Last weekend, pastoral staff from a church in Shanxi visited an elderly deacon.
September 6, 2020 marked the 90th birthday of Hou Minzhong, who served in the church in Linfen for many years. Leaders of Yaodu District Church visited her home.
After graduation from the Ming I Middle School, founded by the North China Mission in 1913, Hou taught part-time at the school and served in local churches.
As the earliest of co-workers in the downtown church in Linfen, she often preached the gospel in local towns and countryside, leading young workers to learn about ministry. She was well-liked by the congregation.
However, she was bed-ridden for years, having lost her to walk due to rheumatism.
Hou’s hair is still black and she speaks with vigor, always remembering God’s word in her mind.
Calligraphy with the love passage from 1 Corinthians 13, pursuing hangs on the wall. She also writes quotes from devotional books, words on the Bible, and reflections.
The visitors sang her favorite songs, Dwelling in Beulah Land and Gracious God and Our Father.
After Rev. Huang Lin read Psalm 92, and Rev. Yang Senlin recalled the days when she co-worked with him in the villages.
临汾市尧都区基督教会探访九十高龄老执事侯敏中并祝贺寿辰
9月5日上午，山西省临汾市尧都区基督教会教牧同工陈丽长老、杨森林牧师、黄海林牧师、张晓华长老等一行来到山西师范大学家属区，看望年已九十高龄的老执事侯敏中。
一到家，牧长们热情拉着老前辈的手虚寒嘘暖，帮助打扫，清洁卫生，并一起谈论圣经，唱诗歌颂，愉快回忆以往同的美好时光。
6日是老人九十岁的寿辰，一大早，诗班同工王家瑞姊妹和西南片梁彩云姊妹早早精心预备了生日蛋糕，购买了水果及奶制品，送上温情的关怀，祝福生日快乐。
侯执事自幼就读于山西汾阳铭义学校（华北基督教公理会1913年创办，现为汾阳中学），信仰根基坚固，后委身侍奉，一面在学校执教，一面服侍教会。
她是临汾城区基督教堂早期参与侍奉的老同工，曾多次奔走于城乡传讲真道，并带领年轻同工学习侍奉，深得信徒爱戴。
后因患风湿病行走不便，卧床多年，教会经常组织前往看望。
老人虽年已九旬，头发乌黑，精神矍铄，虽有时糊涂，但对神的话常铭记在心。
墙上贴着她亲自书写的“爱是凡事包容，爱是恒久忍耐，爱从上帝而来、活在今日当下，己生命必死，要追求圣洁”等，醒目大字遒劲有力，时时提醒为主而活；一旁的小笔记本和圣经及灵修书籍上书籍上密密麻麻地写满娟秀的字，展现了一个基督徒的美好灵性和不懈的精神追求，令人敬仰。
尽管生活简朴，身居陋室，老人对主的爱非常渴慕，心系教会，坚定信靠忍耐等候。
大家一起歌唱她最爱唱的《荣美福地》《慈父上帝歌》，她心里喜乐无比。
黄牧师诵读了诗篇92篇的经文，杨牧师回忆了以往在村里带他同工的经历，并献上祝福祷告。
最后送上生日蛋糕，为老执事寿辰送上祝福。
Last weekend, pastoral staff from a church in Shanxi visited an elderly deacon.
September 6, 2020 marked the 90th birthday of Hou Minzhong, who served in the church in Linfen for many years. Leaders of Yaodu District Church visited her home.
After graduation from the Ming I Middle School, founded by the North China Mission in 1913, Hou taught part-time at the school and served in local churches.
As the earliest of co-workers in the downtown church in Linfen, she often preached the gospel in local towns and countryside, leading young workers to learn about ministry. She was well-liked by the congregation.
However, she was bed-ridden for years, having lost her to walk due to rheumatism.
Hou’s hair is still black and she speaks with vigor, always remembering God’s word in her mind.
Calligraphy with the love passage from 1 Corinthians 13, pursuing hangs on the wall. She also writes quotes from devotional books, words on the Bible, and reflections.
The visitors sang her favorite songs, Dwelling in Beulah Land and Gracious God and Our Father.
After Rev. Huang Lin read Psalm 92, and Rev. Yang Senlin recalled the days when she co-worked with him in the villages.
Shanxi Church Congratulates Elderly Deacon on Her 90th Birthday
