Contact: Linda Green • (615)742-5470 • Nashville, Tenn.
A national gathering of Chinese-American leaders in the United Methodist Church represents a step toward reaching out to the 3 million Chinese Americans in the United States today, many of whom are "unchurched," according to a denomination official.
"There are many resourceful leaders, both laity and clergy, in the Chinese-American community who are concerned about reaching the Chinese Americans in their midst who do not attend any church," said Kil Sang Yoon, a director in the Division of Ordained Ministry at the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry in Nashville.
"This event brought them closer together and helped them focus on their goal of sharing the Gospel within their community," Yoon said.
The July 21-24 event in Arcadia, Calif., brought more than 90 pastors and lay leaders together to worship, pray and focus on the theme of "Reaching Chinese Americans for Jesus in the 21st Century."
"Chinese Americans have been a part of the people called Methodists since 1866, when they first gathered for Bible study in Sacramento, Calif.," said the Rev. Lee-Lee Tan Castor, chairwoman of the National Committee of Chinese American Ministries. "Today, Chinese Americans are a vital part of the national scene, leading productive lives in every major city of the United States. The gathering was a wake-up call to claim Jesus' Great Commission to be witnesses of the Gospel, (and) participants were challenged and given the opportunity to ponder the words of Scripture and to claim the tremendous responsibilities of discipleship."
The National Committee of Chinese American Ministries is part of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries' outreach work. The board has funds to help Chinese Americans develop plans to reach out to other Chinese Americans.
Matthew Chong, newly elected chairman of the National Chinese Caucus, said the event was an opportunity for clergy and laity to see they had common goals and visions for reaching out to Chinese Americans.
"The event challenges us to develop ways to recruit Chinese pastors and also strategies for congregational development," he said. "It brings excitement and hope to the Chinese leadership to see what God is going to accomplish in us and through us as we step into a new millennium."
"I was blessed by the presence of the Spirit of God as we gathered as Chinese lay and clergy to learn and celebrate our togetherness in our mission and ministries," said Mamie Koh, former chair of the caucus. I saw the uplifting of our people in our spirit and our unity. I felt that the Chinese people of The United Methodist Church are really coming together in a common bond to serve and give glory to our God."
The National Chinese Caucus is the volunteer organization of Chinese-American United Methodists to promote their needs within the connection.
Yoon and James Law, former chair of the NCCAM and pastor of Chinese United Methodist Church in Manhattan, N.Y., began discussing ways to reach out to Chinese Americans in 1997. The first consultation was held last January in Los Angeles.
"The first mission to the Chinese by the Methodist Episcopal Church was 150 years ago," Law said. "Now there are only 22 Chinese United Methodist churches in the U.S. The Chinese people constitute a great mission field, and this gathering was a turning point for us."
Chong said the Chinese American leadership gathering adopted the following goals:
"These are the dreams and visions before us after the event," Chong said. "May God empower the clergy and the laity in the Chinese United Methodist churches to join hands and hearts together for the fulfillment of these visions."
The above article was adapted from a release by Kathy Gilbert, staff member in the Office of Interpretation at the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, Nashville, Tenn.
August 31, 1999