A church in Southeast China’s Fujian Province celebrated the centennial anniversary of its dedication.
On October 5, Shanyang Church in Gutian County, Ningde City, hosted a service to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Tianyi Church, as reported by Ningde Municipal CC&TSPM.
During the ceremony, Rev. Hao Zhiqiang, editor-in-chief of Tianfeng, or Heavenly Wind, the flagship magazine of CCC&TSPM, preached a sermon titled “We Need Churches.”
A British Anglican missionary with the Chinese name Ke Libi founded the church in 1867, according to He Hongping, director of the Shanyang Church Council. In 1880, a foreign-style church was built at Xiachi Lane in Shanyang Town, named “Tianyi Church,” also known as Nanxiahu Church.
Since 1889, Rev. Zhang Youxin from Luoyuan County, Yangtou Town, along with three British and Australian female missionaries, have served at Tianyi Church. During their time there, several buildings were constructed, including pastors' residences, homes for the female missionaries, kindergartens, hospitals, Peiying Boys' School, and Yuxiu Girls' School. The Rt. Rev. Kwang-Hsu Michael Chang (a bishop of the Anglican Church of Fukien and son of Pastor Zhang Youxin) studied at the boys’ school. In 1913, due to the increasing number of church members, a new church building was planned and built at Xijiewei in Shanyang Town. It took ten years to complete the building, Tianyi Church, which is now an ancient building under local cultural relic protection.
In 2022, under the leadership of Rev. Li Li and the director of the church administrative board, Mr. He, renovations were carried out on the Tianyi Church.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
福建省一教堂献堂100周年。
据宁德市基督教两会，10月5日，宁德市古田县杉洋教堂举行天一堂献堂100周年礼拜。
中国基督教《天风》杂志主编蒿志强牧师以《我们需要教会》为题证道。
根据杉洋教堂堂管主任何宏平介绍：杉洋基督教会是1867年由英籍克力庇牧师建立。1880年，在杉洋下池弄兴建一座洋式教堂，取名“天一堂”，也称南下湖教堂。
1889年起先后有罗源洋头乡的张有信牧师、三位英籍、澳籍师姑在堂会服侍。他们到来不久，便陆续建起牧师楼、师姑厝、幼稚园、医院、男校曰培英、女校曰育秀。著名的张光旭会督（主教）是当时培英学生。1913年因教会人数不断增加，在杉洋西街尾筹建新的教堂。历时十年建成天一堂，如今此堂在当地属文物保护古建筑。
2022年，在李黎牧师与何宏平堂主任带领下，对天一堂进行修缮。
福建一教堂庆祝献堂100周年
A church in Southeast China’s Fujian Province celebrated the centennial anniversary of its dedication.
On October 5, Shanyang Church in Gutian County, Ningde City, hosted a service to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Tianyi Church, as reported by Ningde Municipal CC&TSPM.
During the ceremony, Rev. Hao Zhiqiang, editor-in-chief of Tianfeng, or Heavenly Wind, the flagship magazine of CCC&TSPM, preached a sermon titled “We Need Churches.”
A British Anglican missionary with the Chinese name Ke Libi founded the church in 1867, according to He Hongping, director of the Shanyang Church Council. In 1880, a foreign-style church was built at Xiachi Lane in Shanyang Town, named “Tianyi Church,” also known as Nanxiahu Church.
Since 1889, Rev. Zhang Youxin from Luoyuan County, Yangtou Town, along with three British and Australian female missionaries, have served at Tianyi Church. During their time there, several buildings were constructed, including pastors' residences, homes for the female missionaries, kindergartens, hospitals, Peiying Boys' School, and Yuxiu Girls' School. The Rt. Rev. Kwang-Hsu Michael Chang (a bishop of the Anglican Church of Fukien and son of Pastor Zhang Youxin) studied at the boys’ school. In 1913, due to the increasing number of church members, a new church building was planned and built at Xijiewei in Shanyang Town. It took ten years to complete the building, Tianyi Church, which is now an ancient building under local cultural relic protection.
In 2022, under the leadership of Rev. Li Li and the director of the church administrative board, Mr. He, renovations were carried out on the Tianyi Church.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Fujian Church Marks 100 Years
