Taiwan Church News
3866 Edition
30 March ~ 5 April, 2026
Weekly Topical
Witnessing Jesus Christ’s Saving Grace, Empty Tomb Installed at Luh-Chou Church’s Gate
Reported by Lin Yi-ying
To let more people know the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection on the Easter Sunday, Rev Tsai Dong-hsu, pastor of Luh-Chou Church of Taipei Presbytery, Deacon Chou Jian-yu and many co-workers recently installed an “empty grave” artwork at the plaza before the Luh-Chou Church. The grandiose Easter artwork attracted the public to watch and learn it more.
The 2nd district of Western Taipei Presbytery, including local presbyterian churches of Hsin-Yih, Cheng-Gong, San-Guang, Ren-Yih, Bar-Lih and Chong-Hsin, held a joint service and prayer meeting in Luh-Chou Church at 8 p.m., April 3, Easter Sunday.
In the service, Rev Tsai Dong-hsu carried the cross designed by Deacon Su Yah-chang, which was about the same size as the cross that Jesus was crucified described in the Bible. Rev Tsai also climbed up to the third-floor of the church, symbolizing that Jesus was crucified on the cross and resurrected three days after death. The liturgical service showed that Jesus sacrificed himself to save the world, overcome the power of death, and left an empty tomb behind.
Rev Tsai Dong-hsu remarked the “Seven Last Words from the Cross” delivered in the service was to help people reflect on the salvation of Lord Jesus’ heartbreaking sacrifice for the world. After a communion sharing the bread and wine, the assembly put down the heart-shaped written memos on the cross expressing a willing to suffer with Jesus Christ again.
At the end of the service, the assembly carried the cross to the empty tomb on the first floor, meaning Jesus’ body buried in the tomb. On Easter Sunday, a sunrise service was held in front of the installation artwork, ”empty tomb”, before the gate of the church at 7 a.m. on April 5.
Five years ago, when Rev Tsai was still serving in Ren-Yih Church of Taipei Presbytery, he once held a sunrise service to commemorate Jesus at dawn on Easter Sunday. The service then convened about 30 church members, including youth, elders, deacons and the laity, at the open space of River Park under Chong-Yang Bridge at San-Chong district of New Taipei City.
Rev Tsai stressed “the true meaning of Christian faith is that Lord Jesus’ salvation is far more superior and powerful to the darkness of the evil, and the Christians are witnesses of such amazing grace to overcome the death through his invaluable redemption of the world.”
Before the installation-art concept of “empty tomb” was show up before the Easter, Rev Tsai had discussed many times with the congregation to seek an appropriate Easter artwork, by which more Taiwanese can catch the meanings of suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ more easily. After reaching a consensus to set up an empty tomb of the risen Lord, Deacon Chou Jian-yu and many co-workers started to purchase wooden boards, aluminum frames and other materials to build up the Easter installation art in a very efficient way.
As the days of Holy Week, April 3 to 5, coincides with the traditional Tomb-Sweeping Festival in Taiwan, many Taiwanese will return back to their hometowns to sweep tombs and commemorate their ancestors. Rev Tsai specially reminded “because this Taiwanese festival happens to coincide with the holy week of the church calendar, it is particularly suitable for Christians to reflect upon the empty tomb at this very season of tomb-sweeping in Taiwan!”
Translated by Peter Wolfe
