Happy Easter @ Advent Church!

From darkness to light! Christ is Risen, Alleluia!  耶穌復活了! Our Easter celebrations began with the Easter Vigil at 8:00 pm on Saturday, Easter Eve, with the lighting of the Easter fire, and then the first lighting of candles.  After days of heavy rain, the sun had actually been out all day, and although it was very cold, it was dry, yes!  We were delighted to welcome one of our students involved with our chaplaincy at St. John’s University,  Mei-Han, who was baptised during the service.  The church looked beautiful, the choir were amazing, and it was a very moving and … Continue reading Happy Easter @ Advent Church!

Good Friday 受難日‬@ Advent Church

A few highlights of our lunchtime service at Advent Church today…. The sermon took the words of John 18: 37-38… “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 彼拉多問:「真理是甚麼?」Pilate asked, ‘What is truth?” ‘‎真理‬'(zhēnlĭ) ‘‎Truth’‬ ‪~ the Chinese characters … Continue reading Good Friday 受難日‬@ Advent Church

Maundy Thursday 設立聖餐日@ Advent Church

Pouring with rain and with a strong wind as a very late cold front has suddenly arrived in the last day or two bringing with it some horrible weather and a return to winter temperatures ~ hey, we’re used to it by now, but this winter seems far from over, and it’s almost April! But as you’ll see from the photos below, some of our hardy students are still walking around in T-shirts saying they can’t understand what all the fuss is about! Our annual Maundy Thursday service was last night, and Thursday evening is also the evening when our … Continue reading Maundy Thursday 設立聖餐日@ Advent Church

From the Diocese of Osaka, Japan ~ a big welcome to Taiwan!

And they’ve brought the sun with them too ~ ah, at last, the weather is great! The Diocese of Taiwan has had a companion link with the Diocese of Osaka since 2004, and so there’s been regular church group visits to and fro for different occasions. Since their last visit, for our 60th anniversary celebration in April 2014, the Diocese of Osaka has a new bishop, Bishop Andrew Haruhisa Iso.  So Bishop Iso has brought a group to Taiwan this week, primarily to attend the opening service and first session of our annual diocesan convention, which starts tomorrow.  Sadly our … Continue reading From the Diocese of Osaka, Japan ~ a big welcome to Taiwan!

Celebrating Rev. Lennon Chang’s 20th Anniversary of Ordination 張員榮牧師按立聖職20週年感恩聖禮!

On St. Thomas Day, December 21, 1995, our chaplain and rector, Rev. Lennon Chang 張員榮牧師 was ordained deacon at Good Shepherd Church, Taipei, and on January 25, 1999, the Conversion of St. Paul, he was ordained priest here at Advent Church.  So it’s 20 years since he was ordained to ‘Holy Orders’ ~ and last night we all gathered at Advent Church for a Thanksgiving Service and Celebration ~ YES! In his sermon during the service, Lennon shared about how he’s now been chaplain at St. John’s University (and as it was formerly known, St. John’s and St. Mary’s Institute … Continue reading Celebrating Rev. Lennon Chang’s 20th Anniversary of Ordination 張員榮牧師按立聖職20週年感恩聖禮!

Banquet Time with our good friends from Xian-Xiao 正德國中賢孝校區!

It’s the end of the semester and Chinese New Year’s coming ~ so yesterday we were honoured to attend a big banquet celebration, hosted by the Principal, Mr. Lin and Chairman of the Parents Association, Mr. Tsai of Zheng-De Junior High School 正德國中 in Tamsui.  A branch of their school, Xian-Xiao (or Hsien-Hsiao) 賢孝校區 is right next door to us here at St. John’s University, and most weeks during term-time, I’m there doing English conversation classes, and others from our church are there doing Life Values and Character Education classes. Then on Saturday mornings, some of their students come to Advent Church for … Continue reading Banquet Time with our good friends from Xian-Xiao 正德國中賢孝校區!

R.I.P. Mr. Liao Hong-Ming 廖鴻鳴弟兄 Loyal and Faithful Servant of the Lord

Mr. Liao Hong-Ming died peacefully on December 17, ‘with a smile on his face’ as Rev. Philip Lin wrote in his announcement – and today was his funeral and cremation at the Taipei Second Funeral Home. Mr. Liao was the husband of Mrs. Chao, who until she retired last year was our colleague in the St. John’s University Chaplaincy.  In fact they both worked at St. John’s University (and as it was formerly known, St. John’s and St. Mary’s Institute of Technology) for virtually all of their working lives, serving faithfully on the administrative staff, devoting their time, energy and … Continue reading R.I.P. Mr. Liao Hong-Ming 廖鴻鳴弟兄 Loyal and Faithful Servant of the Lord

YES! NT$ 340,000 (US$ 10,350) all raised for 宜蘭聖方濟老人長期照護中心 St. Francis Care Home, Yilan!

Incredible!  Thanks be to Almighty God!  It’s done!  This month, St. John’s University and Advent Church have raised a grand total of NT$ 340,000 (US$ 10,350 / £ 6,985) for St. Francis Home  宜蘭聖方濟老人長期照護中心 in Toucheng, Yilan County – way beyond our expectations.  Thanks for everyone who participated!  Here’s our chaplain and rector, Rev. Lennon Chang, receiving the Thanksgiving Certificate yesterday from Sr. Betty in Toucheng R. C. Church ~  God is good! Every year during December, on behalf of St. John’s University and Advent Church, the SJU Chaplaincy organizes a huge bazaar and collects donations for charity, a different … Continue reading YES! NT$ 340,000 (US$ 10,350) all raised for 宜蘭聖方濟老人長期照護中心 St. Francis Care Home, Yilan!

St. John’s Day @ Advent Church ~ and our Christmas Party!

Yes, a big day for Advent Church!  On the first Sunday after Christmas, we always celebrate St. John’s Day ~ and as this is St. John’s University, all our students past and present from the St. John’s University Student Fellowship – plus church members past and present – are always invited back. And today was the day!  Part of the theme of Advent is to ‘return’, and returning home to our home church is one of the things we’ve encouraged everyone to do this month.  And as it’s the last Sunday of 2015, it also seems a great way to … Continue reading St. John’s Day @ Advent Church ~ and our Christmas Party!