ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 5, 2007  

'Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship' Now Available
07-122-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship" is a
new bilingual worship book for members of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Developed by ELCA Chinese
pastors, worship leaders and others, the worship book is designed
to offer flexibility in worship planning that encourages a common
yet diverse core of worship and prayer.
     This is the first Chinese-English worship resource in the
ELCA, said the Rev. Pongsak Limthongviratn, director for Asian
and Pacific Islander ministries, ELCA Multicultural Ministries.
He said the worship book was created with an understanding of the
cultural diversity and varying worship needs in the Lutheran
Asian community.
     Contents of the Chinese Lutheran Book Worship include
services of Holy Communion, Holy Baptism, Affirmation of Baptism,
marriage, funeral and more.  The resource also contains prayers
for various occasions such as adoption of a child and "those
leaving" -- students, military personal and immigrants.
     English and Mandarin are printed on facing pages of the
hardcover book.  Accompanying the book is a CD-ROM, which
contains the entire contents of the book in English, traditional
Chinese and simplified Chinese character text files for editing
in desktop publishing software to produce church bulletins or
projections.
     Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship is available through
Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the ELCA.  Taosheng
Publishing House, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Hong Kong (ELCHK), took part in the production
and printing of the worship book.  The ELCHK was established in
1954.  It has more than 14,500 members in 51 congregations across
Hong Kong.
     With generations worshipping together in a multitude of
languages, "bilingual materials are urgently needed," said the
Rev. Hansel Lo, Chinese Lutheran Church, San Francisco, Calif.
"Chinese Lutheran congregations consist of many family units.  It
has become common to have three generations from the same family
worshipping together."  Lo served as the Chinese language editor
and leader of the editorial team for the Chinese Lutheran Book of
Worship.
     In addition to ministering primarily to new Chinese-speaking
immigrants from Asia, many Chinese congregations are also working
"to meet the needs of the growing number of American-born
Chinese," said Lo.  "In order to reach out to the non-Christian
communities some Chinese Lutheran congregations use a more
contemporary, visitor-friendly worship while retaining the
central elements of the Lutheran rites," he said.
     "The Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship comes to us as a great
blessing.  It provides common patterns for the liturgy to
encourage unity, while allowing for good use of the freedom and
flexibility to meet the needs in local settings.  In addition to
worship materials widely used in Chinese Lutheran congregations,
the Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship also provides congregations
with some new rites and new prayers taken from the wider church
and our ecumenical partners," said Lo.
     Congregations are being challenged to rethink and reevaluate
worship so that there is a good balance between Word and
Sacraments in their worship life, said Lo.  "Active participation
and lay leadership are always encouraged and implemented in
Chinese congregations.  The Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship is
an essential tool for training and worship planning.  Bilingual
materials are always needed as Chinese Lutheran congregations
continue to seek creative ways to meet the spiritual needs of
their diverse membership.  The Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship
is certainly an important beginning in this endeavor," he said.
     "Chinese Lutherans seek flexibility, contemporary choices,"
said Limthongviratn.  "We encourage people to have at least some
formal liturgy, a unified liturgy for Lutheran Chinese
congregations."
     The Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship does not contain hymns
or suggested music for congregations to use during worship as
other ELCA worship resources do, he said.
     "There are different Chinese dialects like Mandarin,
Cantonese and Taiwanese.  Words may have similar meanings but may
be pronounced differently.  Some hymns may be good for singing in
Mandarin but (may not serve well) for singing in Cantonese, not
to mention Taiwanese," said Limthongviratn.  "The pronunciation
may be awkward."
     Limthongviratn said a Chinese-English songbook to supplement
the Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship is now in production.  The
songbook is being published by Augsburg Fortress and Taosheng.
It will also serve as a supplement to the ELCHK's hymnal, "Hymns
of Praise."

ELCA Asian, Pacific Islander Ministries Growing
     Limthongviratn began his work at the ELCA churchwide office
10 years ago.  "At that time we had about 55 (ELCA) Asian and
Pacific Islander ministries and congregations, ranging from small
to large, across the country," he said.
     The number of Asian and Pacific Islander ministries now has
"more than doubled."  Within those 10 years, ministry among
"second-generation Asian Lutherans" has grown and the ELCA
Association for Asian and Pacific Islanders has changed its
direction to welcome all Asian and Pacific Islanders, he said.
     "The association is open to everyone -- children, visitors
and others.  We've also organized ourselves into 13 caucuses to
better meet our diversity needs.  There are Chinese, Korean,
Japanese, Pilipino, Indonesian, Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese,
Hmong, Cambodian, Laotian, South Asian and second-generation
Asians and Pacific Islanders," he said.  "A lot has happened in
the Asian Lutheran community, and I'm sure we're on the right
track. God is at work."
     Limthongviratn attributes the growth of Asian congregations
to support from the ELCA, the work of the ELCA Asian and Pacific
Islander Ministry Strategy, Asian people from "the grassroots"
and to opportunity.
     "There were many independent Asian and Pacific Islander
churches that wanted to join the ELCA.  They contacted us, and we
met and spoke with them," said Limthongviratn.  About 17 percent
of ELCA Asian and Pacific Islander ministries that joined the
church were from non-Lutheran backgrounds -- an "opportunity," he
said.
     "When Asians talk to one another we don't first ask, 'Are
you Lutheran?'  We ask, 'Are you Christian?' or 'Are you
Buddhist?'  Many Asians share that kind of mind-set," he said.
     Asian congregations seeking membership in the ELCA are
"attracted to the fact that the church is the fifth largest
Protestant church body in the United States.  They know there is
some kind of benefit to an identity.  And, they are not primarily
seeking monetary support but moral support," said Limthongviratn.
     Limthongviratn said non-Lutheran Asian congregations are
especially focusing on "care for the second-generation, otherwise
we'll lose our children."  He said these congregations are
attracted to the ELCA's ministries for children.
     "My role at the churchwide office is to support Asian
ministries.  Many times I have to work with mission directors and
others, particularly in (considering) proposals to start new
ministries or congregations.  As caucuses bring forth a proposal,
we discuss it together in the community, and it happens fast.  I
can't believe how fast it happens.  Amazing things are happening
in the Asian community," said Limthongviratn.
- - -
     Information about Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship is at
http://www.ELCA.org/worship/CLBW.html and information about ELCA
Asian and Pacific Islanders Ministries is available at
http://www.ELCA.org/multicultural/APIindex.html on the ELCA Web
site.  Information about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hong
Kong is at http://www.elchk.org.hk/english/english.htm on the
Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog