PC(USA) - Mission Connections - Letter

Mission Connections

PC (USA) Seal


	A letter from John McCall in Taiwan

	October 2002 Dear Friends, A large part of what I do at Taiwan Seminary and in the local churches is to teach folks how to pay attention to what God is doing in their daily lives. Taipei is a large, crowded Asian city. It is difficult to find a quiet space to pray. So one of the challenges is encouraging folks to "study" their days, to discover grace on a crowded bus or in a teeming vegetable market.

	Four pastors enjoy sweet green bean soup at the retreat for pastors				Another way we do this is by planning retreats to follow Christ’s model of taking time apart to reflect and pray and listen. This fall we have had two retreats. One was held on Taiwan’s north coast in a simple retreat center. Pastors came from all over the island to learn to be silent, to ponder God’s word together, to wait on God.

	Most retreats in the churches here tend to be more like classes. Folks come and listen to lectures for two to three days. There are a lot of words, but sometimes it is difficult to be quiet and listen to God. So this retreat style was very different for most of the pastors. Pastors here live very busy lives. Since most of them live at the church, they are always on call. They are expected to be at most meetings and events. It is often difficult for them to find a place or time apart.

	The goal of this retreat was to give them that gift of a time apart. To give them the opportunity to study their days and nights to see what God is doing in their lives. We had men and women, younger and older, city and rural pastors attending the retreat. One thing I greatly appreciate about the Taiwanese is an openness to trying new ways of being Christ’s people in the world. The pastors were all open to trying new ways of prayer, Bible reading, and worship.		John McCall serves Communion to a Taiwanese pastor at the pastors’ retreat

	Last week we had our all-seminary retreat for students and faculty. We met at a Catholic retreat center in Taipei County. The setting was inviting and the chapel was a wonderful space in which to worship. We modeled the retreat on a Benedictine rhythm of prayer, Bible reading, exercise, service and reflection, and worship. Each day we used a different kind of prayer. The students and teachers then divided into small groups to listen to God’s word and apply it in their lives. Then we all gathered outside for group exercises, which the Taiwanese love.

	Taiwan Seminary students and an aboriginal girl watch performance of the story of the prodigal son at all-seminary retreat				Each afternoon we fanned out over the city to serve in hospitals, nursing homes, a rural aboriginal church, a center for people with spinal injuries, and a hospice center. After serving we reflected together on where we had met Christ in the ones we had served. It was exciting to see how God changed all us as we served the least of these.

	Each night we worshiped together with different guest preachers. One of the highlights was a Korean-Taiwanese pastor from the southern part of Taiwan who called our students to be servant leaders. She is handicapped and has not had an easy life, but she radiates the joy of Christ. The students hung on her every word. The last day I challenged the faculty and students to build a bridge from our retreat back to our campus. My prayer is that the daily rhythm of attentiveness to God which we practiced at the retreat will also be practiced on our campus in the classroom, library, chapel, dining hall, and dormitories. If our students begin to practice the presence of God in their daily lives now, they will be able to help others be attentive to the wind of God’s Spirit. Thank you for your prayers and support which allow me to represent Jesus Christ and you in service with the Taiwanese Christians. Grace and peace, John McCall Taipei, Taiwan The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 187

Mission Speakers

Mission Workers

Letters from Young Adult Volunteers

Frequently Asked Questions

Mission Letters in RSS

World Mission Challenge

World Mission Celebration 2009

Who We Are | Congregations | News and Events | Ministry and Vocations | Resources/Publications
Giving and Funding | US and World Mission | Search pcusa.org | Home