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

#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

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

#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

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

#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

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

#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„

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

#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›„

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

#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

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

#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

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

#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„

My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 4 ๐Ÿ‘ผโ›ช๐Ÿ””

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day4: This is Chuan-You ๅ…จไฝ‘, the youngest member of our Advent Church PCC / Vestry Committee and also in charge of the Advent Church Sunday School. He works in Taipei as a software engineer, and became a Christian through the student fellowship at St. John’s University, of which he was later elected to serve as chair for a year. Like many of our student fellowship, he is the first and so far only Christian in his family. Today he and his team are running a Board Games outreach event for 40+ local children in the Advent Church Centre, and … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 4 ๐Ÿ‘ผโ›ช๐Ÿ””