A nearly 100-year-old Gothic brick and wood church in Fujian Province on China’s southeastern coast urgently needs to be repaired due to water leaks and damaged roofs, for which four million yuan is yet to be raised.
Cangxia Church in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, which was part of the Anglican Church, was built between 1924 and 1927.
It is a typical British Victorian Gothic brick and wood structure building, covering an area of 1,563 square meters (0.386 acres). The main building covers 823 square meters (0.203 acres), with each floor and roof frames made of wood, and an exterior red brick facade.
In the early morning, a dozen female believers who were cleaning the nave introduced that the church could accommodate a thousand of people at the same time. "Every week, we sweep the church, with a light cleaning on Thursday and a thorough cleaning every Saturday morning, followed by complete disinfection as preparation for the Sunday worship service. Although recently it has been very hot in Fuzhou, we have never stopped cleaning inside and outside the church…”
Rev. Lin Xiuyun, director of the church council, explained about the baptismal basin made of bluestone placed on the right in front of the sanctuary platform. It has existed ever since the church was built. She claimed that there used to be only three such baptismal basins in Anglican churches around the world (one of them in the UK disappeared), and now the only existing bluestone baptismal basin is in this church.
After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident (July 7-9, 1937), the Japanese military launched a full-scale war of aggression against China, during which choir members of Cangxia Church participated in the anti-Japanese military band which departed from the Church to perform in various locations, promoting the idea of fighting against Japan’s invasion and saving the nation.
In 1984, Xiang Nan, secretary of the provincial Party committee at the time, said at a meeting, "Cangxia Church covered the Party's underground activities and contributed to the cause of liberation..."
Implementing the religious policy after the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, the church took back its property rights. After renovations, Cangxia Church resumed religious activities on August 11, 1985.
As a cathedral built in the typical European style, it was listed in the second batch of district-level cultural relics protection units in Taijiang District in May 1996. In January 2020, it was included in the eighth batch of municipal-level cultural relics protection units in Fuzhou.
Rev. Lin Xiuyun added, "For a long time, the church building has had problems such as water leakage, damaged roofs, seriously corroded wooden components and red bricks, posing a safety hazard."
This year, the church has commissioned a professional ancient building design company to start the renovation project. The total capital for the first phase of the project is estimated to be more than six million yuan. At present, the church has raised two million yuan by itself, which still presents a big gap. Hopefully, all the funds can be ready for the construction to start in October this year, which calls for praying earnestly for it and for its completion as soon as possible.
- Translated by Shuya Wang
中国东南沿海福建省的一座近百年的哥特式砖木教堂因漏水和屋面破损待修，还差400万。
福州苍霞基督教堂于1924年奠基，1927年竣工，属圣公会背景。
这是一座典型的英国维多利亚哥特式砖木结构建筑，占地面积1563平方米，主体建筑占地面积823平方米，各层及屋顶框架为木质，外砌清水红砖。
一大清早十几位姐妹们正在礼拜堂里做卫生，姐妹介绍，教堂可同时容千人礼拜，“每周我们都把堂内卫生做好，星期四是小清理，每周六上午是大扫除，紧接着全面消毒，迎侯第二天主日崇拜。近一段时间，福州虽然持续高温天气，我们做好堂内外卫生从未停止，……”
苍霞堂会主任林秀云牧师介绍圣殿台前右边摆放的用青石打造的洗礼盆，它与教堂的历史同样悠久。她说，这样的洗礼盆在全世界圣公会的教堂原来只有3个（其中有一个在英国也没了），如今唯一保存下来的就是苍霞基督教堂里的这个青石洗礼盒。
1937年“七七”事变后，日本军国主义发动了全面侵华战争，抗日战争时期，苍霞基督教堂唱诗班成员参加抗日宣传的歌咏团，这些歌咏团从苍霞基督教堂出发，到各地义演，宣传抗日救国思想。
1984年，时任省委书记项南在一次会议上的讲话时曾说：“苍霞基督教堂掩护党的地下活动，对解放事业有贡献……”。
十一届三中全会后，为了落实宗教政策，教会收回产权，经修缮整理后，苍霞基督教堂于1985年8月11日恢复宗教活动。
苍霞基督教堂是典型欧洲风格建筑主教座堂，1996年5月列入台江区第二批区级文物保护单位。2020年1月，列入福州市第八批市级文物保护单位。
林秀云牧师介绍。“长久以来，教堂一直存在漏水、屋面破损等问题，大木构件和红砖严重腐蚀，存在安全隐患。”
今年教堂已委托专业的古建设计公司启动修缮工程方案设计工作。 一期工程总投资金需600多万元，目前自筹200万元，仍有较大缺口，资金如能全部到位，预备今年10月动工。希望恳切为之祷告，祈望早日完工。
福州近百年老教堂漏雨亟需修缮 望代祷！
A nearly 100-year-old Gothic brick and wood church in Fujian Province on China’s southeastern coast urgently needs to be repaired due to water leaks and damaged roofs, for which four million yuan is yet to be raised.
Cangxia Church in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, which was part of the Anglican Church, was built between 1924 and 1927.
It is a typical British Victorian Gothic brick and wood structure building, covering an area of 1,563 square meters (0.386 acres). The main building covers 823 square meters (0.203 acres), with each floor and roof frames made of wood, and an exterior red brick facade.
In the early morning, a dozen female believers who were cleaning the nave introduced that the church could accommodate a thousand of people at the same time. "Every week, we sweep the church, with a light cleaning on Thursday and a thorough cleaning every Saturday morning, followed by complete disinfection as preparation for the Sunday worship service. Although recently it has been very hot in Fuzhou, we have never stopped cleaning inside and outside the church…”
Rev. Lin Xiuyun, director of the church council, explained about the baptismal basin made of bluestone placed on the right in front of the sanctuary platform. It has existed ever since the church was built. She claimed that there used to be only three such baptismal basins in Anglican churches around the world (one of them in the UK disappeared), and now the only existing bluestone baptismal basin is in this church.
After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident (July 7-9, 1937), the Japanese military launched a full-scale war of aggression against China, during which choir members of Cangxia Church participated in the anti-Japanese military band which departed from the Church to perform in various locations, promoting the idea of fighting against Japan’s invasion and saving the nation.
In 1984, Xiang Nan, secretary of the provincial Party committee at the time, said at a meeting, "Cangxia Church covered the Party's underground activities and contributed to the cause of liberation..."
Implementing the religious policy after the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, the church took back its property rights. After renovations, Cangxia Church resumed religious activities on August 11, 1985.
As a cathedral built in the typical European style, it was listed in the second batch of district-level cultural relics protection units in Taijiang District in May 1996. In January 2020, it was included in the eighth batch of municipal-level cultural relics protection units in Fuzhou.
Rev. Lin Xiuyun added, "For a long time, the church building has had problems such as water leakage, damaged roofs, seriously corroded wooden components and red bricks, posing a safety hazard."
This year, the church has commissioned a professional ancient building design company to start the renovation project. The total capital for the first phase of the project is estimated to be more than six million yuan. At present, the church has raised two million yuan by itself, which still presents a big gap. Hopefully, all the funds can be ready for the construction to start in October this year, which calls for praying earnestly for it and for its completion as soon as possible.
- Translated by Shuya Wang
Intercession Needed for Repairing Centurial Church in Fujian
