Prayers of the People @ General Convention

For the last 10 days, June 25 to July 3, the 78th General Convention of the US-based Episcopal Church has been meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The Diocese of Taiwan is one of those dioceses present, and Bishop Lai led a group from Taiwan to take part in it. Last year during Advent, many of us took part in a highly successful social media project – like a global Advent Calendar – called Advent Word, where we posted a photo a day on an Advent theme, organized by SSJE, the Society of St. John the Evangelist.  I loved … Continue reading Prayers of the People @ General Convention

Celebrating Pentecost at St. James’ English Service, Taichung ~ and Kelvin’s Confirmation!

Special congratulations to Kelvin and his family on his confirmation at St. James’ Church, Taichung yesterday, Pentecost Sunday ~ YES!  And as it was Pentecost it was most appropriate that the congregation was all from everywhere ~ including Taiwan, Philippines, Korea, Japan, India, Germany, Malta, UK, USA and maybe more besides – it was a great day indeed! Yes, a wonderful day ~ lots of people at the service, including Bishop Lai, Rev. Lily Chang and Rev. Joel del Rosario, and all followed by a big lunch, kindly hosted by Kelvin’s family. And such a lovely family they are ~ … Continue reading Celebrating Pentecost at St. James’ English Service, Taichung ~ and Kelvin’s Confirmation!

SJU 愛的團契佈道會 ~ 甦醒 special night!

And a special night it was! St. John’s University Student Fellowship holds a special night of outreach every semester, and last night was it ~ YEAH! But just in case you’re none the wiser for reading the above poster advertising the event, the main attraction was one of our good friends from Keelung, Evan, who shared his testimony ~ starting with his year of study at the London College of Fashion, then at Vidal Sassoon School of Hairdressing in London, then back to Taiwan to open his own hair salon, oh yes and Shanghai too ~ with photos of his … Continue reading SJU 愛的團契佈道會 ~ 甦醒 special night!

Taiwan’s Nepali Community mourns…

Happened upon a candlelit memorial event this evening for the victims of the deadly Nepal Earthquake which struck last weekend ~ Taipei’s Nepali community gathered in a corner of the C.K.S. Memorial in Taipei City, along with Taiwan friends and supporters… ‘Pray for Nepal’ was the message, as the monks led the chanting for the deceased…. Indeed much prayer for Nepal is needed, and the latest tragic news from the Anglican Communion website is here in this article: Nepali Anglicans among those killed in earthquake May God indeed have mercy…. Continue reading Taiwan’s Nepali Community mourns…

Christ is risen, Alleluia!

Wishing you all a blessed and happy Easter ~ Christ is risen, He is risen indeed, Alleluia! “Not the empty tomb but the uninhabited cross. Look long enough and you will see the arms put on leaves. Not a crown of thorns, but a crown of flowers haloing it, with a bird singing as though perched on paradise’s threshold. We have over-furnished our faith. Our churches are as limousines in the procession towards heaven. But the verities remain: a de-nuclearised cross, uncontaminated by our coinage; the chalice’s ichor; and one crumb of bread on the tongue for the bird-like intelligence … Continue reading Christ is risen, Alleluia!

CMS Link Visit to Dewsbury, W. Yorkshire

From mills to minster ~ Dewsbury used to be famous for its mills, now it’s the minster that has pride of place in the town.  Actually there’s been a place of worship there ever since about AD 627 when Paulinus came to visit and soon the ancient minster parish covered 400 miles all across northern England…. These days Dewsbury has a large Asian community, mostly Muslim, and Dewsbury Minster is the designated Christian Interfaith Centre for the area, so lots of groups come to learn about the Christian faith.  In the mid 1990’s the minster was completely reorganized – the east … Continue reading CMS Link Visit to Dewsbury, W. Yorkshire

CMS Link Visit to Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield

Fantastic church, wonderful people, and a whole lot of lovely new Chinese friends! My links with Huddersfield go back years and years, and Holy Trinity Church, just north of the centre of the town, has always been really supportive of CMS ~ and of me too! When my good friends Pam and Nigel moved to Holy Trinity from Heighington, Co. Durham in the late 1980’s, and there I was, preparing to join CMS and go to Tanzania, Holy Trinity offered their support – and hey presto, they’re still supporting me all these years later.   Actually Pam and Nigel have been away … Continue reading CMS Link Visit to Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield

CMS Link Visit to Beccles, Suffolk

Just in case you think Cambridge is about as far east as it gets in England, well you ain’t bin nowhere yet!  Two long hours drive even further east from Cambridge and just before you hit the sea, you come upon the lovely little country town of Beccles, sitting on the River Waveney, at the gateway to The Broads, a sailing paradise of rivers and lakes in Norfolk and Suffolk. Beautiful! Not that I went to the Broads this weekend, in fact only as far as Beccles itself, passing the lovely Billingford Windmill at Scole, Norfolk en route…. And so to … Continue reading CMS Link Visit to Beccles, Suffolk