From the Pastor's Desk

by Pastor Peter Kim

COVID-19: Why aren’t we meeting together for Sunday worship?

“It is not forbidden but rather commanded that by the sweat of our brow we should seek our daily food, clothing, and all we need and avoid destruction and disaster whenever we can, as long as we do so without detracting from our love and duty toward our neighbor. How much more appropriate it is therefore to seek to preserve life and avoid death if this can be done without harm to our neighbor, inasmuch as life is more than food and clothing, as Christ himself says in Matthew 5 [6:25].” (Living and Dying As a Christian–To the Reverend Doctor Johann Hess, pastor at Breslau, and to his fellow-servants of the gospel of Jesus Christ, by Martin Luther, 482)

For many of us, we are experiencing an unprecedented event that has reached the furthest parts of the world and continues to impact the strongest of nations. COVID-19 has disrupted the lives of so many people around the world and has come upon us so suddenly that we can say that we now live in a world that is different from just a few months ago.

It has also affected our church. The leaders have prayed, discussed, and decided that for at least the near future, we will close our building doors and conduct online Sunday worship services and use online resources to hold community groups, prayer meetings, membership classes, and fellowship times. Some of us were relieved to hear that the leaders made such a decision, while others wondered why we decided to go this route, especially when Taiwan seems to be one of the safest places on earth. I would like to provide a brief explanation of our reasons for deciding this way.

Reasons for closing our church doors and going online:

1. Because we are an international church, and since most of the second wave of cases have been imported (by people who have come into Taiwan), we believe there is a higher chance of such people coming to our church without knowing how to properly prevent the spread of the virus. This was especially the case in mid-March.

2. Around mid-March, the government officials suggested that the next few weeks would be important in preventing the spread of the virus. This was another major factor that caused us to want to do our part in preventing the spread of the virus.

3. Since then, the situation has grown worse around the world, and now the government has taken steps to enforce social distancing (https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3908801). Requiring this in our church would be difficult with the number of attendees that we have.

4. Some are fearful and have decided to stay home since early February. We wanted to find a way to reach out to them also.

With many discussions and prayers, the leaders made the difficult choice to close the church doors and conduct online services for Sunday, March 22nd and 29th, and have now extended this to April 5th and 12th. Please stay up to date with our announcements on our website or through our LINE News group.

Luther, towards the end of the letter, has three instructions (and I will add my own in parentheses):

1. Keep attending church (…online. So thankful for technology.).

2. Prepare for death by confessing sins and taking communion (and encourage each other through attending community groups).

3. Inform the leadership earlier rather than later if you become sick (and send us your prayer requests so we can pray for you).

May the Lord watch over us during these uncertain times.

To read Luther’s entire document: http://bit.ly/2OdO5yI

To get a summary and a perspective: https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/488675-the-plague-coronavirus-and-martin-luther-why-they-all-matter-now 

5 Questions with...Yuping Wu

1. How did you first get involved with Friendship Presbyterian?  Erika Ho invited me to the church and to join the T.G.I.F group when we met each other in a BSF class. Then, I made some friends in the group and felt a sense of belonging in the church.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35 )

2. What do you do Monday through Saturday?  I usually like to read and listen to music on my free time. I participate in a BSF class on Tuesdays and do homework the other weekdays. Also, I take a yoga class and go to the gym. I love to hang out with friends on Saturday and to share the gospel with unbelievers. I pray for them every day and hope we can go to the church together one day.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:24-25)

3. What is something people might be surprised to learn about you?  People always tell me that I look so happy. Actually, God healed and saved me before I attempted suicide. I could not find any hope to survive in this painful world in the past until I realized God’s presence is heaven to me. When I feel the love from God, I know I am not alone, and I have the courage to live in this world created by God.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:4-6)

4. What do you find most challenging about being a Christian today?  Relying on God instead of “trying my best.” Waiting for God’s time patiently and not complaining to God. Also, believing in God’s righteousness when I see people who do evil having success and treating me unfairly. I still need to forgive and pray for those people, even if I feel hatred for them. Being a Christian is very different from other ways and we only follow God’s way.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. (Psalm 37:5-9)

5. What is one of your favorite books of the Bible?  Exodus. I saw it when I was a child as an unbeliever. Now that I have become a Christian, I have different feelings and thoughts. Loving to see God’s victory in defeating other worship idols. It seems like the Lord led me to him from other religions. God prepares us the way to face difficulties and goes with us like God led those Jews to the promised land. God did what he promised and that is why my favorite is Exodus.

The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name. (Exodus 15:2-3)

Tanzania Update: Change of Plan

Hi, Friends.

I have received so many inquiries of my welfare lately. People have asked if I am safe or if Tanzania has been affected by the virus yet, and what that means for me in Africa. I want to thank you all for your concern. I also want to let you know that actually, at the moment, I am not in Tanzania. Rather, I am in Europe, where the outbreak is even more serious than Africa!

Back in October last year I already planned a vacation to take a break from my work in Africa and to recoup. I planned a trip to Spain and Portugal to enjoy some outdoor activities and rest, for my annual leave in March. Before I set off at the end of February, I reconfirmed the epidemic situation and felt that only Italy was unsatisfactory at the time. 

After spending some downtime in Spain, I headed over to Portugal. But it was here that I became "trapped." When I had arrived in Spain in early March, there were no signs of the epidemic, and tourists were everywhere. Beginning on March 13th, the European epidemics broke out, one after another, and Spain became the worst-hit country after Italy.

At that time, only 3 days after I arrived in Portugal, the Spanish border was completely closed. The airport was closed, too, and my plane from Spain to Tanzania was grounded. So, I could not go back to Spain to catch my flight back to Tanzania. Portugal was (and is) also in a state of emergency, with all shops and hotels currently suspended.

Suddenly everything had stopped. But my heart began to panic. Everything about this situation was unfamiliar, and Portuguese was incomprehensible to me. Where was I going to find accommodation and food? I had not planned this and was expecting to be back in Tanzania. Thank God, again and again, for his rich provision. His provision is way beyond my imagination. 

Through contact with a friend from afar, the local Chinese pastor in the area immediately assisted me to find a safe shelter. At present, I have no plans for the next step, because any plan this year cannot keep up with the changes brought about by the epidemic.

I will temporarily stay in Portugal until the end of April, and then evaluate the situation together with my missions organization SIM, to figure out the next steps.

All schools in Tanzania have been suspended due to the outbreak, and there is no possibility of online teaching. Our team also has colleagues who have returned to their country for health reasons.

During this time of global unrest and tension as a result of the epidemic, let us pray earnestly. Let us look to Jesus who gives peace, because He lives and is the Lord of life, our only hope! I pray that the Lord will use me even here in this situation. 

By His Grace,

Michelle