Celebrating shared vision and ministry opportunities, a delegation from the Episcopal Diocese of Taiwan is visiting the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles this week, having arrived July 25 and staying until Aug. 4.
The delegation is headed by Bishop of Taiwan Lennon Chang, and includes his wife, Hannah, priests, employees of the diocese, and others, representing eight out of 15 congregations within the diocese of Taiwan. The visit, with the theme “Be the Light,” reciprocates a visit made by Bishop Taylor and a delegation to Taiwan in September of 2024.
Panel on exchange ministry with (from left) Bishop Taylor, Bishop Chang, the Rev. Claire Wang, Sheerah Lee, and Fennie Chang, who provided interpretation into Mandarin.
In a forum this morning on exchange ministry between the two dioceses, Bishop John Harvey Taylor joined Bishop Chang in outlining the possibilities of future collaboration between the two dioceses. The panel also included the Rev. Claire Chia-Lin Wang, and Sheerah Lee, both of whom work in the Taiwan diocese’s youth ministry department.
The discussions deepened the formal companion relationship adopted by the two dioceses in 2023.
“When Bishop Chang and I first began discussing our exchange of visits, the word ‘exchange’ kept coming up: exchanges of youth, summer campers, seminarians, ministry interns, theology students, language students, and recently ordained clergy,” Taylor said.
Rev. Wang presents about possible exchange ministry in Taiwan
Wang talked about possible exchanges between the two dioceses, focusing on two potential programs: A three- month, six-month, or one-year exchange program for clergy, seminarians, and young adults; and a summer camp program, in which youth from the Los Angeles Diocese would co-lead a children’s summer program with youth from the Diocese of Taiwan.
She said that programs would include focus on culture and language, service with a congregation, and accommodations for the stay in Taiwan. Wang said that there are three English speaking congregations within the Diocese of Taiwan, and that there is a possibility of serving at a church in English while still learning Mandarin and being immersed in Taiwanese culture.
Attendees of the exchange ministry discussion
Lee, who is from Malaysia, said that Taiwan has a rich acceptance of different cultures and is a friendly environment for people coming from different countries.
The session concluded with a video from Jeremy Fiebig, a seminary student in Northern Carolina, who recently completed two months exchange in the Diocese of Taiwan, in which he thanks members of the diocese, and recommends the experience, which he said was life changing.
The day before, with an eye to possible future youth exchange ministry, Taylor and members of the Taiwan delegation visited Camp Stevens, the diocesan camp and conference center in Julian, about 137 miles south of Los Angeles, playing basketball and gaga ball with campers in addition to discussing possible future programs. See Bishop Taylor’s related post on the Bishop’s Blog here.
“What a joyful group of people,” said Kathy Wilder, Camp Stevens executive director. The group toured the camp and “had lots of questions regarding how the camp operates, about how our chaplains work and how we serve kids from interfaith backgrounds.
“There are a lot of cool ideas that are coming forth from this partnership and that’s something we’re excited about pursuing,” Wilder said. “We’re a place excited about international partnerships and we want to expand on it and unique in our timeline.”
The delegation has also visited San Gabriel’s Church of Our Saviour, St. John’s Cathedral, and other sites including the Chinese Heritage museum, San Marino’s Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, and USC, and has a special service planned at St. Thomas’ Hacienda Heights, Aug. 2.
Visiting Church of Our Saviour July 27, the Rev. Claire Chia-Lin Wang of the delegation offered a presentation on the history and future goals of the Diocese of Taiwan.
Rev. Wang presents on the history of the Diocese of Taiwan at Church of Our Saviour, San Gabriel
The Episcopal Diocese of Taiwan was officially established in 1954, with support from the U.S. Episcopal Church, initially under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Hawaii, then Bishop Harry S. Kennedy. Taylor’s visit to Taiwan last year with a delegation from the Los Angeles diocese coincided with the Taiwan diocese’s 70th anniversary. The diocese had a second American bishop, and then three Bishops from Hong Kong. In 1988, John C.T. Chien served as the first Taiwanese Bishop in the diocese. Bishop Chang was consecrated in 2020 as the sixth Bishop of Taiwan.
The diocese currently has 10 parishes, five mission congregations, two church plants, and is still growing. “We are finding more places and buildings to invite more people to join us,” Wang said. “We can feel the energy in the diocese that is moving stronger and stronger.”
Wang shared that only around 5 percent of people in Taiwan are Christian, and most people in Taiwan practice regional traditional faiths. Wang said that the diocese reaches out to non-Christians through their ministries and institutions, including preschools and services caring for the elderly, regardless of faith affiliation.
Part of this mission to increase outreach includes partnerships outside of Taiwan, including with the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, with the Anglican provinces in Japan and Hong Kong, and relationships with churches in Malaysia. The diocese is a member of the Council of Churches of East Asia.
Bishops Taylor and Chang celebrate the Eucharist at Church of Our Saviour
Last year, the Diocese of Taiwan hosted the World Anglican Chinese Clergy Fellowship, where Chinese clergy in the Anglican communion gathered for a conference.
Despite challenges spreading Christianity in Taiwan, the diocese is growing, with goals of establishing new parishes, and eventually becoming an independent province.
Speaking to the threat posed by mainland China, Wang said: “The threat from China is everyday. But for us, life’s still going on. People notice, and it’s still there, but we still keep going.”
Bishop Chang gives a sermon at Church of our Saviour
In the following service, at which Bishops Chang and Taylor served as co-celebrants, Chang gave a sermon on the power of prayer, in both English and Mandarin.
“In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus emphasizes the importance of placing complete trust in God with the following purpose: ask and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. Even when all hope seems to lost, God will open his heart to give to us and provide us what we truly need,” Chang said.
The delegation performed a song during the mass, and at the end, Bishop Chang was presented with a handmade stole as a gift from Church of Our Saviour.
Following the service, the delegation and the parish community shared a barbecue lunch prepared by the Rev. Jeffrey Thornberg, rector at Church of Our Saviour. See related blog post here.
In the evening, the delegation was welcomed to the Episcopal Residence, the Pasadena home of Bishop Taylor and Canon Kathy O’Connor, for a fellowship dinner. In addition to the delegation and
The delegation performs a song at Church of Our Saviour
members of the committee that planned the delegation’s visit, the fellowship dinner included special guest Amino C.Y. Chi, director general of Taiwan’s cultural and economic office in Los Angeles. See related blog post here.
After introducing members of the diocese present at the dinner, Taylor spoke of Nixon’s 1972 visit to China, and the need for diplomats in maintain the carefully balanced status quo so everyone can go on living their lives, as well as welcoming Chi. Taylor is a former chief of staff to the 37th president and a past director of the Nixon Library.
From left: Alan Fong and Amino Chi of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of Los Angeles; Canon Kathy O’Connor; Bishop Taylor; Bishop Chang; Hannah Chang
Chi spoke about the work of the Taipei Cultural and Economic Office in Los Angeles: to strengthen relationships with local governments in Southern California and Arizona, to welcome delegations from Taiwan, and to provide services for Taiwanese Americans, such as passport renewals, visas, and document authentication.
Taylor and Chi exchanged gifts, and Chang offered remarks closing the dinner. He thanked Taylor for the hospitality, and thanked all who were involved in planning the visit. He said that the trip was a wonderful chance to learn, especially for nine of the delegates who are students and young adults.
Delegation members perform a dance titled “Better Together”
Other members of the delegation performed a group dance titled “Better Together.” Sheerah Lee introduced the dance: “This song speaks about working together, supporting one another, and showing God’s love in one family. We hope it encouraged all of us here as two dioceses who come together, working side by side for a good purpose.”
On Monday, July 28, the delegation heard presentations from ministries of the Diocese of Los Angeles, featuring The Rev. Dr. Francisco Garcia, on behalf of Sacred Resistance, Steve Trepasso, on behalf of Seeds of Hope, Hilda Sarkisians, on behalf of Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Service (IRIS), Bob Williams, who spoke of interfaith and ecumenical partners and projects at St. Paul’s Commons, and Bishop Taylor, who moderated and spoke about the development of supportive housing on church property in the diocese.
Steve Trepasso presents on Seeds of Hope Programs to the Taiwan delegation
Garcia detailed the rekindling of the Sacred Resistance ministry, including public witness, protests, accompaniment, and raising funds for legal defense of detainees and support of their families. Trapasso shared about the success of Seeds of Hope programming, including studies showing improved health outcomes for participants and continued expansion to new sites. Sarkisians explained IRIS programs, as well as the challenges of continuing programs following loss of funding. Williams highlighted the collaboration of Nefesh, a progressive synagogue, The Immaculate Heart Community, and other interfaith groups and events that are welcomed to St. Paul’s Commons. Taylor told the delegation about the housing projects opened on the campuses of St, Michael’s, Riverside; Blessed Sacrament, Placentia; and St. Joseph’s, Buena Park, as well as other projects in development. Presenters took questions from the delegation, and conversation continued after the formal
presentations concluded.
The delegation, accompanied by Taylor, then visited the Huntington gardens. See related blog post here.
The delegation spent the rest of the day after the conversation on exchange ministry visiting USC and church sites affected by the fires. In the coming days, the delegation will visit the Homeboy headquarters, return to St. John’s Cathedral, and host a community outreach service at St. Thomas’ Church, Hacienda Heights (invitation and more information below) before a farewell dinner on Aug. 3.
See additional posts on the Bishop’s Blog about welcoming the delegation at the airport and the welcome dinner here and here.
Pat McCaughan contributed reporting.