Moving to a new country isn't as easy as finding a comfortable home near your job, however. Language is the biggest barrier for newcomers, said Chon Tsai, a U.S. resident for about 20 years, a Brownsburg resident for the past five. Cultural differences are the second biggest. Tsai said while the Chinese Community Church's mission is to spread the gospel to non-believers, many immigrants come there for support and to have someone to talk to. The Sunday service is conducted in English and Mandarin, and projection screens at the front of the church help people follow the written parts of the service.
Headphones are available for worshipers who want Cantonese translations.
While parents rehearsed in the sanctuary, toddlers watched a Barney video in the basement nursery. A few kids played in the gym. We are the first generation here. The challenge for children and parents, he said, is to let the second generation develop its own values and identities, built on the older generation's belief system.