ…๐ŸŽ„

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My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 8 ๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ„โ›„

Catherine Lee

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day8: This is Tze-Wi ่Šท่–‡, our colleague at St. Johnโ€™s University (SJU) Chaplaincy, Taipei; she and Yi-Ting ไพๅฉท are both sponsored by the Taiwan Episcopal Church. Both are very talented & creative, and have put their skills to good use designing the Advent Church section of the diocesan website, it’s much admired by all our other churches! Together they organize all the many chaplaincy activities, and there’s always lots to do; coming up next is the SJU & Advent Church Christmas Bazaar, this year in aid of SOS Children Village in Chungli. Life is busy, busy, busy! Tze-Wi is … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 8 ๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ„โ›„

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My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 7 ๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธ๐ŸŽ

Catherine Lee

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day7: This is the Rev. Charles C. T. Chen ้™ณ้‡‘ๅœฐ็‰งๅธซ and his second son, Christopher ้™ณๆ™บๆนงๆ•™ๅ‹™้•ท, Dean of Academic Affairs here at St. John’s University. We had a cake today to celebrate Charles’ 86th birthday on December 10, while Christopher celebrated his 60th birthday last month. Happy Birthday and many congratulations to them both! ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿฅณ ๐ŸŽ‚ When I first arrived in Taiwan in January 1999, it was the two of them who met me at the airport ~ Charles was then rector of St. James’ Church, Taichung, much supported by his wife MaryJo, and just starting what would become … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 7 ๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธ๐ŸŽ

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My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 6 ๐ŸŽ„โ›„๐ŸŒŸ

Catherine Lee

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day6: This is Bishop David J. H. Lai ่ณดๆฆฎไฟกไธปๆ•™ and his wife, Lily who we visited today at their home in Tainan. Bishop Lai retired as Bishop of Taiwan in February 2020, and really enjoys welcoming visitors to drink tea and enjoy fellowship, while Lily is out at art classes & learning new things like Nordic Walking ~ they both love being retired! Due to the pandemic, they have not yet been able to visit their children & grandchildren in New York since they retired, but they say they are so grateful to God and to you all for … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 6 ๐ŸŽ„โ›„๐ŸŒŸ

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My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 5 ๐Ÿ””๐ŸŽถ๐ŸŽ„

Catherine Lee

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day5: This is the Rev. Lily L. L. Chang ๅผต็Žฒ็Žฒ็‰งๅธซ, Rector of St. James’ Episcopal Church, Taichung, looking forward to celebrating her 60th birthday on December 27! ๐Ÿฅณ๐ŸŽˆ๐ŸŽ‰ Congratulations and Happy Birthday Lily!ย  ๐Ÿฅณ๐ŸŽŠ๐ŸŽ‚ She is very busy looking after 2 lively congregations (Chinese & English), a large kindergarten and education institute, plus many diocesan responsibilities ~ and with so much going on for Advent and Christmas, she asks for your prayers for her health and strength. ๐Ÿ˜Š Thank you! Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 5 ๐Ÿ””๐ŸŽถ๐ŸŽ„