文◎此篇禮儀文,是由十幾位參加總會婦女事工九十週年慶典的外賓共同撰寫,並在文化之夜中宣讀。
譯◎胡宏志牧師
Ruth:在這禮儀當中,我們記得那些對上帝忠實的婦女。我們記得舊約聖經的婦女、福音書中的婦女、初代教會的婦女,以及在我們現今教會當中,忠實回應上帝呼召的婦女。當我們慶祝在主裡面的多元文化時,我們感謝過去和現在的她們。
Elinor:我們走在莎拉的隊伍當中;雖然她看見事實的真相,但是她信任上帝的應許。
Sarah:我們走在底波拉的隊伍當中,她以權柄和能力審判以色列人。
Joan:我們走在以斯帖的隊伍當中,她以其職位確保她百姓的福祉。
Betty:我們走在馬利亞的隊伍當中,她以上帝奴婢的身分向祂說:「是」,並且懷了祂的獨生子。
Kay:我們走在患血漏女子的隊伍當中,她勇敢地尋求醫治及解放。
Susan:我們走在馬利亞的隊伍當中,她選擇坐在其拉比的腳邊。
Wilma:我們走在匿名婦女的隊伍當中,她們資助耶穌和門徒的事工,也跟隨那位拉比。
Ruth:我們走在井邊婦女的隊伍當中,她勇敢地分享福音的好消息,給那些排斥她的人們。
Joan:我們走在抹大拉馬利亞的隊伍當中,她在墓旁哭泣,直到她復活的主出現。
Betsy:我們走在弗比的隊伍當中,她在羅馬帝國當中,領導一所初代教會。
Nerys:我們走在15歲Mari Jones的隊伍當中,她將存6年的零錢,並走了26里路,向Thomas Charles買了一本聖經。她的行動使他深受感動,啟發他成立英國及海外的聖經公會。
Joy:我們走在Isabel Taylor(德明利姑娘)的隊伍當中,她是加拿大長老教會的宣教師。她在台灣服事超過40年,是淡江女學及淡江中學的音樂老師。她將音樂帶進教會,並且藉著詩班、鋼琴和樂器來鼓勵會友。她和其他人如Margaret Gould(吳威廉牧師娘),編撰早期的台灣聖詩集。台灣基督長老教會從那時直到現在,被稱為「歌唱的教會」。
Betsy:我們走在Sarah Foster Hanna的隊伍當中,她在200多年前說話,建立美國第一個長老教會婦女的國家組織。
Mary:我們走在Jane Haining的隊伍當中,她出生於蘇格蘭西南方的Dunscore。她是位宣教師,也是匈牙利布達佩斯猶大兒童的母親。第二次世界大戰時,當她的孩子被遣送至Auschwitz集中營時,她選擇和孩子們一起。她死在那裡。她說:「在陽光的日子,我和他們一起;在下雨的日子,我怎能離棄他們?」
Christina:我們走在Judy Estell的隊伍當中,她是美國歸正教會派在台灣基督長老教會的宣教師。當她在家裡、監獄和玉山神學院教授英文時,她分享上帝的愛。
Jane:我們走在Constance Coleman的隊伍當中,她於1917年的倫敦封牧,是第一位被英格蘭公理宗教會封立的女性。英格蘭公理宗教會,是現今聯合歸正教會的一部分。
全體:我們走在台灣基督長老教會婦女,以及全世界的婦女的隊伍當中。
Ruth : In this liturgy, we will be remembering women who have been faithful to God: we shall remember women from the Old Testament, women from the Gospels, women associated with the Early Church, and women who have faithfully responded to the call of God within our denominations present here today. We give thanks to them... past and present as we celebrate our cultural richness in Christ.
Elinor : We walk in the company of Sarah, who in spite of the reality she perceived, she trusted in the promise of God.
Sarah : We walk in the company of Deborah, who judged the Israelites with authority and strength.
Joan : We walk in the company of Esther, who used her position to ensure the welfare of her people.
Betty : We walk in the company of Mary, who said “yes” to God as His servant bearing His only Son.
Kay : We walk in the company of the woman with the bleeding disorder, who bravely sought healing and release.
Suzan : We walk in the company of Mary, who chose to sit at her Rabbi’s feet.
Wilma : We walk in the company of the unnamed women, who funded the ministry of Jesus and his disciples, as they too followed the Rabbi.
Ruth : We walk in the company of the woman at the well, who courageously shared the good news of the gospel with the very community that had made her an outcast.
Joan : We walk in the company of Mary Magdalene, who wept at the tomb until her risen Lord appeared.
Betsy : We walk in the company of Phoebe, who led an early church in the Roman Empire.
Nerys : We walk in the company of fifteen-year-old Mari Jones, who, after saving her pennies for six years, walked twenty-six miles to buy a Bible from Thomas Charles. He was so moved by her action that he was inspired to form the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Joy : We walk in the company of Isabel Taylor, a missionary from the Presbyterian Church in Canada, who served in Taiwan for over 40 years, and was a music teacher at Tam Kang Girls School and High school. She brought music into the churches and encouraged the members through choirs, piano and instruments,
along with others like Margaret Gould and others produced the earlier Taiwanese Hymnbook. From that time until now the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan has been known as the singing church.
Betsy : We walk in the company of Sarah Foster Hanna who spoke up over 200 years ago, and established the first national organization for Presbyterian Women in the USA.
Mary : We walk in the company of Jane Haining, born in Dunscore, Southwest Scotland, missionary and house mother to Jewish children in Budapest Hungary. She chose to stay with her children when they were transported to Auschwitz in World War II. There she died. She said, I was with them during days of sunshine, how can I leave them during days of rain.
Christina : We walk in the company of missionary Judy Estell, who serves on behalf of the Reformed Church in America in partnership with the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. She shares God’s love as she teaches English in her home, prisons, and Yu Shan Theological College and Seminary.
Jane : We walk in the company of Constance Coleman, who was the first woman to be ordained by the Congregational Christian Church in England in 1917, in London. That denomination is now part of the United Reformed Church.
All : We walk in the company of the women of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and all women everywhere.
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