In late March this year, I attended the inauguration ceremony of a new church building and a retreat in East China’s Zhejiang Province. I took this opportunity to visit several local churches in Xiangshan, which left a deep impression on me.
During the dedication service for Holy Grace Church in Yalinxi Village, Xiangshan County, Ningbo City, Rev. Jin Da from Xiaying Church in Ningbo preached a sermon titled "Blessed Is Joseph", citing Genesis 49:22–26. When Israel gave blessings to his twelve sons, Joseph received the most special and richest blessing. Rev. Jin reminded believers to have a good relationship with Jesus Christ, rely on the Holy Spirit to make disciples of all nations, and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.
In the inauguration ceremony, Rev. Huang Weiguang, former president of the Xiangshan Christian Council (CC), introduced the history of Xiangshan Christianity and the construction of Grace Church.
A church in Xiangshan was founded in 1860, and by 1950, there were two thousand believers. From 1952 to 1978, though the church closed due to historical reasons, the number of believers increased. When the church reopened, Xiangshan had 7,000 Christians. In 1982, the Xiangshan Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) was established, and later 18 churches were approved to be established. Today, Xiangshan has 48 churches and three gathering places.
Rev. Huang explained that it was not easy to build Holy Grace Church. They purchased land in 2011 and tried to apply for the building of a church. After many twists and turns, the construction was started in 2021, and they moved into the new church in September 2022.
Before the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, believers in Yalinxi all gathered in Daxu Church. After the resumption of gatherings in 1979, they set up a meeting point in Yalinxi Village. Later, in order to build a church, Daxu Church mobilized believers in Yalinxi to gather in Daxu. In 1997, the new building of Daxu Church was completed. Later, to facilitate the gathering of believers, a meeting place was set up in Yalinxi, separated from Daxu Church. And now it has become a fixed place for worship as a new main building has been constructed.
During the retreat on March 22–23, Rev. Jin Da and Rev. Xu Lei from Ningbo International Church delivered sermons.
On the evening of the 22nd, believers presented many kinds of performances, including hymns, dances, a comedy sketch in the local dialect, a Nativity play, and recitations.
During and after the meeting, through exchanges with many pastors and visits to local churches, I learned that many local churches focus on small groups and discipleship to fulfill the Great Commission. According to a pastor, there are pastor retreats jointly held by several local churches to protect the spiritual lives of pastors and rekindle their ministry passion. The local CC&TSPMs arrange for pastors to give sermons in churches in Xiangshan, which often learn advanced experience from churches in Ningbo City through activities and exchanges. Local church volunteers with a commitment to online ministry strive to learn relevant knowledge, establish the church's online ministry, and help other churches build network platforms with technical assistance.
In 2007, the magazine "Manna" was published by Xiangshan CC&TSPM, with Rev. Huang in charge of the section "Cleaning the Dust of History". From then on, he began to collect the testimonies of local pastors and evangelists. After retiring, Huang sorted out the history of 51 churches in Xiangshan.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
笔者于今年3月下旬参加了宁波象山雅林溪教会新堂落成庆典及培灵会，也借此机会走访了象山当地几所教会。当地教会的活力给笔者留下深刻印象，在此略记述一二。
随后的礼拜由宁波市下应堂的金达牧师证道，金牧师以创世记49章22到26节的经文做了题为“得约瑟的祝福”的讲道。在以色列给十二个儿子的祝福中，约瑟得着的祝福最特别、最丰富。提醒信徒要和耶稣基督有美好的关系，依靠圣灵的工作使万民做主的门徒，福音传到地极。
接着是新堂落成典礼，象山基督教协会前会长黄伟光牧师介绍象山教会历史和雅林溪圣恩堂建堂经过。
象山自1860年开始建立教会，到1950年，有两千信徒。1952年到1978年，由于历史原因，教会关门，但信徒在增加。教堂重新开放之时，象山有了7000信徒。1982年，象山基督教三自爱国运动委员会成立，后批准建立18所教堂。如今，象山共有51个堂点，其中48个教堂，3个聚会点。
黄牧师说，雅林溪圣恩堂的建造不容易。教会2011年就购置土地，尝试申请建堂，中间经过诸多波折，到2021年才得以正式动工，2022年9月搬入新堂聚会。
解放前，雅林溪的信徒都在大徐教会聚会，1979年恢复聚会后在雅林溪村设聚会点。后大徐教会为了建堂，动员雅林溪的信徒去大徐聚会。1997年，大徐教会新堂建成。后考虑到信徒礼拜交通原因，在雅林溪设聚会点，从大徐教堂分出，到如今成为固定处所，新堂建成。
22日下午和23日全天是为期一天半的培灵会，22日由金达牧师讲道，23日由宁波国际礼拜堂的徐蕾牧师讲道。
22日晚有表演晚会。表演的节目类型丰富，包括诗歌、舞蹈、地方言表演小品、圣剧、朗诵。
聚会期间和后续时间，借着和多位牧者的交流和当地教会的走访，了解到当地不少教会将大使命作为教会异象，注重小组和门训。据一位教会传道人介绍，当地有几个教会联合举办的牧师退修会，关怀牧者灵性状况，将疲惫的牧者重新点燃。主日讲道由两会统一安排。也常和宁波的教会积极联合，学习优秀实践。当地对网络事工有负担的教会义工努力学习相关知识，建立本教会的网络事工，也帮助兄弟教会搭建平台，提供技术援助。
2007年，象山两会主办的刊物《吗哪》创刊，时任基督教协会会长的黄伟光牧师负责“历史洗尘”版本，由此开始收集当地牧者、传道人的见证。退休之后，黄牧师又整理了象山51个堂点的教会历史。
浙江教堂新堂献堂
In late March this year, I attended the inauguration ceremony of a new church building and a retreat in East China’s Zhejiang Province. I took this opportunity to visit several local churches in Xiangshan, which left a deep impression on me.
During the dedication service for Holy Grace Church in Yalinxi Village, Xiangshan County, Ningbo City, Rev. Jin Da from Xiaying Church in Ningbo preached a sermon titled "Blessed Is Joseph", citing Genesis 49:22–26. When Israel gave blessings to his twelve sons, Joseph received the most special and richest blessing. Rev. Jin reminded believers to have a good relationship with Jesus Christ, rely on the Holy Spirit to make disciples of all nations, and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.
In the inauguration ceremony, Rev. Huang Weiguang, former president of the Xiangshan Christian Council (CC), introduced the history of Xiangshan Christianity and the construction of Grace Church.
A church in Xiangshan was founded in 1860, and by 1950, there were two thousand believers. From 1952 to 1978, though the church closed due to historical reasons, the number of believers increased. When the church reopened, Xiangshan had 7,000 Christians. In 1982, the Xiangshan Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) was established, and later 18 churches were approved to be established. Today, Xiangshan has 48 churches and three gathering places.
Rev. Huang explained that it was not easy to build Holy Grace Church. They purchased land in 2011 and tried to apply for the building of a church. After many twists and turns, the construction was started in 2021, and they moved into the new church in September 2022.
Before the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, believers in Yalinxi all gathered in Daxu Church. After the resumption of gatherings in 1979, they set up a meeting point in Yalinxi Village. Later, in order to build a church, Daxu Church mobilized believers in Yalinxi to gather in Daxu. In 1997, the new building of Daxu Church was completed. Later, to facilitate the gathering of believers, a meeting place was set up in Yalinxi, separated from Daxu Church. And now it has become a fixed place for worship as a new main building has been constructed.
During the retreat on March 22–23, Rev. Jin Da and Rev. Xu Lei from Ningbo International Church delivered sermons.
On the evening of the 22nd, believers presented many kinds of performances, including hymns, dances, a comedy sketch in the local dialect, a Nativity play, and recitations.
During and after the meeting, through exchanges with many pastors and visits to local churches, I learned that many local churches focus on small groups and discipleship to fulfill the Great Commission. According to a pastor, there are pastor retreats jointly held by several local churches to protect the spiritual lives of pastors and rekindle their ministry passion. The local CC&TSPMs arrange for pastors to give sermons in churches in Xiangshan, which often learn advanced experience from churches in Ningbo City through activities and exchanges. Local church volunteers with a commitment to online ministry strive to learn relevant knowledge, establish the church's online ministry, and help other churches build network platforms with technical assistance.
In 2007, the magazine "Manna" was published by Xiangshan CC&TSPM, with Rev. Huang in charge of the section "Cleaning the Dust of History". From then on, he began to collect the testimonies of local pastors and evangelists. After retiring, Huang sorted out the history of 51 churches in Xiangshan.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Travel Notes to Ningbo in Zhejiang Where New Church Building Dedicated
