In Liaoning Province, an Anshan church integrating Han and Korean ethnic groups reopened last Sunday after suspension due to the resurgence of COVID-19 before the 2021 Spring Festival.
Following COVID-19 protocols, Yongle Church in Anshan resumed its in-person Sunday service, while the service including praise and sermon in Korean restarted.
Pastor Pei Lianshu mentioned that the church was to resume on-site gatherings twice a week, with the online Sunday service held as usual.
On the Sunday morning of March 21, after the hymns sung by the congregation, Pastor Liu Zaigen, dressed in formal attire, led the congregation in reading the scriptures. He later gave a sermon lasting about an hour.
During the service, taking off her shoes, a sister walked to the altar with a rectangular case in her hands, as Chinese-Koreans do not normally enter their homes or walk to the altar with shoes. Receiving the box, Pastor Liu laid it on the podium and placed his hands on it, praying in Korean. Afterwards, Pastor Pei said that two of the ministry's finance staff put the money contributed by believers on that day from the offering box into the case and gave it to the pastor. Pastor Liu’s prayer had two meanings: one was to plead with God to remember these believers’ love, to bless and be with them; the other was to pray that the offering money would be properly used in the holy work of evangelism, and that the pastor of the church might take care of the money for God.
After the service, inside the elevator going downstairs was an old sister with crutches. At the age of 86, she had believed in the Lord for more than 30 years; she had a broken leg since last year. It was really commendable for her to go to church at such an old age.
(The original article is published by Gospel Times)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
辽宁鞍山永乐基督教教堂是一座集汉族、朝鲜族为一体的教会。在疫情期间暂停线下实地聚会后，2021年3月21日礼拜日永乐基督教堂在做好各项防疫措施后，恢复了实地的主日聚会。同时在这一天以朝鲜语的敬拜赞美、讲道的主日聚会也同时恢复。
据牧师介绍：该堂每周恢复两次线下实地聚会，礼拜日除了线下聚会外，线上聚会照常进行。
2021年3月21日礼拜日上午，在会众的赞美声中，柳在根牧师身着正装登上圣台，带领会众读经并为主证道。柳牧师的讲道大约一个小时。
在永乐堂的聚会期间，一位姊妹脱掉鞋子登上圣台。（因朝鲜族的习惯，进屋或登上圣台不能穿鞋），双手捧着一个长方形的盒子给了柳牧师。牧师接过之后，将盒子放在讲台上，当着大家的面，双手按在盒子上，用朝鲜语虔诚的祷告。裴莲淑牧师告诉我：盒子里面装的是今天信徒奉献的钱款，由教会的两位财务同工打开奉献箱后放到盒子里交给牧师。柳牧师祷告有两个意义：一是为弟兄姊妹的爱心向神祷告，求神记念这些信徒并赐福与他们同在；二是祷告把这些奉献的钱款恰到好处的用在传福音的圣工各方面，教堂的牧师为神管好钱。
聚会结束后
乘坐电梯下楼的时候，一位拄着拐杖的老姊妹,今年86岁，信主30多年了，腿是去年摔骨折了。这么大的年龄，坚持到教堂，真的难能可贵。
辽宁鞍山永乐堂朝鲜族信徒恢复实地聚会
In Liaoning Province, an Anshan church integrating Han and Korean ethnic groups reopened last Sunday after suspension due to the resurgence of COVID-19 before the 2021 Spring Festival.
Following COVID-19 protocols, Yongle Church in Anshan resumed its in-person Sunday service, while the service including praise and sermon in Korean restarted.
Pastor Pei Lianshu mentioned that the church was to resume on-site gatherings twice a week, with the online Sunday service held as usual.
On the Sunday morning of March 21, after the hymns sung by the congregation, Pastor Liu Zaigen, dressed in formal attire, led the congregation in reading the scriptures. He later gave a sermon lasting about an hour.
During the service, taking off her shoes, a sister walked to the altar with a rectangular case in her hands, as Chinese-Koreans do not normally enter their homes or walk to the altar with shoes. Receiving the box, Pastor Liu laid it on the podium and placed his hands on it, praying in Korean. Afterwards, Pastor Pei said that two of the ministry's finance staff put the money contributed by believers on that day from the offering box into the case and gave it to the pastor. Pastor Liu’s prayer had two meanings: one was to plead with God to remember these believers’ love, to bless and be with them; the other was to pray that the offering money would be properly used in the holy work of evangelism, and that the pastor of the church might take care of the money for God.
After the service, inside the elevator going downstairs was an old sister with crutches. At the age of 86, she had believed in the Lord for more than 30 years; she had a broken leg since last year. It was really commendable for her to go to church at such an old age.
(The original article is published by Gospel Times)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
Liaoning Church with Ethnic Korean-Chinese Reopens
