Rev. Yung Sheng Chen

Rev. Yung Sheng Chen

86, Indianapolis, a church leader and community activist, died Sunday, January 24, 2016. He was a retired pastor in the Indiana United Methodist Church, serving at Washington St. UMC (Indianapolis), Trinity UMC (Frankfort), Industry UMC (Muncie), and churches in Kendallville/Brimfield, Pendleton, and Kingman. 

He was a founding chaplain of the Indianapolis International Airport Interfaith Chaplaincy (IIAIC) where he greeted, served, and prayed for people for more than 20 years, saying: "We pray for those who are traveling today, for those who are working today; may you be with them, God. And until we meet again, may you hold us in the palm of your hand."

Born to parents Chen Chun-Jiu and Chuang Chin-Chu in Danshui, Taiwan on March 5, 1929, Yung Sheng, whose name means "Everlasting Life," was the youngest of three boys, including Chung-Sheng ("Born Again Life") and Fu-Sheng ("Resurrected Life"), with a younger sister, Hui-Rong ("God's Grace"). God's grace is prevalent in his family as he represented a third generation of Christians, tracing their faith to the first missionary to Taiwan (Formosa) in 1872. At the age of 19 he became a political prisoner in the 2-28 incident of 1947. It was during 50 days of unlawful imprisonment and torture where he received his divine calling to the ministry, which ultimately lasted over 68 years.

Rev. Chen graduated from Taiwan Theological Seminary in 1953, and received a scholarship to Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, CA in 1955 where he earned his M.Div. in 1958. He came to Indiana to attend Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. 

His permanence in the state of Indiana was established when he was ordained in the Evangelical United Brethren Church, which merged with the Methodist church in 1968, and when he met Jean Frances Searcy, the love of his life, at a campus missions event hosted at Indiana Central College in 1962. They married on July 11, 1964 and enjoyed serving Christ together until her death in 1995.

He served on numerous boards and volunteer organizations including the National Federation of Asian American United Methodists, General Board of Church and Society, and Optimist International, where he was a lifetime member and served four terms as president of the Westside Optimist Club. He also led 16 Schools of Christian Mission around the country, and was always ready and willing to share his testimony of faith. He was an avid player of tennis, ping pong, and basketball, and loved singing in the Cathedral Choir at North United Methodist Church, where he attended for 16 years.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers, and dear wife; and he is survived by his children Paul Timothy Chen (Joy Higgins) of Fishers, Grace Margaret Walker (Eric) of Indianapolis, and Peter John Chen (Hsiaohan "Daphne" Chiu) of Avon; grandchildren Casaundra Jean Chen of Fishers and Simon James Chen of Avon; a niece Penelope Ann Murnane (Chris) and great-niece Molly Murnane of Annapolis, MD; and sister Grace Cheng, niece Nancy Lin (Joseph) and family of Taipei, Taiwan.

Viewing will be held at Conkle Funeral Home, 4925 W 16th St, Indianapolis, on Friday, January 29, 2016 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and funeral services will be conducted at North United Methodist Church, 3808 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, on Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.  Burial will take place at Glen Haven Cemetery, Harrison Ohio, at 4:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to North United Methodist Church Mission and Outreach (317-924-2612); Indianapolis International Airport Interfaith Chaplaincy (317-407-0755); or the Methodist Health Foundation (317-962-1777).