March 21~27, 2011
Church Ministry News
Smangus Aborigine Church to mark 60th anniversary by emphasizing shared identity and future
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong
Written by Lydia Ma
Smangus Presbyterian Church, an Aborigine Church belonging to Atayal Presbytery, will be marking its 60 anniversary this coming October.
To celebrate the tribe’s cultural revival and how it is based on Christianity, Smangus Tribe Committee will organize an inter-tribe forum and invite scholars to speak about the challenges and dangers Aborigines will face in various aspects of life, including passing on their Christian faith, protecting their ecology, keeping their traditions alive, etc.
According to Smangus Church’s pastor Rev. Along Yupas, the role of Aborigine churches is to let Aborigines know that God created the universe and to help them grow in knowledge and maturity through teaching them the Bible. Once these solid foundations are established, Aborigines will begin to understand their right to life, property, and their intricate role and coexistence with their environment.
Rev. Along underscored that unless Aborigine rights and properties are fiercely protected, sooner or later they will be smuggled by treacherous corporations and government officials. Should the disappearance of rights and properties ever happen, the extinction of a tribe would surely follow.
Asked about the transformation of Smangus in recent years as it becomes open to the public for retreats, Rev. Along said the area’s ecosystem is still fragile and in need of protection, but he was glad more and more people were getting acquainted with the wonders of God’s creation by visiting Aborigine reservations.
Despite these encouraging signs, Rev. Along admitted candidly that as his people continued their efforts to revitalize their lands and their economy, the love of money would also become a great temptation leading to strife and tearing tribes apart. He urged church elders to pray for wisdom and ask God to deliver them from dangers that loom ahead.
