Another wave of COVID-19 outbreak first detected in Nanjing since July 20 has caused churches in some areas of northeastern China to close again from early August. At present, some percentages of churches all over the world are holding online services.
"Every day, it's my emotion that goes up and it's the pandemic prevention that goes on. Wear a mask and pose for the cam," said Pastor Yan Peng, senior pastor of Haikou Road Church, Changchun City, Jilin Province. He led his church staff putting on masks to face the camera while making a music video to cheer for believers.
The Christian Church in Yuguang Street, Dalian, Liaoning Province continued to "punch in" for Bible reading on the Internet and read the Bible "rally" step by step according to the established plan.
Pastor Liu Xueguang, senior pastor of the Shuishiying Church in Lushunkou District of Dalian, initially informed the believers of the temporary "close-down" through the Internet. Yet, they never stopped reading, sharing and praising on the Internet every day. They read more than 3,000 scriptures and praise online from morning till night.
The church in Changtu County, Liaoning Province, informed the congregation about suspension of on-site gathering by means of internet and telephone, which was arranged by the staff on duty at the main entrance of the church. They posted the notice from the relevant departments of the county. Elder Chen, the head of the church, said that after many waves of the pandemic and suspensions of gatherings, teachers and pastors and believers did not lose heart, but thanked God by quoting Psalms 66:10, "For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver."
After receiving the notice of temporary "suspension", the churches in Jinsha New District, Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province, continues to launch online Sunday sermons.
Pastors of some local churches also communicated and shared with pastors of other churches. They discussed which software to use and how to better use them in the network pastor meetings, mainly based on the convenient and simple network channel which is beneficial to the congregation.
A senior pastor in Dalian, Liaoning Province, confided in the public through the Internet, "The pandemic has changed a lot of things including the way of church services, the form of worship, the arrangement of our ministries, and everyone's life. Some people and churches may have a harder life, but I am convinced that God's love has not changed and His words are still valid in heaven. His care has not changed, his sovereignty has not changed, and his mind has not changed. This becomes our comfort, strength and help. In the ever-changing world, we can still sing with confidence: God is the eternal guarantee of people, the hope of people in the future, the shelter of people against wind and rain, and the permanent home of people."
On August 8th, the first temporary "close-down" Sunday, the church gathered online to sing hymns, pray, read scriptures, testify and bless, which was almost the same as the offline gathering procedure.
On the Friday after church closure, eleven sisters in charge of taking temperatures at Lvhua Street Church in Anshan, Liaoning Province, worked to watch at the main entrance of the church. Their main task was to dissuade and inform the unaware believers that on-site gatherings were temporarily suspended.
On the morning of August 8th, some of the teachers and pastors in Anshan Lvhua Street Church, as well as staff in the temperature measuring group and service group, left home after 5 o'clock to get to the church. They continued to be on duty at the main entrance of the church and once again advised believers who had not yet been informed about the temporary suspension.
(The comprehensive report is originally published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Charlie Li
又一轮新冠疫情使得东北的一些地区的教堂从这个礼拜开始再次“双暂停”线下实地聚会。各地教会目前举行网络聚会。
“每次天天向上的是心情，屡屡不懈坚持的是防疫。戴好口罩 照出美好。”这是吉林省长春市海口路教会闫鹏主任牧师在“双暂停”之后面对疫情的感言。他带领教会的教牧同工，戴上口罩，面对镜头，在音乐声中制作了为弟兄姊妹加油鼓劲儿的律动视频。
辽宁省大连市的玉光街基督教堂，在牧师的带领下，还是一如既往的坚持在网络“打卡”读经，按照既定计划有步骤的读经“接龙”。
大连旅顺口区的水师营教会，刘雪光主任牧师通过网络在第一时间通知信众“双暂停”。但是他们的每天网络读经、分享、赞美从来没有停止。肢体们在云端每天从清晨开始到晚上，三千余条读经和赞美。
辽宁昌图县教堂，通过网络和电话等方式通知会众暂停实地聚会，也在教堂的正门安排值班人员，并张贴县有关部门的《通告》。教会负责人陈长老说，经过了多次的疫情和暂停聚会，教牧同工和信徒并没有灰心，而是感谢神，“曾试验我们，熬炼我们，如熬炼银子一样。”
黑龙江七台河市金沙新区教堂在接到“双暂停”的通知后，继续开通主日网络讲道，他们下一步还准备采取适当的方式以网络直播的方式进行牧养。
一些教会的牧长还在主内与其他教会的牧师沟通、分享，探讨用哪一款软件和如何更好的在网络牧会，主要还是立足于方便、简单，有利于会众的网络管道。
辽宁大连一位主任牧师通过网络推心置腹地和会众说：“疫情改变了很多事情，包括教会牧养的方式，包括弟兄姐妹礼拜的形式，包括我们各项事工的安排，也包括大家的生活。有些人，有些教会可能生活更加的艰难，但是我深信：上帝的慈爱没有改变，祂的话语仍旧安定在天。祂的眷顾没有改变，祂的主权没有改变，祂的心意没有改变。这就成为我们的安慰、力量和帮助。在多变的世界之中，我们仍然可以放心的唱出：上帝是人千古保障，是人将来希望，是人居所抵御风雨，是人永久家乡。”
这个教会在8月8日第一个“双暂停”的主日，网络的聚会唱诗、祷告、读经、证道、祝福等圣事，几乎和线下实地聚会程序是一样的。
就在接到“双暂停”的礼拜五，辽宁鞍山绿化街教堂测温组的十一位姊妹不辞辛苦，戴着口罩在教堂正门值班，主要任务就是劝阻、安抚那些不知道实地聚会暂停、还到教堂来的的信徒。
再次“双暂停”的第一个主日8月8日清晨，鞍山绿化街教堂的部分教牧同工和测温组、服务组的同工，有的五点多钟就从家出发，来到教堂，继续值守在教堂的正门，再次劝返、通知那些尚不知情、前来聚会的弟兄姊妹。
（福音时报特约撰稿人综合报道）
面对再次的“双暂停” 信徒们爱主的心没有暂停
Another wave of COVID-19 outbreak first detected in Nanjing since July 20 has caused churches in some areas of northeastern China to close again from early August. At present, some percentages of churches all over the world are holding online services.
"Every day, it's my emotion that goes up and it's the pandemic prevention that goes on. Wear a mask and pose for the cam," said Pastor Yan Peng, senior pastor of Haikou Road Church, Changchun City, Jilin Province. He led his church staff putting on masks to face the camera while making a music video to cheer for believers.
The Christian Church in Yuguang Street, Dalian, Liaoning Province continued to "punch in" for Bible reading on the Internet and read the Bible "rally" step by step according to the established plan.
Pastor Liu Xueguang, senior pastor of the Shuishiying Church in Lushunkou District of Dalian, initially informed the believers of the temporary "close-down" through the Internet. Yet, they never stopped reading, sharing and praising on the Internet every day. They read more than 3,000 scriptures and praise online from morning till night.
The church in Changtu County, Liaoning Province, informed the congregation about suspension of on-site gathering by means of internet and telephone, which was arranged by the staff on duty at the main entrance of the church. They posted the notice from the relevant departments of the county. Elder Chen, the head of the church, said that after many waves of the pandemic and suspensions of gatherings, teachers and pastors and believers did not lose heart, but thanked God by quoting Psalms 66:10, "For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver."
After receiving the notice of temporary "suspension", the churches in Jinsha New District, Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province, continues to launch online Sunday sermons.
Pastors of some local churches also communicated and shared with pastors of other churches. They discussed which software to use and how to better use them in the network pastor meetings, mainly based on the convenient and simple network channel which is beneficial to the congregation.
A senior pastor in Dalian, Liaoning Province, confided in the public through the Internet, "The pandemic has changed a lot of things including the way of church services, the form of worship, the arrangement of our ministries, and everyone's life. Some people and churches may have a harder life, but I am convinced that God's love has not changed and His words are still valid in heaven. His care has not changed, his sovereignty has not changed, and his mind has not changed. This becomes our comfort, strength and help. In the ever-changing world, we can still sing with confidence: God is the eternal guarantee of people, the hope of people in the future, the shelter of people against wind and rain, and the permanent home of people."
On August 8th, the first temporary "close-down" Sunday, the church gathered online to sing hymns, pray, read scriptures, testify and bless, which was almost the same as the offline gathering procedure.
On the Friday after church closure, eleven sisters in charge of taking temperatures at Lvhua Street Church in Anshan, Liaoning Province, worked to watch at the main entrance of the church. Their main task was to dissuade and inform the unaware believers that on-site gatherings were temporarily suspended.
On the morning of August 8th, some of the teachers and pastors in Anshan Lvhua Street Church, as well as staff in the temperature measuring group and service group, left home after 5 o'clock to get to the church. They continued to be on duty at the main entrance of the church and once again advised believers who had not yet been informed about the temporary suspension.
(The comprehensive report is originally published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Charlie Li
NE China Churches Face Shutdown With Positive Attitude
