In China’s northern Shanxi Province, the Yaodu District Church in Linfen City issued an emergency notice, saying that all fellowships, groups, and meeting sites in the city were to suspend all worship activities.
On January 9, the Yaodu District Church announced that due to the domestic coronavirus pandemic prevention and control situation, all pastoral areas, churches, and gathering sites were required to suspend worship services. In the District Church, live services were held on Sunday morning and Thursday evening to replace in-person services, following the guidelines of the local government.
On the second Sunday of this New Year, based on Isaiah 30: 1-18 and 35: 10, Rev. Geng Fuqin gave a sermon entitled, Return--A Way to Grace, in the online service.
Since the first month of 2020, the churches switched over to online services, undergoing the "two suspensions, one postponement", which referred to "closing religious activity sites, suspending group religious activities and postponing the opening of religious colleges". Till September 2020, the District Church resumed in-person services. Five services were held on Christmas Eve and Christmas, following COVID-19 protocols.
Before the celebration of Christmas, in addition to preparing the prevention materials, the 22 church sites carried out fire drills to meet the criteria of reopening.
As Shanxi is adjacent to Hebei Province, where the capital city of Shijiazhuang had a severe pandemic situation, on-site services were suspended.
(The author is a special contributor to the Gospel Times. The article is originally published by Gospel Times.)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
山西临汾市尧都区基督教会发布紧急通知，城区内所有团契、小组、聚会点暂停活动。
1月9日，尧都区基督教会宣布：鉴于国内疫情防控形势，接上级部门通知，城区主堂礼拜以网络直播为主，主日上午直播礼拜一场，每周四晚上八时直播一场。同时要求各牧区、堂、点认真落实，立即停止礼拜活动。
10日是新年的第二个主日，教会进行了网络直播，本堂耿福琴牧师以赛亚书30章1-18节、35章10节的经文做了《归回——一条蒙恩之路》的主题证道。
2020年正月因疫情形势严峻，按照“双暂停一延迟”的要求，教会就一直停止了实体礼拜，实行网上崇拜直播。直至2020年9月份城区主堂才恢复实体礼拜，并按照要求，严格执行预约登记、测温、一米线、对号入座、戴口罩等防控措施，并在平安夜、圣诞节顺利举行了五场礼拜。
各牧区下属的22个堂点在消防、防疫等方面经过认真筹备，反复演练，并经相关部门严格验收，在圣诞节来临时，举行欢庆圣诞崇拜活动。
此次因河北石家庄疫情形势严峻，加之两省毗邻较近，暂停了线下实体礼拜。
注：本文作者为福音时报特约撰稿人。
山西临汾尧都区基督教会暂停主日线下礼拜
In China’s northern Shanxi Province, the Yaodu District Church in Linfen City issued an emergency notice, saying that all fellowships, groups, and meeting sites in the city were to suspend all worship activities.
On January 9, the Yaodu District Church announced that due to the domestic coronavirus pandemic prevention and control situation, all pastoral areas, churches, and gathering sites were required to suspend worship services. In the District Church, live services were held on Sunday morning and Thursday evening to replace in-person services, following the guidelines of the local government.
On the second Sunday of this New Year, based on Isaiah 30: 1-18 and 35: 10, Rev. Geng Fuqin gave a sermon entitled, Return--A Way to Grace, in the online service.
Since the first month of 2020, the churches switched over to online services, undergoing the "two suspensions, one postponement", which referred to "closing religious activity sites, suspending group religious activities and postponing the opening of religious colleges". Till September 2020, the District Church resumed in-person services. Five services were held on Christmas Eve and Christmas, following COVID-19 protocols.
Before the celebration of Christmas, in addition to preparing the prevention materials, the 22 church sites carried out fire drills to meet the criteria of reopening.
As Shanxi is adjacent to Hebei Province, where the capital city of Shijiazhuang had a severe pandemic situation, on-site services were suspended.
(The author is a special contributor to the Gospel Times. The article is originally published by Gospel Times.)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
Shanxi Churches Suspend In-Person Sunday Services
