A path of service that drips fat

[KRC Alumni Deeds] Remembering Pastor Zhang Lingxi’s Thanksgiving Dinner

Photo courtesy/Zi Ying

The last weekend of July is the peak of summer, and the hot and humid weather makes people think twice before going out. However, there is a group of brothers and sisters who are more enthusiastic than the hot weather. No matter what the weather is like, no matter how far they drive, we will see each other. It turned out that they had a common friend—Pastor Zhang Lingxi. To celebrate Pastor Zhang’s 20th anniversary of being ordained as a pastor and serving the church and the community, they drove from New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey to gather at Chengdu Restaurant in central New South Wales to celebrate.

Pastor Zhang and I met at the "KRC" (KRC) cultural camp in Pennsylvania in 2005, and we met every year at the camp. We had made appointments to watch the sunrise and sunset together, walk in the monastery and have heart-to-heart conversations. Wearing a black priest's uniform, she is gentle, kind and humble, making people feel like the sister next door. Many classmates like to call her by her first name - Mary.

Pastor Zhang is versatile and has a wide range of interests. He likes music, art, and literary creation. After the 9/11 incident in the United States, more than 50 free concerts were held to appease community residents. He also composed "The Last Supper Musical" and served as music director. The performance in Connecticut was well received. She was very fond of the traditional "Horton Vespers" poems. Since these poems were only available in English, in order to let more compatriots understand these poems and enjoy their beauty, she translated these poems into Chinese one by one and published them in a collection. .

"The Mary in my memory has a very energetic voice and is very enthusiastic about her work. She has a sense of mission for young people and accompanies us through the ignorant days of our youth, including academic doubts, emotional troubles, and worries about the future of life. Hesitation. Mary’s companionship and guidance affected our faith life drop by drop, like a drop of water cutting through a stone..." A young man who was tutored by Pastor Zhang in the past recalled in the letter.

Someone else wrote: "If I had to use colors to describe you, I would use rainbow to describe you. Because the seven colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, indigo, purple) are of great significance and represent your vitality. As beautiful, colorful and brilliant as a rainbow! I appreciate your positive life, hard work, and serious attitude. You are a role model for every young person and give us a positive attitude towards life!”

▲Pastor Zhang Lingxi (third from right in the front row) took a group photo at the 20-year Thanksgiving Dinner.

The founder of the KRC camp, Mr. Gao Lili, had just returned from a business trip. Regardless of his fatigue, he came all the way to attend the gathering and speak. Teachers Guo Yuanpei and Liu Yongling, who were both teachers and friends, also looked back on their friendship with Mary. They both believed that Pastor Zhang was an extremely gifted, pioneering and enterprising servant of God. She is like a fire and an engine, working tirelessly and inspiring those around her.

Sister Han Jiahua, a classmate who studied and grew up together in the KRC cultural camp, was unable to come from Florida to attend the meeting. Here is a congratulatory letter:

"Dear Pastor Mary, your voice like a silver bell has been swirling in my mind these days, and your smiling face floats in front of my eyes... I think of your laughter - as hearty as a chivalrous woman, as happy as a child; I think of your singing. - When worshiping and praising, the mellow and full voice is like the fragrance of fragrance; I think of your voice of praise - "I admire you so much!" This sentence often hangs on your lips... Your vocabulary is full of appreciation. and praise, sent naturally and sincerely. Although the recipient feels guilty, it is a good way to encourage people to transcend and improve; I think of your cry - that year you broke your leg, put on a plaster, and used crutches to participate in KRC During the time of worship and praise, you were sitting in the back row, and Janifer insisted on cutting your toenails. Afterwards, someone else massaged you. You burst into tears with emotion. We all looked at the podium and pretended not to hear; however, old friend Ah! To tell the truth now, your unabashed and unrestrained howl is truly earth-shattering!!!"

Chen Wenxiong, director of the Center for Chinese Ministry (ELCA) of the Lutheran Church in the United States, also wrote the article "Congratulations to Pastor Zhang Lingxi on the 20th Anniversary of Ordination as Pastor", which gave a general overview of Pastor Zhang in the ministry. Summary: "Serving the Lord is not an easy road. We thank the Lord for the 20th anniversary of Pastor Zhang Lingxi's ordination as a pastor. Many denominations do not ordain female pastors. Thank the Lord that the Lutheran Church ordains female pastors because they are related to Male pastors are also chosen and called by God, and they also have pastoral gifts. Currently, there are 27 Chinese Lutheran churches in the United States, and there are three female pastors. Pastor Zhang Lingxi is one of them.

Pastor Zhang Lingxi is very caring. In addition to pastoring the church, he also participates in the chaplaincy work of the hospital. She is a qualified chaplain who cares especially for terminally ill patients. Her love brought comfort and support to many dying patients and their families. We thank the Lord for her love. "

At the thanksgiving meal, Pastor Zhang reflected on more than 20 years of ministry and gratitude. She didn't mention a word about her hard work, but only about the preferential treatment she received and the touch she received during the service. Although I have reached retirement age, I still have many ministries and dreams to realize. I hope to write and share my tortuous life story, and also establish a Brooklyn Hokkien Youth Chorus. She also hopes that in the future, KRC students and some brothers and sisters who are willing to retire will live in the same village, each with their own service projects, and they can share, pray, help, and accompany each other, and walk together on the road to heaven.

“He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which bears its fruit in season, and its leaves will not wither; everything he does will prosper.” (Psalm 1:3) “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. Hold on to me, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6) With everyone’s bright and grateful smiles, I would like to dedicate these two verses to Pastor Zhang who never gives up.

Pastor Zhang Lingxi’s profile
Pastor Zhang is originally from Maoming, Guangdong, and was born in his grandmother’s family in Guiyang. He was named Lingxi because his parents fell in love on the Jialing River. She had a quiet temperament since she was a child, so the missionaries gave her the English name Mary.
She was educated in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In addition to serving in youth centers, she also taught in primary and secondary schools and served as an assessor for the Hong Kong Examinations Board. He further studied theology, psychology and pastoral training in the United States. In 1996, he was ordained as a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States. Pastor Zhang has pastored Lord's Grace Church, All Saints' Church, and St. James's Church; he also serves as the pastor of LMC/ALH, and also participates in the pastoral service of the Red Cross and New York Disaster Relief. He is currently the senior pastor of Incarnation Church of Long Island.
Pastor Zhang is a single mother who raised three children on her own and has a pair of lovely grandchildren. She likes music, art, and literary creation.

Author profile
Zi Ying: A doctor from Mainland China who moved to New Jersey in the late 1990s and served as the director of the Chemistry Teaching Laboratory of a state university.