Due to COVID-19, the Beihai Church, which has a history of more than 100 years, hosts a special celebration for Christmas each week in December.
On December 6th, the church, which is located in Beihai, Guangxi Province, held the first worship service to celebrate Christmas.
As the church is not big enough to accommodate attendees at one time on Christmas Day, December is regarded as the Christmas month during which celebrations are gradually carried out.
After discussion, it was decided that the worship services on Christmas Eve and Christmas will take place as scheduled if there is not a resurgence of coronavirus infections. However, the worship service will be shortened and the number of participants limited.
Designed by choirs and praise teams themselves, the programs will be performed at different times. Some programs may be combined so more people may have the opportunity to participate in choir and worship ministries.
The church will also distribute gifts to believers in advance to avoid gathering together on Christmas.
On December 7, Senior Pastor Zhang Yezhong led his colleagues to give Christmas gifts to the believers in Leprosy Village in Hepu County, bringing words of encouragement to them.
Since November 1, the believers have rehearsed at the church from seven to nine or ten o'clock every night, though they are supposed to practice for only one hour. Some of the performers include office workers, middle-aged and elderly colleagues.
(The author is a special contributor to the Gospel Times and the article is originally published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
为疫情防控的需要，具有百余年历史的基督教广西北海教会今年圣诞节活动采取了分散、分时、分堂(点)的灵活原则来庆祝一年一度的节日圣诞节。
12月6日（礼拜日）进行了圣诞节欢庆崇拜聚会活动，从而拉开了北海堂圣诞月活动的序幕。
北海堂从12月6日开始，在12月的每个主日都安排一堂欢庆崇拜，出于疫情的防控需要。加上老堂建筑面积有限，不能一次性的容纳更多的信徒聚会，尤其是像圣诞节这种大型的聚会。
经过讨论，北海堂计划：12月 24日晚上的平安夜、12月25日的圣诞崇拜，如果不受影响，能如期举行，在时间上做到压缩，严控进殿人数。
他们今年的圣诞爱筵也改为由各诗班、班组分时段、分场地自行组织、组合。借着这样的机会呼召更多的人参与到诗班和班组活动当中。
教会还提前将圣诞礼物有步骤的分发给弟兄姊妹，以免在圣诞节当天造成扎堆现象。
12月7日，北海堂张业忠主任牧师还带领同工到合浦麻风病人村把圣诞礼物送给那里的肢体，并对他们表示慰问。
而且，北海堂的弟兄姊妹从11月就开始每天晚上七点多钟到教堂排练。教堂规定是一个小时左右即可，可是大家往往都是到晚上九、十点钟才离开。他们当中有的是上班族、有的是中老年同工。
北海教会张业忠主任牧师每天都自始至终在陪伴大家，并给与鼓励。
（本图文作者为福音时报特约撰稿人。）
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/portal/article/index/id/54509
广西北海教会圣诞月活动拉开序幕
Due to COVID-19, the Beihai Church, which has a history of more than 100 years, hosts a special celebration for Christmas each week in December.
On December 6th, the church, which is located in Beihai, Guangxi Province, held the first worship service to celebrate Christmas.
As the church is not big enough to accommodate attendees at one time on Christmas Day, December is regarded as the Christmas month during which celebrations are gradually carried out.
After discussion, it was decided that the worship services on Christmas Eve and Christmas will take place as scheduled if there is not a resurgence of coronavirus infections. However, the worship service will be shortened and the number of participants limited.
Designed by choirs and praise teams themselves, the programs will be performed at different times. Some programs may be combined so more people may have the opportunity to participate in choir and worship ministries.
The church will also distribute gifts to believers in advance to avoid gathering together on Christmas.
On December 7, Senior Pastor Zhang Yezhong led his colleagues to give Christmas gifts to the believers in Leprosy Village in Hepu County, bringing words of encouragement to them.
Since November 1, the believers have rehearsed at the church from seven to nine or ten o'clock every night, though they are supposed to practice for only one hour. Some of the performers include office workers, middle-aged and elderly colleagues.
(The author is a special contributor to the Gospel Times and the article is originally published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Guangxi Church Starts to Celebrate Christmas Every Week of December
