Taiwan Church News
3849 Edition
1 ~ 7 December, 2025
Weekly Topical
Heart to Heart, Taiwan and Japan Walk Together in Mission
Reported by Hong Tai-yang from Changhua
The biennial mission conference, jointly initiated by both the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) and the United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ) and held between Taiwan and Japan in turns annually, was once suspended due to the pandemic. However, the 17th round of the mission conference was successfully opened from November 25 to 27 at CCH International Education and Training Center (CCHIETC).
As it is also the occasion of the 40th anniversary of CCHIETC, 41 representatives from both PCT and UCCJ attended this significant assembly. In addition to reporting current church development of PCT and UCCJ respectively, participants shared diverse ministries to youth and the indigenous, educational issues of religious school, seminary training, PCT’s mission at Kumamoto Prefecture and etc., in order to learn from each other and work more close in future.
At the opening service on November 25, Rev Pan En-sheng, moderator of PCT General Assembly, said that church members should love and support each other just like PCT and UCCJ, so that they can witness God’s love and help more people, “as we Christians are all privileged to possess the glory of God.” Rev Chen Hsin-liang, general secretary of PCT, and Dr Chen Mu-kuan, superintendent of Changhua Christian Hospital delivered their greetings and blessings to UCCJ pastors.
The mission conference arranged many themed lectures and reports. Dr Lai I-chong, president of the Prospect Foundation, shared a speech named “Taiwan’s Status Quo and Contemporary World.” He pointed out that Taiwan has confronted for years the most intimidating mis-information warfare manipulated by China. Meanwhile, he indicated several global social, political, economic and cultural crisis that desperately needs to solve.
Rev Usuki Midori, a UCCJ missionary in Taiwan, and Rev Divan Suqluman, a PCT missionary in Japan, jointly reported current ministries at International Japanese Church in Taiwan and missionary ministry for the Ainu ethnic in Hokkaido diocese respectively; Rev Huang Hsin-lian, secretary of PCT Youth Ministry Committee, shared the past and status quo of PCT youth ministry; Mr Yang Hsuan-en, a PCT youth, shared his experience of visiting Hiroshima Peace Conference in Japan; Ms Mori Kotoha, a UCCJ youth, reported her experiences in “I Love Taiwan” (ILT) mission, her lives and studies at National Sun Yat-sen University and her engagement on campus fellowship.
At the sending service on November 27, Rev Kumoshikali Toshimi, moderator of UCCJ, quoted 1 Corinthians 12:26-27 to encourage the audience. He paid thanksgiving to God leading all participants to learn the needs of both PCT and UCCJ through in-depth understanding and exchange. He prayed to God sending the audience to preach good news boldly without fear. At last, Rev Pan En-sheng and Rev Chen Hsin-liang presented a wooden plaque, symbolizing the PCT spirit of “Burned but not destroyed”, to Rev Kumoshikali Toshimi and CCHIETC each. The two church, PCT and UCCJ, also issued a joint statement as follows:
- Through this mission conference, we understand the status quo of East Asia: Both Taiwan and Japan are now facing the increasingly geopolitical tension, and especially Taiwan has been highly attacked by China in an united-front maneuvers of cyber warfare using fake news and mis-information to destroy its free and democratic society.
- We are thankful to missionaries to report their ministries and share their visions with us. Rev Usuki Midori, a UCCJ missionary in Taiwan, shares many touching stories of Taiwanese and Japanese in her service at International Japanese Church. Rev Divan Suqluman, a PCT missionary in Hokkaido, Japan, plays as a solid bridge to connect Taiwan and Japan via her outstanding service in Hokkaido. So, PCT and UCCJ believe that missionaries in exchange do have positive contribution to the mission, and the project of missionary exchange shall carry on.
- By the report of Sister Mori Kotoha and Brother Yang Hsuan-en, we humbly learn the dynamics and importance of youth ministry in church service. Both the annual ILT (I Love Taiwan) mission and the biennial Ecumenical Youth Exchange Program (aka Taiwan Youth Mission in UCCJ), hosted by PCT, allow PCT and UCCJ to establish close relationship. These events not only build up a long-term friendship among young people, but also empower church youth with more capabilities to preach good news in future.
- Taiwan’s indigenous churches have long played a critical role in PCT ministries, and UCCJ also has made significant progress in the mission and interaction with the Ainu people in Hokkaido diocese. PCT and UCCJ pledge to carry on promoting missionary cooperation and pastoral service.
- Both Taiwan and Japan are facing severe challenges from the society of low-birth-rate. Facing a consequent shortage of students to register in religious schools, the positive solution should seek a quality-oriented education instead. At the same time, we shall pay more attention to care teens and young students, raise devout adolescent Christians, and continue to enhance communication between campus and seminary.
- Entering into an era of artificial intelligence, Taiwan is obviously the hub of semiconductor manufacturing world wide. And, no doubt, Japan is a major global player in political, economic and cultural fields. Recently, following many Taiwan’s IT factories continuously set up factories in Japan, this re-alignment of hi-tech advance does bring opportunities for an cooperative mission between PCT and UCCJ. Therefore, we discuss the possibility of joint missionary campaign in Kumamoto Prefecture, and simultaneously wish to strengthen the ministry cooperation between PCT’s Presbytery and its local churches.
Translated by Peter Wolfe
