During Passion Week and Easter, churches in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province held a series of activities to meditate on the Lord's cross and resurrection, leading believers to have a deeper faith and to live and die with Christ, and also offering prayers for people affected by the COVID-19 epidemic to return to normal life as soon as possible.
Suzhou Christianity Apostles' Church held an online Easter Sunday service, during which Rev. Chen Meng shared on "Christ Has Risen", advising believers to carefully think about the meaning of Christ's resurrection, and encourage them to better live the life of Christ in this world.
In the online Easter worship conducted in Suzhou Gongxiang Church, Rev. Yu Huawei quoted Matthew 28:1-10 and preached on the theme of "The Savior Risen from the Dead", inspiring the congregation to always remember the Lord's grace, walk with the resurrected Savior and live the resurrection life.
Starting on April 11, the color palette of Suzhou St John's Church’s public WeChat account changed to dark grey for six consecutive days. The church recalled and pushed the biblical recount of Jesus' words and deeds during the Passion Week, hoping to lead all believers to refresh their knowledge about Jesus’ crucifixion together through online sharing, and to remind them to remember what Jesus taught us — to love each other.
From Lent to Easter, Suzhou Mujia Garden Church provided believers with sharing information and devotionals every day. The church posted the scriptures and devotions of Lent and the Holy Week this year on its WeChat public account.
From April 10 to 17, the church launched a series of online activities of Passion Week meditations and Easter worship, including meditations on the Seven Last Words from the Cross, Easter Sunrise Service, Easter Sunday Worship, etc. The church called on believers to appreciate Christ’s suffering for us, and also to commemorate the pain and distress experienced by patients and medical staff during the epidemic, especially in Shanghai, Suzhou and other regions.
On April 17, in order to commemorate the great redemption that Jesus achieved through his sacrifice, Dushu Lake Church live streamed a morning watch prayer meeting.
From 7:00 am to 8:00 am, pastors took turns in leading the believers to worship and praise, recalling the experience of Jesus on Good Friday, and encouraging them to strengthen their faith that "Jesus died for me, and I live for Jesus". In the end, all the pastors knelt down together and guided the followers to offer earnest intercession for the country, the church, and the believers.
On the same day, through live broadcasting, the church also hosted an Easter online praise meeting, attended by the full-time church staff, to celebrate Jesus' resurrection with all Christian believers with a thankful heart. After the praise meeting, Rev. Wang Tianlu delivered a sermon titled "Resurrection with Jesus", encouraging the flock to live out the life of Christ together and wait for His return.
From April 10 to 17, Suzhou Shishan Church launched a series of activities to commemorate the grace of Jesus, which were all conducted online, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
During the Holy Week, every morning the pastoral staff led an online devotional and meditation based on the timeline of Jesus' last week on earth. On April 10 in the morning, with palm branches, the church held a Palm Sunday service, during which Rev. Lu Muen preached on "Entering the Holy City". On April 14 in the afternoon, the Eucharist service was streamed for Maundy Thursday. On April 15, two services took place: the meditation and prayer on the 14th Station of the Crucible in the morning and candle meditation on the Seven Last Words from the Cross at night. On April 17, Easter Sunday, Suzhou Shishan Church held the Easter Sunday service. Rev. Meng Yanfeng shared the great news of Jesus’ resurrection in the sermon titled "He Is Not Here, He Has Been Risen".
During Passion Week, Xiangcheng Christ Church held a series of online celebrations.
On Palm Sunday, Rev. Kuai Mo led the worship, during which Rev. Qian Bin delivered a sermon titled "Overcoming Anxiety". On Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Sabbath Day, Rev. Kui Mo, Rev. Xu Enbei, Rev. Qian Bin and Rev. Meng Yao led the congregation to do spiritual devotion on its WeChat public account. The Good Friday Evening Prayer was video recorded by all the faculty members and the church committee members and broadcast in the WeChat group. The Easter Sunday morning service was live-streamed through the WeChat group by Rev. Meng Yao. During the live broadcast of the Easter Sunday worship, Rev. Xu Enbei preached on "When It Is About to Dawn", advising the congregation to be patient and persevering when confronting difficulties. With faith, the darkness will eventually pass, and the light will surely come.
Zhangjiagang Christian Church: Passion Week Online Worship Series
From April 10 to 17, Zhangjiagang Christian Church held a series of online worship activities during Passion Week.
From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, every day there was virtual-led devotional practice and sharing recorded by a pastoral church worker. By sharing Jesus' journey this week, believers meditated on His authority, wisdom, love, teaching, humility, suffering, and resurrection.
- Translated by Shuya Wang
受难周复活节期间，苏州各教会举行了一系列活动默想主的十字架和复活。带领信徒更深进入信仰，与基督同死同活。也为疫情献上祷告，早日恢复正常。
使徒堂线上复活崇拜
使徒堂举行线上复活主日崇拜，陈猛牧师以《基督已复活》为题分享，劝勉弟兄姐妹深思基督复活的意义，鼓励众人更好地在世活出基督的生命。
宫巷堂复活节线上崇拜
于华伟牧师则引用马太福音28章1-10节的经文以《死里复活的救主》为题为主证道，激励弟兄姊妹们常念主恩典，与复活的救主同行，活出复活的生命。
圣约翰堂受难周纪念礼拜活动
4月11日开始，苏州市基督教圣约翰堂调节“苏州市基督教圣约翰堂公众号”平台色调，以一种沉重、灰暗的色调，连续6天，回顾并推送圣经中记载耶稣在受难周的言行，以期通过网上分享的方式，带领众弟兄姐妹一起重温耶稣受难的事迹，提醒大家记起耶稣对众人的教导——要去爱。
慕家花园堂受难周线上纪念活动
从基督预苦期到复活节期间，慕家花园堂为信徒提供了每日不同的分享信息和灵修方式，通过微信公众号将今年预苦期和受难周经文、灵修分享列出，以便弟兄姊妹们学习与参与。
4月10-17日，慕家花园基督教堂开展了受难周默想及复活节崇拜线上系列活动。线上举行十架七言默想、复活节晨曦敬拜、复活节主日崇拜等。呼吁信徒在体会基督为我们受苦的同时，也纪念疫情中，特别是上海、苏州等地区，患者、医护人员等经历痛苦与忧患的同胞代求。
独墅湖堂晨更祷告会、复活节线上赞美会
4月17日，为纪念耶稣以舍己牺牲所成就的救赎大功，独墅湖堂通过线上直播方式开展晨更祷告会。
晨更祷告会从早晨7:00开始，8:00结束。按照班次，每位牧者带领信徒敬拜赞美，并回顾耶稣在受难周当天的经历，鼓励信徒坚定“主为我死，我为主活”的心志。最后，诸位牧者一同屈膝跪下，引导众人为国家、教会、信徒献上恳切代求！
当日，独墅湖堂也举行了复活节线上赞美会。赞美会由独墅湖堂专职同工参与。通过直播的方式与弟兄姊妹一同以感恩的心庆祝耶稣的复活。赞美会结束后，王天路牧师以《与主复活》为题进行证道，鼓励弟兄姊妹一同活出基督的生命，等候主的再来。
狮山堂受难周复活节纪念活动
4月10日-17日，狮山堂特举行系列活动纪念耶稣宏恩。因着疫情的原因，狮山基督教堂系列活动皆采用线上方式进行。
在受难周期间，教牧同工每日清晨在线上带领大家根据耶稣在世最后一周的行程进行灵修默想。10日清晨，在棕枝的掩映之下，狮山堂举行了棕枝主日礼拜，鲁沐恩牧师以《荣进圣城》为题证道。14日下午，狮山堂举行濯足日圣餐礼拜；15日上午，狮山堂举行苦路十四站默想祷告，晚上，于线上举行“十架七言”烛光默想。17日，是复活节，清晨狮山堂举行复活节主日礼拜，孟艳凤牧师以《他不在这里，他已经复活了》为题，与大家分享主复活的大喜信息。
相城堂受难周系列线上庆祝活动
受难周期间，相城堂举办受难周系列线上庆祝活动。
棕枝主日崇拜直播由蒯沫牧师主礼，钱斌牧师以《胜过忧虑》为题证道。权柄日、教悔日、静修日、团契日、受难日、安息日分别由蒯沫牧师、许恩杯牧师、钱斌牧师和孟耀传道带领会众通过公众号线上灵修。受难日晚祷会由相城堂全体教职人员和堂委会成员参与录制，通过录播的形式在微信群播出。复活主日晨曦礼拜由孟耀传道通过微信群在线带领。复活主日崇拜直播，许恩杯牧师牧师以《天快亮的时候》为题证道，劝勉会众在困难面前要存忍耐坚韧的心，凭信心挺过去，黑暗终将过去，光明一定会到来。
张家港市基督教会受难周线上崇拜系列活动
4月10日-17日，张家港市基督教会举行受难周线上系列崇拜活动。
从棕枝主日到复活节主日，每天按时带领信众灵修并安排一位教牧同工通过录播在线上分享。通过分享耶稣这一周的行程，大家默想主的权柄、智慧、慈爱、教导、谦卑、受难及复活等。
苏州各教会受难周、复活节活动回顾
During Passion Week and Easter, churches in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province held a series of activities to meditate on the Lord's cross and resurrection, leading believers to have a deeper faith and to live and die with Christ, and also offering prayers for people affected by the COVID-19 epidemic to return to normal life as soon as possible.
Suzhou Christianity Apostles' Church held an online Easter Sunday service, during which Rev. Chen Meng shared on "Christ Has Risen", advising believers to carefully think about the meaning of Christ's resurrection, and encourage them to better live the life of Christ in this world.
In the online Easter worship conducted in Suzhou Gongxiang Church, Rev. Yu Huawei quoted Matthew 28:1-10 and preached on the theme of "The Savior Risen from the Dead", inspiring the congregation to always remember the Lord's grace, walk with the resurrected Savior and live the resurrection life.
Starting on April 11, the color palette of Suzhou St John's Church’s public WeChat account changed to dark grey for six consecutive days. The church recalled and pushed the biblical recount of Jesus' words and deeds during the Passion Week, hoping to lead all believers to refresh their knowledge about Jesus’ crucifixion together through online sharing, and to remind them to remember what Jesus taught us — to love each other.
From Lent to Easter, Suzhou Mujia Garden Church provided believers with sharing information and devotionals every day. The church posted the scriptures and devotions of Lent and the Holy Week this year on its WeChat public account.
From April 10 to 17, the church launched a series of online activities of Passion Week meditations and Easter worship, including meditations on the Seven Last Words from the Cross, Easter Sunrise Service, Easter Sunday Worship, etc. The church called on believers to appreciate Christ’s suffering for us, and also to commemorate the pain and distress experienced by patients and medical staff during the epidemic, especially in Shanghai, Suzhou and other regions.
On April 17, in order to commemorate the great redemption that Jesus achieved through his sacrifice, Dushu Lake Church live streamed a morning watch prayer meeting.
From 7:00 am to 8:00 am, pastors took turns in leading the believers to worship and praise, recalling the experience of Jesus on Good Friday, and encouraging them to strengthen their faith that "Jesus died for me, and I live for Jesus". In the end, all the pastors knelt down together and guided the followers to offer earnest intercession for the country, the church, and the believers.
On the same day, through live broadcasting, the church also hosted an Easter online praise meeting, attended by the full-time church staff, to celebrate Jesus' resurrection with all Christian believers with a thankful heart. After the praise meeting, Rev. Wang Tianlu delivered a sermon titled "Resurrection with Jesus", encouraging the flock to live out the life of Christ together and wait for His return.
From April 10 to 17, Suzhou Shishan Church launched a series of activities to commemorate the grace of Jesus, which were all conducted online, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
During the Holy Week, every morning the pastoral staff led an online devotional and meditation based on the timeline of Jesus' last week on earth. On April 10 in the morning, with palm branches, the church held a Palm Sunday service, during which Rev. Lu Muen preached on "Entering the Holy City". On April 14 in the afternoon, the Eucharist service was streamed for Maundy Thursday. On April 15, two services took place: the meditation and prayer on the 14th Station of the Crucible in the morning and candle meditation on the Seven Last Words from the Cross at night. On April 17, Easter Sunday, Suzhou Shishan Church held the Easter Sunday service. Rev. Meng Yanfeng shared the great news of Jesus’ resurrection in the sermon titled "He Is Not Here, He Has Been Risen".
During Passion Week, Xiangcheng Christ Church held a series of online celebrations.
On Palm Sunday, Rev. Kuai Mo led the worship, during which Rev. Qian Bin delivered a sermon titled "Overcoming Anxiety". On Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Sabbath Day, Rev. Kui Mo, Rev. Xu Enbei, Rev. Qian Bin and Rev. Meng Yao led the congregation to do spiritual devotion on its WeChat public account. The Good Friday Evening Prayer was video recorded by all the faculty members and the church committee members and broadcast in the WeChat group. The Easter Sunday morning service was live-streamed through the WeChat group by Rev. Meng Yao. During the live broadcast of the Easter Sunday worship, Rev. Xu Enbei preached on "When It Is About to Dawn", advising the congregation to be patient and persevering when confronting difficulties. With faith, the darkness will eventually pass, and the light will surely come.
Zhangjiagang Christian Church: Passion Week Online Worship Series
From April 10 to 17, Zhangjiagang Christian Church held a series of online worship activities during Passion Week.
From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, every day there was virtual-led devotional practice and sharing recorded by a pastoral church worker. By sharing Jesus' journey this week, believers meditated on His authority, wisdom, love, teaching, humility, suffering, and resurrection.
- Translated by Shuya Wang
Suzhou Churches Celebrate Passion Week, Easter
