Author: Catherine Lee

St. John's University, Taiwan1 Comment

Advent Church Centre Moving In Day!

Catherine Lee

Not just a day, more like Moving In Week with the students helping on Thursday….. Then more students helping on Friday, and then on Saturday, anyone available was welcomed to Advent Church to sort out, clean up, throw out and move in!  Since the old kitchen was demolished and the construction started 2 years ago, all the kitchen stuff and musical instruments etc have been in storage in the back of the church during that time. The Sunday School and choir have also moved to the new centre.  On Saturday about 30 people turned up for a day of hard … Continue reading Advent Church Centre Moving In Day!

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Reblog: My CMS Link Visit to St. Thomas Church, Batley, W. Yorkshire

Catherine Lee

RIP Jo Cox, MP for Batley and Spen, tragically killed yesterday in a vicious act of violence. St. Thomas Church, Batley is one of my beloved CMS Link Churches, full of great people, the salt of the earth. When I last visited Batley in April 2015 it was in the midst of the election campaign in which Jo Cox won the seat for Batley and Spen. Praying for her family, friends, and the whole community of Batley at this sad time. This is my blog post from that visit to St. Thomas Church, originally posted on April 13, 2015…. https://catherinelee234.wordpress.com/2015/04/13/cms-link-visit-to-st-thomas-church-batley-w-yorkshire/ Continue reading Reblog: My CMS Link Visit to St. Thomas Church, Batley, W. Yorkshire

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Tamsui 淡水 in June!

Catherine Lee

The best month of the year in Tamsui is definitely June ~ forget yesterday’s torrential rains and focus instead on today’s blue skies, blue sea and all the flowers, and especially at Dr. George L. Mackay‘s old clinic (now museum and coffee shop) and the old church – peeping through the gap in the buildings below. Tamsui is oozing with history, every old building tells a story. And these buildings and the Mackay statue are just a small part, there’s plenty more to see! So do come and visit and check it all out for yourself! Continue reading Tamsui 淡水 in June!

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Sanzhi 三芝 Parade of the Deities

Catherine Lee

Every year at Dragon Boat Festival time, Tamsui and Sanzhi hold massive parades involving hundreds of gods, deities, idols, lion dancers, horn-blowers, drummers, firecracker-lighters and participants from the temples all around.  On Friday it was the turn of Tamsui, yesterday was the turn of Sanzhi.  This is known as 大拜拜 (da bai-bai) ‘Big Worship’.  ‘Bai-bai’ specifically refers to traditional religious worship in the home or temple, involving offerings of incense and maybe food to the ancestors or deities. Here in Sanzhi, people have been preparing for days, setting up small altars in the doorways of their homes or business.  That’s … Continue reading Sanzhi 三芝 Parade of the Deities

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To Keelung 基隆, the hard way….

Catherine Lee

Have bike.  Old bike.  Very old bike.  Old heavy bike.  Old heavy bike that only works in first gear.  Old heavy bike with big strong basket in front.  Good for shopping.  Good for going to market.  Old heavy bike needs to go to Keelung.  New owner lives in Keelung. New owner wants old heavy bike for shopping in local market.  But new owner cannot ride to Keelung. Dragon Boat Festival.  Day off.  4:30 am.  Dark.  Me in yellow.  Me on bike.  Very old heavy bike.  Setting off for Keelung.  In first gear.  First gear all the way to Keelung.  40+ … Continue reading To Keelung 基隆, the hard way….

St. John's University, Taiwan1 Comment

The Grand Opening of the brand new Advent Church Center @ St. John’s University, Taiwan! 聖約翰科技大學 長齡生命關懷中心 落成感恩禮拜 YES!

Catherine Lee

Thanks be to God ~ YES!  And this is it ~ our brand new Advent Church Center in the sun yesterday! Thanks be to hundreds of people who contributed their money, time and resources ~ YES! And thanks be to everyone who came along to participate in the grand opening events ~ note the plural, we’ve had 2, yes TWO grand openings, one for the church and community on Sunday June 5…. and one for St. John’s University (SJU) yesterday, Tuesday June 7…. And guess what?  There’s another grand opening celebration still being planned, for the SJU alumni, who’ve been … Continue reading The Grand Opening of the brand new Advent Church Center @ St. John’s University, Taiwan! 聖約翰科技大學 長齡生命關懷中心 落成感恩禮拜 YES!

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St. John’s University Graduation 2016!

Catherine Lee

And another big milestone is reached, another group of SJU graduates is launched ~ ‘n many congratulations to them all! Today’s graduation was spectacular, as always – faculty and students gathered in gowns and mortar boards, parents and friends gathered with bunches of flowers and balloons, and the procession into the hall was led by 3 of our student fellowship students carrying the cross and 2 candles, and followed at the very end by chaplain Rev. Lennon Chang and Bishop Lai. We were delighted that our lovely friend, Su-Chin, who runs around the campus every day cleaning and sweeping and … Continue reading St. John’s University Graduation 2016!

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St. John’s University Student Fellowship 聖約翰愛的團契送舊晚會 2016 Farewell Party!

Catherine Lee

‘So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye’ ~ to all our lovely graduating students! Last night was their farewell party in Advent Church, organised by the SJU Student Fellowship group ~ YES! We have 13 or so of our student fellowship graduating, and most of them came last night, the boys in suits, everyone very formally dressed.  One of our 4th year students, Yi-en, is currently in San Francisco on a student exchange program, so she participated via webcam, and as it was the early hours of the morning in California, she kind of laid there in bed watching us all … Continue reading St. John’s University Student Fellowship 聖約翰愛的團契送舊晚會 2016 Farewell Party!