On the Sunday before the start of the Chinese New Year, a church in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region held a service to celebrate the new year.
Shangsi County Church in Fangchenggang City held a celebration on January 22, the first day of the first lunar month, with the theme "Hearts Are Linked to Each Other Like Pomegranate Seeds." The celebration called for all nations to embrace one another closely, similar to the way pomegranate seeds are clumped together.
Shangsi County is a county in Guangxi, China. It is known as the "Hometown of Chinese Poetry" and the "Hometown of Literature and Art with Guangxi Characteristics." It is also home to a number of ethnic minorities, who together make up 93.48% of the population. The remaining population is of Han nationality.
People who believed in God, people who did not believe in God, and people who were going home for the Spring Festival all participated in the celebration, both in person and online. In addition to the performances given by the church brass band, electro-acoustic band, and choir, members of the congregation also gave their own renditions of choruses, sign language dances, hymns, and dances, as well as an allegro-tempo program.
Following recitations from the Holy Scriptures, prayers, and hymns, Reverend Zeng Bihui delivered a sermon with the title "Return Home for the New Year."
After the sermon, almost 20 people asked for forgiveness and turned to the Lord through prayer. Each person got a cross and a booklet.
At the end of the service, the congregation made their first offerings for the Lunar New Year of 2023.
(The article is originally published by the Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
2023年1月22日，中国传统节日的初一过大年，恰逢主日。位于广西壮族自治区的上思县基督教会举行2023年春节感恩特会。
据广西基督教两会常委、上思福音堂执事黄享弟兄介绍：今年春节他们教会的春节联欢主题是用“石榴籽心连心”，各民族都要亲如兄弟姐妹，像石榴籽那样紧紧抱在一起。
上思县教会继承了本地“中华诗词之乡”“广西特色文艺之乡”等称号的中国传统文化。
上思县汉族人口占6.52%、少数民族人口占93.48%，参加活动的不仅是信徒，还吸引了一些非信教群众，还有春节返乡的同胞。
表演的节目近二十个节目。其中既有教会铜管乐队的演奏，电声乐队、快板、舞蹈、诗班献唱、小组合唱、手语舞蹈、大合唱等；既有读经、祷告、诗歌，具有新春特色的证道《回家过年》。
本次的欢庆活动首次采用了互联网直播和实地举行。教会曾碧慧牧师证道结束后，有近二十位弟兄姊妹响应呼召，走到圣台上，做决志的祷告，归向基督，在大年初一蒙召成为新人。教会的同工向他们赠送了十字架和一本福音册子。
聚会即将结束的时候，会众们献上2023年新春佳节的第一笔奉献。
（福音时报特约撰稿人报道，感谢上思县教会提供的照片。）
广西上思县基督教会春节联欢会纪实
On the Sunday before the start of the Chinese New Year, a church in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region held a service to celebrate the new year.
Shangsi County Church in Fangchenggang City held a celebration on January 22, the first day of the first lunar month, with the theme "Hearts Are Linked to Each Other Like Pomegranate Seeds." The celebration called for all nations to embrace one another closely, similar to the way pomegranate seeds are clumped together.
Shangsi County is a county in Guangxi, China. It is known as the "Hometown of Chinese Poetry" and the "Hometown of Literature and Art with Guangxi Characteristics." It is also home to a number of ethnic minorities, who together make up 93.48% of the population. The remaining population is of Han nationality.
People who believed in God, people who did not believe in God, and people who were going home for the Spring Festival all participated in the celebration, both in person and online. In addition to the performances given by the church brass band, electro-acoustic band, and choir, members of the congregation also gave their own renditions of choruses, sign language dances, hymns, and dances, as well as an allegro-tempo program.
Following recitations from the Holy Scriptures, prayers, and hymns, Reverend Zeng Bihui delivered a sermon with the title "Return Home for the New Year."
After the sermon, almost 20 people asked for forgiveness and turned to the Lord through prayer. Each person got a cross and a booklet.
At the end of the service, the congregation made their first offerings for the Lunar New Year of 2023.
(The article is originally published by the Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Celebration of Spring Festival Held in Guangxi Church
