Presiding Bishop Curry Announces Canon Peter C. Ng's Retirement

Canon Peter Ng

Episcopal News Service Nov. 9, 2016 - 
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has announced the retirement of Canon Peter C. Ng from his position as Episcopal Church Partnership Officer for Asia and the Pacific, a position he has held since 2005.

“The true Christ-centered holiness, humility and humanity of Peter have made him a bridge person between cultures and peoples and churches in Asia, the Pacific Rim and the Americas,” Presiding Bishop Curry said.  “He has helped us all to make real the old song that says --- in Christ there is no east nor west, in him no south or north, but one great fellowship of love, throughout the whole wide earth.”

Born in China and raised in Hong Kong, Ng moved to the United States in 1969 and resides in Queens, NY. Since 1989, Ng has served as a professional lay employee for the Episcopal Church, working with national, diocesan and local church organizations, councils and networks.

“I have been enriched by the opportunity that few are given to witness the Church at work from a global perspective.  And I am proud to have been a member of the Presiding Bishop's staff,” Ng said.

His duties, positions and responsibilities with the Episcopal Church have included the following:

• President of the Board of St. Margaret's House of Trinity Church Wall Street, 2007-2010
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Theological Education in SE Asia since 2005 and Board Chair since 2011.
• President Emeritus of the Episcopal Asia American Ministry Council, since 2003.
• Honorary Lay Canon of Episcopal Church in the Philippines, since 2012
• Vestry Member of Trinity Church Wall Street, 2009 – 2015
• Social Transformational Fellow of Trinity Church Wall Street, 2004 - 2005
• The Global Episcopal Mission Network, official representative of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, 1997 – 2001
• Member of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, 1992 - 1997
• President of the Episcopal Asia American Ministry Council, 1997 – 2002
• Member of the Advisory Board of The Anglican Communion Observer at the United Nations, 2001 -  2004
• Program Director for the Bishop Richard F. Grein Jubilee Community Center, the first Asian Jubilee Center in the Episcopal Church, 1992 – 2010

"Peter's contributions to our Church and to the Anglican Communion are too many to list,” noted the Rev. Canon C.K. Robertson, Ph.D., Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Ministry Beyond The Episcopal Church. “He has been a remarkable gift to us all, and will be greatly missed."

Canon Ng’s retirement will take effect in February 2017.





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Church of Our Savior, Manhattan, Has New Priest-in-Charge

The Rev. Ada Wong-Nagata, DMin

The Episcopal New Yorker newspaper of the Diocese of New York announced that the Rev. Dr. Ada Wong-Nagata was appointed Priest-in-Charge of the Church of Our Savior, Manhattan, by Bishop Andy Dietsche.

Mother Ada, who is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, previously served as Associate Rector of Our Saviour Episcopal Church in San Gabriel, CA, and is serving "On Assignment" from that parish to the Diocese of New York.

In September of this year, Mother Ada wrote to her parish in California, "Many thanks to the vision of Mrs. Frances Vinton from Providence, Rhode Island to build three Churches of The Savior from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Because of her vision and donation, Church of Saviour, San Gabriel was born in 1867. This year we are celebrating our 150th Anniversary. I am writing to let you know that Church of Our Saviour on the Pacific side will soon have some relationship with Church of Our Savior on the Atlantic side."

In the Diocese of Los Angeles Mother Ada served seven years as Convener of the Chinese Convocation of Episcopal Asian American Ministries and is chairperson of  the Chinese Ministry Advisory Committee. She is a member of the Multicultural Ministry committee, the Commission on Ministry, the diocesan Disciplinary Board, and the EAM commission. Also, she serves on the boards of the Li Tim-Oi Center, a Chinese Ministry Center of the Episcopal Church; and Bloy House of the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont. She recently visited Asian Anglican Dioceses overseas accompanying Bishop Diane Bruce, Diocese of Los Angeles Bishop Suffragan. 

In 2015, Mother Ada earned a Doctor of Ministry degree (DMin) from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA.

She began her work in New York on October 11, 2016.




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AUG 26 - "Flushing Night Out" Festivities

A craft station at a previous Flushing Night Out event this summer. 
The last one of the season is on Friday evening.
Credit Brandon Wu

From the New York Times:

FLUSHING NIGHT OUT (Friday)
Delve into New York’s diverse culture by roaming through Flushing’s community market, back for its second installment. Local entrepreneurs will keep the neighborhood buzzing with an array of food, treats, crafts, fashion and live music. 

This week’s event, the final of the four-part series, pays tribute to Queens with its “(718) LOVE” theme. 

It will also bring Asian-American hip-hop to the forefront with performances by Jaeki Cho, co-producer of the film “Bad Rap”; the underground hip-hop artist Bohan Phoenix; and others. 

At 6 p.m., Flushing High School, 35-01 Union Street, Flushing, 646-820-5163, flushingnightout.com; free.

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August 6-7 Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in NY

The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival will be celebrated in New York at Flushing Meadow-Corona Park from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday, August 6 and 7.

> Click here for details

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Vanity Fair publication spotlights billionaire Jack Ma

> Click here for the Vanity Fair website and read about Jack Ma

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Meet Eric Cheng of DJI

Meet Eric Cheng of the drone manufacturer DJI, which is based in China.

DJI’s Eric Cheng weighs in on United States drone policy and public worries over automated flight.

DJI is known in the U.S. as the go-to choice for hobbyists and a growing number of professionals. 

> Click here to watch an interview with Eric Cheng

Chinese and other Asians a Growing Part of Long Island's Population

Excerpts from Voices of NY website:

" ... whites still make up 75 percent of the population of 3 million, according to the 2010 Census. But the white population has dropped 4 percentage points since 2000."

" ... the Asian population – though it only makes up 5.5 percent of the whole picture – rose 54 percent in that decade, much faster than its 36 percent statewide growth. 

The Asian wave is even stronger in Nassau County, the more developed and affluent of the two counties on Long Island. Nassau attracted 40,000 more Asians between 2000 and 2010, a 62 percent jump that makes it one of the fastest growing Asian communities in New York State. The Census also found that among Asians on Long Island, 36,500 are Chinese, 39 percent more than 10 years before."


> Click here to see the full article on the "Voices of NY" website.

Real estate broker David Lin at a lot he believes would
serve well for a Chinatown in Garden City, L.I. 

(Photo by Rong Xiaoqing via Sing Tao Daily)

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Asian American 2011 Student Comments from Rutgers University

“What’s Your Story?” 

Video from the 2011 White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, produced by Rutgers University students.


 









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Huffpost online features the Rev. Christine Lee and the Rev. Winnie Varghese

An online article today in Huffpost, said "Women played an important role in the earliest days of Christianity. The Jesus of the Bible spoke directly to women and refused to treat them differently from men. The gospels portray them as disciples during Jesus’ ministry and the first witnesses of the resurrection. They’re mentioned in Paul’s letters as the leaders of house churches and missionaries in their own right."

The Rev. Christine Lee is the first Korean-American woman ordained priest in the Episcopal Church.

The Rev. Winnie Varghese is a priest at New York City’s Trinity Wall Street Church.

These two priests are also leaders of the Episcopal Asian American Ministry group in the Diocese of New York.

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EAM Long Island commission members will be on retreat March 28-30

Members of EAM Long Island will be on a post-Easter three day retreat at the Cenacle Retreat Center in Ronkonkoma, on the eastern end of Long Island.  This will be a time for personal, spiritual reflection and an unhurried time to discuss clergy leadership in parish and diocesan life and the world at large.

The Cenacle Retreat Center is located on 40 secluded acres in Ronkonkoma, Long Island. It is operated by the Cenacle Sisters whose mission is to “awaken and deepen faith with and for the people of our times.” 

The staff of the center is mainly Cenacle (Roman Catholic) Sisters, but also includes the Rev. Larry  Lewis, M.M., PhD.

Fr. Larry is a Maryknoll priest who served in Taiwan and China.

He coordinated a Project in cooperation with Bishops in China that educates sisters and priests from China to better serve the Church there. He holds a Doctorate in spirituality from Duquesne University.





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Asia Week New York - March 10-19, 2016

Wonderful and magnificent exhibits of Asian art are on display at galleries across New York City now, during Asia Week New York, March 10-19.

Click on the web link below to visit the official website of Asia Week New York:

http://www.asiaweekny.com/

Calendar Reminder:  
The next Diocese of Long Island EAM (Episcopal Asian American Ministry) Commission meeting is next Friday, March 18, 11 am, at St. James Church, Elmhurst, hosted by the Rev. Paul Lai, EAM Commission Convener.

COMING MAJOR EVENT 
Sunday, June 12 - 100th Anniversary Day Long Strawberry Festival, starting with a bi-lingual Korean and English Eucharist followed by fun, fellowship, drummers, jazz, strawberries and many other food specialties, on the campus of All Saints Church, Great Neck; the Rev. Joseph Pae, rector.

Fr. Pae at the 2013 Strawberry Festival.

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The Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B. Vergara Addressed the Diocese of Easton Convention

The Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B. Vergara delivered a banquet address in February at the Diocese of Easton diocesan convention. Pictured with him is Bishop Henry Parsely. Dr. Vergara mentioned his ministry as Priest-in-Charge at St. James Church in Elmhurst, in the Diocese of Long Island.

Video provided courtesy of Dr. Vergara

St. James congregation is now multi-ethnic, with more than 100 members who are Asian (Filipino, Chinese, Indian, Bangladesh, Indonesian, Thai, Korean) Black Caribbean, Latino and Anglo.

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The Rev. Anandsekar J. Manuel at St. Paul's, Woodside, uses the web to welcome newcomers

Fr. Manuel, Priest-in-Charge, says, "Our congregation consists of persons from different ethnic, national, and linguistic backgrounds. We celebrate our unity in diversity, and are committed to our sacramental liturgical worship with rich music. You are always welcome at St. Paul’s."


Click on the following link to visit St. Paul's, Woodside, website:

http://www.stpaulswoodsideny.org/

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"All Hail the Power of Jesus Name" - 2010 - Seoul, Korea TV

From Seoul, Korea TV, on YouTube

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Oscar and Joshua Han - 2013 - from Australia

12 and 10 years old.

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Ji-Yong Kim, 17, pianist from Midland Park, NJ, at Carnegie Hall

Ji-Yong Kim (piano), 17, from Midland Park, New Jersey, is a junior at Midland Park High School and studies at the Juilliard Pre-College Division in New York City. In addition to playing the piano under professional management with IMG, Ji-Yong sings with his high school madrigal choir and the Bergen County Choir. During his down time, he enjoys dancing, going to sports games, and hanging out at Starbucks with friends.

Click on the following link to watch pianist Ji-Yong Kim perform as part of the acclaimed "From the Top" television series:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/fromthetop/video/season-2/208.php

Season Two - Episode 8 "From the Top" at Carnegie Hall











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