The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan led a Taize Meditation Tour from Aug. 23 to Sept. 5. The project was begun by Rev. Pan Chung-Chieh of Taichung University Student Center in PCT. This was the second year this event has been held, and this time, the Kyodan was also invited to participate to make it a joint program.

There were 16 PCT members, 7 Kyodan members, with each delegation having one person take the lead. The main part, Aug. 25-Sept. 1, involved taking part in an international gathering for meditation at the Taize Community, which is mainly for young adults from Europe who are18 to 35 years of age and transcends all religions, genders, and national boundaries. There were approximately 2,000 young adults who gathered from various places around the world.

The Taize community was created as an ecumenical Christian men’s monastery meeting in the small town of Taize in the Burgundy area of France by Brother Roger from Switzerland in 1940 and began as a place seeking to become a “sign of reconciliation” in a world divided and fighting. The monks (brothers), transcending differences in denominations, have a life of prayer and work together. Taize values prayer in the midst of silence; and the morning, noon, and evening prayers progress with long silences, prayer songs, and the reading of scripture. In addition to “deepening inner faith,” “solidarity with suffering persons” has been an important compass from its inception.

While there, in addition to the morning, noon, and evening prayers, time was spent in workshops (Bible study, environmental and social issues, art, etc.) and engaging in various tasks. On the first day, every person chooses a kind of work to do, such as cleaning toilets, distributing food and cleaning up afterwards, preparing worship, throwing out the trash, singing in the choir, etc. Those who are invited each week support the daily life of the corporate body. This time, the participants from Japan served in the choir and in meal preparation. Every day was plain and simple. It was a week in which participation in every task was directed toward prayer.

And during this period, in addition to young adult interchange between Taiwan and Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and China, time was provided for sharing meals with the brothers and talking with them. Many of the young adults who participated this time had already taken part in the Kyodan’s expeditionary program or young adult work, and assumed leadership, so it was a program during which they could separate themselves from their busy lives to concentrate on building a relationship with God and to search their own hearts. (Tr. RT)

                                —Hironaka Yoshimi, staff

        Commission of Ecumenical Ministries

　台湾基督長老教会（PCT）のテゼ黙想ツアーが8月23日から9月5日に行われた。PCT台中学生センターの潘忠杰牧師が始めた企画で、2回目の今年は教団も誘いを受け、合同のプログラムとして実現した。

　参加者はPCTが16名、教団が7名、内引率各1名であった。メインは8月25日から9月1日に、テゼ共同体で行われる18～35歳の青年たちのための国際的集いに参加し、黙想することで、ヨーロッパを中心に世界各地から、あらゆる宗教、性別、国家の枠を超えて約2000人の青年が集まった。　テゼ共同体は1940年、スイス出身のブラザー・ロジェによって、フランス・ブルゴーニュ地方の小さな村「テゼ」に創設された超教派のキリスト教男子修道会で、分裂や争いのある世界で、『見える和解のしるし』となることを目指して始まった。修道士（ブラザー）たちが、教派の違いを越えて、共に祈りと労働の生活をする。テゼは、深い沈黙の中での祈りを大切にし、朝昼晩の祈りは、長い沈黙、祈りの歌や聖書の朗読によって進められる。「内なる信仰を深めること」と同時に、「苦悩する人々との連帯」を創設からの大切な指針とする。

　滞在中は朝昼晩の祈りの他に、ワークショップ（聖書研究、環境・社会問題、芸術等）や、それぞれのワークをして過ごした。ワークは初日に全員が一つ選ぶ。内容はトイレ掃除、食事の配膳・片付け、礼拝準備、ゴミ捨て、聖歌隊等。その週に招かれた人で共同体の生活が維持される。今回日本の参加者は、聖歌隊と夕飯準備の奉仕をした。日々は単純素朴で、全ての営みが祈りに向かって生活する一週間であった。

　また期間中には台湾と日本の他に、韓国、香港、中国の青年との交流やブラザーと一緒に食事をとり、話をする時間も与えられた。今回の参加者はすでに教団海外派遣プログラムや青年活動に関わる青年が多く、リーダーシップをとる彼女、彼らが一度立ち止まって神様と関係を築くことに集中し、忙しさから離れて自分を見つめるプログラムであった。(世界宣教部職員　廣中佳実）