A church in Liaoning Province, located in northeast China, recently held its first baptism and communion service since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago.
The service took place at Beishi Church in Shenyang on June 18, which was a Sunday and Father's Day. During the initial service of the day, Rev. Liu Hong presented a sermon called “Blood of the Covenant.” After delivering the message, Rev. Liu presided over a baptism ceremony for six catechumens and led a communion service.
Another Sunday service was held later.
Historical records indicate that prior to the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, there were roughly 200 churches situated throughout Liaoning Province across various districts, including Dongguan, Xiguan, Beiguan, Beishi, Heping District, Tiexi District, Huanggu District, Xinchengzi, and Sujiatun in Shenyang City.
The current head of Beishi Church, Pastor Fan Bo, who belongs to the Post-80s generation, provided additional information about the church. In 1914, the American Christian Church dispatched a Danish representative named B. Petersen to purchase land on Huangsi Road, Heping District, Shenyang City, and establish a church. Concurrently, hospitals, venereal disease prevention centers, and primary schools were erected in the same vicinity. When Shenyang was liberated in 1948, US-based missionaries returned to their homeland. In 1958, numerous denominations in Shenyang congregated and held prayer services together. Following the year 1960, Beishi Church reinstated Sunday gatherings, with Korean believers worshiping in the morning and Han believers in the afternoon and evening. However, in 1966, the Church ceased gathering as the venue was converted by the local people’s commune into a factory.
As the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was conducted in 1978, and a new religious freedom policy was put into effect. All religions in Shenyang City were allowed to resume their spiritual activities, enabling Beishi Church to hold Sunday services for both Han and Korean believers. Eventually, Korean followers relocated to Xita Church in Shenyang.
In 1993, members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church congregated in Beishi Church under the arrangements of Shenyang Municipal CC&TSPM. The new main buildings of Beishi Church, consisting of 1,400 square meters (0.346 acres) of floor space, were finally finished from June 1994 to September 1996.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
辽宁一教会举行三年来首次主日圣餐礼暨圣洗礼。
6月18日，主日、父亲节，是辽宁省省会沈阳市北市教会自疫情暂停线下实地聚会以来的第一次主日圣餐礼拜，同时举行了圣洗礼。
北市教会分为两场聚会。上午第一场聚会，本堂刘宏牧师以“立约的血”为题证道。
证道结束后，刘宏牧师主持了圣洗礼和圣餐礼，共有六位慕道友受洗。
据《辽宁省志·宗教志》记载：“据统计，新中国建立前的今辽宁境内教会约200处，它们是：沈阳市：东关、西关、北关、北市、和平区、铁西区、皇姑区、新城子、苏家屯教会”。
据现任北市教堂负责人的80后范博教士提供的资料：1914美国基督教会派丹麦人白得逊来中国在沈阳市和平区皇寺路买地，建立了沈阳市基督教北市基督教会，进行传教，同时在此地还设立医院、性病防治所、开办小学校。1948年沈阳解放，美国派来的传教士回国。1958年沈阳市各宗派进行联合礼拜。1960年后北市教会又恢复礼拜日聚会，上午朝鲜族信徒做礼拜，下午和晚间汉族信徒做礼拜，直到1966年，北市教会停止聚会，教会场所作为当地人民公社开办工厂使用。
1979年党的十一届三中全会落实宗教政策，沈阳市各宗教恢复宗教活动，北市教会开始聚会，有汉族，朝鲜族信徒在礼拜日聚会礼拜。不久，朝鲜族信徒回到沈阳西塔教会。
1993年市基督教两会安排安息日会在北市教会聚会。1994年6月到1996年9月北市教会新礼拜堂建成，建筑面积1400平方米。
（福音时报特约撰稿人于辽宁报道）
辽宁教会举行三年来首次主日圣餐礼暨圣洗礼
A church in Liaoning Province, located in northeast China, recently held its first baptism and communion service since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago.
The service took place at Beishi Church in Shenyang on June 18, which was a Sunday and Father's Day. During the initial service of the day, Rev. Liu Hong presented a sermon called “Blood of the Covenant.” After delivering the message, Rev. Liu presided over a baptism ceremony for six catechumens and led a communion service.
Another Sunday service was held later.
Historical records indicate that prior to the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, there were roughly 200 churches situated throughout Liaoning Province across various districts, including Dongguan, Xiguan, Beiguan, Beishi, Heping District, Tiexi District, Huanggu District, Xinchengzi, and Sujiatun in Shenyang City.
The current head of Beishi Church, Pastor Fan Bo, who belongs to the Post-80s generation, provided additional information about the church. In 1914, the American Christian Church dispatched a Danish representative named B. Petersen to purchase land on Huangsi Road, Heping District, Shenyang City, and establish a church. Concurrently, hospitals, venereal disease prevention centers, and primary schools were erected in the same vicinity. When Shenyang was liberated in 1948, US-based missionaries returned to their homeland. In 1958, numerous denominations in Shenyang congregated and held prayer services together. Following the year 1960, Beishi Church reinstated Sunday gatherings, with Korean believers worshiping in the morning and Han believers in the afternoon and evening. However, in 1966, the Church ceased gathering as the venue was converted by the local people’s commune into a factory.
As the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was conducted in 1978, and a new religious freedom policy was put into effect. All religions in Shenyang City were allowed to resume their spiritual activities, enabling Beishi Church to hold Sunday services for both Han and Korean believers. Eventually, Korean followers relocated to Xita Church in Shenyang.
In 1993, members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church congregated in Beishi Church under the arrangements of Shenyang Municipal CC&TSPM. The new main buildings of Beishi Church, consisting of 1,400 square meters (0.346 acres) of floor space, were finally finished from June 1994 to September 1996.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Liaoning Church Baptizes 6 Seekers Since COVID-19
