December 24th and 25th are the days when the universal Church celebrates Christmas and commemorates the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. However, many Christian churches in Beijing have stopped worshipping on site due to the pandemic, and some churches have conducted online carol services instead. I had the honor to participate in a Christmas Eve worship service in one of the churches.
Around 2 o'clock in the afternoon on Thursday, I inquired about the services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day of Beijing Christian Gangwashi Church, Chongwenmen Church and Fengtai Church through a platform called "Beijing Religious Places Reservation". I wanted to reserve for one of them.
To my surprise, I found that one of the churches had no reservation information. After checking, I learnt that they had started to issue admission tickets in front of the church gate as early as half a month ago and there had been no online reservation. However, that church had canceled its activities altogether for December 24th due to the new pandemic outbreak. The other church was fully booked and the third one had tickets available for the last evening service from 21: 00 to 22: 00. There were only four remaining tickets so my friends and I made a reservation quickly. On Christmas Eve, there were four worship sessions at the church, each of which was strictly limited in number with about 280 people in the main sanctuary.
After dinner, my friends and I went to the church by subway and walked in the cold wind for nearly 20 minutes after getting off the subway. Although it was cold, our hearts were happy and we looked forward to the service arranged by the church. As we arrived at the church gate we found the main entrance closed. The security guard instructed us to take a detour. We had to complete a number of steps before entering the church building: checking the Beijing Health Code, registering personal information and allowing personal tracking - measuring temperature – showing our reservation number – storing our bags (for both big and small bags) – facial recognition for measuring temperature again - going through a security check - applying sanitizer on hands for disinfection. After completing all of the steps we were welcomed by the church attendants, who handed each of us a "Peace Fruit" in a package.
During the security check process, we also remember hearing an old man yelling: "From where do I enter? I’m totally confused." In a word, none of the steps could be missed to enter the site.
After entering the church, we were organised to sit down one meter away from each other. We were required to wear masks throughout the one-hour worship. I have a hobby of taking photos, but when I picked up my phone and was about to take a photo, I was immediately reminded that I was not allowed to take pictures and post them on WeChat Moments. We were also surprised to find that even the cell phone signal was blocked.
As the service started, the pastor gave a sermon about "peace", which lasted only five minutes, but there was still a brief call for those who might seek Jesus. They prayed for the visitors who came to the church for the first time. The main feature of the worship service was the performance by a choir. Choir members stood on stage wearing masks to sing and their voices were sometimes low and sometimes high with duets. The accompanying instruments were the piano and violin. The service was also broadcast live for those participating online.
After the service was over, we were needed to leave by a special passage and then we took our backpacks after going out of the gate. After nearly an hour of worship, believers were still chatting with each other, but they were unable to see each other’s faces completely with masks on. However, I found the service touching. When I sang about the Savior's incarnation and when I prayed for a place to greet the Lord along with my singing, when the holy music of Universal Joy and Hallelujah sounded, although they could not be together, I could feel the joy and touch of the believers of the Universal Church celebrating the Savior's birth together.
I have participated in Christmas activities many times in churches in Beijing. Recalling the past, Christmas was particularly lively every year. One year, I took my friend to Chongwenmen Church. Because we were late, we could only sit in the side chapel. It was always not so wonderful to watch the projection screen. In another year, I went to Gangwa City Church, but there were too many participants for the event and some of them had started queuing outside the church three or four hours in advance just to get into the main chapel to have a view of the main stage. I didn't even go in the side chapel, so I had to watch the big screen in the churchyard, shivering from cold while singing the Christmas hymns. Luckily someone left early so I could enter the side chapel to enjoy the heating. The church I went to last night was the same. In previous years, not only the main and side chapel were full but also many people stood in the aisles on both sides of the main building. The service was also wonderful including Christmas dramas, recitation, singing and dancing, music, and even Sunday school children's performances. Christmas dramas are often a reconstruction of the scene of Jesus born in Bethlehem. There was no place in the inn, so Mary had to give birth in the stable, and the baby was put in the manger after being born. Shepherds in the wild rushed to the scene, and the three wise men also worshipped the infant.
After arriving home and ready to rest I saw a message from the Fengtai Church WeChat official account. It said that because of the pandemic, the Fengtai Church was not able to hold the Christmas celebration on the evening of December 25th. The message asked for understanding and support from brothers and sisters.
On the Internet, on December 24th, Haidian Church issued a notice in its official website saying that due to the recent new cases of infection in Beijing, beginning on December 24 Haidian Church would suspend opening to society and collective gathering activities, and the resumption time would be announced separately. "Please understand and actively cooperate with your brothers and sisters, and continue to do a good job in pandemic prevention and control. Let us continue to pray for the early end of the pandemic."
On the same day, the official website of Gangwashi Church also sent a similar message.
Due to the pandemic and decoration work, Yanjing Theological Seminary has been closed to the public. Brothers and sisters are invited to attend Christmas and Sunday services online.
On the afternoon of December 24, Beijing held its 190th regular press conference on pandemic prevention and control, giving information about the latest situation of pandemic prevention and control. Beginning a midnight on December 23 to 4:00pm on December 24, there were 2 new asymptomatic cases in Beijing, and there were no new confirmed cases or suspected cases in China.
After the on-site gathering was canceled, Haidian Church, Chongwenmen Church and Yanjing Theological Seminary all provided live online worship during Christmas.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the churches in Beijing stopped public gatherings since the end of January 2020. Despite a notice that gatherings could resume on June 14th, they were temporarily cancelled again due to a new outbreak, and public gatherings did not resume until early August. At that time, I went to Chongwenmen Church and used its reservation system. When I entered the Church, I went through health code and the appointment number, temperature measurement, disinfection, and security check. When I attended the church, I was seated at a strict distance of one meter. When the service was over I left immediately and did not stay. Churches in Beijing generally have thousands of people. After strictly limiting the number of people, each church has increased the number of worship sessions and provided online live broadcast or playback to meet the worship needs of believers.
2020 is about to pass. In this year, COVID-19 suddenly spread all over the world. According to the World Health Organization, as of 18: 09 on the 24th Central European Time (1: 09 on the 25th Beijing time), the number of confirmed cases worldwide increased by 662,825 from the previous day reaching 77,530,799 cases. The number of deaths increased by 13061 reaching 1724904.
The pandemic situation has also changed the way of worship in Chinese churches. All churches have actively explored how to provide online worship, and we watch and help each other together without losing confidence and hope in difficult times.
- Translated by Charlie Li
12月24日和25日是普世教会庆祝圣诞、纪念救主耶稣基督降生的日子，北京的多个基督教堂却因疫情而暂停了实地崇拜，部分教会改由线上进行，笔者有幸参与了某个教堂的平安夜圣乐崇拜。
周四下午两点多，笔者通过“北京宗教场所预约平台”，查询了北京市基督教缸瓦市堂、崇文门堂和丰台堂的平安夜和圣诞节场次信息，想预约到其中一个的入场券。
结果发现，其中一个堂没有预约信息，后面查看才知道他们早在半个月前就开始在教堂门前发入场票，没有线上预约，12月24日，因为新的疫情，索性连活动都取消了。另一堂都预约满了，第三个还剩最后一场晚礼拜的票，时间为21:00-22:00，余票4张，我和朋友赶紧预约。平安夜，该堂一共4场崇拜，每堂严格限制人数，主堂大约280人左右。
晚饭后，笔者和朋友坐地铁去教堂，下地铁后还在寒风中走了将近20分钟，虽然冷但内心还是欣喜莫名，对于教堂安排的节目也异常期待。到了教堂门口，平日入场的大门不让走了，保安示意我们绕路。经过了好几个环节，查北京健康宝，登记个人信息和查询活动轨迹——测温——查询预约号码——存包（大小包一律保存）——再次刷脸测温——安检——人工提供洗手液消毒，终于都通过之后，我们得到了教堂服侍同工的欢迎，他们递给我们每人一个带有包装纸的“平安果”。
在这个过程中，我们还听到一位老大爷喊：“这是从哪儿进呀，把我都绕晕了。”总之，要入场，一个环节都不会少。
入堂后，我们被安排坐来，严格一米距离，一个小时的崇拜需要全程戴口罩。总要拍照留念，可当我拿起手机按快门时，却被提醒不允许拍照和发朋友圈。我们还吃惊地发现，就连手机信号也被屏蔽了。
崇拜开始后，讲道人分享了关于“平安”的信息，大概只有5分钟的时间，但还是有个简短的呼召，并为第一次到教堂的朋友做了祝福祷告。由于是圣乐崇拜，主角是唱诗班，成员们站在台前，一直戴着口罩唱诗，声音时而低沉时而高亢，还有重唱。伴奏以钢琴为主，还有小提琴。整个崇拜提供了现场直播，没能到教堂的人可以线上参与。
礼拜结束后，我们被引导由专门通道离开，从大门出去后再取背包。将近一个小时的崇拜时间，信徒们还是会互相问候，但戴着口罩都看不到脸。但多少还是有点感动，当唱到救主道成肉身的时候，当我随着诗歌祈求自己的心成为迎接主的地方的时候，当《普世欢腾》和《哈利路亚》圣乐响起，虽然不能在一起，但能感受到普世教会的信徒们一起庆祝救主降生的欢乐和感动。
笔者曾多次在北京的教堂参与圣诞活动，忆往昔，每年的圣诞节都特别热闹。有一年带朋友去了崇文门堂，因为去晚了，只能坐在副堂，看投屏总不那么精彩；另一年笔者去了缸瓦市堂，谁知去堂里过节的人太多，有的提前三四个小时就开始在教堂外排队，只为了能进主堂看到现况。笔者连副堂都没进去，只好在教堂院子里看大屏幕，一样的平安夜歌声，感动之余还要克服寒冷。难忘那时的瑟瑟发抖，后面有人提前离场，笔者才得进入副堂，享受一下暖气。笔者昨晚去的教堂也是，往年不仅主副堂坐满，在主堂还有不少人站在两侧的过道里，节目也精彩，有圣剧、朗诵、歌伴舞、圣乐，甚至还有主日学儿童表演。圣剧往往会还原耶稣降生在伯利恒的那一幕，客店里没有地方，马利亚只好在马棚里生产，婴孩降生后被放在马槽里。野地里的牧羊人闻讯赶来，三博士也朝拜圣婴。
才参加完活动回到家，整理好之后正准备休息，就看到丰台堂微信公众号发出信息：“因疫情原因，丰台堂12月25日晚上停止举办圣诞赞美会。请弟兄姐妹理解和支持。”
上网一看，12月24日，海淀堂在官网发布通知称：由于近期，北京市新冠病例的出现，从即日（12月24日）起海淀堂将继续采取“双暂停”措施，严格落实暂停对外开放、暂停集体聚会活动的措施，恢复时间另行通知。“请弟兄姐妹给予理解和积极配合，继续严加做好疫情防控工作。也让我们继续为疫情的早日结束祈祷。”
同日，缸瓦市堂官网也发出类似信息。
燕京神学院则因疫情和教堂装修，一直执行封闭管理，不对外开放，并请弟兄姊妹通过线上参加庆祝圣诞节及主日礼拜。
12月24日下午，北京市召开疫情防控第190场例行新闻发布会，就当前疫情防控最新情况进行通报：12月23日0时至12月24日16时，北京市新增2例无症状感染者，无新增本土确诊病例、疑似病例。
实地聚会停止后，海淀堂、崇文门堂、燕京神学院等都在圣诞节期间提供了线上崇拜直播。
因新冠疫情，北京各教堂自1月底停止了实地聚会，当发出通知表示6月14日可以恢复聚会时，又因新发地疫情而临时取消，直到8月初才恢复实地聚会。笔者当时去了崇文门堂，实行预约制，入堂时查询健康宝和预约编号、测温、消毒和安检，礼拜时对号入座，严格一米距离，结束时立即散场、不逗留。北京的教堂一般都几千人，严格限制人数后，各教堂增加了礼拜场次，同时提供线上直播或者回放，以满足信徒们的礼拜需要。
2020年即将过去，这一年，突如其来的新冠疫情蔓延全球。据世界卫生组织通报，截至欧洲中部时间24日18时09分（北京时间25日1时09分），全球确诊病例较前一日增加662825例，达到77530799例；死亡病例增加13061例，达到1724904例。
疫情也改变了中国教会的崇拜方式，各教会积极探索线上崇拜方式，大家一起守望相助，在艰难中不失信心和盼望。
疫情之下的圣诞节 北京各大教堂或取消或严格限制实地礼拜人数
December 24th and 25th are the days when the universal Church celebrates Christmas and commemorates the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. However, many Christian churches in Beijing have stopped worshipping on site due to the pandemic, and some churches have conducted online carol services instead. I had the honor to participate in a Christmas Eve worship service in one of the churches.
Around 2 o'clock in the afternoon on Thursday, I inquired about the services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day of Beijing Christian Gangwashi Church, Chongwenmen Church and Fengtai Church through a platform called "Beijing Religious Places Reservation". I wanted to reserve for one of them.
To my surprise, I found that one of the churches had no reservation information. After checking, I learnt that they had started to issue admission tickets in front of the church gate as early as half a month ago and there had been no online reservation. However, that church had canceled its activities altogether for December 24th due to the new pandemic outbreak. The other church was fully booked and the third one had tickets available for the last evening service from 21: 00 to 22: 00. There were only four remaining tickets so my friends and I made a reservation quickly. On Christmas Eve, there were four worship sessions at the church, each of which was strictly limited in number with about 280 people in the main sanctuary.
After dinner, my friends and I went to the church by subway and walked in the cold wind for nearly 20 minutes after getting off the subway. Although it was cold, our hearts were happy and we looked forward to the service arranged by the church. As we arrived at the church gate we found the main entrance closed. The security guard instructed us to take a detour. We had to complete a number of steps before entering the church building: checking the Beijing Health Code, registering personal information and allowing personal tracking - measuring temperature – showing our reservation number – storing our bags (for both big and small bags) – facial recognition for measuring temperature again - going through a security check - applying sanitizer on hands for disinfection. After completing all of the steps we were welcomed by the church attendants, who handed each of us a "Peace Fruit" in a package.
During the security check process, we also remember hearing an old man yelling: "From where do I enter? I’m totally confused." In a word, none of the steps could be missed to enter the site.
After entering the church, we were organised to sit down one meter away from each other. We were required to wear masks throughout the one-hour worship. I have a hobby of taking photos, but when I picked up my phone and was about to take a photo, I was immediately reminded that I was not allowed to take pictures and post them on WeChat Moments. We were also surprised to find that even the cell phone signal was blocked.
As the service started, the pastor gave a sermon about "peace", which lasted only five minutes, but there was still a brief call for those who might seek Jesus. They prayed for the visitors who came to the church for the first time. The main feature of the worship service was the performance by a choir. Choir members stood on stage wearing masks to sing and their voices were sometimes low and sometimes high with duets. The accompanying instruments were the piano and violin. The service was also broadcast live for those participating online.
After the service was over, we were needed to leave by a special passage and then we took our backpacks after going out of the gate. After nearly an hour of worship, believers were still chatting with each other, but they were unable to see each other’s faces completely with masks on. However, I found the service touching. When I sang about the Savior's incarnation and when I prayed for a place to greet the Lord along with my singing, when the holy music of Universal Joy and Hallelujah sounded, although they could not be together, I could feel the joy and touch of the believers of the Universal Church celebrating the Savior's birth together.
I have participated in Christmas activities many times in churches in Beijing. Recalling the past, Christmas was particularly lively every year. One year, I took my friend to Chongwenmen Church. Because we were late, we could only sit in the side chapel. It was always not so wonderful to watch the projection screen. In another year, I went to Gangwa City Church, but there were too many participants for the event and some of them had started queuing outside the church three or four hours in advance just to get into the main chapel to have a view of the main stage. I didn't even go in the side chapel, so I had to watch the big screen in the churchyard, shivering from cold while singing the Christmas hymns. Luckily someone left early so I could enter the side chapel to enjoy the heating. The church I went to last night was the same. In previous years, not only the main and side chapel were full but also many people stood in the aisles on both sides of the main building. The service was also wonderful including Christmas dramas, recitation, singing and dancing, music, and even Sunday school children's performances. Christmas dramas are often a reconstruction of the scene of Jesus born in Bethlehem. There was no place in the inn, so Mary had to give birth in the stable, and the baby was put in the manger after being born. Shepherds in the wild rushed to the scene, and the three wise men also worshipped the infant.
After arriving home and ready to rest I saw a message from the Fengtai Church WeChat official account. It said that because of the pandemic, the Fengtai Church was not able to hold the Christmas celebration on the evening of December 25th. The message asked for understanding and support from brothers and sisters.
On the Internet, on December 24th, Haidian Church issued a notice in its official website saying that due to the recent new cases of infection in Beijing, beginning on December 24 Haidian Church would suspend opening to society and collective gathering activities, and the resumption time would be announced separately. "Please understand and actively cooperate with your brothers and sisters, and continue to do a good job in pandemic prevention and control. Let us continue to pray for the early end of the pandemic."
On the same day, the official website of Gangwashi Church also sent a similar message.
Due to the pandemic and decoration work, Yanjing Theological Seminary has been closed to the public. Brothers and sisters are invited to attend Christmas and Sunday services online.
On the afternoon of December 24, Beijing held its 190th regular press conference on pandemic prevention and control, giving information about the latest situation of pandemic prevention and control. Beginning a midnight on December 23 to 4:00pm on December 24, there were 2 new asymptomatic cases in Beijing, and there were no new confirmed cases or suspected cases in China.
After the on-site gathering was canceled, Haidian Church, Chongwenmen Church and Yanjing Theological Seminary all provided live online worship during Christmas.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the churches in Beijing stopped public gatherings since the end of January 2020. Despite a notice that gatherings could resume on June 14th, they were temporarily cancelled again due to a new outbreak, and public gatherings did not resume until early August. At that time, I went to Chongwenmen Church and used its reservation system. When I entered the Church, I went through health code and the appointment number, temperature measurement, disinfection, and security check. When I attended the church, I was seated at a strict distance of one meter. When the service was over I left immediately and did not stay. Churches in Beijing generally have thousands of people. After strictly limiting the number of people, each church has increased the number of worship sessions and provided online live broadcast or playback to meet the worship needs of believers.
2020 is about to pass. In this year, COVID-19 suddenly spread all over the world. According to the World Health Organization, as of 18: 09 on the 24th Central European Time (1: 09 on the 25th Beijing time), the number of confirmed cases worldwide increased by 662,825 from the previous day reaching 77,530,799 cases. The number of deaths increased by 13061 reaching 1724904.
The pandemic situation has also changed the way of worship in Chinese churches. All churches have actively explored how to provide online worship, and we watch and help each other together without losing confidence and hope in difficult times.
- Translated by Charlie Li
Christmas under Pandemic: Churches in Beijing Cancel Carol Services or Restrict the Number of Participants
