The 2008 Taste of Seminary Leadership Seminar in Chicago

The 2008 Taste of Seminary Leadership Seminar of the AADVENT Project, a week-long seminary immersion experience, will be held at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois on July 5-12, 2008. This seminar is designed for Asian American young adults who are interested in in-depth explorations into faith and mission.

What: Taste of Seminary Seminar

When: July 5 – 12, 2008

Where: McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago

Who: For Asian American Christian young adults wanting an experience of seminary classes, a diverse faith community, interfaith encounter, and exposure to different Chicago-area ministries… to further discern their Christian vocation.

How much: If your application is accepted, AADVENT covers all travel, housing, and program costs. You get a cool water bottle, too!

Comments about Taste from last year’s participants:

- The class time was great in that it gave us a space to think about the broader issues surrounding identity, class, race, theology, etc. The small group time was similar but it was a more intimate and personal space.

- I really enjoyed small group times since it allowed me to actively reflect on the events of each day to see what God was doing. I also enjoyed the “practical theology” and “interstitial integrity” discussions so much.

This year’s faculty includes:

Biblical Studies: Rev. Dr. Frank Yamada (Seabury-Western Theological Seminary) and Dr. Jae Won Lee (McCormick)

Asian Americans and History: Rev. Dr. David Daniels (McCormick) and Dr. David K. Yoo (Claremont McKenna College)

Theology: Rev. Dr. Anna Case-Winters (McCormick) and TBD

Ministry: Rev. Dr. Calvin Chinn and Rev. Dr. Jennifer Ayres (McCormick)

DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE HERE: Taste Brochure

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM at http://www.aadvent.org/taste.html

Due by May 15 (early decision) or June 15 (very last day!)

Women’s Conference 2008 in San Francisco

Revs. Daniel Yee, Damon Au, and the women of Cornerstone Trinity Baptist Church (San Francisco) cordially invite you to join the 2008 Women’s conference on Saturday, April 5, 2008. The theme is “Hope: Our Secret Strength” and the speaker will be Lisa Wong, the wife of Rev. Bruce Wong of Cumberland Peninsula Community Church. A mother of two grown twin daughters, she brings over thirty years experience inspiring Christian women with God’s word. For more information, contact Catherine Lee, Women’s Conference Coordinator at 415-297-6496 (or email) and to register on-line go to cornerstonetrinity.org/womensconference

Global Day of Prayer for Burma (Sunday, Mar. 9th, 2008) – from Duane and Marcia Binkley

Greetings,

We wanted to make sure everyone knows that this Sunday, March 9th, is the Global Day of Prayer for Burma, an annual event started by Christians Concerned for Burma (www.prayforburma.org). If you would like to see this year’s promotional brochure for the day, it is available on line at:

http://www.prayforburma.org/IDX/Prayer/Day_of_Prayer/2008/DayofPrayer2008.pdf

Many of you know that we recently returned from Thailand and visiting some of the refugee camps and organizations involved with resettlement from on that side. We were informed that during this fiscal year (ending September 30, 2008) that the goal is to resettle 17,000 more Karen from the camps in Thailand and Chin from Malaysia. Resettlement is still open to the Tham Hin camp and continues from the Mae La camp as well. This year, people in the Umpiem and Nu Pho camps are also being offered the chance for resettlement. Next fiscal year (2008 – 09) the plan is to make resettlement available to the two Karenni camps and the Karen camps of Mae La Oon and Mae La Ma Luang. Presumably then, resettlement will then be offered in the final camp of Don Yang in the following year.

So the influx of Karen and Chin is still just beginning. Cities with existing Karen or Chin communities will likely see more people added. Other cities with no current Karen or Chin population are getting ready to recieve their first refugees from Burma. Erie, Pennsylvania for example, has received word they will be getting their first Karen this month. In places like Dumas, TX, Worthington, MN, and Huron, SD factories, particularly meat packing plants, are moving large numbers of Karen and others to new communities as they need workers. So new communities are popping up in this way as well. So please be in prayer for all of these people in transition and the people and churches that are involved as well.

Meanwhile, back in Burma, the army continues to attack unarmed Karen, Karenni, Shan and other villages. Hundreds of thousands continue to live in hiding inside Burma. In the refugee camps, the people are relatively safe, but have no future. So they face the very difficult decision of whether to resettle in another country or remain where they are and hope for some kind of change. Meanwhile, it is the better educated and better trained that generally take up the offer for resettlement first. So already, even though just a small percentage of the total camp population has left for resettlement, 70% of the teachers, camp workers and staff of the refugee organizations working in the camps have already gone.

So the other point to remember in prayer is that the situation inside Burma that creates the need for resettlement remains unchanged and more refugees are generated every day. We also need to pray for those remianing in the camps and give them wisdom and guidance as they decide whether to go to another country or not.

The needs are great and beyond what any one of us can do. But they are not beyond what God can do. So on the Global Day of Prayer for Burma and every other day as well, we encourage you to be in prayer for the people of Burma here in the US, in Burma, in the camps and in other countries around the world.

Blessings,
Duane & Marcia Binkley
American Baptist Missionaries

Three Bay Area Chinese church leadership events in April 2008!

Saturday, April 12

Pastor Johnson Chiu’s D.Min. Dissertation Presentation:

“A Strategy for First and Second Generation Chinese Churches and Pastors to Clarify Cultural and Spiritual Perspectives During the Candidating Process”

Saturday, April 12, 2008, 10 am – 12 noon (with lunch following)

Hope Evangelical Free Church
2701 Noriega Street, San Francisco, CA 94122 (corner of 34th)

“As part of the graduation requirements for the Doctor of Ministry program through Western Seminary, I will be presenting my dissertation on Saturday, April 12, 2008. The dissertation surveys 13 of the largest Chinese churches in the Bay Area, including data from 51 pastors. A Chinese Church Ministry Model focusing on key cultural and biblical issues will also be presented. Diagnostic and candidating/interviewing tools have been produced for search committees, church boards, leadership teams and prospective pastors. I look forward to sharing with fellow pastors, church leaders and lay leaders who have a passion for God and His church. Though this dissertation is specific to the 13 Churches in the study, it has direct applications to Chinese and bicultural churches in general. The findings may be especially helpful to current seminarians, churches seeking pastors and Asian churches as well. Please feel free to come, bring interested staff and leaders.”

RSVP or contact Johnson Chiu at this email or call (925) 548-3762 (cell) or (925) 361-0310 (church)

n.b. ISAAC Executive Director, Tim Tseng, served as advisor for Johnson’s D.Min. dissertation.

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Saturday, April 19

Pastor Ken Carlson D.Min. Dissertation Presentation:

“Effective English Ministry in Chinese Churches”

Saturday April 19, 2008 (10 a.m. to noon, Light refreshments will be served)

Chinese for Christ Church
2715 Prince St., Berkeley, CA

“My D.Min. dissertation on the topic of effective English ministry in bilingual Chinese churches. I will be giving a public presentation of my research results, followed by a time for Q&A. My study focuses on ’second wave’ Chinese immigrant churches, which are the majority of Chinese churches in the U.S. The study explores the stages of development of the English Ministry a typical Chinese immigrant church and the steps that are necessary to help the EM to grow to maturity. Two topics that receive special attention are (1) leadership development, along with leadership structure, and (2) ethnic identity and its influence on the decisions of ABC adults about whether or not to attend a Chinese church. If you want more information on what I have been thinking about this topic, you could look at the series of articles that I wrote on my blog about ministry in the Chinese church. The presentation is open to anyone who is interested in attending. Feel free to bring any of your staff or co-workers who might be interested.”

RSVP Ken Carlson at this email address link.

n.b. ISAAC Board member, Russell Moy, served as advisor for Ken’s D.Min. dissertation.

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Saturday, April 26

Consultation for South Bay Chinese Churches
Covering Chinese churches in Santa Clara County (Palo Alto, Los Altos, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Saratoga, Campbell, San Jose, & Milpitas)

Saturday, April 26, 2008, 9:30- 3:30

On the Campus of Overseas Theological Seminary
2116 Newport Ave., San Jose, California 95126
(Sessions in Cantonese, Mandarin, & English)

CLICK THIS LINK FOR MORE DETAILS