From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


Taiwan Cemetery Fracas Reconciled


From "pctpress" <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>
Date Thu, 29 Apr 2004 13:22:25 +0800

Taiwan Church News 2722, 26 April through 2 May 2004
Reported by: Lin Yi-ying. Translated and Rewritten by David Alexander

The loud and acrimonious struggle over the PCT-related Ping An Cemetery has
come to an end. A statement of agreement and reconciliation was signed by the
disputants Rev. Chen Yu-chuan and Cemetery General Manager Tsai Ming-liang
and
witnessed by several General Assembly officers and staff members.  Both sides
withdrew lawsuits and pledged to cease all public and private accusations
against each other.

Last year when the cemetery began an expansion and construction project its
planning processes were questioned by Rev. Chen. Those questions have still
not been completely answered, but a management audit committee has been
appointed to examine matters. The fracas went public when, following an
internal hearing last fall, Rev. Chen issued a public letter of accusation
which defamed the reputation of Mr. Tsai. After three attempts to solve the
matter privately, Tsai paid for an advertisment in the Taiwan Church News
which accused Rev. Chen. Each side then increased the volume and degree of
its
accusations and defenses. Eventually each side filed suit against the other
in
court.

On the opening day of the General Assembly meeting in mid-April, Mr. Tsai
stood on the floor and vowed to withdraw his suit against Rev. Chen. He did
this as a testimony to the glory of God, saying that he was not willing to go
to outsiders for judgment between him and a brother in Christ.

General Secretary William J.K. Lo and Associate General Secretary Lim
Chong-cheng on made an appointment with Tsai for April 19th to discuss his
willingness to see matters reconciled.	They also approached the current and
former Assembly officers with the idea of mediating a reconciliation. A day
later the disputants met and formally signed documents withdrawing their
suits
and testifying to their reconciliation.

In the agreement each side acknowledges that he had spoken without full
knowledge: Mr. Tsai in the advert he placed in the Taiwan Church News and
Rev.
Chen in the letter he issued at the hearing. Each side acknowledged having
harmed the other. The agreement goes on to state that in the love of Jesus
Christ they mutually confess their sins and mutually forgive. Neither will
again, whether in private, in ecclesiastical courts or in the public arena
take up the matter to accuse the other.  After having withdrawn the court
suits, it is expected that neither will re-file.  They hope that they can
look
to the future as people dedicated to loving each other in Christ, being
positive witnesses to Christ in this society.

For More Information: Ping An Cemetery Office FAX +886 2369 5442
Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.
Visit our web site: www.pctpress.com.tw


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