若從古猶太文化中的製作規定來看號角 (Shofar)這個樂器，原意是「羊角」，常見的號角以羚羊角、山羊角和綿羊角製成，在聖經中有超過80處與號角相關的記載，首次出現於〈出埃及記〉中，當時神的同在隨著角聲降臨。推測最常被聖經提及的號角，可能是易於攜帶的山羊角，藉此提醒眾人保持肅靜和專注，也衍生出聚集、宣告、警醒、神同在、歡慶之意。今晚將由遠方吹響的號角作為信號開展第二幕。

被譽為美國桂冠詩人羅伯特·李·佛洛斯特 (1874-1963)，曾四度獲得普立茲獎，作品《未竟之路》意味深遠，最後一段詩句"在樹林中的兩條岔路，我—我選擇了人煙稀少的那一條，而這個選擇讓一切截然不同。" 恰巧與聖經中“但引到生命的門是窄的，路是小的，找著的人也少。”遙相呼應。演奏家將於刻著“耶穌說：我就是道路、真理、生命。”的牆下演奏，帶領觀眾穿越窄門進入如同挪亞方舟般的挑高建築。

角聲漸漸地高而又高，摩西就說話，神有聲音答應他。出埃及記19:19

但引到生命的門是窄的，路是小的，找著的人也少。馬太福音 7:14

耶穌說：我就是道路、真理、生命。...約翰福音 14:6

方舟上邊要留透光處，高一肘。方舟的門要開在旁邊。方舟要分上、中、下三層。創世紀6:16

From the perspective of ancient Jewish culture, the Shofar, an instrument, originally signifies 'ram's horn'. Commonly made from the horns of antelopes, goats, and sheep, this instrument is mentioned in over 80 instances in the Bible, first appearing in Exodus, where the presence of God descends with the sound of the horn. The most frequently mentioned Shofar in the Bible is likely the goat horn, known for its portability. It serves as a reminder for silence and focus, symbolizing gathering, proclamation, alertness, divine presence, and celebration. Tonight, the second act will commence with the distant sound of the Shofar.

Renowned as the American Poet Laureate, Robert Lee Frost (1874-1963), a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner, penned profound meanings in his work "The Road Not Taken". The last lines, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference." strikingly echo the Biblical passage, "But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." The performance, set beneath a wall inscribed with "Jesus said: I am the way, the truth, and the life," guides the audience through the narrow gate into a soaring structure reminiscent of Noah's Ark.

And when the sound of the horn became louder and louder, Moses' words were answered by the voice of God. Exodus 19:19

For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few be they that find it. Matthew 7:14

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life…John 14:6

A light shalt thou make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it upward; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. Genesis 6:16

即便到今日獨自乘船到遠方的小島都是一個挑戰，更何況是在150年前，還沒有衛星導航和通訊科技的時候，加拿大籍基督長老教會宣教士喬治·萊斯里·馬偕（George Leslie Mackay，1844-1901）一般稱為「馬偕博士」或「偕牧師」，他在宣教、醫療和教育上的影響，不僅改變了台灣，也成為歷史不可分割的一部份。

很難想像當年僅28歲的他從加拿大飄洋過海而來，第一步踏上台灣島的心情，在其自述中他說：「這好像有無形的繩，引我到這『美麗之島去』。」當年他所遇到的島民無論外貌、語言、生活習性都不同，甚至因為陌生而產生敵意，歷經暴民流氓脅迫，被丟石潑糞，數度刀口下遺生，但他仍持續以雙腳走遍台灣，以淡水為據點，足跡遍及苗北，宜蘭、花蓮、台東各種族群之間，持續的行醫和宣教，據記載他在臺灣至少拔了兩萬一千多顆牙齒。

除了醫學上的貢獻，1878年他與綽號「蔥仔」的張聰明女士結婚，繼續投入教育、也宣揚福音，如1884年設立「淡水女學堂」（Tamsui Girls'SchooI）(今私立淡江高級中學)，以免學雜費鼓勵當時不易得到教育機會的女性入學，據記載當年的女學生多來自宜蘭的噶瑪蘭平埔族人。較少人知道的是他也改善了台灣的農業，包括今日常見的蘿蔔、甘藍菜、蕃茄、敏豆、花椰菜、胡蘿蔔、高麗菜、甜菜和西洋芹菜這些蔬菜的種子都是他引進的。

馬偕博士終其一生奉獻給台灣，他以名言「寧願燒盡，不願朽壞」（Rather burn out, than rust out）永遠被記念。<就是這地> (This is the Land)是馬偕博士當年以信心和勇氣親自寫下的英文詩詞，回應他所領受對台灣這“美麗之島"的呼召與無限疼惜。

我聽到上帝的聲音在我靈深處低語

就是這地 就是這地 這地如此美麗 是神賜予

這是上帝所賜 就是這地
我聽到上帝的聲音在我靈深處低語

福爾摩沙 就在這地

這地如此美麗 是神賜予

就是福爾摩莎 美麗之地

本日聖歌隊演唱版本為以故郭乃惇老師編曲版本，郭老師生前以著作和創作投入基督教音樂的研究和教育不遺餘力，曾任聖德基督學院資訊管理系、大眾傳播系、應用藝術系、基督徒企管碩士班主任，感謝計畫顧問侯志欽老師引薦，郭師母陽麗仙女士同意授權使用此編曲版本。循著海浪聲，聽見人聲的吟唱，眾人隨之前往信心之地。

他要像一棵樹，栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子，葉子也不枯乾，凡他所做的，盡都順利。詩篇 1:3

我又聽見主的聲音說：我可以差遣誰呢？誰 肯為我們去呢？我說：我在這裡，請差遣我！以賽亞書 6:8

Even today, traveling alone by boat to a distant island presents a challenge, let alone 150 years ago, in an era devoid of satellite navigation and communication technology. George Leslie Mackay (1844-1901), a Canadian missionary of the Presbyterian Church , commonly known as 'Dr. Mackay' or 'Pastor Mackay', had a profound impact on Taiwan in terms of mission work, healthcare, and education, becoming an inseparable part of its history.

It is hard to imagine the emotions of Mackay, then just 28, as he journeyed from Canada across the seas to set foot on Taiwan. In his own words, he felt 'an invisible cord pulling me to Formosa - the Beautiful Isle.' Despite facing hostility due to differences in appearance, language, and customs, and enduring threats from mobs and physical assaults, he persevered in traveling across Taiwan on foot. Using Tamsui as his base, he traversed the regions of Miaoli, Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung, continuously practicing medicine and preaching. Remarkably, he is recorded to have extracted over 21,000 teeth in Taiwan.

Beyond his medical contributions, Mackay's legacy extends to education and evangelism. In 1878, he married Chang Tsung-Ming, nicknamed 'Tsung Ai,' and continued his dedication to education and the spread of the gospel. For instance, in 1884, he established the Tamsui Girls' School (now Tamkang Senior High School), offering tuition-free education to encourage women, who had limited educational opportunities at the time, many of whom were from the Kavalan Plains Indigenous People of Yilan. Lesser known is his role in improving Taiwan's agriculture. He introduced seeds for now-common vegetables like radishes, cabbage, tomatoes, mung beans, cauliflower, carrots, Korean cabbage, beets, and celery.

Dr. Mackay devoted his life to Taiwan, immortalized by his famous saying, 'Rather burn out, than rust out.' 'This is the Land' is a poem penned by Dr. Mackay himself, reflecting his calling and deep affection for Taiwan, the Formosa Isle.'

I heard the voice of God whisper to my listening spirit.

This is the land. This is the land.

So beautiful! So good! That God gives me.

I have decided to settle in North Formosa.

Today's choir performance features an arrangement by the late Professor Kuo Nai-Chun. Professor Kuo, who tirelessly contributed to Christian music research and education, served as the head of various departments at St. John's University, including Information Management, Mass Communication, Applied Arts, and the MBA program in Christian Management. We are grateful to the project consultant, Professor Gee-Chin HOU, for the recommendation and to Mrs. Yang Li-Hsien Kuo for granting permission to use this arrangement.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalms1:3

And the voice of the Lord came to my ears, saying, Whom am I to send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I, send me. Isaiah 6:8

Life Exploration Cards
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:Matthew 7:7

Is life challenging? Have you ever questioned the meaning of existence? Especially when confronted with difficulties, obstacles, or setbacks. Or perhaps your life is effortless, yet you are uncertain where your complete dedication is taking you. Maybe you are excessively worried about others' perceptions, continuously striving for flawlessness, but never genuinely discovering tranquility, joy, and contentment. These verses and expressions, extracted from the Bible, have accompanied numerous Christians for generations. Whether on the mountaintops or in the valleys, through perfection or imperfection, an unwavering and authentic love has always been present. It patiently awaits those who seek it, with the assurance that those who search will undoubtedly discover it.

Black Stone Heart Artwork

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

The Chinese idiom "iron stone heart" (鐵石心腸) refers to an individual with a heart of steel and stone, indicating the absence of empathy and a stubborn disposition. This idea shares an intriguing resemblance to the biblical metaphor of a "heart of stone." In Hebrew, the word "stone" (אבן, eben) and "son" (בן, ben) create a wordplay, enabling one to interpret a stone as a symbol of a person. What kind of person? The Bible describes different types of stones, such as rocks, cornerstones, and stumbling blocks. The small black stones currently on display at Jiaoxi Church were made by Sunday School children, who painted each one with a gentle heart. These stones are meant to be taken as souvenirs, symbolizing genuine blessings and changing the metaphor of a cold heart to one of kindness and affection.

The Kite Project
This project aims to connect Christians worldwide who wish to record the Lord's Prayer in their own language. It aims to support and encourage artists who are using their professional talents to share the Lord's Prayer. The participants have also agreed to allow their voices to be used in an artistic performance. We collected nearly 100 sound files in about a month. They came from five different nations and were in over 12 languages. Some of the participants chose to identify themselves, while others chose to remain anonymous. To create this unique sound installation, we edited and combined all the recorded audio files. We are grateful to all the prayerful contributors, known and unknown, who transcended time and space to accompany us on the long journey of artistic creation. The Kite Project is ongoing and will be further developed.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.23:4