wfn.org | [ENS] Listening: New lunar year brings focus on Asian ministries

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Episcopal News Service
January 27, 2006 -- Friday Forum

Listening, Learning & Epiphany

New lunar year brings focus on Asian ministries

Women's perspectives central for World Mission Sunday

[Photographs accompanying this article can be found online at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_71261_ENG_HTM.htm]

[ENS] As the new lunar year 4703-4704 dawns on Sunday, January 29, many
Asian communities worldwide will mark the occasion with traditional
observances -- centuries-old customs that now unfold in an era of
unprecedented globalization.

The significance of Asian contexts -- and corresponding ministries in
the
Anglican tradition -- increases with population growth: India's
1-billion-plus populace is forecast to surpass China's current 1.3
billion
mark by the year 2050, according to several research sources. Moreover,
economic expansion -- including China's current boom market and
preparations
for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games -- also creates major international
impact.

Meanwhile, women's voices in particular are being upheld increasingly in
various Asian-Anglican settings. The upcoming World Mission Sunday,
February
26, and the closely related Anglican Women's Empowerment gathering in
conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Commission
on
the Status of Women are among examples. (Please see the related article
below with reflections from Phoebe Griswold of New York, a leader in
these
initiatives who recently shared in a two-week visit to Asia with her
husband, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold.)

In the Episcopal Church and across the Anglican Communion, numerous
congregations, dioceses, provinces and institutions share in ministry in
Asian cultural contexts. An overview of people, places and initiatives
is
offered online through the following links:

The Office of Asian American Ministries,
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/asian_american.htm, led by the Rev.
Winifred
"Fred" Vergara, missioner for Asian American ministries, is part of the
Episcopal Church's Ethnic Congregational Development program. This site
also
includes links to the numerous local Asian-American congregations of the
Episcopal Church.

The Office of Anglican and Global Relations,
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/agr.htm, led Margaret Larom, director of
Anglican and Global Relations for the Episcopal Church, is assisted by
Peter
Ng, Asia/Pacific officer.

The Presiding Bishop's Office,
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/presiding-bishop.htm, the Most Rev. Frank
T.
Griswold III. Recent ENS articles related to the Presiding Bishop's
visit to
Asia can be found online at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_71248_ENG_HTM.htm.

The Episcopal Diocese of Taiwan,
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/taiwan.htm,
led by Bishop David Lai.

Episcopal Relief and Development, http://www.er-d.org, led by Robert
Radtke
(who was previously senior vice president for Programs at the Asia
Society,
http://www.asiasociety.org.)

Anglican Communion Office, http://www.anglicancommunion.org.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams,
http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org.

Anglican Listening & Learning, http://www.anglicanlistening.org (a
website
of the Episcopal Church).

The Church of Bangladesh,
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/province.cfm?ID=B, led by Bishop
Michael S. Baroi.

The Anglican Church of Hong Kong (Sheng Kung Hui),
http://www1.hkskh.org,
led by Archbishop Peter Kwong.

The Anglican Church of Japan (Nippon Sei Ko Kai), http://www.nskk.org,
led
by Archbishop James Toru Uno.

The Anglican Church of Korea, http://www.skh.or.kr, led by Archbishop
Matthew Chul Bum Chung.

The China Christian Council, http://www.amitynewsservice.org.

The Church of the Province of Myanmar (Burma),
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/province.cfm?ID=M3, led by
Archbishop
Samuel San Si Htay.

The Church of North India (United), http://www.cnisynod.org, led by
Archbishop James Terom.

The Church of Pakistan (United),
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/province.cfm?ID=P, led by Bishop
Alexander John Malik.

The Church of the Province of South East Asia,
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/province.cfm?ID=S2, led by
Archbishop
Datuk Yong Ping Chung.

The Episcopal Church in the Philippines,
http://episcopalphilippines.net,
led by Archbishop Ignacio Capuyan Soliba.

The Church of South India,
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/province.cfm?ID=S3, led by
Archbishop
Badda Peter Sugandhar

- - - - -

Equality in leadership: Phoebe Griswold, Asian women seek change

Women in focus for World Mission Sunday, February 26

By Marie Panton of Episcopal Life

[Episcopal Life, January 2006 issue] Cultural contexts continue to
challenge
women's efforts to join equally in church leadership, Phoebe Griswold
said
after returning from meetings with women during a two-week trip to Asia.

"Traditionally, cultural values place women in a secondary role,
especially,
particularly, as that applies to their public voice," she said. "The
policies and attitudes have to be adjusted to permit women into
leadership
circles."

In October, Griswold and her husband, Presiding Bishop Frank T.
Griswold,
traveled the continent with other Episcopal Church officials, meeting
with
Anglican leaders in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan. She also met many
women
in various positions throughout the church, who described their
struggles to
share leadership.

During her travels, Griswold emphasized the importance of gender-equity
in
church councils and leadership bodies. At St. Andrew's Church, Tokyo,
female
clergy told Griswold that her presence was an impetus for them to move
forward.

"They have women priests and they are moving forward in church
leadership,"
she said. "They wanted to share their struggles with a lot of
disappointments."

The Anglican Consultative Council passed a resolution acknowledging the
Millennium Development Goal that urge women to receive equal
representation
in decision-making councils. "When the women heard that the ACC
encouraged
gender-equity at every level of work in the church, they were thrilled
to
know that women throughout the world were with them," said Griswold.

The theme for World Mission Sunday, designated for February 26, is
"Anglican/Episcopal Women: Relevant, Radical and Responsive." A DVD
highlighting the importance of this observance has been sent to
congregations churchwide.

"By resolution of General Convention in 1997, congregations of the
Episcopal
Church are asked to use the last Sunday after Epiphany as an opportunity
for
mission education," said Margaret Larom, Episcopal Church director of
Anglican and Global Relations. "After witnessing the joyful synergy
created
by bringing Episcopal and Anglican women together in New York early last
year at the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, we knew we had a
wonderful focus for our 2006 theme."

The 50th commission, to be held in New York in February 24-March 8, will
highlight the theme: What is an enabling environment for women's
leadership?

"Globally," Griswold said, "the environment holds many challenges to
become
an enabling environment for women's leadership."

Overcoming timidity

In Shanghai, Griswold met with 15 church leaders, including three women.
She
asked Dr. Cao Sheng-jie, the first female president of the China
Christian
Council, what she considered women's greatest assets. Cao replied,
'Candor
and caring.'

"Then I asked her what was women's greatest impediment in putting these
gifts to work, and she said, 'Timidity.' I understood that feeling
myself."

Griswold said she observed timidity when she attended a meeting of 40
women,
ordained and students, at St. John's University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Addressing
the group, she talked about women's need to bring their values to the
decision-making tables where policies and budget are shaped. "Those
qualities of candor and caring must be invited to the table," she told
them.
But, she said, "when I asked for comments and sharing [from the women]
no
one spoke. . .timidity reigned. This was the cultural norm.

"But I realized that I had to learn new ways of finding out what was on
the
women's minds," Griswold said. "When we asked them to write questions
down,
there was a lot of activity, but to stand up and speak was tough."

Griswold said she hoped the next U.N. commission meeting would
strengthen
participants. "When you bring women together, face-to-face, and they
form
relationships and build bonds of affection, that is the stuff of
'courage.'"

-- Marie Panton is the editor of the Faithworks section of Episcopal
Life.

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