The PCT is delighted to launch the Taiwan Ecumenical Forum for Justice and Peace (TEF). The first meeting of the Steering Group met in Taipei from 22 to 23, February. In his welcome address, Rev. Lyim Hong-Tiong, the PCT General Secretary, said that the occasion was most timely due to the growing international isolation of Taiwan. However, he said that the PCT being a church organization, TEF is not only to address the isolation of our people. It goes to the heart of ecumenism, bringing to life our common affirmation that we are members of one body living in the household of God, built on living stones (I Peter 2:5).
He went on to say that TEF seeks justice for the people of Taiwan in the face of external oppression and exclusion from participation in the international community. Due to the heightened military and diplomatic tensions, urgent issues of security and peace, are at stake, in North East Asia and in the world. He quoted the WCC 1983 Vancouver Assembly Statement which said, “The ecumenical approach to peace and justice is based on the belief that without justice for all everywhere we shall never have peace anywhere.”
He expressed the hope that TEF will provide a significant contribution to the WCC pilgrimage for justice and peace in East Asia.
The co-conveners of the SG, Rev. Collin Cowan and Rev. Chris Ferguson also expressed their welcome to the participants, thanking the PCT for hosting the first meeting of the SG. They saw it to be their privilege to serve as conveners and that their expectation was that the SG would begin a process to claimownership of the TEF as ecumenical partners in order to accompany successfully the life and witness of the PCT in Taiwan.
The Steering Group received a report from the PCT that the United Reformed Church and Mission 21 had agreed to be members of the Steering Group but were unable to send a representative to the first meeting. The CCA will make a decision regarding its participation in TEF at its Executive Committee meeting in July 2018.
The Steering Group made the following decisions:
1. The first Forum will take place in Taipei from November 27 to December 1 (arrival and departure inclusive).
2. The youth will be an integral part of the Forum.
3. The theme of the Forum meeting will be “Journeying together in justice and peace.”
4. A second SG meeting will take place between mid-July and mid-September in order to further prepare the full Forum meeting.
5. The SG will be strengthened by participants from the Philippines.
6. The Steering Group revised the Terms of Reference. They will be approved at the second SG meeting.
Steering Group Participants
Co-Conveners:
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ferguson, General Secretary, World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC)
Rev. Dr. Collin Cowan, General Secretary, Council for World Mission (CWM)
SG Members:
Berlin Missionswerk (BMW), Rev. Dr. Christof Theilemann, East Asia Secretary,
Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC), Rev. Glynis Williams, Associate Secretary, International Ministries
Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK), Rev. Dr. PARK Sungkook, Executive Secretary, Partnership & Ecumenical Relations
United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ), Rev. Makoto Kato, Executive Secretary for Ecumenical Ministries
World Student Christian Federation (WSCF), Ms. Sunita Suna, Regional Secretary/Asia Pacific
PCT, Prof Victor Hsu, Advisor
Rev. Joshua Lian, PCT Programme Secretary for Ecumenical Relations
Rev. Sudu Tada, PCT Programme Secretary for Indigenous Ministries (education and ecumenical)
Mrs. Nancy Lin (Cheng Ming-Min), Member of PCT Ecumenical Relations Committee
Other Participants:
Rev. Lyim Hong Tiong, PCT General Secretary
Rev. Tsai Nan-Hsin, PCT Associate General Secretary
Rev. Dr. Cheng Yang-En (Tin Giong-Un), Professor, Taiwan Theological College and Seminary; WCC Central Committee Member
Rev. Dr. Chng Hau-Sheng – Member of PCT Ecumenical Relations Committee and PCT Evangelism Committee
Evangelist Li U-Peng, Assistant Researcher, PCT Research and Development Centre
Ms. Carys Humphreys, Administrative Assistant to PCT General Secretary
Ms. Lin Wan-Jou, Assistant to PCT Ecumenical Relations
Ms Tan I-Teng (Rachel Chen), PCT Information Centre
The PCT has set up social media for TEF for those interested in joining and looking for information:
1. Facebook: PCT Ecumenical News
2. http://english.pct.org.tw/tef
2018/3/2
台灣基督長老教會（PCT）樂見台灣普世論壇（Taiwan Ecumenical Forum, TEF）正式啟動，首次執行小組（Steering Group）會議已於2/22至23號在台北召開。PCT總幹事林芳仲牧師在歡迎致詞中表示，有鑒於台灣國際地位日趨孤立，此論壇推動的時機點恰好順應時勢。作為一個教會機構，PCT在推動TEF時，不只為了處理台灣人民遭受孤立的困境，更是秉持普世精神、活出確信，因我們在上帝的家中成為共同的肢體，建基在基督這活石上（彼得前書 2:5）。
他表示在面對外來打壓及不得參與國際團體的境況下，TEF意在尋求台灣人民的公義。由於軍事及政治緊張局勢日漸高漲，東北亞及全世界的和平安全問題正值危急當頭。他引用1983年在溫哥華舉辦的普世教協（WCC）大會中的聲明說道：普世追求和平與公義的信仰基礎在於「若非公義遍及全地萬民，我們就不能宣稱已享太平。」
他期望TEF對於WCC在東亞的「公義與和平朝聖之旅」能有顯著貢獻。
執行小組的共同召集人Collin Cowan牧師及Chris Ferguson牧師也在會中表達歡迎所有的參與者，也感謝PCT舉行第一次執行小組會議。他們很榮幸能擔任執行小組的召集人，並期許執行小組能漸漸以普世夥伴的角色主導TEF的議程，以便陪伴PCT在台灣活出美好的生命與見證。
執行小組也從PCT得知英國聯合歸正教會（URC）及Mission 21雖未能參與第一次執行小組會議，但他們都同意成為執行小組的成員。至於亞洲教協（CCA）將於七月執委會當中決定該會如何參與TEF。
以下為此次執行小組會議的決議：
1. 第一次台灣普世論壇將於11/27至12/1號（含抵達及回程）於台北召開。
2. 青年是台灣普世論壇中不可或缺的一員。
3. 台灣普世論壇的主題是「在追求公義與和平的路上同行」。
4. 為能進一步預備台灣普世論壇，第二次執行小組會議將於七月中至九月中擇期召開。
5. 菲律賓聯合基督教會的參與將使執行小組更為堅實。
6. 執行小組修訂了「職權範圍」的內容，並將於第二次執行小組會議中接納此提案。
執行小組組成
共同召集人：
Christopher Ferguson牧師，普世改革宗教會聯盟（WCRC）總幹事
Collin Cowan牧師，世界傳道會（CWM）總幹事
執行小組成員：
Christof Theilemann牧師，柏林差會（BM）東亞幹事
Glynis Williams牧師，加拿大長老教會（PCC）國際事工助理總幹事
Park Sungkook牧師，韓國基督教長老會（PROK）普世幹事（PCK&PROK）
Makoto Kato牧師，日本基督教團（UCCJ）普世宣教執行幹事
Sunita Suna女士，世界基督徒學生聯盟（WSCF）亞太幹事
徐望志教授，顧問
連振翔牧師，普世幹事
鄭明敏老師，普世委員
Sudu Tada牧師，原宣教育及普世幹事
其他列席者：
林芳仲牧師，總幹事
蔡南信牧師，助理總幹事
鄭仰恩牧師，台灣神學院教授，WCC中央委員
莊孝盛牧師，竹塘教會牧師
李宇平傳道師，助理研究員，研究與發展中心
韓麗絲宣教師，總幹事英文秘書
林宛柔小姐，普世關係助理
陳怡婷小姐，資訊中心
PCT建立了TEF相關的社群媒體如下，歡迎想要知道更多資訊者使用：
1. 臉書專頁：PCT Ecumenical News
2. 中英網站：http://english.pct.org.tw/tef