Memoirs of Anthony H. Su

Here is the image of an old church bulletin dated, 1937-1-3, of Chang-hoa Pressbyterian Church in Taiwan, where my father was the associate pre-ordained pastor. I guess he was the person who stenciled the publication. I always thought he was the first person to publish church bulletin in Taiwan. I don't know where he got the idea. Being numbered as Vol V, no. 1, this obviously not the first issue. Know that he served in that parish for three years, the idea of church bulletin might not be originally his.

原文另存於此  （2019/5/18 改字體） ·             蘇希三，生於主後 1945 年，日本宣佈無條件投降約一個月之後某天的台灣。當天，在全家躲從避戰爭的嘉義鄉下老家遷回高雄市舊城教會的路上，母親在嘉義火車站月台上等車時開始陣痛。她由親戚陪同轉往市區一位親戚家中生產。月內遷回舊城與家人團聚。 這位該首聖詩作詞者蘇天明牧師的第三位兒子的人生一開始就不安定。不僅是出生地，他連生日都沒能弄清楚。當時國民政府尚未佔領台灣，日本系統尚未退出，因此他在日本體制內，在沒有證據的情況下登記出生日為 10 月 10 日。理由與證據皆失傳。可能是這樣的原因他從未認真慶祝生日，而把生日當作母親受苦日來紀念。   ·             他從小在禮拜、講道、唱聖詩、打掃禮拜堂的日常作息與環境裡成長，對於教會生活有特殊的喜愛與心得。六歲時初嚐指揮的滋味，立刻愛上指揮這回事，暗中立志，開始自己摸索、磨練指揮法。小學時暗中立志成為作曲兼指揮，並開始摸索鍵盤音樂（當時只有透過腳踏板打氣的風琴）。 三年級時自己摸索彈出平安夜的合唱曲，他的大姊開門探頭看看是誰在彈琴，嚇了一跳。五年級時曾在音樂課裡莫名其妙地被同學拱上台表演彈風琴，彈出自己摸索的  Home Sweet Home 。一輩子不知道為什麼同學咬定他會彈風琴。高一時，在教會裡受推薦接手擔任由初中生組成的「獻聲隊」合唱團的指揮。高中畢業前一年向音樂老師表示希望考大學音樂系，卻從沒有彈過鋼琴。音樂老師向校長爭取開放音樂教室的鋼琴讓他學琴，由兩位音樂老師指導。後來另找陳韶女士指導直到考完大學聯考。 高三的寒假裡，他在成年人主日學教員不想舉辦寒假中的春季學校。向教會爭取到由高中學生的主日學教員擔綱，循例舉行春季學校，他志願為五天的活動每天寫一首短歌來唱，是首度創作。他是校中鋼琴社團創團會員。社團裡有兩位同學先後進入師大音樂系，後來並且成為師大音樂教授，可是他卻在大專聯考中臨時把師大音樂系改成第二志願，而且放棄國立藝專音樂科作曲組的錄取而進入東海大學社會學系。在東...

My first formal job in USA was a semi-professional job with a title of "information system analyst" in the Department 95, "Information System Department in the Product Support Devision of McDonnell Aircraft, aka McAir, of MDC, McDonnell-Douglas Corporation ". (2019/2/23 16:48 The reason I call it semi-professional is that at that time there was no professional course series for developing people to serve as system analyst let alone any degree title showing the specialty. There was one book on the subject and a course on system analysis was available for future or existing programmers, in St Louis.) Shortly after I completed the required four-year residency of PHD program, 1981, at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Washington University in St. Louis focusing on Social Work Research, my wife told me that I had spent too much time studying in colleges and I need to get out and get a real job. I agreed and felt sorry for not being productive for too many y...

Here is my first attempt to translate the memoir of my father. (This appears to be a new version modified while being transcribed by my mother 15:11 7/6/2018 The original recording started with "A little village")  Please help correcting and polishing. The original recording of my father's monologue is re-normalized and kept here.  I.信仰的根源 The root of faith 1. Góa ê A-kong kiò chò Kang Thok si tòa tī kó͘-chá ê miâ kiò chò Môe-á-khe Téng-siang-khe, iáu-ū chi̍t-ê Ē-siang-khe, chiū-sī hiān-chāi ê Ka-gī hoān Môe-san hion. Góa ê lāu-pē sī tī hia chhut-sì ê. Góa ê A-kong sī teh chò kim-chóa, gîn-chóa ê sū-gia̍p.  我的祖父名叫江托是住在以前名叫梅仔溪的頂雙溪。我的父親就是在那裡出生的。我的祖父做金紙、銀紙的事業。 My grandfather's name is Kang thok, Jiang-tuo in Mandarin, who lived in the village of Moâi-á-khe (literally means  the streat of plums, formerly named Téng-siang-khe (Shuangsi in Mandarin, literally means the upper side of a duo-stream.). My father was born there. My grandfather had a business dealing with go...

Some denominations of Protestant Christians don't assign and send our people to designated locations such as local congregations, but letting the places in need to search for human resources. Similarly, the evangelists or pastors search for their workplaces. This model of mission / ministry has been practiced for hundreds of years. 新教的一些教派並不指派傳道人到指定的地方，而是由需要傳到人的地方自行尋找傳道人。同樣地，也由傳道人自行尋找工廠、工地。這樣的制度已經進行幾百年了。 Born in a Christian family, a pastor's family, I have been living in this institution naturally. Before I served a session of a Presbyterian church I was involved in pastor searching because I was involved in the establishment of a new church. The journeys of preachers / pastors has become one of the concerns in my career, including my life, living, and career. While searching and developing the mission and ministry of the Gardeners of Hope Foundation, I cannot help but include this field in the vision. The day before yesterday, June 17, 2018, I was enlightened to see the pos...

Many people refused to share personal stories with me for the "reasons" of nothing great and nothing important. 許多人拒絕把自己的故事講給我聽，理由是「沒什麼」、「不重要」。Chin-chē lâng bô-ài kóng ka-kī ê kò͘-sū hō͘ góa thiaⁿ, lí-iû sī "bô sím-mi̍h tōa ê á-sī tiōng-iàu ê tāi-chì". I believe that is just a a pseudo-reason. I have no way and nor desire to find the true reasons behind the polite smiles. I believe that my ordinary stories do have value in one way or another, depending on the insight and the ability of the people who ran across my stories. 我相信那只是「假理由」。我沒有特殊的方法與理由去找出躲在笑臉背後實在的理由。我相信我的平凡故事有某些價值，端看遇到故事的人有什麼眼光與能力。Góa siong-sìn he put-kò sī "ké lí-iû". I bô hong-hoat iā bô ì-hiòng beh khì chhōe-chhut chhàng tī chhiò-iông āu-bīn ê si̍t-chāi lí-iû.Góa siong-sìn góa ê pêng-hoân kò͘-sū ū bó͘ chi̍t-kóa kè-ta̍t, tō khòaⁿ tú-tio̍h chiah-ê kò͘-sū ê lâng ū sím-mi̍h gán-kong kap lêng-le̍k. I decide to write down my stories for the benefit of those who have the insights of a researcher...

This is an attempt to collect and organize the process of the exploration initiated by Ms. Ruyi Lin through the volunteer companionship under the Gardeners of Hope Foundation, a new not-for-profit organization, being started and to be established in St. Louis, Mo., USA. The idea was triggered by a mid-night conversation through facebook messenger about the dancing group of Taiwanese and the opportunity to learn kungfu. 8:38 2018-6-8