My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 23 โ›„๐Ÿ‘ผ๐ŸŒŸ

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day23: This is Melissa, second-year student of Creative Design at St. John’s University (SJU), also one of the leadership team of the Student Fellowship and in charge of tonight’s Christmas outreach event, the colours for which are blue, grey and white ~ the photo is taken against the stunning back wall they’ve designed for the occasion! She’s really amazing at leading worship, singing, dancing, design, art and music ~ in fact, she seems to be multi-talented in everything, and is such a blessing to our student fellowship. In the elections on December 30 for next year’s student fellowship leadership … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 23 โ›„๐Ÿ‘ผ๐ŸŒŸ

My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 22 ๐ŸŽถ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿฝโ›„

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day22: This is 2-year-old Ethan, in his reindeer hat, in thoughtful pose ~ ah, we love him so much! He and his baby sister Eva keep us all entertained at our monthly diocesan office lunch gatherings in Taipei – including the one today. Ethan has won the hearts of all the diocesan office staff and all the visitors! Ethan’s mother, Sheerah is from Ipoh, West Malaysia, and for many years worked as their diocesan children’s worker. In 2010, she came with a diocesan team to lead ‘Kids Games’ training in Advent Church, and we’ve all kept in touch ever … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 22 ๐ŸŽถ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿฝโ›„

My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 19 ๐ŸŒŸโ„๏ธโ˜ƒ๏ธ

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day19: This is Yi-Mu ็พฉ็‰ง (left) and Yung-Mu ๆฐธ็‰ง (right), sons of the Very Rev. Philip L. F. Lin, dean of St. John’s Cathedral, Taipei and his wife, Linda ~ the photo taken today at the cathedral’s English Service Christmas celebration. Such friendly boys, and so happy to pose for a photo! In 2011, while the family were living at St. James’ Church, Taichung, and when Yi-Mu was 5 years old, he was diagnosed with leukaemia. Then started a very long and gruelling 4 years of intensive chemotherapy. For a whole week every month he would need to stay … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 19 ๐ŸŒŸโ„๏ธโ˜ƒ๏ธ

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 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 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 3 โ›ช๐ŸŽ„โญ๐Ÿพ

#MyAdventCalendar2021 #Day3: This is Rev. Hsing-Hsiang Wu ๅณ่ˆˆ็ฅฅ็‰งๅธซ, chaplain at St. John’s University (SJU) and rector of Advent Church on the SJU campus. Aged 37, he’s the youngest priest in the Taiwan Episcopal Church, and is blessed with a very lovely wife, Yu-Ru. Sadly, both of them have kidney disease, his inherited from his mother (who’s already been on dialysis for over 10 years), while Yu-Ru’s started as a child, with no family connection. They both try their best to follow their doctor’s advice, eating healthily with sufficient exercise and rest, but they have to be very careful not to … Continue reading My Advent Calendar 2021: Day 3 โ›ช๐ŸŽ„โญ๐Ÿพ