| Spirituality of Stewardship
2014 began with a one-day workshop on “The Spirituality of Stewardship,” which took place at Young Nak Celebration Church, Jefferson Campus. The church displayed radical Asian hospitality and provided us with both breakfast and lunch! The attendees expressed their hunger for more workshops that integrate spirituality and stewardship. Panelists from both financial and ecclesial contexts bridged the gap between the two. One of the attendees shared:
“The day was highly informative and eye-opening for me. I got the positive sense that this is a group of people who care about the world and seek to use their knowledge to strategically help the world.”
We want to express special kudos to Samuel Chetti (pictured above with Young Lee Hertig), who addressed the integration of spirituality and stewardship. The panelists/workshop leaders provided attendees with rare insight into working in the financial sector as Christians and practicing stewardship as a pastor. Special thanks to Jeffrey Wong, Connie Yang, Albert Hung, Sal Mendoza, and Andrew Fung Yip (pictured below from left to right) for their excellent workshops and generous time!!!
 |
|
UPCOMING Symposium #6: The Christian Social Imagination: Race, Face, Place
We have begun preparing for ISAAC’s 6th Symposium. Willie James Jennings, professor of Theology and Black Church Studies at Duke Divinity School, is the keynote speaker. Jennings is the author of the award-winningThe Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race. Jennings will be addressing “Who are My People?: A Christian Vision of Belonging.” The presentation will outline a Christian vision of belonging that addresses the three modern challenges to healthy Christian identity in the west (especially the U.S.): 1) the desire to be white, 2) the desire to be a powerful man, and 3) in response to these desires, the desire to create a culturally protected zone for those who cannot or will not seek to follow a path of assimilation or approximation towards white masculinity. Modern Christianity has been trapped inside this quest to present itself as a powerful white man. In contrast to this quest, a Christian vision of belonging begins with our life in Christ as the joining of Jew and Gentile and the journey toward others as we are led by the Spirit.
In response to the plenary, two panels will be offered. The panelists include Kay Higuera Smith, Cecil Chip Murray, Charlene Jin Lee, Jonathan Tran, Soong-Chan Rah, David Choi, Mimi Haddad, and more.
Richly hermeneutical and deeply personal, this year’s symposium will be both critical and constructive. Come and join us for a feast with scholars and pastors!Save the dates: November 3-4, 2014. |
|
|
AAWOL BLOG
We appreciate Joy Wong, AAWOL Blog Administrator, who has resiliently administered ANA women’s writing. Thank you for sharing your sacred gifts in uplifting our voices, Joy. |
|
ISAAC EXPRESS
We re-launched the ISAAC blog last December. Each month we invite ANA leaders to organize a theme and invite people to write and respond. So far we have covered the following themes: “An Absence of Response on Sexism” (Dec, 2013/Jan 2014); “Left, Right and Center: Can We All Get Along?” (Feb); “Why We Left the Chinese Church” (Mar). |
|
|
|
|  | Tribute to James Chuck
The event was held in Berkeley at the American Baptist Seminary of the West, and presented by FCBC, ABSW, and ISSAC. Giving tributes were ISAAC Executive Director Young Lee Hertig and her predecessor Tim Tseng, ABSW President Paul Martin, FCBC Pastor Don Ng, former students Marilyn Bennett and Jess Delegencia, and longtime friends Paul Fong and Bishop Roy Sano. Dr. Chuck's life, work, and ministry exemplify ISAAC's vision of bridging the church and academia in service to Asian American Christian leaders and contexts.
ISAAC Northern California's Theology Book Group continues to meet monthly in the East Bay Area. Recent titles include Tim Keller's Center Church and Gene Luen Yang's Boxers and Saints. Next month we take a look at neo-Calvinism via Richard Mouw's Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport and Austin Fischer's Young, Restless, No Longer Reformed. For more information, contact Russell Yee at ryee@isaacweb.org.
|
|
ISAAC EASTCOAST
“ISAAC East continues to meet up with local pastors and contacts to build up its network and visibility in the New York and New Jersey area. Milton attended Chinese Mission Conference 2013 in Baltimore, MD where about 3000 Chinese Christians met in late December to focus on missions through various workshops, training and plenary speakers. For pictures and commentary, go to www.isaacweb.org/east. Milton’s near-term focus will be to build-out a more complete website for ISAAC East and to do further research and writing on Asian American ministry.” |
|
|
PERSONNEL NEWS
Edward Yang finished his PhD dissertation, “Sanctifying Space: A Reformed Theology of Worship Space Based on John Calvin’s Trinitarian Understanding of the Lord’s Supper.” He will be granted his long awaited PhD degree on June 14th from Fuller Theological Seminary. Congratulations Edward and Sunnie for her PhT (Push him Through) degree!
James Kang is transitioning from the Communication Administrator position. We thank God for his contributions to ISAAC’s website creation and maintenance, Facebook presence, and graphics work. His generosity with his time and talents has been priceless. As James works as the Director of Communication in the UMC Bishop’s office, we look forward to our partnership and collaboration.
Felix Huang fills the Communication Administrator position upon James’ transition. Felix worked in the advertising and marketing industries before transitioning to community work, and is also a gifted communicator in many aspects. Felix is passionate about serving Asian American communities, including the development and proliferation of contextual Asian American thought. |
|
GRANT AWARDS
City National Bank: Towards ISAAC’s quarterly breakfast meeting, Spirituality of Stewardship, Thank you, Sal Mendoza, SVP!
Southern California Edison: Computer grants from Edison will upgrade ISAAC computers and operating systems from Windows XP to Windows 7. We appreciate Edison’s mission of recycling computers and updating them through TTFA (Technology Training Foundation of America)! We look forward to receiving computers in two months.
Open Bank: In launching an ANA women’s Pasadena Support Group (bi-monthly), ISAAC received a mini grant which will be used to publish a workbook targeted for ANA population’s healing and recovery work. Jessica Chen and Young Lee Hertig will co-facilitate 12 sessions. |
|
|
|
|
