wfn.org | Taiwan's Presbyterians Advance into Web Communications

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Taiwan Church News 2636, September 8, 2002
Reported by Lin Yi-shin. Translated and Rewritten by David
Alexander

    The Research and Development Center of the Presbyterian Church
in Taiwan (PCT) is gearing up to publish an electronic newsletter
to supplement the church's web page.  The intent is to increase
the church's ability to disseminate news and announcements from
its General Assembly to ministers, churches and agencies
nationwide.  All a church or minister will need to receive the
bulletin is an e-mail address.
    Mr. Lin Wei-lien, who heads up the project, encourages
churches to look to the web for  information and communication,
paying special attention to the PCT's current web page. This
page, posted mainly in Chinese but with a small portion in
English, is a source of many resources, announcements and points
of view.  It already has strengthened the relationship between
the General Assembly and local churches and simplified the flow
of information for the sake of mission work.
    "Changes in location and assignment often result in ministers
losing touch with former colleagues and church agencies."  Mr.
Lin said, "Often we get calls at the General Assembly asking for
addresses and phone numbers.  The R & D Center has equipped our
web site with a high speed search engine.  One need only type in
a reference word from a personal or church name, and the most
recent contact information will appear."
    Speaking of the planned electronic bulletin, he said it would
"distribute views and news from the General Assembly Mission
Center directly to churches and ministers." It will be a
comprehensive service  Test runs are being run now, and after the
bugs have been worked out, news will be distributed every Friday.

    The General Assembly Mission Center looks forward to entering
the world of paperless communication with local churches.  Mr.
Lin envisions a day when churches go beyond accessing resources
from the web page to posting their own news events there.  The
convenience, he hopes, will enable more and more churches and
Christians to participate in the General Assembly's mission
activities.

For more information:  uilian@ms2.pct.org.tw
		     rd@ms2.pct.org.tw
		     www.pct.org.tw

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Chinese.
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