A village church in Fujian celebrates the inauguration of its new church building.
The event was held at Houkeng Church in Zhangpu County, Zhangzhou City, on December 30. The new building, a two-and-a-half-story structure, covered a construction area of 2,883 square meters (0.712 acres) and a floor area of 300 square meters (0.074 acres).
Rev. Chen Huijiang, vice president of Zhangzhou Municipal Christian Council, delivered a sermon titled "Blessed Church," featuring the church that distributes gifts, has the same heart, is on mission, and is authoritative.
During the ceremony, a staff worker named Xu Ruimei presented a brief history and the process of reconstructing the church. In the afternoon, a Christmas celebration and New Year's gospel rally were held in the new main building.
Over a hundred years ago, missionaries like Rev. Huang Debi and Rev. Xu Geming came to Houkeng Village to spread the gospel. The previous church building, a 90-square-meter structure made of masonry (with auxiliary buildings), fell into disrepair and collapsed long ago. In 1967, during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), gatherings and services ceased. The church reopened in 1979, and people initially gathered in believers' homes due to the small number of attendees. With increasing worshippers, a new 83-square-meter stone and slate church was built in 1987, accommodating 150 people.
In 1993, the Zhangpu County Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau approved it as an official religious activity venue, and the church council was established. The church, built in 1987, became dilapidated over the years due to water leakage. In 2004, they purchased a grain depot and converted it into a church that accommodates 250 people for gatherings. They applied to build a new church in 2015 and completed the construction.
(The original article is published by the Gospel Times and the author is a believer in Fuzhou, Fujian Province.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
福建一村教堂新堂献堂。
12月30日福建省漳州市漳浦县后坑教堂举行新堂献堂礼拜，该教堂二层半（占地面积2883平方米）,建筑面积300平方米。
漳州市两会副会长陈辉江牧师以《蒙福的教会》为题，分恩赐的教会、同心的教会、使命的教会、权柄的教会四个内容证道与众分享。
庆典会上，许瑞梅同工还介绍后坑教会简史和新圣殿建堂过程。下午，后坑堂兄弟在新圣殿里还举行庆圣诞、迎新年福音赞美会。
一百多年前先后有黄得庇牧师、许葛明牧师等传教士到后坑村传福音。该村过去建的教堂圣殿90平方米(土木结构)附设姑娘楼、传道屋等（年久失修，早巳倒废）。1967年文革期间，停止聚会崇拜。1979年教会恢复崇拜，人数不多暂时在信徙家聚会崇拜。之后随徒不断增加，于1987年新建起了一座约83平方米石条石板结构的圣殿，可容纳150人教堂。
1993，漳浦县宗教局批准为正式活动场所，并设立堂管会。1987年建成的教堂，经多年时间因出现漏水已变成了危房。后于2004年购买当地粮食局的粮点，改装成可容纳250人聚会的旧圣堂，2015年再经申请建成现在的新堂。
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系福建福州一教会信徒。
福建一村教堂庆祝新堂落成
A village church in Fujian celebrates the inauguration of its new church building.
The event was held at Houkeng Church in Zhangpu County, Zhangzhou City, on December 30. The new building, a two-and-a-half-story structure, covered a construction area of 2,883 square meters (0.712 acres) and a floor area of 300 square meters (0.074 acres).
Rev. Chen Huijiang, vice president of Zhangzhou Municipal Christian Council, delivered a sermon titled "Blessed Church," featuring the church that distributes gifts, has the same heart, is on mission, and is authoritative.
During the ceremony, a staff worker named Xu Ruimei presented a brief history and the process of reconstructing the church. In the afternoon, a Christmas celebration and New Year's gospel rally were held in the new main building.
Over a hundred years ago, missionaries like Rev. Huang Debi and Rev. Xu Geming came to Houkeng Village to spread the gospel. The previous church building, a 90-square-meter structure made of masonry (with auxiliary buildings), fell into disrepair and collapsed long ago. In 1967, during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), gatherings and services ceased. The church reopened in 1979, and people initially gathered in believers' homes due to the small number of attendees. With increasing worshippers, a new 83-square-meter stone and slate church was built in 1987, accommodating 150 people.
In 1993, the Zhangpu County Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau approved it as an official religious activity venue, and the church council was established. The church, built in 1987, became dilapidated over the years due to water leakage. In 2004, they purchased a grain depot and converted it into a church that accommodates 250 people for gatherings. They applied to build a new church in 2015 and completed the construction.
(The original article is published by the Gospel Times and the author is a believer in Fuzhou, Fujian Province.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Fujian Village Church Dedicates New Building
