Fujian churches hosted a symposium regarding the Good Shepherd Sunday.
Pingnan County CC&TSPM in Ningde, Fujian Province, organized the 11th Good Shepherd Sunday's Thanksgiving Symposium at Chengdong Church on April 29 to honor pastors, according to Pingnan CC&TSPM.
At the symposium, pastors shared the ups and downs of serving, especially the grassroots ministers from rural areas. Under the pressure of reality - limited capacity, money, and resources in the church - their ministries were full of hardships. Though they have experienced weakness, discouragement, and tears, they still stick to their post, faithfully fulfilling their responsibilities of living up to God's calling.
In the end, pastors prayed together for world peace, the pandemic situation at home and abroad, the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the Pingnan Church and the pastoral team.
Zhongxin Wei, chairman of the Pingnan County TSPM, mentioned that Pingnan CC&TSPM celebrated the first Good Shepherd Sunday in 2012, which is the fourth Sunday of Eastertide every year. This year's festival aims for believers to learn to respect, encourage, appreciate and affirm their pastors.
On the morning of this year's Good Shepherd Sunday which falls on May 8, all churches in this county shared sermons themed "Respect the Shepherd, Perform Your Duty" based on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 and 1 Timothy 5:17-18, guiding believers to respect their pastor. On that afternoon, all the churches would give sermons with the same theme "Build a Pastoral Team After God’s Heart", citing 1 Timothy 4:12 and Proverbs 29:18, saying that pastors would be the good soldiers called by God, who must be able "to come when they are called, to fight when they come, and to win when they fight." The message would emphasize team spirit - pastors should know that “They are in a pastoral team which needs their participation, and they also need the support of the team even more.” Pastors and believers are urged to unite to be a blessing to the church.
- Translated by Katherine Guo
4月29日，福建宁德屏南县基督教两会在屏南城东基督教堂组织召开第十一届敬牧节感恩座谈会。
今年该县基督教敬牧节是在5月8日，这一天主日上午全县教会讲台信息以经文“帖前5:12-13，提前5:17-18”分享共同主题“敬重牧者、当尽本分”，引导教会的信徒对教会的牧者要尊重；下午全县教会讲台信息以经文“提前4:12，箴29:18”分享共同主题“打造一支合神心意的教牧团队”，教会的牧者是神所呼召的精兵，要能“召之即来，来之能战，战之能胜”，更要明白“我们是团队，团队需要我的参与，我更需要团队的扶持”，让牧者与信徒打成一片成为教会的祝福。
在座谈会上，众牧者们分享事奉当中的酸甜苦辣，特别是来自农村基层传道人，在教会能力有限、经济有限、资源有限的现实生活压力下，事奉道路充满艰辛，经历过软弱、灰心、流泪，但仍坚守岗位，尽忠尽责，不负神的呼召。
最后，众牧者共同开声为世界和平，国内外疫情，俄乌战争止息，屏南教会及教牧同工团队等代求代祷。
县基督教三自爱国会韦忠信主席介绍自从2012年屏南县基督教两会恢复首届敬牧节，并规定每年复活期第四主日为屏南县基督教敬牧节，至今已有11年，旨在信徒学会敬重、鼓励、欣赏和肯定牧者。
福建宁德屏南县基督教两会召开第十一届敬牧节座谈会
Fujian churches hosted a symposium regarding the Good Shepherd Sunday.
Pingnan County CC&TSPM in Ningde, Fujian Province, organized the 11th Good Shepherd Sunday's Thanksgiving Symposium at Chengdong Church on April 29 to honor pastors, according to Pingnan CC&TSPM.
At the symposium, pastors shared the ups and downs of serving, especially the grassroots ministers from rural areas. Under the pressure of reality - limited capacity, money, and resources in the church - their ministries were full of hardships. Though they have experienced weakness, discouragement, and tears, they still stick to their post, faithfully fulfilling their responsibilities of living up to God's calling.
In the end, pastors prayed together for world peace, the pandemic situation at home and abroad, the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the Pingnan Church and the pastoral team.
Zhongxin Wei, chairman of the Pingnan County TSPM, mentioned that Pingnan CC&TSPM celebrated the first Good Shepherd Sunday in 2012, which is the fourth Sunday of Eastertide every year. This year's festival aims for believers to learn to respect, encourage, appreciate and affirm their pastors.
On the morning of this year's Good Shepherd Sunday which falls on May 8, all churches in this county shared sermons themed "Respect the Shepherd, Perform Your Duty" based on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 and 1 Timothy 5:17-18, guiding believers to respect their pastor. On that afternoon, all the churches would give sermons with the same theme "Build a Pastoral Team After God’s Heart", citing 1 Timothy 4:12 and Proverbs 29:18, saying that pastors would be the good soldiers called by God, who must be able "to come when they are called, to fight when they come, and to win when they fight." The message would emphasize team spirit - pastors should know that “They are in a pastoral team which needs their participation, and they also need the support of the team even more.” Pastors and believers are urged to unite to be a blessing to the church.
- Translated by Katherine Guo
Pingnan County Church Honors Pastors
