In This Issue
1) Vision in Rome
2) The Many FACCES Of Our Work
3) Home Again
4) Praise & Prayer
5) Financial Support
European Chinese Churches Pastoral Conference & Collaborations
Rome, October 2018
More than 180 pastors and lay leaders gathered in Rome, Italy, for fellowship and prayer, with keynote speakers from Malaysia and Taiwan exploring “God’s Call and My Commitment.”
Dycke had the privilege of meeting new co-workers and renewing old friendships, such as with Pastor Xuan Jun (serving in Spain). Back in 2011 when we both met for the first time, Pastor Xuan accepted our invitation to join a mission outreach and church-planting trip to Tangiers, Morocco, in North Africa (just a two-hour ferry ride from Tarifa, at the southern tip of Spain).
Since his first trip with me to Rabat and Casablanca, Pastor Xuan and his church in Cordoba, Spain, have been assisting the new church plant established in Casablanca (2014). Currently, there are 25 adults attending Sunday Worship (held at rented Anglican Church).
God is using this Moroccan church base as a strategic light to do outreach and discipleship. Pastor Xuan and the Cordoba Chinese church also run a Spanish government licensed Charitable Centre/Food Bank in their city – to provide spiritual support and to feed 200+ breakfasts to Spanish underprivileged locals.
FACCES Symposium
Amsterdam, October 2017
What do you get when you put a bunch of leaders of Alliance churches in a room? A vision for reaching out beyond their congregations. That is one of the reasons for the October conference in Rome and for the creation of FACCES.
In the past 50 years an unprecedented number of Chinese people have migrated to Europe. The first wave came from Hong Kong to London and from Southeast Asia to Paris. Immigration from Hong Kong accelerated as the 1997 return of Hong Kong to China approached. Liberalization of China’s emigration policy in the 1990s brought thousands more to other parts of Europe, such as Germany, Spain, and Italy.
By 2010, the estimated number of Chinese in Europe was 1.7 million, mostly not Christians. Efforts by Christians to reach out have resulted in conversions; and today, it is estimated that there are 350 Chinese churches in Europe (120 in England alone).
In 1996, there were four Chinese Alliance churches in Europe: two in Paris and one each in London and Manchester. By 2014, there were 27, spread mainly throughout England, France, Holland, Germany, and Spain. The rapid growth is by the grace of God and, in part, as a result of generous support from Alliance churches in Hong Kong, the US and Canada.
This rapid church growth has not been without problems. Chinese churches in Europe are relatively isolated from each other. When they have challenges, such as cultural or language barriers, they benefit from outside assistance. Many pastoral workers also feel the stress of being isolated as if fighting alone. As a result of these factors, many Chinese churches develop very slowly.
Recognizing these problems, Chinese Alliance ministry workers in Europe came together in Europe-wide conferences aiming to find solutions. These led to the formation of the Fellowship of Alliance Chinese Churches in Europe and Surroundings (FACCES).
The models for this FACCES fellowship are CCACA (Canadian Chinese Alliance Churches Association); AVAC (Association of Vietnamese Alliance Churches in Canada); CAWF (Chinese Alliance World Fellowship);and FECMH (Fédération des Églises Chrétiennes Missionnaires Hmong).
FACCES goals are to:
a) Increase mutual caring among churches;
b) Support leaders;
c) Promote cooperation in missions and church planting; and
d) Develop work among the second generation of Chinese European Christians.
Our role with FACCES, as international workers, is as facilitators and resource people, on topics from church planting to children’s ministries to pastoral care. Our job is to ensure that no pastor or church feels alone but instead is part of a larger mission-minded organizational family, the Christian and Missionary Alliance. It is a challenging task, but with your prayers and support we are able to minister to those who are leading the spread of the gospel among the diaspora in Europe.
Home Assignment
Toronto, August 2018
It used to be that International Workers were only able to return to their sending countries every five years (or longer) – when we first left Canada to France back in 1996, we did not return until six years later. In between, we relied on fax machines to send you our news! Today, it is a privilege to be living when the distances seem shorter and we can return to Canada more frequently and communicate instantaneously. …
Yet there are still the challenges of living and serving overseas: It’s never easy to pick up and leave one place for another, especially with children. Lots of planning. Tons of logistics to find a place to stay and a car to get around. And what’s life without the administrative matters to take care of? Renewing visas and passports …Our time in Canada always whizzes by! This year we weren’t able to see as many of you as we had hoped; and those that we did cross paths with, alas, the time was too sweet and too short.
This August, our daughters, Noelle and Pascale, had an opportunity to start guitar lessons with Gary Cheung, a lay leader at the Simpson Chinese Alliance Church. We are also so grateful to Edmond Wu (Scarborough Chinese Alliance North Campus Church 仕宣北堂) and Matt Ho (Simpson Chinese Alliance Church 宣信堂) who so kindly gifted two guitars for Noelle and Pascale to practice on. [Photo: Gary, Noelle and Pascale – leading singspiration time at a Missions Sharing Night.]
Praise & Prayer
1) Praise God for the rich time we had this summer in Canada, connecting with churches, friends, and family. It was great to connect with you, and share what God is doing here in Europe. We are blessed to have you partner with us – through your prayers, financial giving, or coming alongside us, to either serve on a short-term-mission-team, or at-a-distance (e.g. on projects such as the translation of documents, the design of our newsletters & websites, etc.).
2) Please pray for all those pastors and lay leaders from FACCES who minister in the diaspora churches across Europe and the surrounding areas. Pray for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit, that they would be renewed as they continue to serve their congregations and neighbors. Pray also for the FACCES Committee as they draft proposals for the next 1-3 years, and plan for the upcoming FACCES Symposium (time and place in 2019 to be confirmed).
3) Please pray for Sister Fanny Jiu who formerly served in Senegal. Fanny was recently diagnosed with cancer and is now recuperating in Hong Kong following major surgery. Since she is required to retire from overseas work, the Senegal AGS (Alliance Global Serve) Team needs extra wisdom and guidance to follow-up on Fanny’s amazing ministries among village children.
Financial Support
We are so grateful to those of you who have chosen to invest financially in this work. The Lord has provided for us through you.
If you wish to make a donation, you can:
Send a cheque written out to the Christian and Missionary Alliance (designated: “Work of Dycke and Karyne”). Send it to The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada,7560 Airport Road, Unit 10, Mississauga, ON L4T 4H4
Or
Donate online at: cmacan.org. Go to the website. Click <Donate>. Scroll down to <International Workers>, click on <Silk Road>. Then enter your contact information, select <Dick and Karin> (we are changing our online names to Dycke and Karyne, but the webpage is not yet updated) and the desired fund from the drop down menu below our names.
The Work Fund is directly used towards the specific ministries we undertake in France and elsewhere, including India and Senegal.
If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].
If you have questions about how to donate, you can send us an email or contact the C&MA Canada by phone: (416) 674-7878 or email: [email protected].