HONG KONG ABLAZE!
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Short-term Mission Teams Bring Change
In a recent interview, Rev. Dr.
Allan Yung, President of the Lutheran Church Hong Kong Synod (LCHKS), laid out what he is publicizing as the most exciting
thing since the beginning of the Ablaze! movement in Hong Kong: the impact of short-term teams. For
over a year now, LCMS World Mission has been sending teams of mission-minded, engaged individuals to work with the LCHKS.
With their sole desire to serve, these teams have made an impact on thousands of young people and teachers. In
Dr. Yung’s words, “They have brought real change to the LCHKS and to the 6 secondary schools, six primary schools,
12 kindergartens, two special schools, four evening schools and one international school that it operates.”What seems to be the focus of the change? Dr.
Yung points out that the teams have become a catalyst for outreach and ministry in a more comprehensive fashion, helping them
to be more intentional in sharing the Word throughout all of their ministries. One of the goals of the
LCHKS is to have every church, school and human care center be a place from which the ministry of the Word is taking place.
“Only in this way will we be able to realize the need and begin the even harder challenge of beginning new ministry
on our own in new places.” This is really an effort in “broadening the scope and outlook for
evangelism,” according to Dr. Yung. Other areas of growth have been a renewed commitment to volunteerism with a special emphasis on the people
being helped, and a renewed commitment and connection with the local community. This has included the beginning
of a Parent Hotline and a special telephone based call-in program for kids called “Touch the Bug.”
There are over 50,000 calls a month to this program alone! All of which is to say, the LCHKS is
eager to host teams of short-term missionaries to be a part of reaching the thousands of staff and tens of thousands of students
within their schools. They are also beginning to explore alternative ways to use teams in outreach with
congregations.
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New Hong Kong Church Reaches
Out
Holy Word Ablaze!
is an exciting new ministry within the LCHKS. This fall, Holy Word Lutheran Church (a new church begun
in 2007) will have its first team of LCMS World Mission missionaries come to help with outreach in the school and the new
English Center on a long-term basis. One of the outcomes of bringing in the teams has been the desire for
long-term ministry and new ideas about how that can happen. The “Concordia English Center”
in Tuen Mun is patterned after Concordia English Center in Macau, and will be the first attempt at reaching out to the community
and school through the use of long-term GEO (Globally Engaged in Outreach) missionaries from the LCMS. Already
the new congregation, formed less than two years ago in the school, includes outreach to the English speaking community in
the area.
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CHINA ABLAZE!
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Rural China Welcomes MOST
Eyeglass Team
On May 10-21 a
MOST (Mission Opportunities Short Term) eyeglass team went to a rural county in southwest Yunnan province, China.
The group of eleven made up of people from California, Illinois, and Michigan was joined by four Concordia
Welfare and Education Foundation (CWEF) staff to help coordinate the trip and the clinics. The group
did four and a half days of eyeglass clinics, and had the opportunity to experience some of the area’s minority culture
and interact with the local people. On the busiest day, the group worked together to see 348 people, and
over the course of the five day clinic, the team gave out 1,203 pairs of eyeglasses and saw 979 people!Although the team was small, they were able to provide an amazing amount of service
as five of the team members and all of the CWEF staff spoke Chinese. This enabled the team to be extremely
efficient when seeing patients since the majority could speak directly with the people. Overall, the highlights
of the trip were the opportunities to interact with the local people, both at the clinics and during free time.
Watching the reaction of a seamstress who could see her stitching clearly for the first time in years was priceless.
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CISS Wraps Up 10-Year Celebrations
Friday, April 24, to Sunday, April 26 was jam-packed with
events to wrap up Concordia International School Shanghai’s (CISS) year-long 10th anniversary celebrations. The school
community gathered from near and far to join the celebrations.The celebrations began with CISS’s High School musical performance of The Sound of Music,
with a cast, crew and orchestra involving more than seventy Elementary, Middle and High School students. Audiences were wowed
at each of the four, three-hour showings by outstanding vocals, elaborate costumes and stunning sets.Saturday night was a gala dinner, live and silent auction, and dancing for close
to 500 guests at the Shangri-La Hotel. With a theme of “Blessed to be a Blessing” and in support of Concordia’s
flagship charity, the Yunnan Education Project, the six-hour event was a testimony to CISS’s commitment to high quality
education for expatriate children in Shanghai and its community-wide commitment to giving back to its host country. It also
highlighted CISS’s significant growth in Pudong’s Jinqiao area over the past 10 years.At the gala dinner, CISS Head of School Dr. James Koerschen recognized the many
constituents that have directly contributed to this growth. Gala attendees were also entertained by a jazz
vocalist and finished off the evening dancing to DJ tunes.Faculty and friends gathered again midday on Sunday, April 26, at CISS for a potluck brunch. The brunch was a great
chance for old friends to catch up in an informal setting, and many were still in celebration mode from the previous evening.Later Sunday evening, CISS opened its doors to its community
once again for a Celebration Service with guest speakers Rev. Dale Koehneke (Senior Pastor, Church of All Nations, Hong Kong);
Mr. Fred Voigtmann (President, CISS Board of Directors); Rev. David Birner (Associate Executive Director of International
Mission, LCMS World Missions); and, Dr. Allan Schmidt (CISS Founding Head of School). The finale event, hosted in the Rittmann
Theatre, was also an opportunity to unveil CISS’s new processional cross, designed by U.S. artist Dr. Ken Schmidt.
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Holy Week Sending
Holy Week 2009 at Church of All Nations (CAN) in Hong Kong began with traditional Palm
Sunday fanfare and procession. Part of the worship that Sunday was also the sending of a group
from CAN to western China. Eighteen members of the congregation went on to spend the majority of Holy Week in Yunnan Province
in service to rural communities.Anna Horkey
and Li Ying, both from Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation (CWEF), provided superb care for the CAN Service team.
They helped the team to understand its role in the villages and trained them in how to interview families and provide
hygiene training to students. In groups of six, the team went into the villages and were welcomed into
their communities and their homes.
The service element of the trip was to help CWEF do water
project follow-up in four villages where CWEF had helped to provide fresh water in the last 6 to 18 months. The
team was to gather information on the impact fresh water was having on the people in the village, to understand how life was
improving for them, how they were using the water, and what else should be done. They were also there to
help provide additional hygiene training.
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TAIWAN ABLAZE!
.
Southeast
Asia Long-Term Missionary Retreat Held in Taiwan
In early April, 24 LCMS World Mission long-term missionaries from four countries in Southeast Asia
gathered together for a time of devotion, retreat, and idea sharing at Concordia Middle School (CMS) in Chia-Yi, Taiwan. The
participants from Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan had spent time together throughout the previous year, making short-term
trips to visit one another, but this is the first time so many from the region were able to get together. The trip began with
a tour of the Taipei and Chia-Yi area, as well as time spent learning about the unique work being done in Taiwan. Upon arriving
at CMS, a true spiritual retreat began which was a blessing for all of the participants. Cambodia, Thailand,
Vietnam, and Taiwan have much in common when it comes to the challenges faced. The retreat was a time to
share experiences, ideas, resources, and materials. Each country also has unique concerns that were shared and support was
offered. But the most important and rewarding part of the trip was the times of devotion and Bible Study. Every day began
and ended with devotion. On the last day of the retreat, all 24 participants came together for a communion service led by
Pastor Alex Wu of Salvation Lutheran Church in Taiwan.
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Short-Term Mission Team Makes Lasting Impact
In April, a short-term mission team came from Minnesota to help with music ministry and relationship building in Chia-Yi,
Taiwan. Doug Larson and two of his sons, Jacob and Caleb, proceeded to take the Chia-Yi Girls High School
by storm. They went to this public high school to share Jesus Christ through songs, action, and words,
along with helping at Concordia Middle School (CMS) and Salvation Lutheran Church. The primary goal of the trip was to build relationships with students at the
Chia-Yi Girls High School in the music classroom of Ms. Hoe who is a strong Christian, committed to sharing Jesus with her
students. She invited Doug and his sons to visit all 20 of her 10th and 11th grade
classrooms. They were immensely popular, enjoying many opportunities to share Jesus both in and out of
the classroom. A strength for this particular ministry was that it took place at a public school, where
many students have little interaction with Christians. The Larson’s visit also proved to be a great help for the on-going ministries at
CMS and Salvation Lutheran Church. Doug and his sons invited the girls to come to the church’s Friday
English Bible Study Easter Party which had over 120 students, including a large showing from the Chia-Yi Girls school.
The Saturday youth group, which normally has 4 or 5 students, had over 50 the day the Larson’s were there.
Furthermore, 8 or 9 students attended church on Sunday morning. This was especially exciting as
they had the chance to worship and hear the message in their native tongue, Chinese. All of the students
also had the chance to meet Pastor Wu and his wife, along with the 15 missionaries serving in the Chia-Yi area.
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Salvation Lutheran Church Gets New PastorEaster in Chia-Yi, Taiwan brought not only the reminder of Jesus’ death and resurrection, but also
a new Pastor for Salvation Lutheran Church—Pastor Alex Wu. Pastor Wu graduated from both Concordia
St. Paul in Minnesota and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He has served as a full-time pastor in Taiwan
since 2000. Pastor Wu is gifted with words, his wife Ruth is gifted musically, and they both excel at relationship
building. They are also fluent in English and Chinese. It is a blessing for Salvation
Lutheran Church as there are both Chinese and English speaking members, along with more opportunity for outreach in the community
and through Concordia Middle School, where LCMS missionaries serve. While Holy Week was Pastor Wu’s
first week of service, he was officially installed on May 3. Many people attended his installation service
including members of his former church in Tainan, pastors from throughout Taiwan, and Rev. Richard Yi, President of the China
Evangelical Lutheran Church.
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Youth Ministry Continues to GrowThe youth ministry at Salvation Lutheran Church in Chai-Yi,
Taiwan continues to grow. In March, Salvation Lutheran Church held a movie night for Junior and Senior
High students involved in the youth ministry at the church. In total, 26 young people attended the movie night event—praise
God for the opportunity to fellowship with students, while also being able to create and strengthen relationships with teens
from the church’s Friday Night Bible Study, Youth Group and their friends.
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Voigtmann Receives Honorary
DoctorateRecognized for outstanding service and passion for Christian education, Dr. Fredrick
N. Voigtmann, Esq., of Taipei, Taiwan, received an honorary doctorate at the 102nd commencement of Concordia University Nebraska.
, an attorney and founder of Concordia Consulting, Ltd., delivered the commencement address, sharing with the graduates the
abundant opportunities for educational ministry in Asia.Throughout his life, Dr. Voigtmann has shown a deep passion and commitment to reaching out to young people and their
families through quality Christian education. He worked closely with Dr. Allan Schmidt and others in founding Concordia International
School Shanghai and serves as the school’s board chairman. also serves on the boards of Concordia School for Special
Education in Macau and the Asia Lutheran Education Association.In addition, Dr. Voigtmann serves on the advisory board for
Concordia International School Hanoi in Vietnam, which is scheduled to open in August 2010.
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PHILIPPINES ABLAZE!
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North Luzon Highland District Celebrates Growth
While falling short of its Ablaze! goal of establishing
eight new congregations by this time, the North Luzon Highland District of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) did
accept and recognize four newly established congregations at its district conference in April. At the same
conference, 26 new mission and preaching stations were also recognized as official mission stations of the district. It is
hoped that in two to three years these mission stations will become official congregations. One of the factors that led to
this growth in the district is the great involvement of the laity, many of whom attended the Ablaze! Summit held
two years ago in the district.
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Lutheran Training in the PhilippinesThis spring the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP)
held two training seminars as part of their ongoing effort to equip pastors and the laity for ministry. first training was
part of an on-going Pastoral Training and Continued Education of LCP pastors. . Dr. Paul Mueller came from St. Paul, MN to
help with this, along with LCMS WM missionary Rev. Robert Hedtke, formerly in Thailand. second training was for about 67 laymen
and pastors held inin the highlands of Luzon in the. . Dr. Steven Oliver and Rev. Carl Hansona three daytraining seminar.
elders, deacons and evangelists of thetwice a year as a large group, as wellweekly or monthly with their localfor on-going
Theologicalby Extension. . Olivera course on Romans and James while Rev. Hanson led a course on preparing a Christ-centeredstudy/message.
Following the training Hanson commented, "It was trulyto meet these men who travel great distances on foot to remote
villages and communities with the gospel of God’s love and grace inChrist." LCP has 96 churches, 32 mission
stations, and 29 ordained pastors.
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LCP Holds
Financial Management SeminarThe Lutheran Church in the
Philippines (LCP) held a one-day Financial Management for Church Treasurers Seminar for the South Luzon District, North Luzon
Highland District and North Luzon Lowland District on May 29 in St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Baguio City.
49 participants and pastors from the districts attended, representing about 40 different congregations. The
seminar was led by Mr. Samuel B. Lares, CPA, Executive Director of Christ’s Public Accountants Ministries, Inc., author
of “Basic Accounting for Philippine Churches,” and LCP consultant. This seminar provided an overview of the LCP's vision, mission and goals, the
current set-up of local congregations, the roles of church treasurers, the importance of documentation in a church, theories
and applications of church accounting. The session aimed to provide participants with basic knowledge and
skills they can use in managing church accounting transactions and reports. Participants also completed
the “Church Statistics Report” which provides the national office with a record of all LCP member congregations.
An open forum at the end of the seminar was held to answer questions and concerns. This seminar also helped to consolidate efforts of all the districts’ financial
reports and the national office in compliance with the LCP's Bureau of Internal Revenue and Securities and Exchange Commission
requirements.
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Lutheran Theological
Seminary Enjoys Good EnrollmentThere
are now nine students enrolled at Lutheran Theological Seminary in the Philippines. Four are first year
students, two in their second year, two on vicarage, and three in their fourth year. It is hoped that even more will apply
to the seminary the next school year.
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Nearly 500 Youth Attend Outreach CampsClose to 500 youth gathered in April in the four districts of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines. These
youth camps focused on the involvement of the youth in mission. While many attendees were Lutheran, others were non-Lutheran
friends that had been invited to join in the camps.
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Youth Sports FestEvery year three of the districts of the Lutheran Church
in the Philippines—the South Luzon District, North Luzon Lowland District, and North Luzon Highland District—hold
a Sports Fest for youth. This year, the event was held May 25-30 at Christ Lutheran Church, Moreno, Binalonan,
Pangasinan, four hour’s north of Manila. More than 200 participants, including pastors and vicars,
were able to attend. This year’s theme was “Youth With a Mission,” and the young people
were once again able to showcase their talents and skills.
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VIETNAM ABLAZE!
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Mr. Steve Winkelman Accepts Call to be Founding Head of School in Hanoi
Mr. Steve Winkelman of McKinney, Texas has accepted the LCMS World Mission Board’s Call
to be the Founding Head of School for the newest LCMS International School which is set to open in August 2010 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Mr. Winkelman will begin his duties this summer and plans to arrive with his family in late July in preparation for
the opening. Steve is the
Head Master of Concordia Christian Academy in McKinney; his wife Amy is the Accounts Receivable Director at the school and
the Winkelman’s have two children, Joshua who is completing third grade and Elizabeth who is completing first grade
this year. Steve received
his Bachelor’s degree in Science and Physical Education from Concordia University in Austin, Texas and his M.Ed degree
in Educational Leadership from Saginaw Valley State University, and has additional higher education in accounting. He has
been a founding principal of a school in Texas and principal of an elementary school in Michigan before becoming the Head
of School at Concordia Academy in a fast developing area in McKinney, Texas where Steve has led a redevelopment of the structure,
staff and mission of the school. Concordia Academy has grown to be a highly respected school within a few
years in the midst of many excellent private and public schools in the area. Steve has demonstrated strong leadership skills in establishing a school’s mission statement
and developing a board, faculty and staff that is committed to excellence, student development and growth of the schools in
which he served. His forte is relating to parents and the community as a representative of these excellent
schools. His leadership develops strong loyalties among all stakeholders who contribute to outstanding
liberal arts, math, science and the performing arts for students’ whole child growth. Steve and Amy
visited Hong Kong and then Hanoi as part of the vetting process by the Search Committee of the school’s Advisory Board
centered in Hong Kong and met with educators and leaders of LCMS international schools and LCMS World Mission. Although this
is their first Asian experience, Steve and Amy have been in Latin America and Europe as part of their international background
and have had an interest in serving in Asia for some timePlease pray for the Winkelman’s as they make arrangements to leave their present ministry in the U.S. and make
the move to Hanoi. They will be joining with educators and administrators of the other LCMS international
schools in Hong Kong and Shanghai and with the Asia Lutheran Education Association’s more than two hundred schools in
thirteen countries throughout Asia.
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JAPAN ABLAZE!
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Rev.Morimoto Installed at Chuhetsu Lutheran Church
Rev. Ippei Morimoto, 2009 graduate (March) of the Theological
Education Program of the Japan Lutheran Church, was ordained and installed as pastor of Chuhetsu Lutheran Church on May 17,
2009. In a recent article for theLutheran Theological Seminary publication Seminary Diary, Rev. Morimoto writes the
following: "I have assumed my new post at Chuhetsu Lutheran Church, in Niigata Prefecture. In addition to work at the
church, I am also serving as assistant director of the kindergarten which is attached to the church. It's still early, but
I can alreadythat the various things I learned at seminary are useful in what goes on every day in my work as a pastor. As
I have been supported up until now by so many people, I would now like to walk together with them in prayer even as I serve
them and God in return. Many thanks."
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NRK Youth CampFrom March 31 to April 2, the Japanese Lutheran Church (NRK)
held its first Junior-Senior High Youth Camp for those in the Tokyo area, and six energetic teens were able to attend.
The camp theme was "de ai" which means "an encounter.” One goal was for the
youth from various churches to encounter other youth, and spend time with teens who also have a connection to the church.
Another goal was for the youth to encounter Jesus and grow in relationship with Him. Pastors, missionaries,
and church members also took part in the camp. This provided many wonderful opportunities for the youth
to really connect and interact with a wide variety of church workers. The camp provided a unique and invaluable
opportunity for these children of God to learn about His love for them, rest from their busy schedules, and make new friends.
.
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KOREA ABLAZE!
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2009 Ordination of New Lutheran Pastors
In 2009, four new pastors were ordained by the Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK). On April 20, the
ordination of Rev. Byeong-Wie Go was held at his Banseok-Church in Daegu City in the southern part of South Korea. Some 120
church members and pastors from all parts of South Korea were present at the impressive ordination. On May 26, a joint ordination
service was held at the chapel of Luther University/Seminary in Yongin City in the southern outskirts of Seoul. Rev. Seong-Cheol
Shin, Rev. Byeong-Gil Jeong, and Rev. Rev. Seong-Yeol Noh were ordained. One was ordained for assistant ministry at an existing
local church, and the other two as founders of new congregations. The founding worship services for their congregations are
expected to be celebrated in June and July. The triple ordination service was attended by about 250 people. It
was not only an ordination service, but also a small taste of God’s kingdom and a splendid occasion for the witness
of the Gospel.
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2009 PLI Conference and PLI GraduationThe
2009 Korea Pastoral Leadership Institute (PLI) Conference and PLI Graduation took place from May 26-29, with 18 pastors and
13 spouses graduating. PLI, a non-profit organization founded for the improvement of pastoral leadership,
is comprised primarily of LCMS pastors and their spouses, but is also now equipping pastors internationally. In 2001, the
American PLI and the General Assembly of the LCK began working together through annual conferences aimed at improving the
pastoral leadership of LCK pastors and their spouses. At this year’s conference, pastor couples that have received PLI
training in the past eight years received graduation papers and certificates for their participation in the 2009 conference.
This year’s conference opened under the
theme “Missional Alignment” and was led by the director of PLI International Rev. Dr. Norb Oesch and his wife;
Rev. Dr. Scott Rische, who is responsible for the PLI Korea program, and his wife; and the senior member of PLI, Dr. John
Kieschnick. Some 30 pastors and spouses from the LCK participated in this year’s conference.
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Dobong Lutheran
Church Celebrates 50
YearsApril 19 was a very special
day for the Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK), as Dobong Lutheran Church in Seoul celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Dobong Church, founded in 1959, just one year after the arrival of LCMS World Mission in Korea, is the oldest Lutheran congregation
in Korea. Some 300 people, including missionaries from abroad, Lutheran pastors and church members, attended the worship service
celebrating the 50th anniversary in the packed church. Currently, the LCK has a total of 44 congregations which
are spreading the Gospel.
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2009 LCK Hymn FestivalOn April 26, Lutheran congregations convened at Central Lutheran Church in South
Korea’s capital, Seoul, for the 2009 Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK) hymn festival. The festival was organized by the
Women’s Association and was attended by about 300 participants. At the festival, the skills, polished and brushed in
the local churches, were performed with a variety of presentations like traditional choir recitals, worship service hymns,
vocal ensembles, hymns sung together by children and adults, and contemporary Christian songs accompanied by musical bands.
The event, which promotes unity among Lutheran congregations, is held annually and shows a steady improvement in atmosphere
and engagement.
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Memorial Worship Held for Dr. Won-Sang Ji, First LCK Church President On
April 27 a special worship service was held at a cemetery near Gohyang City in the outskirts of Seoul on occasion of the 11th
anniversary of the death of the first Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK) President, Dr. Won-Sang Ji. The LCK originated with LCMS
World Mission and was founded by two Koreans: Dr. Won-Sang Ji and his elder brother Dr. Won-Yong Ji. In his lifetime, Won-Sang
Ji lay the foundation for a Lutheran Church in Korea and founded institutions including Luther Theological Seminary (now LTU)
and Bethel Bible Series Korea, and dedicated his life especially to the education of young theological students and the training
of church leaders. He was also one of the most representative ecumenical leaders, trying to unite churches
in Korea. The memorial service was organized
by the LCK General Assembly for the purpose of remembering the will of the deceased. Participants included surviving family
members, officers of the General Assembly, and ecumenical co-workers from Germany.
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2009 Women’s Association’s Bazaar for LTU-ScholarshipsOn April 14, The Lutheran Church in Korea’s (LCK) Women’s Association held a bazaar on the campus
to raise funds for scholarships at Luther University/Seminary (LTU). Women from local congregations sold their articles in
individual booths and donated the proceeds to LTU. The items were articles for everyday life and donated voluntarily. Some
80 women and about 300 students and teachers at LTU participated in the bazaar. The bazaar is held annually to help provide
scholarships for students.
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INDIA & SRI LANKA ABLAZE!
.
LCMS Theology Professors
The India Evangelical
Lutheran Church has long had a request for a full-time LCMS theological professor at their Concordia Seminary in Nagercoil.
Interim guest professors have come and gone over the past several years. In April, Dr. Timothy Quill and Dr. Detlev Schulz
of Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, led a special month-long course on Lutheran Confessions and Lutheran liturgy.Dr. Dan Mattson
will be visiting India in June on behalf of Pres. Kieschnick’s special commission to research the needs so that a more
permanent arrangement might be made to meet this need.
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Annual LCMS ConsultancyFor the past nine years, Rev. Dr. Wilfred Karsten of Holy Cross, Moline, IN, has gone for three weeks in
May to Sri Lanka to serve as a pastoral consultant to the Lanka Lutheran Church.Dr.Karsten provides theological education
at the church’s informal seminary, in-service training for the pastors, and counseling on personal and administrative
matters.
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Property ConsultantThe India Evangelical
Lutheran Church (IELC) has several valuable properties they would like to develop to start institutions and to raise funds
for ministry.In April, LCMS World Mission sent Rev. Gary Zakian as a special consultant to the IELC Trust Association to discuss
this matter.Rev. Zakian is an attorney and property consultant who will provide on-going guidance and support for the IELC
in this important effort.
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Incomplete ChapelsBecause
of the rapid expansion of congregations in the India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC), many are rebuilding their facilities.The
policy is to expect the congregation to build up to the roof level, and the IELC Trust Association then provides funds to
complete the chapel.The needs have far outstripped the resources of the Trust Association, and some donors in the LCMS have
stepped forward to help through the Ablaze! “Fan into Flame” fund.
.
Concordia University Nurse TraineesEight
nursing students from Concordia University-Portland, will be visiting Bethesda Hospital, Ambur, and other Christian hospitals
in South India in August.They will be led by Prof. Judy Michalk, the daughter of former India missionary Rev. Ted Michalk,
taking a course on community health.
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THAILAND ABLAZE!
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Easter Sunday Dedication of New Hmong Ministry Congregation
The Hmong community of Pakham Mai in northern Thailand celebrated
the dedication of its church on Easter Sunday this year. The celebration was attended by members of the
community, as well as staff from LCMS World Mission, Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation-Thailand (CWEFT), Hmong International
Mission (HIM), and Concordia Lutheran Church Association-Thailand (CLCA), all of whom partnered together to make the church
a reality. Participants were able to rejoice together and worship the Lord in three languages— Hmong, Thai, and English—
in the newly dedicated church. The leaders’ vision for the church is that it will be used not only
as a house of worship, but also as a meeting place for the community to train its leaders, host outreach events, provide Christian
education for youth and adults, and meet the physical as well as spiritual needs of the community. Please
pray for the needs of the community and the work of the church leaders there— that they may continue to sow the seed
of the Gospel into the hearts of every member.
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MACAU ABLAZE!
.
Service Trip
The first week of May, the teachers from Concordia English
Center along with several students went on a four day service trip. They taught English and Bible stories, visited local peoples’
homes, and gave scholarships to poor students. The trip was busy and uplifting for the teachers. Some of the students were
not yet Christian, but they all greatly appreciated the experience. Some now want to tell their friends and family about God.
.
Good Friday and Easter Celebrations
On Good
Friday, the Concordia English Center (CEC) in Macau and its partner church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, held a Good
Friday evening service. The church was packed and everyone took some time for personal confession by writing a few sins weighing
on their hearts and nailing the paper to a cross. Everyone knelt in front of the cross to give those sins to Jesus, and through
Him were forgiven. It was an emotional and encouraging moment. The day before Easter, CEC sponsored an afternoon of Easter activities for kids in a local park. There was
egg dying, coloring, egg tossing, and of course, an Easter egg hunt. Over 100 children and adults attended!
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CEC Welcomes New Short-Term Teachers
This
quarter Concordia English Center (CEC) welcomed one short-term teacher, David Risner and one short-term volunteer, Chimene
Djeumo. David taught English and Bible classes and built relationships with the students. Chimene assisted with relationship
building and outreach activities.
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SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Ms. Adelina Balunsat (database administrator)
.
Ms. Carol Becker
(Japan)
.
Rev. Dr. Jonathan Blanke (Japan)
.
Rev. James Cerdeñola
(Philippines)
.
Ms. Michelle de Rozario (China)
.
Ms. Mary Eddy (Macau)
.
Mr. Kevin Foley (Taiwan)
.
Ms. Betsy Karkan (Thailand)
.
Mr.
Solveig Kettinger (China)
.
Rev. Carl Hanson (East Asia)
.
Rev.
Dr. Herbert Hoefer (India & Sri Lanka)
.
Ms.
Anna Horkey (East Asia)
.
Ms. Rebekah House (Taiwan)
.
Rev.
Kyungman Hong (Korea)
.
Mr. Joshua Lange (Hong Kong)
.
Mr. Sam Lares (Philippines)
.
Rev. Patrick O’Neal (Korea)
.
Rev. Malte Rhinow (Korea)
.
Ms. Stephanie Roegner (Taiwan)
.
Dr. Allan Schmidt (East Asia)
.
Mr. Ed Strohschein (newsletter coordinator)
.
Ms. Heidi Tannarat (newsletter design)
.
Mr. Doug Werth (Hong Kong)
.
Mr. Mark Wolfram (Taiwan)
