Bishop’s Cross Award
Torres Hui
Holy Apostles, Bellevue

Torres Hui has been a member of Holy Apostles, Bellevue for over 25 years. He started attending in 1990 when the church was named St. James of Jerusalem. During that time, he has served the congregation in several ways: Treasurer, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Lector, Lay Eucharist Minister, Liturgy Planner, Pastoral care, driver, Evangelist, and acolyte.

During the ministry of the Rev. Phillip Wong, Torres worked with him in the various events that Holy Apostles presented. Many of us remember the annual Auction Dinners and the celebrations of Chinese New Year. These would not have happened with Torres’ faithfully ministry. He also worked with Rev. Wong in the work of the Chinese School connected with Holy Apostles. For five years he served as Principal of Holy Apostle’s Chinese School. The school had an enrollment of about 60 students. On Saturdays for two hours students would learn the Chinese language and culture. Classes were held at the Church of the Resurrection, St. Luke’s Renton, and St. Antony Catholic Church Renton. This was a chance for the church to be in contact with the larger Chinese community.

After the retirement of Rev. Wong, Torres became the central leader of Holy Apostles, as he has been involved in all facets of the church. He schedules supply priests and worship assistants and has stood at the altar beside many a priest to translate the Eucharistic Prayers. He has been the spiritual inspiration for the community.

Holy Apostles, Bellevue is a congregation made up mostly of people of Chinese descent. Three languages are spoken in that congregation: Mandarin, Cantonese, and English. Torres manages communications in this complex setting. Sunday after Sunday he served as translator for guest preachers, which can take up to 3 hours of preparation time. He has even managed to translate Carla Robinson on the fly, which Carla says in her nomination, is no small feat!

Torres and his wife, Christine, periodically cook and serve meals at a homeless shelter in Bellevue, for which Holy Apostles is a sponsor.

All this he does with grace and humor. All this he does while tending to the needs of his family. All this he does while continuing to do his full-time work. All this he does in a small congregation with no fanfare or sense of self-importance. He is a source of spiritual inspiration for Holy Apostles and for our diocese.

Please join me in honoring Torres Hui.