A few days ago, churches in Linyi, Shandong, and Bengbu, Anhui, remained closed, affected by changes in the response to the new COVID-19 cluster in Beijing.
The Beijing Health Commission said on Monday that 236 total infections were testified related to a local market cluster in Beijing since June 11, when the first case was detected.
The churches which planned to resume worship services on June 21 changed to be closed. All religious activities there are still suspended. Some churches which have reopened will be temporarily closed and need to suspend activities.
On June 18, the Lanshan and the Luozhuang District CC&TSPM in Linyi City, Shandong Province issued notices that the opening of churches would need to be suspended.
The notice said: “The current situation of the pandemic has changed. The number of people returning from Beijing, Hebei, Qingdao, and other high-risk areas is gradually increasing, and further investigation, detection, and isolation are in progress. The risk and danger of groups of people meeting in public spaces are too great. In order to ensure the safety and stability of religious groups in the city, the opening of religious venues will be delayed from today. Those that have been opened will be temporarily closed from now on. The specific opening time will be given at a later time.”
Lanshan District is the most densely populated area in Linyi City, and the Liuqingyuan Church and the Jinqueshan Church will be temporarily closed from now on (the delay time is temporarily 3 weeks), the specific opening time will be given a later date.
From now on, the gatherings of Enquan Church and Meng'en Church in Luozhuang District will be temporarily suspended (suspension for approximately two weeks). The specific opening time will be given at a later time.
Xuehua Christian Church in Bengshan District, Bengbu, Anhui, which was originally scheduled to resume its gathering on June 21, issued a notice that its meetings would be suspended beginning on June 18.
The church still provides Sunday worship information on WeChat for its congregation. It says that for those who have made appointments, please understand that the inconvenience is due to the pandemic.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
山东临沂、安徽蚌埠部分教堂暂停实地聚会
日前，受北京市疫情防控总体变化的影响，山东临沂、安徽蚌埠等地教堂继续保持关闭。打算于6月21日复堂的继续执行“双暂停”（暂停开放宗教活动场所，暂停一切宗教集体活动）；已经复堂的，即日起暂时关闭，继续落实“双暂停”措施。
6月18日，山东省临沂市兰山区基督教两会与罗庄区基督教两会分别发布暂停开放教堂的通知。
通知中说：当前疫情防控形势发生变化，特别是我市有从北京、河北、青岛等疫情中高风险区回来的人员逐步增多，正在进一步排查、检测、隔离中。因宗教场所的特殊性和聚集性不确定因素风险隐患过大，为确保全市宗教领域安全稳定，从今日起延迟开放宗教活动场所，已经开放的，即日起暂时关闭，具体开放时间，另行通知。
兰山区为临沂市人口最密集流动的大区，即日起暂时停止开放该区柳青苑教堂和金雀山教堂（延迟时间暂为3周），具体开放时间另行通知。
即日起，罗庄区恩泉堂、蒙恩堂暂时停止聚会（延迟时间暂为两周），具体开放时间，另行通知。
安徽蚌埠蚌山区雪华基督教堂原计划于6月21日恢复聚会。 6月18日，发布暂停聚会的通知。
教会依旧为弟兄姐妹提供微信公众号聚会信息。对已经预约的弟兄姐妹带来的不便，请理解。
A few days ago, churches in Linyi, Shandong, and Bengbu, Anhui, remained closed, affected by changes in the response to the new COVID-19 cluster in Beijing.
The Beijing Health Commission said on Monday that 236 total infections were testified related to a local market cluster in Beijing since June 11, when the first case was detected.
The churches which planned to resume worship services on June 21 changed to be closed. All religious activities there are still suspended. Some churches which have reopened will be temporarily closed and need to suspend activities.
On June 18, the Lanshan and the Luozhuang District CC&TSPM in Linyi City, Shandong Province issued notices that the opening of churches would need to be suspended.
The notice said: “The current situation of the pandemic has changed. The number of people returning from Beijing, Hebei, Qingdao, and other high-risk areas is gradually increasing, and further investigation, detection, and isolation are in progress. The risk and danger of groups of people meeting in public spaces are too great. In order to ensure the safety and stability of religious groups in the city, the opening of religious venues will be delayed from today. Those that have been opened will be temporarily closed from now on. The specific opening time will be given at a later time.”
Lanshan District is the most densely populated area in Linyi City, and the Liuqingyuan Church and the Jinqueshan Church will be temporarily closed from now on (the delay time is temporarily 3 weeks), the specific opening time will be given a later date.
From now on, the gatherings of Enquan Church and Meng'en Church in Luozhuang District will be temporarily suspended (suspension for approximately two weeks). The specific opening time will be given at a later time.
Xuehua Christian Church in Bengshan District, Bengbu, Anhui, which was originally scheduled to resume its gathering on June 21, issued a notice that its meetings would be suspended beginning on June 18.
The church still provides Sunday worship information on WeChat for its congregation. It says that for those who have made appointments, please understand that the inconvenience is due to the pandemic.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Churches in Shandong, Anhui Continue to be Closed due to Beijing COVID-19 Cluster
