WEEKLY TOPICAL

The 16th Assembly of the World Alliance of Taiwanese Christian Churches (WATCC) was held at Liu-Yuan Church of Taichung Presbytery on December 27 and 28, 2023. Many honorable PCT leaders were invited to attend the meeting, including Rev Peng Chi-hong, moderator of the PCT 68th General Assembly, Rev Fuyan Suda (vice moderator), and officials of the PCT Ecumenical Ministry Committee. In addition, more than 50 PCT pastors and elders from around the world came to this assembly.

Tjavatjavang Church of Payuan Presbytery held mother tongues speech competitions for the elderly citizens, children, brothers and sisters in December, 2023. Awards to the winners were granted in the Christmas thanksgiving service in the morning on Dec 24th. In the afternoon, indigenous dramas in mother tongues were also performed and competed, with four family taking turns to perform on stage. After the result of competition was announced, the dramas were showcased at the Cultural and Health Stand of Dawa Tawang Community Center.

Having served as a Taiwan’s legislator many terms since 2002 and Taiwan’s ambassador to the United States from 2019, Ms Hsiao Bi-khim, the daughter of Rev. Hsiao Ching-fen who was a former dean of Tainan Theological Seminary and College (TTCS), was recruited to run for the 16th Vice President of Taiwan on behalf of the Democratic Progressive Party. On December 16 and 17, the Church and Society Committee of Taichung Presbytery and the Alumni Association of TTCS jointly organized a blessing and thanksgiving service for Ms Hsiao, and many pastors came to bless and pray for her.

After more than half a year ‘s preparatory hard works, the "Ngudradrekai Audio Bible App", jointly produced by Ngudradrekai Presbytery, Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Bible Society in Taiwan, has been completed and ready for the public to use. It was officially launched in the afternoon of December 10th at Kucapungane Presbyterian Church after a thanksgiving service was held.

A thanksgiving service for a centennial mission of the PCT Truku Presbytery was held on December 3 at Ji-An Elementary School in Hualien County. More than a thousand PCT members participated in this jubilant assembly.

It has been 46 years since the "A Declaration on Human Rights" released by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan in 1977. Its advocacy of human rights, social justice, peace, independence and freedom have become the important milestones to Taiwan's democracy.

In the afternoon on November 19th, the PCT Campus Ministry Committee’s "New Messenger Magazine”, "Campus Magazine”, and Theological Sunday jointly held the first-ever seminar, entitled as "How to Vote in 2024?–Christian Churches in a Democratic Society" at the Chi-Nan Church of the Chi-Hsin Presbytery. During the meeting, Dr Hsu Chia-shin, a research professor at the Institutum Iurisprudentiae Academia Sinica, was invited to talk about the crisis of subjectivity establishment in Taiwan. Dr Cheng Mu-chun, an assistant professor in the Department of History at Tamkang University and CEO of the Lee Teng-hui Foundation, was invited to talk about the political participation of the Christians.

The Tainan Siraya Cultural Association and the PCT Siraya District Assembly jointly held a music seminar, “Takalulugan: Siraya Breathes Hymn Anew”, at Chuo-Chen Church in the afternoon on November 12. Outstanding Siraya music band, such as the Onini Bamboo Music, and many choirs from local churches, like To-Hse, Chou-chen, Mu-Cha, Jia-Hsien, and Yu-Ching came to attend the feast of hymnal music.

The 17th Asia Church’s Women Conference (ACWC) was held in Taiwan from November 5th to 8th. The quadrennial conference, which was originally scheduled to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2018, due to the impact of the pandemic, it was held again in Taiwan after a five-year absence. At the opening ceremony held at the Presbyterian Bible College on the 6th Nov, ACWC Chairman Ms Supaporn Yarnasarn on behalf of the ACWC Executive Committee, said in the opening speech that she thanked and praised the Lord for bringing everyone together in Taiwan to celebrate the 65th anniversary of ACWC.

Bunun Presbytery held a mission assembly, entitled as "Mintasa Cis Tamadaza – Standing United for God", on October 29, commemorated for the Reformation. The assembly invited 41 churches to attend from the metropolitan area, Hualien District, and Taitung District, with a total of more than 1,600 PCT members. Gathered in the Yuli High School gymnasium, the participants served each other, via showcasing their passion and determination to stand together, and pledged to carry on proclaiming the gospel.