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Third Asia Consultation Looks at Future Ministry
BANGALORE, INDIA (January 22, 2003) - Thirty representatives of Evangelical
Covenant churches from six countries participated in the third Asia
Evangelical Covenant Church Consultation, which was held in Bangalore from
January 14-19 at India For Christ Ministries Covenant Church (IFCM).
Representatives from Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos and
India participated in the sessions, which centered on mission ministries,
according to David Husby, Asia regional coordinator for the Department of
World Mission. The IFCM welcomed the representatives by singing songs from
several language groups during the opening ceremony. A delegation from
Thailand and Laos led worship that evening. The service ended with a string
tying ceremony, which in the Thailand Covenant Church symbolizes love for
one another and bonding in Jesus Christ.
There were several region reports given during the first two days of
meetings as groups shared their dreams for future ministry. The Thailand
and Laos delegations reported on the sending last summer of a missionary by
the Thailand Covenant Church to work with the Covenant ministry in Laos. On
January 16 and 17, the group divided into two teams and visited several
Indian villages where IFCM has been doing mission work.
On January 18, much of the conversation focused on how to cooperate in
mission throughout Asia, said Husby. Taiwan Covenant Church representatives
reported that during the previous few days they had been in discussion with
Covenant churches in the Philippines, Thailand and India about sending
short-term teams beginning in 2004. The Japanese expressed their desire to
send workers to nearby countries with growing
populations of Japanese expatriates. Participants also considered creating
a joint fund for fostering new cooperative mission ventures.
Pastor Masami Katsumoto, the chair of the Japan Covenant Church, said he
was impressed with the week's events. "It is wonderful for us to be able to
meet together like this because of the fellowship and sharing of
information and ideas," Katsumoto said. "But the most important thing we
can do is to take concrete steps to cooperate with each other in mission in
Asia."
On Sunday as nearly 1,000 people gathered for worship at the IFCM facility,
Husby said 40 people were baptized and several people shared stories about
their experience during the week in India. Pastor Vernon Wu, national
missions chair of the Taiwan Covenant Church, gave his support to future
efforts, saying that his church is committed to working together in mission
with the other Covenant churches in Asia.
The Asia Covenant Church's regional consultations began in October 1999 in
Udon Thani, Thailand, as participants focused on church planting. A second
consultation, held in Tokyo in 2001 to coincide with the 50th anniversary
of the Japan Covenant Church, centered on training aspects of ministry.
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