Three churches in China’s northeastern Liaoning Province have held a 24/7 prayer vigil since the coronavirus outbreak in late January.
Quanshui Church, Fengshou Lu Church, and Jinzhou Church have united together in a prayer and watch campaign called “Holiness and Truth.”
The vision of the campaign aims to hold up the temple of God through praying continuously for a whole year.
The campaign started in late January when COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan.
Pastors in charge of each of the churches determine the daily prayer theme, then the cultural and communication department write the content.
Every post includes texts and images as well as English translations.
The participants pray for their country, local cities, churches, pastors, co-workers, and congregations. The prayer content includes church ministries, the health of members, groups and fellowships.
Prayer chains have formed from ordained pastors to pastors and teachers to leaders of fellowships, groups, and areas to individual believers.
The believers volunteer for a time period and then schedules are arranged accordingly.
Church co-workers said on August 30 that each young staff or fellowship head is responsible for one or two hours in the daytime, while the watch and prayer task is handed over to middle-aged and elderly workers after ten at night. They share the task in shifts.
Particularly at midnight, at least two senior workers watch for around one hour, then another two take their place.
To not interrupt their families late at night, elderly co-workers set their phone alarms to vibrate. They get up quietly and pray silently or softly in a quiet spot.
After being on duty for several nights, some old sisters who usually sleep little could not fall asleep anymore. Their churches sympathized with them and said that they could rest some days before working again.
An elderly sister said, “We can do nothing as we are old and in poor health. Although 24 hours of watching and praying is not a thing of just one or two days, we need to contribute our best to it. This is an opportunity given by God. We’re honored. Thank God!”
They said that around 2,000 people participated in the campaign, which meant almost every church member was involved.
- Translated by Karen Luo
大连三教会开展24小时守望祷告 已持续8个多月 大连市三个教堂联动举行了每日二十四小时守望祷告，从2019年底至今，已经坚持了八个多月！ 泉水教会、丰收路教会和金州教会联合举行《圣洁和诚实》的守望祷告。 2020年8月30日主日，笔者就守望祷告圣工，咨询了三个教会的教牧同工及部分信徒，从他们那里得知：作为泉水、丰收、金州三堂的新年异象，守望祷告的计划是主任牧师呼召弟兄姊妹们从新年伊始，用祷告托起神的圣殿，以“圣洁诚实”为祷告主题，全年365天，24小时无间断的祷告。 三堂的守望祷告是在新冠肺炎疫情袭来的初期，即2020年一月份开始的。 八个多月来，三堂由分管的传道人牵头确定，由文宣部门编撰每天不同内容的守望祷告主题。每日守望祷告的制作也是图文并茂，还有英文。 从为国家、地方、教会、牧者、同工、弟兄姊妹等层面守望祷告；从教会事工、肢体健康、班组团契，直到各个不同内容的具体事项守望祷告。 三堂从牧师开始到教士教师、班组负责人、团契负责人、片区负责人、到信徒个人，形成一个自上而下的守望祷告组织架构，形成一个一个链接的“链条”。 据说，信徒自愿报名，然后排班。 同工们告诉我，他们是这样做的：白天的时间由年轻的教牧同工和团契负责人来守望祷告，每位大约坚守一到两个小时左右，然后再“接力”。 晚上十点钟以后基本由中老年同工来守望祷告。特别是凌晨零点的时候，基本是片区的老年同工在守望祷告，每次至少是两位同工在祷告，时间每次大约一个小时左右。 为了不打扰家人，老年同工就把手机闹铃设在震动，悄悄地起来，到家里僻静之处去戴上耳机或默祷、或轻声祷告。半夜以后的守望祷告后，有的老姊妹本来觉就少，午夜祷告后就睡不着、失眠了，教会关心她们，就要求她们暂时歇工几天再去做工。 一位老姊妹说：“我们岁数大了，身体也不行，做不了什么，虽然说24小时守望祷告不是一天两天的事情，但是我们也要尽自己的能力献上守望和祷告，这也是神给的恩典和机会，我们感到很荣幸，感谢神！” 据介绍，有的教堂参与人数大约在2000左右人次，也就是说，全教堂的会众几乎每个人都参与到守望祷告中了。
Three churches in China’s northeastern Liaoning Province have held a 24/7 prayer vigil since the coronavirus outbreak in late January.
Quanshui Church, Fengshou Lu Church, and Jinzhou Church have united together in a prayer and watch campaign called “Holiness and Truth.”
The vision of the campaign aims to hold up the temple of God through praying continuously for a whole year.
The campaign started in late January when COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan.
Pastors in charge of each of the churches determine the daily prayer theme, then the cultural and communication department write the content.
Every post includes texts and images as well as English translations.
The participants pray for their country, local cities, churches, pastors, co-workers, and congregations. The prayer content includes church ministries, the health of members, groups and fellowships.
Prayer chains have formed from ordained pastors to pastors and teachers to leaders of fellowships, groups, and areas to individual believers.
The believers volunteer for a time period and then schedules are arranged accordingly.
Church co-workers said on August 30 that each young staff or fellowship head is responsible for one or two hours in the daytime, while the watch and prayer task is handed over to middle-aged and elderly workers after ten at night. They share the task in shifts.
Particularly at midnight, at least two senior workers watch for around one hour, then another two take their place.
To not interrupt their families late at night, elderly co-workers set their phone alarms to vibrate. They get up quietly and pray silently or softly in a quiet spot.
After being on duty for several nights, some old sisters who usually sleep little could not fall asleep anymore. Their churches sympathized with them and said that they could rest some days before working again.
An elderly sister said, “We can do nothing as we are old and in poor health. Although 24 hours of watching and praying is not a thing of just one or two days, we need to contribute our best to it. This is an opportunity given by God. We’re honored. Thank God!”
They said that around 2,000 people participated in the campaign, which meant almost every church member was involved.
- Translated by Karen Luo
Dalian Churches Keep Prayer Vigil for Eight Months
