Members of the Chinese Lunch Team ministry at the Church of Our Savior in San Gabriel, California, prepare and sell dumplings at the city’s annual Dumpling & Beer Fest every year. Proceeds from the dumplings sold benefit the church’s senior program. Photo: Hannah Riley
[Episcopal News Service] When she was five years old, Jessica Jin learned to make dumplings, a beloved family tradition throughout China, especially the northern region. She kept those skills throughout her life, even today, 13 years after moving from Beijing to the United States, where she and her family settled in San Gabriel, California. Today, she’s an active parishioner of the Church of Our Savior, an Episcopal parish with a growing Chinese congregation.
“The Savior Church community is a place of support and unity for me. Here, we care for one another, share our faith, and build deep friendships,” Jin told Episcopal News Service. “This community not only gives me a sense of belonging, but also encourages me to grow in my faith.”
Jin participates in a few ministries at the Church of Our Savior, including the Chinese Lunch Team, a group of about a dozen parishioners who cook traditional Chinese meals for various events throughout the year, including dumplings for the city of San Gabriel’s annual Dumpling & Beer Fest, which took place on Oct. 4 this year. The event, a unique twist on Oktoberfest reflecting the city’s predominantly East Asian population, attracts between 5,000 and 6,000 people every year. The Church of Our Savior was the only religious institution that participated in the festival, and proceeds from the 2,000 beef and pork dumplings they sold will benefit the church’s senior program.
Jin said she thinks it’s “very important” for the Church of Our Savior to participate in community events.
The Church of Our Savior in San Gabriel, California, advertises its Dumpling & Beer Fest dumplings with a custom logo drawn by one of its parishioners who was a professional artist in mainland China. The logo depicts a priest with a large dumpling head and Mandarin characters that say, “Dumplings that have been blessed.” The church’s priests bless the “holy dumplings” before they are served and cooked. Photo: The Church of Our Savior
“By taking part in such events, we can break down barriers and bring the church closer to people’s everyday lives. We are not just sharing food, but also sharing the church’s care, unity and love,” she said. “This public involvement helps us connect with people from different backgrounds, demonstrate our values and give more people the chance to experience the strength of our faith.”
Unlike other Dumpling & Beer Fest vendors, the Church’s of Our Savior’s dumplings came with a twist: the dumplings were blessed by the church’s priests before they were cooked and sold to the community. The Church of Our Savior’s marketed their dumplings as “holy dumplings.”
“Gathering with family and friends, preparing food together, eating and chatting at the same table is what Chinese people love to do,” the Rev. Katherine Feng, a priest in the Diocese of Los Angeles, told ENS. “Having gatherings and celebrating festivals with and beyond church community make Chinese parishioners who are far away from their homes and being separated from their loved ones feel welcomed and supported by loving siblings in Christ, it also helps them to find a new root and build up a sense of belonging in the church, a spiritual home and physical gatherings space.”
Feng is temporarily working at the Church of Our Savior in place of its full-time associate for Chinese ministry, the Rev. Thomas Ni, who is on sabbatical until November.
Dumplings symbolize wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture. They’re commonly eaten throughout the year, especially during Lunar New Year celebrations. Because the process of making large batches of dumplings is time-consuming, “it’s a good way to bring the family together and have fun while working and eating together,” according to Feng.
The Rev. Jeff Thornberg, rector of the Church of Our Savior in San Gabriel, California, wears an apron with the church’s Dumpling & Beer Fest logo that depicts a priest with a large dumpling head. Photo: Hannah Riley
The Church of Our Savior advertised its Dumpling & Beer Fest dumplings with a custom logo drawn by one of its parishioners who was a professional artist in mainland China. The logo depicts a priest with a large dumpling head and Mandarin characters that say, “Dumplings that have been blessed.” The logo also appeared on the aprons volunteers wore at the church’s festival booth.
Since February, the Church of Our Savior has grown its congregation to about 200 people throughout its three Sunday worship services, including about 40 people at its Mandarin service. Out of the 24 children who attend Sunday School, about half are Chinese.
“Here, you really feel like you’re a part of something, and you don’t get that anywhere really anymore,” Hannah Riley, associate for congregational life for the Church of Our Savior, told ENS. “Church of Our Savior really is where people experience community in a way that you don’t get anywhere else in the world.”
The Church of Our Savior houses the Li Tim-Oi Center, which has been providing lay leadership training for Chinese ministry since its inception in 2014. The center is named after the Rev. Li Tim-Oi, a native of Hong Kong who became the first woman ordained a priest in the Anglican Communion on Jan. 25, 1944. The Episcopal Church celebrates her feast day on Jan. 24.
“This church has brought me endless joy and comfort,” Jin said. “I want to witness the growth and flourishing of the Chinese congregation and accompany it throughout my life.”
-Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.