Welcome to 華人大學校牧協會 FOCUCC Chaplains and Staff!

A big welcome to chaplains and staff members representing the Federation of Chinese University and College Chaplaincies (FOCUCC) 華人大學校牧協會 for their Spring Meeting 2017 @ St. John’s University.   Here they are after last night’s welcome dinner at Advent Church Center, with SJU President Ay and our SJU welcome team! FOCCUC has 14 member institutions, 3 in Hong Kong and 11 in Taiwan, and most of them are represented here.  Welcome to them all! Continue reading Welcome to 華人大學校牧協會 FOCUCC Chaplains and Staff!

Off to the Mission Field! Big Farewell to our beloved Yu-lin 喻璘!

Yes, Yu-lin has finally said goodbye!  This is what sending someone off to the mission field looks like in Taiwan ~ here’s everyone at the airport last night saying goodbye! I wasn’t there, I had to be in Taichung last night – if not, I would have gone to the airport too.  Fortunately our rector, Rev. Lennon Y. R. Chang had hosted a dinner for us all just after Christmas at which we got to say goodbye to Yu-lin, and here we are ~ Yu-lin is the one in the middle… For the last 6+ years at St. John’s University … Continue reading Off to the Mission Field! Big Farewell to our beloved Yu-lin 喻璘!

YES! NT$ 325,000 (US$ 10,000) raised for the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross ministry in Taitung 財團法人台東縣私立天主教聖十字架瑪利德蘭社會福利基金會!

Thanks be to Almighty God, and to everyone who contributed their time, energy, money, enthusiasm and dedication!  During this past December, St. John’s University (SJU) and Advent Church have raised a grand total of NT$ 325,000 (US$ 10,000 / £ 8,200) for the social welfare ministry of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross 聖十字架慈愛修女會 (known as the Maria Theresia Social Welfare Foundation 財團法人台東縣私立天主教聖十字架瑪利德蘭社會福利基金會) in Shangwu Village 尚武村, located in Dawu Township 大武鄉, Taitung, on Taiwan’s beautiful S. E. coast.  Last Friday, we went to visit the sisters in Shangwu ~ and here we all are outside their church, and … Continue reading YES! NT$ 325,000 (US$ 10,000) raised for the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross ministry in Taitung 財團法人台東縣私立天主教聖十字架瑪利德蘭社會福利基金會!

Merry Christmas 2016 @ St. John’s University and Advent Church!

St. John’s University and Advent Church is THE place to be for Christmas, and especially when Christmas falls on a weekend ~ last week we had a whole week of Christmas activities in the university and local community, and now we’ve just had a whole weekend of activities in the church.  It’s all non-stop action ~ and it’s back to work and classes tomorrow as usual! We really kind of moved from Advent into Christmas starting on Thursday December 22 in the afternoon when we did our final walkabout around St. John’s University, lighting all the candles on the Advent … Continue reading Merry Christmas 2016 @ St. John’s University and Advent Church!

Advent Word, Day 26 ‘live’

Day 26 #live #生活 Friday December 23 ‘We are meant for life in all its fullness. Our getting together for the sheer pleasure of it anticipates the Kingdom and the heavenly banquet. Conviviality and celebration, especially in the face of difficult circumstances, bring light into the world’. 我們都是為了生命之豐盛、圓滿而做準備。你我相聚一起,其樂融融,乃是「預嚐」(提前享受)天國的饗宴。這無比歡樂的慶典,尤其在艱困的情境中舉行,確實為這世界帶來諸多光明! A big Thank You to our new president of St. John’s University, Dr. Peter Herchang Ay for welcoming so many of us from the SJU Chaplaincy and Advent Church to his university home last night to share the good news of Christmas (報佳音), light the Advent Wreath and eat yummy TangYuan 湯圓.  Ah, … Continue reading Advent Word, Day 26 ‘live’

超級好朋友 Supermaster and his Superfriends Christmas Show @ LaoMei Elementary School 老梅國小!

Our amazing team of students from St. John’s University and church members from Advent Church combined to put on a spectacular performance for our Christmas Show 2016 this morning at LaoMei Elementary School ~ and the children were all very lovely and we had a great time!  Thanks to our leader Yo-yo, who took a day off work to support his team, thanks to those who stood in at the last minute, and thanks to everyone for taking part.   It was GREAT!  Here we all are….. LaoMei is one of my favourite places in the whole world ~ and … Continue reading 超級好朋友 Supermaster and his Superfriends Christmas Show @ LaoMei Elementary School 老梅國小!

Advent Word, Day 25 ‘animate’

Day 25 #animate #賦予生命 Wednesday December 22 ‘The Spirit of God animates us, but it all happens in the flesh: every deed of kindness, every act of generosity, every word of encouragement happens in the flesh. Every embodiment of Christ’s grace or truth or love happens in the flesh—or it doesn’t happen’. 上主的靈賦予我們生命,但一切都體現於「肉身」之中。[譯者註:此「肉身」令人聯想到「道成肉身」!]舉凡仁慈的行為、慷慨的舉動、鼓勵的話語,都藉由「肉身」來表現;而基督的恩惠、真理、愛的具體顯示,亦是如此,若沒有「道成肉身」,這一切都無法實現! A Fantastic Day ~ a very animated and super-talented Supermaster and his Superfriends from St. John’s University perform their Christmas Show for the very lovely children of LaoMei Elementary School (老梅國小)! Continue reading Advent Word, Day 25 ‘animate’

St. John’s University and Advent Church Christmas Charity Bazaar 聖誕義賣 2016!

Our 20th year of holding a charity bazaar at Christmas for St. John’s University and Advent Church ~ and today was the day! A mammoth project and really a huge achievement to organize such a major event, involving faculty, staff, students, friends, church members and local people ~ and all coordinated by the clergy and staff of St. John’s University Chaplaincy and Advent Church, in particular Yu-lin, our youngest staff member ~ she is so multi-talented, patient and calm ~ and excels at organizing events like this! Publicity and preparations have been ongoing for weeks, selling coupons and accepting donations … Continue reading St. John’s University and Advent Church Christmas Charity Bazaar 聖誕義賣 2016!

Advent Word, Day 13 ‘befriend’

Day 13 #befriend #親近 Saturday December 10 ‘On my journey of faith, Mary has become a kind of friend, and our shared experience of Jesus has become a sacred communion. He invites me into her presence with contagious joy. She points me to him with fresh insight and renewed simplicity’. 在信仰的旅程中,聖母馬利亞可說是我的朋友,我們有共同的體會,就是經歷耶穌,這已成為一種神聖的「共融」(共襄盛舉之交流)。耶穌奇妙地邀我進入馬利亞的喜樂心境;馬利亞則以清新的眼光和單純的心,指點我靠近耶穌。 Supermaster and his Superfriends at St. John’s University Student Fellowship Christmas Outreach on Thursday night! Continue reading Advent Word, Day 13 ‘befriend’