Taiwan Church News
3398 Edition
10 – 16 April, 2017
Church Ministry
Commemorating Missionary Dr James Laidlaw Maxwell, I-Cha Church Congregation Make A Parade Of Taking Up The Cross On Palm Sunday
Reported by Chen Yi-Fan
On April 9, the Palm Sunday of Passion Week, members of I-cha Presbyterian Church of Kaohsiung Presbytery launched a local parade, entitled “Remembering Dr James Laidlaw Maxwell’s mission in Taiwan – a root-searching journey of I-cha Presbyterian Church”, carrying a big cross in relay: starting from Qi-jin district where is Dr Maxwell’s historical embarking site on Taiwan, and marching toward the destination – the site of I-cha Presbyterian Church at the downtown of Kaohsiung city.
This is also a pilgrimage of I-cha church’s congregation, via imitating Jesus Christ’s passion in his last week at Jerusalem, to learn more about the meaning of the Christ’s love and suffering for the world.
Led by a big cross carried first by pastor Lee Hong-en of I-cha church and accompanied by about 30 young men and adults, the local parade was made, after a brief but solemn service around the mid-noon, from Dr J. L. Maxwell’s remembrance monument located beside the Star Tunnel connecting Kaohsiung city and Qi-Jin district.
After the mid-way stops at Qi-jin Windmill Park and Zhong-zhou Harbor, the assembly of the parade took on the ferry and headed for the downtown where the I-cha church is located. Durng the ferry’s heading back inside the harbor, the heart of the assembly were all deeply touched seeing the big cross was gloriously erected and well handled by the youth. Many other congregation members of senior citizens, women, and Sunday school teachers and children, total about 200 people, also came to join the parade after the assembly embarked on the shore.
In the end, a thanks-giving service was held at I-cha Presbyterian Church. Reading the responsive verses adapted from the famous dedication prayer of Rev Thomas Barclay, the congregation sang the hymn of Wish to bless Taiwan and put the big cross inside the wall at the entrance of the church as a reminder of evangelical mission for the church.
Translated by Peter Wolfe
