A letter from Choon Lim in South Korea (Regional Liaison for East Asia)
November 2014 - Taiwan’s 101 and PC(USA)’s 1001
As the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Regional Liaison for East Asia, I have visited North Korea (2 times), China (3), Hong Kong (1), Taiwan (1), Japan (1) and South Korea (my base in 2014) and have met all of the mission co-workers and partner churches and institutions in the region. It is by God’s grace that I could make all of these mission trips. So I give thanks to God and give thanks for your prayers and support. Of the many activities I have accomplished in 2014, I want to share with you one special event.
Between October 10 and 15, 2014, a historic mission consultation between the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was held in Hsin-Chu, Taiwan. We had not had such a consultation for a decade due to a series of personnel changes and organizational adjustments in our Louisville offices. The purpose of the consultation was to understand each other through fellowship and to build a strong partnership by initiating future cooperation on mission and ministry.
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2014 PCT and PC(USA) Mission Consultation Participants at Hsin Chu, Taiwan.
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One of our groups in front of Na Luo Tayal church.
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Two PCT 101 Posters behind Tayal Pastors.
The participants from the PC(USA) were Rev. Roger Dermody, PC(USA Deputy Executive Director for mission: Rev. Hunter Farrell, Director of World Mission; Rev. Mienda Uriarte, Area Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific; Rev. Katherine Reeves, Associate for Mission for Presbyterian Women; Rev. David Shinn, chairperson of Racial Ethnic Ministries; and Rev. John McCall and Jonathan Seitz, PC(USA) mission co-workers in Taiwan. The participants from the PCT were Rev. Reng-quei Lo, Moderator of the PCT General Assembly; Rev. Hong-tiong Lyim, PCT General Secretary; Rev. Ching-an Yeh, secretary of the PCT Ecumenical and International Committee; and others.
In 2015 the PCT is going to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the gospel in Taiwan. A mission project, “One-Leads-One, New Doubling Movement,” is being promoted in all Presbyterian congregations, presbyteries and districts to encourage all PCT members to lead at least one person to Christ in the coming five years. By doing so, the total membership will be doubled. The goal by 2015 is to have 300,000 members, to plant 150 more churches, and to send 15 more missionaries to serve churches abroad.
Before starting the official mission consultation, PC(USA) representatives visited five PCT churches in three presbyteries: Tayal, Hakka and Tainan. I visited three Tayal presbytery churches and saw the new program, “One–Leads-One, New Doubling Movement,” which the PCT General Assembly has initiated for their evangelical mission. The PCT produced a brochure and sent leaders to lead seminars at each region to know how to use it. I saw each church display it and include the slogan in their church bulletin. The PCT wants to help people know and establish a relationship with God.
Roger Dermody introduced a current PC(USA) mission movement, "1001 New Worshiping Communities," which since 2012 has encouraged U.S. presbyteries and congregations to establish 1001 new worshiping communities by youth and new immigrant and minority groups not usually reachable by the church. The PC(USA) has now established 237 new worshiping communities across the United States.
With PCT’s One-Leads-One, New Doubling Movement and the PC(USA)’s 1001 New Worshiping Communities the PCT and the PC(USA) wish to share these evangelism resources and ideas and engage in a joint research about them. Both churches would also push “third-party ministry,” referring to a joint mission in third countries and joint cooperation with Yukon Presbytery of the PC(USA) to serve Alaska natives.
The PCT has a wonderful mission vision and enthusiasm and has asked us for mutual cooperation. We will continue to work with them and strengthen them so that we can glorify God together by serving God’s mission in the world, especially in East Asia.
Please continue to pray for this mission vision and prayerfully consider supporting our mission programs and mission co-workers in East Asia. Thinking of you during this season of Thanksgiving, I always give thanks for your continued support of Yen and myself since 1991. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and will continue to serve people in East Asia as God’s servants.
Better together,
Choon and Yen Hee Lim
The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 232
The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 243
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