May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada, an opportunity to prayerfully reflect on the contributions of Asian Canadians to Canadian society, and to honour and celebrate this important aspect of Canadian history.
Worship Ideas
Asia Sunday 2020(910.64 KB)(PDF): In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this Christian Conference of Asia worship service has the theme "God, Heal Us as We Are Vulnerable."
Asian Heritage Month | Centennial of Korean Independence(638.94 KB)(PDF): 2019 marked the 100th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement of the Korean people, who rose against colonial occupation by Japan in 1919. This worship resource can be used in Sunday service in May, Asian Heritage Month.
Asian Heritage Month | Our God Goes with Us(640.15 KB)(PDF): A worship service for Asian Heritage Month worship service this year that focuses on the United Churches of Japanese-Canadian background and reminds us that no matter where we go and whatever the future holds, we need not fear, for God goes with us and before us.
Pentecost in Asian Voices 2021 (video): A beautiful worship service for Pentecost and personal reflection conducted by United Church ministers for Asian Heritage Month. Presented in Bunun, Korean, Cantonese, Japanese, Tagalog, and English, reflecting the Pentecost vision of a common story. Subtitles in English.
Music
Sing, Thanks to Our God (Song of Many Tongues)(73.93 KB)(PDF): A unison worship song (includes optional descant) with piano accompaniment for use during Asian Heritage Month. Written by Amy Yea Kyong Lee.
Related Material
Asian Cultures, Asian Heritage: This video celebrates Asian cultures within the United Church today. Asian leaders speak of their experiences in the church.
Litany of Thanksgiving for Asian Heritage Month(13.14 KB)(Word): This litany is used at Tsurukawa Church located in the city of Machida, a part of Tokyo Prefecture and of the West Tokyo District of the United Church of Christ in Japan. Translation by Rob Witmer.
Scripture and Incense(123.18 KB)(PDF): A Bible study for Asian Heritage Month on Psalm 141:1–4
For Asian Heritage Month, Calin Chun-hong Lau looks at both his Chinese heritage and the Canadian cultural context through the eyes of faith and finds a broader perspective.
During Asian Heritage Month, Noel A. Suministrado, a United Church minister from the Philippines, sees great opportunities for the church as it opens itself to Canada’s changing demographic realities.
As a recent immigrant from Asia, Rev. SunDo Hyun finds that opening oneself to intercultural opportunities — despite the challenges — can be transforming and life-giving.
I am a third-generation Japanese Canadian living in southern Alberta among the third-largest concentration of Japanese in Canada; the other two concentrations of population are in Vancouver and Toronto. In my city of Lethbridge, no one questions our presence here, because people have grown up… Read more