wfn.org | TCN: PCT sends missionary to Vienna to minister to Taiwanese students

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>2994 Edition

>July 13~19, 2009

PCT sends missionary to Vienna to minister to Taiwanese students

>Reported by Chen Wei-jian

>Written by Lydia Ma

Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) Taichung Presbytery convened  its autumn

session recently and confirmed Rev. Chen Chi-ying as an overseas  missionary

commissioned by the PCT to minister to Taiwanese students in  Vienna, Austria

and speak out for Taiwanese interests in Europe.

“Our goal has always been to start a Vienna Taiwanese  Presbyterian Church.

We have already joined Reformed Church of Austria and obtained  permission

from the Austrian government to become a legal entity,” said  PCT Associate

>General Secretary Lyim Hong-tiong.

Vienna Taiwanese Presbyterian Church has set three main goals.  First, it will

minister to Taiwanese Christians living in the area. Next, it will  reach out to

Taiwanese students and students of Chinese descent. Finally, it  will reach out to

all local residents of Chinese descent. As there are very few  Taiwanese

Christians in Vienna, PCT General Assembly plans to actively  support this new

>ministry.

Lyim added that Vienna Taiwanese Presbyterian Church is the only  PCT church

in Europe for now. Rev. Chen will provide spiritual leadership to  Taiwanese

people in Vienna, speak out on behalf of Taiwan, and relay news  from Taiwan to

>the region.

Lyim wished Chen the best as he settles his family and adjusts to  life in Austria

and encouraged church members to visit him when they travel to  Austria in the

future. Chen’s information will be updated in PCT’s  directory next year for all to

>see.

Though this new church will focus mainly on student ministries,  PCT hopes it will

soon branch out and minister to Taiwanese people in general and  people of

Chinese descent. Chen’s past experiences in student and  church ministries will

>come in handy as he serves in Vienna.

Chen has served in college ministries previously and has always  had a burden

for students. That is why he signed up for an interview as soon as  he heard that

PCT General Assembly Ministers Committee was looking for a  missionary to

serve at Vienna Taiwanese Presbyterian Church. Though Chen has  never lived

abroad and is not fluent in foreign languages, he felt compelled  to follow God’s

>leading.

People may think immigrating to another country gets harder as one  gets older,

but Chen is confident that God’s grace will be proportionate  to the challenges

ahead of him. He plans to leave for Austria with his family in  August. Though still

uncertain which school his children will attend once the family  settles in Vienna,

he is certain that God will provide and this confidence is what  enables him to

>embrace his new mission.

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