You are not alone

A Letter from John McCall, serving in Taiwan

Fall 2022

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Dear friends,

One of the opportunities which I most enjoy each year is leading a time of spiritual renewal for recent graduates from the three Presbyterian seminaries in Taiwan. The committee of the General Assembly, which oversees seminary graduates, hosts this event each fall.

On the spiritual journey

Seminary graduates here do not interview for their first church. They enter a lottery where they choose the name of a presbytery and then that presbytery assigns them to an open church to be their evangelist. They are not immediately ordained as a pastor but have to continue to take some courses, write a paper reflecting on their ministry, and take a test in the language in which they are serving (Taiwanese, Hakka, or one of the indigenous languages). After three or four years, most are ordained. The language exam is not easy for many of them, because they have grown up using Mandarin as their language of life and study. But many of the older folks in their churches worship, pray and read the Bible in their mother tongues.

One of the things I love about the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan is the diversity of people groups. Around half of the churches worship in Taiwanese. They also often have a service in Mandarin for younger folks. The aboriginal churches either have two services, one in the aboriginal tongue and then one in Mandarin, or they simultaneously translate both languages.

When we gathered recently for these days of spiritual renewal, I was delighted to see graduates from all three seminaries and most of the people groups. I have served in Taiwan for so long, that I am familiar with all the people groups and their special characteristics. Some of these evangelists come from high mountain villages or seaside villages. Others come from farming communities. And many come from churches in the big cities of Taiwan. They are delighted to see their classmates and share together about their lives, their families and the churches where they are serving.

Sharing in small groups

Most retreats and conferences here tend to be pretty passive for the attendees, so I try to shape these days into a rich time to meet God, to get in touch with one’s own heart, and to be an encouragement to the others with whom we are living in community. For two afternoons we take a spiritual walk in nearby bamboo forests. These are silent walks where we notice God in nature. It is not easy to be silent in Taiwan with the density of the population and the prevalence of cell phones, but these evangelists slowly enter into the silence, and I can see the pressure of their lives melting away. At the end of these walks, we sit on the grass and share something of our experience.

We also meet God through art. The retreat center where we meet has a gallery of biblical art painted by one of my former indigenous students. In her paintings, we see the Word made flesh in a Taiwanese indigenous world. Each evangelist has time to ponder each painting and then chooses one which particularly speaks to them. They then share with a partner what they have seen and experienced.

The music, led by a variety of different folks, is always a highlight of our time together. From praise music to hymns, to aboriginal songs, to music from Taizé, we join our voices and become one. It always thrills me to see how these folks from very different backgrounds are knit into one body.

Washing the feet of a co-worker

Our theme this year was “Encounters with Jesus,” and I shared three different Gospel stories of encounter. In the first story, Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman. In the second, Jesus encounters the devil in the wilderness, and in the third, he encounters a leper who is made clean. The participants divide into small groups, talk about these stories, and make connections to their own lives and ministries.

For the past two years, we have invited three ordained Taiwanese pastors to accompany these evangelists. Over meals, in small groups, and in other ways of leadership, they share what it is like to be a pastor. Two of these pastors, Geelau and Lawa, joined us on one of our pilgrimages to Montreat, North Carolina, and the third, Ju-en, joined us on one of our pilgrimages to Taizé. It is wonderful to see them mentoring these younger evangelists.

Even after just three months of serving in the church, many of these evangelists come with great burdens and pressure. They want to do a good job as God’s servants and allow others to put pressure on them or they put themselves under pressure. I try to find time to listen to as many of them as possible.

On the first day of our time together, we divide into pairs and share how God is working in our lives. The two then pray for each other. Then on the last day, as they prepare to return home to their families and churches, they once again take a walk together sharing their hopes and fears, and once again pray together. They then make a commitment to pray each day for their prayer partner.

It always amazes me to see how God encourages and challenges these evangelists to live into God’s dream for their lives and ministries in these fairly simple spiritual rhythms. And I am very grateful to have the opportunity to join them on their spiritual journeys.

I also remain grateful for your prayers and support in these uncertain times.

Gratefully,

John McCall

Please read the following letter from Rev. Mienda Uriarte, acting director of World Mission:

Dear Partners in God’s Mission,

What an amazing journey we’re on together! Our call to be a Matthew 25 denomination has challenged us in so many ways to lean into new ways of reaching out. As we take on the responsibilities of dismantling systemic racism, eradicating the root causes of poverty and engaging in congregational vitality, we find that the Spirit of God is indeed moving throughout World Mission. Of course, the past two years have also been hard for so many as we’ve ventured through another year of the pandemic, been confronted with racism, wars and the heart wrenching toll of natural disasters. And yet, rather than succumb to the darkness, we are called to shine the light of Christ by doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God.

We are so grateful that you are on this journey as well. Your commitment enables mission co-workers around the world to accompany partners and share in so many expressions of the transformative work being done in Christ’s name. Thank you for your partnership, prayers and contributions to their ministries.

We hope you will continue to support World Mission in all the ways you are able:

Give – Consider making a year-end financial contribution for the sending and support of our mission personnel (E132192). This unified fund supports the work of all our mission co-workers as they accompany global partners in their life-giving work. Gifts can also be made “in honor of” a specific mission co-worker – just include their name on the memo line.

Pray – Include PC(USA) mission personnel and global partners in your daily prayers. If you would like to order prayer cards as a visual reminder of those for whom you are praying, please contact Cindy Rubin (cynthia.rubin@pcusa.org; 800-728-7228, ext. 5065).

Act – Invite a mission co-worker to visit your congregation either virtually or in person. Contact mission.live@pcusa.org to make a request or email the mission co-worker directly. Email addresses are listed on Mission Connections profile pages. Visit pcusa.org/missionconnections to search by last name.

Thank you for your consideration! We appreciate your faithfulness to God’s mission through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Prayerfully,

Rev. Mienda Uriarte, Acting Director
World Mission
Presbyterian Mission Agency
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

To give, please visit https://bit.ly/22MC-YE.

For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6