A church located in East China's Jiangsu Province recently held a dedication ceremony and service after a period of reconstruction.
During the worship service held at Qishuyan Church in Changzhou on June 22nd, Rev. He Jiemiao, president of the Jiangsu Christian Council, delivered a sermon on the topic of "Know Nothing Except Jesus Christ and Him Crucified," with choirs from Changzhou Church and Qishuyan Church providing hymns for the occasion, said Changzhou CC&TSPM.
The church's origins date back to 1908, when it began as a preaching place. In 1947, its members started holding gatherings in a primary school for the children of workers at Qishuyan Locomotive and Rolling Stock Works. Unfortunately, these meetings were suspended at the end of 1950 but resumed in 1951, overcoming various challenges and uncertainties until 1979. Due to an increase in the number of believers, they moved to the Catholic church on Qishuyan Middle Street on Christmas Day in 1988. This building, however, deteriorated over time as the beams came under attack from termites, forcing the congregation to once again find a new meeting place. It wasn't until October 1991 that the church applied for land acquisition through the Qishuyan District Government, and over a year later, believers raised funds to design and build a new church. They were finally able to complete construction in November 1993 with a total investment of over 550,000 yuan and held a completion ceremony and service on May 17, 1995.
However, the old church was replaced and rebuilt in situ in 2016, and in September 2022, worshippers moved into the new church to continue their religious services.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
江苏一百年教堂举行新堂献堂典礼。
据常州市基督教两会，6月22日，常州市戚墅堰教堂举行献堂典礼和礼拜。
江苏省基督教协会会长何介苗牧师以《只知道耶稣基督，并他钉十字架》为题证道，常州市教堂诗班和戚墅堰教堂诗班献唱。
1908年该教堂从一个布道所开始，1947年在戚机厂子弟小学礼堂进行聚会活动。1950年底停止活动，1951年下半年恢复聚会，至1979年期间聚会几经波折。随着信徒增加，1988年圣诞节搬至戚墅堰中街的天主教堂聚会，后因天主堂的大梁遭白蚁侵袭，成了危房，教会活动再次受到影响。1991年10月向戚墅堰区政府有关部门申请建堂征地。历时一年多、戚墅堰教会自筹资金，自己设计，自己建造，总投资55万余元的教堂在1993年11月竣工。1995年5月17日，戚墅堰基督教堂举行感恩礼拜暨落成典礼。2016年，原地置换重建。2022年9月，荣进新“家”。
江苏教堂举行新堂献堂典礼
A church located in East China's Jiangsu Province recently held a dedication ceremony and service after a period of reconstruction.
During the worship service held at Qishuyan Church in Changzhou on June 22nd, Rev. He Jiemiao, president of the Jiangsu Christian Council, delivered a sermon on the topic of "Know Nothing Except Jesus Christ and Him Crucified," with choirs from Changzhou Church and Qishuyan Church providing hymns for the occasion, said Changzhou CC&TSPM.
The church's origins date back to 1908, when it began as a preaching place. In 1947, its members started holding gatherings in a primary school for the children of workers at Qishuyan Locomotive and Rolling Stock Works. Unfortunately, these meetings were suspended at the end of 1950 but resumed in 1951, overcoming various challenges and uncertainties until 1979. Due to an increase in the number of believers, they moved to the Catholic church on Qishuyan Middle Street on Christmas Day in 1988. This building, however, deteriorated over time as the beams came under attack from termites, forcing the congregation to once again find a new meeting place. It wasn't until October 1991 that the church applied for land acquisition through the Qishuyan District Government, and over a year later, believers raised funds to design and build a new church. They were finally able to complete construction in November 1993 with a total investment of over 550,000 yuan and held a completion ceremony and service on May 17, 1995.
However, the old church was replaced and rebuilt in situ in 2016, and in September 2022, worshippers moved into the new church to continue their religious services.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Jiangsu Centennial Church Dedicates New Buildings
