With a debt of 150,000 yuan for the reconstruction project, a Zhejiang rural church held Sunday services in the basement of a female believer’s home, since the usual church building has not yet passed the fire safety inspection.
Located in Jiuli Village, west of Tianmushan Town, Lin’an District, the church is 10 kilometers away from the market town, and is the bridgehead of industry, transportation, and tourism in Lin’an.
Established in 1885 and named Jesus Church, the centurial church is the first one in this area. Having resumed gatherings in 1985 after reform and opening up, it carried out a small-scale protective restoration since 1997.
Identified as a dilapidated building in 2018, it has security risks for gathering, with the cracked beams and columns, and rotten wooden floor.
Demolished in 2019, it was rebuilt on the original foundation starting from 2020, with a cost of 1.2 million and a total area of 300 square meters (0.0741 acres). The construction was completed in February 2021, with three floors of the facade, the first floor for the dining room, the second for gathering, and the third for accommodation. Due to the poor economy of the rural church, it owes 150,000 yuan for the project, and the fire safety inspection has not yet been passed.
The in-person Sunday services are still held in the basement of a female believer’s home. Hosting prayer meetings and night gatherings regularly, the church has many volunteers and perfect ministry organizations, including a funeral group, a Martha group, a finance group, an infrastructure group, and a fire safety group.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
今天是六月第三周父亲节！笔者驱车前往临安区天目山镇九里堂乡村教会服侍。
九里堂位于临安区天目山镇西边九里村，距离集镇10公里，是临安工业、交通、旅游西进的桥头堡。
九里堂属百年老教堂。据历史记载，1885年，在九里桥设耶稣堂，为本境内基督教设立教堂之始。改革开放，教堂于1985年开始恢复聚会。从1997年开始对该堂开始进行小规模的保护性修复。
九里教堂从2018开始木梁柱开裂，木楼板腐烂，木梁严重腐朽，经鉴定属D级危房，给聚会带来安全隐患。于2019年开始拆除旧房，2020年开始施工，在原地基上新建教堂，总面积300平米左右，造价为120万。门面为三层，主体为五间二层，一楼为饭厅，二楼为聚会场所，三楼为住宿房，于2021年二月完成建造。因乡村教会经济薄弱，目前还欠下工程款十五万左右，消防还未验收，暂时主日聚会仍在教会一姐妹家的地下室。
教会组织建设完善，义工多位。教会设有圣工组、丧事组、马大组、财务组、基建组、消防安全组等，有祷告会、夜聚会。
https://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/57093
乡村教会——临安区天目山镇九里村九里堂
With a debt of 150,000 yuan for the reconstruction project, a Zhejiang rural church held Sunday services in the basement of a female believer’s home, since the usual church building has not yet passed the fire safety inspection.
Located in Jiuli Village, west of Tianmushan Town, Lin’an District, the church is 10 kilometers away from the market town, and is the bridgehead of industry, transportation, and tourism in Lin’an.
Established in 1885 and named Jesus Church, the centurial church is the first one in this area. Having resumed gatherings in 1985 after reform and opening up, it carried out a small-scale protective restoration since 1997.
Identified as a dilapidated building in 2018, it has security risks for gathering, with the cracked beams and columns, and rotten wooden floor.
Demolished in 2019, it was rebuilt on the original foundation starting from 2020, with a cost of 1.2 million and a total area of 300 square meters (0.0741 acres). The construction was completed in February 2021, with three floors of the facade, the first floor for the dining room, the second for gathering, and the third for accommodation. Due to the poor economy of the rural church, it owes 150,000 yuan for the project, and the fire safety inspection has not yet been passed.
The in-person Sunday services are still held in the basement of a female believer’s home. Hosting prayer meetings and night gatherings regularly, the church has many volunteers and perfect ministry organizations, including a funeral group, a Martha group, a finance group, an infrastructure group, and a fire safety group.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Zhejiang Rural Church Short of Money for Reconstruction
