Churches in Jiexiu City and Linyi County in Yuncheng, Shanxi, were repaired two months after record-breaking rainstorms, while some are due to be restored after the Lunar New Year.
The Gospel Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, contacted the pastors from the two churches in the affected area.
Due to the heavy rainfall which took place during China’s National Day vacation period, among four affected rows of old houses belonging to Jiexiu Church, two dilapidated houses in the first row completely collapsed. Recently, the church has demolished these dangerous houses and planned to build a parking lot there for believers to pull over.
According to Rev. Fan Wanmin from the church, as the walls inside the church and the attached houses for the choir leaked, the repair work is set to be conducted next year. In addition, staff of the church visited 11 rural meeting points and more than 120 believers, presenting rice and flour to 35 volunteers who did preaching and logistics work throughout the year.
"Visits will be also carried out before Christmas, which is a test for the church, as it is a challenging time for pandemic prevention and control," said Fan.
"Due to the COVID-19 prevention and control, in-person gatherings have not resumed. May God protect and bless the Linyi Church so that believers can return to the sanctuary to worship and praise Him!" said Elder Yue Yinshan, director of Linyin County TSPM and head of the Linyi County Church.
In the virtual interview, Yue stated that the Luocun meeting point subordinate to the church has been restored after being damaged by the heavy rain in October, and the houses of Fushoutun Church have been demolished, with the reconstruction to start early next year.
The main structure of Linyi County Church did not suffer much damage, but the auxiliary buildings fell down, which did not impact the ongoing church ministry. The church planned to do repair work after the Spring Festival, Yue continued.
After the disaster, staff workers of the church paid visits to the flood-hit churches and believers in Xinjiang County and Jishan County, with a donation of 40,000 yuan from Christians in Linyi County. However, in light of the recent pandemic, the church did not conduct any further visits, for the time being, Yue said.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
10月11日，10月9日，福音时报曾报道过山西介休教会,运城市临猗县部分基层聚会点因连续强降雨致使堂内老旧房屋倒塌、受损的消息，两个月过去，教堂现在情况如何？日前，福音时报同工再次与两地教会联系，了解教会近况
在中秋国庆期间的强降雨过程中，介休城区教堂所属的四排老房屋受到了不同程度的影响，其中位于第一排的两间危房已经倒塌，近日，教堂已经将危房全部拆除，日后拟将该空地改造为停车场，便利信徒停放车辆。
另外，据介休城区教会樊万民牧师介绍，之前教堂内部部分墙壁以及唱诗班等附属房屋也因降雨出现了不同程度的渗水情况，计划明年开展相关的维修工作。近期以来，介休市基督教会先后探望慰问了11个农村聚会点、信徒120余人，同时，对于35位在教会全年义工服侍的讲道义工、服务义工以及后勤义工送上了慰问鼓励，“在圣诞节前还会安排探望，而圣诞节也是关键的防控时间，对教会来说也是考验。”樊牧师表示道。
临猗县基督教三自爱国运动委员会主任、县基督教会负责人岳银善长老介绍，受10月强降雨影响，临猗县基督教会下面的罗村聚会点以及福寿屯教会受灾情况相对严重，部分房屋建筑发生了倒塌。现罗村点的受损房屋已经修复，而福寿屯教会所属的倒塌房屋也已经被拆除，计划明年年初启动重建工作。
另外，临猗县基督教会（中心堂）主体建筑在此次汛灾中并未遭受太大损失，只是位于教堂后院的部分附属建筑发生了倒塌，并不影响堂内正常事工开展，修缮工作计划在春节后展开。
岳长老表示，灾后临猗教会同工曾先后前往新绛县、稷山县等地看望受灾教会及信徒，全县弟兄姊妹还积极为两县进行了捐款奉献，总计4万余元。不过近期由于疫情原因，教会暂时也没有开展相关走访探望活动。
“因为疫情防控，现在还没有正式恢复聚会，也求神保守赐福临猗教会，希望能够让弟兄姊妹早日回到圣殿敬拜赞美！”岳长老如此说道。
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/59605
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/59643
汛情之后：山西介休教会,临猗教会受灾聚会点恢复重建忙
Churches in Jiexiu City and Linyi County in Yuncheng, Shanxi, were repaired two months after record-breaking rainstorms, while some are due to be restored after the Lunar New Year.
The Gospel Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, contacted the pastors from the two churches in the affected area.
Due to the heavy rainfall which took place during China’s National Day vacation period, among four affected rows of old houses belonging to Jiexiu Church, two dilapidated houses in the first row completely collapsed. Recently, the church has demolished these dangerous houses and planned to build a parking lot there for believers to pull over.
According to Rev. Fan Wanmin from the church, as the walls inside the church and the attached houses for the choir leaked, the repair work is set to be conducted next year. In addition, staff of the church visited 11 rural meeting points and more than 120 believers, presenting rice and flour to 35 volunteers who did preaching and logistics work throughout the year.
"Visits will be also carried out before Christmas, which is a test for the church, as it is a challenging time for pandemic prevention and control," said Fan.
"Due to the COVID-19 prevention and control, in-person gatherings have not resumed. May God protect and bless the Linyi Church so that believers can return to the sanctuary to worship and praise Him!" said Elder Yue Yinshan, director of Linyin County TSPM and head of the Linyi County Church.
In the virtual interview, Yue stated that the Luocun meeting point subordinate to the church has been restored after being damaged by the heavy rain in October, and the houses of Fushoutun Church have been demolished, with the reconstruction to start early next year.
The main structure of Linyi County Church did not suffer much damage, but the auxiliary buildings fell down, which did not impact the ongoing church ministry. The church planned to do repair work after the Spring Festival, Yue continued.
After the disaster, staff workers of the church paid visits to the flood-hit churches and believers in Xinjiang County and Jishan County, with a donation of 40,000 yuan from Christians in Linyi County. However, in light of the recent pandemic, the church did not conduct any further visits, for the time being, Yue said.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Shanxi Churches Restored After Flooding
