Taiwan Church News
3839 Edition
Sept 22 ~ 28, 2025
Weekly Topical
Integrating Local Resources, Chieh-Ting Church Delivers a Triple Win Ministry
Reported by Dalul
Working closely with Kaohsiung Municipal Welfare and Service Center for the Disabled (WSCD), which is supervised by PCT Ping-An Foundation, Chieh-Ting Church of Kaohsiung Presbytery makes use of its church space, sets up community learning workshops to care for the elderly, and provides assistive-devices service and early intervention class for the needy.
This service model is highly affirmed by Social Affairs Bureau(SAB) of Kaohsiung City Government. Mr Tsai Wang-fen, director of SAB went to visit WSCD on September 16 to visit the elderly and give thanksgivings to Chieh-Ting church for its compassionate ministry.
Rev Yu Wen-jie, pastor of Chieh-Ting Church and chairman of WSCD management board, pointed out that the church as a public space should be a blessing to local communities. Except in regular liturgical service or common ceremonial assembly, he observed, most space of church buildings stands idle and not utilized efficiently.
“If church spaces can effectively accommodate professional social workers and social welfare institutes and many other groups, it will not only solve the shortage of public space within communities, but also allow community residents, social workers and many other institutes to see the church can actively deliver diverse services to the community,” he indicated.
“Such a joint cooperation is a win-win-win, triple win formula for good, as the church can serve local community, the institute can contribute its expertise, and public sector can integrate social resources to serve the needy.”
Rev Yu recalled that the church’s initial promotion of assistive-devices to the elderly in community had indeed encountered some unexpected resistance, but with the satisfaction of such assistive-tools service ascending, residents recognized that these services indeed do them a big help.
“Once our community lacked a suitable space to care the elderly, and community staff tried hard to find one for years yet without solution,” shared Rev Yu, “finally Chieh-Ting church decided to provide the church itself as a public space for social care, and even expanded the church’s service from assistive device services to maintain the broadcasting system among local temples. And this became a very beautiful witness among local communities!”
Rev Tu expressed, “if the church cooperates with social institute to meet the demands of the community, just like Jesus’ ministry to serve the vulnerable, this is a mission to the needy with blessings of God’s justice and love.”
“Through such a reach-out service amid the community, brothers and sisters in the church also put down their long-held parochial views on church ministry, learn what was invisible in the past services, and recover their identities as the disciples of Jesus to proclaim the good news,” said Rev Yu, “this practice of faith also echoes the spirit of love, service and social reform of PCT’s missionary guidelines in Six Dimensions of a Holistic Mission! ”
Rev Yu indicated, “the church is not only a holy site for people to worship, but also shall integrate professional expertise and social resources to care for the needy in the community.” He hoped that such a model of triple win ministry will attract more community residents to experience God’s love and heartfelt warmth of the church, because the church will become a blessing for local communities for sure!
Translated by Peter Wolfe
