wfn.org | Taiwan Churches Minister in Local Public Schools

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

Taiwan Church News 2764, 14-20 February 2005

Reported by Chen Yi-shiuan . Written by David Alexander

¡§Life Education¡¨ has become a necessary part of what goes on in public
schools in Taiwan.  Local churches are more and more involved in offering
this service to schools in their neighborhoods. The Taipei Presbytery of
the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan recently created a special mission unit
in its organization for the promotion of life education and support of
those congregations that have become active in the movement. This unit
recently held its first workshop to unite local church ministers and
volunteers for more effective work.  The workshop included descriptions of
the life education curriculum and sharing of experiences from people who
have been involved to date. About 80 people from more than 10 churches
showed up to learn.

The Rev. Fu Ming-sheng, pastor of Ren-yi Presbyterian Church, heads up the
Life Education mission unit. His congregation has cooperated with the
Champions Foundation to serve middle school students for three
years.	Champions has its own life education curriculum.  Rev. Fu was happy
to share his experience and that of his church, which he described with the
idiom ¡§throw a brick and get back a piece of jade.¡¨ He is excited that
his presbytery has begun to promote life education work and to offer
teacher training.  He looks forward to seeing more congregations getting
involved.

Members of San-kwang and Ren-yi churches who have participated in the on
campus work shared their experiences, and curriculum writers from the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan described their
comprehensive course materials.

The presbytery plans to hold a training session for the basic level
curriculum during the next six months, and move on from there stage by
stage. Training will include discussion of the programme, life education
values, and reflections.

Speakers from the Rainbow Children¡¦s Life Education Centre and the
Champions¡¦ Foundation also made presentations. ¡§God has opened a way for
the gospel, we must proceed,¡¨ said Rev. Fu. He hopes that cooperation on
Life Education can cement closer relationships between local churches and
the presbytery, and in the future lead to a good alliance with the General
Assembly¡¦s programme office for education.

For more information: Fu Ming-sheng fuwwjd@giga.net.tw

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan¡¦s local languages.

Visit our web site: www.pctpress.com.tw