Jiubao Christian Meeting Point (I refer to it as "church" thereinafter)in Qianshan District, Anshan City, Liaoning Province, is located near the famous Donganshan Iron Mine of Anshan Iron and Steel Group Corporation. It was on Sunday, October 3 that I came to this small but holy church.
I met Pastor Ma Jingcheng, the head of the church, many years ago. The Jiubao Church consists of the most common tile-roofed houses in the rural areas in southern Liaoning, with two houses in the front and back. In the words of Pastor Ma, this is the "smallest" church that covers an area of 174 square meters (0.042 acres) in Anshan.
The reason why I use "fervent" to describe the church is that although there are only less than 100 believers in this church, their fervor has been moving in Anshan since its establishment more than 20 years ago.
One day in the city, thunder was rolling, and heavy rain was pouring, but even under such circumstances, the congregation of the Jiubao Church came to the church early, praised, read scriptures, prayed, and began to listen to the sermon at 7:30 a.m.
One sister told me that even when it snows in winter, people come to church services on time.
The church sits in a remote location and the path leading to the church is an ordinary, bumpy, and rugged dirt road. When it rains, there are many puddles on the road. When it snows, no one cleans the road, so the road is very slippery. Even so, the believers still go to church twice a week. Some believers have to travel about six kilometers from another district to attend the church.
Regardless of the dirt road in front of the church, the church building is a bungalow, but the road from the main hall to the other hall is clean and tidy. The church keeps clean even though the believers come to the church with mud and snow on their feet.
There are not many people in the choir, but when I heard their voices of praise so high and loud, I felt the power of their fervor. After the service, I chatted with the sisters of the choir. I said, “Your clothes look very good. How many sets do you have?” They said with a smile, "There are several sets. We bought them all at our own expense without using the church's money.”
The church holds a Thanksgiving Day for Autumn Harvest and Honor the Elderly Activity on the Double Ninth Festival every year, which has lasted for more than 20 years. As long as there is no epidemic this year, they will still celebrate their Thanksgiving Day with singing and dancing. The two celebrations will be held together, and the church will give out a gift to every believer. In the meanwhile, each senior member over the age of 70 will still receive a gift.
During the suspension of face-to-face gatherings during several coronavirus outbreaks, the church donated much money. Some people prepared the money they wanted to donate and sent it to the church by taxi. Some donated all the tithes of the year on a one-time basis after the church began in-person gatherings. So far, the tithes and offerings have increased rather than decreased. Due to COVID-19, the church attendance in some areas decreased, but under such circumstances, Jiubao Church saw an increased attendance.
The congregation hopes that they will soon have a decent church building, and a well-built, smooth road. They also believe that God will give them a proper church building in due time.
(The writer is a staff writer for the Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Stephen Huang
辽宁鞍山千山区旧堡基督教聚会点，坐落在著名的鞍钢东鞍山铁矿附近。10月3日是主日，笔者来到了这间不大、但有着基督里的爱和火热的圣教会。
我与教会的负责人马景成教士在多年前就见过。旧堡教堂是最普通不过的辽南乡村常见的瓦房，前后两堂，建筑面积174平方米。用马景成教士的话来说：这是鞍山市“最小”的教堂。
我之所以用“火热”来报道旧堡教会，就是因为这间教会虽信徒然只有不足百人，但是自创建二十多年来，他们的火热在鞍山市主内是感人的。
那天的鞍山，雷声滚滚、大雨滂沱，但是就是在这种情况下，旧堡教会的弟兄姊妹还是早早的就来到了教堂，开始赞美、读经、祷告，上午七点三十分开始听道。
一位姊妹告诉我，即使是冬天下雪，大家也是准时来聚会。
旧堡教会地理位置偏僻，通往教堂的小路就是普通的、坑洼的一条崎岖土路。下雨天的时候有雨水和积水、下雪天的时候更是没有人打扫，雪天路滑。即使这样，信徒们还是满怀热情地每个礼拜两次到教堂来聚会。有的信徒要从另外的一个区，行程约12华里来参加聚会。
别看旧堡教堂门前是土路、教堂是平房，但是从主堂到副堂，都是干净整齐。没有因为前来聚会信徒们脚上带着泥水、带着雪水把教堂弄的很脏。
旧堡教会的诗班人也不多，但是当笔者听到她们赞美的声音那么高亢和洪亮，感觉到了火热的力量。聚会结束后，我和诗班的姊妹们交流。我说：你们的衣服很好啊，有几套？她们笑着说：有好几套呢，都是我们自费买的，没有花教会的钱。
教堂每年举办秋收感恩节和九九重阳敬老活动，已经坚持了二十多年，今年只要没有疫情，他们依旧要载歌载舞欢度感恩节。今年的感恩节和重阳节庆祝活动合到一起举行，感恩节教堂为每位信徒发一份礼品；同时，七十周岁以上的老年弟兄姊妹还是要每个人领到一份礼品。
几次疫情暂停实地聚会期间，旧堡教会的奉献款不少，有的肢体把应该奉献的款项准备好，打车送到教堂，有的在复堂后把应纳的全部奉献。迄今为止，教堂的奉献款不少反增；在有的教堂因着疫情信徒聚会人数减少的情况下，旧堡教堂参加聚会的信徒人数不少，反增。
会众希望他们的教会早日能有一个像样的教堂、一条修好的、平坦的路。同时，他们也坚信，神会按时给他们一个像样的教堂的。
（本文作者为福音时报特约撰稿人。）
火热的教会——记辽宁鞍山旧堡教会
Jiubao Christian Meeting Point (I refer to it as "church" thereinafter)in Qianshan District, Anshan City, Liaoning Province, is located near the famous Donganshan Iron Mine of Anshan Iron and Steel Group Corporation. It was on Sunday, October 3 that I came to this small but holy church.
I met Pastor Ma Jingcheng, the head of the church, many years ago. The Jiubao Church consists of the most common tile-roofed houses in the rural areas in southern Liaoning, with two houses in the front and back. In the words of Pastor Ma, this is the "smallest" church that covers an area of 174 square meters (0.042 acres) in Anshan.
The reason why I use "fervent" to describe the church is that although there are only less than 100 believers in this church, their fervor has been moving in Anshan since its establishment more than 20 years ago.
One day in the city, thunder was rolling, and heavy rain was pouring, but even under such circumstances, the congregation of the Jiubao Church came to the church early, praised, read scriptures, prayed, and began to listen to the sermon at 7:30 a.m.
One sister told me that even when it snows in winter, people come to church services on time.
The church sits in a remote location and the path leading to the church is an ordinary, bumpy, and rugged dirt road. When it rains, there are many puddles on the road. When it snows, no one cleans the road, so the road is very slippery. Even so, the believers still go to church twice a week. Some believers have to travel about six kilometers from another district to attend the church.
Regardless of the dirt road in front of the church, the church building is a bungalow, but the road from the main hall to the other hall is clean and tidy. The church keeps clean even though the believers come to the church with mud and snow on their feet.
There are not many people in the choir, but when I heard their voices of praise so high and loud, I felt the power of their fervor. After the service, I chatted with the sisters of the choir. I said, “Your clothes look very good. How many sets do you have?” They said with a smile, "There are several sets. We bought them all at our own expense without using the church's money.”
The church holds a Thanksgiving Day for Autumn Harvest and Honor the Elderly Activity on the Double Ninth Festival every year, which has lasted for more than 20 years. As long as there is no epidemic this year, they will still celebrate their Thanksgiving Day with singing and dancing. The two celebrations will be held together, and the church will give out a gift to every believer. In the meanwhile, each senior member over the age of 70 will still receive a gift.
During the suspension of face-to-face gatherings during several coronavirus outbreaks, the church donated much money. Some people prepared the money they wanted to donate and sent it to the church by taxi. Some donated all the tithes of the year on a one-time basis after the church began in-person gatherings. So far, the tithes and offerings have increased rather than decreased. Due to COVID-19, the church attendance in some areas decreased, but under such circumstances, Jiubao Church saw an increased attendance.
The congregation hopes that they will soon have a decent church building, and a well-built, smooth road. They also believe that God will give them a proper church building in due time.
(The writer is a staff writer for the Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Stephen Huang
A Visit to Jiubao Church in Anshan, Liaoning
