A worship service was held to celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday in a church, China’s southeastern coastal Fujian Province.
During the service held on May 8 in Chengdong Church, Pingnan County, Pastor Wei Zhongxin, chairman of Pingnan TSPM, preached a sermon titled Perform Your Duty of Respecting Shepherd. He stated that respecting shepherds would bring blessings to the church as they are servants of God who provided pastoral care to believers. Wei said it was the 11th year of Pingnan CC&TSPM observing the special day to encourage Christians to respect, appreciate and affirm pastors who served in churches to nurture believers on behalf of Christ. He also mentioned that pastors should learn from Paul to serve others as models and enhance service equality. He declared that if pastors and believers could respect, encourage, affirm, and love each other, they would contribute to the development of the church, according to the county CC&TSPM.
On behalf of the church, Deacon Zhang Changxiang provided funds to seven pastors (one studying at school).
As the representative of the pastors in the church, Pastor Zhang Jianquan pointed out with gratitude that Good Shepherd Sunday was a day to express gratitude to all the pastors and clergy. He said the establishment of this day motivated them, warming and caring for more servants of God.
Rev. Xiang Zhirong, president of the county Christian council, made a conclusion that Good Shepherd Sunday had special significance to Pingnan churches which were poor and confront difficulties in the early stage. The churches trained many talents who finally left, as they were receiving meager salaries though serving hard in the church day and night. However, with the continuous improvement of the personnel treatment in Pingnan, the pastoral team has expanded to 26 full-time pastoral staff in the county.
On the fourth Sunday of Eastertide, Good Shepherd Sunday is also known as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations which falls on May 8 this year. On that day all churches share John 10: 14: "I’ am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
5月8日上午，一场隆重的感恩崇拜在屏南城东基督教堂举行，
县基督教三自运动委员会主席韦忠信传道以《敬重牧者，当尽本分》为主题证道：一、牧者是上帝的仆人；二、牧者是信徒的供应；三、敬重牧者带来祝福。自2012年屏南县基督教两会恢复首届敬牧节，至今已有11年，敬牧节的目的是鼓励信徒学会敬重欣赏和肯定牧者。
牧者代表基督侍奉教会，牧养信众，当受信徒的尊重和爱戴；牧者也当学习保罗的侍奉观即仆人式的侍奉、榜样式的侍奉、发展式的侍奉；一个教会的牧者和信徒能够彼此欣赏、彼此鼓励、彼此肯定、彼此相爱，必定给教会和信徒带来美好的祝福。
堂会执事张长享同工代表堂会向7位牧者（1位在校）发放敬牧节慰问金。
张建全传道作为堂会牧者代表作感恩回应：敬牧节是表达对牧者和所有圣职人员侍奉者的感恩的日子。敬牧节的设立，给了我们牧者服侍的动力，让更多神的仆人被温暖、被关爱！
县基督教协会会长向志容牧师代表县基督教两会总结发言：对屏南教会而言，敬牧节有着特别的意义，早期屏南教会是又贫又难，牧者们辛勤牧养，费心劳力，收入微薄，他们日夜侍奉，却生活艰难，教会培养了许多的人才因而流失，但随着屏南教牧人员待遇的不断改善提高，教牧团队也不断壮大，到如今全县有26位专职教牧同工团队。http://www.fuyinshibao.cn/article/index/id/62596
福建宁德屏南城东基督教堂举行第十一届敬牧节感恩崇拜
A worship service was held to celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday in a church, China’s southeastern coastal Fujian Province.
During the service held on May 8 in Chengdong Church, Pingnan County, Pastor Wei Zhongxin, chairman of Pingnan TSPM, preached a sermon titled Perform Your Duty of Respecting Shepherd. He stated that respecting shepherds would bring blessings to the church as they are servants of God who provided pastoral care to believers. Wei said it was the 11th year of Pingnan CC&TSPM observing the special day to encourage Christians to respect, appreciate and affirm pastors who served in churches to nurture believers on behalf of Christ. He also mentioned that pastors should learn from Paul to serve others as models and enhance service equality. He declared that if pastors and believers could respect, encourage, affirm, and love each other, they would contribute to the development of the church, according to the county CC&TSPM.
On behalf of the church, Deacon Zhang Changxiang provided funds to seven pastors (one studying at school).
As the representative of the pastors in the church, Pastor Zhang Jianquan pointed out with gratitude that Good Shepherd Sunday was a day to express gratitude to all the pastors and clergy. He said the establishment of this day motivated them, warming and caring for more servants of God.
Rev. Xiang Zhirong, president of the county Christian council, made a conclusion that Good Shepherd Sunday had special significance to Pingnan churches which were poor and confront difficulties in the early stage. The churches trained many talents who finally left, as they were receiving meager salaries though serving hard in the church day and night. However, with the continuous improvement of the personnel treatment in Pingnan, the pastoral team has expanded to 26 full-time pastoral staff in the county.
On the fourth Sunday of Eastertide, Good Shepherd Sunday is also known as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations which falls on May 8 this year. On that day all churches share John 10: 14: "I’ am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Fujian Church Honors Pastors on Good Shepherd Sunday
