wfn.org | Murderer!&s Name found in Taiwanese Church!&s Files

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Taiwan Church News 2735 & 2736,  26 July - 1 August and 2-8 August 2004

Reported by Gu Hao-jan.  Translated and Rewritten by David Alexander

 From issue 2735 (26 July !V 1 August)

Late in July it was broadcast that Ms. Huang Li-yann, accused of involvement
in the murder of a businessman in Taichung County (Central Taiwan) was a
member of the interdenominational church that meets in Luce Chapel on the
campus of Tunghai University. The Rev. Li Chhun-wang, the church!&s pastor,
responded by saying that, though Ms. Huang had attended church there a couple
of years ago, her name had never been officially entered onto the church!&s
rolls.  He said that after she stopped attending the church the members lost
track of her.

Speaking to the act of which she is accused, Rev. Li said that though God
pardons sinners, sin itself is not condoned. !'God,!( he said, !'is strict.
Those who act unrighteously earn the wages of their unrighteousness.!(

Mr. Li said his impression of Ms. Huang during her time at the church was of a
woman from a family that had suffered in the September 21, 1999 earthquake.
She had responded to the concern shown her by the church, and came to rely
upon the benefits of that care.

!'One time,!( he said, !'she said she was uncomfortable and asked a man to
take her to a hospital.!( This man asked an older woman member of the church
began to pay her special attention. !'She never imagined that this would
happen. When she saw the newspaper reports, she saw that the dead man was the
one who had introduced her.!(

Mr. Li says that Ms. Huang!&s actions are her own responsibility. He is not
willing to get involved. He will wait until courts have pronounced judgment
before issuing any statement from the church. But he did add that a believer
in Christ is not one who continues to live in sin. He hopes that Ms. Huang
will repent and not allow sin to rule her.

 From Issue 2736 (2-8 August)

The interdenominational church on the campus of Tunghai University issued a
statement clarifying the nature of its relationship to Ms. Huang Li-yann, who
is accused of murder. It turns out that Ms. Li had been a church employee in
the past. The Rev. Ms. Fuh Shiow-chuen, one of the church!&s pastors,
responded to an inquiry about Ms. Huang confirming the relationship.

She went on to say, though, that the murder of which Huang stands accused was
unrelated to the church at all, and should not become a part of the general
public!&s impression of the church. She expressed hopes that church members
would remain steadfast in loyalty to their congregation. !'The church,!( she
said, !'is open to all sorts of people, and according to Biblical teaching
all
are subject to error because we all are weak. All have sinned.!(

!'When a church accepts someone,!( she added, !'we cannot do a complete
background check. We only ask about their sincerity and their beliefs.!(
After the news was broadcast the church received many calls of concern. All
Rev. Fuh could do was to assert the church!&s attitude and position.

Regarding earlier statements by Rev. Li Chhun-wang disassociating the church
from Ms. Huang, Rev. Fuh said that these turned on the difference between
!'church membership!( and !'member of the church staff.!(  She said that
staff
are concerned with administrative details and focus on !'external!( affairs.
Although Ms. Huang had attended services with the congregation of Tunghai
Church during her employment, she had not been baptized. In the time since
her
departure from employment and attendance at the church, there has been no
contact nor understanding of her life.

For More Information: Tunghai Church  +886 4 23590226

					www2.thu.edu.tw/~chaplain/

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

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