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Taiwan Church News 3048 Edition July 26~August 1, 2010
Presbyteries play cupid again during summer break
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong, Chen Wei-chien Written by Lydia Ma
PCT Seven Stars Presbytery’s Marriage Committee organized an overnight trip to Yangmingshan Mountainon July 24~25, 2010 for single young adults. Not only did the presbytery extend an invitation to other presbyteries to co-host this group dating event, members from Bread of Life Church across Taiwan were also invited to attend.
In total, the event drew a record crowd of 110 people from Taipei, Hsinchu, Taichung, and Tainanpresbyteries, as well as Bread of Life churches. Taipei Presbytery Youth Committee staff Rev. Chen Chia-cheng said the influx of participants from various churches had helped make the event much more exciting and had also helped men and women to engage one another more freely and naturally.
One of the event organizers was Chen You-jie, a 28-year-old young man from Hsin-Tien Presbyterian Church. He had begun participating in group dating events since 2006 and finally met his other half last year after going on 12 excursions organized by his presbytery. His wish to help other youths of his age find their mates prompted him to help his presbytery organize this year’s excursion.
Chen offered two suggestions to those looking for their significant others. First, they must ask their own pastors for help because Christians are often more passive and uptight when it comes to dating and pastors are the best resources because they know their young flocks well and can make great referrals.
Second, youths must not place too much emphasis on age. He encouraged women not to feel discouraged if they met men they would like to date but later find out these men are younger than themselves. Likewise, men mustn’t feel discouraged simply because most women they meet at group dating events are older.
“You never know what might happen because older women may have younger cousins or sisters. Younger men may have older brothers or cousins. If you get to know these people well and they have good impressions of you, they may end up introducing you to one of their relatives who may turn out to be a perfect match for you,” said Chen.
Based on Seven Stars Presbytery’s Marriage Committee Chairman Huang Sheng-te’s experience in this ministry over the past 10 years, Taiwanese parents invest a lot of time, money, and energy into their children’s education but hardly devote any time teaching their children about marriage. Hence, he urged presbyteries use such occasions to teach biblical courtship and marriage.
In related news, many youths spent a lazy, summer afternoon kayaking at Sun Moon Lake and getting to know new friends on July 24. The event sponsored by Taichung Presbytery’s Women’s Committee drew 22 single, Christian men and women and included sightseeing, biking and group sharing.
This group dating event was modified after youths had claimed that similar events in the past had focused too much on classes and left too little time for actual interaction. This year’s event included drawing straws and sharing thoughts on random topics, games, and sharing about one’s convictions.
According to one event organizer, events similar to this one usually attract more women than men. But this year proved to be an exception because there were 3 times more men than women registered. Women wound up registering en masse at the very end and barely caught up with the number of men registered.
Taichung Presbytery Women’s Committee hopes to organize another group dating event for singles in September.
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