wfn.org | TCN: PCT welcomes its first Korean language member church

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

>      Taiwan Church News

>2996 Edition

>July 27~August 2, 2009

PCT welcomes its first Korean language member church

>Reported by Lin Yi-ying

>Written by Lydia Ma

After obtaining approval from Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK)  and

Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT), a congregation belonging to  PCK that had

previously been meeting at a PCT church in Hsinchu area finally  became an

official member church of the PCT on July 21st. This new  development is

expected to draw the PCT and the PCK even closer in partnership  and ministry

>and become a model for other churches.

According to reports, the new Korean PCT church’s beginnings  dates back to

2005 when Korean pastor Rev. Kim Dong Ryul felt the need to  minister to

Koreans living in Taiwan who worked in Hsinchu Science Park. After  discussing

his burden with Rev. Cheng Wen-ren from Hsinchu, Rev. Kim searched  and

found a church willing to share its facilities so that Koreans  could meet for

services on Sundays and group meetings on weekdays. This  arrangement and

partnership between a Taiwanese congregation and a Korean  congregation

>continues to this day.

According to Rev. Cheng, elders and members from local churches in  Hsinchu were more than willing to help out and become partners in  evangelism with the

new Korean church and it soon began a women’s Bible study on  Tuesdays, a

Korean Bible study on Wednesdays, and daily prayer meetings in the  morning.

According to Hsinchu Presbytery Moderator Lin Bo-shou, this is the  first time

Hsinchu Presbytery adopts a non-Taiwanese church as an official  member. Lin

has seen first hand how much PCK missionaries love Taiwan and  identify with

this land and its people. Not only are these missionaries  committed to sharing

the gospel in Hsinchu area, they are also willing to start a PCT  church to

demonstrate their respect toward local churches and seek  partnership. This

reminds Lin of the Apostle’s Creed, where Christ commissioned  us to become

“one holy church, sharing the communion of saints,” and  he said the inclusion of a

Korean church in Hsinchu Presbytery is very significant for the  ecumenical

>movement.

According to Lin, Hsinchu Presbytery will help the new Korean  church with church

administration, gathering resources, organizational issues and  finances. Their

goal is to work together in intercultural and international  missions.

In response, PCT Associate General Secretary Lyim Hong-tiong said  the

inclusion of a Korean church in Hsinchu Presbytery is a good thing  and conforms

to the spirit of the ecumenical church movement. Though this is  the first time a

Korean language church is joining a PCT presbytery, the PCT has  accepted

Japanese and English language churches in two of its presbyteries  before.

Rev. Kim Tae Hui is the pastor of the new Hsinchu Korean Church  and though he

has been in Taiwan for only one year, his Mandarin is excellent.  According to

Kim, a lot of communication with the PCK General Assembly took  place when

the new church began considering joining the PCT because it  originally belonged

to the PCK. After obtaining approval and support from PCK and  receiving a lot of

help from Rev. Cheng, the new church finally became an official  member of

>PCT’s Hsinchu Presbytery.

According to reports, the new church has about 30 official  members. However,

church members often invite their Korean and Taiwanese friends or  families to

join them during services, increasing the number of attendees to  more than 60

people. The church has been saving for a church building project  and hopes to

have its own permanent place of worship in Hsinchu in the near  future.

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