Church of the Good Shepherd (Taipei)

25°05′28.0″N 121°31′03″E

Church of the Good Shepherd
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd
聖公會牧愛堂
Church altar
LocationShilin, Taipei
CountryTaiwan
DenominationEpiscopal
Membership200
Weekly attendance100
Architecture
StyleHokkien architecture
Completed1966
Administration
ProvinceProvince VIII
DioceseTaiwan
Clergy
RectorVen. Keith Lee
Chaplain(s)Rev. Dr. Herbert J. Barker

The Church of the Good Shepherd (Chinese: 牧愛堂; pinyin: Mùàitáng; Wade–Giles: Mu4-ai4 tʽang2) is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Taiwan and is situated in Taipei, Taiwan. Good Shepherd grew from the migration of Chinese who came to Taiwan after World War II; at the Church's height there were sixteen congregations.[1] It had key early support from American military chaplains who held worship services at different locations, including the Taiwan Theological College and Seminary on Yangmingshan. After more than a decade of sponsorship by the US military chaplaincy, the Church was formally founded in 1963 to serve the foreign community in the Taipei area. The first two pastors were Lt. Col. Robert E. Hammerquist and Major Richard S. Craig.[2] The congregation is among the oldest English congregations in Taiwan.

After a series of relocations, in 1965, the Church of the Good Shepherd purchased a plot of land situated at its current premise in Shilin District in which worship services have been held since 1966. Currently the congregation is made of mostly Taiwanese people, but also with a wide mixture of other nationalities. The church is one of the very few Protestant congregations in Taiwan following the liturgical Protestant tradition with choir leading the Chinese services. The controversial historical first House of Bishops Meeting of the Episcopal Church in Asia partly took place in the church between the 17th and 23 September 2014.[3][4]

Community Outreach

The church also runs a historic kindergarten and a community center in its premises, which has received recognition in Taiwan for its practices. The Church's social services, with a focus on disabled and elderly care, are done in cooperation with the Taipei City Government.[5][6][7][8] In 2004 Good Shepherd and the nearby Sinkong Hospital held a symposium on community social work they conduct for the elderly.[9] The church also annually hosts the St Kitts and Nevis independence day celebration visited by high-ranking Taiwan government officials as well as the wider diplomatic community in Taipei.[10][11][12][13] The remembrance activities related to the remembrance day for the World War II allied prisoners of war in Taiwan under Japanese rule are also coordinated with the church.[14][15]

Architecture
Entrance to the Church of Good Shepherd (1999)

The sanctuary and the adjoining traditional Chinese courtyard (siheyuan) was built following traditional Hokkien architecture and designed by Su Hsi Tsung. It is the only church in Taiwan built in this style. This style is extremely rare for church buildings in the world, even in Asian Church architecture. In this architectural style the main hall of the building, traditionally used as a family temple, is located opposite the entrance as is the sanctuary of the Church of the Good Shepherd. A Church of the East cross, as depicted on the Nestorian Stele, hanging above the altar. This reflects the aim of the church ever since its early days to contextualise the Christian faith into Chinese culture.[16]

References
  1. Philip Wickeri, “The Vicissitudes of Anglicanism in China, 1912-present,” in Anthony Milton and William L. Sachs, The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume 5 (Oxford, 2018), 167.
  2. History of the Congregation accessed 2/10/2020
  3. "House of Bishops begins historic meeting in Taiwan". September 17, 2014.
  4. "Why I'm Not Going to Taiwan". Diocese of Springfield. September 8, 2014.
  5. John Y.H. Yieh, “Anglican Social Ministries in East Asia,” in Anthony Milton and William L. Sachs, The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume 5 (Oxford, 2018), 436-437, citing Ju-Hsueh Yen, “A Case Study of Community Care Management of the Church and Good Shepherd in Shilin District,’ Master’s thesis, 2012, Soochow University, p. 1.
  6. "活動紀錄：台北市台灣聖公會牧愛堂聽覺照顧講座 | Psa華科慈善基金會".
  7. "公嬤當志工 為獨居老人送餐也送暖 - 焦點要聞".
  8. "活動紀錄：台北市台灣聖公會牧愛堂聽覺照顧講座". 2018-07-30.
  9. Reflections and Hopes on Care for the Elderly and Food Delivery: Sinkong Hospital and the Church of the Good Shepherd 5th Anniversary Symposium (Taipei: Sinkong Hospital, 2004).
  10. "Church Service held in Taiwan for St Kitts-Nevis' 30th Independence".
  11. "Embassy of Saint Kitts and Nevis in Taiwan hosts Independence activities".
  12. "Students and Nationals of Saint Kitts and Nevis in Taiwan Commemorate 34th Anniversary of Independence". SKN PULSE. September 28, 2017.
  13. "Soul-moving church service in Taipei celebrates Federation's Independence". September 25, 2018.
  14. "Never Forgotten ::THE KINKASEKI MEMORIAL DEDICATION". www.taiwanpow.org.
  15. http://www.taiwanpow.org/The%20Society/Newsletters/Kinkaseki%20Newsletter%20-%2099-Comb.pdf
  16. Haigo Shen and Partners: MAS VI—Selected and Current Works. Master Architect Series. Images Publishing Group. 2006. p. 8. ISBN 978-1876907334.
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