wfn.org | TCN: Taiwan churches remember “homeless” people during Moon Festival

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

>      Taiwan Church News

>3006 Edition

>October 5~11, 2009

Taiwan churches remember “homeless” people during Moon  Festival

>Reported by Chen Wei-jian

>Written by Lydia Ma

Protestants and Catholics in Yunlin County worked together once  more during

this year’s Moon Festival to organize an interdenominational  evening gala filled

with music and prayers. Pastors and bishops led participants in  prayer for

Morakot victims and reconstruction efforts and church members also  gave

>impressive music performances.

The evening gala was held at Touliu Gymnasium on October 4 at 7:00  p.m. and

nearly 1,000 people attended the event, including Yunlin  County’s mayor, Chiayi

Presbytery leaders, and Chiayi Diocese leaders.

A band from Hsiluo Catholic Church opened the gala with a lively  performance

followed by a performance from Tsou Aborigine teens. A group of  dropout

students currently being counseled at Touliu Lutheran Church  performed a hip-

hop dance and a renowned local star also sang gospel songs. The  gala ended

with a prayer for Typhoon Morakot victims led by pastors and  priests.

Protestants and Catholics in Yunlin County began working together  last year and

decided to take turns hosting similar events. Leaders from both  churches had

originally planned to hold a gala during Christmas, but Yunlin  County suggested

holding an event earlier to remember Morakot victims. Since Moon  Festival was

just around the corner and Catholic churches usually held prayer  and thanksgiving

services on that holiday, holding a gala on Moon Festival seemed  like a good

idea after some discussion among church leaders. Seeing their  members wholly

devoted in outreach ministry was a memorable and extraordinary  experience for

>many church leaders.

In related news, Prison Fellowship and local churches collaborated  in reaching

out to inmates during this year’s Moon Festival to encourage  those who cannot

spend holidays with their families. Changhua Presbytery’s  Heping Church and

Changhua Prison Fellowship organized a music concert featuring  choir

performances from local churches as well as personal testimonies.

According to Changhua Prison Fellowship leader Liu Min-te, his  organization

usually invites churches to join them in organizing concerts at  local prisons during

holidays such as Mother’s Day, Moon Festival, Chinese New  Year, and

Christmas to help churches understand what life is like inside  local prisons and

encourage them to participate in prison ministries. These kinds of  concerts

usually receive very positive feedback from inmates.

According to Liu, most inmates have heard of the gospel and know  how to sing a

few praise songs because of regular interaction with Christian  guidance

counselors. Songs such as “Jesus Loves You” have touched  the hearts of many

inmates and they always have tears in their eyes whenever they  sing along.

During this year’s Moon Festival music concert, a member from  Fang-Yuan

Church who happened to be an ex-convict shared his testimony with  inmates. He

said he first heard of the gospel while in prison and was greatly  encouraged by

Christians upon his release. He later accepted Christ and now  enjoys a happy

life and actively shares his testimony. After this testimony,  pastors made an altar

call to invite inmates to accept Christ as their personal savior  and many raised

>their hands.

Though the music concert lasted merely a little more than one  hour, church

members were very excited and passionate about this ministry. They  began

discussing a Christmas program and a return visit as soon as they  stepped out

>of prison premises.

>********************

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local  languages.

You may translate and re-use our articles online only if you  acknowledge the source as

"Taiwan Church News" and list the names of the reporter and  writer.

Contact us before reprinting any of our articles for print  publications.

Direct comments and questions about this article to:  enews@pctpress.org

Visit our website for more news at: http://enews.pctpress.org/  (English) http://www.pctpress.org (Chinese)

>********************

> 
>